ITOTIABSAM | Landlord Tenant | 30
Benefit?
How can you get any benefits without entering the Quick Transmigration Bureau!
Equally bewildered by the overly familiar face in front of him, 1101 was at a loss. "In the original novel, you have a roommate..."
But there was no proper introduction, not even a name was given. The only appearance they made was in the alternate Xie Ye’s food videos by the sound of footsteps in the background.
Later, when the alternate Xie Ye confined the main protagonist in the home, the other person didn't make an appearance, probably considered an obstacle to early termination of the lease.
Xie Ye was used to being unlucky and he never thought that such a chance, akin to a pie falling from the sky, would happen to him. A trace of suspicion flashed in his eyes, and he coldly said, "Please."
—If the world's consciousness is really planning something, well, there are knives in the kitchen.
1101, loaded with harmony regulations, exclaimed, "Ah ah ah! There are laws! Wake up!"
Without feeling that he might be stepping into a wolf's den, the young man entered with his luggage, smoothly found the side bed, and praised, "So clean, just like in the videos."
Xie Ye's current voice was quite strange, but the other person showed no signs of aversion. The alternate account had a mild social anxiety, making it impossible to casually let people in and out to view the room. So, he posted a real-time video on the platform and signed an electronic contract on the platform. Just these two measures discouraged most potential tenants.
After all, this operation seemed like a scam no matter how you looked at it.
1101 muttered under his breath, "Clean? That's because he hasn't seen the crime scene just now."
"ID card." discreetly assessing the other person for a moment, Xie Ye suddenly raised his hand.
Surprisingly, the called-up young man was quite cooperative. Without asking unnecessary questions, he took out his ID card from his pocket, even including a student ID.
His name was indeed Gu Cong, but the date of birth was completely different. Twenty-one years old, studying computer science at University A, it seemed he moved out for postgraduate entrance exams.
As for the tattoos...
1101 urgently intervened, "Stripping off clothes on the first meeting will be seen as a pervert!"
Whether he heeded its words or lacked confidence in his new body's strength, the black-haired youth obediently returned the ID card to Gu Cong.
Noticing a hint of red on the bandage wrapped around his index finger, Gu Cong was surprised. "Your hand."
Xie Ye replied, "Cut it while cooking."
One of the side effects of an overly weakened body was dulled senses, but at this moment, it turned out to be a good thing. The only trace of pain Xie Ye could sense was minuscule.
The clothes he had bought just two months ago had become too small. He was enveloped in loose fabric, his pants cuffs resting on slippers. Coupled with the dimness in the living room after drawing the curtains, he looked like a shadow avoiding the light.
Remembering the pile of fish in the kitchen that still needed to be dealt with, he floated slowly toward the kitchen.
Unable to swallow almost anything except water due to the side effects, most of the food he made in his videos ended up in the trash. Despite the wastage, there was no other option.
Because he never tasted the visually tempting pastries and dishes in his videos, some people in the comments would accuse him of staging for beauty, omitting steps. They claimed that the things made following his videos were impossible to eat.
The alternate Xie Ye didn't have the energy to refute or reply to any comments. Fortunately, the composition, editing, and music in his videos were all above the passing grade, allowing him to barely make ends meet.
Since the planned yellow croaker and chicken soup had to be postponed, Xie Ye took out his phone and posted a leave notice. He looked at the kitchen, still filled with a pile of unwashed pots, bowls, and utensils.
He knew how to cook, and his body retained the basic skills of handling ingredients. However, he hated doing dishes and lacked the patience of his alternate self.
At that moment, a head suddenly appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Um... do you need help?"
"Your injury seems quite serious," the young man's deep phoenix eyes stared slowly, but Gu Cong showed no fear, on the contrary, he was open and casual. "It would be troublesome if something happened while washing."
The ominous living room, the hoarse and unapproachable landlord, the excessive number of mirrors, the blood-stained bandage... With such a development resembling a horror movie, if it were someone else, even if they didn't break the contract immediately, they would inevitably have doubts in their hearts. But Gu Cong, like a carefree fool, had the courage to show goodwill towards Xie Ye.
After a brief hesitation between washing dishes and potentially falling into a trap, Xie Ye chose the former without hesitation. "Just pour them out and clean them."
Pour them out?
As soon as he entered the kitchen, Gu Cong smelled the tempting aroma that could easily stimulate one's appetite. Feeling regretful and a bit surprised, he subconsciously asked, "Did something go wrong with one of the steps?"
Xie Ye replied, "No."
Gu Cong asked, "Then..."
"I dripped my blood inside," without confirming the other's intentions or whether it was a product of the world consciousness playing tricks on him, the limit of Xie Ye's defenses was quite low in the face of the same face.
He raised an eyebrow, and his red lips slightly parted. "Do you want to try it?"
He thought that scaring away this indigenous resident with the same name and appearance as his "ex" would at least keep the other away from him. Unexpectedly, the next moment, the guy's stomach unexpectedly growled, and his Adam's apple rolled down.
"I was busy packing my bags this morning and didn't eat," unable to explain his instinctive reaction a moment ago, Gu Cong straightened up, a look of confusion flashing across his face. "Uh... ordering takeout would take a while. If you don't mind, I can help finish it."
Xie Ye, who felt like he had been outsmarted: Is this guy an idiot?
He clearly said there was blood inside, and he still dares to drink it.
