Chapter 3: Seeking a Roommate

What are you doing? Why is there not a hint of a man's boldness? Instead, you act like a nagging woman?" The young girl shook off Chen Shihua's hand and said discontentedly

As Chen Shihao was lost in thought, the sound of keys unlocking the door broke the silence, and the door swung open. A woman with shoulder-length short hair, carrying a handbag, dressed in a fitted black suit dress over a long-collared white shirt, and possessing a curvaceous figure entered. Chen Shihao could not clearly see the woman's appearance, as she bent down to remove her high heels and change into slippers as soon as she stepped inside

Chen Shihao looked at the sky, sighed, and realized that he could only go to this place and try his luck. It was no longer about worrying over the 300 yuan rent, but rather whether the other party would accept him. If the other party found him displeasing, he would have no choice but to stay in a hotel. Although he was reluctant to end up on the streets, he had heard that the urban management officers were quite formidable. Today, he was stopped by several uniformed individuals, and had it not been for his admission notice, he would have already been taken away as a vagrant.

After chatting for a while, another security guard came to take over Uncle Li's shift and informed him that there was a matter at the school that required his attention. Uncle Li had no choice but to apologize to Chen Shihao and inform him where there were advertisements for rental. He then asked him to stay in the duty room a little longer. Without waiting for Chen Shihao to respond, he left.

After finally completing a task, Chen Shihau had the opportunity to call the only telephone in the village—the village chief's house. He originally intended for the village chief to inform his family of his arrival, but unfortunately, the phone line indicated that the number had been changed. When he dialed the new number as instructed, it turned out to be a disconnected line. In his frustration, he had no choice but to call his former school and ask the duty officer to relay a message to a teacher from his village, informing him that he had arrived safely and requesting that he pass the message on to his family.

The security guard glanced suspiciously at the note, and upon seeing the address, his brow twitched. He returned the note to Chen Shihao and said, "Wait a moment, I need to confirm with the resident." With that, he walked over to his partner sitting at the front desk.

The girl, who was originally wiping her sweat with a towel while smiling and about to say something, saw Chen Shih-hao turn and leave. She hurriedly opened the security door, chased after him, and called out: "Hey! Aren't you here to rent a room?"

As Chen Shihao entered the gate, he heard the security guard behind him whisper to his partner, "Another guy who isn't afraid of death." His partner then laughed and said, "Hehe, those who aren't afraid of death these days all look quite handsome."

Chen Shihao paid no attention to the meaning of this statement; he had already arrived at the elevator door. Although he had never taken an elevator before, he had seen it in movies and knew how to use it. The moment he stepped into the elevator, he suddenly remembered that such buildings charged management fees, and they were quite expensive. Although he felt a bit worried, he thought that the shared management fees shouldn't be too high, but it was still far beyond his rental budget by one or two hundred yuan. He secretly decided that if he was accepted, he would stay for a month first, and then move out immediately if he found a place with a rent of one or two hundred yuan. Although he felt a bit worried, he thought that the shared management fees shouldn't be too high, but it was still far beyond his rental budget by one or two hundred yuan. He secretly decided that if he was accepted, he would stay for a month first, and then move out immediately if he found a place with a rent of one or two hundred yuan.

In such whimsical thoughts, Chen Shihao arrived at the 44th floor. Upon exiting, he discovered that there were not the ten or so households he had imagined, but rather only five or six. Based on the foundation, each unit here has a very spacious area. Moreover, the lighting is excellent, the air is fresh, and the view is expansive. If he could live here, how wonderful it would be. He truly does not understand why some people fear the terror brought by numbers.

Chen Shihao suddenly raised his head upon hearing the last sentence, his gaze unwavering as he stared directly at the girl. This startled the girl, who thought Chen Shihao was about to do something. In a bit of a panic, she struck a karate stance and exclaimed, "What do you want to do? I am a 10th dan in karate!"

The young man angrily shouted: "Damn it! Why didn't you say so earlier? This time, it's your treat!"

Chen Shihao felt a surge of frustration. How could this girl keep calling everyone "girl"? Didn't she realize that she was a girl herself? Initially, Chen Shihao intended to turn around and leave, but he was stunned by what he saw. Upon entering, there was a 1 square meter area for changing shoes, composed of two transparent glass cabinets. By the door were several pairs of colorful shoes, indicating that more than one girl lived in this house.

