Half an hour later, Jiang Lin successfully moved into Roland小区.
Unlike the bustling Xingfu小区, Roland小区 remained as it was, with half the units sold and half still available for rent.
Renting a place wasn't difficult.
As for where the money would come from, there was no need to worry.
The viewers from the live stream had tipped generously. These could be exchanged for冥币 (ming bi, underworld currency) or kept as is. Jiang Lin could easily withdraw a small amount, which would be more than enough for his needs.
"Is this what they call... 'taken from the people, used for the people'?" Jiang Lin mused to himself.
'Ding~'
The elevator stopped at the 15th floor.
As Jiang Lin stepped out, he glanced at his key: apartment 1503.
Just as he was about to open the door, he heard the sound of the elevator doors opening again from behind him.
Immediately after, footsteps approached.
Jiang Lin didn't turn around and walked straight into his apartment.
With a bang, the door closed.
"New neighbor?"
Shen Jie, while fumbling for his key, glanced at the apartment next door.
1503.
He had lived here for so long, and this was the first time he'd seen someone move in.
Shen Jie had just returned from work at this hour.
Due to a last-minute extended meeting called by his team leader, he hadn't eaten yet. If he hadn't bought a Jianbing Guozi (savory crepe) on the way to tide him over, his stomach would have been growling.
Finishing the last bite of his Jianbing Guozi, he turned the key and opened his door, stepping inside.
He wondered if his new neighbor would be easy to get along with.
As he took off his shoes and casually tossed his briefcase aside, he flopped onto the sofa like a starfish.
He didn't want to move...
But he was so hungry.
He still didn't want to move.
Just as Shen Jie was drowsily debating with himself, on the verge of falling asleep, he suddenly heard a knock on the door.
At first, he thought he had misheard.
But after two seconds, the knocking came again.
Knock, knock!
"Who is it?"
He jolted awake and walked towards the door.
...
Next door.
Upon entering, Jiang Lin first surveyed the entire apartment.
It was a two-bedroom, one-living room, one study, one bathroom, and one kitchen layout. The overall decor was simple, dominated by cool tones. It wasn't spacious, but for him living alone, it was more than enough.
The living room led out to a balcony. On the balcony stood a potted succulent. It was unclear which previous tenant had left it, but it was still alive.
After a quick tour, Jiang Lin returned to the living room.
He noticed faint footprints on the floor. It was likely that no one had lived there for a long time, as a thin layer of dust had accumulated on the floorboards.
With a thought, he stirred up a wisp of ghostly energy within the apartment. The ghostly energy swept through each room, from the ceiling to the floor, cleaning every corner. Finally, it gathered a handful of dust and flew to the trash can, depositing it all inside. After completing this task, the ghostly energy returned to Jiang Lin's hand and vanished.
Looking at the pristine apartment, Jiang Lin suddenly pondered a question.
Wasn't he supposed to adopt a different way of life? If he did this, wouldn't it still be the same lifestyle as in the underworld?
"Never mind, there's no need to set so many rigid rules." Jiang Lin didn't dwell on this issue for too long. Being at ease was what mattered. There was no need to confine himself.
He sat down on the sofa and looked around the apartment, suddenly realizing he had nothing to do. What would he have been doing at this time before? Reading books or files in the Eighteenth Hall, or perhaps cultivating. Watching the team members train, working, or guiding lost souls like Nie Jiu...
Jiang Lin's gaze drifted to the LCD television on the wall. Hong Ya quite enjoyed binge-watching dramas. He picked up the remote, intending to turn on the TV. However, it prompted him for network access and membership.
Jiang Lin was silent for a moment: "..." Although he usually guided souls and completed tasks, human things seemed a bit distant to him. In this regard, perhaps Hong Ya understood more than he did.
After sitting on the sofa for a while, he remembered the food the person next door had been holding earlier. It smelled quite good.
Thinking about it, he got up, walked out of his apartment, and went to the door of the neighboring unit. Suppressing the urge to simply phase through the wall, he knocked.
Knock, knock!
...
"Who is it?"
When Shen Jie opened the door, his first reaction was, "Hey, he's quite handsome." His second reaction was, "Is someone trying to sell me something this late at night?"
"Who are you?" He opened the door only halfway, his tone cautious. If the person was trying to sell him a product, he could close the door in an instant. However, looking again at the attire, it seemed rather familiar?
At this moment, Jiang Lin was also observing him. The man was about 1.78 meters tall, with short hair, and a lean build. He was still wearing his work clothes – a shirt and dress pants. His eyes held a hint of caution, but they were also clear.
"Hello, where did you buy that pancake just now?" Jiang Lin pointed to the side. "I just moved in today and didn't see anyone selling pancakes near the complex when I arrived."
Actually, he knew where the stalls had gone, but he wasn't lying. Roland小区 wasn't a lively place to begin with, and with Xingfu小区 becoming so popular, all the stalls had moved near it. However, to quickly integrate into a certain lifestyle, just observing wasn't enough. One had to interact with others, learn about the local happenings, and experience the way of life of the people around.
Come to think of it... this was a habit from his previous life. He used it to quickly blend in with beggars and gather information.
Evidently, Jiang Lin didn't understand people of this era well enough. In today's cities, everyone closes their doors and lives their own lives. There isn't much neighborly affection. Knocking on someone's door directly like this would strike many as rather... peculiar and inexplicable.
Fortunately, Shen Jie wasn't overthinking things at the moment. Hearing Jiang Lin's question, he was momentarily taken aback. "Pancake? Oh... you mean Jianbing Guozi? There's a street just around the corner behind this complex where they sell it." He paused, then belatedly added, "I forgot you just moved in. Wait a moment."
As he spoke, he turned to put on his shoes and picked up his phone, which he had left in a corner of the sofa. "Since I'm too lazy to cook right now anyway, let's go down and eat together."
Jiang Lin smiled. "Sure."
Bang!
Shen Jie closed his apartment door and headed towards the elevator first. As they walked, he said, "My name is Shen Jie. I moved here two years ago. I'm a programmer."
"And you?"
"My name is Jiang Lin. Currently, I'm..." Jiang Lin paused, thinking, "Unemployed?"
"Jiang Lin?"
Shen Jie suddenly turned around and looked intently at Jiang Lin for a couple of seconds. His short, neat hair, clean face, and sharp features, though not overly rugged. While handsome, he didn't look like the streamer.
"Your name is quite fitting! You're actually the same name as the streamer!" Shen Jie said with surprise. Mentioning this made him become very enthusiastic. His attitude towards Jiang Lin also became much friendlier. "You know the streamer from 'Daily Healing in the Underworld'? He has the same name."
Jiang Lin nodded, his expression unchanged. "I know that live stream. I've watched it before."
"Hahaha, then we're fellow viewers!" Shen Jie chuckled heartily. "Don't worry, let's have a good meal. You can find work slowly."
"Since you just moved in today, it's my treat!"
Jiang Lin smiled and said "Okay," entering the elevator with him. Internally, however, he felt a bit surprised. It was clear that his neighbor, Shen Jie, had initially had a lukewarm attitude. It was akin to the initial reserved friendliness between neighbors. But upon mentioning the live stream, his attitude had changed drastically, becoming much more cordial.
His own live stream had this effect? Jiang Lin was discovering this for the first time.