Chapter 1

However, if I move in, what will happen when you take the girl home? " Kong Kong did not realize that her words carried a certain ambiguity; she had already begun to seriously consider Chen Kewei's proposal. "It would definitely be inconvenient; if you are not afraid of the awkwardness, I am."

The agent brought her to the window and pointed outside. Kongkong could not distinguish which way was east or west; she only heard the agent say: "Sister, just look at this location, it's only a ten-minute walk to the Workers' Stadium, and beyond that is Sanlitun."

What are the few important things in life that you mentioned? After a while, he finally asked, hoping he had not offended her

Many people have encountered and experienced such situations, said He Su on the phone. "A colleague in our company had a landlord whose child was getting married last year. The landlord suddenly said he would no longer rent to her, compensated her with two months' rent, and refunded the entire deposit, and that was the end of it.

He seemed a bit impatient, but in reality, he was embarrassed and angry at being seen through: "Well, you are quite impressive; I don't even know what I'm thinking myself. Alright, your car has arrived, get in. When you get home, send me a WeChat message to let me know."

She was not wrong; Chen Kewai truly could not understand, but in that moment, he sensed her authenticity

This is an opportunity for both of them.

Chen Kewai has never said anything that made her uncomfortable, nor has he done anything to imply that "you are just a temporary resident." He has not put any pressure on her at all; on the contrary, he seems quite satisfied with their shared life at present

No need, I didn't bring many books. Thank you, " Kong Kong emphasized once again, " Thank you for letting me stay here first.

Sometimes I might say a few words, but in general, I still respect my own opinions... What about you?" Chen Kewei suddenly realized that the entire conversation was about him, and she hadn't mentioned herself at all. "Do you have any plans?"

I cannot guarantee that I won't bring a man back with me

"There are people everywhere outside on the weekend. Let's order something to eat," Hesu suggested, "and then we can watch a movie together. Don't you have a bunch of Blu-ray discs here? Let's find one that everyone loves and play it."

She was sitting on a suitcase, wearing a white shirt and jeans, waiting for Chen Kewai's car, her feet in a pair of old, yellowed sneakers swinging in the air. Taking advantage of this brief moment, she took out a lipstick from her bag and began applying it in front of her phone's front camera, doing so casually without a hint of decorum, completely unconcerned about it.

Kong Kong raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly: "It sounds quite dull."

She was unaware that this scene would be etched in Chen Kewei's memory for many years to come

Kong Kong has not tried to correct He Su—"Is it not okay to call me Kong Kong?" However, He Su seems to deliberately oppose her, insisting on calling her by her real name every time they meet

There is a fondness, to be more explicit, there is a willingness to develop further. This thin thread has been entwined with a certain nerve of his since that Spring Festival gathering, but at that time she was over 1,600 kilometers away from his daily life, and the reality of the distance extinguished that thought. However, things are different now; she has come to Beijing, and she is determined to settle down for the long term.

Chen Kewai pushed the empty box into the study, took two bottles of mineral water from the refrigerator, and followed the two girls visiting his home, feeling somewhat awkward and at a loss.

Kong Kong removed all the pillowcases, duvet covers, and bed sheets from the single bed and threw them into the washing machine. She poured some rose-scented laundry beads into the drum, followed by an appropriate amount of laundry disinfectant, and then added laundry detergent and fabric softener

Indeed, after taking a sip of cola, he straightforwardly said: "Hesu mentioned that you are looking for a house again. Have you found a suitable one?"

Chen Kewai glanced through the menu briefly and quickly decided what to order. Kong Kong has always believed that such small matters can reflect a person's character; she often finds herself in this predicament—having flipped through the menu countless times yet still unsure of what to eat.

"Kong Kong, I will take He Su to the bus, so you don't need to go down. You should take a shower first," Chen Kewei said. Kong Kong saw He Su standing at the entrance, smiling ambiguously, but she only replied, "Okay"

The waiter brought over the tempura and the fish rice again. Seizing this opportunity, Chen Kewai expressed the thought he had been contemplating all the way home: "I have a vacant room at my place, why don't you come and stay for a while"

"Which aspect?" She has already finished a glass and is hesitating whether to continue drinking

He Su often plays the role of the decision-maker; she is a natural organizer and warm-hearted. While Chen Kewei went to find the disc, she quickly opened the takeout app, located their position, and ordered pizza, chicken wings, and pasta. Kong Kong sat on the sofa, feeling a bit at a loss, tightly gripping the bottle of mineral water that had returned to room temperature, passively waiting to move on to the next step

The scene of that day became a collection of meaningless fragments in an empty memory box, and she was always absent-minded when she was with them, so she had no recollection of how she and Chen Kewei responded to Hesu's proposal, which was fundamentally improbable.