"That serious wound should be caused by a knife. The cutting board is quite far from the pot." Afraid that the other might misunderstand him as some strange person to be wary of, Gu Cong touched his head and earnestly explained.
Xie Ye replied, "Do whatever you want."
As long as he doesn't end up washing the dishes.
The chicken soup, as the main ingredient used for the base, was naturally boiled to be delicious and thick. Just a few minutes after turning off the heat and lifting the lid, it emitted a slight warmth, not a bit greasy, clear and transparent, without any impurities.
Paired with the rice that had been steamed in the electric rice cooker nearby, although it was light, it could definitely satisfy his taste buds and stomach.
But the new roommate was oddly thrifty: "Mr. Xie, what about these pieces of fish?"
Xie Ye: "Throw it in to cook."
Gu Cong: "What about the sauce in that bowl?"
Feeling like it might never end if he continues to answer, Xie Ye put away the video equipment and stepped forward with a cold face.
In a few simple steps, he removed the chicken meat and bones, poured in the boneless fish meat, cooked it over high heat to reduce the broth, and finally added the sauce, primarily diluted with sweet bean sauce, and thickened it.
The result turned the originally normal pot of chicken soup into a pot of bright red soup, perfectly echoing the emphasis on fresh blood by the young man just now.
Having experienced the host's terrible temper, 1101 deeply understood: It said that Xie Ye wasn't so kind-hearted.
Poor Gu Cong, not knowing whether it was true or false, the host was on high alert, making it even more challenging to approach him compared to the previous world.
However, it underestimated someone's psychological resilience. The other not only showed no fear but even boldly invited, "Mr. Xie, would you like to join me for a meal?"
The response was the figure of the youth walking towards the master bedroom.
But Gu Cong didn't mind. He called out to Xie Ye's departing figure, "I'll borrow a bowl and chopsticks. I'll clean them afterward."
This apartment was left by the parents of his alternative self as an inheritance. Despite its somewhat remote location, it had a large area, and the master bedroom had a private bathroom. As long as the roommate's schedule was understood and avoided, and the roommate was quiet enough, living alone didn't make much of a difference.
Otherwise, his alternative self would have never considered renting out the side bedroom.
"It feels like that person, and the soul fluctuations are very similar," waving away a series of data that ordinary people couldn't understand, 1101 couldn't hide its curiosity, eager to try, "How about trying to sleep in the same bed with him and see if you can fall asleep?"
Xie Ye: "This body doesn't have insomnia symptoms."
Moreover, due to excessive weakness, he slept longer than the average person, in a drowsy state, reducing energy consumption.
Although it was clear what kind of personality their host had, sometimes, even as a system, 1101 couldn't help but feel that the host was overly rational.
For others, they might have long thought about how to renew their past relationships. However, Xie Ye had his mind full of conspiracy theories.
Or perhaps, the other party didn't miss Gu Cong as much as it imagined? When carefully calculated, both of them ended up as unspoken boyfriends within and outside the circle, with no public acknowledgment or official status...
Human emotions are too complex. No matter how many samples or precise data there are, they cannot be calculated. 1101 doesn't understand, but Xie Ye understands very well.
He is just habitually protecting himself.
Fate is best at playing jokes with him. Betrayal from those close to him, he has experienced this countless times. One day they could be drinking and chatting, the next day they are facing each other with a knife.
By not expecting anything from anyone or anything, assuming that they will all hurt him, he can remain perpetually un-disappointed and unhurt.
In the previous world, at the beginning, he could interact with Gu Cong in a relaxed manner, firstly because Gu Cong was a character that his alternative self had seen with their own eyes, existing in the plot.
Secondly, it was because he had no expectations or demands for "Gu Cong."
But now it's different.
Xie Ye couldn't deny that if the new roommate was indeed the Gu Cong he was familiar with, he would be much happier.
This obviously contradicts his long-standing survival rule. Is it due to being close to home and feeling timid? Or perhaps some other similar, affected reasons. Xie Ye, who was dizzy and had low blood sugar, just wanted to collapse onto the bed and sleep.
Closing his eyes and wrapping the blanket tightly around himself, he resembled a vampire about to enter a long sleep – pale, sickly, as if wandering on the brink of breathlessness.
Gurgle
After an unknown amount of time, his stomach's sudden and merciless ache woke the young man from his stupor. Curling up on the bed like a shrimp, Xie Ye rested for a while. He had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, but his voice remained calm, "Medicine."
1101: "We have it. Swallowing it dry might induce vomiting."
Determined to keep his bed clean, Xie Ye refused to dirty it. With the room shrouded in darkness, he didn't bother to search for slippers. Barefoot, he stepped out of the bedroom.
Taking advantage of the situation, 1101 suggested, "Boil some hot water. There's an electric kettle in the house, it should take five minutes."
Xie Ye: "Too slow."
Casually grabbing a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator, he opened the medicine provided by 1101. Suppressing the body's reflex to resist, he tilted his head back and swallowed it in one gulp.
Feeling the urge to vomit but unable to, the black-haired youth tightly covered his mouth with his right hand. The corners of his eyes turned physiologically red. His stomach, unused to normal functioning for too long, couldn't tolerate such a rough treatment, resulting in even more intense pain.
Thud
His fingertips trembled slightly, and the bottle of mineral water that Xie Ye had opened fell to the ground.
0 Comments
Post a Comment