manynovel Chapter 81 Neighbors
Chapter 81 Neighbors
Chapter 81 Neighbors
Compared to the extensive copying and recitation during preparatory courses, first-year homework involves less mechanical memorization and more understanding and flexible application of classroom learning. It is much more interesting in both form and content, but it is also more mentally taxing to complete.
By the time Hu Yi finished all his homework, flipping through his textbooks and dictionary, it was already noon.
Feeling a bit hungry, Hu Yi packed up his books, took out two packets of instant noodles and two eggs, and carried the wok out into the communal kitchen.
Boil half a pot of water, add two packets of instant noodles, seasoning powder, and oil packets, and the aroma gradually fills the air. To be fair, this smell is very appealing to a hungry person, but since he lost his money at the beginning of the year, the cheap instant noodles that cost 3 rubles a pack from the store downstairs have been his go-to food for filling his stomach for the past six months, and he's gotten quite tired of them.
Smelling the familiar aroma, Hu Yi couldn't help but frown, and his hand, which was about to crack an egg on the edge of the pot, involuntarily stopped.
Ugh, I really don't want to eat this rubbish anymore. He had a sudden urge to eat mutton and carrot fried rice or Turkish kebab, but after considering his financial situation for a moment, he calmed down.
But it's always good to adjust the taste, right? Hu Yi thought for a moment, scooped the instant noodles into a plate, poured out the water from the pot, turned around and went downstairs to the store to buy a few onions and garlic.
When I returned to the kitchen, a tall, thin man was standing by the window, arms crossed, smoking and gazing at the scenery outside. Hearing someone come in, the man turned around; it was the Moroccan man next door who claimed to be a prince.
Hu Yi already knew his name was Omar, but he still chuckled and teased, "Oh ho, isn't this Your Highness? Good morning."
"Hello, Anton." The prince smiled wearily. "Are you cooking?"
"It's me. Have you eaten?"
"Not yet." The prince exhaled a puff of smoke dejectedly, peering at the plates on the table. "Is your lunch just instant noodles?"
"It's instant noodles, but it's not just instant noodles." Hu Yi went back into the house to get oil, a kitchen knife, a cutting board, and half a bottle of Lao Gan Ma chili sauce. He then peeled an onion and two cloves of garlic.
Having not shown off his knife skills honed at the Huanghai Hotel for a long time, he stretched out his arms, rolled up his sleeves, rotated his wrists, shrank back his head, closed his eyes slightly, and swung the cleaver. With a few quick "clangs," he chopped half an onion into small pieces and two cloves of garlic into thin slices.
"Wow!" The prince looked at Hu Yi curiously. "That knife is huge! But you use it very skillfully!"
Hu Yi rubbed his teary eyes with the back of his hand and forced a smile: "Professional." He then cracked two eggs, quickly beat them into an egg mixture, heated oil, fried them in the pan until golden brown, and then put them in a bowl.
Heat the oil again, sauté the garlic slices, briefly stir-fry the onions, then add the cooked instant noodles and scrambled eggs to the pan and stir-fry for a few seconds. Finally, add a spoonful of Lao Gan Ma chili sauce.
A wonderful aroma immediately rose from the pot, and the prince couldn't help but lean closer to the stove and take a deep sniff: "Wow, what a wonderful smell! It's a bit pungent, but it smells delicious!" He then covered his mouth and nose and coughed a few times.
Hu Yi turned off the stove, ladled the fried instant noodles onto a plate, and looked at the prince triumphantly: "You like it? Then this is for you."
"Really?" the prince asked solemnly. "You're giving this to me? And what about you?"
"I have some more, I'll just make another one."
"Thank you." The prince held the plate up to him, sniffed it a few times with a satisfied look, then pointed to room 902 where Fang Qing lived and asked, "That Chinese man, Fang, seems to be a professional chef too, often cooking for others. Are you the same?"
"Him? No, no, we're not the same." Hu Yi waved his hand and pointed to the kitchen knife on the cutting board, saying, "I'm just more skilled with a knife, but him—well—he's—a master at making food with flour—I don't know how to use flour."
"But you seem to cook very professionally." The prince hesitated, patting his pocket. "Should I pay?"
"It's just a plate of instant noodles, don't worry about the money. We're friends, it's a gift for you." Hu Yi smiled happily and patted him on the back: "Come on, let's go inside and eat."
"Thank you! But my room—isn't very convenient." The prince remained standing still. "Can I go downstairs to my friend's room to eat? I'll return the plate to you later."
"Of course." Hu Yi shrugged, puzzled. "Is there anything inconvenient inside?"
"My roommate, Du Shan, and his girlfriend are in the room." The prince waved his hands back and forth in front of him a few times, imitating the creaking sound of the bed legs shaking. "They're doing something."
"Haha, I understand." Hu Yi laughed as he cleaned the pot and cooked himself a bowl of instant noodles. Just as he was about to take it back to his room to eat, Han Cangweng, who had checked in the night before, returned with a small suitcase.
"Anton, hello." Han Cangweng bowed slightly. "My friends are outside. May we come in?"
"Of course, please invite them in."
Han Cangweng turned his head and called out. Three men and two women lined up outside and entered. Each of them greeted Hu Yi politely upon entering. Some of the men were carrying bedding, while others were carrying large bags, presumably helping with luggage. The two girls were carrying several plastic bags, which looked like food.
"Is it convenient for me to eat with them inside the house?" Han Cangweng asked, gesturing as he spoke.
"It's convenient, no problem." Hu Yi handed him his chair: "This is our dorm room, don't be shy, please entertain your friends."
"OK, thank you!" Han Cangweng picked up the pillow from the bed, turned around and vividly described the situation to his friends, then said to Hu Yi, "I told them that Anton is a good person, good!"
Hu Yichong smiled slightly, sat on the edge of the bed, and ate fried instant noodles while observing them. These Koreans were cheerful and talkative, but they deliberately controlled their voices, as if afraid of disturbing him.
The men looked older, had short hair like Han Cangweng, similar builds, and were all wearing high-top military boots.
The girl was petite, lively, and looked younger. They put down their things and went to the kitchen to cook. Then, the group of them sat around a pot of bright red kimchi stewed with pork belly, eating and chatting happily like brothers and sisters, which made Hu Yi feel a little lonely.
After finishing their meal, the Koreans neatly cleared away their dishes and took their leave. Han Cangweng lay on the bed, rubbing his stomach contentedly and groaning for a while. He then got up and went to Hu Yi's side, saying with a serious expression, "Anton, we didn't introduce ourselves last night, so I'll do it now. My name is Han Cangweng, I'm Korean, nice to meet you."
"I'm Chinese, and my name is Hu Yi, but you can just call me Anton." Hu Yi thought that it would be more convenient to tell him his real name since they would be living together in the future.
Han Cangweng probably didn't understand the Russian meaning of Hu Yi's name, and his expression didn't change at all: "Where in China are you from?"
BJ? Shanghai?
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