Chapter 13: If Only I’d Slept with You Sooner

“I’m sorry. No more neighbors—no more chances.”

Xiao Ma arrived early the next morning, wearing an outfit similar to yesterday’s but slightly different in style, his slicked-back hair even oilier. He knocked directly on Yu Zhimei’s door, and several girls filed in together. Ruru scrambled up the curtains, hanging there to observe from the shadows. Xiao Ma clearly hadn’t expected the room to be so exquisitely decorated and immediately asked: “How much do you earn in a month?”

Yu Zhimei didn’t respond. The first rule of urban transplants: don’t discuss salaries with colleagues or reveal rent to landlords or tenants.

“Did you renovate this yourself?”

“Yes, it cost me a bit.”

The apartments on the first and second floors had no balconies, so the girls downstairs were marveling at why Yu Zhimei’s flower-filled balcony lacked any laundry, completely oblivious to the dryer in the living room.

Xiao Ma, of course, noticed it: “Does the dryer work well?”

“It’s fine.”

“Oh. Has the neighbor in 301 come back yet?”

“I’m not close with them.” This was true—aside from drinking together, she hadn’t even exchanged WeChat contacts.

The younger girls downstairs began their plea: “Um… little brother, can we stay? We’ll pay the rent directly to you…”

“No, you have to move out.”

A long-haired girl tried flirting: “We’ve lived here for a long time and are really satisfied. Can I just sign a new contract with you?”

“No, I’m not satisfied with you.” Xiao Ma remained unmoved, his tone sharp. The long-haired girl’s tears began to fall: “You’re asking me to move now? I’m going to Thailand on a business trip this Wednesday, and I’ve already bought my round-trip tickets—I don’t have time to pack!”

“Telling you to move is just giving you a deadline. Your lease ends at the end of the month, right? I can be flexible—just move out by then.” Xiao Ma continued pacing around the living room, clearly impressed by Yu Zhimei’s renovation: “Besides, I’m getting married. My girlfriend lives nearby, so having the wedding here is the best choice. These run-down houses—you’re probably uncomfortable living here anyway, right?”

“Our lease expiration dates are all different…”

“Those who are due can move out automatically. For those who aren’t, I’ll pay two months’ rent as compensation for your deposit and breach of contract. Do you have your contracts? On moving day, we’ll settle it—one hand over the keys, one hand over the money.”

“We’re living here comfortably—how can you just tell us to leave?”

“Why shouldn’t I be able to reclaim my own property?”

“We’ll call the neighborhood committee, the local office, or even the police. This matter must be resolved fairly.”

Xiao Ma spun his phone on the table, visibly irritated: “Will calling them help? I’m reclaiming my own house. Even if you escalate this to TV mediators like Old Uncle or 1818 Golden Eye , there’s no argument. Understand?”

By the time the girls were about to dial 110, the situation had escalated further. Yu Zhimei, unable to interject or argue, decided to wait until everyone tired themselves out before negotiating directly with Xiao Ma—even if it meant accepting a rent hike. However, Xiao Ma pulled her aside onto the balcony: “How much did you spend on this furniture and decoration? Let’s calculate the depreciation, and you can leave with your bags. I’m stressing about how to renovate my marital home, and I think my girlfriend will like your style.”

Yu Zhimei thought she misheard: “Huh?”

“How much did you spend on the renovation? The wallpaper is peeling—it’s not high-quality material, right? And didn’t you rewire the electrical lines without permission? I’m negotiating with you here. If you refuse to move, I could claim you damaged the house and withhold your deposit—you’d really lose out.”

Yu Zhimei realized the most terrifying thing wasn’t unreasonable arguments but someone using logic to bully others relentlessly. Before the police arrived, Xiao Ma had already given her ten reasons, each cutting deeper than the last, overwhelming her with sheer force. Ruru, still hanging from the curtain, trembled at Xiao Ma’s loud voice. Yu Zhimei avoided looking too closely, fearing Xiao Ma might spot Ruru and add another accusation.

The older and younger officers climbed upstairs, and Xiao Ma was already sparring with them in Shanghainese. After registering everyone’s IDs, the older officer seemed to grasp Xiao Ma’s explanation: “Reclaiming your property, huh? Why make such a racket? The ground-floor neighbors have already complained, you know?”

“I’m taking back my house—it’s only natural. They insist on arguing and claiming rights? Ridiculous! I’ve agreed to refund their deposits. Technically, I could even charge them for wear and tear. According to the contract, you have no grounds to argue, right?”

“Why suddenly reclaim so many units? Why does your marriage require so many rooms?”

“I don’t care. I’m reclaiming my property. Shouldn’t I be allowed to renovate my place in Xintiandi properly? It’s prime real estate. My grandfather avoids trouble, but isn’t it commendable that I’m putting in the effort? I’m a working-class guy—money’s tight for me too.”

The older officer chuckled: “Renovating to double the rent—clever move, young man.” Seeing the out-of-town girls looking bewildered, he returned their IDs and switched to Mandarin: “This isn’t something we can meddle in. First, he’s reclaiming his own property. Second, you’re making quite a noise with doors and windows open—neighbors are bound to complain. In an old neighborhood like this, people live door-to-door and window-to-window. Many elderly residents are disturbed by your noise—it affects their rest. Understand?”

“Then where will we live?” Shi Rui’s eyes widened. “My job isn’t stable, and my roommate is traveling soon. Kicking us out so suddenly—don’t we migrant workers deserve basic human rights?”

Even the seasoned mediator grew weary: “We understand your struggles, but everyone has difficulties. Try to understand each other, okay?”

