83: Chapter 83 He had just come from the home of a top influencer.

The rice in the bowl was scraped clean.

The daughter of the Imperial Capital Garrison District Commander.

Jiang Rumu, having served three bowls of rice, gnawed on half a sea bass, and was flushed red from her mother pressuring her to have children.

Li Li swallowed the last grain of rice, stood up quickly, and stacked the dishes for all three people together.

"Auntie, let me wash them."

Without giving Director Wu Xiaomei a chance to speak, he carried the dishes and dived into the kitchen.

The kitchen was equipped with a top-of-the-line Miele dishwasher; he opened the door, arranged the plates, put in the detergent tablet, closed it, and pressed start.

Three minutes, clean and efficient.

He exited the kitchen.

Director Wu Xiaomei sat on the sofa, holding a cup of freshly brewed Dahongpao tea.

Her posture was relaxed, a completely different person from when she was bombarding him with questions earlier.

But Li Li knew that the more relaxed an elder appeared, the more dangerous they were.

"Auntie, it's getting late, I'll be heading off."

He walked to the entryway, picked up that worn backpack, and slung it over one shoulder.

Director Wu Xiaomei nodded.

"Be safe on the way."

Four words, the tone couldn't be flatter. No keeping him, no further questioning, and no "come again next time" pleasantries.

But she didn't say "don't come again" either.

Li Li pondered this for two seconds.

Above the passing line, below a perfect score.

Reasonable.

Jiang Rumu came over in her wheelchair, the front wheels rolling over the floor, stopping at the threshold.

The cold air from the hallway poured in.

The two of them were separated by a threshold.

On the plane, he carried her through the entire cabin; at the airport, he pushed her through three thousand people—distance was never an issue.

But now, with this threshold, one inside and one outside, it suddenly felt difficult to cross.

"Then..." Jiang Rumu gripped the wheelchair armrest with one hand, "Text me on WeChat if anything comes up?"

"Sure."

Li Li turned and walked toward the elevator.

He walked two steps, then stopped.

He didn't look back.

"The twice-cooked pork your mom made is better than any I've had outside."

The elevator arrived.

He stepped in and pressed the button for the first floor.

In the last second before the door closed, his peripheral vision caught the wheelchair at the door of 3201 still parked in the same spot.

It hadn't moved.

— —

First-floor lobby.

The marble floor reflected the crystal chandelier.

Li Li passed the front desk, paused, and stepped back.

"Buddy," he tapped the counter, "let me ask, do you have any vacant rooms for rent?"

The butler in a tuxedo bowed slightly.

"Yes, sir. We currently have a 200-square-meter city-view apartment available."

"How much?"

"Monthly rent is 180,000, six-month minimum lease, pay for twelve and get two free."

Li Li turned and walked away.

"Sorry to bother you."

It's not the two months free I'm lacking; it's the twelve months of rent.

Walking out of the Bvlgari apartment revolving door, the early autumn evening breeze hit his face.

180,000.

All his savings before transmigrating plus his housing provident fund card balance were just enough to stay for eleven days.

He took out his phone and stood under a street lamp.

Over at the rental place, Landlady Zhang's WeChat was still lying quietly in his list.

He tapped in.

Transfer: 1000 yuan.

"Sister Zhang, I won't be renting the place anymore. Keep the deposit, just throw everything inside away as trash."

Send.

Long press.

Delete friend.

Now he was truly homeless.

A man with 98 million followers, carrying a worn backpack, standing under a street lamp on the East Third Ring Road, with not enough money in his pocket to afford one month at the Bvlgari.

He checked his TikTok account; various rewards, income, tips, plus the 6.66 million from Prince, it was close to 13 million.

But he hadn't withdrawn it.

He scrolled through rental apps for three minutes; all the agent fees, service fees, and "pay three months upfront" gave him a headache.

Forget it.

Switched out of the app and opened TikTok.

Started a livestream directly.

Title: **Waiting online, it's quite urgent.**

Three seconds after pressing the start button.

Livestream viewers: 100,000.

Tenth second: 500,000.

One minute: 1.2 million.

The comments were scrolling by so fast he couldn't read the words.

Li Li held up his phone to the camera.

"Everyone, good evening. Asking a question."

He cleared his throat.

"Anyone know of any high-end hotel apartments near Sanyuan Bridge with good value? One bedroom, one living room, gym and pool included would be best. Waiting online."

The comments froze for half a second.

Then it exploded.

[Holy crap! Brother Li is live!]

[Wait! That sign behind you! Is that the Bvlgari apartment?!]

[Mumu lives there! Did you just come out of Mumu's place?!]

Li Li flipped the camera and scanned the Bvlgari sign behind him.

"Yeah, just came out of her place."

The number of viewers in the livestream instantly skyrocketed to two million.

[Ahhhhhhh!]

[Li Li and Mumu are real! I'm putting in 500 for the wedding gift!]

[A man and a woman alone! Spent the whole afternoon! What did you guys do?!]

[Is it possible Brother Li is a Platonist?]

[Should I believe he's a Platonist or believe I'm Jesus?]

He switched the camera back, walked a few steps, and changed to a less glaring spot.

"Don't guess blindly, her mom was there."

The comments went even crazier.

[Already met the parents?!]

[I approve of this marriage!]

[What if her mom wasn't there?! Brother Li, tell the truth!]

"If her mom wasn't there, I wouldn't have had to do the dishes."

Online viewers jumped another notch. 2.3 million.

Li Li ignored the screen full of pink bubbles.

"Hurry up, any apartment recommendations? I have nowhere to live."

A comment with a gold border drifted by, a local wealthy fan.

[Go past two traffic lights, turn right, there's the Xinghui Apartment Hotel. 80 sqm, 800 a night, includes gym and breakfast, mention my name for 20% off.]

Two seconds later, added another one.

[It's a real discount, not a 'break your bones' discount.]

Li Li opened the map with one hand to check.

800 meters.

"Thanks, brother."

The screen went black.

Ended the stream.

2.3 million people collectively howled at the black screen.

— —

Put his phone back in his pocket.

Tightened his backpack straps and walked forward following the navigation.

Taking the main road would be a long detour; the navigation suggested going through the small alley ahead to save 300 meters.

He turned in.

Only two street lights were still on, the light dim and yellow, illuminating the peeling wall contours and the red rust on the security windows. Old residential buildings were squeezed on both sides, with the blue light of televisions occasionally leaking from the windows.

A stray cat squatted on a trash can lid; hearing footsteps, it darted into the bushes.

Li Li walked to the middle of the alley.

His footsteps stopped.

Top right—sixth floor.

Black smoke rolled out from a window, thick and rapid, wrapped in a pungent, burnt smell.

Not right.

Not ordinary cooking fumes.

This amount of smoke, this speed—

Bang!

The glass shattered.

Tongues of fire, along with shards of broken glass, sprayed outward.

A sharp scream tore through the entire alley.

Li Li threw his backpack on the ground.

He had already rushed out.