Volume One, Chapter Six: The Girl Next Door

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I drove Lin Feifei’s Tesla back to what used to be my “home.” Standing at the doorway, gazing at the empty house, my mind felt adrift. Kuang Li had already moved out, though she hadn’t taken much—after all, she was now living the high life, far beyond the reach of these old scraps that once meant so much. Nine years of love felt like a dream; now that the dream had ended, we had parted ways.

Though I had acted nonchalant in front of Lin Feifei, when I suddenly faced the empty house, loneliness wrapped around me like an invisible net, trapping me with no escape. I remembered I hadn’t updated my novel today; I had already missed an update yesterday. If I skipped another day, my perfect attendance for the month would be ruined. Though I had no ideas in my head, for the sake of a few hundred yuan, I gritted my teeth and opened my laptop.

When I had a job, writing novels was just a hobby—casual updates, no pressure for perfect attendance. But now, reality bent me low; even a few hundred yuan was enough to make me submit. I popped open a beer, sipping as I typed. After finishing today’s chapter, I tossed my laptop aside, pulled the blanket over my head, and fell into a deep sleep.

Perhaps the shock of the past two days was too much. Not long after lying down, I drifted into a hazy sleep. I dreamt of Kuang Li; fragments of the past replayed endlessly, turning into tangible ropes that bound me as I sank deeper. I shouted for Kuang Li to save me, but she remained indifferent, calmly watching me sink further and further.

I woke with a start, drenched in sweat, gasping for fresh air. After a long while, I finally steadied myself. I lit a cigarette, took a shallow drag, held it in for a long moment, then exhaled softly. The smoke carried my melancholy, burning silently. The tobacco was like my youth, my entire love life—slowly consumed by flames.

I replayed that dream over and over, glancing around at the small, happy life two people once shared—it kept surfacing before my eyes. Those little beauties once etched in my heart had now turned into the smoke I exhaled, suffocating me bit by bit.

Perhaps, it was truly time to begin a new life.

Staring at the cigarette butt left between my fingers, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. I had quit smoking for her once; now, because of her, I had picked it up again. What a cruel irony.

“Knock, knock, knock…”

Lost in thought, a knock on the door broke my reverie. I shuffled over in slippers and opened it. Standing there was Zhou Shutong from across the hall.

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We’d lived across from each other for over a year. Every time she went on a business trip, she’d ask me and Kuang Li to look after her dog. Since we were all young, we quickly grew close. The three of us even had a WeChat group, and when we had to stay indoors for a while, we often shared food and supplies.

Zhou Shutong was very beautiful but had always been single. Kuang Li and I once joked about setting her up, only to be met with Kuang Li’s eye roll. She sarcastically said, “She only wears and uses top brands. Which one of us poor guys could afford to support her?” I was left speechless.

She seemed quite busy with work and hadn’t been around much lately, so today, her knocking caught me off guard.

“Heading out on another trip? Leaving Zaizai with me again?” I asked.

Zhou Shutong shook her head gently, her long wavy hair swaying. She looked at me with concern. “Kuang Li messaged me about what happened between you two. I figured you probably haven’t eaten yet, so I ordered some takeout. Let’s eat together.”

Only then did I notice the takeout containers in her hand. I forced a smile and nodded toward the inside. “Yeah, come on in.”

She walked in confidently, placing the food on the coffee table, accidentally brushing the mouse. The computer exited screensaver mode, and the screen lit up, revealing a webpage that caught her eye. She exclaimed, “You’re writing a novel?”

I smiled wryly and came over casually. “Haha, yeah, just a little nobody.”

Zhou Shutong shook her head. “Don’t be modest. Being able to write is already impressive. What have you written?”

“‘Flight Attendant’s Rules’ and ‘My Flight Attendant Wife,’” I scratched my head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Her eyes lit up instantly, flickering with a fiery passion, and she couldn’t hide her surprise. “Oh, those two books are yours? I’ve read them several times. You’re so talented. I always thought the author must be incredibly gifted to write something so good, and now it turns out they’re right here in front of me.”

I felt awkward and chuckled dryly. “Never thought I’d have female fans. If the guys in my QQ groups heard this, they’d be dying of envy.”

Her eyes gleamed brighter, showing her admiration openly. “Really, I went through that book multiple times. You write with such detail. Let me ask—how did you come up with those titles?”

The more she asked, the more embarrassed I felt. I scratched my head and chuckled. “To be honest, I initially wanted to attract readers who’d get the inside references. I didn’t expect it to turn into a pure love story.”

Zhou Shutong’s lips curved into an enticing smile. “Honestly, I was drawn in by the titles too.”

“...”

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Zhou Shutong opened the food containers one by one, continuously offering me bites. “Author, eat more. If you suffer, don’t let it be yourself.”

“Eating well gives you strength to update more,” she added.

I smiled awkwardly.

From last night until now, I’d barely eaten anything. Seeing food now, my stomach growled uncontrollably. Embarrassed, I chuckled dryly. “Don’t mind me—I really haven’t eaten all day.”

Zhou Shutong smiled faintly, her face clean and free of mockery. “It’s okay. If it were me, I might be worse off.”

Her words struck a chord. I’d known her for a long time, yet her love life remained a mystery. A woman as beautiful as her surely had no shortage of admirers, but she was always alone.

We got along well, but because I was married, we kept a respectful distance. Although the three of us were in the same group chat, I hadn’t even added her on WeChat personally; I only tagged her in the group when needed.

I opened my mouth to speak but hesitated, pushing down my curiosity. I told myself it was better not to pry—after all, I was barely keeping myself afloat; how could I concern myself with someone else’s romantic affairs?

With that thought, I focused on my meal. Eventually, Zhou Shutong broke the silence.

“How’s your job situation?”

I forced a dry chuckle, chewing listlessly. With a sigh, I said, “Not great. The places I want to go ignore my resume completely; the ones I don’t want keep pestering me like sticky candy.”

Pausing, I laughed bitterly. “Do you think I’m too picky? I don’t even have a job now, yet I’m still so choosy?”

Zhou Shutong shook her head gently, setting down her chopsticks. She looked at me seriously, her voice like a breeze through wind chimes.

“No, you’re right. Losing your job means you need time to adjust—think of it as a rest. We live for decades, working for many years; what’s a few months off? Besides, you have your side gig. Even if you’re not working for someone else, you’re still working for yourself.”

Her words warmed me, melting something inside my heart.

It had been two months since I lost my job. I hadn’t told Kuang Li because I feared she’d nag me constantly about when I’d start working again. When I graduated, I struggled to find a job, while she had already landed an internship at a Fortune 500 company and acted superior around me.

“If you need help, you can send me your resume.”