The Diary of a Renter
05. Nagging Care
At 5:45 in the morning, his biological clock promptly woke Jiang Yu from his deep sleep. He curled up in the soft down comforter, rubbing his cheek against the sun-scented pillow, still groggy and unwilling to get up. Outside the window, the pale blue light simulated by the main god gradually seeped through the crystal window frame, casting dappled shadows on the boy's long eyelashes.
In the kitchen, the smart kitchen appliance emitted an extremely soft "ding," as if afraid of disturbing its owner's sweet dreams. It meant the millet porridge, which had been pre-set, was ready and was switching to keep-warm mode. A faint aroma of rice filled the air.
Jiang Yu rubbed his eyes and sat up, a few tufts of his hair sticking up from sleep. He shuffled into the kitchen in his soft cloth shoes, his gaze immediately drawn to a slightly pulsating, dark purple object on the counter—the "Shadow Quail Egg" that the Abyss Whisperer had forced on him yesterday. It was about the size of a goose egg, the silver veins on its shell resembling living blood vessels, emitting a cool mist with each pulsation.
"Is this really edible?" Jiang Yu muttered softly, cautiously poking it with her fingertip. The eggshell gave off a peculiar elasticity and emitted a very faint "woo..." sound, like a sigh.
He was fretting over the strange egg when he suddenly heard a rustling sound outside the window. Looking up, he saw the pale face of the Whisperer of the Abyss hanging upside down on the windowsill, his long black hair swaying gently in the morning breeze.
“Of course you can eat it! Your Excellency!” The Whisperer’s eyes sparkled. “Use a gentle fire, never a fierce one! Pair it with Thousand Layers of Abyss Moss Sauce… Oh, I forgot to give you the moss sauce!” With that, he nimbly vaulted over the windowsill like a large bat and pulled a small crystal bottle emitting a chilling aura from his black robe.
Just then, the door was pushed open with a bang. "I smelled something was wrong! Old Shadow, are you poisoning me again?!" Zero, with an unlit lollipop dangling from his mouth and messy hair, rushed in and snatched the egg from his hand. "This thing's energy fluctuations are so weird, what are you trying to do, kid?"
The whisperer pouted, looking aggrieved: "This is incredibly nourishing! I went to great lengths to bring it all the way from my hometown!"
"What supplements?! Can the young landlord take just any supplements?" Ling shoved the egg back into Jiang Yu's hand, put her hands on her hips, and started scolding, "Old Youying, let me tell you, the young landlord is under my protection now, and his diet has to be scientific! Did you look at the nutrition chart the doctor prescribed? It has to be light in the morning! Light, understand?"
Jiang Yu watched the two bickering and smiled helplessly. Finally, under Zero's close supervision and the Whisperer's (ordered to stay outside the window) remote command, the Shadow Egg was carefully fried. The egg liquid solidified into a crystal-clear deep purple, like a fine amethyst, emitting a unique aroma that blended mint, sandalwood, and a hint of crisp mountain spring water.
Jiang Yu took a small bite, his eyes lighting up slightly. The texture was far smoother than tofu, the flavor rich and layered, and after swallowing, a gentle warmth slowly spread throughout his body. "It's delicious," he honestly told the whisperer who was gazing at him expectantly.
Ling suspiciously snatched the chopsticks, picked up a small piece, and smacked his lips: "Tsk, the taste is alright... but don't do it again!" He turned and slapped the nutrition chart the doctor had prescribed on the refrigerator, "Eat according to this from now on!"
Not long after finishing his meal, Jiang Yu went to the restroom and inadvertently glanced at the mirror—the shadow in the corner seemed thicker than usual, and without him moving, it stretched on its own.
06. The Library's Fairy Tale
The afternoon sun shone brightly, casting dappled shadows on the floor through the library's stained-glass windows. The air was filled with a mixture of scents: old pages, ink, and the faint aroma of sweets.
Jiang Yu was held tightly by Annie's hand as they ran through rows of towering bookshelves. The little girl was wearing a brand-new lace-trimmed dress, her golden curls were tied into two small buns, and she was clutching her old teddy bear with a missing eye button.
