The Diary of a Renter
81. The Undercurrents of an Autumn Morning
October 27, dawn breaking.
Jiang Yu awoke to the steady beating of Yuan Yue's heart. Outside the window, the edges of the leaves of the Tree of Hope were already tinged with a faint golden frost of autumn. He pushed open the door as usual, and a familiar clamor filled the endless corridor, yet it was mixed with an indescribable sense of deliberateness.
The aroma of charring wafted from Uncle Bloodaxe's oven, but today it seemed to be working extra hard, the flames crackling as if trying to conceal something. The smell emanating from Gurgle's Kitchen was no longer the usual breakfast aroma, but a complex, experimental scent mixed with unfamiliar spices. Annie didn't rush over like a cannonball; instead, she hugged Teddies, hiding behind the rainbow mushrooms on the fairytale path, stealing peeks at him, her eyes flickering, a fleeting glance.
"Everyone seems particularly busy today?" Jiang Yu thought to himself, without delving deeper. To him, the date was merely a marker in the administrator's grandfather's log to facilitate the coordination of energy tides. He walked towards his usual restaurant, only to find it completely empty.
"Uncle Gulu, what's breakfast today?" he asked, heading towards the kitchen.
Gulu's back stiffened abruptly, the spatula scraping against the pot with a harsh sound. "Ah! Brother! Today's... uh... ingredients! Yes, the ingredients are particularly difficult to handle! The cooking time is extremely demanding! Breakfast... will be later! Yes, it will be ready later!" His voice carried an excessive enthusiasm and panic.
Jiang Yu frowned slightly, a subtle sense of unease rising in his heart. He sat down silently, looking at the empty dining table.
82. The Silent Barrier
With a hint of doubt, Jiang Yu began his daily patrol. He first went to the library, intending to consult the librarian about the extremely faint, irregular fluctuation in the recent energy flow.
The library was eerily quiet. The librarian, an elderly man, sat hunched over a huge oak desk, his brow furrowed as he stared at a completely blank scroll of ancient parchment, seemingly engrossed in the ultimate mysteries of the universe.
"Grandpa, I have a question..."
"Xiaoyu!" Grandpa suddenly looked up, pushed up his reading glasses that had slipped down to the tip of his nose, and said in an unusually urgent tone, "Oh dear, what bad luck! Today... today I discovered that this 'wordless book' has undergone a new change! I must immediately devote myself to studying it! There is no time to lose! Your question... another day! Another day we can discuss it!" After saying that, he practically "invited" Jiang Yu out of the library.
Jiang Yu stood at the library entrance, somewhat stunned. A wordless book? When did Grandpa become interested in this?
Then, he encountered Shirin, who was adjusting the energy nodes of the Star Terrace. Shirin's luminous mist appeared somewhat disordered in the morning light.
"Sister Xilin, do you need any help?"
"No need, no need!" Xilin's light mist fluctuated violently, conveying a sense of tension. "Today... today's starlight trajectory is unusually complex! I must concentrate alone! Yes, alone! Jiang Yu, you go and do other things first!" Before she finished speaking, the light mist enveloped her and quickly disappeared into the depths of the terrace.
He then tried to find Zero to inquire about the stability of the spatial beacon, only to discover that several of Zero's commonly used spatial coordinates were empty. He wanted to spar with Rock on shield parrying techniques, but Rock declined, citing "today I need to meditate and sense the pulse of the earth." Even the little light sprites who usually loved to pester him for stories avoided him like frightened rabbits.
A feeling of being collectively and intentionally alienated, like cold vines, quietly coiled around Jiang Yu's heart. He stood in the somewhat empty corridor, the autumn wind blowing, carrying a chill. He couldn't help but reflect: What did I do wrong? Or did the implementation of the "Heart Demon Contract" cause dissatisfaction? A vague sense of loss and unease spread in his heart.
83. A Lonely Figure Beside the Feast
At lunchtime, the atmosphere became even more eerie. The restaurant was packed with people. Uncle Bloodaxe was grilling a giant beast rib that smelled incredibly tempting and had never been seen before, while Gulu brought out a pot of colorful, bubbly soup. Everyone sat together, laughing and chatting, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.
However, the laughter and chatter instantly subsided when Jiang Yu walked over. Uncle Blood Axe's smile froze for a moment when he saw him, then he turned around and began flipping the roasted meat even more diligently, as if the ribs required utmost concentration. Gulu hurriedly slammed the lid on the soup pot, muttering, "It's still a little too hot."
No one invited him to sit down, no one handed him cutlery. He just stood there, like a transparent ghost, watching others feast.
Finally, the doctor came over with a small bowl of the simplest nutritional paste, a hint of apology on his face, and said in a low voice, "Jiang Yu, everyone might be a little busy today. Would you like to eat something like this?"
At that moment, Jiang Yu's sense of loss reached its peak. He silently took the bowl and found a corner away from the crowd to sit down. The nutritious paste in the bowl was bland and tasteless, just like his mood at that moment. He began to be convinced that he must have unknowingly made a serious mistake, leading to everyone's collective rejection.
84. The Illuminated Starry Sky
Night fell, and the city lights began to twinkle. But tonight, all the hustle and bustle of the corridor seemed irrelevant to him. He wandered aimlessly alone, eventually returning to the Tree of Hope. The leaves rustled in the night breeze, as if sighing for him. He even began to consider whether he should call a formal meeting to frankly ask for everyone's opinions of him.
Just as he was feeling disheartened and preparing to return to that destined-to-be-desolate little house, a faint beam of starlight, as if afraid of being discovered, like a timid firefly, gently touched his fingertips. It was Shirin's starlight! This beam of starlight drew him away from the path back to the house, heading towards the observatory on the top floor of the building.
