Chapter 3
Zheng Weize was stunned when he arrived at No. 7 Riverbay Road. Such a wonderful house, going for just ¥3,700 a month?! But he made sure to feign composure and adopt an aloof display, nodding from time to time to show his approval.
Zhang Yuwen saw through this young man’s pretense at a glance, but being a mild-tempered person, he didn’t take offense. He had nothing against this guy’s personality either. In fact, the more eccentric the potential tenants, the better the material he’d be able to gather for his novel.
“I have exactly the same dining table as you do,” Zheng Weize said with a smile.
“Are you a bottom?” Zhang Yuwen asked in passing. He could see that the guy had light makeup on, and there weren’t that many guys in this city who wore makeup regularly.
“I’m a top!” Zheng Weize was quick to clarify.
Twenty-two years old this year, Zheng Weize had fair, delicate skin and dressed like an internet celebrity bottom. Zhang Yuwen was half a head taller than him.
Zhang Yuwen smiled at him again. “Are you studying or working?”
“I’m in university,” Zheng Weize lied. In truth, he hadn’t made it into university—or rather, he hadn’t wanted to continue with his studies after graduating from high school.
Zhang Yuwen hummed in reply. The nearest university was five stations away, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about renting a place off campus if your studies weren’t too demanding.
“I’ll take this one.” Zheng Weize chose another room on the first floor. “That room’s taken, right?”
“Yeah,” Zhang Yuwen replied. “He’ll move in later.”
“What kind of person is he?”
Zhang Yuwen was very protective of his tenants’ privacy. “A tenant just like you. It’s not my place to reveal more about him. When you become friends with him, you can ask him yourself.”
“Can you make it cheaper?” Zheng Weize asked.
“It’s already the lowest it can be.”
A 345-square-foot bedroom in a wealthy neighborhood with convenient access to transport and utilities included in the rent—and he still wanted to bargain? Zhang Yuwen was astounded, but he knew some people haggled out of habit. Instead of getting angry, he found Zheng Weize interesting.
“All right then,” Zheng Weize said. “I’ll move in tomorrow, but can I pay you a few days later? My salary for the month isn’t in yet.”
“Sure,” Zhang Yuwen agreed. “Are you working part-time while you study?”
“Oh.” Zheng Weize, lacking in social experience, had accidentally given himself away. “I’m working on a project for my senior, and there’s funding.”
Zhang Yuwen only asked in passing, but he noticed Zheng Weize was constantly sizing him up. This guy’s efforts to uphold his image and persona reminded him of his ex-boyfriend—a young man who was always all bluff and bluster, not wanting to be seen as the weaker party in their relationship.
Zhang Yuwen informed Zheng Weize of some things he ought to keep in mind, while Zheng Weize absently listened, nodding occasionally.
He showed no objection to the rule prohibiting tenants from bringing their partners to stay overnight.
When he was done, Zheng Weize asked, “Any parking space here?”
Zhang Yuwen was surprised. “You can reach the underground garage from the side road. There are two parking spaces there. Do you need parking?”
“Oh…” Zheng Weize didn’t have a car or a driver’s license. “Never mind.”
Zhang Yuwen felt puzzled.
“It’s nothing.” This was just one part of Zheng Weize’s bluff.
“Need help moving?” Zhang Yuwen asked.
“Nope. Give me the keys, I’ll move in myself.”
Zhang Yuwen took Zheng Weize to the main entrance to record his fingerprints, and with that, Zheng Weize’s new residence was decided.
Starting today, Zheng Weize needed to pay his own rent. ¥3,700 a month—he would have to scrimp and save to afford it. He walked a short distance along the river to catch the bus, as it was two yuan cheaper than the subway. After a shaky ride, he arrived at his destination, a sixth-story apartment building. He fished out his keys and opened the door.
“Where have you been?” asked his former colleague, who was eating takeout at home. The living room was a mess, with heaps of drink cartons and instant noodle cups strewn everywhere. A Korean drama was playing on the television.
“I’ve found a new place to live,” Zheng Weize said with cool indifference. “I’ll move out soon.”
“Eh!” His former colleague was a straight guy who lived with his girlfriend. He used to work with Zheng Weize at the same cosmetics counter selling lipsticks. At first, being the senior, he took good care of the newcomer, Zheng Weize. Not only did he personally guide him in his work, but he even allowed him to stay in his rented apartment—a move that touched Zheng Weize, who was on his own in the big city.
