"Is the water pipe at home burst? Can you fix it?"
Hearing that charming and slightly tempting voice, Chen Liuhe was startled. Damn, it's actually a delicate young lady.
But he felt like the voice was somehow familiar, as if he'd heard it somewhere before, though he couldn't quite place it.
After hanging up the phone, Chen Liuhe hurried out the door. With him and his sister nearly running out of food, he needed to earn some extra cash to get by.
Liyuan Community is a mid-range neighborhood in Hangzhou. Anyone who can afford to buy a place here is at least a bit well-off.
As he walked into the neighborhood, Chen Liuhe felt inexplicably at ease. He loved dealing with wealthy people—there was no pressure at all, like killing pigs.
Arriving at the specified floor, he knocked on the security door, and when it opened, he was greeted by a stunningly beautiful woman.
She had a delicate, refined face with fair, radiant skin. Her eyes were like autumn waters, framed by long, fluttering lashes that were as captivating as fans.
Her face was heart-shaped with arched eyebrows, and her long, wine-red hair was lazily piled up, revealing a smooth, full forehead. Her elegant neck led to a body that made one's blood race, especially with her black bra faintly visible under the silk nightgown.
This was an undeniable beauty, the kind that could easily tempt anyone into mischief.
But when Chen Liuhe saw her, instead of feeling flattered, he widened his eyes in shock. "How come it's you?"
The woman glanced at him sideways, a mocking smile curling her lips. "Oh? Surprised to see me? Why can't it be me?"
Chen Liuhe chuckled wryly. No wonder the voice sounded familiar—it was the same unlucky girl he'd run into this afternoon, the one who'd tried to scam him.
He looked her up and down and said, "Who you are doesn't matter. What matters is whether you have the money. Time is precious for a night's work; let's get started quickly."
Hearing such nonsensical talk, Qin Ruohan's face flushed instantly. She glared at Chen Liuhe and said, "Can you clean up your language?"
Chen Liuhe realized he'd misspoken and chuckled awkwardly. "Oh, my bad. Haha, Miss, I might speak roughly, but I'm very professional. You can ask around, I'm known for providing excellent service and making sure you're thoroughly satisfied afterward."
As he continued to babble on, Qin Ruohan's face turned even redder with anger. "Stop with the nonsense! If you dare to speak another disrespectful word, I'll have you leave right now."
Chen Liuhe smiled awkwardly and picked up his toolbox, heading for the bathroom, secretly laughing. This little lady thinks she can play games with me? She's still a novice—I'll take care of her in no time.
Upon entering the bathroom, Chen Liuhe was stunned. It wasn't just a burst pipe—it was like the whole bathroom had been demolished!
There were at least three or four leaks in the pipes, all spraying water everywhere. The toilet was smashed with blunt objects, and the sink had a large hole in it. Water was everywhere, nearly flooding the living room.
To make matters worse, there were clothes hangers in the bathroom, all filled with women's intimate wear: lacy, see-through bras and panties, and ultra-thin nude and black pantyhose. Wet, they were even more enticing.
As a normal man, Chen Liuhe couldn't help but have a reaction.
Qin Ruohan noticed Chen Liuhe's gaze and angrily said, "Where are you looking? Keep staring and I'll have your eyes dug out!" Even someone like her, who was used to the risqué scene, was somewhat embarrassed. It was her fault for being so impulsive, not putting away her intimate wear before wrecking the bathroom.
"I say, miss, shouldn't you be calling a renovation worker for this situation? You need a professional, not me," Chen Liuhe said, frowning. With the mess like this, how could he possibly fix it?
"What, aren't you supposed to be a so-called all-round handyman? Can't handle this small job?" Qin Ruohan sneered. "If that's the case, let me remind you that you'll be responsible for the delay."
Chen Liuhe's eyes widened. "Delay fees? I haven't even started working yet. How can there be a delay fee?"
Qin Ruohan tilted her chin and glanced at him. "You're flaunting your handyman skills and deceiving people. Now that I've found you and you can't do the job, it's delaying me. Shouldn't you compensate me? I haven't even mentioned the fraudulent part yet."
