female neighbor

It was a rainy evening, and a cold wind swept through the city, carrying fallen leaves. Le Yao and I stood under an umbrella at the entrance of the Municipal Women and Children's Hospital. Amid the surging crowd, she looked at me with a slightly pale face.

“Zhaoyang, I’m pregnant.”

I was stunned for a moment, then glared at her and said, “Go find the person who got you pregnant! Why did you call me to ask me out?”

“I’ve only slept with one man this past year, who else would I go to?”

“If I said I’ve only slept with one woman this past year, would you believe me?”

“Zhaoyang, are you even a man?”

“We’re all just out having fun. Don’t try to pin this on me. If you want me to take responsibility, give me something concrete. Don’t play games with empty promises. Who the hell wants to become a father out of nowhere?”

Leyao was silent for a while and then said to me, “The child has already been aborted. Where is there any proof?”

I was a little angry: “Do you think I’m some kind of sucker? You aborted the child, and then…” I raised my hand, then said, feeling speechless, “And then you tell me the child is Zhaoyang’s? Are you pretending to be naive or am I really stupid?…Leyao, we’re both adults. Can’t we do something decent?”

Leyao bit her lip and looked at me for a long time before saying, “You don’t want to take responsibility, do you? I’m going to your company tomorrow…”

"Damn it... are you serious?!" I snapped.

Le Yao bit her lip, staring at me. I thought she was a good actress. We met at a bar, and then we had a one-night stand. A woman who frequents bars, claiming she'd only slept with one man in a year—I'd be a fool to believe her. I

didn't want to argue with her anymore. I pulled out my wallet, took out all the hundred-yuan bills, and handed them to her: "You just want money, right? Here, don't bother me again!"

Le Yao didn't say anything or argue further. She nodded, turned, and walked into the hospital with her umbrella, as if she still owed some money…

Watching her lonely figure in the rain, I suddenly felt a strange mix of emotions. Although I didn't believe the child in her belly was mine, and although I loathed her, I also felt that she must be having a hard time right now, otherwise she wouldn't be trying to blackmail me like this. After

a long silence, I finally called out to her, "Wait…"

Le Yao turned back to look at me.

I pulled a bank card from my wallet and handed it to her: "This card has some overdraft money. You just had surgery, buy yourself something to help you recover."

Le Yao didn't take it: "...No need. Seeing that you're willing to take responsibility is my goal. I contacted you because I don't want to be slept with and then get pregnant without knowing why!"

...

In the bar, I drank alone, waiting for Fang Yuan, my only close friend and colleague in this city.

From the first day I came to this bar, I'd seen too many lonely women and empty men drinking all sorts of alcohol, some silent, some with desire in their eyes, searching for something called "living in a drunken stupor."

In fact, when we cast aside our daytime bodies and let our souls lose themselves in this dazzling world, we've already lived in a drunken stupor.

I forget which night it started, but I made this place my home. I love the women swaying their hips, the flickering lights, the various colors of alcohol, the scent of perfume mixed with tobacco, the hedonistic lifestyle here, and how, in that hedonism, I can carve my messy past into a tombstone.

I light a cigarette, peel off the film from the pack, and hold it to my eyes, watching the flickering light. My body sways along with it. In the light refracted by the film, I seem to see a kind of decadent, complacent existence! I'm somewhat lost in thought!

...

Fang Yuan removes the film from my hand, and my world suddenly becomes clear again.

"What's the rush?" Fang Yuan puts down his briefcase, takes a cigarette from my pack, and lights it.

"Lend me some money, I've been ripped off!"

"You got that girl pregnant again?" Fang Yuan says, unsurprised.

"Damn it again! I really got scammed this time..."

"Who scammed you this time?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

"I lend you thousands every time, you should at least let me know who the hell is scamming my money!"

"Le Yao." I said, still furious, as I lit a cigarette.

"That model?"

"Of course it's her. This industry is a mess. She said she only slept with one man in a year, do you believe that? Fang Yuan, if this happened to you, would you believe it?" I pounded my fingers on the table with a loud "clatter" because I was so agitated.

“This kind of thing could never happen to me. Besides, she wouldn’t swindle you out of a few thousand yuan, would she? Last month, she shot all the promotional posters for our department store, and she got over ten thousand yuan in fees

alone…” I interrupted Fang Yuan with a sneer, “Don’t you know what kind of spending she usually has? Can she even afford ten thousand yuan a month? Now that she’s had an affair with someone else and doesn’t have the money to clean up the mess, she’s thinking of me, her cheap sex partner… I’m such a bastard. I shouldn’t have introduced her to our company in the first place. She made a lot of money, and now she’s swindling me. Does she have any conscience at all?”

Fang Yuan ignored my anger and asked me in a low voice, “When you slept with her…” "Did you bring that thing?"

I racked my brains for a long time, only remembering that I was almost blacked out from drinking, and I really couldn't remember whether I brought a condom or not. After a while, I said, "Yes... otherwise I could say I got scammed!"

