NOVEL WEB Chapter 4: An old classmate
Evergreen Residences was taller than Lin Fang expected, sixteen stories, clean beige exterior, metal gates guarded by a security guard, a beast that looked like a manticore, yet without its master around.
He parked his bike in the underground lot, pocketed his keys, and made his way up the elevator of Building 5C, stopping at Floor 16. The number on the door, 1617, matched the address from the call.
He rang the bell once.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
The woman on the other side blinked in surprise, brows raising as soon as her eyes took him in. "It's you?" she said, her voice soft with disbelief.
Lin Fang tilted his head, confused. "Sorry, do we know each other?"
She leaned slightly on the doorframe, arms folded. Her posture somehow attracted Lin Fang's gaze to her bare, long legs below the shorts for some reason, although it was only just for a moment. "Zhi Yan. From Class 3 of Huaxi No.2 High."
His eyes widened. "Wait... Zhi Yan? Class Monitor Zhi Yan?"
She nodded, a smile twitching on her lips.
Now that she mentioned it, recognition hit him like a memory bomb.
Back then, she had short hair and glasses larger than her face. Always sitting in the front row, correcting teachers, chasing after late assignments. Top 10 in school rankings, nearly invisible to anyone who didn't care about grades.
The woman standing in front of him now was… not that girl.
Her hair was long now, tied back in a casual ponytail, and her glasses were gone, replaced by sharp eyes and a quiet confidence. She wore light homewear, simple but fitted, but looked like someone who would step out of a fitness app commercial. His gaze once again couldn't help but fall to her long legs, and Lin Fang rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I honestly… didn't recognize you. You changed quite a bit."
"You've changed, too. You have become more… *Ahem*" Zhi Yan said, stepping aside and motioning him in. "Anyway, please come in. I'll show you around."
The apartment was clean, bright, and surprisingly spacious. The living room had a large couch, a game console blinking in rest mode, and some neatly stacked fitness gear in the corner. She led him past the kitchen, a warm, spice-filled area. It was quite aromatic.
"Your room's down here," she said, opening a door near the hallway. "As mentioned on the website, an attached bathroom. Wi-Fi's already on. Monsters are allowed as long as you can carry them in a container, and you have to register them in the database. Or else, they will have to be put in the stables." Leaning a bit closer to him, she quietened her voice as she slowly spoke, winking. "Actually, you don't have to. The Landlord is my Aunt. I can manage her, as long as you promise me that your monster pet doesn't cause destruction."
"Don't worry." Lin Fang said, nodding. "I'll follow the rules."
"Good then…"
As he looked around, another door opened from the opposite hallway, and a girl with earphones slung around her neck peeked out.
"This is Li Liu," Zhi Yan said. "My friend from college. She's a certified monster trainer."
Li Liu glanced up at him and gave a short nod. "Hey."
"Hey," Lin Fang replied.
She didn't say anything else, just went back to her room, the soft click of a keyboard already returning behind the half-closed door.
"She's usually like that," Zhi Yan said with a slight grin. "Oh, she also owns a Tier-3 King Liger. So, I would be careful not to mess around with her. But don't worry, she is a nice girl."
They walked back to the living room, where Zhi Yan poured him some water and gestured to sit.
"There are two others here," she continued. "A couple. They work weird hours, so you won't see them much. He's in a call center. She's a receptionist at LanTang Burgers. They rent the third room. And that's all there is…"
Lin Fang nodded as he took the glass. "I see."
There was a short silence. Then Zhi Yan looked at him as she sat opposite him, crossing her legs. "So. How have you been? Like for the past seven years?"
Lin Fang exhaled, leaning back into the sofa.
"It's not much to be honest," he said, voice quieter. "Mom remarried a few years ago. I didn't get along with her new family. My sister went abroad and settled there… well, I took over my dad's business."
Zhi Yan listened without interruption as he explained, or more specifically, criticized his own decisions, or how pathetic he was. Of course, the secret of the system is still kept hidden.
He looked down at his hands.
"Eventually, I had to sell everything, the house, and the store, just to pay off the debts. Now I'm starting over. But I didn't have any university education and had no job for the past seven years. So, I highly doubt someone would hire me, and neither do I think I have the skillset to prove myself. So, I intend to continue being a pet seller. Looking to rent a small store somewhere nearby. Try again."
Zhi Yan's gaze softened, her voice low. "You've had a rough time."
Lin Fang smiled faintly. "Yeah. But I'm still standing."
She studied him for a second longer, then stood up. "Well, you're here now. The rent's cheap. Meals are included. As long as you don't cause drama, well, I don't think you will, if you were still the same Lin Fang I know… anyway, I think you are going to be fine…"
"Uhhh…" Lin Fang looked at her, tilting his head in a bit of confusion. The same Lin Fang you know? Since when did you ever know me? We barely talked in high school, except for your constant nagging over homework incompletion. His mind filled with a few thoughts, but in the end, he replied. "I hope so. Thanks."
She nodded, stood up, and then started walking toward the kitchen. "Alright, if you have ID with you now, you can give me now and we'll get your details registered in the database, or you can also register on the day you move."
"Yeah, that's not a problem." Lin Fang nodded, taking out his wallet. But then, Zhi Yan said, "Not right now. Come… join me for dinner."
The warm scent of braised tofu and steamed rice lingered in the air as Zhi Yan placed two bowls on the table.
"Uhh… I have already…" Lin Fang was about to refuse, but Zhi Yan cut him off. "C'mon, don't be so modest, classmate. Come join me."
"Well…" Lin Fang hesitatingly stare at his own abdomen, which was almost full. In the end, he got up.
They sat across from each other in the small dining area, the apartment humming with more conversations.
"So," she said, scooping rice into her bowl, "I was wondering… if you're planning to sell monster eggs and pet food again, you must plan to rent a store around this region, right?"
Lin Fang nodded.
Zhi Yan raised a brow. "Have you ever thought of going pure digital?"
He paused. "Digital?"