Chapter 3: Renting an Apartment
Early in the morning, Yu Deng was woken up by the heat. Sweat had nearly soaked through him. As soon as he opened his eyes, he felt sticky and hot all over, which was very uncomfortable.
He wanted air conditioning!
Although air conditioning existed at this time, it was very expensive. Those in better conditions could at least use an electric fan.
Should he… cause some trouble for Zhou Yuejun again?
No, no, before he had gathered enough for his tuition, he couldn’t squander money, otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to proceed with the later school plot.
“So hot, so hot…”
As soon as Zhou Yuejun entered the door, he saw the boy sitting on the bed, one hand pulling his collar to let air in, the other fanning himself vigorously with a fan, his mouth mumbling complaints.
The city was indeed hotter than the village. It seemed he needed to buy an electric fan.
“Time for breakfast.”
Breakfast consisted of soy milk, deep-fried dough sticks (youtiao), and meat buns, which Zhou Yuejun had gone out to buy.
The construction site’s breakfast was only porridge and pickles. Lunch and dinner would have one more dish, but it was so bland that Zhou Yuejun felt it would be a slight to let Yu Deng even see it.
While Yu Deng ate, Zhou Yuejun fanned him.
Taking a bite of the bun, the boyâs mouth was stuffed full. He chewed neither fast nor slow, making it impossible for Zhou Yuejun to look away.
“Have some soy milk so you don’t choke.”
But Yu Dengâs appetite was truly small. He took two bites of the bun and two bites of the dough stick before stuffing them all into Zhou Yuejunâs mouth. He only drank a bit more of the soy milk.
Zhou Yuejun squeezed out the meat filling from the bun and sent it to Yu Dengâs lips, his tone brook no argument: “Eat the filling.”
It was a bit oily, but Yu Deng swallowed it with the soy milk.
Yu Deng felt sticky all over and was uncomfortable. He didn’t hesitate to order people around.
“Go get me some water. I’m all smelly and need to wipe my body.”
He had a spoiled temperament, but because he was still very young, his soft voice naturally carried a touch of charm. When he glared at Zhou Yuejun, it was truly captivating.
“Smelly?”
Zhou Yuejun only smelled the sweetness in the air, which was even more fragrant than the soap he smelled at the small convenience store.
He knew it came from Yu Dengâs body, and it was intoxicating.
Just by looking at Yu Deng, he would be willing to do anythingânot just fetch water, but even carry his chamber pot.
Yu Deng felt that the male lead was the type who was silent but got things done, a rugged man. He worked hard to fulfill the mission given to him by the system.
His rounded, pinkish toes kicked Zhou Yuejunâs leg as he started acting up: “I’m smelly! I’m smelly everywhere! Go quickly!”
Yu Deng had thought bullying Zhou Yuejun would be quite difficult; after all, as a protagonist, he must have a temper.
But as soon as Zhou Yuejun turned around, Yu Dengâs small mouth immediately pouted, and his bright, clear eyes spun mischievously.
He was so smug he almost wanted to put his hands on his hips.
He’s so obedient. I can bully him even harder later.
Zhou Yuejun brought the water, placed the basin on the table, and soaked a towel.
“You wipe me!”
Yu Deng exerted his effort again, making Zhou Yuejun serve him.
The man didn’t say anything, only pausing for a split second before his eyes turned dark and deep. Nevertheless, he went to serve the boy.
Zhou Yuejun first wiped Yu Dengâs face, then his neck, then reached his hand inside from the bottom of the shirt.
The morning water was cool and a bit startling, but it was exactly this temperature that made Yu Deng close his eyes in comfort as it wiped across his body.
“Wipe slower. You’re too fast, it hurts when you rub me.”
He was so clingy, it felt like one’s soul was being bewitched.
After the clothes were lifted, a mound of white softness was revealed. Even through the towel, Zhou Yuejun could feel how delicate the texture was.
The boy’s waist was very slender; he could almost wrap one hand around it. His back was also thin, without much flesh.
He went further down, wiping Yu Dengâs legs that were exposed outside his shorts.
His thighs weren’t even as thick as Zhou Yuejunâs arms.
It felt like Yu Deng was white and pink everywhere.
Tempting.
After wiping him, Zhou Yuejun knelt down to put on Yu Dengâs shoes.
The shoes had been worn for a long time and were a bit old; they simply didn’t deserve to be on such an exquisite, snow-white foot.
Zhou Yuejun tied the laces: “Let’s go. Let’s go look at apartments.”
It was only a little past six, but the sun had already come out, and it was both hot and sunny.
Zhou Yuejun thought he should buy Yu Deng a hat later; he could use it to block the poisonous sun when they went out.
