Chapter 22

The residential complex consists of eight buildings, enclosed by walls with gates on the east and west sides. There are parking areas both above and below ground, but no cars are allowed in the courtyard, which is reserved for gardens and pedestrians. The dogs here all have sleek, shiny coats and are well-groomed, clearly indicating they are well cared for. People in yellow or blue short-sleeved shirts, wearing helmets, can be seen jogging, running, or sprinting with one or more small bags in hand. After observing for a moment, Nian Qi realized they were delivery workers, and the bags they carried contained food orders. Many people were already ordering takeout early in the morning, showing a lifestyle that could be considered both convenient and prosperous.

The younger children in the complex were accompanied by their parents, while the older teens walked around independently. Nian Qi overheard two teenagers in matching outfits chatting as they walked: “What class do you have first period?”

The courtyard featured grape trellises, pavilions, and an area with swings and unusual equipment, seemingly a playground for children. Numerous well-maintained plants and flowers were scattered throughout the garden. Nian Qi understood that this shared garden was for all the residents of the eight buildings, essentially creating a large communal courtyard. It was novel to him, in the past, every household had its own separate yard. The place was clean, orderly, and seemed very safe, making it a pleasant living environment.

Nian Qi wandered around the courtyard, familiarizing himself with the visible layout. He mentally calculated the distances and directions he had walked in the underground parking garage and estimated that the entire underground parking area was connected beneath the courtyard. When he looked up at the 30-story buildings, they seemed ordinary in comparison, given that humanity had already managed to reach the moon.

Aside from the security guards, there were also workers in a different uniform cleaning the courtyard, and others wearing collared white shirts and black pants who appeared to be staff members of the complex. After completing his stroll around the courtyard, Nian Qi leisurely made his way towards the eastern gate of the complex. He walked slowly, so there were always people hurrying past him. Cars entered through the main gate, while pedestrians used a side gate.

He noticed that after delivering food, the delivery workers would pause briefly in front of the closed side gate, glancing around. If a resident approached, they would step aside, and the resident would take out an item and wave it near a certain spot on the gatepost, causing the gate to open. Nian Qi observed carefully and saw that the residents were using a keyring, and the small blue circular item attached to it was what they swiped to open the gate.

He walked over to the gate and found a delivery worker in a yellow shirt standing there, looking expectantly at him. Nian Qi took Zhao Hao’s keys out of his pocket and swiped the blue item on the keyring across a square box on the gatepost. Sure enough, the gate opened. The delivery worker quickly said, “Thank you,” and rushed out. Nian Qi followed him outside.

He had seen the exterior of the complex before, but only from inside Ruan Qing’s car. This was his first time seeing it up close. The road outside the eastern gate wasn’t a major street, at the end of it, a larger road ran perpendicular. This main road was much wider, with many shops lining both sides. Nian Qi strolled along, observing the surroundings. The shops that opened early were all eateries, with patrons coming and going. Some stores were still closed, but their signs made it clear what they offered, such as foot massage services, beauty salons, and convenience stores.

Nian Qi had no idea what “manicure” was, and wondered if it meant selling armor. Privately selling or possessing armor was a serious crime, considered an act of rebellion. As he continued to observe his surroundings, he spent over half an hour familiarizing himself with the area around Ruan Qing’s residential complex. He got a general sense of the nearby terrain, roads, and buildings.

Returning to the complex, he saw the security guard at the main gate sitting and shaking his leg. Nian Qi walked over casually, greeting him, “Morning.” He had noticed that when residents greeted the security guard this way, the guard would respond with a cheerful, “Morning!”

Nian Qi mirrored the guard’s cheerful tone and began some small talk. “It’s pretty hot today, isn’t it?”

“Sure is,” the guard replied. “I’ve had to stay in the shade since early morning. It’ll be even hotter by noon, and then the only way to deal with it is to go inside and enjoy the air conditioning. It’s unbearable outside.”

After the small talk, Nian Qi got to his main question. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” the guard nodded. “What’s on your mind?”

Nian Qi gestured towards the security uniform. “How much do you guys earn per month?”

“For us?” The guard adjusted his cap and said, “Our captain makes about 3,200 yuan a month. I make a bit less, not quite 3,000.”

Three thousand, Nian Qi thought, wouldn’t last more than three to five days at Ruan Qing’s spending pace. He offered a polite compliment, “That’s not bad at all.”

The guard scoffed. “Well, without a degree or any special skills, what else can we do? Can’t compare to folks like you.”

As they spoke, a delivery worker hurried over to sign in at the window, and the guard buzzed him through the gate. Nian Qi resumed the conversation. “Are you guys still hiring?”

“Yes, we’re always hiring,” the guard replied. “The pay is too low to keep people around, so we’re always looking for new recruits.”

Nian Qi asked, “Are there any requirements? Who should I talk to?”

The guard, now more engaged, responded enthusiastically, “You know someone who wants to apply? There aren’t many requirements. Young people all prefer delivery work these days, so the standards for security are pretty relaxed. As long as you’re under sixty, you’re good. If you’re over sixty, just shave off your beard, and you might still be considered. But the pay will be lower. The property management company is pretty stingy.”

“Just go to the property management office, which is on the basement level of Building 2. Bring an ID and see the property manager or the head of security for an interview. As long as there aren’t any major issues, they’ll usually hire you. After that, you just need to get a health check at the hospital and submit the report to start working.”