Innately and instinctively unable to resist the protective nature and indiscriminate flirting of straight men, Zheng Weize developed a deep attachment to him, at one point thinking he could turn this former colleague gay. He cooked for him, bought him clothes, and took meticulous care of him, trying his best to nurture feelings that weren’t destined to blossom. The result was inevitable. Not only did he fail, he also incurred significant sunk costs. What was more, after he boldly confessed his feelings, he also saw the straight guy’s cold-hearted side, as the guy quickly got himself a girlfriend and made a clean break with him.
Then there was also the exhaustion of his job, and the dual disillusionment of both work and love had left Zheng Weize despondent;
in the end, he quit his job at the cosmetics counter.
However, he still hadn’t found a satisfactory place to live after his resignation, so he shamelessly continued to stay in this straight guy’s house for five days. These five days were so torturous, it had worn down the last bit of feelings he had for the guy. Zheng Weize didn’t even want to look at him as he made a beeline for his room to pack his stuff, all the while calculating the money he’d get next month and wondering how to pay rent to Zhang Yuwen… At the same time, he heard the discussion in the living room. The straight guy’s girlfriend had been unhappy with Zheng Weize for quite some time, and even on his departure day, she was still criticizing him for not paying his share of the utility bills and for things like not cleaning the common areas… Zheng Weize threw things around his room, making some noise to remind her he still hadn’t left yet.
The closet was full of cheap, low-quality impulse buys he had only worn once. When he opened it, these musty-smelling clothes came tumbling out like an avalanche, and he was almost buried underneath them.
Under the bed lay a heap of wigs, cosmetic samples, and stuffed toys. The desk was a mess too, and beside it was his live streaming equipment: his lighting setup, a ring light, and a small fabric backdrop.
Zheng Weize pulled out two large suitcases. He didn’t know how to pack them, though, nor did he want to fold his clothes; instead, he simply shoved everything into the suitcases and kneeled on them to close the latches.
When he’d packed half of his belongings, he dragged the suitcases out of the house and left under the watchful eyes of his straight ex-colleague and his girlfriend. Struggling, he carried them down to the ground floor of the elevator-less building and dragged them to the bus stop, where he boarded a bus. By noon, he was back at No. 7 Riverbay Road.
Zhang Yuwen was having lunch, and the sight of Zheng Weize with his two huge suitcases startled him. He hadn’t expected him to keep his word and move in today. Putting down his chopsticks, he went over.
“Have you had lunch?” Zhang Yuwen asked. “Want a bite?”
“I already ate,” Zheng Weize said. “No worries, I can manage.
Thanks.”
Zhang Yuwen signaled to the housekeeper with a glance, and the woman said, “Let me help you.”
“Thanks.” Zheng Weize was moved by her offer of help, but he turned her down. “I can do it myself.”
“This is Auntie Liu,” said Zhang Yuwen. “She’s the housekeeper here. Just ask her if there’s anything you need. The other is called Xiao-Chen. She helps with the cleaning.”
“Hello,” Liu Jingfang said in greeting. “Let me do it.”
Liu Jingfang used to do the cleaning at Zhang Yuwen’s maternal grandfather’s clinic. She looked after Zhang Yuwen, too, then a child himself. Ever since the clinic closed down, she’d taken care of No. 7 Riverbay Road, as well as Zhang Yuwen’s meals and daily living needs.
Zhang Yuwen was just as good-tempered as his grandfather. He rarely got angry, but when he did, he became hostile and merciless, digging up every past grudge and grievance to settle the score. He had a great memory, and while he wasn’t easily offended, it took only one offense for him to send the offender packing. Liu Jingfang understood the personalities of this grandfather and grandson pair well, so she never played the seniority card and was always tactful.
“Thanks!” There were even housekeepers here, Zheng Weize marveled. Just what kind of TV drama plot was this?
The villa and all that it came with made him feel like he was marrying into a wealthy family, and Zhang Yuwen’s affability further fueled his fantasies, making him dream up a story where a rich heir guy took a fancy to him and posted a private message on a forum visible only to himself, luring him to a big villa where he began his life as the pampered wife to a high-powered, domineering CEO.
“I can clean it myself, thanks!” Having said thanks for the fourth time, Zheng Weize opened the door to his room, pushed in his suitcases, and closed the door softly, not wanting to show this high-powered, domineering CEO and housekeeper his messy belongings and the moldy smell that defined his life.
Taken by a sense of relief, he spent a moment admiring the view outside the window. Zhang Yuwen had renovated this place three years prior, installing in every room a large floor-to-ceiling window that opened to a balcony or garden with neatly trimmed greenery and deck chairs, resembling a beautiful vacation guesthouse.
