Chapter 8 - My Beautiful Landlady

No wonder Wu Yumei was so happy that she wanted to sing. Just two days ago, the small restaurant she had been painstakingly running was on the verge of closing down. Yet, by a miracle, it came back to life thanks to a person who came in the middle of the night to eat without paying. Not only did this person have excellent cooking skills, but he was also a martial arts expert. The key point was that Old Huang had luck in his fate.

When Old Huang was around, business was booming. The consumption of ingredients and seasonings was low, and the cost of buying vegetables dropped significantly. With the boss handling the cashier, the daily turnover saw a noticeable rise. If this continued for a month, they would turn a profit.

It all started with that bowl of noodles, which she had given for free. Wu Yumei firmly believed in the karmic theory of good deeds being repaid with good fortune. If it hadn't been for her kindness in not charging him, Old Huang wouldn't have stepped in to make chicken hot pot. If she hadn't kindly let him stay, there wouldn't have been any of the subsequent events or good fortune—perhaps even the kids in the internet café would have died.

Thinking of it this way, didn't that mean she had become a living Bodhisattva? As she thought about it, Wu Yumei felt a surge of happiness in her heart.

She invited Old Huang to stay at her house, but it wasn't because she was chasing after him. She was a straightforward person with a kind heart, and she wasn't that open when it came to relationships between men and women. She simply felt that the restaurant was too cold, and the table that was made into a bed was too hard. Besides, Old Huang had been there for two days without taking a bath. It would be nice to let him take a hot shower at her place.

The considerate boss seemed to have forgotten that there was a public bathhouse on Coal Port Road. The big pool there would be much more comfortable than her own showerhead.

Business was decent that evening. Though the table turnover rate was not high, the average spending per table was significant. Seeing the stack of cash in the register, Wu Yumei beamed with joy. By midnight, the ingredients were all sold out, and the job was done. Wu Yumei announced that they could close early and rest for the night.

The three of them locked the door and left the restaurant happily. Wu Yumei handed the keys to the Wuling Zhiguang (a small car) to Huang Pihu: "Old Huang, you drive."

Huang Pihu refused. "I don't have a driver's license."

"Go get one later," Wu Yumei said, sliding into the driver's seat and opening the passenger door for him to get in. This had originally been Xiao Hong's seat, but now Xiao Hong could only pout and sit in the back, as the van had been modified for cargo and had no back seats.

Wu Yumei rented a place nearby, just a few hundred meters away, in a dilapidated residential area in the Shipyard New Village. There wasn't even a streetlight, and it was pitch black. The Wuling Zhiguang finally stopped under Building 17. Wu Yumei turned off the engine, pulled the handbrake, and took the keys out, saying, "We're here."

Yi Leng glanced at the upper floor, thinking to himself that this was fate. Wu Yumei actually lived in the same building as his daughter. Maybe they were even in the same unit. Sure enough, Wu Yumei went straight to Unit 2. The motion-sensing light was broken, so she groped her way up to the second floor. She took out her keys and opened the door to Room 201, turning on the light.

Yi Leng looked at the door to Room 202. His daughter's family lived there. He never expected that they would end up being neighbors.

The layouts of Room 201 and 202 were a bit different. One was south-facing, the other north-facing. The living room in the middle didn't see any sunlight, and the heating valve in the room was turned off because someone was only home at night. It would be a waste to turn it on during the day, but the heating was on both upstairs and downstairs, so the temperature was still bearable.

Wu Yumei lived in the south-facing room, Xiao Hong lived in the north-facing room, and Old Huang had to sleep in the living room. Xiao Hong wasn't happy about the arrangement, but she didn't have the right to complain. She could only mutter under her breath that it would be inconvenient to go in and out of the room to use the bathroom.

"Let's all make do for now. Once business improves, we can move to a bigger place," Wu Yumei said. It seemed like she also thought that it wasn't very convenient for men and women to live together. So, she went to her bedroom, got two old bed sheets, and a roll of iron wire to make a small area for Old Huang.

With that sorted, it was time to take a shower. The boss went first. Wu Yumei changed into her home clothes and slippers, carrying a small basket into the bathroom. She was done in twenty minutes and came out.

Wu Yumei's hair was still wet and cascading down, with a pleasant scent of shower gel. Her face was flushed from the steam, and the collar of her clothes was slightly open, her eyes sparkling with a smile.

Huang Pihu's eyes went wide, and his throat tightened as he swallowed. After spending four years in prison, he hadn't smelled a woman's fragrance. How could he handle this?

"Xiao Hong, hurry up, while it's still steamy," Wu Yumei said, not even glancing at Huang Pihu, and slid into her bedroom in her slippers.

Xiao Hong's shower took a long time—she stayed in for a full half hour. Although she wasn't considered beautiful, her youthfulness made her rosy and fresh like a camellia.

Finally, it was Huang Pihu's turn. He entered the bathroom, took off his clothes, and turned on the tap, only to find there was only cold water, no hot water. It turned out that the old solar water heater was used here. Though the sun had been good that day, Xiao Hong had used up all the hot water, and now the water temperature was close to room temperature, nearly freezing.

