Tenant’s Secret Love

Chapter 8: Punishment for you

The car drove into the old neighborhood. I first lowered the window to see if Renee had taken out my luggage, and was satisfied with the result. Despite my failure to keep our agreement, there was no luggage downstairs, so it seemed that my last warning had worked.

I floated all the way upstairs, opened the door, and it was dark inside. I looked into Renee's room, but there was no light coming through the c***k in the door. It turned out that she hadn't come home tonight. No wonder I didn't see her car downstairs, and no wonder she hadn't taken my luggage out.

It's better if she doesn't come back, I can stay here for another night. Maybe this is the only consolation the heavens have given me as the day comes to an end.

After a brief wash, I lay on the bed. The moment I turned off the light and closed my eyes, the world suddenly became quiet. I thought I would be able to fall asleep quickly in this state, but some fragments suddenly entered my mind.

These fragments are all about the past. Recalling the past brings out the emptiness and despair of the present. I don't understand why Harlan and Natalie were able to persevere after graduation and eventually get married, while Brittany and I ended so dismally. What exactly did I do that was not good enough? I really hope Brittany can tell me in person, but such a simple request has become a luxury!

So I have suffered for 2 years without knowing why, and I have wasted 2 years.

.

I wiped my face hard, sat up in bed, and sat there for a long time. I got out of bed, went to the cupboard and found the guitar that had been gathering dust for a long time. I wanted to sing a song, for myself...and for Brittany.

I tuned the guitar, plucked the strings, and the tune “Lost” by Yinghao Ying came out of my mouth.

“Who can see through this prosperity? Once again, my eyes are confused. Who can hide from this noise? Once again, it erodes you. Who has ever mentioned the past? Once again, forget you. Who will meet again in the afterlife? Once again, I can love you

I'm lost, I can't find the map, this emotional journey is so hard; I'm lost, I can't find a way back, how has the world become so numb; I'm lost, I can't find the way I came, everyone around me is a stranger; I'm lost, I'm treading water, while your heart has already flown far away...

When I sang the last line, I felt a warm sensation in the corner of my eye. I was lost, really lost. I thought I had come a long way in the past two years, but I was just marking time on a map called love, while her heart had flown far away...

I lit a cigarette and took a drag when the door suddenly slammed. I nearly broke the guitar strings in my fright. There was no one at home!

Renee's voice came from outside the door: “If you're in the mood to sing, please find somewhere with no one around. This is a residential area.”

I put on my slippers and opened the door. Renee was standing in front of me in a camisole nightie. Her curvy figure was comparable to Natalie's, and her pretty face was so quiet in the dim light, which made her incomparable temperament.

“Didn't you hear me sing: I'm lost? How can you find a place with no one around when you're lost?” I said with a smile.

“That's a lame excuse!”

I ignored Renee's displeasure and asked, ”Why are you at home?”

“I've always been here.”

“I didn't see your car downstairs!”

“It's parked in the open space across the street.”

“No wonder!” I exclaimed, immediately wanting to slam the door, for fear that Renee would mention moving, and it was almost one in the morning, so where could I move to.

Renee pushed the door with both hands, preventing me from doing so.

I glared at her and asked, ‘You're not seriously planning to make me move out at this hour, are you?”

“No.’ After a pause, Renee added, ”Didn't you get lost while trying to sing? I can take you to a place where no one is around, so you can let off some steam.”

“Really? You're that nice?“ I asked warily.

“I've lost all sleep because of your racket anyway, so if you're still in the mood, I can be your audience,” she added after a moment's thought. “And you have a nice voice!”

I felt that Renee was taking the initiative to repair our relationship, or that she was impressed by my singing, or that she pitied me as a decadent man. Anyway, for whatever reason, I felt that I could agree to her request, because I also had insomnia, so let's go crazy together!

...

A moment later, Renee had changed into some clothes, and I, in my pajamas, slippers, and guitar, walked downstairs behind her.

Renee had driven her car, and I got in the passenger seat. I had driven in luxury cars before, but this was my first Q7, so I couldn't help but take a few more looks at it.

Before I could even fasten my seat belt, Renee already slammed on the gas. The powerful back thrust of the Q7 almost knocked me against the windshield.

“It's late at night, do you want a corpse sitting next to you?“ I angrily shouted at Renee as I touched my head, which was bruised from the impact.

“Who told you not to wear your seat belt? People who don't follow the rules deserve to get hit!” Renee said indifferently.

I pointed at Renee and said angrily but helplessly, “You can retaliate against me!”

Renee simply ignored me and continued driving with an expressionless face.

...

After about 20 minutes, Renee really took me to a deserted rural area where no one would come. She stopped the car, applied the handbrake, and finally turned off the engine and said to me, “There's no one here, so feel free to sing.”

“There's not enough space in the car to stretch out.”

“Then get out and sing.”

“Do you think I'm stupid? You're going to drive away later, where will I go to complain?“ I said warily, ever since she had deliberately started the car without my seat belt on, I had suspected that she wasn't being nice.

“You talk so much nonsense!” Renee said, unbuckling her seat belt and getting out of the car first, acting as if she was a gentleman with an open heart and I was a petty person with a long list of grievances.

I got out of the car too, stood next to Renee, and looked at the sky. I realized that it was a nice night, with a bright moon and few stars, and the air was good. I felt like I had finally escaped the hustle and bustle.

My heart gradually quieted down, and I really thanked Renee for taking me to this quiet place. I needed to vent, to vent my many grievances and dissatisfaction with reality.

I plucked the guitar strings and sang the first song, “Metamorphosis” by Jin Wulin.

After the song was over, Renee unexpectedly applauded and asked, “Do you like serious music too?”

“Yes, if there are more instruments, it feels better,” I said, a little surprised that Renee even knew the song. You have to know that serious music is not popular, and it is more artistic and academic. Both the performer and the audience need a certain aesthetic ability.

Renee nodded and said, “You're not as dumb as you look!”

“Judging people by appearances is narrow-minded,”

Renee didn't care about our confrontation and said to me, “Please continue.”

I put down my guitar and said to Renee, ”You should know a lot about music, can you play the guitar? Play something.”

“I said I'd be the audience, you go ahead,”

I nodded, and in such a bleak night, in the boundless wilderness, there was a woman of surpassing beauty willing to be my audience, a gift from heaven!

Thinking about this, I suddenly felt even more guilty about being so rude to Renee before. In fact, she had been quite nice to me, lending me money, letting me stay the night as a bonus, and now she was accompanying me to vent my frustration. Maybe I really should change my hot-tempered ways!

A cold wind blew, and Renee subconsciously tucked in her thin clothes.

I said to her with some reluctance, “You get in the car, I'll vent my frustration on my own.”

“Are you sure?”

I nodded.

Renee opened the car door and got in, but she wasn't completely isolated from me. She lowered the window and rested her chin in one hand, looking at me as if she was looking forward to my next song.

I plucked the guitar strings and sang another song. I was in the middle of it when the car behind me suddenly started up. I turned around sharply and saw that Renee had already fastened her seat belt.

She said to me with a half smile, “Your voice is really good...but I have to go now, this is a punishment for your breaking promises and being rude and unreasonable.” With that, the car sped off like an arrow through the night.

“f**k you!” I took off my slippers and threw them at her car, but they missed.

“You motherfucker, you b***h, I know you didn't mean well... You took advantage of my sympathy, you better watch out... I swear to God, I won't let you go!” I spun around in a panic, ranting incoherently at Renee, who had already disappeared from my line of sight.

...

I've always been friendly with everyone, trusting and not defensive, and I deserve to end up like this!