"Is it...comfort? Or is there something else?" Jiang Yu wondered, but with a lingering hope, he followed the starlight. On both sides of the steps, mushrooms and moss, emitting a soft glow, had appeared, seemingly guiding him, or perhaps trying to hide something.
When he stepped onto the last step of the observatory, the sight before him completely stunned him.
The once empty observatory is now brightly lit and bustling with people!
Happy Birthday, Jiang Yu/Brother/Administrator!
A deafening roar of cheers engulfed him instantly, like a tidal wave. Confetti and starlight cascaded down like a waterfall.
Annie held the crooked cake with "Brother Jiang Yu is 18!" written on it, her face flushed with excitement; Uncle Blood Axe held up the biggest piece of roast meat; Zero popped out of the spatial rift, scattering confetti; Xilin's starlight bloomed into dazzling fireworks in the night sky; Grandpa Administrator stroked his beard with a smile; everyone—including everyone who was "indifferent" during the day—looked at him with the brightest smiles.
It turns out that all the "busyness," all the "avoidance," and all the "indifference" were all for this moment of surprise. They went to great lengths to act, even at the cost of making him misunderstand and feel sad, just to give him an unforgettable coming-of-age ceremony.
After the deafening cheers subsided, the observatory fell silent for a moment. Jiang Yu stood there, stunned, her eyes welling up with tears. Looking at the familiar smiling faces before her, all the grievances and confusion of the day instantly melted away, turning into a warm current that flowed through her entire body.
"Silly boy, what are you standing there for!" Uncle Blood Axe's loud laughter broke the silence. He put his arm around Jiang Yu's shoulder and led him to the center of the crowd. "Today, you're the star!"
“Brother Jiang Yu! Blow out the candles quickly!” Annie couldn’t wait to hold up the wildly decorated cake in front of him. The eighteen colorful candles on the cake flickered and reflected her excited little face. “Uncle Gulu and I tried many times before we succeeded! Although… although it might be a little salty…” She stuck out her tongue shyly.
Jiang Yu looked at the crooked, sugar-frosted words on the cake—"Jiang Yu is 18 years old!"—and couldn't help but laugh, his eyes welling up with tears. He took a deep breath and blew out the candles. Applause and cheers erupted once more.
"Come on, try my old Blood Axe's special 'Adult Flaming Roasted Meat'!" Uncle Blood Axe stuffed a large skewer of sizzling, oily meat sprinkled with exotic spices into his hands. "Eat this skewer, and your future will be bright and prosperous!"
Zero leaped into space and appeared beside him, magically producing a shimmering amber: "Happy birthday, bro! This is the 'Eternal Moment' I found after traversing several nearly collapsing fragments of romantic time and space. It contains our... uh, and lots of funny moments from our daily lives! See for yourself!"
Jiang Yu took the amber. With a slight thought, he saw images of Zero's embarrassing moment when he failed at a prank and got stuck in the wall, the chaotic scene of everyone secretly preparing for the party, and even the expressions of everyone whispering and feeling both amused and sorry for him when he sat alone in a corner during the day. He couldn't help but laugh out loud, and Zero scratched his head and chuckled.
Just then, Chef Gulu walked over with his pot of brightly colored, creamy soup, the surface still bubbling with dreamy bubbles. "Happy Birthday Soup! Drinking it will... will make you happy all day!" he said confidently.
Jiang Yu took a sip, and the taste... was hard to describe. It was a bit like strawberry mixed with mint and a hint of earthy fragrance. But seeing Gulu's expectant eyes, he nodded vigorously: "Delicious! Very special!" Gulu was so happy that his hat tilted to one side.
The party atmosphere completely let loose. The zombie band played off-key but energetic rock music, while Rock and a few orc buddies wrestled in the open space, drawing cheers from the crowd; Shirin's starlight wove dazzling patterns in the night sky; Grand Duke Dracula elegantly invited Lilith to dance a classical dance; even the gargoyles controlled by Mo lined up and clumsily performed a robotic dance; and as expected, Newton's "happy sparkling water" made several elves start burping, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
There were no elaborate procedures, no formal speeches, only noise, laughter, food, and heartfelt blessings. Jiang Yu was surrounded by everyone, listening to Ling's boasting, eating Blood Axe's roasted meat, watching Annie and the Slime King dance, and feeling the kind gaze of the administrator grandfather. He suddenly understood what a clumsy yet sincere sentiment was hidden behind all the "indifference" and "estrangement" during the day.
85. The happiness of being "deceived" by love
Late at night, Jiang Yu returned to the small house, his heart filled with immense happiness and a bittersweet feeling of being "deceived." He opened his diary, an irrepressible smile playing on his lips:
On October 27th, the starry night was dazzling, and my heart was filled with excitement.
Today, I turned eighteen.
I almost thought I had been forgotten by the whole world.
It turns out that forgetting is the most dedicated way of remembering in the world.
They put on a grand show, making me experience the feeling of being neglected, only to ultimately shower me with the warmth of the whole world.
Annie's cake was sickeningly sweet, Zero's magic trick almost conjured the cake up my face, Uncle Bloodaxe's roast meat smelled amazing, and Master Newton's "happy sparkling water" made me burp all night...
Everything was a mess, yet everything was unbelievably perfect.
Growing up doesn't necessarily mean becoming lonely and strong.
Instead, you discover that so many people are willing to accompany you as you grow up in the most clumsy way.
Eighteen years old, thank you for this "scam" you gave me.
Goodnight, my dear "liar" family.
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