Xiao Hong had done this on purpose, but Huang Pihu didn't care. He took a cold shower anyway, coming out five minutes later, his body steaming hot. He thought that by now, both female roommates must have gone into their rooms. But unexpectedly, the south-facing bedroom door opened. Wu Yumei came out holding a tea cup to pour some hot water. Huang Pihu almost got caught completely naked.

Wu Yumei had seen men before, but she had never seen a man like this. She was stunned.

In the summer, the shipyard workers liked to go shirtless and have barbecues and beer outdoors, and there were hardly any worth looking at—big bellies, thick necks, and receding hairlines. They looked nothing like what you'd expect from the working-class big brother image.

But beneath Huang Pihu's bulging clothes, there was actually a body of solid muscle, with a terrifyingly low body fat percentage. His six-pack abs were clearly defined. In the dim light of the fifteen-watt bulb in the living room, Wu Yumei failed to notice the more terrifying scars on Huang Pihu's body. Even if she did see them, she wouldn't recognize the marks from gunshots, knife wounds, and severe torture.

Now, it was Wu Yumei's turn to swallow. The two of them stared at each other in the living room, the atmosphere thick with tension, until Xiao Hong opened the door to the north-facing room and came out to use the bathroom. When she saw them like this, she cleared her throat. Wu Yumei hurriedly went back into her room, closing the door behind her. Her face was hot, and her heart was pounding. She thought to herself, what did I even open the door for? She had completely forgotten.

She spent the next twenty minutes calming herself down behind the door, waiting for her heartbeat to return to a normal pace. When she finally opened the door again, everything was dark. The lights were off, and there was no sound from Huang Pihu. Wu Yumei felt a bit annoyed. How could this man be so passive? He wasn't acting like a man at all. She huffed and forcefully locked the door again, the click of the lock echoing clearly in the dark night.

After tossing and turning in bed for a while, Wu Yumei still couldn't fall asleep. She began to think about Huang Pihu. According to the usual logic, since he had just come down from the mountain, he should have been starving for a woman. Why hadn't he made a move? He wasn't a young man who needed to hold back. Was it because she wasn't attractive enough?

Thinking this, Wu Yumei got up, looked at herself in the mirror, and applied some lotion, turning herself into a "fragrant baby." After a little posing and self-indulgence, she quietly went to the door, unlocked it, and opened a crack. The light from the bedroom leaked out. If Huang Pihu didn't make a move now, then he was a fool.

But just opening the door didn't mean Wu Yumei was ready to let Huang Pihu in. She was a person who valued her dignity too. What she was doing was simply to prove her own charm. If Huang Pihu tried to come in, she wouldn't let him get away with it. Hmph.

However, despite waiting, she eventually drifted off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, Wu Yumei was suddenly woken up by the sound of a door opening and closing. She got up, turned on the light, and looked around—Huang Pihu was nowhere to be found. Even the car keys hanging above the shoe rack at the door were gone. She quickly ran to the kitchen balcony, only to see Huang Pihu starting the car, the exhaust spitting out clouds of white steam.

Wu Yumei felt a warm feeling in her heart. She hadn't even thought about the possibility of him stealing her car. After all, if he didn't care about her, he wouldn't care about such a junk car. Huang Pihu was someone who would care for others. He had probably gone to buy supplies early in the morning, she thought. But then she paused. Wait—he didn't have any money to buy supplies, did he?

This time, Wu Yumei couldn't stay calm. She lay back down but couldn't fall asleep, waiting until after 7 in the morning. She heard the sounds of the door opening and closing again, and her heart finally settled. Old Huang had really gone to buy vegetables.

Wu Yumei got dressed and came out, pretending to have just woken up, stretching lazily. She asked Old Huang, "Why are you up so early?"

Huang Pihu said, "I went to the market and talked to a few vendors about supplying vegetables for us, so we won't have to get up early every day anymore."

Wu Yumei couldn't understand. It was the usual routine for restaurant operators to go to the market early to buy the freshest ingredients. Doing so saved money and ensured the best quality goods. By the time the goods were delivered in the morning, the quality was not as good. So why let someone else deliver it?

Huang Pihu explained, "I didn't go to find wholesale vendors one by one. Instead, I found a market stall with a fixed space and made a list for them to deliver daily. Of course, the prices are higher than wholesale, and it includes delivery charges."

"But they need to make money too," Huang Pihu said. "We're short-handed, and our main business is at night. Getting up at four or five in the morning to buy vegetables is too exhausting. I think it's better to give up some profit and focus on the business, which will earn us more in the long run."

Wu Yumei was silent for a while, feeling that what he said made sense and could not refute it.

"Alright, it's up to you," Wu Yumei said, her voice soft and obedient like a little wife.

Huang Pihu placed the items from his bag on the table: hot, golden brown pan-fried buns, with both pork and vegetable fillings, and three bowls of century egg and lean pork porridge, freshly bought from a nearby breakfast shop, emitting a delicious fragrance.

Xiaohong, who was young and loved to sleep, had her room door tightly shut with faint snoring sounds coming from within. Wu Yumei sighed, "This child is really blessed. Let's eat first before she wakes up."

