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Fang Chengyin rode away from home as evening approached. There were no colorful clouds in the sky, only a constant, rustling wind.

He deliberately took a detour to the vicinity of Flower Kindergarten.

The setting sun dyed the slide blood red, the cicadas stopped chirping abruptly, and the kindergarten fell into an eerie silence, with even the air thick with lingering panic.

With a snap, Fang Chengyin turned around in alarm, and when he saw who it was, he was somewhat furious, "Delete the photos!"

It was that man, but he was no longer dressed like a fruit farmer; he was dressed casually, with a camera hanging around his neck and a yellow paper bag in his right hand.

He stood tall in the wind, untouched by the desolation, a slightly aloof smile on his face. "What, feeling guilty?"

This kind of teasing would normally be harmless, but in this situation and at this time, Fang Chengyin just wanted to punch someone, but he couldn't do it. He didn't want to hurt the person or get retaliated against, and he didn't have the spare money to go to the hospital.

Forget it, money is involved. Fang Chengyin just wanted to take it one step at a time and got on his bicycle to leave.

"Hey, hey!" the man quickly said, "I took a picture of you to leave some evidence against you."

Fang Chengyin turned around in surprise.

"I'm afraid you won't pay me back. It's very difficult for the older folks selling fruit in those dark, secluded alleys."

"I fucking said I'd pay you back!"

What more do you want now that it's all in black and white?

"Okay, okay, don't get angry. I was just offering a friendly reminder."

Fang Chengyin stopped paying attention to this lunatic.

As I rode out of the gloomy place, Zhong Qiqian called.

Put on your Bluetooth headphones, "What's wrong?"

Zhong Qiqian said that someone has replied to his roommate recruitment post, and he may already be on his way to move in with his bags.

Fang Chengyin was naturally happy.

Zhong Qiqian then asked, "Are you... alright?"

Fang Chengyin paused for a moment, then slowed down.

Zhong Qiqian learned about the broken window at noon, and although there was no media coverage, he was still able to get firsthand information.

"It's just a bunch of headless flies that smelled the fruit and curiously peeked out to see if the fruit was fresh." As if knowing what he was going to ask, Fang Chengyin added, "Nothing's wrong, what could possibly happen? They just want to use public opinion to make some money. They wouldn't dare to do anything without solid evidence, otherwise what would be the point of having the Yanyang Criminal Investigation Bureau?"

Zhong Qiqian: "They will not give up."

"Yes, I'm on my way back to school now, and there's more than one car following me." With a sharp right turn, Fang Chengyin drove onto the return lane, shaking off the last car that was following him.

"That auntie..."

Zhong Qiqian knew Fang Chengyin's identity; only he knew it.

On the night the college entrance examination ended, Fang Chengyin let slip in his drunken state that Zhong Qiqian came from a wealthy family and was full of the characteristics of a spoiled brat. He also often saw some students being very respectful to him.

Surprisingly, Zhong Qiqian didn't make a fuss about his background; instead, they became close friends who could talk about anything.

Fang Chengyin: "Mom will find a way. When it comes to avoiding the camera, we ordinary people can't beat her."

Zhong Qiqian didn't dwell on it anymore, but reminded him that he had an economics and trade class that evening. "Today, it's the third row from the back on the right side by the window. Just make sure you and your roommate see each other and don't be late."

Hongrui is a city teeming with nobles, but their academic drive is unmatched by any other university. Fang Chengyin entered with outstanding grades, but winning the first-class scholarship remains a challenge; last year, he lost to others by just one point.

He was extremely unwilling, but what could he do? His social status was what it was, and there was a huge gap in learning resources, making it impossible to surpass him in the short term.

After sighing, Fang Chengyin arrived at his dormitory. There was a yellow paper bag in the storage basket by the door, and he had a bad feeling.

"Hi, what a coincidence, you live here? Me too."

Laughter came from behind me, a mixture of joy at reuniting with an old friend and a light sneer of "enemies always meet".

Fang Chengyin stared at the bill on the door with a dark face. It was a utility bill that was several days overdue. He tore off the bill and entered the password without looking back.

