When I returned to my original residence, it was almost 2 o’clock. After paying the taxi fare, I walked towards my building. I wasn’t particularly anxious since it was the weekend, but I was annoyed about the 4016 yuan that I owed her. Even if I sold myself, I wouldn’t be able to get that much money.

When I arrived at the building where I lived, I was stunned. I was filled with anger as I saw that my luggage had been moved to the corridor of the hallway. Some of the luggage that couldn’t fit in the corridor had already been soaked by the rain, including a pair of black leather shoes that Jian Wei had given me a long time ago.

I threw away the umbrella and took out the key from my pocket. I unlocked the door and kicked it open. Standing in the living room, I angrily shouted, “You damn bitch, get out here!”

I shouted three times but no one responded. I kicked open the door of the room she lived in, but there was no one inside.

Looking at the spotless room that had been tidied up, I thought about my luggage getting soaked outside in the rain. The fire in my heart burned even stronger. I raised my hand and threw her blanket onto the floor, and in my anger, I even overturned the mattress. Pillows and blankets were scattered all over the place.

…

After my hysterical outburst, I stood in Mi Cai’s room and lit a cigarette to calm my anger.

Mi Cai appeared outside the room at some point, holding a mop and a plastic bag filled with daily necessities. She had probably gone to the supermarket just now.

She glared at me angrily. I grabbed her clothes at the chest and dragged her into the room, causing her to drop the bag and mop. The items scattered all over the floor, turning the previously spotless room into a mess due to my anger.

I dragged her to the window and opened it, making her look at my luggage getting soaked in the rain. I scolded, “What the hell is wrong with you? Why did you throw my luggage in the rain?”

Mi Cai broke free from my grip and coldly said, “You didn’t show up, so I asked someone to help you move out. Is there a problem?”

“I was delayed by something else. What’s wrong with being a little late?”

“Promise a time and stick to it.” Mi Cai stood her ground, her eyes filled with determination.

“You’re so unreasonable!” My anger grew even stronger, and I made a motion as if I was going to hit her.

I thought she would instinctively dodge or close her eyes, but she continued to look at me coldly without even blinking.

I put down my raised hand and squinted at her, saying, “You bring all my things back up here, and I’ll pretend this never happened.”

“I won’t go.” Mi Cai’s beautiful eyes shimmered with tears, but she remained resolute.

I nodded. “You won’t go, huh?…”

As soon as I finished speaking, I threw the blankets and comforters on the floor out of the window, venting my frustration and seeking revenge.

In the wind and rain, the falling blankets and comforters looked so helpless and innocent, like scars being mercilessly exposed. I stared at them absentmindedly, feeling regretful. I shouldn’t have been so impulsive, shouldn’t have treated this stubborn woman in front of me like this. Perhaps it was the sight of those black leather shoes in the rain that triggered something in me. My heart twitched, and in the reflection of the rain falling on the black leather shoes, I seemed to see the love between Jian Wei and me that had died out.

…

The blankets and comforters finally landed on the ground amidst the alternating rain and wind. Feeling guilty, I said to Mi Cai, “Now we’re even!”

After I finished speaking, tears fell from Mi Cai’s fair face. She bit her lip and looked at me.

Looking at the devastated room, a sense of guilt suddenly filled my heart, but I still stared at her and said, “I know you despise me and look down on me. Yes, I’m poor and worthless, but that’s not a reason for you to disrespect me and my luggage. You’re a woman, and today I will show you some gentlemanly manners. I threw your blankets and comforters, but next time, I’ll throw you out as well!”

After saying that, I took out the bank card she gave me yesterday from my wallet and placed it on the table. “I withdrew a total of 4016 yuan from the card. I don’t have the money to pay you back now, but I will find a way to repay you as soon as possible.”

Tears swirled in Mi Cai’s eyes. “Bastard, all of you are untrustworthy bastards…”

I looked at her in surprise, unable to describe the feeling in my heart. After a while, I said, “I’m leaving. I will definitely repay the money I owe you. Although I’m late in fulfilling my promise, it doesn’t mean that I’m untrustworthy as you think.”

