Miss Tong Xiaomi of No. 6

  "The air by the river is really good!" Qiao sighed. This isn't a place where just anyone can come and live, her family's 100 or so square meter house would probably only be enough to buy a kitchen on this Jiang Feng Road. People are just different!

  This stretch of road is expensive because it backs onto the "Wall Street" of Shanghai, and from this street to the financial center and commercial center, even on foot, takes less than half an hour. And yet, despite being so close to the bustling heart of the city, it retains a sense of tranquility amidst the noise. This road was once a concession during wartime, so it is lined with modern Western-style buildings from the same era, their exterior walls weathered to a warm gray from years of rain and shine. At the entrance to each building, a copper plaque hangs quietly, engraved with black letters that read "Former Site of XX Bank", "Former Residence of XXX", or "Former Site of XX Shipping Company". Thick-trunked maple trees embrace the quiet asphalt road, while the dim yellow streetlights illuminate the ancient facades of the foreign-style houses, and in the distance, the faint sound of the river water and the occasional blast of a ship's whistle are like the clear singing of a songstress on an old phonograph.

  "Ah, we're home." Akin said, pointing at a white high-rise building.

  This building is a rare high-rise on Jiangfen Road, originally the site of a century-old garment factory. For one year, people from all walks of life argued over whether to demolish the garment factory or not, and for another year, they debated whether to build a high-rise or not, and how tall it should be. After three years, the city mayor finally laid the foundation stone. The 12-story building in front of us was designed by a seasoned European designer with the aim of preserving the style of Jiangfen Road using Western thinking and aesthetics. The entire building is white, without large floor-to-ceiling windows, and its asymmetrical yet elegant and simple shape makes it seem like a massive ancient stone transported from a Greek temple, or an abstract white sail from Monet's brushstrokes. During the day, it blends into the sky like a cloud, existing in a subtle and beautiful way. At night, it hides in the tranquility, radiating a grayish-blue glow under the night sky, as if it were a mineral hiding a gemstone by the river. The first floor of this building is occupied by a museum commemorating the century-old garment factory, which showcases machinery, equipment, and other items from the factory, along with pictures and texts explaining its history over the past century. This building is a landmark in Shuizhen City, symbolizing "remembering history and moving forward," and is named Yuanhang Building.

  "Do you live here?" Xia Yi asked, somewhat skeptical. The landmark building of Shuicheng, wasn't it administrative and business units inside? Or was it a big company? How could there be residents? What kind of background did these residents have?

  Xia Yi was slightly sweating, Ai Jin, really can't tell, it turns out that his family background is not ordinary.

  Tong Xiaomi also jumped down from Xia Yi's back seat, "Then I'll go back too."

  "Do you live here too?" Ni Qiao and Xia Yi asked in unison, Ni Qiao had been to Ai Jin's house before, but only knew that Xiao Mi's house was close by, yet didn't know where it was.

  "Not there, over there." Xiao Mi pointed with her hand.

  Over there? Over there it's gloomy and desolate with only trees.

  "It's so dark, let's send you in." Xiaoyi was worried, but more questioning.

  "It's nothing, just around the corner and I'll be home."

  It doesn't look like a residential building at all, but rather like a park built next to the Far East Building.

  "What's all this nonsense? If I say I'll see you home, of course I'll see you home." Ni Qiao's words were more effective.

  "Alright then, why don't you guys come over to my place for a midnight snack before leaving?" Xiaomi happily suggested, "None of my classmates have ever been to my home yet!"

  Niang Qiaoxia smiled at each other and said: "Lead the way."

  After walking for just a few steps, Xiao Mi said they had arrived.

  In the shade of trees I saw just now, there is an old iron flower gate.

  Niang Jiao was a bit stunned. It turned out that the woods Xiao Mi had pointed to earlier were not a park, but her family's garden. Good grief, in this place where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold, there's such a big yard...

  But what's the point of this door, it's so old and broken, what's the use of having it, this door is meaningless, there are trees on the side, no walls or fences, what's the use of just standing a door.

  The door is open and seems to have been for a long time as vines are already climbing over it.

  "Welcome to my home!" Tong Xiaomi smiled happily, and without paying attention to the guest, she walked along the red brick road that split open the tall and lush camphor tree forest, which was born from under the iron flower gate, towards the depths of the forest.

  Niang Qiao and Xia Yi followed Xiao Mi in a daze, slowly moving forward along the winding forest path. The camphor trees on both sides emitted a strong fragrance of camphor, mixed with the musty smell of decaying leaves, and the quiet air was filled with a hint of earthy scent. The sound of the bicycle chain turning was amplified in the gentle breeze. Just as they were wondering how long this road would take, the path under their feet turned a corner, leading them to an old mansion.

  A two-story Western-style old mansion.

  A quiet chimney pierces through the black pointed roof, on the eastern corner of which a wrought iron weather vane in the shape of a horse and rider gently sways in the night air. The red bricks of the exterior walls have darkened slightly with age, while the wooden windows are adorned with delicate stone carvings of grapevine tendrils. Large wooden flower boxes hang outside the first-floor windows, from which lush green ivy plants spill out, bearing flowers of various colors that cascade to the ground in profusion. Warm light spills through the white curtains onto the floor below.