"#558800? That's pretty simple."

He clearly blocked it by turning to the side; I don't know how he saw it.

With a beep, the door opened.

The man asked, "Do you have any extra slippers?"

Fang Chengyin changed his shoes. "No."

"It's my fault for not being prepared. Leave the fruit here; it's all freshly picked. Wash a few and eat them. I'll go down to the supermarket to buy some household supplies."

The man left after he finished speaking.

Fang Chengyin glanced at the yellow paper bag on the shelf.

A QR code was affixed to the bottom right corner, and two straw ropes were tied together loosely, the knot forming a star shape, vaguely protruding the apple-shaped interior. The waxy sheen on the surface, under the entryway light, revealed livid, purplish lines, each bruise seemingly corresponding to a scratch on the inside of the plastic bag…

Fang Chengyin staggered backward, his shoulder blade slamming into the shoe cabinet behind him. The metal hook vibrated, cracking the entryway ceiling light; in the fragmented light, the yellow paper bag appeared unremarkable.

He walked over again, grabbed the paper bag with both hands, and held it up to the light. His knuckles, strained from the tension, turned a bluish-white, almost rigor mortis-like color.

There was nothing unusual; the apple was indeed fresh.

I'm probably just too tired today, that's why I'm like this.

Fang Chengyin convinced himself, a sentiment he often shared ever since he could see ghosts.

He hates being manipulated, whether by a human or a ghost.

He went back to his room, locked the door, rolled around on the bed a few times, and kicked the blankets a few times. Only after his muddled thoughts had cleared up did he unfold the bill. Although it was just a few simple numbers, it made him feel suffocated.

I absolutely have to get this extra role in the audition.

Soon the living room was filled with the sounds of suitcases being dragged, vacuum cleaners, and tables and chairs being moved—it was incredibly annoying!

I really want to rush out and kick that person away, I really, really want to!

Beep beep—

The text message was from the apartment manager, saying that if the water and electricity bills are not paid, the water and electricity will be cut off at 11 p.m. tonight, and the residents will be evicted in a week.

Fang Chengyin gritted his teeth and went to the living room, where he saw the person squatting by the sofa putting trash into bags, as if mocking the original owner's slovenliness.

After finishing tidying up, the person stood up and said, "I'll go pay the water and electricity bills for this semester in a bit, and I'll also pay our rent for both of us this month. From now on, you can transfer your share to me on the 15th of each month."

He wiped his hands clean and stepped forward: "By the way, my name is Jiang Zhi. Please take care of me in the future."

His smile was somewhat jarring, but Fang Chengyin remained unmoved.

Jiang Zhi then reached out and shook his hand, which was hanging by his side, in a friendly manner: "You can eat my fruit as much as you want from now on."

His palms were cool, like a gushing spring rising from hell, yet his long, slender fingers were warm and strong; it was hard to tell which was his true nature.

Thinking that he had solved his immediate problem, and for the sake of a stable life together, Fang Chengyin still politely said, "My name is Fang Chengyin. I prefer quiet and don't like things that are too noisy. I also don't like you asking me everything. It's not necessary to ask out of politeness. I hope you can treat me like I don't exist, and I will treat you the same way."

Withdraw your hand.

Jiang Zhi stopped, pinching his index finger and thumb together: "Then do we need to sign an agreement?"

Fang Chengyin thought about it carefully, "Well, let's summarize the points that both sides need to pay attention to after class tonight."

He spoke very seriously, as if it were something important.

Jiang Zhi smiled at him, her voice gentle, "Whatever you say is fine."

Fang Chengyin frowned. No wonder everyone says there's less violence in society now; it turns out everyone's evolved into psychopaths.

·

"Let's go out and get some fruit together."

There was a knock on the door. Fang Chengyin's pen wobbled, and an extremely ugly character appeared on the draft: "No need, thank you."

A few minutes later, she said, "I'll cook rice, we'll eat together in a bit."

Fang Chengyin, who was working on calculus and whose train of thought had just been interrupted, was very displeased: "Thank you, I'm not hungry, you can just do your own portion."