On this Sunday morning, the two sat in the warm room, eating breakfast. The window facing north had a red "Fu" character pasted on it. Looking out, they saw the building across the street, icicles hanging from the eaves, and a string of wax sausages hanging inside someone's anti-theft window. The quiet, cozy atmosphere felt like a couple quietly living their life together.

Wu Yumei suddenly thought this moment was so beautiful, and she wished it could last forever.

Huang Pihu suggested revising the menu to focus on a few signature dishes, eliminating the miscellaneous ones. This would make it easier to purchase and account for the ingredients needed each day.

Wu Yumei grabbed a piece of paper and, together with Huang Pihu, worked on the menu. They decided to feature "Da Hong Pao" (a type of tea) as the main item, along with some cold dishes, stir-fries, and desserts. Then, she took a colored card, used a fountain pen, and wrote out the menu with elegant, iron-hooked, silver-brushed calligraphy, which was fluid yet strong, reflecting her own personality.

"Your handwriting is really good," Huang Pihu complimented. "You must have done well in school."

Wu Yumei's expression dimmed for a moment. "What's the use? We didn't have money at home, and I had to start working after graduating from high school."

"Education doesn't equal culture. I think you're very cultured now," Huang Pihu said, glancing at Wu Yumei. This made her suddenly realize she hadn't washed her face after getting out of bed. She gasped and hurried to wash her face, but discovered there was no hot water.

"The solar heater isn't working; we need to replace it with an electric water heater," Huang Pihu said as he followed her.

"It'll cost a thousand yuan," Wu Yumei said.

"It'll be fine with just a couple hundred. Leave it to me," Huang Pihu volunteered. He knew Wu Yumei was good at managing money, making every penny stretch. More importantly, the house was rented, and they didn't know when they might move out. Taking the water heater down and reinstalling it elsewhere would be a hassle.

"Really?" Wu Yumei was skeptical, but still went to the bedroom to get the money for Huang Pihu, and opened the window slightly to let some air in. From next door, she could hear the sound of reading aloud; it was the girl next door.

Although they lived next door, Wu Yumei, always busy from morning to night, hadn't met Yi Nuannuan yet, unaware that the girl next door was the customer from yesterday.

As Wu Yumei turned around, Huang Pihu actually entered the bedroom, casually closing the door behind him.

Wu Yumei's heart started racing, both excited and expectant. Finally, Old Huang couldn't resist anymore.

However, Huang Pihu went to the window and listened to the reading sounds. The girl next door was practicing English vocabulary.

"Her pronunciation isn't quite right," Huang Pihu remarked seriously. "The teacher has taught her badly."

Wu Yumei was a bit disappointed, feeling sour. "So you know English?"

Huang Pihu replied, "I learned it from a tape when I was little."

Wu Yumei said, "Then teach me."

They exchanged awkward words for a while, and then Huang Pihu left without anything happening. This made Wu Yumei angry as she fiercely hit the pillow.

Yi Leng, knowing Wu Yumei's thoughts, wasn't unfamiliar with women's desires. After all, he used to be a notorious playboy himself. But since getting married, he had calmed down. Though he had lost four years of freedom, he had tempered his resolve, strengthening his will.

Moreover, he always felt that his deceased wife was still around, and with his daughter living right next door, he could not afford to let himself go. That would be a betrayal to his wife and daughter.

Right now, Yi Leng was most concerned about two things: his daughter's English and her lunch.

As for other matters—world peace, the ozone layer, money, career, social connections—he didn't care at all.

Thinking of his poor daughter, memories of the family's past suddenly overwhelmed him. Yi Leng felt an inexplicable sensation—Xiang Mo was still out there, and she was on her way.

In Room 202 next door, Xiang Bing rubbed her eyes while watching her niece recite English. She wasn't good at English herself and couldn't tell what was wrong with the pronunciation. This scene reminded her of the pain she felt when her sister's grades always overshadowed hers.

Suddenly, Yi Nuannuan stopped reciting, looking strange as she said to Xiang Bing, "Aunt, I feel like my mom is here."

Xiang Bing said, "Don't scare me. Did you dream of her?"

Yi Nuannuan said, "No, it's probably my sixth sense. I just feel like she's here, very close to me."

Jiangwei City, although not economically developed, had a small airport that was envied by a neighboring city. Though only a 3C level, it was enough to handle Boeing 737s. The airport was located in the shipyard area, by the sea, and was called Xiliuwan Airport.

At that moment, on the runway of Xiliuwan Airport, a French Dassault Falcon 2000LX business jet was landing against the backdrop of the sunrise over the sea. Inside the luxuriously decorated cabin, a woman in her twenties looked out the window at the low-rise city buildings.

She was the same girl who had seen Yi Leng eating bread in the snowstorm two days ago outside the Jiangbei High-Speed Railway Station.

For some unknown reason, she had insisted on accompanying her father to Jiangwei for a business deal. Her father's company wanted to purchase four 3E-class container cargo ships and four Cape-sized dry cargo ships. These two types of ships were huge, and the construction costs were extremely high.

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