CH 23

Guiltily rubbing the red marks on his face, Tao Zhiyue looked at the time and noted that it was 4:50 in the afternoon.

After successfully surviving the long day, he could finally start thinking about what to eat at night, which was a task that was enough for him to struggle with until nightfall.

Tao Zhiyue was a little happier.

Right then, his phone, which would always remain silent at this point in time, dinged with a notification.

He wondered if there was another app he forgot to set to silent mode before he was greeted with surprise upon seeing the phone on the sofa.

Tao Zhiyue saw the new notification on the PP app.

[HR tapped ‘me’]

Tao Zhiyue couldn’t tell what mood he was in, but it was very strange. It was almost like drinking a big mouthful of thick stew soaked in the aroma of delicious food on a breezy, winter’s day.

This was the first time he had been ‘tapped’.

He, too, was courteous.

[I tapped ‘HR’]

Soon, HR sent a text message.

Unexpectedly, Big Brother HR would be playing outdoors on the weekend and the image of the lonely, middle-aged uncle that Tao Zhiyue had imagined in his mind suddenly became a little more energetic and sunny.

What was even more unexpected was that HR actually read the recommendation post on the travel section that he casually mentioned yesterday. Plus, he even learned the internet term ‘Amway’.

The other party must also be a hardworking and sincere person in life.

It would be a good thing to be friends with such a person.

This thought flashed through Tao Zhiyue’s mind.

[Tao: What happened to the green tea friend the day before yesterday. Is he still coming to harass you?]

[HR: No, originally I planned to ignore him, but in the end he uh…ILet me think about how to describe this.]

[Tao: Has he connoted you in front of others?]

[Tao: Connotation = not explicitly stating but implying something of you, perhaps negatively.]

[HR: Right! Doctor Tao, you are so smart.]

[HR: So I blocked him and never heard from him again.]

[HR: Puppet Bear Dancing.gif]

Tao Zhiyue was a little surprised.

[Tao: You are doing the right thing. You should be firm and decisive when facing someone like this.]

HR seemed to be inspired, so he sent another puppet bear gif and the happy mood almost overflowed through the screen.

Tao Zhiyue felt that it was so cute to the point he couldn’t hold back as the corners of his mouth raised slightly.

He recalled the night when he broke his daily routine— the evening breeze was warm and amidst the curling heat rising from the noodle bowl, he actually concentrated on chatting through his mobile phone for so long and helped someone get out of a green tea entanglement.

Everything about that night was new and soft.

Thinking of this, Tao Zhiyue suddenly knew what to eat tonight.

He was going to try making stewed beef for once.

[Tao: I’m going to buy vegetables and cook!]

[HR: Ok, goodbye Doctor Tao //Penguin waving//]

Tao Zhiyue, who was bored out of his mind, had a strong executive ability. After checking some recipes on the Internet and writing down the ingredients he needed, he immediately changed his clothes and went out.

Braised beef needed fresh beef tendon as well as a lot of seasonings such as bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon, grass fruit, and cumin. The supermarkets near the community might not be able to have them all.

Tao Zhiyue planned to get a ride to a large chain store that was about 2 kilometres away, but he hadn’t been there since he moved here.

At this moment, he forgot the threat posed by the protagonist of the novel and also forgot that he was constantly narrowing the scope of activities because he wanted to avoid the plot.

As dusk approached, the mist gradually dissipated as the setting sun in the clouds revealed a thin red gleam.

The people walking in a hurry on the streets were blanketed with a light golden shadow and the entire city woke up from the boundless white fog, becoming clear and bright.

Witnessing such a brilliant sunset made his mood clear up.

Tao Zhiyue stood on the empty bus platform as he stared at the gradually setting sun. The dimming sunlight draped over his face, forming a gentle outline.

He then waited quietly.