C2 A Bloodstained Box

"Hehe, I really hit the jackpot today. Scored a bunch of stuff without spending much. Man, I'm a genius," the young man chuckled, lugging a storage box slightly larger than the standard size as he made his way out, muttering to himself.

The young man's name was Huang Feng, but everyone called him Madman. He turned 26 today and had a decent look about him. He wasn't drop-dead gorgeous, but he was easy on the eyes. The reason he was hauling his finds away from the campus was simple: he wasn't a student there. In fact, he'd graduated from a different school two years prior.

Several universities were scattered around Jiang Prefecture University, all of which boasted superior educational quality and fame compared to Jiang Prefecture. Huang Feng was an alumnus of one of these less noteworthy institutions. His alma mater wasn't in the national top ten, nor was it a prestigious university—it was barely second-tier.

With the surge of college graduates, the job market had become increasingly competitive. Even those from top universities struggled to land good jobs, let alone someone like Huang Feng, who had been at the lower end of the rankings at a second-tier university. Post-graduation, the job hunt was tough. He'd bounced between several jobs without saving much money, so he lived as frugally as possible.

Huang Feng's presence at Jiang Prefecture University that day was no coincidence; he knew about the internal trade fair and had made a special trip. He lived several bus stops away, where rents were steep, especially near universities—way beyond his budget.

They say June blazes like a furnace, and they're not wrong. Sweating bullets under the blazing sun, Huang Feng finally reached the bus stop, burdened with his haul. Thankfully, his regular workouts meant he could still endure the heat.

Amid the curious stares of fellow passengers and the bus driver, Huang Feng reached the vicinity of his rental. If not for the sweltering heat and his cumbersome load, he would have considered walking the distance instead.

"It's ridiculously hot today. Past noon and it's still sweltering. Can't catch a break," grumbled Huang Feng as he made his way to his little house.

As he climbed the stairs, he had to sidestep someone descending. He shifted his storage box aside, but the cramped quarters still resulted in a collision. It was an accident, and the person quickly apologized. Huang Feng didn't make a fuss about it.

"Great, just my luck, now I'm bleeding." It wasn't until Huang Feng got back to his rental that he noticed the gash on his arm from where it had scraped against the cracked edge of the box, drawing blood.

He casually wiped the blood off with a towel, oblivious to the fact that the bloodstains on the broken part of the box had eerily vanished.

Huang Feng's rental was a mere seven or eight square meters. The space was tight, and his furnishings were sparse—a bed, a table, and not even a chair. Yet, the room was tidy. He took pride in keeping it clean, no matter its size.

"Man, I'm beat. This landlord is such a miser—no air conditioning on a day like this." Huang Feng complained under his breath as he pulled a small electric fan from the box. He knew that an air conditioner would hike up the rent, so he settled for the fan.

With the flip of a switch, the fan whirred to life, offering Huang Feng a much-needed breeze. His senior hadn't steered him wrong; the fan worked perfectly, a bargain for eight yuan.

"You are my little apple, loving you more is never too much," sang his phone. Huang Feng snatched it up eagerly. He'd been job hunting since losing his last position and was anxious for any news.

"Manager Liu? What's that? I got the job? I start tomorrow? Fantastic, thank you, Manager Liu! Yes, I'll be there on time, you can count on it. No chance of being late," Huang Feng beamed into the phone.

"Oh yeah!" Huang Feng couldn't help but cheer after hanging up the phone. The caller was from one of the companies where he had recently interviewed. He hadn't heard back from any of the others and had almost resigned himself to the idea that he hadn't made the cut with any of them. To his surprise, he was actually offered a job, albeit as a security guard.

Indeed, Huang Feng had applied for a security guard position. Jobs were hard to come by these days, and even landing a security gig was challenging. The company he interviewed with was a major player, demanding not only physical fitness from their guards but also a presentable image and at least a diploma-level education.

Despite the stringent requirements, the competition was fierce, and Huang Feng was among the hopefuls. The company's compensation package was attractive: a salary of 3,500 yuan, comprehensive insurance, and a pension plan. Employees received gifts or shopping vouchers during holidays, one day off per week, and were paid overtime for any additional work. For Jiang Prefecture, these benefits were quite decent. They might not match a white-collar salary, but they were certainly an improvement over Huang Feng's previous job. Now that he was hired, his joy was palpable, especially since there had been no word from the other prospects.

Manager Liu had mentioned on the call that, as a large corporation, they valued a professional appearance. The company would provide the security uniform, but not the footwear. Guards were expected to wear black leather shoes, nothing too extravagant.

Huang Feng owned a pair of leather shoes, but after two years of wear, they were showing their age. Eager to make a good impression on his first day, he decided to invest in a new pair, despite the cost.

With his limited funds in hand, Huang Feng headed out and found a modestly priced pair for just over a hundred yuan at a local shoe store. His budget didn't allow for luxury brands, so a no-frills shop was his best bet.

Back in his rental, Huang Feng carefully placed the new shoes in the oversized storage box, which had become his makeshift closet. Space was at a premium in his small abode, and the box served as the perfect solution for organizing his belongings.

After stowing his leather shoes, Huang Feng sprawled out on the bed and started scrolling through his phone. With little money to his name, a vibrant nightlife was out of the question. Thankfully, his rental came with Wi-Fi, so at least internet access wasn't a concern.

Huang Feng wasn't in the mood for TV or movies. Instead, he stumbled upon a short ad and was about to dismiss it until he spotted a favorite celebrity of his, which kept him hooked.

The ad was promoting a brand of tea drink, featuring a young man and woman living on different floors of the same building. The twist? Their refrigerators could magically exchange items. The female lead's tea drink inexplicably ended up in the male lead's fridge downstairs, sparking a quirky connection between the two via their fridges.

Huang Feng was thoroughly entertained. The ad was well-crafted, and the presence of a beloved star kept him watching until the very end.

Unbeknownst to Huang Feng, as he was engrossed in the ad, a faint glow emanated from the storage box under his bed. Moments later, his leather shoes vanished, only to reappear seconds after with a slightly altered appearance.