“Captain Jiang? Captain Jiang, are you there? Go to Building 41, Unit 201. The resident wants to set up a desktop computer. Go take a look for her. I don’t understand this kind of electronic equipment, so you can discuss the price directly with the resident.”
Jiang Jingye picked up the walkie talkie and replied with a simple, “Received,” before getting to his feet and heading out.
Behind him, Liu Zhisheng cried out in surprise.
“Brother Ye, you know how to build computers too?!”
Jiang Jingye did not turn around. He merely waved a hand and quickly disappeared into the residential building.
The person who opened the door at Building 41, Unit 201 was a young woman named Chen Xin.
The apartment had the typical décor of a woman living alone. Soft furnishings in light colors, clean and refreshing surroundings, and everything neatly organized.
Jiang Jingye glanced around. The first thought that crossed his mind was that Su Nuo would probably like this style of decoration. It would be nice if they could move into an apartment like this someday.
“Hello, are you the technician sent by property management?” Chen Xin smiled and invited him inside, pointing at the computer parts stacked on the living room floor. “The components I ordered have arrived. I don’t know how to assemble them, so I’ll have to trouble you.”
“Mhm.”
Jiang Jingye nodded and crouched down to begin unpacking everything. His movements were clean and efficient, and all the cable management was arranged neatly.
Installing the hardware, setting up the operating system, and loading the common software.
In less than an hour, the computer was fully assembled and configured.
Chen Xin tested it and was extremely satisfied.
She immediately took five hundred yuan from her wallet and handed it to him.
“You’re amazing, sir! Thank you for your help. This is for your work.”
Jiang Jingye’s gaze landed on an old desktop tower sitting in the corner.
Instead of taking the money, he pointed at the old computer.
“Do you still want that one? If not, I’d like to buy it.”
Chen Xin paused, then waved her hand with a smile.
“The hard drive is burned out. It won’t even start up anymore. It’s been useless for ages. If you want it, just take it. No need to pay me.”
“In that case, I won’t take these two hundred yuan.”
Jiang Jingye pushed part of the money back toward her.
“If anything breaks in your home in the future, feel free to contact me.”
Chen Xin found the handsome young man rather interesting and immediately took out her phone.
“Then let’s add each other on WeChat. I run a small company and recently moved to a new office. Next month I’ll need more than ten computers assembled. I’d like to hire you for the job. Is that okay?”
Jiang Jingye did not refuse.
After adding her contact information, he picked up the old computer and left.
Back at the security booth, Jiang Jingye bought a new hard drive, additional memory, and a few small components from the hardware store.
Borrowing the store’s tools, he spent the entire afternoon tinkering away in a corner.
By the time Liu Zhisheng returned from his shift change, the old computer that previously would not even power on was sitting steadily on the booth desk.
The monitor was lit up and running remarkably smoothly.
Liu Zhisheng was dumbfounded.
“Holy crap! Brother Ye, with skills like yours, why don’t you open your own shop? This is such a waste of talent!”
Jiang Jingye wiped his hands and replied calmly.
“Encouraging someone to start a business is a sin worthy of divine punishment.”
Liu Zhisheng: “…”
For once, he was completely speechless.
Soon it was six o’clock and time to get off work.
Jiang Jingye called Su Nuo and asked her to pick up some groceries on her way home. He then carried the computer and headed toward the Rental Apartment with Liu Zhisheng.
Liu Zhisheng volunteered to carry the tower for him.
The entire way, he kept marveling.
“Brother Ye, you’re incredible. Now that this computer is fixed, Sister in Law is going to be thrilled!”
When they arrived at the Rental Apartment, it was Su Nuo who opened the door.
She had just returned from buying groceries and still carried the scent of the evening breeze outside.
The moment she saw the computer in Liu Zhisheng’s arms, her eyes lit up.
“Is that… a new computer?”
“Not new. I repaired an old one.”
Jiang Jingye took the computer and set it on the table.
Standing beside him, Liu Zhisheng immediately chimed in, embellishing the story of how Jiang Jingye had repaired the machine all afternoon.
Su Nuo listened with sparkling eyes.
When she looked up at Jiang Jingye again, her gaze was full of admiration.
“Jiang Jingye, you’re amazing! I thought it would be a long time before I’d get to use a computer!”
Then she turned to Liu Zhisheng with a bright smile.
