Just then, my phone rang. I wasn’t surprised to hear it was my landlord. I live alone in an apartment, leading what I consider a worry-free life, with freedom being a key aspect. Today was the day rent was due, and I had the money ready, so the landlord calling seemed unnecessary. However, the landlord was calling about something else entirely. The apartment building I lived in was facing some structural issues requiring immediate repairs, and I had to move out by tomorrow. This was quite inconvenient, despite the landlord’s repeated apologies for the short notice, which was beyond her control. Nonetheless, it didn’t change the fact that I had to pack up today and might end up homeless for the night. Although I said it was fine, I was actually quite troubled. I wondered if any of my friends would let me crash for a night, but finding a new place isn’t something that can be sorted out in a day or two. Would I have to stay in a hotel? Then I’d be living off instant noodles for a while…
Fortunately, just as I was at a loss, my colleague Shuisheng came over asking me to request a two-week leave from our editor to visit his hometown. He was leaving that afternoon. I was secretly pleased. Shuisheng was a true rookie, having joined the newspaper just two or three years ago, usually quiet and not very sociable, but we got along well. I remembered helping him out a lot when he first started, from editing his articles to finishing a series of reports when he was ill. So, he always came to me for help when he needed it. More importantly, he also lived alone in a rented place.
I agreed to help him with the leave and thought about asking to borrow his place. However, he hesitated and stuttered, taking a while to respond. Left with no choice, I sternly lectured him, appealing to his sense of duty and friendship, even bringing up old favors, until he reluctantly handed over his house key, albeit with a look of unwillingness. Thankfully, Shuisheng was still reasonable.