"Hurry up, Brother Jiang Yu! The competition is about to start, and Teddy can't wait to hear the story!" Annie said breathlessly, her little face flushed with excitement.
The open space in the center of the library was set up as a small stage, covered with a dark blue velvet carpet, like a night sky. The old man, who was the incarnation of the forbidden book administrator, was wearing a dark purple robe embroidered with stars and gold-rimmed glasses. He sat on the judges' panel, with a plate of freshly baked almond cookies shaped like little stars in front of him.
Besides Annie and a few ethereal, softly glowing light sprites, the contestants also included the Steel Godfather—his massive mechanical body was squeezed into a small chair prepared for children, his metal joints creaking slightly, and his optical lenses scanning back and forth nervously.
"The first 'Starlight Fairy Tale Competition' is now starting!" the grandpa administrator announced gently, even giving a proper ring of the little silver bell in front of him.
Annie was the first to go on stage. She told a story about a doll who came back to life and led the toys to build a rainbow kingdom. Her story was full of whimsy and her voice was clear and bright. But the ending was still the same—"And they lived happily ever after in the dollhouse."
The stories of the light spirits, like their very being, are pure and luminous, but the plot unfolds in a linear fashion, making one somewhat drowsy.
When it was the Godfather's turn, he played a holographic projection, meticulously describing in a flat, synthesized voice the journey of a component numbered "Screw-7B" through the mechanical city of "Gear Heart," including every bearing it passed and every torque change it encountered. The data was detailed, and the logic was as rigorous as an engineering report. As one little light sprite listened, its head bobbed up and down, almost floating into the cookie plate on the judges' panel.
Jiang Yu, as a special guest judge, felt immense pressure. He looked at Annie's expectant eyes, then at the Godfather's optical lens gleaming with a thirst for knowledge, and racked his brains: "Annie's story... is very imaginative, and the characters are adorable; the story of the Light Elf... is full of light and hope; the Godfather's story... well, it's very rigorous, very... scientific."
Finally, under the encouraging gaze of the manager, Jiang Yu gave each "contestant" a "rainbow candy" bought from the Wanxiang Zhiying Candy Shop—this candy would change into seven different fruit flavors in the mouth.
Annie, holding the candy, looked at Jiang Yu with her lips pouting so high they could hang an oil bottle on them: "Brother Jiang Yu, was my story not good enough? Why can't Teddy have more exciting adventures?"
Jiang Yu quickly crouched down, looked her straight in the eye, and said softly, "Your story is the most interesting! Teddy is very brave. Maybe next time, you can let it leave the dollhouse and go on an adventure under the real starry sky? Like... to find the shooting star whale mentioned in Grandpa Manager's story?"
Anne's eyes lit up like stars, and she hugged Teddies tightly: "Did you hear that? We're going on an adventure! To find the whale!" She skipped away, already starting to come up with new ideas for the story.
The Steel Godfather carefully held the small, shimmering rainbow candy wrapper in his precise, mechanical fingers, as if handling a high-precision instrument. He turned to Jiang Yu, his optical lens focusing: "Data analysis shows that my narrative style is significantly lower than Anne Dollmaster in terms of 'emotional resonance' and 'plot appeal.' Requesting data sharing: How to effectively integrate anthropomorphic rhetoric and conflict setting templates?"
Jiang Yu: "..." He began to seriously consider whether he should recommend that his godfather read "The Little Prince".
07. The Sick Rose
In the backyard, in the steel godfather's metal garden, a low, rhythmic hum always echoed. But today, that hum carried a barely perceptible hint of...anxiety?
When Jiang Yu and Ling arrived, they saw the Godfather's massive figure squatting in front of an exquisite flowerpot. Inside the flowerpot was a "quantum rose" he had cultivated using rare alloys and liquid photons. At that moment, the rose, which should have been shining brightly, had petals drooping slightly, and its shimmering light had become weak and intermittent.
