After an ex became a landlord

……

six years ago.

"Feng Siyao, why haven't you seen your circle of friends posting dog food recently?"

"Have you quarreled with Zhu Xu or are you in conflict?"

"My God, I heard from Li Wei that you broke up? It's not true!"

……

After the two broke up, there were many kind or gossip inquiries from college classmates, and Feng Siyal's reply was often only a short sentence.

"Yes, we are separated."

"The two of you have such a good relationship. You didn't even quarrel before. Why did you break up so suddenly?" Another roommate from the university dormitory asked occasionally, "Zhu Xu couldn't get in touch, and Li Wei didn't want to say, Let me ask you."

Feng Siyao's answer was also: "I'm sorry, it's mainly because of me. I didn't think about many things well."

The problem between them happened internally, and had nothing to do with the instigation of ordinary people like Pei Yi.Zhu Xu has endured too much, but he can do too little.Feng Siyao reviewed the reasons for the failure of this relationship countless times, and found the symptoms hidden in countless details in countless past scenes. Under her work habits, she made a long list of problems, and finally found that all contradictions The crux of the problem all stems from oneself.

She often thinks, if she didn't just want to stay and escape from her native family to study abroad, if she could understand Zhu Xu's reluctance and accommodation, or at least if she returned to China in time when the other party was most isolated and helpless, even if she took a break from studying for a while If you stay by her side, everything will be different.

But more often than not, adults have only multiple choice questions in their lives.

And sometimes, it’s not even possible to choose.

It's like she can't choose her origin, like she can't stop her parents who were forced to marry because of a one-night stand to divorce early, just like she can't force herself to pretend to be cute and sweet to please adults—after she grows up, except for occasionally accepting love for her She didn't ask her parents for a penny from her uncle.That's why I'm so stretched now, I impulsively want to go back to my country several times to get back the person I like, but I find that my savings can't even afford a round-trip air ticket in peak season.

Just like, the moment she unknowingly took her girlfriend's dedication and companionship for granted, subconsciously prioritizing "study" and "ideal" before the so-called "emotion", she had already He completely lost the qualification to propose recovery to the other party on the spot.

"Hey, foreign love is more difficult... I won't talk too much about it," the college roommate on the other end of the phone sighed, and continued to ask, "Then how are you doing now?"

"It's okay, Pu Yu is with me," Feng Si Yao replied politely, as if he had answered many times, "I'm fine, thank you for your concern."

Actually not good.

Within six months of the breakup, Feng Siyao suffered a severe withdrawal reaction.

The person who has always been planned into the future by himself suddenly disappears from his life one day, as if there is a piece of emptiness in his body, and he feels uncomfortable everywhere.

Until one day after they separated, the first thing Feng Siyao did when he woke up was to open WeChat to see if there were any unread messages from Zhu Xu.

She would still dial Zhu Xu's number, and she had heard the English phrase "the number you dialed is an empty number" no less than a hundred times.

Accidentally passing by a newly opened restaurant on the corner, it was the type that Zhu Xu would like, thinking that he would definitely bring her here, Feng Siyao subconsciously took a photo, but didn't know who to send it to.

It is common in TV dramas to misidentify the back, and then chase the back for hundreds of meters, only to find out that it is not the bloody plot of the person she misses, but it happens to her every now and then.

I could no longer hear Zhu Xu's gentle voice, and the long-lost insomnia returned, and Feng Siyao couldn't sleep all night.

Insomnia seems to be a difficult proposition without intending to use any psychiatric drugs.For nearly half a year, she paralyzed herself in excessive work, and spent more than 16 hours of high-intensity work and study throughout the day. Her exhausted brain could barely get about 5 hours of light sleep, and she got used to it over time. .

She has never been to any social occasions, and she has even lost any interest in maintaining any social occasions.During the six months of self-isolation, Feng Siyao knew about the outside world through his only roommate, Pu Yu, other than his mobile phone.

Pu Yu looks cold on the outside, but she is actually the type of person who is cold on the outside and hot on the inside. I am afraid that she will really develop from autism to depression. I strongly suggest that she get a pet to regain her love for life, Feng Siyao said casually As for raising a little pig, Pu Yu really hooked her up, and the little pig will be picked up the day after tomorrow.

In addition, Pu Yu often encouraged her.

dinner time.

"The cooking skills have improved."

Feng Si Yao didn't have time to rejoice, and frowned after taking a bite of the braised pork, "It's firewood, I can only say so-so."