Chen Shihao stared blankly at the advertisement, not because of the elegant font or the fragrant scent of the paper. His own handwriting was quite delicate, and many papers today are infused with fragrances during production. It was not the prospect of the interview that left him in a daze; after all, if he ended up sharing a rental with a bad person, it would be unfortunate. Even if he were to find someone to share the rent, he would need to meet the other party first.

Standing at the door, Chen Shihao can see the structure of the room. On the right side, near the glass cabinet, is a brilliantly decorated hall, which is furnished with a complete set of home appliances, as well as two luxurious sofas and coffee tables. By the looks of it, the hall alone spans several dozen square meters. Outside the hall is a balcony that offers a view of the distant scenery.

This advertisement states: "Seeking a roommate, all furniture, appliances, and bathrooms are fully equipped, the rent for a single room is 300 yuan per month. Interested parties may go to Room 4, 44th Floor, Building 4, Rainbow Street for an interview. PS: We need to meet with potential tenants before making a decision on the rental."

At this moment, Chen Shihao saw two young men standing in front of the advertisement board, and the advertisement they were looking at was the pink flyer. One of the young men, holding the flyer, smiled and said to his companion, "The font is so elegant, and the paper smells so good. Don't you think it's a girl looking for a roommate?"

Chen Shihao is not accustomed to speaking with unfamiliar people, and even with those he is familiar with, he rarely initiates conversation. If it were not for Uncle Li's enthusiastic inquiries, Chen Shihao would remain silent even in Uncle Li's company. Therefore, shortly after Uncle Li left, Chen Shihao also departed.

After the duty officer responded in a lukewarm manner, Chen Shihao finally hung up the phone. When he went to pay, he discovered that the phone bill amounted to over 10 yuan, which made him somewhat regretful for not having purchased a phone card. However, recalling that he rarely made phone calls in the past and instead wrote letters to his family, he decided to let it go.

Chen Shihao smiled helplessly. Although he did not know how many ranks there were in karate, he could tell that the girl in front of him was at most a beginner, just by her stance. He lowered his head again; his earlier strong reaction was because the girl had touched a sore spot—he was most unwilling to be called effeminate. He also knew that his father had always hoped he would possess masculinity. Although he worked hard to train himself, no matter what, the appearance and temperament he inherited from his mother made it impossible for him to look like someone with masculine traits.

Chen Shihao awkwardly turned his head down and said, "I apologize, I came here after seeing that advertisement, but I did not know you were looking for a female tenant. I am sorry for the disturbance." After saying this, he intended to turn and leave again

It was still dusk when Chen Shihao arrived at Building 4 on Rainbow Street. Upon seeing the signboard next to the building, Chen Shihao was momentarily stunned. The basement housed a two-story parking lot, the first and second floors contained a supermarket, the third to seventh floors were occupied by a large shopping mall, the eighth to tenth floors featured a gym, café, and similar establishments, while the eleventh floor and above were designated for residential apartments

Chen Shihao walked dazedly towards the entrance of the residential building. He had never seen such a massive structure in his life. Judging by the wide foundation, at least a dozen households could reside on one floor. Upon reaching the entrance, Chen Shihao was immediately stopped by a security guard, who inquired, "May I ask who you are looking for?"

Chen Shihao is not afraid of these at all. One reason is that he is an atheist; another is that he grew up in the countryside. There was a period when, in order to save on accommodation and meal expenses, he often walked home along mountain paths in the dark after evening study sessions at school. Although he later stayed at school due to his father's strict attitude, his courage had already been cultivated during that time.

The young girl pulled Chen Shihao into the room while saying, "Come in quickly; we need to thoroughly assess whether you are qualified to live here. You should know that you are the only one who has responded to my advertisement in the past two months." The girl noticed that she was unable to pull Chen Shihao along, and when she turned around, she found that he was still looking down.

After having dinner, Chen Shihao returned to the advertisement board he had seen for the first time. He hoped that during this time, someone would post a new advertisement. A casual glance immediately revealed a pink advertisement affixed there. Knowing that there had not been a pink advertisement last time, Chen Shihao quickly approached to take a closer look.