“Sounds simple!” Nian Qi thought it didn’t sound too hard, but the mention of an ID was a problem. He thanked the guard and swiped his own key to enter the complex.

As he walked in, a delivery worker in a yellow shirt entered as well. By this time, there were no more children in the courtyard, only many elderly people accompanying small toddlers, perhaps on their way to some form of preschool, though none carried backpacks like the older kids did. There were also plenty of adults hurrying about, presumably heading to work. The number of delivery workers had noticeably decreased, and those still around weren’t moving as quickly as before.

Nian Qi noticed that the delivery worker in the yellow shirt was indeed quite young, much younger than the security guard at the gate. He caught up to him and struck up a conversation. “Hey, brother, doing food delivery?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” the delivery worker replied, glancing around the unfamiliar surroundings and sweating from the heat. “Can you help me out? Which one is Building 3?”

Building 3 was where Ruan Qing lived, and Nian Qi had made a point to remember the sign near the entrance. The two of them walked together, and Nian Qi continued the conversation. “How much do you make doing this each month?”

“It depends on how hard you work,” the delivery worker said. “I made just over 7,000 yuan last month. Some people push themselves even harder, working non-stop, and can make up to 10,000.”

He continued, “Of course, there are also those who don’t work as hard, some lazier ones, and even part-timers who make between one to four thousand. It all depends on the individual.”

The security guard sat comfortably while the delivery worker kept running around. It was obvious who had the tougher job, which explained why delivery workers earned more. Ruan Qing had said that in this area, hard work was always rewarded, as long as one was diligent, they could definitely make money. The young man in front of him made seven thousand a month. Nian Qi figured that with his own speed, he could sprint like the wind, leaving others far behind. He wouldn’t even need to take the elevator for a few floors, if someone placed an order and opened their window, he could leap up in an instant—super fast. It wasn’t an exaggeration, he was confident that he could earn at least three times as much as this guy, which would be twenty-one thousand yuan a month. That should be enough to cover Ruan Qing’s lifestyle… right?

Nian Qi was now thinking about marriage. The woman he wanted to marry had very high standards for her lifestyle. He needed to change his current situation of having nothing. Maybe he couldn’t make big money right away, but he could start small, gradually adapting to life here and breaking free from the need to rely on Ruan Qing’s money. Then, he could plan for the future. It was a reasonable plan.

But when he asked how to become a delivery worker, he got a familiar response: “Simple!”

“You register online and submit your ID and a health certificate.”

“Then you can start taking orders.”

“Oh, you’ll need an electric scooter and a delivery box. No need to buy new ones, a second-hand set would be cheaper.”

“Super simple!”

Whether it was simple or not, Nian Qi wasn’t sure, as there were some terms he didn’t fully understand, like “register.” But that wasn’t the main issue. The main problem was hearing the same phrase again—submit your ID. Once again, he needed an ID. He regretted not taking Zhao Hao’s ID when he had the chance yesterday. Nian Qi clenched his fist in frustration.

Returning to the building, the elevator doors opened, and a crowd rushed out. The delivery worker had anticipated this and had already stepped aside to avoid being jostled. Nian Qi wasn’t as experienced, but his agility allowed him to dodge behind the worker. The elevator emptied quickly, leaving just the two of them to ride up. The delivery worker exited on the ninth floor, giving a quick wave, “See ya!” Nian Qi waved back as the elevator doors closed.

Ruan Qing had warned him that without an identity, he couldn’t do anything, and she hadn’t exaggerated. It seemed he had to solve this ID issue first. Until then, he’d have no choice but to continue living off Ruan Qing.

Nian Qi went back to Ruan Qing’s apartment and opened the laptop. Finally, he began to fulfill his promise to her—studying earnestly. By midday, when he was preparing lunch, Ruan Qing called.

“How’s it going? Are you managing on your own?”

Nian Qi replied, “No problem at all. I’ve been studying on the laptop all morning.”

Ruan Qing was still worried. “What are you making for lunch?”

Nian Qi glanced at the pot. “I learned to make spicy noodles from Auntie Niu.”

The porridge he had made that morning had turned out quite well, proving that he had a natural talent for cooking. Somehow, when he mentioned “spicy noodles,” Ruan Qing, who hadn’t eaten lunch yet, suddenly felt her mouth water.

“Sounds good. You go ahead and eat,” she said. “I’ll grab something too. I’ll come back after I’m done with the car this afternoon.”

“Don’t rush, take your time,” Nian Qi reassured her. “I’m a grown man, you don’t need to worry.”

Despite his words, Ruan Qing was still eager to return. She couldn’t feel at ease leaving a man from ancient times alone at home. After dropping off the car at the dealership and finishing the insurance paperwork, she took a taxi back.

When she entered the apartment, she saw Nian Qi studying on the laptop. The bedroom and study doors were closed, the living room was tidy, and even though he had already prepared two meals in the kitchen, there wasn’t a trace of oil to be found. The stovetop and tiles were spotless and shiny.

She didn’t know that this cleanliness came from Nian Qi’s years of habit—sometimes, to prevent being tracked by enemies, he had to meticulously erase all traces of himself.

All in all, Ruan Qing was deeply touched by how immaculately clean the kitchen was. He was simply too good at household chores!