My 26-year-old female tenant

Chapter 5: Wait a minute

In the wind and rain, I took a taxi back to the dilapidated community where I had lived for two years. After getting out of the car, I instinctively looked around to see if Mi Cai's Audi Q7 was parked downstairs.

Fortunately, the car was not there. What's more fortunate is that I haven't returned the house key to Mi Cai yet. I optimistically thought: Anyway, Ban Die is just staying for one night. If she doesn't come back tonight, everything will be settled safely.

I ran back to the house at the fastest speed, put my luggage back in place in the shortest time, and then made the bed. After that, I stood at the bus stop with an umbrella, waiting for Ban Die's arrival.

About a quarter of an hour later, a bus from the long-distance bus station came slowly. I looked up and saw Ban Die getting off the bus with a briefcase.

I waved and shouted to him, "Ban Die, over here."

Ban Die came to my side a little unexpectedly and asked, "Aren't you having dinner with your colleagues?"

"Dinner is a minor matter, your coming is a major matter. I can distinguish between the important and the unimportant," I said, taking the briefcase from Ban Die's hand to carry it for him.

Ban Die was silent and followed me into the community.

I complained, "Ban Die, you are on a business trip at public expense. Next time you come to my place, just take a taxi directly, okay? It's not like it won't be reimbursed!"

"Public funds are also money. Saving a little is a little," Ban Die said sternly.

"The government has hundreds of billions of foreign exchange reserves stored in the United States. It doesn't lack the money for your taxi!"

Ban Die didn't say anything, obviously unwilling to argue with me about values. He has always been like this, as long as he thinks something is right, he never explains. It seems that he is an independent world by himself, and then he has been a deputy section chief in this independent world for 15 years.

...

Back in the house, Ban Die took out a stainless steel lunch box from another bag besides the briefcase and said to me, "This is the wild crucian carp I caught last week. Your mother cooked it and asked me to bring it to you. You can heat it up when you want to eat, or you can eat it cold."

"Let's eat it tonight."

Ban Die looked at me in doubt and asked, "Didn't you just eat with your colleagues?"

"Since you're here, I came back halfway through," I said, quickly changing the subject: "By the way, Ban Die, did you bring the glutinous rice wine my mother brewed this time?"

Ban Die nodded and took out a bottle that used to contain orange juice from his bag. It was the glutinous rice wine I like to drink.

Ban Die 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 electric rice cooker, chatting intermittently.

I was a bit absent-minded, fearing that Mi Cai would suddenly come back. It doesn't matter if she gets scared, but if she exposes me in front of Ban Die, I might as well die.

...

As soon as a cup of glutinous rice wine was swallowed, footsteps were heard outside the door, followed by the sound of a key being inserted into the lock. I was a bit panicked, looked at Ban Die, and then looked at the door that was close at hand.

The door was opened, and it was indeed Mi Cai who came in. The scene in front of her made her stand still, but Ban Die didn't react much. He just regarded Mi Cai as someone I was sharing the house with, or maybe as a girlfriend.

Before Mi Cai could speak, I held her arm and asked with concern, "Have you been drinking? Let me help you to your room... Don't thank me, we are sharing the house, and this is what I should do."

I spoke politely, but at an angle that Ban Die couldn't see, I covered Mi Cai's mouth with my hand and pushed her into her room in a few steps.

"Scumbag... let me go!" Mi Cai struggled and said indistinctly.

"Don't make a noise!" I said in a low voice.

Mi Cai struggled again and took out her mobile phone from her pocket. It was obvious that she was going to call the police to deal with me. My behavior was indeed enough to be charged with trespassing.

I took the mobile phone from her hand, pressed her down on the bed, and sat on her to prevent her from continuing to struggle. I didn't care that it was a very hooligan posture.

I said nervously in a low voice, "Don't make a noise, if my dad hears, I'm dead!"

Mi Cai ignored me, her expression terrified, and instinctively grabbed my hair tightly.

I was in pain and about to collapse, gritting my teeth but not daring to make a sound: "You're pulling too hard, my head is going to be bald!"

"Scumbag..." Mi Cai shouted indistinctly with her mouth covered.

I said angrily, "I'm a scumbag..."

Then I whispered, "But I'm not in my dad's eyes! He has high blood pressure. If he knew I was penniless and homeless, he would be so angry that he would have a stroke... Sister, please help me for one night. He is here on a business trip and will leave tomorrow morning... I promise I will never bother you again!"

Mi Cai finally stopped struggling and let go of my hair, but her beautiful eyes still stared at me with hatred and disgust.

I carefully released my hand that was covering Mi Cai's mouth, and this time she didn't shout again.