Chen Shihao understood that there are no such cheap deals in the world. He gave up this piece of paper and left again to continue his search. When the sun was setting, Chen Shihao returned here once more. During this time, he had not seen any other rental advertisements on the other billboards; even those one or two rental ads priced at five to six hundred yuan had been taken down.

What should I do now? Should I leave this school and go home? Given my father's authoritarian nature, he would definitely break my legs. Even if he doesn't, he would still spend money to rent a place for me outside, which would only increase the burden on the family. Moreover, the round-trip tickets would cost around 500 to 600, which is a complete waste for someone who is destined to be sent back. Renting a place outside, it's obvious that in this bustling city, the rent is particularly high, and I really can't bear that hefty rent. Furthermore, the round-trip tickets would cost around 500 to 600, which is a complete waste for someone who is destined to be sent back. Renting a place outside, it's obvious that in this bustling city, the rent is particularly high, and I really can't bear that hefty rent.

Since the other party has said so, and he himself may not be selected, the most important reason is that it is now dark. Under these circumstances, Chen Shihao lowered his head and walked into the door.

Uncle Li might know what Chen Shihao is thinking and spoke up to remind him: "Don't worry, although the rent here is particularly expensive, you won't find a place for less than one or two thousand yuan. However, many people now share an apartment, which brings the cost down to about five or six hundred yuan. I have heard students say that there are places for one or two hundred yuan a month, but that means several people have to squeeze into each room"

Chen Shihao turned to look at the tightly closed door, shifting his feet slightly. However, thinking of the pitch darkness outside and the fact that staying at an inn for one night might equal a month's rent here, he couldn't help but grit his teeth, put down his suitcase, take off his sneakers, and change into a pair of slippers. At that moment, for some reason, Chen Shihao suddenly felt relieved that he did not have a foot odor problem. But soon, a wave of sadness washed over him, as he realized that the delicate and petite slippers fit his feet perfectly, neither too big nor too small. At that moment, for some reason, Chen Shihao suddenly felt relieved that he did not have a foot odor problem. But soon, a wave of sadness washed over him, as he realized that the delicate and petite slippers fit his feet perfectly, neither too big nor too small.

After finishing a 10 yuan meal box at a street-side restaurant, Chen Shihao couldn't help but feel that the meal box was not worth the 10 yuan. He recalled that the 3 yuan fast food at his school cafeteria was better than this, and the variety of dishes was clearly superior to what this 10 yuan meal box offered

Not long after the doorbell was pressed, the inner door of the security door was opened. Chen Shihao felt an immediate sense of astonishment upon seeing the person who appeared. It was a beautiful young girl in her late teens with a ponytail. She wore a white sports outfit on her upper body and black tight sports pants that did not exceed her knees on her lower body, complemented by a pair of white sneakers. This not only showcased the elegant curves of her long legs but also revealed her fair skin below the thighs.

The young girl, seeing Chen Shihau staring at her with wide eyes, couldn't help but smile with satisfaction: "I'm sorry, but there are no men's slippers here. You'll just have to make do; after all, your feet aren't that big anyway." After saying this, she laughed mischievously.

Chen Shihao did not go to listen to whether another young man had agreed to treat, but instead stepped forward to pick up the piece of paper. He nodded; now he understood why the rent was so cheap. Although he had known while in the countryside that city dwellers were more superstitious than those in rural areas, especially in developed cities where almost every household burned incense and worshipped deities, they particularly favored the numbers 8 and 9 while strongly disliking 4 and 7. At that time, he thought those people were slandering city dwellers with their nonsense, but only today did he realize that it was true. Although he had known while in the countryside that city dwellers were more superstitious than those in rural areas, especially in developed cities where almost every household burned incense and worshipped deities, they particularly favored the numbers 8 and 9 while strongly disliking 4 and 7. At that time, he thought those people were slandering city dwellers with their nonsense, but only today did he realize that it was true.

Another young man snorted, "Pah! What a load of nonsense about trends. Do you know anyone who shares a rental with an unfamiliar member of the opposite sex? Those are all couples who don't want others to know about their relationship. Do you really believe what the newspapers write? If you were a woman, would you be willing to live under the same roof as a stranger?"