Two hours before receiving a call from Chen Kewei, Kong Kong had just finished viewing an old residential building with a real estate agent. It was a dormitory building from a certain past organization, constructed in the late 1980s, a few years older than Kong Kong. There was no elevator, requiring one to climb six flights of stairs. All the furniture and appliances seemed to have been left over from the twentieth century, appearing more exhausted than the people themselves. It was a dormitory building from a certain past organization, constructed in the late 1980s, a few years older than Kong Kong. There was no elevator, requiring one to climb six flights of stairs. All the furniture and appliances seemed to have been left over from the twentieth century, appearing more exhausted than the people themselves.

He paused for a moment: "Do you have any other concerns, such as whether or not to give me money?"

Kong Kong did not say anything further

Have they mentioned how much longer you have to move

Although his door was tightly shut, it seemed to allow anyone to push it open at any time, while her door, though left with a wide crack, clearly expressed a request for no disturbance

I followed a book that introduces Japanese-style home decor, and I discussed it with friends who are designers. They said that this minimalist style offers the best cost-performance ratio. Chen Kewai handed them the water. I have been busy for about half a year, only having time on weekends. Fortunately, I encountered a reliable foreman who helped me with many small tasks.

Moreover, I also want to go out and take a look. Kong Kong smiled a little shyly and said, "I have been studying and working in the same city since I was young, unlike you, who went to university in Beijing, and unlike He Su, who graduated and immediately came here. I have fallen behind you by many steps, and I cannot explain it clearly. In fact, I feel that I have been preparing for several very important things in life, but after such a long time of preparation, I have not accomplished a single one. This makes me look down on myself a bit, and you probably cannot understand this..." I have fallen behind you by many steps, and I cannot explain it clearly. In fact, I feel that I have been preparing for several very important things in life, but after such a long time of preparation, I have not accomplished a single one. This makes me look down on myself a bit, and you probably cannot understand this...

Just casually speaking, why did you come to Beijing? Is there something you want to do, or is there a good opportunity, or did someone invite you?

At the entrance of the community, He Su, while looking at the distance of the vehicle displayed on his phone, seemingly casually brought up the topic with Chen Kewei: "Don't you think it's a bit funny?"

Since Kong Kong moved in, Chen Kewei rarely entered the study. He moved his laptop, PS4, and some game discs into the bedroom, unreservedly giving the study to her, and did his best to ensure that she had a relatively independent and free space.

You can rest assured, I believe there is no possibility of that for the time being. I haven't been on a date for a long time. The last time my family arranged for me to meet a girl, we had dinner and then lost contact.

Chen Kewai had not yet had the chance to respond when He Su interjected: "Don't you know? He bought it in the first half of last year, just before the housing prices skyrocketed... By the way, you are really lucky," she turned to Chen Kewai and said, "And the license plate, how did you manage to get it in just three years? There are people in our company who have been trying for five or six years with no success."

Why do today's cleaning products have to be so complicated, cumbersome, and elaborate? She let out a sigh, which mingled with the spring breeze blowing in through the window

A couple of months ago, Kong Kong's original landlord suddenly called to say that they wanted to sell the house. Before she could even understand what was happening, the real estate agent began bringing one group of potential buyers after another to view the property, most often two or three couples at a time. Everyone was very polite, calling in advance to schedule a visit at a time convenient for Kong Kong. Before entering, they would nod and smile, put on disposable shoe covers, and each person would say, "Sorry to disturb you." They moved from the kitchen to the bedroom, carefully inspecting every detail, not even overlooking the corners of the restroom and bathroom. There were one or two occasions when Kong Kong suddenly remembered that the clothes she had changed out of after her shower the previous day were still hanging in the bathroom, but it was already too late to go and collect them.