There was a knock at the door. Jian Zhaowen appeared, squinting sleepily: “What’s all the commotion so early in the morning?”

Everyone turned to look at Jian, clad in a white long-sleeved sweater, his face puffy, hair disheveled, and heels barely in his slippers. He disliked shrill, persistent noises, especially from women. Surveying the crowded room, he frowned: “What’s going on?” His gaze lingered on Yu Zhimei, as if ensuring her safety.

“You’re 301? Perfect timing. I’m the landlord. Move out by the end of this month—I’m reclaiming the property.”

“Landlord…?”

“I’m Old Ma’s grandson, Xiao Ma.” Xiao Ma finally got a glimpse of 301. Spotting the luxury brands and trendy items filling the loft apartment, his eyes nearly popped out: “If you’re so wealthy, why live in this dump? There are plenty of large, upscale apartments nearby.”

“A friend helped me rent it. My contract with Old Ma still has about six months left, but it doesn’t matter—you can reclaim it early. I’m heading back to Beijing sooner anyway.”

Yu Zhimei stared at Jian Zhaowen—back to Beijing?

“I’ll refund your deposit and rent.”

“We’ll see. It’s fine if you don’t. If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to sleep.” Jian turned to leave. Xiao Ma, rubbing his hands together, remarked smugly: “See? Just like that—people from out of town can be so decisive when it comes to moving.”

The younger officer yawned: “Master, shall we head back?”

The older officer seemed reluctant to leave the spectacle, consoling the young women one last time before heading downstairs. The girls agreed on their moving dates, leaving only the stubborn Shi Rui, who vowed to stay put no matter what. Once the room had mostly cleared and quiet returned, Xiao Ma pulled up a stool, ready to negotiate furniture prices with Yu Zhimei. She closed the balcony doors and windows, ensuring Ruru was still hanging on the curtain before relaxing slightly. Xiao Ma pulled out a small notebook and opened his phone’s calculator: “Let me list the items I want. We’ll check online for prices and calculate depreciation for each. What do you think?”

Yu Zhimei was seething: “I haven’t even agreed to this yet.”

“Isn’t it more trouble to move everything? Wouldn’t it be better to take my money and buy new stuff? With the time and energy you’d spend moving, you could upgrade to something better and newer. It’s not that I dislike your old things—I just calculated the cost of purchasing versus depreciation. Buying new is more cost-effective. You’ve only lived here for a year, so the appliances aren’t too old.”

True to his reputation as a shrewd Shanghainese man, Xiao Ma’s meticulous calculations left Yu Zhimei in awe. He continued inspecting the items: “I’ll take the washing machine and dryer. The curtains are nice too—I couldn’t find anything like them at the home improvement market. Red Star Macalline is too expensive, and I look down on regular building material markets. Though your rental conditions aren’t great, your taste is good.”

“Um… Can I not move? The neighbor said he’s moving out. His place is bigger—over a hundred square meters. Wouldn’t that be more comfortable?”

“No way. Your seventy or eighty square meters is already enough. A hundred square meters of renovated space here can rent for twenty thousand yuan a month. Do you understand? After I renovate it, I can make an extra twenty thousand in pocket money every month.” Xiao Ma nearly jumped up: “Speaking of which, I’ll call him over to see if he has anything to sell me.”

Suddenly, a phone rang. Yu Zhimei went into the bedroom to answer it—a major foreign car manufacturer had recalled tens of thousands of vehicles, and her company needed to urgently produce a trending video that night. After jotting down the sudden assignment and requirements, she hastily agreed to finish the final cut by Sunday, replacing the video already scheduled for Monday night. When she returned to the living room, Xiao Ma was enthusiastically negotiating with Jian Zhaowen about his sofa and cabinets. Xiao Ma’s slicked-back hair gleamed next to Jian, who lay sprawled on the couch, still groggy, neither agreeing nor refusing but seemingly too lazy to haul all the bulky furniture back to Beijing. Xiao Ma grinned, pulling out his phone: “Let me order some Hong Kong-style dim sum. We’ll eat casually while finalizing things. Tonight, I’ll treat you to dinner and chat about your work—I’m very interested. These days, having more connections opens more doors.”

While Xiao Ma went downstairs to pick up the takeout, Yu Zhimei spoke up: “You’re going back to Beijing?”

“Something urgent came up. Are you moving too?”

“I have no choice—he wants my renovation for his marital home. Never thought I’d be evicted for this reason.”

A gust of wind blew the door open. Jian glanced toward the entrance, then couldn’t help but fix his gaze on Yu Zhimei: “About that day… when you confessed to me…”

“Forget it—it’s nothing.” Suddenly burdened with her urgent work task, Yu Zhimei busied herself looking for power cords. Editing footage and cutting materials would take a lot of time.

“That’s not what I meant. If you’re willing to wait for me, I’ll come back after finishing up in Beijing. It’s really urgent.”

“Wait? Jian Zhaowen, you’re so confident, huh? It’s not like no one else is pursuing me.” Yu Zhimei decided to bluff: “The only thing I regret now is not sleeping with you.”

Jian chuckled at her sharp retort: “Sorry, no more neighbors—no more chances.”

“Damn. It was just a joke. So… does that mean you wanted to sleep with me too?”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Jian watched Yu Zhimei pacing around the room and suddenly said: “Seriously, we could move somewhere else and continue being neighbors—just like this distance. Drinking, eating, chatting, dating naturally… it’s not impossible…”

His words made his heart race a little. But when Yu Zhimei turned around, her face was pale: “When you and Xiao Ma came in earlier, did you leave the door open the whole time?”

“Yeah, I think so. Why?”

“Ruru’s gone. My cat isn’t in the room.”