Chen Shihao merely glanced at the extraordinarily beautiful girl, and immediately his face turned crimson as he lowered his head. He softly uttered, "I am sorry," and attempted to turn and leave.

Chen Shihao spent quite some time arriving at the place where Uncle Li had told him to look for student rental advertisements, and began to carefully search for the ads. After reviewing all the advertisements, he realized that there were no listings for shared rentals. It was likely still the holiday season, and students were all at home, so no one would be looking for shared accommodations at this time. Instead, all the postings were for entire apartments for rent, with prices starting from 1,500, which was indeed consistent with what Uncle Li had mentioned.

The young man said with dissatisfaction: "Come on! Don't ruin my beautiful dream. Didn't the newspaper say that co-renting with the opposite sex is very popular now?"

Another young man curled his lip and said: "If the handwriting is elegant and the paper has a pleasant fragrance, it must be written by a girl. I was fooled once before; when I went to take a look, I found that the landlord was actually a rough-looking homosexual, which scared me so much that I had nightmares for three days. Moreover, if the landlord is a girl, she usually specifies that only female roommates are accepted. If this is not stated, you need not indulge in fantasies."

Chen Shihao saw the security guard speaking into the microphone at the counter, but could not hear what he was saying. After a while, the security guard pressed a button on the counter, opened the door, and gestured for Chen Shihao to come in.

After spending a good part of the day, it was already afternoon. Although Chen Shihao had seen a few other billboards, which had one or two advertisements for shared rentals, all of them required five to six hundred. This was far from Chen Shihao's expectation of a rent of one to two hundred. With no other option, Chen Shihao decided to have a meal first and then continue his search.

Chen Shihao knew that although he still had over 6,000 in his account, this amount represented his living expenses for three years. Even if he rented a room costing 500 to 600, he could only stay for 10 months. Naturally, Chen Shihao was not discouraged; he left this advertisement board and began searching for other advertisement boards near Nanda Affiliated High School.

Chen Shihao first arrived at the bank specified in the notification letter. The bank, upon realizing that he was a new student from Nanda Affiliated High School, handed him a bank card that matched the account number on the notification letter, urging him to deposit the money quickly. When Chen Shihao took out the nationwide universal passbook, the bank stated that this passbook did not belong to their institution and instructed him to transfer the funds to the corresponding bank. As a result, Chen Shihao had no choice but to carry his luggage for half an hour before he found the bank where the passbook was opened to complete the registration process. When Chen Shihao took out the nationwide universal passbook, the bank again stated that this passbook did not belong to their institution and instructed him to transfer the funds to the corresponding bank. Consequently, Chen Shihao had to carry his luggage for half an hour before he found the bank where the passbook was opened to complete the registration process

The girl saw Chen Shihao enter and, while mumbling to herself, closed the door. The perceptive Chen Shihao caught a few words: "Really, it’s as if I’m eager for you to come and stay. If it weren’t to reduce the rent, if it weren’t for the fact that no one has inquired for months, if it weren’t for the indifference of others, I wouldn’t let a smelly guy like you come for an interview. However, this guy looks quite frail and somewhat feminine, so he probably poses no threat."

Chen Shihao entered the living room and felt that it was extremely luxurious and vast, a sensation that intensified upon his arrival. He glanced at the opulent sofa and then at himself; Chen Shihao merely stood to the side, too timid to sit down or move around. He conservatively estimated that the exquisite furniture in the living room would cost at least several thousand to purchase, and he feared that if he accidentally damaged or soiled anything, he would be in trouble. At that moment, Chen Shihao suddenly found the situation a bit strange, as a house with such furniture could not possibly be rented for just 300 yuan for a room. So why would the tenants here post such an advertisement?

The young man scratched his head and said, "That's true, but look here, it clearly states that the furniture, appliances, and bathroom are all complete for only 300 yuan. Isn't that cheap? Shouldn't we go take a look?" As he spoke, he handed over the advertisement.

He was staring blankly at the line "Furniture, appliances, and bathroom are all complete, single room rent is 300 yuan per month" because he had just seen so many advertisements and knew that a single room with complete furniture, appliances, and bathroom would cost at least 700 yuan or more. How could it be only 300 yuan here? Although it was only 100 yuan more than his requirement of 200 yuan, when he couldn't find a place, he could reluctantly accept this price. But who could say that there was nothing strange about it

Chen Shihao, who had never enjoyed the scenery from such a high place, lingered by the window in the corridor for quite a while before finally walking to the door marked with the number 4. After taking a deep breath, he pressed the doorbell.