Even now, Zheng Weize still felt like he was dreaming. He couldn’t believe he had rented such a wonderful room for so little money. The dazzling afternoon sun shining on his bed, the fluttering, sheer window curtains, and the backyard filled with the beauty of autumn—living in a place like this improved his mood.
Zheng Weize opened his closet and carefully organized his clothing, hanging up his wrinkled-as-raisins clothes one article at a time. The live streaming platform would pay out a portion of his earnings the next month, so if he could just find a way to use his credit card to get cash, he’d be able to scrape together enough money for the rent and deposit.
It would all hinge on live streaming. Zheng Weize was confident he could make money as a live streamer. After all, he’d mastered the most advanced makeup techniques and had a face that could almost be called stunning after he applied makeup to it.
The only problem was that his top fan on the live stream platform hadn’t shown up in a long time. Thinking about this made Zheng Weize sad again.
Having done a simple tidying of his room at three o’clock in the afternoon, Zheng Weize dragged his two suitcases back out so he could go get the other half of his belongings.
Zhang Yuwen was working out on the treadmill while watching TV.
He was wearing a gym tank top, all drenched in sweat, looking very sexy with his attractive arms and side muscles on display. The most precious legacy his maternal grandparents had left him was good lifestyle habits.
Children who grew up in a family of doctors had self-discipline and excelled at managing their own health. Even more commendably, Zhang Yuwen never used his physique to seduce people.
Zheng Weize couldn’t help but stare when he passed by the gym.
Zhang Yuwen waved a greeting to him from the other side of the glass window, and in that moment, Zheng Weize felt his heart flutter a little.
Zhang Yuwen moved to get off the treadmill, but Zheng Weize waved his hand to indicate that he still had something to do and left in a hurry.
He left Jiangbei and returned to Jiangnan. The scenery changed again, but Zheng Weize’s mood was massively different, because he was now a resident of Jiangbei. He fantasized about Zhang Yuwen’s looks and physique. Might sparks fly between them next?
Zheng Weize was a hopeless romantic, a lazy young man who also wanted to have it easy. He initially started live streaming to make some extra money. Working a regular job was too hard, and without academic credentials, he couldn’t find an easy, well-paying job that matched his capabilities. He soon realized that being a live streamer wasn’t easy either, so he revised his life goal: to find a rich boyfriend through live streaming, marry him, and live the life of a high-society gay wife.
This was, in his opinion, a simple yet pragmatic ambition.
Unfortunately, his biggest obstacle to achieving this goal was his nature as a hopeless romantic. He wanted someone rich and handsome, young and energetic, with a great physique, who would be devoted and loyal. Also, that particular body part couldn’t be shorter than six inches. His criteria for this and that were like a huge filter, and so far, no one had made the cut.
His lack of social experience made it hard for him to discern -potential mates, and his chronic loneliness made him want to pounce on any decent-looking man he saw. Is that Zhang-something-wen guy… single? He’s such a catch, he couldn’t be a player, could he? He must be a scumbag, yeah? Reasonable concerns nagged at Zheng Weize’s thoughts.
“Back already?” His straight ex-colleague’s voice interrupted his reverie.
Zheng Weize simply hummed an acknowledgment and went about packing the other half of his belongings, all the while assessing the possibility of marrying a tall, handsome, and rich man by moving into No.
7 Riverbay Road, thereby realizing his life goals. His straight ex-colleague had already lost all his charm and become repulsive to him.
“Since you’re leaving, how ’bout grabbing a meal together?” the straight guy suggested.
“Nah, not now.” Zheng Weize entered his room, and his ex--colleague followed him in. During their brief, six-month “honeymoon period,” Zheng Weize had spent thousands on him, and now that he was leaving, his ex-colleague remembered just how nice he’d been to him.
“Where are you staying?” The straight guy sat on the bed and watched Zheng Weize pack up his live streaming equipment.
“Riverbay Road,” Zheng Weize answered, omitting the number.
“Whoa!” The straight guy was a little astonished. “A rich neighborhood! The house ain’t cheap, right?”
“It’s a friend’s house,” Zheng Weize said simply, leaving him to fill in the blanks.
“Oh.” The straight guy obligingly pieced together the rest of the story, sitting silently on the bed for a long time. “Actually, I…”
The straight guy still had more to say. Zheng Weize placed the mobile phone stand he used for live streaming and a bag of clothes by the door and turned back to push his suitcases out.
He was going to say “see ya,” but he didn’t want to see him ever again, so instead he just said, “Bye-bye.”
The straight guy followed him to help carry the suitcases, but Zheng Weize suddenly had the urge to vent his pent-up feelings. Just like Nora Helmer in A Doll’s House embarking on a new phase in her life, he slammed the door shut in his face.