Chapter 4

Very easy

He was contemplating what he needed to do next, after resting for a while and changing into Xu Ding's coat, he would head out to recharge his card and purchase his mobile phone

"You, speaking like that is quite uninteresting," Liu Tiancheng chuckled awkwardly, his laughter tinged with embarrassment. "I truly did not hear the phone ring that day, and when I called back, I couldn't get through."

It will definitely be retrieved

"Alarm." Jiang Yuduo said decisively

The scene inside the door was quite astonishing; in any case, Chen Qing was stunned in place when he stepped inside.

Jiang Yuduo was stunned for quite a while before coming to his senses, exclaiming: "You really have some unrealistic expectations."

Compared to the seemingly tough and social muscular man, this girlfriend is much more difficult to deal with. While Chen Qing was searching for money in the room with his two brothers, Jiang Yuduo kept pacing around the room, avoiding his girlfriend who was throwing a tantrum and demanding compensation in kind.

Both of them were startled when Xu Ding entered the room

"This knife is indeed real." Chen Qing tossed the knife in his hand

I did not say I wanted to take his watch," Jiang Yuduo gritted his teeth, "Get out quickly

After a long ordeal, just one stop before disembarking, the number of people getting on the bus finally began to decrease

Lucy recently purchased a rather spacious house, which is home to her and her four Alaskan dogs

"There is no money," the strong man's voice was deep and resolute, "If you have the ability, come and take my life!"

Xu Ding laughed for a long time and said, "Hearing this from you, I find it somewhat hard to adapt."

As Cheng Ke stepped out of the subway station, he lowered his head and tugged at his clothes, while two small tufts of white fluff were swept past his eyes by the wind

"I have the keys," Jiang Yuduo said, reaching back and shaking his hand. A child behind him handed him a large bunch of keys, also pulling out the one for room 502. He glanced at the child and asked, "What is your name?"

Cheng Ke stood in front of the subway map, taking several minutes to understand roughly how to take the train and at which station to transfer

The girlfriend who had been whining beside us has finally stopped, wiping away a tear: "Where would the money come from! If I had money, would you be able to bully me like this!"

Xu Ding did not say anything further, and Cheng Ke did not ask again

Or rather, he never thought that being broke could reach such an extent

I will also go to eat. " Chen Qing looked at him

After finishing all the matters, Lu Xi's third call came in. Jiang Yuduo sighed: "I shouldn't have called her sister back then; I should have called her mother"

"Stay away from me." Jiang Yuduo pointed at the dogs sitting on either side when he sat down

Xu Ding stood up and looked at him: "You..."

"Sister Qian is drawing you." Chen Qing said with a smile

Half an hour later, Jiang Yuduo felt that today might still resemble a robbery.

What?

Cheng Ke turned on the faucet, dipped his hand in the water to dab at the wound, wiping away the dried blood. Some fresh blood oozed out from the wound again, creating a scene that was quite gentle, not violent at all

"I pity you," Jiang Yuduo said as he lit a cigarette and glanced at the small alarm clock on the bedside. "I will bring someone to take a look later."

No, Xu Ding threw his luggage and coat onto the floor, poured a glass of water, and sat down beside him, saying, "I felt that this matter was not so simple, so I didn't say anything."

Cheng Yi previously took over a bar, but after acquiring it, he has not managed it and only occasionally goes there to sit with a few friends. Cheng Ke has never been there even once and does not even know the exact address. How has it suddenly become his now?

"If you don't open the door, I'll break it down!" Chen Qing shouted as he knocked on the door of room 502, "Open the door!"

"I can't afford to rent your apartment like that." Jiang Yuduo smiled.

Among the countless wandering cats, those that end up with names are exceedingly few. Names are not what they need; all they require is to survive

I left my phone at home and borrowed someone else's to make the call. Cheng Ge did not intend to put Liu Tiancheng in a difficult position. "You all have fun tonight; I won't be going."

"Why are you not sleeping in the middle of the night?" Xu Ding looked at him in surprise

Damn

"They are all the same," Cheng Ke said

Although he does not want to eat the boxed meal

At last, unable to bear it any longer, he turned around and lifted his petite girlfriend, throwing her onto the burly man, pointing at him and saying: "Hold her tight, if you loosen your grip, I will castrate you"

Liu Tiancheng smiled and said, "Come on, it's not like you're leaving with nothing. You're not asking your dad for money, and you have quite a bit of money on hand yourself."