This person probably has no memory. I've already told them not to bother me all the time, and it's not even out of politeness. Why is it still going on and on?

If you bother me again, I'll just throw you out!

Fortunately, it was quiet for the next two hours.

As the last drop of ink seeped from the pen tip onto the paper, Fang Chengyin stretched and loosened his brush. Night had fallen outside the window; it was time to go to evening self-study.

As for food, we can just buy some along the way.

He can actually cook, but it's barely edible, and the food gets increasingly bland, so he mostly eats at the school cafeteria. Since he's short on money, he has to go to the cheapest section, find something he likes, and eat it until he's sick of it.

He didn't dare go to the restaurant. The restaurants at Hongruis were all run by internationally renowned chefs. Zhong Qiqian had taken him there once before. When ordering, there was no price list on the menu, so he initially thought it wouldn't be too expensive. But when he saw the prices displayed on the mini-program when Zhong Qiqian paid, he was so shocked that he felt indigestion.

Both Hongrui and Shijiazhuang are prestigious schools, and their words and actions reflect their social status. So when Fang Chengyin stood at the cheap window, he felt uncomfortable. This discomfort was mixed with a little inferiority, but more so with helplessness.

Now that Jiang Zhi has arrived, it doesn't mean he can change his eating habits that he developed due to financial difficulties.

Moreover, he didn't want to have anything to do with this person.

She opened the door to wash her face, but was startled by Jiang Zhi leaning against the doorway. "Is something wrong?"

Perhaps because he had been standing for too long, Jiang Zhi shifted his feet and said, "Let's eat together."

Very sincere and enthusiastic.

But Fang Chengyin hates this kind of person the most. They pretend to be very familiar with someone they've only known for a short time. They just want to gain a voice and the right to use something through their activity level in a certain space. Over time, this makes others feel like they are living under someone else's roof.

Even though Jiang Zhi had only moved in a few hours ago, Fang Chengyin already felt suffocated and would become alert at the slightest sound outside the room.

He clearly got along well with the other roommates before...

Fang Chengyin: "Thank you, I won't eat."

Walk past people to the washbasin.

Jiang Lie also walked over, seemingly knowing that talking was useless, so he simply stood aside.

Fang Chengyin was furious because he could see that person all the time. He turned on the tap, splashed a handful of water on his face, and turned his head with his hands on the table. "I need personal space."

Jiang Zhi laughed: "I'm just inviting you to dinner in a friendly way. We'll be living under the same roof and seeing each other all the time, so I think it's necessary to deepen our relationship."

"I don't need it."

"Well then, if you eat with me this meal, how about I give you a discount on your fruit debt?"

Fang Cheng forced back the refusal that was rising in his throat.

In truth, he lacked integrity. If unnecessary additional losses could be compensated for through shortcuts, dignity and such could be temporarily set aside.

The two sat facing each other at the dining table, which was quite narrow. It was a table Fang Cheng had added after moving in, as their lives were already frugal, and the table wasn't particularly fancy. Normally, when he was using it alone, he didn't feel that it was too cramped, but now that a mysterious food cover took up all the space, he realized that it was completely different for two people than for one, especially since their knees would touch each other if they moved.

Jiang Zhi picked up the cover, and Fang Chengyin was both shocked and furious, wishing he could strangle himself for kneeling down under the discount.

A Western-style candlelight dinner is set on a narrow dining table, with several exquisite dishes around the flickering candlelight, resembling a custom-made meal at a five-star restaurant.

Jiang Zhi: "It's a bit simple. These are the only dishes I know how to make. I'm sorry for the poor quality."

Fang Chengyin: "..."

The meal went fairly well. Fang Chengyin ate while Jiang Zhi asked all sorts of questions, though he didn't get anything out of him. He also kindly poured Fang Chengyin a glass of red wine, but Fang Chengyin didn't drink it. He just felt that the other man's knee kept bumping into him, and that's when he realized that the conversation was going a bit off.

Jiang Zhi: "I had a dream last night."

Fang Chengyin glanced at him, then continued eating.

Jiang Zhi said, "I dreamt about you. You agreed to date me, and then we lived together like this, with me covering all our living expenses."

