Chapter 85: Hotel

“Ruthless, absolutely ruthless.” Liu Xie stood outside the subway station, clapping repeatedly at Zhu Niao.

Beside her, Ye Qingchang nodded continuously.

As for Yang Shuli, this guy was trying to use Lingbo Microsteps to jump from one stone pillar to the next, but unfortunately, his legs were too short to cross from one stone pillar to another.

And if he tried to jump, he was prone to falling.

So now Xu Nian was carrying Yang Shuli, flying from one stone pillar to the next.

The other three were already too lazy to bother with Yang Shuli, who could still have fun like this.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Earlier, he even tried to crown me the Lion King inside the subway station,” Zhu Niao glanced sideways at the two clapping beside her. “Why didn’t you say anything then?”

“Hey, you can’t say it like that.” Liu Xie said, “When he was lifting you up, weren’t we applauding too?”

Ye Qingchang kept nodding beside her.

“Hmph.”

Zhu Niao turned her head toward the subway exit, ignoring the other two.

She wasn’t as heartless as Liu Xie and Ye Qingchang. She was stubbornly standing at the subway exit, braving the mosquitoes and the stuffy heat caused by the crowd, waiting for Gou Yu, constantly scanning for that familiar figure, wanting to lock it into her vision.

That said, Zhu Niao didn’t regret ditching Gou Yu at the subway station. In fact, thinking about it now made her feel secretly pleased.

She almost couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Laugh, laugh, laugh. Just knew you’d laugh.”

A familiar hand chop struck Zhu Niao’s head, with a tricky force and angle that could only be done with a certain level of practice.

Just like how Zhu Niao had skillfully hit Gou Yu’s waist before.

She looked up, and sure enough, it was Gou Yu, panting heavily.

God only knew how fast he had been rushing through the subway station just to make Zhu Niao wait a little less.

He also knew that Zhu Niao would definitely be waiting for him right at the subway exit, rain or snow be damned.

Seeing everyone gathered, Xu Nian, who had been carrying Yang Shuli jumping from stone pillar to stone pillar, also came back leading the small dorm leader.

Zhu Niao glanced at Ye Qingchang, who glanced at Yang Shuli.

Then the three of them spoke out of sync, “So, what now? Where to next?”

Liu Xie smiled lightly, took a deep breath, and let it out heavily.

It seemed like she was trying to suppress emotions, or perhaps just resigned herself.

“We’ll head to the hotel first to get the rooms ready, then figure out what to do.”

She and Ye Qingchang both carried bags, so they couldn’t just go off playing.

Zhu Niao’s bag was carried by Gou Yu, and Yang Shuli’s bag was carried by Xu Nian.

Oh, Yang Shuli was also carried by Xu Nian? Was this guy unwilling to walk even a few steps outside?

Liu Xie gave a long look at Yang Shuli, sprawled on Xu Nian’s back.

For some reason, a picture of Liu Anran carrying her flashed through her mind.

She shook her head to clear the irrelevant thoughts.

“From here to the hotel is about seven or eight hundred meters, then if you walk in the other direction from the hotel for about ten minutes, you’ll get to the beach.”

Zhu Niao glanced in that direction.

“That’s so far,” she said. “That distance is enough for me to take a taxi.”

“Seven or eight hundred meters, what’s far about that?” Ye Qingchang raised her head slightly, casting a disdainful glance at Zhu Niao.

“Oh, right.” Zhu Niao covered her mouth but couldn’t hide the mischievous smile on her face. “After all, our dorm’s third girl ran eight hundred meters once. This is nothing.”

She was referring to Ye Qingchang collapsing on the ground like a dead dog after running eight hundred meters at the sports meet.

“I swear I’m going to rip your mouth apart!”

Ye Qingchang chased after Zhu Niao, running toward the street ahead.

Gou Yu hurried after them, carrying his bag.