Did your parents not talk to you about marriage?" Kong Kong asked

With a crack, Kong Kong broke the wooden chopsticks, stunned; she clearly did not expect the conversation to take this direction

She simply did not expect that time would pass so quickly—just after the first week had passed, a month followed, and now it has already been her second month living here

The waiter, dressed in a Japanese yukata, quickly brought over the wasabi octopus, sweet shrimp, and a glass of yuzu liquor mixed with soda that Kong Kong had ordered. In the brief silence, Kong Kong felt that Chen Kewei's invitation to dinner today was not a mere whim

It's fine, it's just a nickname. Some acquaintances even refer to each other by their WeChat nicknames. I don't think it's worth making a big deal out of it

She set down the glass cup, gazing out the window. In that moment, her eyes seemed to be shrouded in a thin veil of mist, concealing a profound secret within. However, after she blinked, that secret fell into darkness, never to reveal any trace again

"It’s fine to stay like this forever," Chen Kewai finally relaxed completely. The trembling uncertainty that had been hanging over his heart since he received He Su's WeChat message had finally dissipated. He was very pleased that things were progressing so smoothly. "We are friends, after all. If our positions were reversed today, you would do the same."

As he slowly walked back from the entrance of the community alone, the words spoken by He Su resurfaced in his mind. He certainly understood her implication, but at this stage, he did not have a particularly clear objective. The thought of inviting Kong Kong to come and stay naturally emerged when he first learned of her situation, like an instinctive reaction

Like Kong Kong, He Su was also visiting Chen Kewei's home for the first time. They were both somewhat surprised by the tidiness and cleanliness of his house. When Chen Kewei was not paying attention, the two girls exchanged a glance, a silent understanding that conveyed: it turns out not all boys live in a mess.

I do not understand, why do you not call her Biwei

He Su is one of the few people in Beijing whom she can truly call a friend, but often, Kong Kong is aware that this so-called friendship is somewhat diluted: in fact, she does not particularly like He Su—it's not to the point of dislike, but she simply cannot achieve true intimacy. "Perhaps it is because our natures are fundamentally different," Kong Kong offered an explanation that perhaps only she could understand

However, He Su seems completely unaware of this; she still retains the enthusiasm for others that she had during her student days, which now seems somewhat excessive. She said that "I will inquire for you" was not a mere formality. Later that day, she sent a WeChat message to Chen Kewei: "Do you know anyone who is renting out a house recently?"

In front of strangers, her private life was exposed completely. Although it was not serious enough to warrant consideration of dignity, Kong Kong felt that she could no longer endure it.

Chen Kewai walked in from the entrance of the Japanese restaurant. At a glance, Kong Kong spotted him and waved, softly calling out "Over here". He nodded, indicating that he had seen.

She is not the least bit concerned about his house purchase, renovation, or the lottery process, nor the implications that arise from these matters. She shows no interest in inquiring about any details, such as how much down payment his parents made, what the monthly mortgage is, or whether the parking space is his own. These daily affairs of his are, in her eyes, a distant illusion. When he realizes this, he experiences a subtle feeling in his heart, one that is both akin to loss and yet entirely opposite to it.

Chen Kewei smiled faintly, not exposing her self-righteousness—how could it be unimaginable? He had not moved into a house bearing his name on the first day after graduation. Kong Kong, with a furrowed brow and a softly complaining demeanor, reminded him of some of his younger female colleagues, who, despite being the same age as him, still carried a certain naivety and vivacity as they entered society.

They watched a Pixar animated film together. The takeout was not finished, and Chen Kewai put the leftovers into a garbage bag and threw it into the trash can in the hallway. When he entered, He Su had already picked up her bag and said that she should head back.

Next, He Su spoke about some other things, but Kong Kong had already stopped listening. Those terms were quite unfamiliar to her, as if they were remarkable things from another world, yet they held no significance for her

What is your daily routine like? I think it would be good to have a slight understanding of it, so that I can try not to disturb you, " Kong Kong said, " If there is anything I need to pay special attention to, any boundaries I should not cross, please let me know.

When Chen Kewai entered the house, Kongkong had already finished her bath. He did not expect her to be so quick, which surprised him a little. She was tightly wrapping her hair with a mustard yellow towel.

"You can just take a look," Chen Kewai said, following closely behind her. "If you want to put your books up there, I can take some time to organize them and clear a row for you."

At this age, most people's lives are like this, with not so many interesting things happening, Chen Kewei smiled and said, "The internet has drained everyone's energy, which was unimaginable when we were young"

"There aren't too many strict limitations. But I personally think the faster, the better. Every now and then, a group of people comes to view the house, and you can't imagine how annoying that is," said Kongkong.

He Su said that day: "Bi Wei, let's go to Chiang Mai together when we have time. I went there once before and really liked it. And you," she turned to Chen Kewei, "aren't you single too? You are allowed to join us."

