The Rental Shop Owner

As a matter of fact, he was lying in my third shop right now.

 

But it was now the third night of the first lunar month, 2001.

 

Sigh.

 

All bloody, too.

 

Why did I have to end up with this devil?

 

He had only been locked up for two years and two months when he was released a bit more than half a year ago.

 

They said there was a fire in the prison and not only did he rescue the government property, he also saved all the correctional officers and even a higher-up sent to survey City N. He was behaving well to begin with and completed a computer diploma in two years, not to mention he was young and had a pitiful background.

 

Thus, he was released early.

 

See what kind of luck this bastard had?

 

That day, he came into my third shop that had recently opened and gave me a scare.

 

The fellow had a nearly clean, shaved head and was wearing a loose, white tank top and Hawaiian shorts, looking quite sharp. However, he still had an earring, more specifically a stud, the kind that you would not notice unless you looked closely.

 

Ah-Fen, the young lady who was kind of related and helped me at the shop, had her eyes wide open. Why, was he hot or something?

 

Thinking back to how disgusting he used to be, I shook my head in disappointment. This was the same girl who made a move on me, heading over to my house every now and then to help with the housework. My mom was beyond delighted and practically thought of this girl as the mother of my unborn babies.

 

Shen Bin asked me out to dinner to thank me for helping with his mom’s funeral.

 

“Gimme a chance. C’mon!” He didn’t even call me ‘ge’. I would have you know that those buddies of his had been very passionate about calling me ‘Qian-ge’ whenever they came to hang out at my two shops.

 

Yet, there he was, all disrespectful–

 

“Hey, keep your hands to yourself!” I flicked his meathook off of my shoulder and did not sense there being anything wrong with what he said.

 

He paid no heed and reached around my shoulders with an arm, successfully dragging me out the door.

 

“You’re still so awkward!” He was mumbling.

 

I hated him with all my guts. How could he be so much taller than me? I would not be able to lay a finger on him in a few years. Also, awkward? How was I awkward? Fucking bullshit.

 

I thought I was supposed to be his enemy and even if there were no hard feelings, it was all over—O-V-E-R—over. I just did not want to get involved with someone like him.

 

Ahh, Ms. Ah-Fen was definitely going to tattle to my old lady. It was going to be a handful again.

 

Maybe I felt that I owed him or maybe I did not find him so disgusting anymore, I ended up going out to dinner with him. I even fought for the bill afterwards. He did not look too happy about it.

 

Tsk, what’s there to be unhappy about? You don’t have the money to pay for me when you just got out of prison.

 

I might be skinny but I have got a big appetite. I made it my goal to eat my fair share since I was paying anyways. Therefore, I did not bother to talk to him and dug in.

 

“Yo, I’m the one fresh outta the slammer! Why you the one stuffin’ yourself?”

 

I looked up at him with a mouthful of cha siu. He was sitting there looking all angry with puffed-up cheeks.

 

I think that was the moment when everything started to change.

 

I don’t know why but I had never liked anyone in all those years. Even though I liked men, I had never taken a liking to any.

 

I thought it was out of sympathy and pity at that time.

 

But someone once said that love stemming from sympathy and pity is actually more down-to-earth. I think it was Zheng Zhihua talking about his wife.

 

Seeing his fuming face, I quickly gulped down the meat and asked, “Any plans for the future?”

 

“Me? How ‘bout watching the shop for you?”

 

“Huh?” My old lady would freak the shit out. Although we knew what had really happened, everyone else around here knew him as a killer. No one would borrow stuff from my shop anymore. I mean, even as I was eating with him, we were getting attention from several pairs of eyes.

 

“What? Afraid I’d tear your lil’ shop down?” He turned away.

 

Did I hurt his ego?

 

“Well, no, see, the pay is kind of, you know, low.” I was treading carefully.

 

“Hah! You really thought I would wanna work in that shithole of yours? As if!” He was snickering when he turned back around—not unhappy at all. “I got a place to go. Don’t gotta worry ‘bout me!” Then he reached over, his hand pausing for a second in midair before landing on my shoulder. I was about to scold him again when he retracted it. “Heh, I’ll keep my hands to myself.”

 

I wondered where he originally wanted to put his hand.

 

I finally replied after a while, “I wasn’t worried.”

 

He dropped his head and then raised it again. “Thank you, ge.”

 

He sounded very serious.

 

Actually, I doubt I had ever told him that it wasn’t my idea to put him in the same room with that scumbag. It was not my idea, but it still had something to do with me.

 

I wondered why he never seemed to hate me, to take revenge on me or on the Qians.

 

I never did him much kindness either.

 

He would still be munching on prison food if he had not put out the fire and rescued a bunch of people.

 

“Wh-what are you thanking me for?” I bit my lips.

 

My old lady says I only bite my lips when I am sad.