73 Picking Up Trouble Part 2 (1/2)
Chapter 73: Picking Up Trouble Part 2
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After 10 minutes, the two of them were standing outside of Tang En's house. Tang En pointed to his house number and asked the girl, ”Did I lie to you? Number 13 of Branford Gardens, the place where I live.”
The girl nodded and walked straight to the door, trying to open it as if it was her house.
”Hey! What are you doing?” Tang En was shocked.
”Going inside to rest,” the girl turned to him and said.
”But this is my house. I have been here for… for seven years, just me alone and do not have any Auntie Ryan that you claim lives here.”
”Liar!” The girl was holding the door handle stubbornly.
Tang En looked at the girl's face, and he suddenly felt there was something similar between his and this girl's personalities. As a result, he took out the key, went to open the door, and said, ”Fine, you can come inside and look. You are not going to find your Auntie Ryan.”
The girl did not expect Tang En to allow her to go in so quickly, and she stood still and hesitated.
”What? Having doubts?” Tang En laughed.
The laughter triggered the girl's curiosity, and she walked in with her head high. ”I am going inside to take a look. You think I do not know that you live downstairs, while my auntie stays upstairs?!”
She walked to the staircase while she said this, and Tang En followed her with his head firmly nodding. ”Yes, yes! How nice if there was a beautiful auntie living with me. She would help me cook, and I would wash dishes, and then we would watch TV together…”
The girl stopped walking and glared at Tang En, ”Auntie Ryan is 53 years old.”
”Huh.” Tang En scratched his head. ”Well never mind then.”
They walked up to the second floor. The girl saw an open door. She did not pay attention to what was inside the room, only the big photo that hung on the wall that faced her. Under a great red background, there was one person standing with his arms shot straight into the air.
The picture caught her full attention, and she approached it directly.
”Hey, this is my bedroom.” It was to late for Tang En to stop her.
The girl stood beside the photo and said, ”You are really a football manager.”
”Well I'm not paid to lie to you.” Tang En rolled his eyes. How should I make myself look more like a football manager? Wear sports tees, white sports shoes, and walk around with a whistle hanging from my neck all day? That look is stupid.
”So cool,” the girl said and then looked around the whole room. ”So this is your room?”
Tang En realized that his room was quite messy at the moment. He had not done his laundry or made his bed. There were clothes thrown on the floor, and the book he had been reading the night before was laying open on his pillow.
The girl's expression showed some disgust for the horrible state of the room, but Tang En, scratching his head, could think of nothing to say except, ”All single men are like this. That's enough. Let's go. This is my room, and I did not invite you in here!” He suddenly felt strange about how he behaved. Why was he being so pathetic in front of this ”guest”?
The girl hurried out of the room, and Tang En said, ”See? No Auntie Ryan.”
The girl then pointed to the other three rooms with their doors closed.
”Two of them are guest rooms with no one staying in them, and the other one is the bathroom.” Tang En opened the doors one by one to show her.
The girl fell into silence after she saw all the empty rooms with only beds in them. Tang En had no idea what was she thinking, but he had to ask her to leave.
”You have seen it with your own eyes. There is only me living at 13 Branford Gardens Street. I have no idea where your auntie is. Now please leave,” Tang En said standing by the staircase.
The girl was in a daze while looking at the rooms, and then she said, ”I can pay you. Would you let me to stay here for one night?”
This suggestion was unexpected, and Tang En was taken aback. He realized that the girl was thinking of his house like a hotel.
While the girl was taking out some coins and notes, Tang En frowned.
”Not enough?” the girl asked softly. ”But this is all I have…”
”Where are your parents? I think I better give them a call, tell you—” Tang En's words were cut off by the girl's screaming.
”Please, no!” She gripped her hands. ”If you do not want me to stay here, I can leave now!”
At her reaction, Tang En was even more shocked. He decided to find out more. ”I can let you to stay here and will not take your money, but you have to tell me about your parents.”
The room fell silent again after he finished his words. The girl seemed like she was considering or hesitating, and Tang En did not push her to respond faster. For him, it would not be a problem if he allowed this child to stay here one night. He was just quite curious as to why the girl had behaved so strangely this whole time.
After a while, the girl finally spoke. ”I actually escaped from my house. There is no Auntie Ryan. I was adopted when I was young, but they treat me badly, and I hate them!” She lowered her head and stood in front of Tang En. Her long hair covered her face. Tang En could not see her, but the girl's voice was very low. The hatred she spoke of was real.
Now the problem was more complicated and hard to decide about. Would she be any trouble?
The girl did not hear anything from Tang En, and she raised her head and looked at him with a scared look. She saw that Tang En frowned even more.
”All right, Sir. I know my request is unreasonable.” The girl lowered her head again, as her hope was broken, and she picked up her bag to go.
Tang En stopped her using his hand. ”I'll agree to let you stay here, but we have to sign or make some agreements. Something like a rental agreement will do. I do not want to have any problems or arguments with you in the future. This is beneficial for both of us. Do you understand what I mean?”
She nodded vigorously. ”I understand fully! Uncle you are such a nice soul!”
Upon hearing the girl's last sentence, Tang En's mouth twisted up and then he pointed a finger at her. ”I have one more condition. Do not call me uncle. I am not that old yet! This kid… what is your name?”
”Jude, Jude Shania Jordana. You can call me Jude, Sha, or Jor,” the girl answered him, smiling. The afternoon sun that reflected from the windows of the rooms shone on her face. Looking at her happy face, Tang En wondered if the pitiful expression she had been wearing a moment before was just an act.
Tang En continued to ask questions. He at least needed to know the basic information of his temporary tenant.
”Okay, Jude. How old are you?”
”13!” Jude answered clearly, and her answer shocked Tang En.
He tilted his head and examined her from head to toe carefully.
Tang En's height was 186 centimeters, and the little girl in front of him almost reached his throat. At that height, who would believe that she was just 13? Especially with those long legs. Her face, however, was youthful, which matched her age.
”How tall are you?”