Fang Chengyin put down the steak he was about to eat. Feeling obligated to help, he awkwardly picked up the red wine beside him and started drinking.

Jiang Zhi continued, "Time flies in dreams, and two years later you're pregnant..."

Fang Chengyin suddenly coughed.

Jiang Zhi smiled and handed him a tissue. Fang Chengyin glared at him a few times. At the same time, his knee was lightly brushed by the other party. He finally realized what was wrong!

Fang Chengyin gripped his wine glass tightly.

Jiang Zhi's eyes were deep and his demeanor charming and amorous, his voice magnetic: "Although I didn't dream the whole thing last night before waking up, meeting you at noon today feels like fate, destiny, so I feel that we..."

He paused deliberately, his voice full of deep affection. Fang Cheng poured a glass of red wine over him as a gesture of goodwill. Jiang Zhi's words ended in the red liquid: "We can live a good life without worrying about debts."

With red liquid dripping from his hair, Jiang Zhi smiled instead of getting angry, "You drank some of this wine, is this an invitation for me to kiss you indirectly?"

Fang Chengyin shoved his knee away, only to find that the other man's long legs had already pressed against the sides of the narrow table, rebounding back to trap his legs.

Fang Chengyin, enraged and embarrassed, retorted: "I'm not interested in that kind of thing!"

"In that respect?" Jiang Zhi shifted his legs.

Fang Chengyin suddenly stood up, the chair moving backward with a sharp, grating sound, as if it were not meant to be with the floor.

Stepping out of the warm light, the corridor remained dark.

Fang Chengyin slammed the door shut, suppressing his anger as he packed his schoolbag. That guy was a pervert; that was the only thought in his mind.

I found the pen I needed and stuffed it into my bag. There was a knock on the door.

Fang Chengyin slung his backpack over his shoulder and gripped the doorknob with a sullen face.

Splash—

The strong water sprayed onto his face, and the same aroma of wine filled the air again. Fang Chengyin, looking like a drowned rat, wiped his face and looked up directly at the source.

Jiang Zhi shook the empty wine bottle. "I forgot to mention, although I was the one who took the initiative, if you treat me unfairly, I will treat you unfairly in return."

After saying that, he left.

Fang Chengyin exploded on the spot and slammed the door shut again. Fortunately, the door had a sound-dampening effect when it opened and closed, otherwise it would have definitely caused complaints from the neighbors.

The white shirt was stained red and unwearable. Fang Chengyin unbuttoned it while cursing, "That damn lunatic! That pervert! How dare he retaliate after doing something like that?!"

He threw his shirt on the floor; time was of the essence, so he could only grab a towel and hastily wipe his hair, which still reeked of alcohol. "Damn it!"

Hongruisi has a strict attendance system, so I couldn't care less. I grabbed my bag and ran.

Fang Chengyin bumped into Jiang Zhi clearing the dishes in the living room. As they brushed past each other, Jiang Zhi grabbed Fang Chengyin's wrist. Fang Chengyin tried to elbow Jiang Zhi, but Jiang Zhi was caught in the grip.

"What the hell are you doing? If you want to do it, take your bags and get out of here to find a gigolo!" He spoke without restraint, as if deliberately taking the opportunity to vent his frustrations from the day.

Jiang Zhi simply smiled and pulled him close to his chest, then grasped his wrist and reached under the table. Fang Chengyin got goosebumps from the touch and only calmed down after his palm was pricked a few times by a sharp object.

Having achieved his goal, Jiang Zhi released the person, saying, "Be careful when buying the table, don't let the seller fool you again. It's not your fault that you haven't noticed after using it for so long; there's nothing you can do about having long legs."

The sharp spikes under the table were probably left from the manufacturing process when they weren't properly smoothed out. Despite realizing this, Fang Chengyin still didn't want to apologize for the misunderstanding and turned to leave.

Jiang Zhi reminded the hurried figure, "By the way, you must be back before eleven o'clock. I don't like my rented friends coming home late."

Fang Chengyin left without looking back, slamming the door behind him.

Jiang Zhi chuckled and continued clearing the dishes.