Only Liu Xie, busy arranging the trip, and Xu Nian, carrying the comfortably sprawled Yang Shuli, followed behind at a leisurely pace.

Before long, Zhu Niao and Ye Qingchang arrived at the hotel Liu Xie had pointed out.

The two of them stood at the entrance, looking at the reflective marble floor and the smiling two front desk clerks.

They swallowed hard.

“What’s wrong? Pets aren’t allowed inside?” Gou Yu, who had just caught up, looked and was stunned in place.

Then Zhu Niao leaned close to him, waiting for Gou Yu to slightly bend down before whispering in his ear, “Is this place a bit too upscale?”

“I think so too.”

He had thought it was some kind of guesthouse or something.

Seeing Liu Xie walking slowly over behind them, Ye Qingchang turned her head and immediately asked, “Is this the place? Can we even afford to stay here?”

Actually, mainly Zhu Niao. She had saved some money herself, so of course she could afford to splurge a little on the trip.

But Zhu Niao didn’t have family backing her up. Although she recently found a good job, it wasn’t guaranteed she would get paid before the month ended.

“Don’t worry about it, we’re staying here.”

Liu Xie was still wearing her usual blue and white outfit, but the top was now a loose blue three-quarter sleeve, and the bottom was white denim shorts.

She pulled out a golden card from her pocket and waved it.

“This is the hotel closest to the seaside. The others aren’t any cheaper, and their service isn’t as good. Considering taxi fares, this is probably the best deal.”

Ye Qingchang paused for a moment. “Thank you, Your Grace!”

Then Liu Xie turned to Zhu Niao, holding the gold card and slowly leaning closer to gently pat Zhu Niao’s cheek.

“Hm? What should you say?” she whispered. “If you say it, I’ll give you the thing you want most right now.”

Zhu Niao stood still, the smell of money wafting steadily into her nostrils.

Just as her eyes were about to turn into big circles, she pulled out a dazzling black card from her pocket.

This was the living expenses card given by Gou Yu’s parents, though Zhu Niao felt it was somewhat like a bride price.

She blocked Liu Xie’s gold card with her black one.

“Second sister, your armor isn’t as good as mine.”

Liu Xie was stunned.

“You sold yourself?” She snatched the card from Zhu Niao’s hand and examined it carefully. “Even if you sold yourself, it wouldn’t be enough.”

“Actually, it’s from Gou Yu’s parents. This guy seems to be a hidden second-generation rich kid.”

Liu Xie glanced up at Gou Yu, who scratched his head.

She squinted her eyes and tilted her head.

Not many could afford this kind of spending power.

“The one who came to my welcome party last time should have been your sister, right?”

Zhu Niao was taken aback. “The shop manager went too? When?”

It seemed everything was clear now.

Liu Xie reached out and patted Gou Yu’s shoulder solemnly. “Take good care of the little bird.”

“Got it!” Gou Yu saluted.

Zhu Niao punched Gou Yu’s waist.

Beside them, Ye Qingchang sighed in admiration.

“Enough with all that. Your old man is tired.” Yang Shuli, who was being carried by Xu Nian, shouted loudly, not caring about anything else. She only wanted food and sleep.

“Alright, alright, follow me to get the room keys, then you can sleep.” Liu Xie felt inexplicably drained.

She walked over to the front desk.

“Although it’s not summer, hotel rooms by the sea are still scarce during National Day. I managed to grab three rooms.” Liu Xie held up two fingers. “Don’t worry, they’re all double rooms with two beds. Third girl, you’ll share a room with me.”

“You can now go do whatever you want or rest in your rooms. Tonight, we’ll head to the beach for barbecue.”

She paused for a moment, waiting for the expected reaction.

Wasn’t the dorm leader supposed to cheer like a child at the mention of food?

She turned around, only to see Yang Shuli already asleep, sprawled on Xu Nian’s back.

She took a deep breath, then let out a long sigh.

“Sigh…”