“Brother Liu, don’t leave. Stay and have dinner with us! Jiang Jingye’s cooking is delicious!”
Liu Zhisheng had intended to politely decline.
But the moment he heard there would be good food, he immediately agreed.
Standing in the tiny Rental Apartment, he watched Jiang Jingye tie on an apron and cook beside the little windowsill stove while Su Nuo helped him prepare ingredients.
The room was small and cramped, yet unbelievably warm.
These two simply did not seem like they belonged in a place like this.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman. No matter how he looked at them, they should have been living in a luxury high rise apartment.
How had they ended up squeezed into a room barely more than ten square meters in size?
Using nothing more than a single induction cooker, Jiang Jingye somehow produced three dishes and a soup.
Tomato scrambled eggs.
Coca Cola chicken wings.
Stir fried romaine lettuce.
And a pot of corn and pork rib soup.
The colors were vibrant, and the aroma filled the entire room.
Liu Zhisheng picked up his chopsticks and tasted a chicken wing.
The balance of sweetness and saltiness was perfect. The meat was so tender it nearly fell off the bone.
He almost swallowed his tongue.
Looking at Jiang Jingye sitting across from him, Liu Zhisheng could not help feeling envious.
The man was handsome.
He could repair appliances.
He could build computers.
His cooking was incredible.
And despite all that talent, he was not obsessed with competition or success. All he wanted was to take life easy.
Seriously, what window had heaven ever closed on Jiang Jingye?
Why couldn’t he be Jiang Jingye?
No.
What he really wanted was to be Su Nuo.
Who wouldn’t want a boyfriend like Jiang Jingye?
The meal left Liu Zhisheng completely satisfied and so full that he kept burping.
After dinner, Jiang Jingye grabbed the trash bag and called Liu Zhisheng downstairs to throw it away.
As soon as they reached the ground floor, Jiang Jingye spoke.
“Don’t come over for meals anymore. I don’t like people interrupting dinner with Su Nuo and me.”
The smile on Liu Zhisheng’s face froze instantly.
His heart sank.
He knew Jiang Jingye had a somewhat strange personality, but hearing it stated so directly still hurt a little.
Seeing his dejected expression, Jiang Jingye sighed.
His tone softened slightly, carrying a hint of coaxing.
“I’ll treat you to McDonald’s tomorrow at lunch.”
Liu Zhisheng said nothing.
Jiang Jingye added,
“And a large milk tea.”
Still no response.
Jiang Jingye’s patience ran out.
Rolling his eyes, he turned and headed toward the stairwell.
“Hey, wait!”
Liu Zhisheng hurriedly called after him.
“Brother Ye! Can’t you coax me a little more? You’re giving up after just two sentences?”
Without looking back, Jiang Jingye waved a hand and disappeared into the building.
When he returned upstairs, the dishes had already been washed.
He saw Su Nuo sitting on a small stool beside the bed.
The computer was set on the folding table.
She was bent over, typing away.
Her petite body was curled up there. Her back was slightly hunched, her neck stretched forward, and her eyes remained fixed on the screen.
From time to time, she lifted a hand to rub her aching eyes.
The stool was too hard, forcing her to shift her position every so often.
Her legs were cramped beneath the table with no room to stretch.
Her entire body was squeezed into a tiny corner.
Just looking at her made him feel uncomfortable on her behalf.
Jiang Jingye stood in the doorway and watched for quite some time.
Something lightly pricked at his heart.
Walking over, he lowered his voice.
“Don’t you already have chapters saved up? Skip writing tonight. Your neck must be getting sore. Later we’ll find a desk and bring it back.”
Su Nuo looked up and rubbed her shoulders.
“I can’t. The store is running a promotion in a few days. The manager wants me to go on a two day business trip. I won’t have a computer with me, and I’ll be in an unfamiliar place. I’ll have to stop updating.”
“A business trip? Where to?”
“Jing City. It’s for employee training.”
Jiang Jingye said nothing.
He mentally reviewed the work schedule.
Then his gaze swept across the cramped Rental Apartment.
The bed occupied most of the room.
The wardrobe and dining table were squeezed into the remaining space.
There was not even a corner large enough for a proper desk.
Silently, he began calculating how to buy one.
But in such a tiny Rental Apartment…
How could he arrange things so she would be a little more comfortable?