Fang Yuan looked at me suspiciously, and after a long time, he sighed and said to me, "Zhaoyang, we've been friends for almost ten years. Sometimes I really want to advise you. I know that Jian Wei breaking up with you was a big blow to you, but it's been two years. You really don't need to degrade yourself like this... Youth waits for no one. Find a girlfriend and settle down, okay?"

When Jian Wei's name was mentioned again, I subconsciously paused for a moment before saying, "Don't worry about me. I'm doing fine, buddy!"

"You don't lack troubles! Right?"

...

Fang Yuan spent a long time trying to persuade me, and I impatiently responded for a long time. In the end, he left with the words "You're hopeless" and left in a huff, forgetting about the money I borrowed from him.

Fortunately, having frequented bars for two years and often bringing friends, I was fairly familiar with the bar owner, so the drinks this time were temporarily billed.

Stepping out of the bar, walking on the rain-soaked street with my umbrella, I truly understood what it meant to be utterly alone. I had struggled in this city for two years, only to reap endless emptiness and loneliness. To escape this poisonous emptiness and loneliness, I had to wear a mask to conceal my shame. With this mask, I could live a life of complacency, drifting aimlessly.

But no matter how much I struggled on the edge of despair, she would never come back!

...

Alone, lost and forlorn, I walked several stops before finally returning to my neighborhood. It was an old neighborhood, so old that there wasn't even a property management company. During my first year there, I heard the older women in the neighborhood say that the neighborhood was built in the early 1990s. Over the long years, every building in the neighborhood looked so dilapidated, yet they stood side by side, as if afraid of being alone. It was as if each building had come to life. This made me think that in the quiet of the night, they might whisper a few words to each other, dispelling decades of loneliness.

With a cigarette dangling from my lips, I took my keys out of my pocket and headed towards my building. It was the only building in the complex with ivy climbing on it; every summer, the south-facing walls would be lush and green. If these buildings had genders, this one would undoubtedly be a woman—a cold, indifferent woman.

It often made me feel sorry for her!

…

To my surprise, a red Audi Q7 was parked downstairs. In the two years I'd lived here, I couldn't recall ever seeing a car worth over 500,000 yuan in this complex.

Without giving it much thought, I whistled as I walked down the stairs to my apartment. Reaching the top floor, I was shocked to find the door ajar. I remembered locking it when I left. My first thought was that a thief had broken in, but then I realized I hadn't paid my landlord, Old Li, for two months. He was probably here to collect the rent.

Pushing open the door, I saw the landlord, Old Li, sitting on the sofa with a strange woman. A set of Audi Q7 car keys sat on the coffee table; undoubtedly, the Q7 parked downstairs belonged to this stranger.

A question immediately flashed through my mind: What kind of magic does this street urchin, Old Li, possess? He actually brought such a noble, unapproachable woman, like a white lily, to this humble house. This truly baffled me!…

Chapter 2: The Woman Driving the Q7

I looked at the woman again. She sat upright, her slightly wavy long hair falling to her shoulders, her skin fair, her figure slender, and her upturned lips exuding a confident sharpness. In short, she was an absolute beauty. At first glance, I felt as if nothing in this world was unforgivable!

Old Li beckoned to me: “Zhaoyang, come over here, I need to talk to you about something.”

“It’s about the rent. I’ll pay it next month when I get paid, okay?” I said with a forced smile, after all, I had been behind on the rent for so long.

"It's about the house... uh... this girl has already bought it."

"You sold the house?! What idiot would buy this dilapidated house that can't even withstand a couple of earthquakes?!" I yelled at the woman. Facing the crisis of being homeless, I didn't care about her elegance or beauty; I was angry first!

Old Li looked awkwardly at the frowning woman and said to me after a long while, "You move out tonight. I won't ask for the rent from the past few months!"

"Old Li, the older you get, the more you act like a grandson... Even if you wanted to sell the house, you should have told me in advance. Where am I supposed to find a new place in this rainy weather?"

"Just find a hotel to stay in first," Old Li said, completely disregarding my feelings.

“You don’t even own the property anymore, don’t talk to me!” I snapped at Lao Li, then said to the strange woman, “The house is yours now, can I continue renting from you?”

The woman shook her head: “I bought it to live in myself, I have no intention of renting it out.”

I immediately lost my composure: “Girl, are you alright? You drive a luxury car worth millions, and you come to live in this run-down house!…Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me?”

The woman ignored my anger and said calmly, “I’ll give you one hour to move out…”

Before she could finish, I interrupted: “No…Have you ever seen someone ask you to move out without giving me any advance notice?” After saying that, I sat down next to the woman on the sofa, and the woman instinctively moved to the other side.

I lit a cigarette, glanced around the dilapidated house, and a sense of loss welled up inside me. Two years ago, I came to Suzhou and have been living here ever since. In this house, I spent the most difficult period of my life.