  It's like a scene from a movie.

  Nicky knew this wasn't a mansion, but it was absolutely antique.

  "What a warm and cozy house." Xia Yi said with a smile, a word rising in her heart, no wonder...

  "I'm back!" Xiaomi happily pushed open the door and entered the house, with a "thud" she threw her school bag onto the floor. "Grandpa, grandma, auntie, dad, mom, all come over, I brought my classmate to play!"

  The two people outside the door simultaneously sweated, never expecting to see so many elders!

  The two of them were standing awkwardly, an elderly man who seemed to be the butler stood at the door and opened it for them with a warm smile. It would have been impolite not to go in.

  "Hey, where's Tong Xiaomi? Is he just going to leave us stranded in the foyer like this?"

  "Xiaomi, how come you're back and all you care about is hugging the cat, what about your classmate?"

  "Hey, why don't you come in? This way, this way!"

  "Who knows which side of the living room is yours, both sides of the entrance hall are rooms!" Niu Qiao blurted out: "First time coming to your house, who knows where you are!"

  As soon as these words fell, they were followed by the loving laughter of the elderly people in the house.

  "Alright, sorry then." Tong Xiaomi returned to the foyer from the living room, smiling as she pulled Ni Qiao's hand and led her and Xia Yi inside.

  He's really a muddle-headed guy who can't be blamed for anything. Niu Qiao glared at Tong Xiaomi with annoyance.

  "This is my grandfather, grandmother, aunt, dad and mom, and this is our Meimei," said Xiaomi, picking up a spotted cat from her feet. "Meimei, say hello! Come on, give your sister some face." She then held Meimei straight to Niqiao and Xiaoyi, letting the cat sniff them.

  The cat sniffed this and that, gave a glance, didn't say anything. (Sweat, what can be said.) The meaning is roughly, yeah, no weird smell, you can come to my place.

  "Xiaomi! Stop playing with the cat and let your classmate sit down." Xiaomi's mom frowned.

  "Sit down, you all sit wherever you like. Li Mama, is there anything to eat at home?" Xiao Mi shouted towards a room.

  "Lotus seed paste buns are here!" A voice came from afar.

  "Got it!" Xiao Mi shouted back, saying to Niu Qiao and the others, "You guys wait a bit, I'll go get some, it's really delicious!" After finishing speaking, she put down Mei Mei and ran off. Mei Mei didn't mind either, turning her head and jumping onto the sofa, squatting beside Niu Qiao.

  It's a bit different. According to the plot in the book and on TV, shouldn't it be that person called Li Mama or someone else who brings it up at this time?

  Before long, I heard Xiaomi carrying a tray and a slightly plump woman walking into the living room with laughter. The woman was also carrying a tray, and both of their trays were filled with several bowls of lotus seed paste.

  So many people, one person is not enough to take. Niu Qiao and Xia Yi got up separately, Niu Qiao helped Xiao Mi, and Xia Yi took over the tray in the woman's hand and put it on a round table in the corner of the living room under Li Mama's instructions.

  "Xiaomi's friends are very sensible," said Li Mama with a smile.

  "Heh heh, doesn't look like it's anyone else's friend!" Xiao Mi said with a proud expression. "Luckily Li Mama had cooked lotus seed porridge, or I wouldn't have anything to serve my friends, how embarrassing." Xiao Mi stuck out her tongue.

  Sweat! It seems that this guy is not even sure if there will be a midnight snack or not, and yet he called us over! The expressions of the two friends are a bit stiff.

  "Guān Bó, come and eat lotus seed porridge!" Xiaomi shouted at the door.

  Then, the old man who was just at the door walked into the living room with a smile and took over the bowl handed by Xiao Mi.

  "Thank you, Miss Xiaomi!" He bowed slightly with great courtesy, then quietly stood by the door and began to eat with extremely elegant and refined movements.

  Mrs. Li sat on another sofa next to Xiaomi, eating and laughing while chatting with Xiaomi. On the other side of Xiaomi were her grandmother and aunt, eating and pointing at the TV. Her grandfather sat on a sofa, eating and reading the newspaper, but it seemed like he was looking at ads. Her father and mother sat at the table, chatting with Xiaoyi about everyday things.

  Mysteriously harmonious.

  Just like Xia Yi said, a very warm house, Niao Qiao thought with a smile.

  "I'm full!" Xiao Mi stretched her waist.

  Xia Yi also put down his bowl and said politely, "Thank you for the hospitality of Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle and Aunt. It's getting late, we don't want to disturb you anymore."

  "Oh dear, it's already 10:30, Guan Bo, you should send the two kids back home now." said Xiao Mi's grandmother.

  "Feel free to come and play anytime you're free!" Little Mi's grandma smiled elegantly.

  "Grandma doesn't need to see us off, we'll ride our bikes." Nian Qiao Ke felt embarrassed to let an old man send off two young people full of energy.

  "Then take the Jeep and send it over. It's so late, don't make us old folks worry." Grandma's loving smile was irresistible.

  Niang Qiao and Xia Yi pushed the car, following Guan Bo to the garage in the woods, saw five slightly used luxury cars with different functions, couldn't help but sigh, Tong Xiao Mi, a real treasure.

  Thank you for your patience, if you like it, don't forget to vote/collection oh~