Chapter 31

The girl took out the phone she had hidden behind her back, quickly dialed a number, and when the call connected, she asked sweetly, "Aunt Qiu, it's Xiao Zhang... Yes, a new tenant has moved into the Sakura Snow Apartments. He said his name is Lin Zixian. Is there such a person? ... Oh! Oh! I see, Aunt Qiu, goodbye!"

After hanging up, the girl put down the pen she had been using as a dagger and the phone, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I'm the only one at home. There are occasionally thugs and ruffians around here, so I have to be careful. Hello! My name is Zhang Beibei!"

"I never knew a pen could be used to deal with thugs and ruffians. Cultured people are indeed terrifying, capable of killing without a trace. But I don't think I look like a thug or a ruffian at all!" Lin Zixian teased. Seeing that she was a bit embarrassed, he quickly changed his tone and laughed, "I was just joking. Can I go up and see the room now? Do you want to see my ID?"

Zhang Beibei blushed and shook her head, then gestured forward, "I'll show you the way!"

"Thank you!" Lin Zixian followed behind her.

Entering the old mansion's hall, Zhang Beibei began to introduce, "The first floor has a kitchen, dining room, and living room, as well as two bedrooms occupied by two male tenants. The second floor has three bedrooms, occupied by three female tenants, including me. The third floor is smaller, with two bedrooms. The room on the east side is occupied by a mother and daughter, and the room on the west side is yours. Although the third floor is smaller, it has a rooftop terrace. There are bathrooms on each floor."

Lin Zixian nodded all the way, noticing that although the exterior of the old mansion looked dilapidated, the interior was quite clean and tidy.

A spiral staircase wound upward, and Lin Zixian occasionally stole glances at the firm, shapely buttocks of the girl leading the way, swaying back and forth. This was one of his hobbies.

The two didn't stop on the second floor but went directly to the third floor, where there was a small living room. Zhang Beibei pointed to the closed door on the right and said, "This is your room."

Lin Zixian took out the key and opened the door. The room was dim, but the single room was quite spacious, probably around thirty square meters. It was clear that the original owner of the house was wealthy, but the room had a faint musty smell.

He threw his backpack on the bed and walked straight to the window, pulling the curtains open and opening the window to let in fresh air. The room immediately brightened up. He looked around and saw that the room had a table, chair, bed, and wardrobe, but the wardrobe was empty, and there were no bed linens. There was also a layer of dust on the furniture.

Zhang Beibei, who had been standing at the door, said, "This room was originally occupied by someone, but they moved out a few months ago due to a job transfer. If you need any daily necessities, you can buy them on the old street... The room might need to be cleaned."

"As a roommate, I don't think you mind helping me clean, right?" Lin Zixian said with a thick face.

Zhang Beibei was taken aback but nodded, not refusing.

"Thanks, I'll go out and buy the things you mentioned." He left with those words, and soon the sound of the iron gate closing downstairs was heard.

Zhang Beibei stood there for a moment, realizing that this man was not very gentlemanly. She was a school beauty, and many boys would love to flatter her, but he had ordered her around on their first meeting, acting as if it was completely natural.

The girl was honest. Remembering that she had misunderstood him, she went downstairs to find a cloth and mop and started cleaning the room for him. Fortunately, there wasn't much furniture, so it wasn't too difficult to clean.

Outside the courtyard, Lin Zixian felt in his pocket and realized he had run out of cigarettes. He wandered to the small grocery store at the fork in the road, bought a pack of cigarettes, and paid. The beautiful shop owner hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are you a tenant at Sakura Snow Apartments?"

"How did you know?" Lin Zixian was a bit surprised.

A little girl stood next to him and looked up, saying, "Uncle, we also live there. Are you our neighbor?"

"I live on the third floor, uh... Are you the mother and daughter that Zhang Beibei mentioned?" Lin Zixian realized.

The shop owner pushed the money back and smiled, "I'm Tong Yinan, and this is my daughter, Tong Feifei. We'll be neighbors from now on. This one's on me!"

"Hello, I'm Lin Zixian, 'Lin' from the forest, 'Zi' from the philosopher, and 'Xian' from the idle person." Lin Zixian shook her hand and quickly scanned the small grocery store, then glanced at the little girl, his eyes flickering.

He was the type who either didn't think much or, when he did, had more experience than most. From the poor conditions of the small grocery store to the fact that both the mother and daughter shared the surname 'Tong,' he quickly guessed something but didn't ask. He put the money back in his pocket and smiled, "I won't be polite then."

As Lin Zixian had guessed, the mother and daughter were not living a very comfortable life.