Here, I've confided in the living room clock, and poured out my heart to the old floor lamp in the bedroom all night long. Every object here feels like a close friend who's shared my hardships! Leaving here would mean losing my reason for living.

The smoke billowing from my mouth annoyed the woman, who stood up from the sofa and walked to the other side.

I felt increasingly unlucky, as if all the bad things had conspired to happen to me today, to make me miserable.

After a moment, Old Li said to us, who were still in a stalemate, "I have some things to take care of at home. You two can discuss the house matter slowly..." Without waiting for a response, as if he had thrown away a hot potato, he slipped away like a greased grease trapper, grabbed his bag, and headed for the door. Only the

woman and I were left in the house.

...

Outside the window, the wind and cold rain began to rage again. This terrible weather made me even less willing to move out. I decided to sit here and wait it out with this woman; anyway, all I had was time.

I struck up a conversation with her: "Miss, may I ask your name?"

She replied sternly, "Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters! I need to know which deity left me homeless on this cold, rainy night!"

Ignoring the sarcasm in my words, she coldly retorted, "You only have 40 minutes left. If you don't move out in 40 minutes, I'll call the police."

Just as I was about to explode, the phone rang. I frowned at the woman before taking my phone out of my pocket. I saw it was Le Yao calling—another woman who annoyed me.

I answered impatiently, "What is it now? Didn't I give you the money?"

Le Yao paused for a moment before saying, "Zhaoyang, tomorrow's the weekend… could you come with me to the hospital for a checkup…?"

"Is the baby in your belly mine? Can't you ask a friend to go with you? Do you think I'm free?" I fired off like a machine gun, trying to intimidate her into abandoning this unrealistic idea.

"In this city, you're my only friend."

"Le Yao, you've got it wrong. We're 'sex partners,' not friends... Do you even know what 'sex partners' means?"

Le Yao ignored me and whispered, "I'm really scared being alone!... If you don't come, I'll just fend for myself! I'm not going for the follow-up appointment!"

I patiently said, "You went alone today, you'll know the way better tomorrow."

"I only realized how terrifying it was because I was alone yesterday!"

Le Yao's relentless nagging drove me crazy, and I habitually swore. "Fuck you!..."

"Fuck me! You're the one who conceived this child. I should have given birth to it, raised it, and told it: its father is a beast!"

The phone then went dead. "

…

This shit!" I lit a cigarette, slapped my forehead repeatedly. In two years, I'd never encountered a casual sex partner as troublesome as Le Yao. Even though she swore it was me, I could swore it was me too: the child wasn't mine! She said I was her only friend in this city, which made me think she was trying to scam me. Just last week, I saw her post a picture on Weibo of herself partying wildly with a bunch of people at a bar.

"Scumbag!"

I looked up and realized the woman had been staring at me with extreme disgust. It was just the two of us in the room; she was undoubtedly the one cursing me.

"Were you listening to my phone call?" I asked calmly, not caring that she called me scumbag, because I couldn't even tell if I was a scumbag myself.

"You have 30 minutes left." The woman's tone was even colder than before.

What a troublesome, cold, rainy night. After giving all my cash to Le Yao today, I was penniless. Where could I go now? The world was vast, yet there was nowhere for me, Zhao Yang, to go.

After a moment of silence, I said to the woman, "Girl, look at how windy and rainy it is outside, and it's quite late now. We definitely can't move tonight!"

The woman looked out the window, finally leaving some room for negotiation, and asked, "When will we move?"

"Tomorrow."

"What time?"

"Before one o'clock in the afternoon." I changed to a gentler tone, because I would need her help later.

She nodded: "You can go now. Remember to move your things out on time tomorrow."

I sat motionless for a while, then leaned towards her, deliberately fidgeting, and said, "Miss... could you lend me some money?"

She seemed a little surprised, but resolutely said, "I have no obligation to lend you money."

"You won't lend me any, huh? Then don't expect me to leave tonight. I can't possibly sleep under a bridge if I'm penniless!" I said, leaning back on the sofa, and added, "Don't even think about calling the police. This whole thing was your and Old Li's fault. You tell me, shouldn't you have notified me beforehand, at least let me prepare?"

She looked at me like I was a plague, further confirming her eagerness to get rid of me, but unexpectedly said to me, "I don't have any cash."

I stared at her wide-eyed. A simple "no cash" exuded sophistication, class, and class. These days, wealthy people don't carry much cash in their wallets. With their spending of tens of thousands, the small amount of cash in their wallets is clearly insufficient.

“Girl, this is fate! I don’t like keeping cash in my wallet either!” I shamelessly told the truth; I rarely carry cash in my wallet.

She ignored me.

I continued, “How about this, you lend me your card, I’ll swipe a thousand, and I’ll return it to you when I move tomorrow. Or there’s an ATM about 200 meters downstairs; if you’re worried, you can come with me…”

She pulled a bank card from her wallet, interrupting me: “The PIN is six zeros. Get everything done by 1 PM tomorrow.”