"Make change," Jiang Yuduo said

This fellow is actually a pilot, Chen Qing said

I have it here" Chen Qing pressed down on his hand

He remained on the sofa in a daze until after lunchtime, before slowly sitting up and walking into the bathroom, where he looked at himself in the mirror

Both dogs cooperatively shifted to the side

The burly man is now sitting bare-shouldered on a chair directly facing the door, holding a knife against his own neck, while his petite girlfriend sits on the bed beside him, sobbing softly.

At first, every time I returned to collect rent, I felt a sense of nostalgia for the familiar place, but over time, that feeling faded. After all, I go back dozens of times a year, and there are always a few that are not straightforward each month, which is quite bothersome

"Who is bullying whom?" Chen Qing glared at him, "You haven't paid rent for two months, who is bullying whom?"

Oh," Xu Ding smiled and said, "Do you want me to ask for you?"

At around 4 PM, Jiang Yuduo asked Chen Qing to call two people, and they went together to Building 1

Where are you? I will pick you up shortly. In the evening, I will ask them to come out together to help you relax a bit, Liu Tiancheng said

After turning it twice, the door lock did not respond; it is likely that it has been deadbolted.

Jiang Yu kicked him in the chest as he turned around, and after he fell to the ground, he was pinned down by Chen Qing and Da Bin. Another child took the pantyhose of the thin girlfriend and tied his hands tightly.

Damn it! Chen Qing forcefully pushed open the door

Jiang Yuduo raised his hand and waved it in front of his eyes. When his hand blocked the sunlight, the spots of light gradually faded away. When he moved his hand aside, the spots of light bounced back, and then he blocked them again

"Why haven't you gone home?" Cheng Ke asked

Jiang Yuduo sat on the edge of the table in a daze, and it was only after the phone rang for a long time that he finally picked it up to answer.

"Is this what you call 'eight-character feet' today?" Jiang Yuduo said, "What you have here should be called 'sweeping leg.'"

Hmm. Jiang Yuduo responded.

"Third brother, third brother!" The strong man became anxious, writhing on the ground, "That thing isn't mine; the previous tenant left it here! Don't call the police, don't call the police!"

Cheng Ke let out a gentle sigh: "I really won't go. I still need to find a place to stay. I've been quite busy these days, and I'm also tired. Let's talk about it later."

However, the moment he thinks that the only transportation options available for going out are the bus and the subway, he feels completely unmotivated to move and becomes very irritated

At this moment, he suddenly realized that he had been walking around with a torn hole in his clothing. The down in this section of his down jacket had already been completely lost, and those two small clumps he had just seen were probably the last remnants.

Name

"Did you buy everything in the bathroom?" Xu Ding, having just finished his shower and with his bare shoulders exposed, walked out while drying his hair and asked.

Cheng Ke stared at his phone, the ringtone rang for almost thirty seconds before he finally answered: "Hello"

"Find it!" Chen Qing waved his hand, and several people began to search the room.

"Let it go," Jiang Yuduo sighed, "We are just going to collect the rent, not rob the road"

The strong man embraced his girlfriend tightly

Ah, yes. Cheng Ke cast a quick glance at him and swiftly returned his gaze to the television

Liu Tiancheng did not continue speaking, and after exchanging a few casual remarks, the two hung up the phone

What a boldness you have. Jiang Yuduo rubbed his nose, turned over to lie flat, and closed his eyes

"Do not be too harsh on the second floor; even if they die, they won't yield any money, and the child is still young," Lu Xi instructed. "As for the fourth and fifth floors, do as you please. I've been annoyed by those two on the fifth floor for a long time; if they don't behave, just drive them away"

"Enough," Jiang Yuduo frowned, "You are so poor that you even want to rob a ragpicker."

Jiang Yuduo nodded slightly and took the key to unlock the door

"Have you finished the process?" Cheng Ke yawned and replied, "No, you can't just suppress this surprise casually."

When Jiang Yuduo entered, Lu Xi had already set the dishes and arranged six stools, leaving one empty.

Everyone in the room was taken aback

The strong man struggled to get up, but soon fell silent again

The key point is that no one has really said they want to give it to him.