Regarding Chen Kewei's generosity, Kongkong's heart is filled with gratitude. She initially believed that this was merely a transitional period, and as soon as she found a suitable place, she would move out immediately

I work from Monday to Friday, departing at 8:30 in the morning and finishing at 6:00 in the afternoon, with overtime being unpredictable. Typically, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I go to the gym for an hour of running after work, and then I bring back a light meal to eat. I do not have fixed plans on weekends; occasionally, I will have a meal with friends or gather together. If no one invites me, I stay at home to play video games or read books.

She walked into the study, glanced at the single bed, and then turned to look at the overflowing bookshelf, where many books caught her interest—this seemed to be the most delightful thing for her today

After hanging up the phone, Kong Kong realized that she had not eaten anything for an entire day. The coffee had stimulated her stomach, causing slight cramps, and a hunger pang, more intense and real than fatigue, seized her.

Initially, it was He Su and Chen Kewei who accompanied her to search for a place, these two friends who had been living and working in Beijing for over five years—especially Chen Kewei, who had been here since his school days—provided valuable experience and assistance to K空. She recalled that on the day she signed the lease contract, the three of them had a meal together at a Southeast Asian restaurant, which was recommended by He Su, who particularly enjoyed the green papaya salad and curry crab from that establishment

Did you buy it?" she asked foolishly

"I truly admire you for handling the renovation all by yourself," He Su remarked, raising an eyebrow. Kong Kong had remained silent, feeling hesitant to admit that she actually did not quite understand their conversation. It was only at this moment that she realized this was Chen Ke's own house.

It is quite strange that once there are no vested interests, anyone can be a good person. Driven by a compulsive-like obsession with cleanliness, Kong Kong quickly deleted her uncle's number. She was unaware of how many numbers in others' phones might never be dialed more than a few times in a lifetime, but she hoped to keep her contact list as concise as possible

Kong Kong did not expect Chen Kewei to know, but immediately felt that there was nothing he could not let him know, so he candidly admitted: "No. Looking back now, if it weren't for your and He Su's help before, I probably wouldn't have been able to find the place I live in so quickly."

Chen Kewai did not know how to respond to questions about luck, and a shy smile, reminiscent of his school days and existing in the void of memory, appeared on his face

After a while, a white Audi stopped not far from her. The passenger window rolled down, and He Su leaned out, saying: "Bi Wei, I've arrived"

Then what about your colleagues? Is that it?" Kong Kong found it hard to believe. He Su was even more surprised: "What else can we do? Should we report it to the landlord?"

However, shouldn't one strive to protect their own rights? As Kong Kong heard these words come out of her own mouth, before He Su could respond, she had already sensed the foolishness that permeated those words

The washing machine is operating in a mode with a water temperature of 30 °C and a completion time of forty minutes. She moved a wooden chair from the dining room and sat on the small balcony, listening to the rumbling sound of the washing machine while reading "Slaughterhouse-Five" in her hands

Kong Kong no longer insisted, as she was already 26 years old and understood that in this world, some things are ultimately futile no matter how much you want to take control. Moreover, He Su was not an important person to her; an unimportant person cannot truly bring you a sense of defeat.

After she finished drinking water and returned to the study, a somewhat strange thought sprang from her not-so-clear mind as she gently pushed the door shut

When her coffee was almost finished, her phone vibrated on the table. It was a call from Chen Kewai, who was about to finish work, asking her where she was and if she had time to have dinner together. She provided the address, and after thinking for a moment, Chen Kewai mentioned that there was a nice Japanese restaurant nearby: "You go ahead and secure a table, I will come find you later"

Kong Kong examined every nook and cranny of the house, much like those who came to see where she lived, and ultimately concluded: this house should not be priced this way; a house of this quality should not have such a price.

In the middle of the night, Kong Kong woke up, her throat dry as if it had been choked by sand. For someone who grew up in the south, adapting to the climate of Beijing takes some time. She crawled out of bed and tiptoed to the living room to pour herself a glass of water. As she passed Chen Kewei's bedroom, she noticed that the door was tightly shut.

At 3 PM, the air quality monitoring app indicated "Excellent" and recommended opening the window to obtain clean and fresh air

Hehe, He Su coldly laughed once and said, "Chen Kewei, don't think that I don't know what you are thinking."