When Tong Yinan saw him quickly scan the small grocery store after she offered to pay, she felt a slight pain in her heart. Although she was poor, she had her own dignity. With her looks, she could have lived a different life. A pack of cigarettes wasn't worth much, but she was afraid he would refuse. Seeing him take the money and accept her offer, she smiled genuinely, a rare expression.

Lin Zixian squatted in front of the little girl, hooked her chin, and smiled, "From today, we're neighbors. How about I treat you and your mom to dinner tonight?"

"..." Tong Feifei looked at her mother, a very sensible child. Although she was clearly tempted, she didn't dare make a decision on her own.

Lin Zixian immediately put on a serious face and said unhappily, "Feifei! We're neighbors now. If you refuse me the first time I invite you, I'll be sad."

Tong Feifei was immediately in a dilemma, not wanting to see Uncle Lin sad but also not wanting to disobey her mother. Tong Yinan hesitated for a moment and finally nodded to her daughter. Tong Feifei immediately nodded happily at Lin Zixian, "Uncle, I'll go with you."

"Great!" Lin Zixian picked her up and smiled at Tong Yinan, "Let's close the shop early today! I'm not familiar with the area and need to buy some daily necessities. As a neighbor, can you show me around?"

This request, made as if by an old friend, left Tong Yinan with no excuse to refuse, and she had to smile and agree.

The small grocery store closed quickly. When Tong Yinan stood on the street, Lin Zixian was surprised to see that this mother, who had a child, had an extraordinary beauty, even without makeup. Tong Yinan felt a bit embarrassed under his gaze.

Lin Zixian, however, turned to Tong Feifei and praised, "Feifei, why do you have such a beautiful mom? Uncle is speechless."

Tong Feifei smiled proudly, and Tong Yinan also smiled, the awkwardness dissipating. She waved to her daughter, "Feifei, come down, Uncle is tired."

Tong Feifei immediately struggled, and Lin Zixian put her down. She immediately held her mother's hand, and Lin Zixian shamelessly took her other hand. Thus, the two adults and one child walked together, like a family.

The three strolled through the old city streets. When they passed a food stall and Lin Zixian noticed Tong Feifei's interested gaze, he immediately said he was hungry and asked her to recommend something good. She pointed to the grilled lamb skewers, and Lin Zixian immediately bought a lot, insisting on sharing some with the mother and daughter.

Tong Yinan naturally refused, but she was no match for Lin Zixian, the international rogue. Lin Zixian looked around and said, "In public, it would be embarrassing for you two to watch me eat. I might as well go hungry..."

Tong Yinan couldn't resist his persuasive words and finally agreed. The three of them ended up eating the lamb skewers while walking.

During this time, Tong Yinan saw her daughter's happy face, as if they were shopping with their parents, and her eyes welled up with tears as she stole a glance at Lin Zixian. She wasn't stupid and could see that he was doing this on purpose.

Next, Lin Zixian, using the excuse of the spicy lamb skewers, asked Tong Feifei to recommend a drink. This time, Tong Yinan didn't refuse and tried to make her daughter happy.

As they leisurely passed a bicycle shop, Lin Zixian glanced inside and paused, his gaze fixed on an old-style heavy-duty bicycle. He walked in, and the shop owner greeted him, asking what he needed. Lin Zixian pointed to the old-style bicycle.

Tong Yinan, curious about his choice of an old-fashioned heavy-duty bicycle, asked, "Why are you buying a bicycle?"

"Of course, for transportation," Lin Zixian smiled.

"No, that's not what I meant," Tong Yinan explained, "I just think that few young people buy this old-style bicycle nowadays. They usually go for the trendy ones."

Lin Zixian shook his head, stroked the bicycle, and said with a rare gentle look, "If America is a country built on car wheels, then pre-reform China was built on these heavy-duty bicycles. Back then, whether in cities or villages, a single heavy-duty bicycle could support an entire family. The dreams and responsibilities, fashion, and honor it carried were no less than today's luxury sports cars. I often saw adults riding them when I was a child, and now I want to buy one to reminisce."

He vaguely remembered his father often riding this type of bicycle with him.

Tong Yinan looked at him with a strange expression but didn't say anything.

"The young man is right," the shop owner, who had been listening, suddenly clapped and sighed, "I've been running this bicycle shop for over thirty years. Selling these heavy-duty bicycles once supported my family, but they are getting harder to sell now. I rarely stock them, and I've always felt a sense of frustration, though I couldn't explain why. Today, hearing your words, I finally understand. I'm moved! I won't sell this bicycle; I'll give it to you for free!"

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