Yunhai City was a prosperous, first-tier city. However, the rent within the urban center was suffocating. For many commuters, the "urban villages" on the outskirts, which kept travel time to under an hour, became ideal places to live. In one such place, the Sand River Urban Village, was a three-story apartment building. The scene was Room 202.
Xu Fang's face was etched with anxiety as he frantically sent out his resume on job recruitment apps. His mother had just called to tell him that his father's kidney condition had worsened again. If he didn't get a transplant within three months, the mortality rate was extremely high.
Three winters ago, his father had braved the snow to find work, all to earn more money for Xu Fang's education. He ended up being struck by a car that ran a red light. It was a hit-and-run, and the driver was never found. Both of Father Xu's kidneys were destroyed in the accident.
In the years since, his father's illness had depleted nearly all of the family's savings. The upcoming surgery would cost as much as 400,000 yuan...
"Sigh!" After shotgunning his resume out to countless listings, Xu Fang clenched his fists in anguish.
He had just graduated from college and had assumed that with his talent, he would thrive. But all the jobs now demanded work experience. Not only had he failed to make his mark, but he was also at a point where he couldn't even cover next month's living expenses. He had considered asking his mother for some money, but after hearing about his father's condition, he forced himself to hold back.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
A rap sounded at the door.
Who could it be?
Xu Fang opened the door, curious. His heart skipped a beat when he saw who it was.
Standing outside was the apartment's landlady, Chen Mei. She was forty years old, short and stout, with a booming voice she seemed completely oblivious to. She often spoke in a cloying, coquettish tone, and every time Xu Fang heard that voice, which disgusted him to his very soul, he couldn't help but shudder.
"Sister Mei, is something wrong?" Xu Fang mentally confirmed the date. It wasn't time to pay rent yet, so he relaxed a little.
The address "Sister Mei" clearly delighted Chen Mei. Before Xu Fang could even offer a proper welcome, she strode right into the room. She sat down on Xu Fang's bed and looked him up and down. Handsome face, tall build. The corners of Chen Mei's mouth curved into a satisfied smile.
"Oh, nothing much. I was getting stir-crazy at home and thought I'd come chat. You haven't found a job yet, have you?"
"No. All the jobs in my field require work experience, but I just graduated, so how would I have any? Still, I can't go without an income. I just sent out a bunch of resumes and plan to take whatever I can get for now," Xu Fang said, venting his frustrations.
"You'd do any kind of work?" Chen Mei's eyes lit up.
"More or less."
"How about you come work for me?" Chen Mei pressed.
"Doing what?" Xu Fang was curious. Did she have some other business besides renting out apartments?
"Sit here and we'll talk." Chen Mei pulled Xu Fang down beside her, casually draping her hand on his thigh. She smiled. "The work is very easy. You just have to... attend to me. Besides some housework, you'll accompany me when I shop, eat, and sleep."
"This..."
Seeing that Xu Fang didn't seem to get it, Chen Mei summarized, "Simply put, you'll be my boyfriend. I'm not stingy with pay. I'll cover your food and lodging, you'll work five days a week, and I'll give you four thousand yuan a month. If you keep me satisfied, I'll even give you a bonus."
Isn't this just being a gigolo!?
Looking at Chen Mei's smiling face up close, Xu Fang almost threw up last night's dinner.
My mom would have to call you 'sister', yet you want to be my damn girlfriend!
"Sister Mei, this isn't appropriate. You're already married," Xu Fang refused tactfully.
Chen Mei was completely unmoved. Her hand started exploring under his shirt, his firm chest intoxicating her. She whispered, "My husband is only back a few days a year. He's probably thrilled not to see me."
After a pause, Chen Mei continued her persuasion. "It's so hard for college graduates to find work these days—you've experienced that firsthand, haven't you? The only jobs you can find are dirty and exhausting. You get looked down on by everyone, and the pay is pathetic.
"How could that compare to the comfort of being with me? Not only will you have money, but you'll have a woman to warm your bed. You're a young man. It must be tough getting through the nights alone, isn't it?
"If you want to marry me down the line, I'll divorce that old bastard. When that happens, half of my assets will be yours."
At this point, Chen Mei grabbed Xu Fang's hand and sneered, "You must think about it at night too, right, kiddo? Don't you worry, I get plenty wet—no worse than any young girl. Besides, girls these days are so open, who's to say they're any tighter than me?"
The greasy proposition made Xu Fang recoil as if he'd been burned. He snatched his hand back and said angrily, "Sister Mei, have some self-respect!"
Seeing how bluntly he'd rejected her, Chen Mei's expression turned cold. "What, you refuse? Do you have any idea that I rent this room to others for eight hundred yuan, but I only charge you five hundred? Did you really think I was running a charity? If you don't agree, then from now on, your rent is eight hundred!"