The woman might have seen Chen Shihao's luggage and sports shoes, and she couldn't help but let out a soft "oh" as she raised her head. Chen Shihao, who was looking at her, felt a jolt in his heart; she was yet another beautiful woman, even more stunning than the girl from earlier, as she exuded a sense of mature charm. The woman quickly noticed Chen Shihao and his gaze, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly. Chen Shihao realized that he had given off a frivolous impression, and he hurriedly lowered his head, his face flushed with embarrassment, unsure of where to place his hands. The woman quickly noticed Chen Shihao and his gaze, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly. Chen Shihao realized that he had given off a frivolous impression, and he hurriedly lowered his head, his face flushed with embarrassment, unsure of where to place his hands.

Chen Shihao suddenly saw a hand waving in front of him, while hearing the voice of the girl: "Hey, wake up, quickly change your slippers." He couldn't help but wake up in a hurry, and as his head drooped again, he saw the slippers placed in front of him, causing him to lift his head abruptly. This was a pair of slippers adorned with beautiful flowers, pink in color, meant for women.

Chen Shihao saw that pure and beautiful smile, and his heart began to race uncontrollably, causing him to hurriedly lower his head in embarrassment. Perhaps noticing Chen Shihao's flushed face, the young girl smiled even more joyfully. While laughing, she said, "I will go call the other guests down to see if they are willing for you to stay. You can go sit in the living room for now." After saying this, she ignored Chen Shihao's reaction and ran upstairs.

The girl's voice rang out like a babbling spring, incessantly pleasant to the ears; however, such direct reprimands left Chen Shihao blushing and at a loss for how to respond

Chen Shihao felt a surge of joy upon hearing this. Compared to five or six hundred yuan, the one or two hundred yuan per month was still acceptable to him, and he was not afraid of squeezing in; as long as there was a place to sleep, that was sufficient. It was only at this moment, having made a decision, that Chen Shihao felt in the mood to respond to Uncle Li's inquiries about matters in the village.

Another young man said without even looking: "Please take a look at the address below, it is all 4s, which means death! If you want to go, go by yourself."

On the left side of the glass cabinet is a dining area furnished with six chairs and a round dining table, which also features a very modern kitchen. The kitchen is fully equipped with appliances such as a refrigerator and a microwave, while directly in front of the entrance is a staircase. Upon seeing this staircase, Chen Shihao realized that there is also a terrace above the hall, indicating that this is a duplex structure.

The young man, upon hearing this, hurriedly took a look and confirmed it to be true. He exclaimed in frustration and tossed the piece of paper aside, then pulled another young man along, saying they should go eat pig's trotter noodles to ward off the bad luck

Chen Shihao detected that the term "you" was devoid of any respect. Naturally, he did not mind and hurriedly handed over the pink note, saying: "I am here to rent a house"

As they were leaving, another young man smugly remarked, "Hehe, do you think you are the first one to see it? I saw it a month ago. That piece of paper, once torn, will reappear in just a few days. So when I saw that paper, I knew it was the room with all 4s available for rent again"

The young girl made a gesture that did not quite match her beautiful demeanor. She grabbed Chen Shihao and forcefully turned him around, puffing up with anger as she pointed at him and said: "What is wrong with you? The advertisement did not specify that a female tenant was needed. Why do you assume things without listening to what others say? Hey! I mean, why are you so rude? When someone is talking to you, why do you keep your head down? You should know that looking into someone's eyes while they are speaking is a form of politeness!" The advertisement did not specify that a female tenant was needed. Why do you assume things without listening to what others say? Hey! I mean, why are you so rude? When someone is talking to you, why do you keep your head down? You should know that looking into someone's eyes while they are speaking is a form of politeness!

Chen Shihao relied on the map to locate the position of Rainbow Street and found it to be quite close to Nanda Affiliated High School, estimating that it would take about 30 minutes to reach. Thus, Chen Shihao dismissed the idea of taking a vehicle and walked towards Rainbow Street with his luggage.