Long Fei put away the note and looked at the string of numbers on it, unable to help but give a wry smile.
He didn't even have a cell phone, let alone WeChat.
An intelligent phone costs at least a thousand Yuan, and Long Fei couldn't afford one just yet.
He got off the bus at Binhai University, where the summer vacation wasn't over and students hadn't started the academic year, making it seem very deserted.
Long Fei glanced at the university's gate and felt a mix of emotions.
If his family's financial situation had been a little better, he would have been getting ready to start his studies here.
He walked past the university to the back entrance.
This was the largest "urban village" in Binhai City, filled with family hostels, restaurants, and internet cafes.
The whole village lived off the university.
With twenty thousand students each year, you can imagine the purchasing power.
There were plenty of rooms available at this time, and Long Fei walked a distance to see "room for rent" signs plastered all over the walls of two- to three-story courtyards.
Long Fei stopped at one place to take a look, ready to rent a room on a whim.
Being single, it didn't matter where he rented.
At that moment, a woman in her thirties, riding an electric scooter with a little girl, passed by him.
She didn't go far before stopping to ask Long Fei, "Are you looking for a room to rent?"
Long Fei nodded.
The woman smiled and called out, "Come to my place, I've got plenty of empty rooms. Rent now and I'll give you a discount!"
"Alright then!"
Long Fei smiled, taken by the woman's kind face and attractiveness, and followed her into an alley, entering the third courtyard.
She parked her electric scooter and let her daughter get down from it.
After taking off her windbreaker, her outfit revealed a black waist-cinching short skirt.
Bosomy on the top and with long legs, her hair done up in big waves, wearing light makeup with red lips, she exuded womanliness.
Turning around and seeing Long Fei standing there dumbstruck, she called out to him, "Don't just stand there, there are rooms on the second and third floor. Choose one for yourself.
The third floor is bigger, a thousand. The second floor is smaller, five hundred.
The electricity is one Yuan per kilowatt-hour, water ten Yuan per month. The bathroom on the second floor is shared, remember to flush after using the toilet!"
"Understood!"
Long Fei went upstairs to the second floor, opened the door to a sun-facing room to take a look, and thought the rent here was indeed not expensive.
He had once moved bottles and cardboard boxes in a high-end apartment.
Those were occupied by white-collar workers, with rent starting at a minimum of three thousand a month.
Though the room here was somewhat small, it was more than enough for a bachelor like him.
Upstairs, the sound of high heels clicked prominently.
The landlady came up and stood at the door to ask him, "So, what do you think? Is the room to your liking?"
Long Fei nodded, "I'll take this one!"
Inside the room, there was a bed, a desk, and a dressing mirror hung on the wall.
Beyond that, there wasn't even a set of bedding.
The landlady curiously asked, "What do you do for a living? Do you study here?"
Long Fei shook his head, "Not studying, I just arrived in the city and haven't found a job yet!"
The landlady said, "You'd better find a job quickly then, I don't tolerate overdue rent here!"
Long Fei assured her seriously, "Don't worry, I won't owe you money!"
The landlady laughed behind her hand, "Just joking! Lighten up! My name is He Yan, just call me Sister Yan from now on."
"I'm Long Fei!"
Long Fei chuckled, feeling that this landlady was quite hospitable.
He took out five hundred from his bag, handed it over to her, and said, "This is the rent!"
He Yan took the money and said to him, "Come down, I'll write you a receipt. I've got some bedding that others didn't want, all cleaned. If you don't mind, you can take some for your use!"
"Thank you, Sister Yan!"
Long Fei was worrying about buying bedding; any old bedclothes would do for him, as he wouldn't fuss over something used by others.
It was still better than sleeping on the streets these past few days.
He Yan lived on the first floor in a three-bedroom apartment with a living room.
The place was tidied up quite nicely, exuding a woman's perfume scent.
After Long Fei entered, He Yan's daughter ran up to him and even thoughtfully poured him a cup of tea.
Long Fei took a sip and thanked her while patting her head.
The little girl smiled sweetly and introduced herself, "Uncle, my name is Tiantian, He Tiantian!"
Long Fei frowned slightly, wondering if the little girl had taken her mother's surname.
He Yan handed him a receipt and, noticing his confusion, said openly, "Don't frown, I divorced her father last year, and she took my surname!"
"Oh!"
Long Fei scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward.
He Yan went into the inner room and brought out a set of bedding for him, handed it to him with a light laugh, "Relax a bit, no need to keep such a stern face! From now on, I'm your sister. If you need any help, just let me know, and if I can help, I definitely will!"
Long Fei nodded and left with the bedding.
He took a deep breath, finding it hard to handle the presence of such a beautiful young woman.
After he had a foggy relationship with that stranger last night, it was like he had sampled a piece of cake and wanted to take another bite.
With a house now, Long Fei made up his bed, mopped the floor, wiped down the table, and went to the street to buy some toiletries.
Before he knew it, the sky was almost dark. He lay down in bed to rest, preparing to officially start job hunting tomorrow.
Before, running around for a day would leave him utterly exhausted.
But today was oddly different; his body was full of strength, not feeling tired at all.
After falling asleep, Long Fei dreamed of a Five-Clawed Giant Dragon that broke out of his body.
The dragon, a hundred meters in length, rose through the Void with its feet, wrapped in nine Mystic Iron Chains that looked extremely bizarre.
It whirled among the clouds, surrounded by flashes of lightning.
Its blue scales shimmered with an intimidating cold light as it seemed desperate to break free from the chains, tumbling through the clouds.
Its eyes blazed like torches; one glare as if to penetrate the Void.
With a roar, it seemed like the heavens and earth would collapse.
A sweep of its claws, as though it could tear open space itself.
In the end, with a loud bang,
One of the iron chains on its body snapped with a 'bang'.
Long Fei's body shivered, and he awoke with a start, sitting up drenched in a cold sweat.
"Damn it, why am I suddenly having a nightmare?"
He grabbed the mineral water bottle from the table, guzzling down half of it, then opened the window and breathed in the cool air from outside.
In the heat of summer, the room was tough to bear without an electric fan.
Downstairs, a woman's angry voice could be heard, "Jerk, this is my house. If you don't leave, I'm calling the police!"
Long Fei listened curiously for a while and faintly heard the crying and shouting of He Tiantian.
He frowned, assuming that a thug was causing trouble and immediately ran downstairs to lend a hand.
There below, stood a man.
He reeked of alcohol, dressed in a garish shirt and big shorts, looking flashy and sleazy.
As soon as Long Fei appeared, the man pointed at Long Fei and cursed, "Well, well, He Yan. Now I see why you were so anxious to get rid of me. It turns out you've got a lover at home!"
He Yan yelled in anger, "Get lost; don't talk nonsense. He's a tenant here!"
"Only an idiot would believe you!"
The man cursed again and, pointing at Long Fei, yelled, "Damn it, you dare seduce my wife; do you know who I am?"
Long Fei frowned and snorted coldly, "Watch your mouth. I just met Sister Yan!"
"Yo, look at you acting so tough!"
The man, unsteady on his feet, looked around, found a brick in the corner, and, pointing it at Long Fei, cursed, "Damn it, dare to cross me again?"