Chapter Twenty-Two: Roommates?

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“If you dare to look again, I’ll gouge your eyes out.” Wang Min lifted her head and met Zhang Wei’s gaze. Seeing him staring fixedly at her chest, she hurriedly covered herself with her right hand and scolded him in a delicate voice.

“Ahem... You’ve misunderstood. I just wanted to check if you were injured,” Zhang Wei coughed awkwardly and explained.

“Even if I am hurt, it’s none of your concern. I could crawl home if I had to, I don’t need your help,” Wang Min declared resolutely.

“I’ve never seen anyone crawl home before. Today’s my chance to broaden my horizons,” Zhang Wei said with a wry smile, arms crossed, as if he were ready to watch the spectacle.

Wang Min forced herself up from the ground, but her injured right foot couldn’t bear any weight. She toppled over again, crying out, “Ah... It hurts so much!”

“Well, looks like you really will have to crawl back on all fours,” Zhang Wei remarked.

“Do you have any humanity at all? I’m so badly hurt and you’re just making jokes!” Wang Min clutched her right ankle and questioned him coldly.

“All right, let me help you walk,” Zhang Wei said, crouching down. He wrapped his left arm around Wang Min’s waist and hoisted her up. Unable to support herself with her injured foot, Wang Min fell directly into Zhang Wei’s arms, her full, plump chest pressed tightly against his.

“Zhang Wei, who told you to hold me like this? Let go!” Wang Min found herself pressed against him, their bodies close, and she struggled, scolding him in a soft voice.

“Don’t move. My patience only goes so far. If you keep fussing, I’ll really leave you here,” Zhang Wei threatened in a deep voice, tinged with anger.

“Why are you so fierce?” Wang Min softened her tone upon seeing his anger. She was afraid he might really leave her alone—and if someone with bad intentions came and dragged her into the bushes, she wouldn’t be able to run, and the one to suffer would still be herself.

“I’m helping because you’re a colleague and a woman. But if you keep making trouble, don’t blame me for being rude,” Zhang Wei said as he supported her, warning her as they walked.

“Hmph... Trying to act tough in front of a woman, what’s the big deal?” Wang Min muttered under her breath.

When Wang Min finally quieted down, Zhang Wei’s expression softened. He walked with her, arm around her waist, toward their living quarters. It was summer, and their clothing was thin; pressed together, both could feel each other’s warmth and skin.

His left hand around Wang Min’s waist felt the smooth, supple curve, not a trace of excess flesh. With every step, her voluptuous chest brushed against his, and Zhang Wei could even feel the soft flesh tremble. His heart stirred, and he couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation.

Zhang Wei walked Wang Min all the way back, neither speaking to the other, until he delivered her to the basement door. “All right, go inside. No need to thank me,” he said.

“Why should I thank you? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be hurt. Besides, I bet you didn’t help me back out of the goodness of your heart—probably just wanted to take advantage,” Wang Min retorted, her confidence restored at her own door.

“You really don’t appreciate kindness. Luckily, we won’t be neighbors much longer; after work, we won’t run into each other,” Zhang Wei sneered, opening his own door and stepping inside. Just as he was about to close it, Wang Min pushed it open forcefully.

“What are you doing—are you crazy, or just lovesick?” Zhang Wei snapped, his arm hit by the door.

“Watch your mouth, Zhang Wei. What did you mean by what you just said?” Wang Min demanded.

“I meant, if you’re crazy, the doctor can treat you. If you’re lovesick, I can treat you myself. Understand?” Zhang Wei teased, openly sizing her up.

“Bah! Nothing good ever comes from your mouth. There are plenty of men who like me. Even if you waited eight lifetimes, you wouldn’t get a chance. Go die,” Wang Min spat, cursing him.

“I meant your earlier question—are you moving out?” Wang Min leaned against the door, shifting her body cautiously outside, wary.

“Yes, I can’t live in the basement forever! If I stay here any longer, I’ll start thinking of myself as a rat,” Zhang Wei said, touching the moldy wall with relief.

“Houses around here cost thousands for anything above the basement. Can you afford that?” Wang Min sneered.

“Don’t measure me by your own finances. This month I’m making eighty thousand—renting a place for a few thousand is no big deal,” Zhang Wei replied with a smile.

He used to earn just over a thousand a month, with rent eating up more than four hundred—a quarter of his income. Now, with eighty thousand a month, spending four or five thousand on rent was just a twentieth of his income; it was hardly a burden.

“You’re the classic nouveau riche. You just got lucky with two big deals. You think your luck will hold next month? You’ll end up burning through your money and have nothing left,” Wang Min crossed her arms, sneering. “I’ve seen plenty of agents like you—earn a lot, spend a lot, and end up penniless.”

“Thanks for the warning, but I have my own plans,” Zhang Wei said.

“All right, let’s see how long your eighty thousand lasts,” Wang Min said, glancing at him.

“If you can’t sleep tonight and want to chat, just come in for a bit. Not many chances left to have a heart-to-heart,” Zhang Wei patted his bed, half-smiling.

“I wouldn’t dare step into your room. If I couldn’t get out, there’d be nowhere to plead my case.” Wang Min snorted, turned, and hobbled back to her own room, slamming the door behind her.

Zhang Wei shook his head, closed his own door, undressed, and lay down on his bed. He’d considered Wang Min’s words. In the past, even if eighty thousand dropped from the sky, he wouldn’t dare spend it carelessly.

But now, with his mind-reading ability, he was sure his earnings would only grow. Spending a twentieth of his income on a decent apartment was hardly wasteful. Besides, temperament and confidence are nurtured through success and environment. If he kept living in the basement, he’d always feel inferior, lacking confidence even when meeting clients. That was why he was so eager to move out.

Wang Min, too, found it hard to sleep. Today’s events hit her hard, making her doubt her own abilities. She kept asking herself—was her professional skill really inferior to Zhang Wei’s?

As a woman, especially a beautiful one, she naturally longed for a better living environment and quality of life. She dreamed of moving out of the basement, but her income averaged only three or four thousand a month—barely enough to rent a studio, let alone send money home to support her parents and relatives.

Life’s hardships had left her frustrated and disheartened. She was, after all, just a woman—not as strong as she imagined. She’d even considered becoming a mistress, but her last shred of reason and dignity stopped her. So she remained in the damp basement.

“Hmm, if worst comes to worst, maybe I could share an apartment with Zhang Wei. I could do more housework to offset some rent,” Wang Min suddenly thought aloud.

“Knock, knock. Zhang Wei, are you asleep?” Wang Min, lying in bed, tapped the wall beside her and called out.

Their rooms were separated by a wooden partition, nowhere near as soundproof as a real wall. Not just loud voices—even footsteps were clearly audible. Other than not seeing each other, privacy was nonexistent.

“No, did you need something?” Zhang Wei’s voice came from the other side, as clear as if they were talking face-to-face.

“You said you wanted to rent a place. I was thinking...” Wang Min hesitated, unable to finish. It was late, the two of them lying in their beds on either side of a thin wall—any such conversation felt too ambiguous. She didn’t want to give Zhang Wei any ideas and decided to wait for a better opportunity. “Forget it, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Whatever,” Zhang Wei replied, annoyed that he’d been woken just as he was drifting off, only for her to leave the conversation hanging. He turned over and went back to sleep.