"You scared me to death," Cheng Ke sat up and said, "I thought a thief had broken in."

Qing Song raised doubts about the physique of the strong man.

What kind of game is this? Chen Qing was extremely shocked, but he did not forget to maintain his momentum. After expressing his astonishment, he added, "Damn you!"

Cheng Ke smiled but did not speak

"Don't!" Cheng Ke suddenly felt a bit embarrassed, "It's the middle of the night, you sleep yours, I've been sleeping on the sofa these past few days"

"I can't afford it," Cheng Ge said, "it's too high-end."

This is the first time in his life that he has taken the subway. Aside from exclaiming how incredibly crowded it is, he is just grateful that he knows the geographical features near Xu Ding's apartment; otherwise, he wouldn't even know at which station to get off.

The strong man, who had been watching them rummage through the boxes with indifference, finally erupted at this moment, throwing his slender girlfriend onto the bed and pouncing over.

"Do not worry about it," Cheng Ke said, "I am not accustomed to staying at your place"

Building 1234 consists entirely of rental properties owned by Lu Xi in the urban village, each building having seven floors, with the rent mostly settled in cash on a monthly basis, all collected by Jiang Yu.

Understood. Jiang Yuduo smiled.

Jiang Yuduo remained silent, casting a glance at Chen Qing, who took out his phone and turned to walk outside

Cheng Ke is a person who cannot even handle matters such as renting a house properly

If you need any assistance, just let me know. Xu Ding did not continue to ask further

The light spot gradually became somewhat blurred, and the bright red in the background began to darken, revealing a hue of blood.

What Liu Tiancheng said is that he has only just begun to react to it now

That won't do! Lu Xi raised her voice, "You must take the money before leaving!"

"Hmm," Jiang Yuduo nodded, "that location is good."

"That's settled then, hurry over here, just come directly, I've already bought the drinks," said Lu Xi.

Cheng Ke did not know where Liu Tiancheng had heard it from, he only felt that after living with Cheng Yi for more than twenty years, he still could not see through him

Jiang Yuduo lay on the bed sideways, with a curled-up cat sleeping in front of her face. Because it was too small and might not survive, Jiang Yuduo did not give it a name, simply calling it Meow

"Under the bridge, Cheng Ke said, 'I just picked up half a box of leftover food.'"

I am creating momentum for you!" Chen Qing said, "Creating momentum, do you understand?

The mental state is acceptable, not too defeated, after all, I have been dealing with mental illness these past two days

He has lived for over 20 years. Although he spends his days doing nothing and achieving nothing, he does not worry about food and drink, and has never experienced, nor even thought about, what the concept of "having no money" is like

"Please accompany me to pay for the house in the morning," said Lu Xi.

Please inform the agent not to rent to just anyone, but to find someone who is clean and has certain standards. Lu Xi frowned and said, I certainly do not want anything like what was on the fifth floor to enter that apartment.

"Walk straight," Jiang Yuduo glanced at him. In order to maintain Chen Qing's image in front of the younger brothers, he made a great effort to restrain himself from shouting, "Walk in a straight line, and if you dare to put your foot in front of me again, I will stomp it broken."

"Where are you?" Liu Tiancheng asked directly, "What happened?"

"Don't hit him!" Lu Xi raised her voice, "Doing these things in my house! Son of a bitch!"

For several years, he lived in Building 1. After Lu Xi bought a house, she had him move into the current old house. He felt a bit reluctant when he moved out.

Jiang Yu took away the past and saw that he was holding a small sealed bottle in his hand, which contained a little less than half a bottle of something resembling tobacco leaves

"I beat him up," Jiang Yuduo said

On the third day of Cheng Ke's contemplation in Xu Ding's house, Liu Tiancheng's phone call came in

The tenant of 502 is a young couple. The woman is petite and has always worn heavy makeup, so Jiang Yuduo has never seen what she truly looks like. The man is quite robust, sporting a full beard, and he often enjoys going shirtless. His body is covered in tattoos from the neck down to the waist, but whether he has any on his buttocks remains unknown, as they have never been intimate.