"At least today's one is not so burnt and not so bitter," Pu Yu smiled, "Congratulations, the item 'can't cook' can almost be crossed off your to-be-rectified list."

Pu Yu and Feng Siyao have cooperated in the development of some programming projects since they were in college. There is a special collaboration system for programmers, which records the progress of project development plans and bug repair progress. A few months ago, Pu Yu found that there were suddenly more A project named "Feng Siyao" listed a full hundred bugs. Pu Yu took a rough look, except for problems such as "insufficient economic foundation" and "too self-centered" that cannot be evaluated, even "wouldn't "Cooking", "too underweight", "not in good shape" were all listed, and Pu Yu didn't know whether she should laugh or not.

"Cross one out, there are 99 left."

"Should we go back to find Xiao Zhu after everything is dealt with?"

Feng Si Yao thought for a while, nodded, shook his head again, and finally said that he didn't know.

"When we parted, she said that she hoped that I would get better and better." After a pause, Feng Si Yao's voice was a little hoarse, "If...if this is what she hopes."

"Then what about you?" Pu Yu stared at her and asked, "What do you want?"

A chance to get away from the family of origin?Recognized identity in a country where same-sex marriage is legal?A decent financial ability and social status?

Or a person who is close by and watches movies with you?

A muffled sound of Xia Lei sounded without warning, and the electric switch in the house was temporarily affected, and the yellow dining room lights dimmed, flickering and slowly returning to light.The disconnected wifi has not been restored, so the soothing pure music played on the Bluetooth speaker stopped abruptly. Feng Siyao's meticulous thoughts and low emotions seemed to be cut off at the same time, in the nearly blank background sound except for the sound of rain , into a brief blank space.

"Our research direction is machine learning, not how to learn how to become a machine. I hope that you can find what you really want, rather than operating mechanically according to the set program."

Pu Yu turned around, took out two cans of beer from the refrigerator, opened them, and put one beside Feng Siyao.

The WiFi is back to normal and the bluetooth speaker starts playing new music.

"Because of being in a foreign country, Weiwei broke up with me for the fourth time the day before yesterday, so I decided to give up the opportunity of direct blogging. After graduating with a master's degree at the end of this year, I will follow my father's advice and return to China to start a business." Pu Yu raised his glass and touched it lightly The body of another can, "Dr. Feng is sincerely invited to join you at that time."

Feng Siyao was stunned for a moment, and then said with a smile: "Okay. Congratulations to Boss Pu in advance, both career and love."

"Don't dare to do it, don't dare to do it," Pu Yu also laughed, "It's agreed in advance, can you give me a friendly salary?"

"What about the conditions?"

Lower your voice: "I'll do Weiwei's ideological work and ask her to remove you from the blacklist."

"Any more?"

"Get your ex-girlfriend's latest updates through the pillow cover."

The two hit it off happily: "Deal."

***

The timeline turns back to the present.

On 3.10th, four days before Feng Siyao returned to China.

In the blink of an eye, several years have passed.

Feng Siyao's 100 bugs were fixed early, but Pu Yu only did half of the two things that Pu Yu promised back then.After many efforts by her, Feng Siyao was finally no longer a VIP seat in Li Wei's blacklist, but the so-called "latest news about her ex-girlfriend" did not exist at all. It is because Pu Yu has been working hard for a long time since starting his business, and he has used his hands too much. Since recent years, he has suffered from repeated episodes of tenosynovitis. For a while, his left hand was also fractured, and he had to help Li Wei to swipe his card. Unspeakable.

So there is no sex life, let alone pillow wind.

Feng Siyao could only use a roundabout tactic, carefully asking Zhu Xu once a year through Li Wei, if there is any possibility of reuniting with him.

Then Li Wei put her away for a few days, and replied with a cold sentence:

"Don't ask, there's no play."

Feng Siyao was not discouraged, and continued to ask cheekily: "Then does she have a partner now?"

Li Wei continued to be angry: "What's the matter with your ex-girlfriend? Zhu Xu is doing well now."

"Okay. Anyway, thank you."

Out of politeness, Feng Siyao cares about his lover's health: "By the way, are Lao Pu's hands better?"

"none of your business!"

So she was blocked again.

