Su Jingyang didn't have much luggage, and after taking his own money and clothes, he left angrily.

Then... as soon as he returned to the streets he continued looking around for work along the street shops. After running around for hours, his skin was almost scorched by the sun, but he found nothing.

He was so tired that he found a herbal tea stall and ordered a pot of herbal tea and a steamed bun to eat. The more he ate, the more sad his expression became.

In fact, he wasn't afraid of what Liang Lu would do to him. He would feel very unwilling if he continued to stay, but he couldn't help but regret it, because he was technically an illegal immigrant. Apart from Liang Lu, no one else wanted to hire him at all. Even those who carried goods at the dock must show their identification badges. They had caught wind of the government's investigation becoming stricter, and that if you don't follow the regulations, you would be fined.

Su Jingyang lied, saying that he came from Rongcheng, but they still insisted on seeing his identification badge.

Su Jingyang was really going to lose it in this world!

Su Jingyang laid down on the table and took a nap, wondering if he was should continue to inquire about jobs. First, he needed to figure out a way to get a fake ID. Suddenly, he keenly felt that there was someone beside him, and a faint pleasing fragrance was caught by his nose.

Su Jingyang sat up suddenly; he opened his eyes and looked to his side, and found that the person besides him was Ling Li!

Su Jingyang's eyes were bright and he happily called his name, "Ling Li! It's you!"

Ling Li was stunned by his brilliant smile for a moment, but then he quickly smiled back at Su Jingyang, "So I was right, it really was you."

Ling Li held the folded clothes in his arms. He wanted to return Su Jingyang's clothes as agreed, but he took a look in the shop from the outside and found that Su Jingyang wasn't inside at all. He very disturbed at once, for fear that he was found out hiding him against the rain inside the shop and was sacked.

By coincidence, he found him in a tea stall on the side of the road.

Ling Li subconsciously glanced at the stall owner. The stall owner was an old man. He didn't know if he didn't know him or just didn't pay attention. He sat there peacefully making tea without driving him away.

Su Jingyang took him to sit down and poured him a cup of tea. Ling Li's body stiffened, and he finally sat down, "Jingyang, I'm here to return your clothes."

Su Jingyang took the clothes from him and sniffed at it: "It smells so good, it smells like you." Su Jingyang smiled and said to him: "By the way, how did you know that I was here?"

"I went to the shop and looked for you but didn't find you. I was on my way home at first, but then I saw you here." Ling Li clenched his hands tightly, his eyes were a little sad, and he whispered while staring at him: "Why aren't you in the shop anymore? Is it because of what happened with me yesterday..."

"How could that be?" Su Jingyang was afraid that he might misunderstand and quickly interrupted him, "The boss was too evil, I couldn't bear it so I quit. It has nothing to do with you."

Ling Li stared at him, and after a moment he lowered his eyes, pursed his lips, and sighed silently, his expression full of guilt.

Su Jingyang knew that he definitely didn't believe him, so he told him the truth, "What I said is true. The boss did something to me. I beat him and ran out."

Ling Li suddenly looked up, he observed him and asked nervously: "Then are you okay?!"

Su Jingyang snorted, "I'm okay, I even beat him up."

Ling Li was a bit relieved, but at the same time he began to worry, because he was afraid that Su Jingyang would be accused and sued. Su Jingyang knew about his worries, but didn't care much. He felt that Liang Lu had no nerve at all.

They didn't sit for long, Ling Li mentioned that the child was still home, so Su Jingyang let him go without a problem.

When Ling Li was about to set off to go home, he moved very slowly. He then looked down at the ground for a long time, and then finally asked Su Jingyang if he had nowhere to go.

Su Jingyang just hummed, Ling Li raised his face and gazed at him with light brown eyes: "I-if you don't mind much... you can go to my house and stay for a few days. We still have some free space there."

Su Jingyang was stunned for a while, but then he nodded vigorously without a word, his were alight: "Good, good!!! Go, go!!!"