I let out a long sigh, and it took a moment to realize that I was still sitting on Mi Cai. Just as I was about to get up with an apology, Mi Cai twisted her body and pushed me hard, and I fell straight off the bed with a "bang".

"Zhao Yang, what are you doing in there?" Ban Die asked, hearing the commotion.

I endured the pain and said, "I bumped into the cabinet..."

Ban Die didn't ask further, and Mi Cai finally looked at me with an expression that was both vengeful and angry.

"I'm warning you not to talk nonsense! My dad really has high blood pressure and can't withstand shocks. You stay in the room and don't go out!"

Mi Cai neither agreed nor disagreed.

I made a pleading gesture, but she still didn't say a word. I could only comfort myself by taking her silence as agreement and gave her a pleading look before closing the door and walking outside.

...

In the living room, Ban Die had already gone to the kitchen to serve three bowls of rice porridge. He said to me, "Zhao Yang, take a bowl of porridge to that girl. You should eat something after drinking, you can't bear hunger."

"Let her rest."

As soon as I finished speaking, Mi Cai came out of the room with her handbag...

Considering all my previous misdeeds, it wouldn't be too much for Mi Cai to punish me severely. At this moment, exposing me in front of Ban Die would be my just deserts.

Just as I was nervous and felt a little weak in the legs, Mi Cai walked straight to the door without looking at us, seemingly intending to leave the house to me for the night.

I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Ban Die, who was usually taciturn, said to Mi Cai, who hadn't walked out yet, "Miss, I've packed a bowl of porridge for you. Drink it while it's hot."

I wished Mi Cai would leave quickly and kept giving her hints, but she looked at me and then surprisingly nodded to Ban Die and said, "Thank you, uncle."

...

The two people who had just been fighting for their lives sat down at the same table to drink porridge as if by some strange magic. I remained silent like a suspect who had done something wrong, but I was always on guard for Mi Cai to say something she shouldn't.

I occasionally glanced at Mi Cai with the corner of my eye, not knowing what she was up to, but she didn't seem to intend to report me to Ban Die. She just sipped her porridge in small mouthfuls.

Ban Die, who was always taciturn and didn't like to talk, was more focused on eating than others, so he finished his bowl of porridge first. He got up, picked up his briefcase, and said to me, "Since you have someone living here, I'll go stay in a hotel."

I looked at Mi Cai and said to Ban Die, "Ban Die, don't leave. You can sleep with me."

"I've been snoring a lot recently. You have to work tomorrow, and I can't affect your sleep," Ban Die shook his head and took out a sweater from the bag and handed it to me, "Your mom knitted this sweater for you."

I took it and looked at it, puzzled, "Why are there two?"

"When you find a partner in the future, you can give one to her. The sweaters knitted at home are thick and warm!"

I felt a bit helpless. I knew that Ban Die and my mother were reminding me in this subtle way to find a girlfriend as soon as possible.

I looked at Mi Cai, who was still sipping porridge, and teased, "It's cold. I'll give you a sweater later!"

Mi Cai glared at me, but she didn't lose her temper in front of Ban Die, which made me feel secretly pleased.

...

Before leaving, Ban Die counted 3000 yuan from his wallet and handed it to me, saying, "Take it."

I casually laughed and said, "Why are you giving me money? I don't need it!"

Ban Die put the money into my hand, "You are my son, I know your characteristics very well. I've told you many times, you should plan your expenses... Go and pay the water and electricity bills when you have time." He then glanced at the water and electricity bill that had been left on the ground a few days ago.

Suddenly, my nose felt a little sour. I'm really not a son who makes his parents worry. I pushed the money back into Ban Die's hand, "I really don't need it. My mom's health is not good. You keep it and buy her some health products. I'll get paid next week."

Ban Die didn't say much. He put the money on the table, looked at Mi Cai, and walked out the door alone.

...

I caught up with Ban Die and saw him off downstairs. He, who had been silent all along, said to me, "That girl just now is not bad, she looks good!"

I held Ban Die and looked at the Q7 parked nearby, "Ban Die, put away your fantasies. She's not my type... See that car? It's hers."

Ban Die followed my gaze to the red Q7, looking puzzled. I think he was also surprised why Mi Cai, who drove such a car, lived in such an old place.

Ban Die still chose silence as usual. He was helpless about my poor current situation. In fact, whether we like to admit it or not, we have truly entered an era that needs to prove love with money. So I let him put away his fantasies, and I am even more unwilling to fantasize!

On this night, Ban Die left me with the words "work hard" and left in the rain with an umbrella.

Watching his aging back in the rain, I read his expectations in these words. He expects me to work hard, to marry a good girl, and to let him hold a grandson... But Ban Die, I am living in my own helplessness and struggle, living in the heaviness and pull of reality. Those many good things to be achieved, wait for a while! ... Okay?