At the moment when Pu Yu was on a business trip to the UK, the two made an appointment to meet in a cafe.Before going out, Feng Siyao remembered the advice of his tenant, Ms. Zhu, and put on a thick coat.This year's early spring in the UK was extremely cold. Affected by the cold wave some time ago, it had just snowed heavily, and now the snow is the coldest.

In fact, Feng Siyao and Pu Yu may not have been in touch for a long time.The two are busy with their respective careers in different countries. It has been almost five years since Pu Yu returned to China, and this is the second time the two have met.After a burst of eager greetings, the content of the chat gradually entered the topic.

"I didn't expect that you would agree to return to China to help me. I thought you would stay abroad, or choose a research institute or university in Beijing."

"Didn't you promise this a long time ago? Besides, Mr. Pu, your salary is high, so you don't need me to sit on duty."

"I was talking about July. A few days ago, I heard you said that you planned to return to China early to help. I was really flattered."

"Oh... because I just have other things to deal with," Feng Si rumored that it wasn't for you, he casually put his eyes on the right hand who was stirring the coffee spoon, and the wedding ring with broken diamonds on the ring finger. Looking bright, he pretended to ask casually, "Hey, your ring is not bad, where did you order it?"

Pu Yu, a high-intelligence business student, was quickly caught by Pu Yu, who asked back, "What, do you have something new?"

"Cough," Feng Si Yao choked on the coffee, "No."

"During the 10 minutes we chatted, you looked at your phone no less than 8 times, all of which turned off after glancing at the lock screen, which means that you are most likely waiting for someone's message," Pu Yu pushed the glasses, Showing a signature smile that sees through everything, "Combined with the clue that you suddenly decided to return to China early, your new situation should be in China."

"...Is there anything new about me, this is my tenant. That's it, I have a suite near Sanli Road, City H. Last year, I made a small investment and made a little money to decorate it, and it's vacant. I just rented it out not long ago," Feng Siyao shook her phone, and explained quite calmly, "The tenant is a single girl. She just came to City H and lived there not long ago. She occasionally asks me some questions."

Because Pu Yu and Li Wei are still a couple after all, Feng Siyao wants to keep the matter of reconnecting with Zhu Xu temporarily hidden, at least before she returns to China and enters the house quietly, she doesn't want to make any troubles.If Li Wei found out, he would run to tell Zhu Xu immediately, "Run! You've been tricked!", then everything would be over.

Unexpectedly, Pu Yu found Hua Dian again: "You haven't lived in City H very much, and you don't know how many subway lines there are. What kind of questions can you answer her? In this way, you let her add me. I'm a local. If there is anything urgent, I can help you at any time."

Feng Siyao: "... Li Wei has led you into trouble, when did you become such a gossip?"

The so-called "one thing down one thing", met Pu Yu, the king of calculations whose IQ is eight points higher than his own, and Feng Siyao, who has always been accustomed to attacking other people's logical loopholes, can only be speechless.

Said who would be there, at this time Li Wei cut in the phone.

"I checked the post, Lao Pu, why didn't you pick up the video? What are you doing?"

"We're talking about work."

"with who?"

"Si Yao," Pu Yu indicated with her eyes, "If you don't believe me, you can talk to her."

"Cut, I don't want to. What is there to say to that heartless scumbag?" Li Wei grumbled as usual, and then said, "Hey, let me tell you something, Zhu Xu got a job in exchange for H City, last month I just found a house on Sanli Road, so I told me. When you come back, let's make an appointment for the three of you at a time when both of you are free."

"Got it, I'll arrange it."

"..."

Feng Siyao couldn't hear what was said on the phone, but Pu Yu's more meaningful smile at this time made her more confident.

Finally, Li Wei did not forget to emphasize: "By the way, you must not tell Feng Si Yao about Zhu Xu's movements."

"okay."

Pu Yu responded, hung up the phone, and glanced at Feng Si Yao.

"Your tenant? Is it the lady surnamed Zhu?"

It seems to be completely exposed.

"Okay, it's Zhu Xu," Feng Siyao could only admit, "I reconnected with her...because...by some coincidence, she rented my house.

"It's not a coincidence," Pu Yu corrected, "It's been planned for a long time."

"Hey, it's really a coincidence," Feng Siyao argued, "Don't make me so scheming."

Pu Yu raised her eyebrows: "How long have you been chatting?"

"Almost a month."

"Does she know that the landlord she is talking to is you?"

Feng Siyao stalked: "...now, probably, I don't know yet."

