Under the romantic eaves - J-house Angel's Castle

Author: Cao Jianhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Close the door, go downstairs, I ran to the street, hailed a taxi, checked the watch, still okay, estimated I wouldn’t be late. “Leon, you’re here! Did you drink too much last night?” Just as I ran into the company, I met a girl in a sporty three-piece outfit greeting me warmly. I took a closer look and realized she was a graceful beauty—definitely one of the people I drank with last night, but I couldn’t recall her name, so I just nodded vaguely. “I drank a bit too much. Even though I’m a heavy drinker, a lone tiger can’t withstand a pack of wolves, and a hero can’t outsmart three wise guys!” “Oh, come on!” The girl laughed gaily. “You were so drunk last night that three men couldn’t lift you!” “Sigh, don’t mention it. Today, I have to investigate—find out who got me drunk last night and who took me home!” “Heehee, you can take your time investigating. I’m going for a warm-up now!” With a charming smile, the girl turned and left. “Trying to flirt with female colleagues?” A booming voice echoed from behind. I turned around and saw the boss, watching me intently from the end of the corridor. “No, I’m just exchanging leadership experience. Flirting with female colleagues? I’d dare not do that!” I laughed. In the company, I dared to speak to the boss like that—not out of arrogance, but because I’d only been working there for a year. However, since I was good at leading warm-ups, many clients praised me in front of the boss. As for the boss, he looked stern but was actually quite smooth. He liked going to bars to flirt with pretty girls and later had us swear on our wives’ lives that we were innocent, claiming we stayed up drinking and playing cards with him. I couldn’t even count how many times I should be struck by lightning for this!
“Candy, though new, has worked at several clubs and is basically your senior. Don’t get any funny ideas, kid!” After speaking, the boss turned and walked back to his office. Oh, her name was Candy. My mind, like a sky shrouded in dark clouds, was struck by lightning.
After work, I met Candy again at the entrance. We said goodbye in a hurry and stepped outside. Looking back, she seemed to want to say something, so I made a phone gesture. She nodded with a smile.
Back at my place, as I stepped out of the elevator, I ran into the landlord. She was a middle-aged Shanghai woman who immediately said, “Didn’t I tell you not to keep a dog? Look, the neighbor called our house complaining that the barking is unbearable at night—it’s disrupting their sleep!” I quickly took out the keys and let her in, though she had her own keys. But ever since I borrowed them, she insisted on being present whenever I wasn’t.
Tutu greeted me with a joyful bark and jumped up, nibbling my fingers and making overly cute whimpering sounds. I smiled but accidentally stepped on something soft and smelly. Looking down, it was obvious—even without me saying it—that Tutu had caused the mess.
The landlord’s face immediately darkened as she lowered her head and scanned the area. “Look, there’s dog poop here—how dirty!” “Oh dear, the sofa’s leather is torn too!” “Oh my, how can you keep a dog like this? Even the chair legs are bitten!” The landlord’s tone grew harsher and harsher until she finally confronted me. “We think you should move out. This place is getting completely ruined. The furniture and floor will all be damaged. We didn’t lend you this place for cheap, and fixing it will cost a lot. You’re just too much for us—please move out quickly!”
“But I’ve already paid three months’ rent. At least let me finish living here!” “The rent is 1,500 yuan a month. If you leave, I’ll have to buy a new sofa, mattress, chairs, and tables, and replace the warped floor. Tell me, how much will it cost? We’re not extorting you, but you should also think about us. I rely on renting out this place to live—who would be happy if their house was ruined like this?”
“I…” I was speechless. She had a point. Tutu was my fault for not raising her properly, causing all this damage. Sigh, as the boss would say, I was responsible for leadership.
“Alright, I’ll move out. But can’t you give me two weeks to find a new place?” “Two weeks is fine, but I won’t refund the rent. The contract clearly states that damages must be paid. When we lent you this place, it was still in near-perfect condition!” “Okay, okay, I understand. No refund is fine!”
After the landlord grumbled and left, I sat on the sofa with Tutu, who was still nibbling my fingers. But I couldn’t feel happy at all.
“Tutu, it looks like we’ll have to move out. I wonder when I’ll get my own place.” I talked to Tutu alone, and memories flooded my mind. I studied sports, and after graduating, I refused to become a PE teacher in my hometown. Instead, I came to Shanghai, thinking it was a city full of opportunities. I even planned to bring my girlfriend of four years, but her family arranged a government job for her in the provincial capital, and she didn’t want to give up her stable career. So, I came to Shanghai alone.
Shanghai was indeed a bustling metropolis, but it wasn’t the land of as the legends claimed. I lost track of how many resumes I sent, how many interviews I attended, and how many times I was rejected before finally landing a coaching job at a fitness club in Pudong. I worked diligently and received several raises, though my income wasn’t high, but I was still satisfied.
As for housing, I naturally rented it. With my meager salary, buying a house was unthinkable. I couldn’t afford a big place, so my current residence was just one room with a bathroom—barely enough to get by. Yet the heartless landlord still demanded 1,500 yuan. What a rip-off! I’d wanted to move out long ago. If this place won’t keep me, there’s always somewhere else!
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