Chapter 1, the child said while on the toilet
It was then that Zhao Lingjun discovered that the toilet paper in his bathroom had unexpectedly run out
"Unbelievable." A voice that seemed to be coated in honey echoed in Zhao Lingjun's ear. In the sweltering heat of June, Zhao Lingjun felt as if honey was flowing over his body
In dealing with the absence of toilet paper, Zhao Lingjun had already developed several methods back in her first year of university. For instance, she would shout, "Who can lend me a newspaper?" or ask other students who came to the restroom to do a good deed and bring her a couple of sheets of toilet paper. However, at this moment, Zhao Lingjun understood that there were only two applicable methods.
A day's wages, just gone after a trip to the restroom
Zhang Chong holds the position of Human Resources Manager in the company, wielding significant power. He is certainly not a boiler worker tending to the furnace. His nickname arises from his characteristic of stirring up trouble.
Usually, Zhao Lingjun's wallet would contain some expired invoices, as well as discount coupons issued by various merchants. However, today, Zhao Lingjun's wallet happens to be devoid of such items
However, upon hearing this voice, Zhao Lingjun felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, and she sensed that at any moment, she could lose her very soul.
"MLGBD." Zhao Lingjun, sitting on the toilet, couldn't help but curse.
The rolling heat and the sound, akin to honey, rising from the cement floor below, made Zhao Lingjun, in a daze, feel as if he had returned to that July of the previous year, to the day he first heard that sound
Zhao Lingjun's first choice was the first option, which was somewhat unpleasant but more economical. Moreover, it was relatively clean and had no toxic side effects. Therefore, Zhao Lingjun lifted the lid of the toilet tank, intending to scoop some water from inside to wash his backside. However, upon looking inside, Zhao Lingjun nearly fainted.
Sometimes, when a person is down on their luck, it truly feels like even drinking cold water will get them a toothache. Zhao Lingjun, while engaging in sordid activities with a fifty yuan note, thought sadly.
What on earth is going on? Zhao Lingjun thought anxiously as she descended the stairs, Could they have sensed something? Do they know that I finished using the restroom and there was no water to flush the toilet? Or do they know that I just ran out of toilet paper and had to use a fifty-yuan note to wipe myself?
Because the appearance of the owner of this voice has long made Zhao Lingjun unforgettable for eternity
If such a voice were to be heard on a certain voice service hotline, it is highly likely that the man behind this voice has already experienced a rapid secretion of hormones and is preparing tissues. Zhao Lingjun has always believed that if face-to-face video chatting and similar trends were not currently in vogue, and if voice service hotlines were still popular, the owner of this voice would have long since become a sensation, rising to prominence as the star of a certain hotline.
Through the glass window of the bathroom, Zhao Lingjun saw the asphalt on the road emitting wisps of heat, and the air seemed to thicken, resembling melted chocolate. In the sky, there was not even a hint of wind, and even the leaves of the sycamore trees on both sides of the road, scorched by the sun, drooped without a single movement
The fat man referred to as Zhang Zong by Zhao Lingjun is named Zhang Chong. True to his name, he is indeed very heavy. With an estimated weight of nearly 200 pounds, he could easily crush Zhao Lingjun. However, the reason Zhao Lingjun does not dare to kick him away is that this fellow works in the same company as Zhao Lingjun, holds a rank three levels higher than Zhao Lingjun, and is widely known throughout the company by the nickname "Boiler Worker".
As Zhao Lingjun leaned forward, he realized that he was not hallucinating due to excessive grief and anger. Below his building, many people were calling out his name
Zhao Lingjun picked up the phone and, after making countless complaint calls, finally had no choice but to enter his stifling room. The heat wave in the room nearly caused Zhao Lingjun to faint. Just as he decided to go out and find a cooler place, his stomach began to ache as if it were being twisted by a knife.