“Young messenger, Mr. Zero,” the Godfather’s optical lens turned to them, its frequency flashing faster than usual, “its vital signs are all normal, photon absorption rate and energy conversion efficiency are both in the optimal range. But the ‘emotional index’ has been below the threshold for forty-eight hours. I played optimized light music (the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, wavelength-calibrated version) and performed a logic soothing procedure (explaining the importance of photosynthesis and mechanical aesthetics to it), but it was not effective.”
Ling Zheng and Pan Shi were playing chess at the stone table next to them. Without looking up, Ling Zheng captured one of Pan Shi's rooks. "Hey buddy," he said, "you can't reason with a flower. You have to praise it, coax it, understand? Like coaxing your... uh, you don't seem to have any kids." He paused, "Like making your landlady happy!"
Rock slowly took a sip of tea and added, "Or take it out to bask in the sun and feel the breeze. Although here you..." He looked up at the Godfather's futuristic hall dome, made of metal and holographic projections, "It seems like we don't have that option."
Jiang Yu walked to the flowerpot, squatted down, and gently touched the cool, hard petals with his fingers. The petals seemed to sense his touch, shimmering slightly. He thought for a moment, then looked up at the Godfather and said, "Godfather, perhaps... you could take some time each day, just to be with it, to talk to it? Like you would a friend, tell it about what happened that day, or simply compliment it on how beautiful it is?"
The Godfather's processor seemed to emit a slight overload sound because the instruction was too "illogical." The optics flickered violently a few times.
A few days later, Jiang Yu heard that the Godfather had begun to strictly implement a new program called the "Quantum Rose Emotional Nourishment Plan": every afternoon at four o'clock, he would read a selection from "Starry Night Poetry Collection" to Rose (the voice frequency was optimized to ensure gentleness), and use high-precision sensors to strictly monitor Rose's "pleasure fluctuations".
It is said that the rose bush has indeed become much more vibrant, and the frequency of its petals shimmering has become more stable and cheerful.
08. Rock and Roll Barbecue
As night completely falls, "Warriors BBQ Plaza" becomes the liveliest place in the entire building. A huge bonfire crackles in the center of the plaza, illuminating every face beaming with relaxed smiles.
Uncle Blood Axe, shirtless with a gleaming bronze complexion, wore a pink apron that seemed utterly incongruous with his rugged appearance, sweating profusely in front of the enormous grill. As he brushed his secret sauce onto the sizzling skewers of meat with a huge brush, he boomed, "Freshly grilled dragon ribs! Don't miss out!"
The aroma of roasted meat mingled with the scent of spices, so rich it was almost overwhelming. The plaza was filled with simple wooden tables and benches, where former bosses and players sat together, laughing and talking loudly, the clinking of glasses echoing throughout the air. The Lich King, once feared by all, had now switched to selling his secret "Soul Broth" (though everyone privately complained it tasted like dishwater), and business was surprisingly good.
Jiang Yu, Ling, Fox, and the doctor squeezed around a small square table. On the table were fragrant skewers of meat, golden toast, a large plate of vegetable salad (which the doctor insisted on ordering), and several glasses of bubbly juice.
The Whisperer of the Abyss sat on the steps not far away, downing several glasses of specially concocted energy liquid with eerie blue bubbles, an unnatural flush rising on his pale face. He clutched his ancient seven-stringed lyre, his eyes unfocused.
Suddenly, he staggered to a spot on an empty table, plucked a string, and an ancient, desolate melody, imbued with endless loneliness, flowed forth. It was the "Elegy of the Stars," a lament from the abyss, telling the story of a star's solitary life from birth to its demise. The song was ethereal and mournful, possessing a magic that struck straight to the soul.
The bustling square gradually quieted down, even the sizzling of the barbecue subsided. A nameless sadness spread like a tide, and some people began to lower their heads and wipe away tears.
"Hey! Old Shadow!" Uncle Bloodaxe, holding a glistening roasted lamb leg, broke the somber atmosphere with his booming voice, "Change the tune! Am I even going to do business? We're here to have fun, not to mourn! Give us something exciting! Your drinks are on the house tonight!"