Su Jingyang was indeed worried about this, his money was limited and it was impossible to stay in the inn every day. He was thinking that if it wasn't impossible, he would go and continue to live in the ruined temple. What Ling Li said was undoubtedly alike the grace of charcoal amidst the snow¹. Su Jingyang treated Ling Li as a friend, so he agreed immediately without the slightest intention of being polite.

Hearing him so excited, Ling Li seemed to let go of a sigh of relief. He smiled softly at him and led him to the direction of his home, walking much faster than previously.

The place where Ling Li lived was better than Su Jingyang thought. Although the house looked dilapidated from the outside, only when you open the door and go in would you realize that the inside was vastly different from the outside. It wasn't exactly polished but it left the heart a refreshed impression.

There was a hall and two rooms in total. The kitchen was set in a small courtyard. There was also a well in the courtyard. The combined area wasn't very large, but it was very neat and tidy, which made it particularly comfortable to observe.

Ling Li noticed Su Jingyang’s slightly surprised look and while pouring tea to him he said naturally, “This is the house passed down by my father’s ancestors. Because it was too old, he used his head from time to time to make it much more presentable."

Su Jingyang turned around to take the teacup and thanked him. The father in Ling Li's story should be the old man from the rumors.

When Su Jingyang saw that his expression was still as usual, he smiled in as he always did way and said, "Then your father is really amazing. If you just don't look at it from the outside, you would really think that this is a newly built house."

The corners of Ling Li's mouth bent. He let Su Jingyang sit there for a while, and then walked to the innermost room and used a key to unlock the door.

Su Jingyang held his teacup and followed. The door opened and Su Jingyang took a look at it. Inside the room, Ling Li's son was sleeping soundly. Ling Li walked over and leaned down, kissing the child's cheek lovingly, and quietly took Su Jingyang outside the hall.

Ling Li rummaged for a while, and somewhat awkwardly took out a small plate of pumpkin seeds to entertain Su Jingyang, "I haven't had guests at home for a long time, I really have nothing to entertain you with, I'm sorry."

Su Jingyang was gnawing on the melon skin, when he heard him say that his heart soured.

Su Jingyang really didn't want him to do all this all the time, so he sighed and said to him with a serious face: "Ling Li, I have thick skin² and I already treat you as a friend, so when you invited me to your house I promised without thinking. Now, don’t be too polite with me in the future, alright? How awkward would it be otherwise!"

"... Friend?" When Ling Li heard his words, his hands on top of his thighs curled up tightly. His eyes flashed slightly, and his trembling voice was obviously mixed with a little excitement. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but it seemed that his throat was blocked. He nodded vigorously at Su Jingyang with red eyes, almost saying in a choked voice: "Alright!"

Ling Li asked Su Jingyang's age afterwards. Ling Li was two years younger than him. Ling Li said in an easy-going manner: "Jingyang, then you'll call me Ali³ from now on. That's how my father called me."

"Okay, Ali!" Su Jingyang smiled at him. What Su Jingyang didn't expect at all was that as soon as his words fell, colorful circles of light flashed all over his body.

Su Jingyang couldn't believe his eyes, he actually got energy because of that! And so much too!

Just because he told him to treat him as a friend, Ling Li became so grateful? ? !

Su Jing yang couldn't describe what he was feeling for a while, but he felt more and more that the person in front of him was really pitiful.

Su Jingyang remembered the time when he saw Ling Li for the first time, he spoke coldly, probably because of self-protection, so he guarded against everyone, but even so, he took the initiative to lend him his bowl. Su Jingyang felt that he must've been a naturally soft and kind person.

Although he hadn't really had much contact with Ling Li at present, he has firmly believed that Ling Li was definitely not the same as the rumors.

Of course, he wouldn't just ask Ling Li about the truth, because he didn't need to use the truth to judge whether he should continue to interact with Ling Li.

Su Jingyang happily stayed in Ling Li's house. At night, Ling Li and the child slept in the room, and Su Jingyang slept in a room near the outer hall. The two rooms were connected, separated only by a door.

