C11 The Visitor

After confirming that Gu Wenying had taken the elevator down, Xia Liang swiftly unlocked the door, darted inside, and slammed it shut behind him. It was as though he feared someone might be hot on his heels, ready to burst in after him.

Click!

Just to be safe, Xia Liang deadbolted the door.

Phew!

Leaning against the security door, he exhaled deeply, his emotions still in turmoil. After all, he was a high school senior, squarely in the throes of adolescence. Despite his usual self-imposed isolation and rebellious streak, the unexpected interaction with a girl had his heart racing and his mind buzzing with excitement.

Even after she was gone, flashes of her face lingered in his thoughts.

"Could we actually become friends?" The idea surfaced in Xia Liang's mind out of nowhere. It was the first time he had ever felt the urge to reach out and befriend someone.

There's a saying, isn't there? The lonelier a person is, the more they crave friendship; they just haven't found the one who can unlock their heart.

"Tsk tsk, was that a classmate or a girlfriend I saw with you earlier?"

Out of the blue, a voice cut through the darkness.

"Who's there?"

Xia Liang, still pressed against the door, jolted at the sound but quickly recognized the voice and relaxed.

Snap!

Flipping on the light, Xia Liang looked up to see a man in his late twenties perched on the living room sofa, barely containing his laughter.

"Sneaking around like a thief, huh?" Xia Liang remarked, none too pleased.

"Sorry, sorry, I'll make sure to use the front door and ring the bell next time!" The man on the sofa said, scratching his head but still grinning.

"What's so funny? Step in something?" Xia Liang snapped, irritated by the man's amusement.

"No, I just noticed a woman leaving the elevator with you. Why didn't you invite her in?" The man prodded, his face alight with gossip.

"She was just helping me, not hugging me," Xia Liang corrected hastily, then questioned why he felt the need to explain himself.

"What do you want?"

Xia Liang abruptly changed the subject and plopped down on a small sofa cluttered with dirty clothes, close to the door. He averted his gaze, focusing on his sneakers instead of the man.

"That..."

The man lounging on the sofa peered at Xia Liang's bandaged face and inquired, "Before we get to the main issue, what's with the injuries on your face and body? Did someone beat you up?"

"I ran into a few thugs and ended up in a scuffle," Xia Liang responded with a nonchalant tone.

He certainly wasn't going to divulge the incident in the park to the man before him. Even though this man could effortlessly resolve any problem and even retrieve his mother's photo, Xia Liang would never stoop to ask for his assistance.

"Playing the hero for a damsel in distress?" The man's thoughts drifted to the attractive girl from earlier, and a sly grin spread across his face, tinged with curiosity. "That girl who dropped you off, she's quite a looker! Was the fight over her? Impressive, really impressive. You've got potential, far more than that brute."

He had intended to say Xia Liang had more potential than his own father, but catching the icy stare from Xia Liang, he swiftly altered his statement.

"Mind your own business. Out with it, you're always on the move—surely you didn't come just to shoot the breeze? Did the school ring you up?" Xia Liang said, rolling his eyes.

"Exactly. The principal called me to report that you had hit a teacher with your phone and were about to throw a chair, but your classmates talked you down, and then you skipped a whole day of classes..." The man confirmed with a nod.

"That guy had it coming..." Xia Liang replied coolly.

"I'm aware, I've already gotten the full story," the man said, showing no sign of anger.

"So, what's the school's verdict? Are they transferring me?" Xia Liang asked, unconcerned.

As he spoke, the image of Gu Wenying's smiling face flashed through his mind.

"If I'm transferred, does that mean I'll never see her again?" A sense of unease washed over him.

"No need for that. The principal gave your homeroom teacher a dressing-down right in front of me and even had him write a letter of self-reflection. Just go to class as usual tomorrow; you don't have to worry about a thing," the man on the sofa reassured, shaking his head.

"Isn't that a bit much? People might accuse you of abusing your power," Xia Liang retorted with a scoff, feeling antsy if he didn't challenge the man.

"A teacher who can't do his job properly has no right to criticize my kid. If this were the old days, I would have torn him a new one. Now, making him write a self-reflection is letting him off easy."

Seated on the sofa, the man who had been all smiles and laughter just moments before suddenly shifted gears, his tone turning menacing.

Xia Liang couldn't help but glance up at him, taken aback by the harsh words.

"Cough, cough. Let's put this issue to rest. Also, get yourself a new phone tomorrow, okay? It'll make it easier to stay in touch. Do you have enough money?" The man on the sofa coughed, his demeanor softening as he inquired after Xia Liang.

"Not enough. I'll need ten thousand by tomorrow," Xia Liang found himself saying.

"Ten thousand?" The man on the sofa paused, taken aback. But seeing Xia Liang's furrowed brow, he quickly added, "Alright, you'll have it tomorrow."

He was curious about Xia Liang's sudden need for such a sum, but he knew better than to pry. Xia Liang wasn't one to open up easily.

"Maybe it's for a girl? Not bad, not bad at all. That's the spirit," the man mused to himself, recalling the girl he'd seen outside. He nodded approvingly, pleased with the thought.

"Why didn't I think of that sooner? Love is the best balm for a wounded soul!"

He had always felt a pang of distress for Xia Liang, the orphan in his care, who struggled with social connections and often found himself in trouble. Despite his efforts to provide a better environment and schooling, a real solution had always eluded him.

But today, seeing Xia Liang return with a girl, their closeness unmistakable, he glimpsed a ray of hope that Xia Liang might finally be emerging from his gloom.

"Anything else?" Xia Liang asked, a sense of relief washing over him as he confirmed the money would be there tomorrow and that there were no further questions. He was ready to show his guest out.

"No, that's all. You know, usually..."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Xia Liang cut in.

"Uh..." The man on the sofa, his throat full of well-intended nagging, nearly choked on his words.

"Do kids really find me that disagreeable? Eily seems to like me just fine," he sighed internally, his expression falling as he stood up.

"I'm off then!" His voice was listless.

"Take care," Xia Liang called out without much enthusiasm.

Looking up, Xia Liang realized the man on the sofa had already slipped away unnoticed.

"See her out!"

"That elusive character," Xia Liang muttered, somewhat at a loss for words.

He then turned and cast a glance over the cluttered, grimy apartment.

"Time to clean up! She's coming for a visit tomorrow."

For reasons unknown, the dingy apartment that had become so familiar over the years suddenly seemed intolerable to Xia Liang.