Walking out of the construction area, Yu Deng saw a road in the distance. Across the road were rows of low houses, but the houses behind them were taller, some five or six stories high.
Yu Deng followed Zhou Yuejun across the road and through alleys until they reached a commercial street. There were all sorts of shops on both sidesâbarbers, breakfast stalls, clothing stores, everything.
It was a market area with residential buildings.
Walking to the entrance of a small shop, Yu Deng couldn’t move his legs anymore because he was craving an ice pop to cool down.
But he had no money. His money had basically been spent on the way to find Zhou Yuejun.
He stared straight at Zhou Yuejun, looking very pitiful as he licked his lips: “What is that? I’ve never eaten that back in the village.”
Zhou Yuejun knew Yu Dengâs little tricks like the back of his hand. He entered the shop: “Which one do you want? Come and pick.”
Yu Deng chose an orange-flavored ice pop for twenty cents.
As soon as he got it, he tore off the paper wrapper and couldn’t wait to start sucking on it.
With the first bite, the ice froze Yu Dengâs tongue, but he wanted to bite into it and swallow it even more to let the cold spread through his whole body.
The orange flavor was very strong. After Yu Deng took a small bite, he caught a glimpse of Zhou Yuejun walking slightly ahead of him.
“Brother Yuejun, do you want some?”
Since Yu Deng had to trick Zhou Yuejun for two years, he naturally wouldn’t just bully him, otherwise Zhou Yuejun would kick him out in a couple of days.
He held the ice pop to Zhou Yuejunâs lips. When he tilted his head to look up at him, his eyes were bright and clear, and the tip of his pink nose was beaded with sweat.
“It’s very sweet. Have a taste. But don’t lick it with your tongue.”
He still couldn’t quite accept indirect kissing with Zhou Yuejun yet.
Zhou Yuejun felt a moment of confusion, seemingly thinking about how to eat the ice pop without using his mouth.
“You eat it.”
Zhou Yuejun first took Yu Deng to find an apartment nearby. There were a few places for rent on the whole street, but they were basically all for the entire unit, and a unit had at least two rooms.
Zhou Yuejun preferred to rent a single room.
“I’m so tired! I don’t want to walk anymore~”
After walking on and off for two hours, even though Zhou Yuejun had been fanning him the whole time, Yu Deng was exhausted.
He had sweated a bit, and he felt soaked. He started acting lazy and grumbling, refusing to move.
Zhou Yuejun used a tissue to wipe the sweat from Yu Dengâs neck. The neck was moist, and because of the sun, the skin color was even more translucent and pink.
Zhou Yuejun was heartbroken: “We won’t walk anymore. I’ll go buy you another bottle of water.”
Conveniently, there was a shop right next to them.
Yu Deng puffed out his cheeks: “I want soda!”
Zhou Yuejun bought Yu Deng a soda. Seeing the sun getting stronger and Yu Deng becoming wilted from the heatâand since the boy was so thin-skinned and tenderâhe didn’t walk any further.
He shouldn’t have brought Yu Deng out.
“Let’s just settle on that one from earlier.”
Yu Deng sucked on the straw, took two sips of the chilled soda, and his whole mouth turned sweet, so he wasn’t as grumpy as before.
However, he still frowned: “But that one is so expensive. It’s 100 a month.”
He still had to go to university. If they paid the rent, what would happen if he didn’t have money for his tuition?
“We can afford it. I have money.”
Although Zhou Yuejun felt a bit of a sting at the cost, he felt more for Yu Deng.
Those single rooms weren’t much larger than his dorm at the site; they cost 40 or 50, or 60 for a better one, and the public toilets were dry latrinesânot only dirty but also far away.
An entire apartment was expensive, but the rooms were large, and there was a private flush toilet.
Zhou Yuejun took Yu Deng back to the apartment from earlier. It was on the fourth floor, so it wouldn’t be too noisy. It had good sunlight and was Yu Dengâs favorite because there was a snack shop and a book stall downstairs.
The family had already moved out. The person renting it out was the owner’s younger sister. Zhou Yuejun haggled with her for another half hour.
“There’s too little furniture. We’ll have to buy a lot of things. 90. I’ll pay for three months all at once.”
This area wasn’t in the city center; rather, it was a bit underdeveloped, an area that hadn’t been built up yet, so there wouldn’t be too many people renting.
The woman couldn’t decide, so she went downstairs to make a phone call. When she returned, she relented: “Fine. 90 a month.”
Sitting on a stool, Yu Dengâs eyes sparkled when he saw Zhou Yuejun pulling out money. He wanted to see exactly how much money Zhou Yuejun had.
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