How are you?" Lu Xi asked on the other end of the phone

"Is this muscle of yours painted on with your wife's eyeshadow?" He handed the knife back to Chen Qing

"What is straight?" Chen Qing patted the steel pipe inserted in his trouser leg, "The steel pipe is straight."

He glanced at the saved contact of the agent in his phone and decided to go see the house tomorrow

The cat, which had just climbed onto the edge of the bed while clutching the bed sheet, was startled by his sudden movement and fell back to the ground, once again darting under the cabinet.

Cheng Ke continued to stare at the television; he did not wish to stay at Xu Ding's place for too long. Apart from the fact that they were not very familiar with each other, he was also reluctant to involve Xu Ding in the troubles of his own family.

"Come back for dinner in a little while," Lu Xi said, "I made a big pot of sweet and sour ribs, your favorite. Bring some wine when you come over."

Thank you. Cheng Ke let out a sigh of relief

"Alright." Xu Ding nodded slightly and entered the bedroom

Ah. Cheng Ke responded.

He turned to the side, raised his right arm, and saw the cut on his clothing; however, there was no bloodstain as he had imagined. When he lifted the garment further, he finally noticed a dark red gash about two to three inches long

That set has been rented out, you should visit the agency in the next couple of days. Lu Xi handed him a piece of rib, saying, "Since it's already set up, just hang it up. It can be rented or sold, either works."

Did you tell him that I am here with you?" Cheng Ge hurriedly asked again

"Are you buying again?" Jiang Yuduo glanced at her and said, "Don't you already have a set empty?"

"Don't! If you don't come, it won't be fun for us to play," said Liu Tiancheng

Just call me Da Bin, Third Brother. The child smiled.

I heard about this matter. Did Cheng Yi give you the store he previously acquired and was playing with? Liu Tiancheng said, "Just go ahead and do it. Although it is a bit small, it is already on the right track. Familiarize yourself with it for a few days, and you won't have to worry about it in the future"

"Come over and see what is going on with you," Xu Ding said, "I only found out yesterday when Liu Tiancheng called me that you had a falling out with your family."

Are you going to collect rent from Building 2 in the next couple of days?" Lu Xi's voice carried a hint of irritation, "The tenants on the second, fourth, and fifth floors of Building 1 still haven't paid their rent, those three foolish households.

Chen Qing rummaged through the cabinet a few times, then suddenly turned around and exclaimed: "Third Brother!"

Suddenly, I felt a chill run down my back

There is nothing much to steal in this room," Xu Ding smiled, "Besides, if a thief really comes in, dealing with one or two of them wouldn't be a problem.

There was still no sound from within. Jiang Yuduo frowned and clicked his tongue, inserting two paperclips into the keyhole. He gently twisted his fingers a few times, and the door lock opened

Cheng Ke entered the house with the key, took off his coat, and collapsed onto the sofa, not wanting to move anymore

The death of one person is a completely different feeling compared to the death of someone else

Cheng Ke glanced at him and said: "Rent."

The cat, deep in slumber, hardly experiences any process of being startled awake; it simply leaps off the bed and then scurries under the cabinet

I have been looking at houses these past two days," Cheng Ge leaned back into the sofa, "I will stay here for a few more days.

Xu Ding has only visited this apartment twice, both times just passing through and staying for a while. When he went to the property management to collect the keys, the staff hesitated and scrutinized him for a moment, perhaps because of his somewhat shabby clothing, and then called Xu Ding to confirm that he was indeed the person who was to take the keys.

"How about I rent this set to you then?" Xu Ding said

Cheng Ke is not a person who holds grudges, but he has taken note of Jiang Yuduo's inexplicable stab

He has called Lucy his sister for ten years, and he has watched the construction from Building 1 to Building 4.

"Come hard or soft?" Chen Qing walked beside him with great authority. If Jiang Yuduo did not dodge a bit, Chen Qing would probably step on his foot eight times in ten steps.

I am going to eat now," Jiang Yuduo said, "everything is done.

Jiang Yuduo has always believed that names are a very mysterious thing

Cheng Ke pressed on the wound, and the knife injury on his waist began to throb painfully again

The strong man was forced into a position where he was hugging himself with one arm, and the knife that was resting on his neck shifted as well. Jiang Yuduo maintained pressure on his elbow without loosening his grip, reaching out to twist the knife out of his hand.