The Whisperer glanced at Bloodaxe through his drunken daze, and the music abruptly stopped. He hiccuped, grinned with a somewhat foolish smile, and swept his fingers wildly across the strings!
Suddenly, a medley of deep rock, heavy metal, and a touch of eerie aria, titled "Barbecue Carnival," burst forth! The powerful rhythm and witty lyrics (praising the deliciousness of various barbecued meats and the refreshing taste of beer) instantly transformed the atmosphere from a funeral to a carnival. People were initially stunned, then erupted in even louder laughter and cheers, swaying to the rhythm.
Jiang Yu took a bite of the tender, juicy, crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside grilled ribs, the rich aroma of meat exploding in his mouth. He looked around—Zero and Fox were fighting over the last skewer of grilled mushrooms, the doctor was grumbling about "getting too much internal heat" but couldn't resist taking another skewer, Uncle Blood Axe's hearty laughter was deafening, and even the Lich King selling bone broth in the corner was tapping the table lightly with his finger bones.
This is life—real, lively, full of everyday life, and wonderfully wonderful.
09. Starlight Diary
As night deepened, the hustle and bustle of the square gradually subsided, leaving only the crackling of the embers of the bonfire. Jiang Yu returned to her small apartment, washed away the smell of cooking oil, and changed into clean pajamas.
On the desk, the leather-bound diary gleamed softly under the lamp. He opened the notebook, picked up the fountain pen, and dipped it in ink.
The endless corridor outside the window is mostly dark, with only a few lights remaining, like stars that refuse to sleep. Behind each light is a home returning to peace, and a soul, once great or ordinary, now sleeping soundly.
He recalled the details of the day: the sighing Shadow Egg and Zero's nagging care; Annie's pouting lips and Godfather's earnest "emotional nurturing plan"; the smoky atmosphere of the barbecue stand and Whisperer's abrupt yet joyful rock song... These trivial, real, and sometimes funny moments, like warm puzzle pieces, constituted his new and solid life.
The pen tip touched the paper, making a soft, rustling sound.
Sunny and windy on [Date] [Month] [Year].
The Shadow Egg tastes quite unique, like frozen mint cake. The shadow seems to have its own ideas now; hopefully it will behave itself tomorrow.
Anne's story won an encouragement prize, which made her a little unhappy, but she's already started planning her interstellar adventure with Teddies. Perhaps I should suggest she borrow a copy of "The Interstellar Travel Guide" from the caretaker grandpa?
The Godfather's Rose seems to genuinely enjoy listening to poetry; he's developing a more detailed "emotional nourishment plan" and even asked me if I had any poetry collections to recommend.
Mr. Whisper's rock version of the barbecue song is surprisingly catchy, but the part in the lyrics praising Uncle Bloodaxe's sauce is a bit too exaggerated.
Uncle Zero fought with Sister Fox for mushrooms again today, lost, and ate two extra skewers of grilled meat in frustration, which led to a lecture from the doctor.
The doctor is right, eating too much barbecue does cause some internal heat, and my throat is a bit dry. I'll drink some honey water tomorrow.
Uncle Ling said that life has its joys, its little troubles, and its nagging—that's what life is all about.
I like this kind of life.
I like everyone here.
Goodnight, building.
Goodnight, Anne and Teddy.
Goodnight, Godfather and his rose.
Goodnight, Bloodaxe Uncle, who's still cleaning up the grill.
Goodnight, Mr. Whisperer, perhaps still playing the piano in some corner.
Goodnight, to all the windows, whether they are lit or not.
After writing the last sentence, he gently blew away the ink and closed the diary. The desk lamp went out, plunging the room into gentle darkness. The boy snuggled into bed, listening to the extremely faint simulated night breeze outside the window, and quickly drifted into a peaceful sleep.
On the windowsill, the little star grass that the godfather brought during the day, which he said could "purify the air and aid sleep," and which emitted a soft blue light, was swaying quietly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com