Some residents hadn't drawn their curtains, revealing exquisite furniture, spotless high-end tiles, perfectly tended plants, large balconies, bright, transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, and nannies hanging clothes to dry.
Though so close, they felt like two different worlds.
It was as if even the air they breathed didn't circulate between them.
Only those living there had the luxury to appreciate the sunset's beauty, but they wouldn't look this way, for they would see this rundown urban village.
This small village was like a patch sewn onto the city, a blemish in the minds of the community residents.
Yet, for those living in this rundown urban village, that community was clearly built later; just last year, it was a dusty construction site.
At the time, large numbers of workers likely lived here, crossing a single street to build the now prime-real-estate community.
Once the community was built, they were driven away, moving on to the next construction site.
Even now, Su Xiaoxi and her friend next door worked across the street, though one could only wonder about their feelings.
Nan Yue felt a pang of emotion; in the pollution world, infrastructure wasn't something they needed to worry about, and due to the points requirements of various city states, populations were rigid, with everyone artificially categorized into their own areas.
Although people in the digital city state would look up to Eden, they had never seen Eden; it was merely a legend in textbooks.
They wouldn't, separated by just a wall, so clearly perceive the gap between people and that insurmountable chasm.
“A-Nan, what are you thinking about?”
Zhu Xi Ning walked up beside Nan Yue.
“I'm thinking about what the people living here are thinking.”
Zhu Xi Ning lowered her voice, mimicking Granny Li's roughness, “Why do they get to live in such nice houses? Why do they look down on us? They're the outsiders!”
Nan Yue smiled, “And what are the people living across the street thinking?”
Zhu Xi Ning spoke in a soft, affected voice.
“Oh, it's just so annoying how unsafe the environment is next to such expensive houses.”
They both laughed, then fell silent again.
Zhu Xi Ning was right; from the perspective of the community residents, an undemolished urban village was indeed an unstable factor, and just seeing the people living there was enough to make one wary.
Not to mention how close it was.
But who would willingly be so desperate as to live here?
Everyone wants a good life, don't they?
“The Federation…”
Zhu Xi Ning started but didn't continue; she didn't know what to say.
“I wonder if it's the resentment of the dead or the fear of the living this time.”
Zhu Xi Ning murmured; either possibility wouldn't surprise them.
Nan Yue's phone rang; it was a text message.
Jiang: What do you want for dinner tonight?
Nan Yue chuckled. Could Jiang Siyan actually be planning to make her a Manchu Han Imperial Feast under these conditions?
As if knowing what Nan Yue was thinking, another text message immediately followed.
Jiang: Uncle Zhong has a kitchen, and there's a market tonight.
Nan Yue's mood brightened: Let's go check it out together.
The group gathered on the second floor, with Shi Xiaojie joining them. He didn't have money to eat out, so he'd bought a lot of instant noodles and just eaten them in his room. Now he was accompanying the others for a walk.
He was at an age where he wanted to make friends. Gu Xiang Kai told Nan Yue that Shi Xiaojie had originally come out to work with people from his village, but at the last construction site, his friend swindled him out of his wages, so he went out to find work on his own.
Even after being swindled once, he still seemed to lack caution towards people.
As Nan Yue and her companions went downstairs, Xie Hui was inviting Jiang Siyan to dinner.
The third floor seemed to have the best atmosphere at the moment. Xie Hui and Yao He both had their doors open for ventilation. Yao He and her companion were tidying their home, while Xie Hui was talking to Jiang Siyan.
Xie Hui's home was exquisite, like a small, well-cared-for dwelling.
Although not large, it was rationally planned and warmly decorated, with many green plants. Nan Yue guessed she was the one who planted the greenery in the church.
She used a rotating bar table to partition off a small kitchen from the living room; with the bar table set down, it could also serve as a dining area.
The living room was compact, but it had a TV, a sofa, and a vase with fresh flowers.
In short, though somewhat out of place in this building, it was clear she was a girl who loved life.
As Nan Yue came down, Xie Hui was saying, “I've already sent some dishes to Yao He and her partner. I made a lot, so why don't you all stay and eat?”
Xie Hui tried to take Jiang Siyan's arm, but he skillfully dodged her.
“We just arrived today and want to look around nearby. Next time, I'll treat you to a meal.”
Jiang Siyan's smile was appropriate, making even his refusal feel comfortable.
“Alright.”
Xie Hui saw Nan Yue and the others coming down, guessed they were going out together, and had no choice but to give up.
The group passed the church and headed towards the fire escape. Xie Hui watched them leave, then hummed a song as she went to deliver dishes to Yao He and her partner.
With Shi Xiaojie present, the group didn't discuss mission matters, simply sharing updates on their respective neighbors.
Wu Ming had a younger brother named Wu Gang. The two brothers wanted to open a small lock-changing shop nearby, targeting the community's business.
Wu Ming was quiet, but Wu Gang was quite talkative.
As for the tenant in room 405, Wu Gang said he was just a strange man, seemingly mute, always smiling, and nothing special.
However, compared to Wu Gang's lack of concern, Wu Ming's attitude towards the mute man was somewhat peculiar. But since the man hadn't appeared yet, Gu Xiang Kai hadn't formed any subjective judgment.
Xie Hui on the third floor was warm-hearted, a bit of a chatterbox, and enjoyed making friends, constantly talking with Yao He.
Ever since Jiang Siyan and his companions moved in, she had been pestering them with questions.
The young couple across the hall had come to the city to work together; Yang Xufeng delivered food, while Yao He hadn't found a job yet and wanted to work somewhere close to home.
Apart from Granny Li, everyone else seemed to be young people under thirty.
Indeed, older residents were usually long-term tenants who had rented since their youth, with few coming for short-term stays.
Downstairs, there was indeed a market, though calling it a market was an overstatement; it was more of a street market.
There were some wilted vegetables and barbecue stalls that looked visibly dirty.
None of them had seen such a sight. They had encountered poor scavengers before, but city states, after all, provided basic guarantees.
As long as one survived a mission, they were guaranteed food and shelter.
Especially in Nameless City, where everyone's food and living conditions were almost identical, there were no such scenes of hawking.
In the pollution world, there were also people responsible for vegetable cultivation, but it was all done in unified greenhouses. Now that she thought about it, it was probably due to the Federation's technology, directly implemented, so people didn't actually have to toil in the fields.
Nan Yue felt a sense of novelty, squatting down to look at the cabbage displayed on the red, white, and blue plastic tarp.
“How much?”
“One yuan per bunch, very fresh.”
Nan Yue looked at the wilted, yellowed leaves and said nothing.
“Let's just eat wontons.”
After wandering around, no one had any appetite, so they eventually walked into Sister Deng's Wontons.
Rate on N.U.
