Chapter 6 (2/2)

I had only wanted to run a rental shop, watch my movies and live a simple life.

He would change my life.

And I couldn’t let anyone do that.

The following night after the dinner, I went over to the house of his buddy, Mini-Chicken—Lin Dongfu (and I had thought it was the actor, Lin Dongfu)—and told my family I was going to sleep in the shop.

There was only the two of us and he could not withstand my interrogation so he spilled.

He told me he met a boss in jail who took good care of him. Now this boss person had been released, too, and started a security company in Shanghai. He asked Shen Bin to work for him.

Security company? Bodyguards? Why did it sound like something from a movie?

Security service was a borderline legal career to begin with and the company was run by ex-convicts…

But it was none of my business.

Really, he should just come and work in my shop. Things might have been a bit hard at first but at least it was a proper job.

I did not say anything.

“You not happy?” He blinked at me.

His eyes were really pretty.

My face was a bit warm. “Who? Me? It’s nothing to do with me!”

“Why’s your face red?”

“What?” I lied saying it was hot and got up to leave.

“’Kay, I’ll go with you. Let’s go watch some stuff at your shop. I really like Happy Together,” he said as he got up too.

“That’s a ‘f.a.g film.’ Why do you like watching them so much?” The rascal had some taste after all.

“I can like them too.” He didn’t look at me but stared at the ground and crushed a beetle crawling on Lin Dongfu’s floor. He spoke very softly. But I was entranced by it.

“I run a rental shop. It’s a job requirement for me, not a matter of preference.”

“Job requirement, huh?” He was still very quiet. He stopped and swung an arm over.

“What are you doing?” He rested his arm on my shoulder. He would always do this just because he had the height advantage.

“Let’s go already. Lin Dongfu’s rents gonna be back soon from mah-jong.”

See, this guy kicked Mini-Chicken out of his own house. I felt kind of bad for the little guy.

We headed for my shop.

No conversation the whole way.

He just kept trailing behind me. I did not want him to have his arm around me but I never said he couldn’t walk beside me.

“Hey!” I stopped. Having someone d.o.g.g.i.ng you at night time felt really weird. “Get up here.”

“No.”

“Hey!”

“I said no!”

“Screw you!”

He just stood there without retorting.

Was he mad?

I sometimes wondered whether he saw me as his mom or older brother.

He was only twenty years old.

And orphaned.

Anyhow, it felt quite nice having someone who needed my comforting and rea.s.surance.

<script>