If only Kong Kong had paid a little more attention to others, she should have been able to notice that on the day she moved into Chen Kewei's home, He Su's expression was actually somewhat unnatural. However, all of Kong Kong's thoughts were focused on her two boxes of luggage, naturally overlooking certain facts hidden beneath the surface.

"When I met you, you were called Li Biwei, and your name on your ID is also Li Biwei. Why must we call you Kongkong? Don't you think it's a bit pretentious?" He Suli retorted confidently, with an attitude that friends should not shy away from speaking the truth. She was not afraid of offending Kongkong, nor did she think this would offend her.

After parting ways with the agent, she went to a nearby Starbucks, purchased a large iced Americano, and then sat down at an outdoor table. For a moment, she was engulfed in confusion, her thoughts filled with vast emptiness. She could no longer recall why finding her first apartment had gone so smoothly. By the time she had consumed half of her coffee, she finally regained her composure.

As Chen Kewai listened to her speak, she had a feeling—this was not her own language; she was merely repeating what others had told her, echoing their words like a parrot. From her indifferent demeanor, it was evident that this might be one of the reasons that brought her here, but it was certainly not the core of the secret.

Chen Kewei felt somewhat guilty and, under the gaze of the other party, pretended to be relaxed as he explained: "Please do not misunderstand, I have no other intentions. I just think that since you have only recently arrived, there are many things that are not yet prepared, and I happen to be able to help. My study has a single bed; previously, when my parents occasionally came to visit me, I would give them my bedroom and sleep in the study. The study is usually empty, so I thought it might as well be used..."

He Su first expressed his opinion: "Chen Kewei, you have quite good taste. I really like this natural wood-colored furniture, and the curtains are also quite beautiful. Did you choose them yourself?"

Kong Kong did not respond, only thinking to himself: But I do not need "Sanlitun"

This book was taken by her from the bookshelf in the study, not brought from home; it belongs to Chen Kewei

After she finished speaking, she laughed first, with fine laugh lines around her nose. She revealed two front teeth that were noticeably larger than the others, resembling a rabbit. This expression made her appear a few years younger than her actual age

It is clearly a matter of innocence without any hidden malice, yet he suddenly found it somewhat difficult to continue speaking

"Consider the cost of time, Biwei, this is Beijing, time is more valuable than money," Hesu sighed, his tone resembling that of someone instructing a naive youth or perhaps admonishing a middle-aged person who has fallen behind the times. "I advise you not to dwell on trivial matters, but to focus on finding a place to live. I will also keep an eye out and inquire on your behalf."

I don't know, I didn't pay attention. Do you want to change places to live?

Oh, I think that is a minor issue. I still have some savings," Kong Kong said, "Besides, I won't be staying for long; this is just a transitional period, right?

I don't know why, but at this moment she seems more like herself than before. "I saw a bottle of sparkling wine in the fridge, can I have a glass?" Kong Kong asked. As she started to drink, she relaxed completely and began to chat casually with Chen Kewei.

Previously, when I was at the weekly publication, there was a mentor who guided me, or should I say a teacher? In any case, she is now considered my boss. A few years ago, she came to Beijing to engage in new media, coinciding with the rise of that trend. With good fortune, she found investors and started her own company, which expanded its business quite rapidly. Now, she says she wants to venture into the film and television industry and is looking to assemble a content team, recruiting one or two literary planners, which reminded her of me

Ah, haha, that... she masked her true emotions with a forced smile, "I'll tell you once I've accomplished something, at least wait until I have truly achieved one thing."

Chen Kewai held a cola, gazing at the empty, slightly opening mouth, his thoughts drifting somewhat. The sensations in his heart, akin to the small bubbles in carbonated drinks, burst one after another, releasing subtle joys that were not easily discernible

On a weekend afternoon, the landlord and the agent came over to handle the lease termination. After a brief inventory of the items on the handover list, everything was quickly concluded. Kong Kong found it hard to believe that the person who had been so domineering on the phone had suddenly transformed into this amiable uncle in front of her. As she handed over the keys, he even gently said to her, "Little girl, keep my number. If you need any help, you can call me, uncle."

She is still saying: "This doesn't count as me being overly worried, right? At your age, having a romantic partner, a love life, and needs is completely normal..."

Chen Kewei almost laughed out loud. In his original expectation, he thought that Kongkong would first be concerned about more practical matters, such as, "Will I get to stay for free, or will I have to pay? If I have to pay, how will it be calculated?" He did not anticipate that the first difficulty she raised would actually be this.