Hmm. Jiang Yuduo responded and hung up the phone

What exactly happened, and why did things suddenly turn out this way

He is not very familiar with Xu Ding, as they usually do not hang out together. He first got to know Xu Ding because Xu Ding contacted him through Liu Tiancheng, asking for his help in recording a sand painting video

The tenants on the second floor haven't paid for two months already. If they don't pay this month, I'll have to evict them! Lu Xi said, I felt sorry for that family and let them take their time, but look how it turned out. Who the hell feels sorry for me?

The nose felt a bit itchy, possibly due to cat hair. Jiang Yuduo did not have time to turn his head and sneezed in front of the cat.

Will we still have to go tomorrow? Let's just take care of that place on the fifth floor today? Lu Xi served him a bowl of soup and poured him some wine

In the store, Cheng Ke was taken aback and did not speak

Cheng Ke sat up and stared blankly at the trees outside the window for a long time

Xu Ding returned in the early hours of the morning. When he opened the door and entered the room, Cheng Ke was still lying on the sofa, lost in thought while staring at the television. He had no idea what was being broadcasted.

The sunlight streamed in from the edge of the courtyard onto the bed, enveloping his entire face in a bright halo, with shimmering, dancing spots of light filling his vision, alongside a backdrop of vibrant red.

"Come straight here," Jiang Yuduo said

"Jaeger-LeCoultre is not a place for picking up scraps," Chen Qing said as he took the card he handed over, "wearing a watch worth over a hundred thousand... However, you still have the ability, to just take this watch as you please..."

Now he cannot even buy a lunch box

It seems that these friends, whether familiar or not, probably all think he is quite useless, as even for something as simple as renting a house, Xu Ding would habitually ask if they need help.

Jiang Yuduo slid a knife out from his sleeve, and he did not use his fingers to catch it; the tip of the knife gently pierced into the beard of the burly man

As the crowd squeezed into the carriage, Cheng Ke found himself pressed against a pole, with a woman's hand tightly gripping it against his stomach. He struggled to catch his breath under the woman's furious gaze, which seemed to say, "How can you be so uncivilized? One person should not monopolize a pole while others' hands are being crushed. Don't you know to make way?" He made an effort to breathe deeply and shifted his body backward, away from the pole.

How dare you! The burly man jumped up from his chair, extremely angry, "You still want to rob me!"

Well... that's fine, I guess you must be quite busy, especially with a lot of things to handle at the store just getting started.

Did you have a falling out with your father or with Xiao Yi?" Xu Ding looked at him

"Where do you want to buy it?" Xu Ding asked

Take the two of them out for a meal," Jiang Yuduo took out his wallet from his pocket, "after all the hard work on this long trip, we still have two more families to visit tomorrow

Cheng Ke was unwilling to ponder these meaningless questions, yet they lingered in his mind persistently

Hmm. Jiang Yuduo nodded slightly

Jiang Yuduo suddenly opened his eyes and quickly sat up

Jiang Yuduo did not speak, but directly took two steps forward. As the strong man shifted his gaze from Chen Qing to him, he pushed against the strong man's elbow.

A name is essentially meant to serve as proof that a person existed when they pass away

Chen Qing was momentarily taken aback before laughing: "You have known that I walk with a pigeon-toed gait for quite some time now."

It seems that it was not submitted last month. Jiang Yuduo took out a cigarette.

Jiang Yuduo struck him across the face with a knife hand, then, following the momentum, grabbed his hair and pressed him down onto the bed: "Are you playing movie scenes with me here?"

"Alright, I will go take a shower," Xu Ding said, "I will be home in a little while"

Then just drive them away directly said Jiang Yuduo

The beard is quite thick, probably not even touching the flesh, yet the strong man immediately fell silent without a sound

Cheng Ke hesitated for a few seconds and shook his head: "No need, I can handle it myself, I have nothing else to do"

"No money!" The girlfriend threw herself onto the bed, kicking her legs, and shouted at Jiang Yu, "If you have the ability, sleep with me! Flesh payment!"

"You have ten seconds left to open the door," Jiang Yuduo threw the key back into Da Bin's hand, rummaged through his pocket, took out a receipt, removed the two paper clips from it, and slowly straightened the clips. "Once I open this door myself, it will no longer be as simple as just collecting rent."