Moreover, what drove Zhao Lingjun to madness was that the smallest denomination of cash in his wallet today, along with the banknotes for books, was actually fifty.
If it were just like this, it would be one thing. However, when Zhao Lingjun returned to his residence, he discovered that the entire community was experiencing a power outage due to some unknown issue.
A trivial matter, yet he can present it before the general manager as if it were a 9/11 incident. Being one minute late, in his words, can have an impact as severe as being absent for an entire day.
In the next ten minutes, Zhao Lingjun sat on the toilet, nearly passing out from the effort. When he finally finished, he discovered a very serious problem.
As Zhao Lingjun emerged from the bathroom with his pants in hand, he felt an overwhelming urge to grab a knife and confront the supervisory authority of the water and electricity department. However, at that moment, Zhao Lingjun suddenly heard a multitude of voices in uproar, seemingly calling out his name
To speak frankly, everyone in the company knows that Zhang Zhong, apart from being adept at stirring up trouble and reporting on others, has no other merits. Yet, up to now, Zhang Zhong is still living quite well, even better than anyone else. Moreover, it seems that none of those who have offended him have met with a good end.
What happened? Zhao Lingjun made a concerted effort to conceal any trace of her disdain for this individual
However, when Zhao Lingjun took out his wallet and looked inside, he, who considered himself well-educated and a civilized person, couldn't help but curse, "MLGBD"
"I want to go however I please, whether fast or slow, what business is it of yours?" Zhao Lingjun wanted to say this first, and then kick this fat man in front of her, who resembled a garbage can, evoking images of a pile of greasy, poorly cooked, disgusting braised pork, sending him flying. However, after taking a deep breath, Zhao Lingjun forced herself to display a smile as gentle as a spring breeze towards this man who made her feel utterly nauseated, and with a voice that even made her own skin crawl, she called out to the fat man, "Mr. Zhang."
In summary, this overweight man is someone who is universally despised within the company, to the extent that many would wish to see him hanged. It is estimated that since the establishment of the company, countless individuals have harbored thoughts of taking this man out to face the consequences.
Thus, when taking out his wallet, Zhao Lingjun hoped to find some expired receipts or something similar inside his wallet; if that were not possible, he would just use that five yuan note.
The reason is simple: Zhang Zhongzheng happens to be the brother-in-law of the general manager
"The hole over there is blocked, could you poke it for me?" It was still that voice, seemingly coated in honey, making one feel sticky.
After the first plan failed, Zhao Lingjun began to implement the second plan. This second plan had been attempted by Zhao Lingjun's university roommate in hetushu.com. At that time, Zhao Lingjun's roommate used ten water tickets to resolve the issue that is currently troubling Zhao Lingjun. However, Zhao Lingjun has now graduated for nearly a year, and those inexpensive water tickets have vanished without a trace, much like the girl from the Business School whom Zhao Lingjun has a secret crush on.
As Zhao Lingjun rushed to the bathroom and sat on the toilet, experiencing a sudden bout of diarrhea, he recalled the bowl of beef ramen he had eaten at a roadside stall for dinner before returning. At that time, Zhao Lingjun had found the taste of the beef ramen somewhat strange, but he had thought that the owner of the stall had introduced a new flavor, enjoying it immensely.
Zhao Lingjun ... Zhao Lingjun ... come down quickly
The water in the toilet was almost completely gone. It turned out that today the community not only experienced a power outage, but also a water supply interruption. When Zhao Lingjun first entered the bathroom, he habitually flushed the toilet.
"Why are you moving so slowly? It's only now that you've come down," a chubby fellow said irritably to Zhao Lingjun
In previous years, the weather in June was still quite cool, but this year it has been unusually hot. It seems that the heavens have taken a wrong turn, as just after June, the temperature has soared. Today is particularly outrageous, with the maximum temperature reaching thirty-eight degrees. On the way to and from work, Zhao Lingjun felt as if he was about to be baked into a dry husk.
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