This was the first time Su Jingyang has slept comfortably in this world since coming here. He rolled on the bed comfortably and contentedly. Ling Li heard his movements but thought he wasn't used to sleeping like this. He came to his door and inquired softly. Su Jingyang got up and laid down on the bedside to face him, saying: "I'm used to it, too used to it! I just know now that I should always cherish it if I have a proper bed to sleep in!"

Su Jingyang ridiculed more than complained, but Ling Li was a little serious. He immediately said that if he couldn't find a place, he could live here forever. Anyway, the house was empty.

Su Jingyang responded with a smile, told him to go back to bed and laid back down. He silently urged him to rest quickly, so that he could continue to look for work tomorrow morning, and pay Ali rent once he starts making money.

Su Jingyang slept peacefully all night, and got up early the next morning. Ling Li prepared gruel and vegetables for breakfast earlier than him, and ate with him while holding the still sleepy Ah-Xuan.

Su Jingyang smiled and squeezed the little guy's face, he drank the porridge in a whirr, and then told Ling Li that he would go out.

Ling Li had now relaxed a lot in front of him, so he casually asked him a few questions. After hearing that he was going to find another place for work, he kept telling him to come back for lunch at noon.

Su Jingyang wore a straw hat and set off away from Ling Li's home. After half a day passed without any results, Su Jingyang went to inquire about fraudulent licenses in the black market, but he almost vomited blood when he heard the ridiculously high price. They wanted so much money just for a fake certificate! He was better off waiting for pies to fall from the sky⁴!

On his way home, Su Jingyang ran into an old woman who was humpbacked and carrying a large bundle of firewood. Since he couldn't find a job, it'd be good to do some good deeds and collect energy. Su Jingyang thought so, so he rushed over and actively asked if he could help her carry it home. The old lady gave him the firewood, but she didn't look very grateful. She looked at Su Jingyang from time to time with her mouth narrowed and her eyes dark. Su Jingyang's scalp numbed because of her gloomy gaze.

Su Jingyang unloaded the firewood on his back and placed it in the yard. He looked up inadvertently and a young man pretending to read a book from the window. His eyes wandered outside from time to time, obviously absent-minded.

Su Jingyang seemed to see his past self who also eagerly waited for class to end, so he couldn't help but smile while wiping the sweat on his face. This somehow provoked the old lady who has been watching him next to him. She drew out a long stick and cursed Su Jingyang viciously, she cursed him viciously with the a sharp, rough voice. What kind of fox, vicious beauty, and fairy, full of bad intentions, deliberately seducing her grandson and trying to climb onto his bed, that he if was so lewd/slutty he should be looked inside a pig cage and should be stabbed by thousands of people and die shameless death by a thousand swords. How ugly, how ugly!

Su Jingyang was embarrassed, but he couldn't fight back to an old woman, so he avoided her and turned around to run out. He ran a long way and turned back, and saw that the old lady was still standing at the gate, pointing and cursing very angrily.

Su Jingyang was very depressed after being beaten and scolded so plainly. He hissed and rubbed his painful arm.

Grandma, didn't I just smile? How could he be so misunderstood after getting this mole in his palm. He could understand being misunderstood because taking a bath with the door open, but now he had been misunderstood with just a smile? ? ? ! What kind of special logic did this world run with? ! !

However, that still wasn't the end of unexpected surprises!

——The energy that he had collected for only two days shiningly radiated from his body, and then those beautiful small light circles fell apart in the blink of an eye, disappearing into the horizon like bubbles! ! !

It's gone, it's all gone! ! !

Su Jingyang's hands trembled and he was so angry that his face almost deformed.

______

Notes:

1- Someone/something (not just limited to this) that helps/gives aid when you are in a difficult situation

2- Someone who doesn't get ashamed/awkward easily

3- Suffix endearment 'Ah-' before a name so it should be 'Ah-Li' but I'm lazy and learned my lesson with Lan Duo'er so let's just go with Ali _(:3」∠)_

4- I changed it because it was awkward grammaring, it's kind of different but still good enough I guess...?