I took the card from her and said, “No problem!”

Actually, I wasn’t surprised she handed me the card so readily. Old Li knew my phone number, workplace, and connections perfectly well, or maybe the card didn’t have much balance.

...

She sat quietly on the sofa. I looked her over again. To be honest, in my more than twenty years of life, I had never seen such a beautiful woman. She seemed to possess a unique charm that other women lacked. However, it was a pity that we didn't seem to click!

As I was leaving, I said, half-teasingly and half-seriously, "Girl, how about considering living with me? I can cook and give massages. After a long day at work, I can give you a full-service experience when you get home, I guarantee you'll feel comfortable..." "

Get out!" she finally snapped, and a cushion flew towards me with pinpoint accuracy.

Chapter 3: I Only Love You

Holding an umbrella, I left the small apartment I had lived in for two years, feeling dejected. In fact, I wasn't feeling good at all. My request to live with that woman wasn't a joke or an attempt to take advantage of her. At that moment, I felt like a homeless child, stripped of warmth, and no one knew I was about to cry.

But one must learn to respect reality, mustn't one? When Old Li sold the apartment, my departure was inevitable.

I found an ATM nearby and withdrew 1000 yuan from my card as agreed. While I was at it, I checked my account information and learned that the excessively beautiful woman was named Mi Cai.

I really liked her name; "Mi" represents sustenance, and "Cai" represents vibrancy. A life with both "Mi" and "Cai" is undoubtedly blissful, but I have neither. My life now consists only of hunger and darkness, so Mi Cai's appearance felt more like an irony! An irony of my destitution and dead end!

...

At the corner of the long street, there was a hotel. I stayed there, and after a night of relentless wind and rain, I finally drifted off to sleep in the morning, waking up close to noon.

I checked my phone and found over a dozen missed calls, all from Le Yao. She was incredibly persistent; seeing that I hadn't answered, she sent me a message saying: "I should have given birth to this child and then used this so-called 'my child' to punish me for the rest of my life."

I found it a bit ridiculous. She wasn't afraid of becoming a single mother out of wedlock, so why should I be afraid of being a father in name only? Clearly, her complaints didn't bother me at all…

After a quick wash, I rushed to the hospital. Perhaps it was out of a sliver of kindness, or maybe out of sympathy for a casual acquaintance; I couldn't really say. Often, people don't truly understand themselves.

Arriving at the maternity hospital, I got out of the taxi and saw Le Yao waiting at the entrance with an umbrella.

She spotted me immediately, and her previously insecure expression finally softened. She walked towards me.

I was furious, but remembering how she had once lay here on the operating table facing a cold scalpel, I held back.

Le Yao solemnly took my arm, then looked at her stomach, giving me the look that said she loved me deeply, but I showed her no mercy.

I broke free, finally annoyed: "You son of a bitch!... Tell me honestly, who got you pregnant?"

"You, Zhaoyang!"

"Do you believe I'll strangle you?" I glared at Leyao.

"Beast, go ahead and strangle me! If I had yesterday, we would have both died, and you'd be on the front page today, the whole country would know about this beast!" Leyao squinted at me, pressing her body even closer to mine.

"Are you fucking done yet? I slept with you two months ago, how long have you been pregnant? Show me the X-rays."

Le Yao ignored my questioning, but her tone suddenly softened, filled with deep regret as she tightly gripped my arm and said, "Zhao Yang, if you hadn't had the surgery yesterday and had this child, how happy you would be to have him call you Dad!"

I suppressed my anger and pushed her aside, saying, "Stop playing around, okay?... Go get your checkup done right now. Once you walk out of this hospital, consider me dead and never bother me again!"

Le Yao lowered her head and after a long while said to me, "Don't talk about dying or anything, I promise I won't bother you anymore!"

...

After Le Yao finished her checkup, she was getting an IV drip in the ward, and I sat beside her like a family member, but I didn't want to say a word, feeling a bit stifled inside.

The doctor pulled me outside the ward and said, "Young man, your girlfriend is very weak and has mild anemia. Post-abortion care is crucial; otherwise, she'll have health problems later. I'll prescribe some medication and supplements for you; go to the pharmacy on the second floor to get them."

I nodded, not thinking much of it, figuring the 1000 yuan I'd spent on my bank card yesterday should be enough.

With the prescription in hand, I went to the second floor. It took a full five minutes for the staff to bring me a full bag of medicine and supplements, then they said, "That'll be 3016 yuan. Will you be paying by card or cash?"

I was stunned, then immediately cursed, "What kind of magic pill costs over 3000 yuan? Do they think I'm rich and trying to rip me off?!"

The staff, unfazed, looked at the man who had just bought medicine at the next window and said to me, "See? He just bought 8000 yuan worth of supplements and medicine. If you don't have the money, don't let your girlfriend get pregnant!"

