Girls get along easily when they chat.
Especially since Tao Xinrou managed to secure an apartment close to the hotel for Li Lu, thanks to her good relationship with the agent. The other two roommates were also girls, and it only required a one-month deposit and one month's rent.
After signing the contract on the spot, Li Lu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Xinrou jie. I can move in tomorrow. I finally have a place for all my stuff."
Li Lu had been living in the hotel's shared dormitory, six people squeezed into one room with bunk beds. Girls tend to have a lot of belongings, and as the newbie, she had to stack everything on her suitcase to make do.
Tao Xinrou smiled and waved her hand. "Don't mention it. You're new here, and I can help out."
Li Lu nodded. "Xinrou jie, you're so kind. Since I arrived, you and Shuhui jie have been the nicest to me."
Tao Xinrou felt a bit embarrassed. "Don't be so polite. Hurry back and pack. Tomorrow Shuhui and I will help you move."
And so it was settled. The next day, Tao Xinrou and Zheng Shuhui went to the hotel dorm to help carry her things. Li Lu didn't have much—just two suitcases.
Before she left, the other five in the dorm stared at her with surprised expressions, as if they hadn't expected the new girl to have the connections to move out.
Tao Xinrou and Zheng Shuhui each carried a suitcase into the small room, while Li Lu followed with a few bags.
After an hour of work, it was completely dark.
The three sat on the unmade bed, panting. Suddenly, Li Lu jumped up. "Jie, let me treat you to dinner. Thanks for helping me move today."
Tao Xinrou and Zheng Shuhui exchanged a glance and didn't refuse. "Sure."
They locked the door and went downstairs to a restaurant in the complex.
It was dinnertime, and the place was crowded. The hostess led them to a table near the kitchen and handed them menus. Li Lu pushed the menus toward the two.
"Jie, order whatever you like. It's my treat."
Though the restaurant served home-style dishes, it was on the pricier side. They exchanged a knowing look. Zheng Shuhui ordered two home-style dishes, and Tao Xinrou added a soup. Ignoring their protests, Li Lu insisted on adding a sixty-eight-yuan braised pork belly.
While waiting for the food, Li Lu let out a long sigh.
"Finally, I have my own room. It's shared, but at least I don't have to squeeze with five others." She looked at Tao Xinrou. "Xinrou jie, I really can't thank you enough. You don't know how busy the admin department is. I go back dead tired every day, and the dorm is so noisy I can't sleep at all."
Tao Xinrou's heart stirred. Earlier she had noticed that the dorm housed mostly cleaning ladies and canteen aunties, who either played cards or chatted with family at night—definitely not good for rest.
She patted Li Lu's arm sympathetically. "Yeah, it's good you moved out. But why is the admin department so busy lately?"
"Don't get me started. It's that 50th anniversary celebration material. Piles and piles of archives—we have to scan everything into digital format and categorize them for an exhibition. Our department works overtime till nine or ten every day, even weekends."
"That much material?" Zheng Shuhui interjected.
"You bet. From all eras, and from every branch. Director Lin said this was an opportunity President Ying fought hard for, and the group handed it to us because they expect our best. So all materials from subsidiaries under the group are pooled here. There are tons of old photos. I scanned over three hundred pages today alone—my hand is cramping."
Tao Xinrou took a sip of tea and chimed in sympathetically, "That's really tough. Which branches are there?"
"Southwest, East China, South China, Northern Zhejiang... You know, looking at it, our group's business is really extensive. And there are materials from many years ago—illegible words, blurry photos, so annoying. Director Lin said we'd get a restoration expert to fix the unclear ones."
Southwest...
Hearing that, Tao Xinrou's heart tightened.
So Ying Jingsheng's information was correct. She needed to get closer to Li Lu and find ways to visit the admin department.
Could the news about her father be in those materials too?
The dishes arrived one by one. Tao Xinrou picked up a bite but kept thinking about the next step.
"Xinrou jie, why aren't you eating?" Li Lu's voice pulled her back.
Tao Xinrou snapped out of it and smiled. "I am. The braised pork is good."
Zheng Shuhui laughed beside her. "Xinrou is always slow to eat. Every time I eat with her, I have to wait."
"Oh, I see. Xinrou jie, eat up. If you ever need anything, just say the word."
Tao Xinrou nodded. "Okay."
The three chatted and laughed through the meal.
*
In the following days, Tao Xinrou couldn't stop thinking about the materials Li Lu had mentioned.
She didn't act rashly. She went to work and came home as usual, occasionally bumping into Li Lu in the cafeteria, just greeting her and making small talk.
Until Saturday night—her chance came.
Tao Xinrou was organizing reports at her desk when her phone vibrated. It was a WeChat message from Li Lu.
Lemon Soda: Xinrou jie, are you busy now?
XR: Not really. What's up?
Lemon Soda: Can you do me a favor?
XR: What happened?
Lemon Soda: (pitiful) Nothing bad. I have a package in the reception room downstairs. It needs my signature. Could you sign for me? I really can't get away.
This was the perfect opportunity!
XR: Sure, I'll get it for you.