Pu Yu cheered with great reading: "Wow! It's a good routine."

"What routine, I'm not you, the king of routines," Feng Siyao rolled his eyes inwardly, stirred the coffee spoon, and frowned slightly with boredom between his brows, "Speaking of which, after talking for so long, I always I think she might have figured it out."

"You mean, she might have guessed it was you?"

"Because, from an objective point of view, no matter from which point of view, my behavior is very suspicious," Feng Siyao himself admitted, and at the same time was a little confused, "but if she guessed it was me, why didn't she just ask me for confirmation? "

Pu Yu shrugged and said bluntly: "Maybe, she prefers the feeling of being kept in the dark."

Feng Si Yao sighed, "I'll meet you in four days. Although I'm mentally prepared, I'm still very nervous." After a pause, she hurriedly added, "Don't tell Li Wei about this. I have the impression that she is still a scumbag."

Double agent Pu Yu smiled: "Okay. Just come to me when you need it, and I will give you advice."

"Thank you."

Before parting, Pu Yu noticed Feng Siyao's empty fingers.

If she remembered correctly, Feng Siyao put on the ring shortly after breaking up because of the continuous rotten love affairs, declaring that she was not single—even if it was only one-sided.

"Have you taken off your ring?"

"Well," Feng Siyao lowered his eyes, and there was some hope and bitterness in his faint smile, "I want to wait for that person...to put it on for me again."

***

When she got home, Feng Siyao habitually whistled and yelled twice, but there was no response from the room, and she remembered that the smelly smell had been temporarily sent back to the owner of Zhucai for foster care.

In the cabinet facing the door at home, there is a framed Polaroid in the most eye-catching place. It was taken by the seaside when they first traveled, and it has been almost ten years.The smart speaker at home starts to work, playing the playlist of the WAV band she listens to most.

The soothing drumbeat echoed in the house, but compared with the hustle and bustle of the street, it was still a bit too quiet.

Having lived alone for many years, Feng Siyao thought that she had long been used to the silence in this claustrophobic space, and recently got used to the company of someone on her mobile phone. When she was alone, she began to feel a little lonely again.Several new messages popped up on the phone's WeChat, but there was no reply from Zhu Xu.

Feng Siyao poked open the dialogue box for No. 14 times today. The two had very little conversation today. Except for good morning and good afternoon, there were only punch-in messages such as going to work, eating, and taking a lunch break. The last message stayed in Zhu Xu's post. "I went to class" for her, and "Go, talk to me after get off work" for her.

Not uneasy.

After being separated for so many years, they really don't have much in common, let alone time to chat.

After many years of belated recovery, will she succeed?

Feng Si Yao didn't turn on the light, sank himself into the soft sofa, raised his head in the darkness, and stared at the stars and spots reflected on the ceiling outside the window.

If it fails again, or Zhu Xu already has someone else he likes, then...

Accompanied by two prompts, the screen of the mobile phone lit up. She woke up from the negative fantasy, hurriedly opened the mobile phone, and finally waited for two messages from Zhu Xu.

Zhu Xu: Miss Feng, at 1 o'clock in the morning, I finally got home from get off work

Zhu Xu: You arrived on the 14th, right? Which flight number is it?What time does it land?

Feng Siyao: ZH9068, arrive at 05:30 pm city H time.

Feng Siyao: What, does Miss Zhu want to come pick me up?

This is of course a hello, Feng Siyao was very nervous, she was really afraid that the moment Zhu Xu saw her at the airport, he would turn cold and run away.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Xu typed for a while, and replied: OK

Zhu Xu: I strive to dress up as exquisitely as my avatar

Feng Si Yao just laughed.

Feng Si Yao: Aren't you afraid that I'm ugly?

Zhu Xu replied in seconds: Actually, I am even more afraid that you are beautiful.

Quickly withdrew again.

Zhu Xu: What are you afraid of? I'm not dating you.

As if he didn't want Feng Siyao to reply, Zhu Xu quickly sent another sentence.

Zhu Xu: I'm going to take a shower first.

Feng Siyao sighed silently in his heart.

but.

I want to talk to you.

--------------------

The author has something to say:

Because the original text was too short, I wrote some supplementary content for the radio drama, mainly about some things Feng Siyao experienced after the breakup, and Feng Siyao's family background.

I forgot to send it out before, and now I have also brought it here.Following the consistency, the name of Pu Yu in the original text was changed to Pu Yu.