Chapter Five: The Exceptional Neighbor

Because my room was rather shabby and I didn’t have a washing machine, I had no choice but to boil a kettle of water, mix in some cool water, and throw my clothes into a basin to wash them by hand.

In fact, I’d rarely washed my own clothes since childhood. My parents always doted on me—whenever my clothes got dirty, I would just toss them onto the washing machine and never concerned myself with how they ended up clean and neat. Thinking back now, I realize I lacked not only basic self-sufficiency, but also a sense of filial piety and respect for my parents. Perhaps it’s true that society changes people; after spending so long away from home, I’ve come to understand the warmth of a parent’s love and the true meaning of family.

The next time I go home, I’m determined to take good care of my now aging parents. Even if I’m broke or have achieved nothing, I must still fulfill my duty as a son.

Lost in these thoughts, I was startled by a sudden, urgent knocking on my rickety door.

My heart skipped a beat for no reason. Even though I’d already graduated from university and spent nearly half a year in this rundown rental, a sharp knock in the dead of night still sent cold sweat down my spine. After all, no one would seek me out at this hour for anything good.

As if anyone would come here to rob me! Unless they were blind…

“Who is it?” I asked quietly as I approached the door. There wasn’t even a peephole in this flimsy thing!

“Your neighbor. Open up, quick!” An unfamiliar female voice came through the cracks.

Neighbor? My heart thudded. I’d been living here for over six months, and all the rooms on the second floor were empty—where could a neighbor have come from?

“Sorry, what’s the matter?”

“Are you a man or not? What’s with all the dawdling? Open the door, I need to talk to you and I don’t want to wake anyone else!” The woman raised her voice, sounding rather irritable.

Fine, I’ll open it! What’s the worst a woman could do, even if she’s a thug? It’s not like she could overpower me…

I opened the door, and was immediately dumbfounded.

The woman walked right in as soon as the door opened. She wore fluffy slippers with cartoon pandas, a pale pink nightgown that hung loosely on her delicate frame, exposing fair, flawless skin. Her neat short hair was casually clipped back, and her beautiful oval face was framed by a pair of angry eyes that stared straight into mine.

At that moment, I was only wearing a vest and a pair of just-changed beach shorts, staring blankly at the striking stranger before me, at a loss for words.

“What are you staring at? Haven’t seen a pretty woman before?” She made a scornful gesture at me.

I lowered my head awkwardly and cleared my throat, struggling to compose myself before asking, “To what do I owe the honor of your late-night visit?”

“Are you doing laundry?” She glanced at me, then walked straight to the bathroom without waiting for my permission.

Seeing her head that way, I hurried after her.

When she saw the washbasin in the bathroom, I could sense she was about to lose her temper. Her eyes positively radiated hostility.

“Are you nuts? Do you know what time it is? Doing laundry at this hour—just because you’re a night owl doesn’t mean everyone else is!” She launched into an explosive tirade.

I immediately understood—my scrubbing had disturbed her sleep, which was why she’d stormed over.

“I used to do laundry at this hour all the time. I remember there weren’t any neighbors around here, though?” I’d come home late most nights, sometimes even washed clothes at three or four in the morning, and no one had ever complained before.

“That was before. I moved in today, right next door. From now on, no more late-night laundry, got it?” she said angrily.

“Is the soundproofing really that bad?”

“Why don’t you come to my room and listen for yourself? All that creaking—you think this is a hotel?”

What’s creaking got to do with a hotel? Then, with a brief moment of reflection, I understood… This woman, you’ve got a way with words!

“Sorry, a friend was drinking tonight…”

“I don’t care what your excuse is. Just remember, no more laundry at this hour, okay?” She cut me off before I could explain.

“But I need these clothes for tomorrow. I’m really sorry for disturbing you. Just a little more time and I’ll be done.” I was telling the truth; my life had gotten a bit lazy, and after so long living upside down, I’d lost all motivation. Even eating and dressing had become things I just muddled through, only washing clothes when there was absolutely nothing left to wear.

“Bring your basin and follow me,” she said, waving dismissively.

“Huh?” I was momentarily baffled.

“What do you mean, ‘huh’? Hurry up. I’m busy tomorrow and still want to get some sleep,” she said, stepping aside from the bathroom door and gesturing inside. “Hurry up and bring your things. I have a washing machine.”

This woman—does she not worry about being alone with a strange man in the middle of the night?

“Are you just going to stand there like an idiot? You don’t have to come, but I’m warning you: if I hear any more creaking from your place tonight, I’ll make sure you regret it every single day!” She put her hands on her hips, threatening me.

“Fine, I’ll go.” Honestly, I was impressed—she wasn’t a thug, but she was fiercer than any thug I’d ever met.

A short while later, I arrived at her door carrying my big washbasin, and, sure enough, she really was my neighbor—her apartment was separated from mine by a single wall.

She opened the door, pointed at the washing machine plugged in by the entrance, and said in a low voice, “Do it yourself. If you disturb my sleep again, you’ll be sorry.” With that, she returned to her bedroom and lay down on the bed.

“And don’t get any ideas about me. If my boyfriend finds out, he’ll kill you,” she added lazily from the bedroom.

I stared blankly as she lay down, feeling as if my entire worldview had been turned upside down. She’d just left a strange man alone in her apartment at night? Was she out of her mind? Did she think so little of me? Or was she perhaps… well, who could say? Such a stunning woman, living in a dump like this just like me—there had to be something unusual about it.

No matter what, I wasn’t the kind of man to risk everything for a pretty face. She was lucky it was me; if she’d run into someone dangerous, tonight could have ended very differently!

I’d seen bold women, but never anyone quite this bold. Was she not afraid of inviting a wolf into her house?

“Are you asleep, Miss? Thank you for your help—let me treat you to dinner sometime. What’s your name, by the way?” Though I prided myself on being a gentleman of the new era, it was only right to ask for her name, even if she did say she had a boyfriend.

“Zhao Kewen,” she replied, her voice faint but clear enough for me to catch as I listened intently.

Having learned her name, I didn’t dare linger. If her boyfriend suddenly returned, I’d have a hard time explaining myself. Once the wash was done, I wrung out my clothes and hurried back, even though temptation was close at hand. In the face of so many unknowns, I couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.

After making sure her door was securely closed, I returned to my own room. Lying in bed, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Staring up at the dark ceiling, I sighed to myself—what kind of world is this, where good men are bullied like this? It’s just too much!