"So happy being a sucker, you idiot!" I cursed at the man's retreating back. Then, remembering Le Yao's weak and helpless appearance after her abortion, I suppressed my anger and took out Mi Cai's bank card from my wallet, saying, "Give me a discount, or just round down the 16 yuan."

The staff member snatched the card from my hand, rolled their eyes at me, and said, "That's surprising, have you ever seen a hospital offer discounts?"

Carrying the medicine I bought from the pharmacy, my heart was bleeding. Being a casual sex partner was really expensive!

...

I helped the weak Le Yao, who had finished her IV drip, out of the hospital. The rain was still drizzling, and the air was heavy and oppressive because of the incessant rain.

Le Yao leaned against me for a while, then unexpectedly asked, "Zhaoyang, a film crew invited me to Hengdian to film next month, do you think I should go?"

"Is it reliable?" I asked gently, trying not to upset her, but actually, I had no interest in where she was filming.

“I’ve already had a makeup test, and the director and producer were very satisfied. They think I’m quite suitable for the role.”

“Alright, aren’t all you print models desperate to break into the entertainment industry? If it’s an opportunity, just seize it… By the way, these are post-operative recovery supplements prescribed by the doctor. Take them home and take them on time. I’ll text you later to tell you how to take them.” I said, handing her the plastic bag I was carrying.

Le Yao didn’t take the plastic bag I offered, but stared at me for a long time before saying softly, “Being a print model is just a temporary step for me. Actually, I graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy’s acting department.”

“Damn! No wonder you were so convincing when you tried to scam me. You’re a professional. I was really blind to your talent, not recognizing a top student from the Shanghai Theatre Academy!” I exclaimed, half sarcastically and half teasingly.

Le Yao completely ignored my jeers and stared at me, asking, "Zhaoyang, do you think I'm pretty?"

"If you weren't pretty, would I have slept with you?" I retorted, staring at Le Yao. She was indeed a beauty, the kind of beauty that was down-to-earth—bright eyes, red lips and white teeth, with a touch of sexiness and allure.

Le Yao nodded: "Zhaoyang, forget Jian Wei. When I become a female star, I'll only love you!..." She then took the plastic bag from my hand and left like the wind.

...

I snapped out of my daze after a while. A cold wind blew by, and I suddenly remembered that I had agreed with Mi Cai to move before 1:00. It was already 1:30. I immediately hailed a taxi and headed towards my old place. On the way, I remembered that I had just used Mi Cai's bank card to buy health products and medicine worth 3016 yuan. I had told her I would only use 1000 yuan, so now I owed her 4016 yuan. How was I going to pay back so much money?

Thinking of Mi Cai's serious but excessively beautiful face, I was at a loss!

Chapter 4: A Weekend That Got Mewled

By the time I got back to my old place, it was almost 2:00. I paid the fare and walked towards my building. I wasn't in a hurry. It was the weekend anyway, so being late was fine. But I was worried about the 4016 yuan I owed her. Even if I sold myself, I couldn't get that much money back now.

Arriving at my building, I was stunned, then furious. My luggage had been moved to the hallway, some of which was already soaked from the rain, including a pair of black leather shoes Jian Wei had given me long ago.

I threw down my umbrella, pulled out my keys, and sprinted upstairs.

I unlocked the door, kicked it open, and stood in the living room, yelling, "You bitch, you fucking come out here!"

I yelled three times, but no one answered. I kicked open the door to her room; it was empty.

Looking at the spotless room, and remembering my luggage soaking in the rain, my anger flared even more. I threw the blankets off her bed, and, still not satisfied, overturned the mattress, scattering pillows and blankets everywhere.

...

After my hysterical outburst, I stood in Mi Cai's room, lit a cigarette, and tried to calm my rage.

Mi Cai appeared outside the door at some point, holding a mop and a plastic bag filled with household items; she must have just been to the supermarket.

She glared at me, and I grabbed her by the chest, pulling her into the room with such force that she dropped the bag and mop, scattering things everywhere. The once spotless room was now a mess because of my anger.

I dragged her to the window, opened it, and forced her to look at her luggage soaking in the rain, yelling, "Are you fucking crazy? Why did you leave my luggage in the rain?"

Mi Cai broke free and said coldly, "You weren't here at all, so I had someone help you move out. Is there a problem?"

"I was delayed by other things. What's wrong with being a little late?"

"I promised to be here, and that's what I'll do." Mi Cai stood her ground, her eyes resolute.

"You're fucking unreasonable!" My anger flared even more, and I raised my hand as if to slap her.

I expected her to instinctively flinch or close her eyes, but instead, she just stared at me coldly, without even blinking.

I lowered my raised hand, squinted at her, and said, "Bring everything up here intact, and I'll pretend this never happened."

"I'm not going," Mi Cai said resolutely, tears welling in her eyes.

I nodded. "You're not going, right?..."

As soon as I finished speaking, I threw all the blankets and quilts on the floor out the window with a sense of catharsis and revenge.