Mi Cai didn’t respond to me and continued to look at me with resentment.

…

I left. I didn’t know if Mi Cai was still crying, but I knew that staying in that room, which I had turned into a mess, must have been unbearable for her.

But just like what she had cursed at me before, I was indeed a scumbag, a beast like Le Yao had said, someone who couldn’t control his emotions and acted recklessly like a scumbag!I hailed a taxi and moved my luggage to a roadside pavilion where I could shelter from the rain. For a moment, I didn’t know where to go. The money I had left was not enough to rent a room, and staying in a hotel was not a long-term solution. The only person I was willing to borrow money from, Circle, was upset with me because I didn’t listen to his advice yesterday, and he temporarily refused to contact me.

Yes, over the years, I’ve only borrowed money from Circle. I consider him a close friend and never hesitate to show him my hardships and destitution. But I would never do that to anyone else.

It felt as if I had suddenly been abandoned by the world!

……

I lit a cigarette and sat on the stone bench in the pavilion, watching the passing vehicles in a daze.

My life shouldn’t be like this, but for the past two years, I’ve been living as lonely and helpless as the silent buildings in this city. All of this was because of that woman. I knew I would never have the chance to hold her hand again in my life, but I was still stubbornly stuck, unable to escape from her tenderness.

The wind made me feel a bit cold, so I took out a scarf from my bag and tied it around my neck, finally blocking the endless cold wind pouring into my chest.

For the next hour, I just sat in the pavilion, lost in thought and smoking, until it started to get dark, and I truly felt a desire to be saved.

The sudden ring of my phone startled me. I wiped my face and took out my phone from my pocket. It was a call from Mr. Ban.

Mr. Ban is my father. He is old-fashioned and reticent. He has been working in the procurement department of a small and medium-sized state-owned enterprise for 15 years. He was the deputy head of the department in his first year, and 15 years later, he still hasn’t been able to remove the “deputy” from his title. What’s more, the procurement department is a place where one can make extra money through kickbacks, but in 15 years, he has never accepted a single gift or kickback. His ironclad integrity has earned him the private respect of his colleagues, who call him “Mr. Ban”. So, when I was 17, I also started calling him “Mr. Ban”, but he always thought I was saying “my dad”.

I answered the phone and heard Mr. Ban’s emotionless voice. He said, “Zhao Yang, I’ll be in Suzhou soon. I have an exhibition to attend tomorrow morning, so I’m going to stay at your place tonight.”

I felt bitter. This weekend was really cursed. I couldn’t let Mr. Ban know that I was penniless and homeless! He might be old-fashioned, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a temper.

I quickly said, “Mr. Ban, can you find a hotel near the station to stay in? I’m having dinner with my colleagues tonight, and it’s going to take a while.”

“You eat your dinner. Don’t you always leave your keys under the door frame? I can get in.”

“There have been a lot of thieves recently, so I didn’t leave them there.”

Mr. Ban insisted, “Then wait for you. Don’t go out and play after dinner. Come back early.”

“Mr. Ban, you’ve been on the bus for half a day, you must be tired. Just find a nearby hotel to stay in. You don’t even want to take a taxi to my place, and it’s rush hour now. You can’t stand the squeeze on the bus!”

Despite my excuses, Mr. Ban wasn’t in a hurry. Finally, he said, “Your mother knitted a sweater for you. I’ll bring it over.”

……

Listening to the “beep” of the hang-up, I was stunned for a moment. When I came to my senses, I immediately hoisted my luggage bag onto my shoulder, dragged my suitcase to the roadside, and looked around for a taxi. Tonight, I had to go back to the house that now belonged to Mi Cai.

Whether she liked it or not, I had no choice but to stay. If Mr. Ban knew about my current situation, he would be furious.

—————————

Don’t forget to give free flowers and add this book to your collection. We are aiming for the new book list, and hope this book can accompany you for a long time!