My heart dropped to my stomach.
"W-What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, you're totally rich! And Han and Hanzhi are super similar, and also-"
"Xi Xi, stop it—!"
"What? I'm just saying! And look, I even have a reason! I'm doing exactly as Wei Wei said! I'm not just saying stuff just cuz!"
"But can't you see he doesn't like your comparison? Sometimes you have to read the room!
That's also something Brother Wei said!"
"...Hmf, fine."
"Did you just roll your eyes at me?!"
Before I knew it, the girls were back to sibling bickering.
... Should I consider myself lucky? Or a dumbass?
How the hell did this five-year-old come to this conclusion that basically no one in the slums could even imagine?
Hanzhi's face should be protected from the lower slums... no one in the slums knows what he looks like, and most won't even pay attention to him at all, let alone know his name.
Unless they've had a comfortable life or have some higher education, there's no way... Did Wei tell her?
I looked over at her blowing a raspberry, as Ruo Lan shrieked at her for getting saliva on the table.
I don't think she actually believes I'm Hanzhi, though, unlike Wei and Grandma Guanhuai.
Yeah... yeah, that was a lucky guess...?
...No, what the hell am I talking about?
"Hey, Xi Xi, how do you even know about Wen Hanzhi?"
"Brother Han, you don't have to follow along with her."
"No, really, I actually want to know. I'm... also pretty interested in nobles as well."
Xi Xi's eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth curled triumphantly.
"Big Boss always tells cool stories to us! But Ruo Ruo never listens!"
"I do listen! I... I just can't remember!"
"Anyway, Big Boss told us about rich nobles, and the Twelve Houses and everyone in them! I don't really remember them all, but I thought Wen Hanzhi was really funny! He drinks and parties all day!"
"... Wait, that's why you remember m- I mean, him?"
"Yep!"
"... And who's this Big Boss?"
"He's a cool guy!"
"... Is he a boss?... Like, Wei's boss?"
"Yeah, but he also brings yummy food and tells cool stories!"
"What's his real name?"
"Umm... Big Boss?"
"... I'm pretty sure that's not his real name..."
"How would you know? You've never even met him!"
"... Just a hunch, I guess. Uh, how about Ruo Lan? Do you know his name?"
"Oh, I'm not really sure either..."
Her face had started to droop down again.
"T-that's alright! How about how he looks? I'm just curious about him; it's nothing worth crying over!"
At this, Ruo Lan's face lit up.
"How he looks? Well, I guess he's pretty big... and um, his hair is also this really pretty white."
"Anything else?"
"Xi Xi thinks his clothes are cool... I mean, he really is a nice man! He's also super, um, e-l-e-g-a-n-t, too!"
"Does he come over here a lot?"
"Nope! But when he does come, it's the best!"
Xi Xi seemed to be smirking to herself, probably imagining all the fun she had when this boss guy visited.
I looked over at my phone.
It was already noon, and I still needed to investigate where the second box of macarons went.
"... Got it. He seems pretty interesting. Alright, well, thanks for that, girls."
"Eh? You're leaving already?"
"I'll come back next week. Same time, same day. No one comes here during those times either, right?"
"Yeah, I guess no one really comes."
"With sweets Han Han! Don't forget that!"
"Ha, I'll make sure I won't forget, as long as Wei doesn't know I was here."
Both girls nodded at my words, with Xi Xi eagerly waving goodbye as I walked out the front door.
I wonder if she was this eager to actually see me next time or because of the promised snacks.
And just as quickly as I had come, I left.
I honestly didn't expect time to pass so fast hanging out with two kids.
Maybe it's because they're NPCs? Real kids must be actually annoying.
Whatever the case was, I felt a little smile starting to curve the ends of my mouth.
Seriously, I still can't believe those kids are related to Wei!
... Now I have to know what he acts like around them...!
I then remembered the Stingray sitting in my pocket.
Right. I'd almost forgotten.
I plugged the device back into my phone and checked Wei's location.
Luckily for me, he hadn't left the second location yet, although that's not to say I wouldn't have found it if he'd wrapped up his business a little faster.
His little tracker remained static at Meng Xiang Road.
...Yet...
Seriously?! Meng Xiang Road?
That's going to take me like, two hours to get there!
... I... I guess I'd better get walking...
***
Of course, by the time I was nearing Wei's location, he had already left.
This time, he hopefully went back to Grandma Guanhuai's house instead of another location.
Looking at my condition, I had gone through four bottles of water, and my legs were basically shaking.
