Tenant’s Secret Love

Chapter 76: Insanity, right?

Around 11:30 noon, Renee and I arrived at my house. My mother opened the door. Renee handed her the gifts and said, “Auntie, I was in a rush yesterday and didn't have time to buy you a gift. I hope you and Uncle will like these things.”

My mother couldn't stop smiling, but she was polite and said, “We like it, we like it. You being our guest makes auntie and uncle very happy, you didn't have to go to so much trouble.”

Renee smiled, and my mother then warmly invited Renee to come in and sit down.

Once inside, Renee politely went to the kitchen and said hello to Stubborn-Father, who was cooking, before sitting down on the sofa in the living room.

I found a magazine to pass the time before dinner for Renee, and I sat next to her and picked up a magazine to read as well.

After a while, my parents called us to dinner. Renee and I both put down the magazines in our hands, pulled out our chairs, and sat down. The two of us tacitly maintained a large distance between us, completely devoid of the intimacy between boyfriends and girlfriends, because we could both anticipate that during dinner, 'Stubborn-Father' and my mother would interrogate us.

Sure enough, as soon as Renee and I had taken our first mouthfuls of juice and started to eat, my mother looked at Renee and asked, “Renee, how did you and our Lucas meet?”

Renee looked at me and smiled, answering, ‘Auntie, Lucas used to rent a house in Suzhou, which I bought, and that's how we met.”

“It's that simple?’ my mother asked in disbelief.

I quickly took over the conversation: “How complicated do you want it to be? This is a very simple matter. Since Renee is here today, let the person involved explain the matter in front of you, so you don't keep wondering about it.”

My parents simultaneously focused their attention on Renee, waiting for her response.

Renee put down her chopsticks and said with a serious expression, “Uncle and Auntie, Lucas and I are just friends... I know you are wondering why I have come all this way to find Lucas, and I want to explain to you... In fact, Lucas's work in Suzhou has already started to take off... However, because he helped me, he lost his job, and for this I feel apologetic and sorry, so I have come to Xuzhou to find him, hoping to make up for my own apologetic feelings by helping him with his work.”

Renee's polite explanation made me very satisfied, and I quickly agreed, “Dad, Mom, this is the whole story. Now do you understand?”

My 'stubborn father' remained expressionless, but my mother's face showed disappointment. She then said to herself reassuringly, “Never mind, relationships are cultivated. You two will get along...”

Before my mother could finish her sentence, Renee and I looked at each other again. We both read helplessness in each other's eyes. My mother simply doesn't understand that even if she gave Renee and me ten thousand years, we still wouldn't be able to cultivate a love like Romeo and Juliet.

...

Finally, after my mother's interrogation, we finished this somewhat torturous lunch, but also felt a sense of relief, because we had finally convinced my parents to accept the fact that we were just friends.

It was already afternoon, and as usual, my father went to work, while my mother was called away by some mahjong friends to play mahjong. At this time, there was only Renee and I left in the house.

As if I had a nervous breakdown, I lit a cigarette in front of Renee and said, “I'm smoking now, so don't object. This is my house, and I have freedom of action in everything!”

“Are you getting back at me?”

“It's not about getting back at you. I was just so unhappy being controlled in that room... You told me to find a room of my own and go up on the roof to smoke, and that no one would care. Do you know how suffocated I felt?”

Renee said, undaunted, “If you're so free now, then go up on the roof and have a smoke. It's a rare opportunity. Hurry up and release your pent-up emotions.”

“I'd be happy enough just smoking in front of you. I'm such a low-key person, I wouldn't do something so cool as going to the roof to smoke.” I said, taking a long drag towards Renee.

Renee frowned and waved her hand to disperse the smoke.

I laughed heartily, saying, ‘Now you know what they mean by ’easy to change the landscape but difficult to change one's nature'.”

Renee: ”...”

...

The afternoon sun lazily shone through the window onto the sofa. The wind blew the yellowed leaves as if they were dancing a ballet in the air. I let myself go completely, lying on my back on the sofa, wishing that time would just stop at that moment.

Renee seemed to enjoy this afternoon's tranquility even more than I did. She had already fallen asleep on the sofa, her face peaceful and serene.

I got up, went into the room and got a duvet, gently flattened her body, took off my shoes, and helped her cover up with the duvet, but I left the sofa and left all the comfortable space for her as she slept.

Standing by the window, I lit another cigarette and, as usual, my mind wandered. I knew that Renee had come to Xuzhou specifically because she hoped I would go back to Suzhou with her and start working and living there again. But I had made up my mind to leave Suzhou after the pain had eased. Since I had already come back, did I still need to go back again?

In fact, I don't have to go back, but whenever I think of Suzhou, an inexplicable emotion wells up in my heart. This emotion always makes me unable to completely let go of the city of Suzhou in my heart. I am a little hurt, a little unwilling, but I reject the idea of returning to the old place. After this emotion continues to ferment, I have no choice.

Renee seems to be very tired lately. She slept a very deep and long sleep, and didn't wake up until the evening. She looked at the quilt she was lying on and asked me, “How long have I been asleep?”

“It's almost dark.”

“Oh, have you been standing here this whole time?”

“I learned from you. Last time I slept by the river, you sat next to me all afternoon!”

Renee looked at me helplessly and said after a while, ”Let's not talk about it.”

“If we don't talk about it, what else can we do?”

“Take me to eat your Xuzhou cuisine. This is my first time in Xuzhou, and you have to be a good host.”

“Okay, I'll take you to eat our Xuzhou local hotpot, but I have to warn you, it's very spicy!”

“I'm not afraid of spicy food. I told you that last time when we went to CC's restaurant.”

“The one I want to take you to is not just spicy. You're from Suzhou, a city in the water country, so don't say anything too soon.”

“So how spicy is it?”

“Spicier than you can imagine!”

Renee sounded a little unsure, and asked, “If it's really too spicy, I can ask them to put less in!”

“That restaurant doesn't have less spicy. If you can't handle it, we'll just go to another restaurant,” I said with contempt.

“Fine, I'm not going to be defeated by your Xuzhou food,” Renee said with a determined look.

“Don't talk as if you're here to conquer our Xuzhou. Don't forget that I, a god, am here to protect it.”

“Are you a god? You're crazy, aren't you?”

“Say that again!”

“You're crazy, aren't you?”

“Do you believe I'll strangle you?” I said, glaring at Renee, who had gone too far. I had invited her to eat hotpot out of the kindness of my heart.

Renee didn't say anything to me, and dragged me directly in front of a mirror. Then she asked me with a very calm expression, “Look at yourself in the mirror. Do you look like a lunatic?”

Me: ”...”