In the wind and rain, the fallen blankets and quilts looked so fluttering and innocent, like deep and shallow scars cruelly torn open. I stared at them, somewhat lost in thought, filled with regret. I shouldn't have been so impulsive, shouldn't have treated this stubborn woman like that. Perhaps it was the pair of black leather shoes falling in the rain that provoked me; my heart clenched. In the afterimage of the raindrops falling on the black shoes, I seemed to see my own and Jian Wei's dead love.

...

The blanket and quilt finally fell to the ground as they were being lifted up and down. I said to Mi Cai with a guilty conscience, "Now we're even!"

As soon as I finished speaking, tears streamed down Mi Cai's fair face. She bit her lip and looked at me.

Looking at the ravaged house, a sudden wave of guilt washed over me, yet I still glared at Mi Cai and said, "I know you're unhappy with me, you look down on me. Yes, I'm poor and useless, but that's absolutely no reason for you to disrespect me and my luggage. You're a woman, so today I'll be a gentleman and throw away your blankets and quilts. Next time, I'll throw you down too!"

I then pulled out the bank card she'd given me yesterday from my wallet and placed it on the table, saying, "I withdrew 4016 yuan from this card. I don't have the money to pay you back now, but I'll definitely find a way to do so as soon as possible."

Tears welled in Mi Cai's eyes: "You bastards, all of you are untrustworthy bastards..."

I looked at her in surprise, a mix of emotions swirling within me. After a long pause, I said, "I'm leaving. I will definitely pay you back the money I owe you. Although it's a little late in fulfilling my promise, it's not what you think of as untrustworthiness."

Mi Cai didn't respond, still glaring at me resentfully.

...

I left. I don't know if Mi Cai is still crying, but I know it must be very uncomfortable for her to stay in that messy room I made.

Just as she said before, I really am a scumbag, the beast Le Yao called me—a beast who couldn't control his emotions, a scumbag who acted recklessly!

I hailed a taxi and carried my luggage to a roadside pavilion where I could shelter from the rain. I didn't know where to go for a while; I didn't have enough money left to rent a place, and staying in a hotel wasn't a long-term solution. Fang Yuan, the only person I was willing to borrow money from, had refused to contact me for the time being because I hadn't listened to his advice yesterday and was in a bad mood.

Yes, all these years, I've only ever borrowed money from Fang Yuan. I consider him a close friend and never hesitate to show him my embarrassment and despair. I wouldn't do that with anyone else.

I felt like I'd suddenly been abandoned by the world!

...

I lit a cigarette and sat on the stone bench in the pavilion, watching the passing cars, somewhat lost in thought.

My life shouldn't be like this, but for the past two years, I've lived as lonely and helpless as those silent buildings standing in this city. It's all because of that woman. I know I'll never have the chance to hold her hand again, yet I stubbornly can't escape, can't leave her tenderness.

The wind was a bit cold, so I took a scarf from my woven bag and tied it around my neck, finally blocking some of the endless cold wind blowing into my chest.

For the next hour, I sat in the pavilion, repeating the same two trivial things: spacing out and smoking. It wasn't until dusk that I truly felt a longing to be saved.

A sudden phone call startled me. I wiped my face before pulling my phone out of my pocket. It was

my father, "Board Dad." He's a rigid, taciturn man who worked in the purchasing department of a small-to-medium-sized state-owned enterprise for 15 years. He became deputy section chief in his first year, and incredibly, he hadn't managed to shed that title. But that wasn't all; even more impressive was that despite the purchasing department being a place where kickbacks and bribes were common, he hadn't accepted a single gift or taken a single penny in 15 years. This unwavering integrity earned him the nickname "Section Chief Ban" from his colleagues, finally freeing him from the title of deputy section chief. So, when I was 17, I adapted and started calling him "Board Dad," but he always mistakenly thought I was calling him "My Dad."

When I answered the phone, I heard my father-in-law's dull, emotionless voice. He said to me, "Zhaoyang, I'm almost in Suzhou. I have an exhibition to attend tomorrow morning, so I'll stay at your place tonight."

I felt utterly miserable. This weekend had been incredibly unlucky; what I feared most had come to pass. I absolutely couldn't let my father-in-law know that I was penniless and homeless! Although he was old-fashioned, it didn't mean he had no temper.

My mind raced: "Dad, can't you find a hotel near the station? I'm having dinner with my colleagues tonight, it'll probably take a while."

"You eat, you always keep your keys under the door frame, I can get in."

"There are so many thieves lately, I didn't put them there."

Dad persisted, "Then I'll wait for you. Don't go out partying after dinner, come back early."

"Dad, you've been on the train all day, you must be exhausted. Just find a hotel nearby. You're coming all this way and you're reluctant to take a taxi, especially during rush hour, your arms and legs can't handle the crowds on the bus!"

I tried to refuse, but Dad wasn't in a hurry. Finally, he said, "Your mom knitted you a sweater, I'll bring it to you."

...

