Li Jian stepped out of the shadows, a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers. The glowing tip flickered in the darkness.
Rong Jiqiao frowned.
“Move aside.”
Li Jian didn’t move. Instead, he stepped closer.
“Getting back this late? Working overtime?”
The smell of cigarettes mixed with alcohol drifted toward her.
Suppressing her disgust, Rong Jiqiao tried to walk around him.
Li Jian stretched out an arm, blocking the narrow hallway.
“What’s the rush? Let’s chat for a bit.”
Rong Jiqiao took a step back.
“My boyfriend is waiting for me at home.”
“Boyfriend?”
Li Jian laughed.
His eyes roamed over her from head to toe.
“That security guard guy? I’ve seen him before. Skinny as a stick. How much money can he possibly make in a month?”
Rong Jiqiao’s expression turned cold.
“What does that have to do with you?”
“Hey, don’t get mad.”
Li Jian flicked his cigarette butt onto the floor and crushed it under his shoe.
“I just think it’s a waste. A beautiful girl like you suffering alongside some poor security guard.”
He took another step forward and lowered his voice.
“How about following your big brother instead? I work in sales. I make at least twenty thousand a month. Way better than your boyfriend.”
A chill ran through Rong Jiqiao’s body.
Gripping her bag strap tightly, she said in a trembling voice,
“If you don’t move, I’m calling the police.”
Li Jian chuckled.
Only then did he finally step aside.
“Temper’s pretty fierce for such a little beauty. Fine, fine. I’ll let you pass.”
Rong Jiqiao hurried past him.
Her hand fumbled inside her bag for her keys, her fingers shaking uncontrollably.
“But you know,” Li Jian called after her, his voice drifting through the stairwell, “what future can there be with a security guard? You’ll break up sooner or later.”
The key missed the lock twice before she finally managed to open the door.
She slipped inside and slammed it shut behind her.
Leaning against the door, her heart pounded as if it might burst out of her chest.
The apartment was empty.
Duan Yan still wasn’t home.
Standing there, she stared through the peephole for a long while.
Only after confirming that no one was outside did she finally relax.
She tossed her bag onto the sofa and walked into the kitchen.
Opening the refrigerator, she found it nearly empty.
Only two eggs and half a cucumber remained.
Closing the fridge door, she leaned against the counter.
Her mind replayed the encounter over and over.
Should she tell Duan Yan?
Biting her lip, she thought about it for a long time.
Duan Yan was already exhausted enough.
Working during the day, taking on extra jobs at night…
Working part-time, then coming home only to be bothered by this kind of mess.
Rong Jiqiao rubbed her face and decided not to say anything for now.
She took a shower, changed into her pajamas, and lay down on the bed.
Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Duan Yan.
**[Something came up tonight. I’ll be back late. Go to sleep first.]**
Rong Jiqiao stared at the message. She typed a few replies, deleted them, and in the end only sent a simple **[Okay]**.
The next morning, Duan Yan came back.
Rong Jiqiao was brushing her teeth when she heard the door open. She poked her head out.
“You’re back?”
Duan Yan changed his shoes and nodded.
“Mm.”
He looked very tired, his eyes bloodshot.
Rong Jiqiao wanted to ask what he had done last night, but swallowed the words before they came out.
“I’m going to buy some groceries. You rest first.”
Duan Yan sat on the sofa.
“No need. I still have to go out later.”
She paused.
“You’re leaving again?”
“Mm. The property management is short-staffed.”
Rong Jiqiao bit her lip.
“At least eat something before you go.”
Duan Yan waved it off.
“I’m not hungry.”
He rested on the sofa for a while, then stood up and went to the bathroom to wash his face.
Standing by the kitchen doorway, Rong Jiqiao watched his back, her throat tightening.
After washing up, Duan Yan changed into clean clothes, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the door.
“I’m leaving.”
“Be careful on the way.”
The door closed.
Rong Jiqiao stood there, staring at it for a long time.
Then she turned and went into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out the last two eggs.
She cooked noodles, added two poached eggs, and ate.
After washing the dishes, she changed into her work uniform and prepared to leave.
Just as she opened the door, she saw Li Jian standing in the hallway, holding a takeout bag.
Her heart tightened, and she froze.
Li Jian smiled when he saw her.
“Oh? Heading to work already?”
Rong Jiqiao closed the door and walked past him toward the stairs.
Li Jian followed her.
“Hey, about yesterday—I was a bit harsh. Don’t take it to heart.”
Rong Jiqiao ignored him and quickened her pace.
“Hey, hey, don’t walk so fast—”
“Hey.” Li Jian caught up with her. “I’ve got a friend who runs a company. Want me to introduce you? The pay’s definitely higher than what you’re making now.”
Rong Jiqiao stopped and turned around.
“No need.”
Li Jian grinned.
“Don’t be so cold, come on. I’m just trying to help.”
She looked straight at him.
“I’ll say it again. No need.”
Then she turned and went downstairs.
Behind her, Li Jian called out,
“Don’t be so ungrateful!”
Rong Jiqiao didn’t look back and quickly walked out of the stairwell.
In the following days, Li Jian always “coincidentally” ran into her in the building.
Sometimes at the stair landing, sometimes at the entrance—every time he greeted her with a smiling face.
Rong Jiqiao avoided him whenever she could. When she couldn’t, she simply kept her face cold and walked past quickly.
On Friday night, she worked overtime and didn’t get off until 9 p.m.
When she returned, the hallway lights were still broken.
She groped her way upstairs in the dark. Just as she reached the third floor, she heard voices at her door.
It was Li Jian.
“Your landlord is really irresponsible. The light’s been broken this long and still not fixed.”
Another man’s voice agreed.
“Yeah, it’s so dark.”
Rong Jiqiao stood at the stairwell and didn’t go up.
She hesitated, thinking she would wait until they left before going home.
But Li Jian spotted her.
“Oh, you’re back?”
She could only nod stiffly and take out her keys.
The man beside Li Jian leaned closer too.
“So this is the little girl you were talking about? She’s really pretty.”
Rong Jiqiao’s hand shook, and the keys fell to the ground.
She bent down to pick them up, but Li Jian got there first and handed them to her.
“Here.”
“Thank you.”
She inserted the key into the lock and turned it twice, but the door didn’t open.
Her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t line it up properly.
“Don’t rush, take your time,” Li Jian said from the side, smiling.
She took a deep breath and tried again.
This time, the door finally opened.
She pushed it open, but suddenly Li Jian reached out and pressed his hand against the door.
“Hey, wait.”