I drooled over the thought of going home and drinking one of Grandma Guanhuai's health potions.
... But unfortunately, I had a job to do...
Somehow, I pushed past the pain and finally made it to Meng Xiang Road.
Meng Xiang Road wasn't really an important road, much like the place Wei's siblings lived at.
Not much hidden NPC stuff or cool quests.
The place was pretty run-down.
Small houses basically stacked on one another, old roofs with water leaking inside.
The houses were so shabby that I could see into the rooms through the cracks of rotten wood.
Despite that, the area was quite lively.
Food stalls and workmen lined the sidewalks.
It was loud and chaotic, but in a welcoming way.
As I got to the end of the street, I finally realized why the streets were bustling with joy, when areas like these usually bring out the worst in people.
Multiple men surrounded the area, wearing what seemed to be construction wear.
They carried hefty materials on their backs, with scaffolding around the worn houses.
Construction? This wasn't in the game before, was it?
If they're changing how the neighborhood looks, then doesn't this mean this is an event that'll permanently change the game?
I managed to get ahold of one of the construction men as he was on what seemed to be his break.
He was all smiles and looked quite happy, even though he was quite aged.
I tapped on his shoulders a couple of times before he finally noticed me.
"Excuse me, sir, what's with the construction you guys are doing?"
"Dear me, what's up with the construction? Do you not live around here? Or have you been living under a rock?"
"Um, I really don't know."
"Of course, we're remodeling the homes here!"
"... No, well, that's obvious. I meant why, or... more so how. How did you guys get the funds for this?"
The man then laughed even harder before shrugging my questions off.
"Hey! I'm really not joking! I'm a, um, journalist, and I'm just trying to-"
"Alright, alright, kiddo, I'm on my break, and today Ms. Yang's noodles are out. I have to get in line; I don't want to be in the back again."
I watched as he ran off to one of the food stalls I had just walked past.
I'm not sure why, but I just stood there, watching the man excitedly take the fourth place in line.
Yang's noodle shop? Was that such a thing before?
Before I knew it, a horrible sound came out of my stomach...
... and soon enough, I was the fifth person in line.
The smell of the noodles hit me.
They smelled so nostalgic... likely because of their simplicity.
It was a dish I would frequently eat before I came into this game.
And before I even started living alone.
I debated whether or not I should've just gone to another stall to eat, but I was next in line soon anyway.
... Either way, it's just... noodles.
I shouldn't be so weird about something this simple.
"Next!"
I quickly scanned the menu board.
"I'll just have the beef noodles."
"That's it?"
"Yes."
The young lady smirked, then got to work.
She wrapped a towel around her shoulders and dabbed it over her face every so often.
The noodles hissed as they hit the hot water.
Steam poured out and surrounded the air.
The sounds of chopping and clinking filled my ears until she presented the final dish to me.
It was served in a simple, plastic bowl with wooden chopsticks.
"Here ya go! Pretty fast, eh?"
"Yeah, that was quick."
Holding the bowl in one hand, I used my other to grab my phone.
The stall owner stared at this gesture.
"What are ya doing? Taking a picture?"
"Um, no? I'm paying you for the food?"
"... Buddy..."
"...?"
She had a bizarre expression on her face, one I'd never seen before.
She tipped her head to one side, then another, before finally deciding what to say.
"Y'know, all this is free... You don't gotta pay."
... Free? Did she just say "free"?
In the slums? Free stuff in the slums?
... No... maybe it's just an event going on where construction workers get free food on their breaks; she must've confused me for a worker too.
"... Oh, I'm not a construction worker, so-"
"I know that. It's free for everyone. All the food here is free for the next couple of weeks."
I paused.
"Like 'free, free'? Not buy one, get one off, or come with five friends and get a discount for free?"
"...Are you okay, sir? You must not be from around here... I mean, this is more than just common knowledge-"
"Can I have another bowl? With extra beef too."
This time, she paused for a second before smiling and bringing out more beef.
Only after I had said those words did my face turn red, realizing what I had just said.
But I really couldn't help but blurt that out; after all, it wasn't every day you see free food in the slums, especially in such a run-down place like this.
Granted, I did find it weird that all the food was free... it almost felt like a festival of sorts.
Just because they're remodeling the houses, they'll make all this food free? How are they earning anything?
There had to be a reason why Wei came here... other than the fact that they have free food.
Why would he bring a box of macarons here? Just why...?
I decided to first finish my noodles, then I'd investigate more afterwards.