Hearing the "beep beep" of the phone being hung up, I paused, then realized what was happening. I immediately slung my bag over my shoulder and dragged my suitcase to the roadside, looking around for a taxi. I had to go back to the house that now belonged to Mi Cai that night.

Whether she wanted to or not, I had to stay. If my future father knew my current situation, he'd be furious.

Chapter 5: Waiting for Now .

In the wind and rain, I took a taxi back to the dilapidated neighborhood where I'd lived for two years. Getting out of the car, I instinctively looked down to see if Mi Cai's Audi Q7 was still parked downstairs.

Luckily, the car wasn't there. Even luckier: I hadn't returned the house keys to Mi Cai yet. I optimistically thought: anyway, my future father is only staying one night. If she doesn't come back tonight, everything will be fine without any major incident.

I ran back to the house as fast as I could, quickly put my luggage back where it was, made the bed, and then stood at the bus stop with an umbrella, waiting for my future father's arrival.

About fifteen minutes later, a bus from the long-distance bus station slowly pulled up. I craned my neck and looked around, and sure enough, I saw my future father getting off the bus, carrying a briefcase.

I waved to him and called out, "Uncle Ban, over here."

Uncle Ban came to my side, somewhat surprised, and asked, "Weren't you going to dinner with your colleagues?"

"Dinner is a small matter, your arrival is a big deal. I know what's important," I said, taking his briefcase from him and carrying it for him.

Uncle Ban remained silent and followed me into the residential area.

I complained, "Uncle Ban, this is all publicly funded business trip. Next time you come here, can't you just take a taxi? It's not like you won't get reimbursed!"

"Public funds are still money. Every little bit helps," Uncle Ban said seriously.

"Our government has trillions of dollars in foreign exchange reserves in America. We don't need your taxi fare!"

Uncle Ban didn't say anything, clearly unwilling to argue about values with me. He's always been like this; he never explains what he believes is right, as if he were in his own independent world, and in that independent world, he served as a deputy section chief for 15 years. Back inside, my husband took a stainless steel lunchbox from another bag besides his briefcase and said to me, "These are the wild crucian carp I caught last week. Your mom cooked them and asked me to bring them to you. You can heat them up whenever you want, or not."

" Let's eat them tonight," my husband said, looking at me suspiciously. "Didn't you eat with your colleagues?" "Well, you're here now, so I only ate half before coming back." I quickly changed the subject, "By the way, did you bring the glutinous rice wine my mom made this time?" My husband nodded and took out a bottle that used to hold orange juice; it was now filled with my favorite glutinous rice wine. My husband and I each poured a cup of glutinous rice wine, ate the cooked crucian carp and peanuts, and waited for the white rice porridge to cook in the rice cooker, chatting idly. I was a little absent-minded, afraid that Mi Cai would suddenly come back. It wouldn't matter if I scared her, but if I gave myself away in front of my husband, I might as well die. ... Just as I finished a cup of glutinous rice wine, footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by the sound of a key being inserted into the lock. I panicked a little, glancing at my landlord and then at the door so close at hand. The door opened, and sure enough, Mi Cai walked in. The sight before her made her freeze in place, while my landlord didn't react much, assuming Mi Cai was just my roommate, or perhaps his girlfriend. Before Mi Cai could speak, I grabbed her arm and asked with concern, "Have you been drinking? Let me help you inside... Don't thank me, we're roommates, this is what I should do." I spoke politely, but from an angle my landlord couldn't see, I covered Mi Cai's mouth and shoved her into her room. "You scum... let me go!" Mi Cai struggled and mumbled incoherently. "Don't yell!" I said in a low voice. Mi Cai then struggled to pull out her phone from her pocket. Anyone with a brain would know she was going to call the police to deal with me; my actions certainly constituted trespassing. I snatched the phone from her hand, pushed her down onto the bed, and straddled her to prevent her from struggling further, not caring how indecent the position was. I whispered nervously, "Don't you fucking yell! If my dad hears me, I'm dead!"

Mi Cai completely ignored me, her expression terrified. Instinctively, she raised her hand and grabbed my hair tightly.

I was in excruciating pain, wincing but not daring to utter a sound: "Hey, take it easy, you're going to pull my head bald!"

"Scumbag..." Mi Cai mumbled incoherently, her mouth covered by my hand.

I angrily retorted, "I am a scumbag...!"

Then I whispered, "But not in my dad's eyes! He has high blood pressure. If he knew I was penniless and had nowhere to live, he'd be furious... Sister, please have pity on me, just for one night. He's here on a business trip and will leave tomorrow morning... I promise I'll never bother you again!"

Mi Cai finally stopped struggling and released my hair, but her beautiful eyes still glared at me with hatred and disgust.

I carefully released my hand from Mi Cai's mouth, and this time she finally didn't scream.

I let out a long sigh of relief, only realizing a moment later that I was still straddling Mi Cai. Just as I was about to get up apologetically, Mi Cai twisted her body and shoved me hard, sending me sprawling off the bed with a thud.