"Damn it!" Chen Liuhe cursed. "Are you seriously trying to screw me over just because you don't like me? I only charged you a few hundred bucks this afternoon. Is that worth ruining your own bathroom?"
This was clearly a setup. He suspected that Qin Ruohan had deliberately caused the bathroom disaster just to create trouble for him.
"I'm willing, and it's none of your business. Stop wasting time. Can you fix it or not?" Qin Ruohan said, feeling a bit smug. She was having a rough few days, and this guy just happened to be the target of her frustration.
"I'm not serving you anymore. Do whatever you want, and if you want to sue, go ahead. Even if it goes to the police, it'll end up being nothing," Chen Liuhe said, seething.
Qin Ruohan remained calm. "Let's see. I can accuse you of trespassing, robbery, or attempted rape. Once you're in my door, I have plenty of reasons."
Chen Liuhe was furious. "Hey, are you in menopause or something? Why are you taking it out on me? Why don't you go after that scammer?"
"I'm willing, and it's none of your business," Qin Ruohan replied, feeling a bit satisfied seeing Chen Liuhe's frustration.
But Chen Liuhe, who feared nothing, wasn't about to take this lying down. He decided to leave with his toolbox.
"Hey, 110? I want to report a case." Hearing Qin Ruohan calling the police, Chen Liuhe snapped and rushed back, snatching the phone from her. "Alright, alright, I'll fix it. You really are something. I can't afford to mess with you."
Under Qin Ruohan's threat, Chen Liuhe had no choice but to give in. Although he wasn't afraid of her calling the police, he didn't want to deal with the trouble.
Looking at the mess in the bathroom, Chen Liuhe sighed in frustration. This job was so massive, he might not even finish by midnight.
For Chen Liuhe, a handyman with experience, this kind of small repair was nothing. He could fix anything from airplanes to submarines, so a few pipes were no problem.
Fortunately, the property management in this neighborhood was reliable. They had common renovation materials in stock, so Chen Liuhe called them to send over what he needed, saving him a lot of trouble.
With great humiliation, Chen Liuhe used the women's intimate wear from the hangers as rags. Surprisingly, they felt great to the touch—silky and smooth, which made him a bit distracted.
Qin Ruohan was infuriated and speechless. If she had a weapon, she would have struck Chen Liuhe on the back of his head.
After over an hour, Chen Liuhe finally replaced all the pipes. He let out a breath, pulled out a cheap cigarette that even street sweepers wouldn't bother with, and lit it.
"All done. As for your toilet and sink, I can't help with that. You'd better buy new ones from a store tomorrow. They should offer installation services," Chen Liuhe said, carrying his toolbox and walking out of the bathroom. He spoke to Qin Ruohan, who was lounging on the living room sofa.
Before she could say anything, Chen Liuhe extended his hand for payment. "Time to settle up. Eight hundred bucks, with a 9.98% discount, totaling 798.4. Rounded up, that's eight hundred."
Hearing this, Qin Ruohan nearly spat blood. She jumped up from the sofa. "Eight hundred? Why don't you just rob a bank?" She couldn't believe the audacity.
"Eight hundred too much? Damn, even for a full-service job, it costs eight hundred. I've worked my ass off all night, isn't that worth it?" Chen Liuhe said shamelessly.
Qin Ruohan was fuming. Her intention was to vent her frustrations on Chen Liuhe, not to pay him. She thought for a moment and then said, "Well, let's see. The lingerie and stockings you ruined are all high-end international brands. They cost at least over two thousand. I'll give you half off, so a thousand two, and you still owe me four hundred."
"What?" Chen Liuhe's eyes bulged. "Those rags aren't worth more than my own underwear. How can they be over two thousand? Are you trying to rob me?"
Chen Liuhe was livid. "Lady, stop stalling. Just pay up. If not, don't think I'm a nice guy. When I get mad, even I'm afraid of myself."
"Oh, really? Let's see how fierce you can be," Qin Ruohan said with a cold smile. Having spent years in shady circles, she wasn't intimidated by someone like Chen Liuhe.
Chen Liuhe tried to look fierce,
but he was inwardly frustrated. He felt like he was having the worst luck ever, encountering such a shameless woman.
What he thought would be a simple, profitable job turned out to be a complete disaster.