Nanhua District was an old residential complex.
Yang Hui rented a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment here. He'd chosen this place mainly because it wasn't far from his company, and it was cheap.
1,800 yuan a month.
As he entered through the main gate of the complex, he ran into a few young guys with bleached-blond hair.
He shook his head. 'Delinquents.'
As he continued walking, he noticed the youths were heading in the same direction. Yang Hui glanced back a few times and saw that they seemed to be looking for something.
"Where do you think she could've hidden?"
"Looked like she went this way. It's a dead end up ahead. Let's go take a look."
While they were busy searching, Yang Hui just kept his head down and walked, so the distance between them grew.
Just as Yang Hui was about to open the door to his building, someone suddenly shot out from a flower bed behind him and rushed toward him.
He instinctively raised his arms in a defensive posture, only to hear a crisp, clear voice call out, "Dad, you're back!"
He looked at the young girl who'd rushed up to him. She wore her hair in a ponytail and was about 5'6", but judging by her youthful face, she was probably still in middle school; she had a very innocent air about her.
Her features were exquisite, and her large eyes twinkled. She would definitely grow up to be a stunning beauty.
He was just about to say, "Miss, you've got the wrong person."
But then she put a finger to her lips in a shushing motion. Seeing that Yang Hui understood, she continued, "Dad, what took you so long?"
He glanced back at the delinquents and figured they must be looking for this girl. Playing along, he grunted in acknowledgment.
He opened the building door, ushered her inside, and then shut it behind them.
Outside, the guys with the bleached hair were clearly startled by her calling him "Dad." They couldn't see Yang Hui's face clearly in the dark, only that he was around six feet tall, so they didn't dare to approach. They just watched him lead the girl into the building.
They exchanged a look and left.
"What's your name? Where do you live?"
The young girl sniffed. The reek of alcohol on Yang Hui was strong. She took two steps back, a little frightened, and said, "My name is Wenren Du'Er. I don't have a home anymore."
Yang Hui sized her up. She was wearing a school uniform, but her bearing was graceful and composed. 'She can't be from an ordinary family,' he thought. 'How could she be homeless?'
"What about your parents? Do you have their number? I can call them for you."
"My mom left home a year ago, and I haven't been able to contact her since."
Yang Hui looked at her. 'Is this kid trying to trick me with a plot from some viral video?'
"Then what about your father? I'll contact him."
"He's dead."
The hand that was about to dial a number on his phone dropped to his side. He stared at Wenren Du'Er, realizing her eyes were brimming with tears.
"What happened?"
His voice was low; he didn't want to dredge up painful memories, but if he didn't get a clear picture, what was he supposed to do tonight?
Wenren Du'Er choked back a few sobs and briefly explained her family's situation.
Her father had always worked in finance. After her mother left, he became obsessed, claiming he was going to make a fortune of hundreds of millions in the stock market.
A few days ago, he got some so-called inside information, sold their car and house, borrowed a lot of money from relatives, and then used leverage, planning to get rich overnight.
In the end, he was completely wiped out. Not only did he lose every penny, he was also left with a mountain of debt.
Unable to cope, her father jumped from the seventh floor of the Yida Department Store, ending his life.
Yang Hui suddenly recalled the incident. A few days ago, while making his store inspection rounds, he'd heard that someone had jumped from the seventh floor of the Yida Department Store in the Qingzhou High-tech Zone. The mall had been practically deserted for days afterward!
'So that was Wenren Du'Er's father.'
"If the house and car were sold, where have you been living?"
"In a rented apartment. But the lease was up today, so now I'm homeless."
"Don't you have any relatives or friends?"
He realized it was a stupid question as soon as he asked it. Her father had left a mountain of debt; those relatives were probably more worried about getting their money back than they were about her.
Wenren Du'Er shot him a strange look, as if mocking his foolishness.
"Then what's the deal with those guys with the bleached hair?"
"They're local punks. The leader cornered me at the school gate after class and demanded I be his girlfriend. I kicked him, and they've been chasing me ever since. I just kept running and ended up hiding here."
As she said this, she made a kicking motion, and Yang Hui hastily took a step back.
'That wasn't just a kick,' he thought. 'You were trying to end his entire family line!'
'No wonder those delinquents wouldn't let you off the hook.'
'No wonder parents have to pick up their kids from middle school these days,' he mused. 'A lone young girl, especially one as beautiful as a porcelain doll like Wenren Du'Er, really isn't safe.'
'This is tricky now,' he thought. 'She's homeless, and there's no guarantee those guys have actually left.'
'Might as well have her come up to my place for now.'
Yang Hui started walking, but Wenren Du'Er lagged a few steps behind, looking hesitant.
You can know a person's face, but not their heart. After the last few days, she couldn't bring herself to trust anyone, and besides, Yang Hui reeked of alcohol.
He opened his apartment door, and after he flicked on the living room light, Wenren Du'Er cautiously stepped inside.
"If you're scared, you don't have to come in."
Yang Hui couldn't help but say, seeing her hesitation. 'With my honest face, how could I possibly look like a bad guy?'
Wenren Du'Er's expression immediately straightened. "No, no! I was just worried I'd get your floor dirty. I can tell just by looking at you that you're a good person."
"And how can you tell that?"
Wenren Du'Er blinked and said, "Your eyes are full of light. They're so, so bright."
Her words softened his heart. "I'm no good person. Good people just get guns pointed at them."
'And I'm the one who wants to point the gun at others—others including, but not limited to, beautiful women aged 18-30.'
Wenren Du'Er didn't know what he meant, so she just let out a couple of timid laughs.
"There's a guest room over there. If you're not scared, you can stay here for the night. I'll go out in a bit to buy you a towel and some toiletries."
As he spoke, he went to his closet and pulled out a quilt.
"This is a brand-new silk quilt. It's never been used. Lucky you."
He went into the guest room and shook his head. 'This girl is really something else. I can't imagine how good she'll be at sweet-talking people when she grows up.'
'There's light in my eyes, so I'm not a bad guy? By that logic, if there were no light, wouldn't I just be blind?'
Wenren Du'Er followed him, watching as Yang Hui made the bed. She murmured, "You're more of a father than my own dad was."
He glanced back at her. 'She's full of clever little tricks. Is she trying to guilt-trip me?'
"You stay here. I'm going to buy you a toothbrush and a towel."
'What a mess,' he grumbled to himself. 'I was looking forward to coming home tipsy and passing out. So much for that. Now I've brought home a tagalong.'
He picked out a face towel, a bath towel, and a toothbrush at the supermarket, then bought her a set of pajamas as well. When he walked back in the door, he found her sitting on the living room sofa, humming a song.
'This kid sure is carefree.'
"What, not scared anymore? What would you do if I turned out to be a bad guy?"
"You wouldn't."
Yang Hui expected her to put him on a pedestal again, calling him a good person. Instead, she said, "I saw the criminal law books on your bookshelf."