"Zhaoyang, what are you doing in there?" Uncle asked, hearing the noise.

I winced in pain and said, "I bumped into the cabinet..."

Uncle didn't press further, and Mi Cai finally looked at me with a vengeful, half-smiling, half-angry expression.

"I'm warning you, don't talk nonsense! My dad has high blood pressure and can't handle shocks. You stay in your room and don't come out!"

Mi Cai neither agreed nor disagreed.

I made a pleading gesture again, but she remained silent. I could only console myself by taking it as a yes, and gave her another pleading look before closing the door and heading outside.

…

Upon entering the living room, my father-in-law had already ladled out three bowls of rice porridge from the kitchen. He said to me, “Zhaoyang, go and take that girl a bowl of porridge. She needs to eat something after drinking; she can’t go hungry.”

“Let her rest,”

I replied. Just then, Mi Cai came out of her room carrying her handbag…

Given all my previous misdeeds, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Mi Cai to skin me alive. Exposing me to my father-in-law at this moment was retribution.

Just as my legs were starting to feel weak with nervousness, Mi Cai walked straight towards the door without looking at me. It seemed she intended to leave this room to me tonight.

Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the usually taciturn Uncle Ban said to Mi Cai, who hadn't yet stepped outside, "Girl, I've made you a bowl of porridge. Drink it while it's hot."

I couldn't wait for Mi Cai to leave, and I kept giving her meaningful glances, but to my surprise, Mi Cai looked at me, then nodded to Uncle Ban and said, "Thank you, Uncle."

...

The two of us who had just risked our lives were now sitting at the same table, drinking porridge, as if by magic. I remained silent, like a suspect who had done something wrong, but I was constantly on guard against Mi Cai saying anything she shouldn't.

I kept glancing at Mi Cai out of the corner of my eye, but I didn't know what she was up to. However, she didn't seem to have any intention of telling Uncle Ban about me; she just sipped her porridge slowly.

My father-in-law has always been taciturn and quiet, and he eats much more attentively than others, so he was the first to finish his porridge. He got up, picked up his briefcase, and said to me, "Someone's staying here; I'm going to a hotel."
I looked at Mi Cai and said to my father-in-law, "Father-in-law, don't go. You can sleep with me later." (Due to space limitations, follow the WeChat public account [咸湿小说] and reply with the number 46 to continue reading the exciting story!) "You've been snoring really loudly lately. You have to go to work tomorrow; I can't let it disturb your sleep," my father-in-law said, shaking his head. He then took a sweater from the bag and handed it to me: "Your mother knitted this sweater for you." I took it and looked at it, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "Why did she knit two?"

"When you have a girlfriend, she can wear it. Sweaters knitted at home are thick!"

I felt a little helpless; I knew that my father-in-law and mother were using this subtle way to remind me to find a girlfriend soon.

I glanced at Mi Cai, who was still drinking rice porridge, and teased, "It's getting cold, I'll get you a sweater later!"

Mi Cai glared at me, but ultimately didn't lash out in front of her father-in-law, though I was secretly pleased.

...

As I was leaving, her father-in-law counted out 3,000 yuan from his wallet and handed it to me, saying, "Take it."

I smiled nonchalantly, "Why are you giving me money? I don't need it!"

Her father-in-law stuffed the money into my hand, saying, "You're my son, I know your personality very well. I've told you countless times, you need to plan your spending... Go pay the water and electricity bills when you have time." He then looked at the water and electricity bill that had been left on the floor a few days ago.

Suddenly, my nose felt a little sore. I really wasn't a son who caused my parents any peace of mind. I stuffed the money back into her father-in-law's hand, saying, "I really don't need it. My mother isn't well, you can keep it to buy her some health supplements. I'll get paid next week."

Her father-in-law didn't say anything more, put the money on the table, glanced at Mi Cai, and walked out the door alone.
I caught up with my husband and took him downstairs. He, who had been silent the whole time, said to me, "That girl was nice, pretty!" I pulled him back, looking at the Q7 parked nearby, and said, "Dad, put away your fantasies, she's not my type… See that car? That's her car." My husband followed my gaze to the red Q7, his face full of confusion. I think he was also surprised that Mi Cai drove such a car but lived in such a run-down place.
My husband ultimately chose to remain silent, as is his habit. (Due to space limitations, follow the WeChat public account [咸湿小说] and reply with the number 46 to continue reading the exciting story!) He was helpless about my terrible situation. Whether we like it or not, we are truly living in an era where love needs to be proven with money. So I told him to put away his fantasies, and I myself was even less willing to fantasize! That night, my husband left me with the final words, "Work hard," before leaving in the rain under his umbrella.

Looking at his aged figure in the rain, I read his expectations in those words: he hoped I would work hard, marry a good girl, and give him a grandson… But Dad, I'm living in my own helplessness and struggle, caught in the weight and tension of reality. Those many good things yet to be realized, let's wait a little longer… Is that alright?

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