“Boss, I didn’t expect you to live in this complex too. Looks like we really do have some fate between us. By the way, which building do you live in?” Although this was Wang Cheng’s first time entering such an upscale residential complex, he had attended high school in the city. He had seen plenty during those three years, so he was not about to gawk around like a country boy visiting the city for the first time.
Chu Yifeng drove into the underground parking garage. Ningjing Residential Complex was not especially large, but it included landscaped ponds and other scenery, so the overall grounds still covered a considerable area.
Wang Cheng followed him out of the car. He had no idea how the buildings were arranged, so he quickly called after Chu Yifeng, who was already walking ahead. “Boss, which way is Building B?”
“Straight ahead.” The man did not even look back.
“Straight ahead?” Wang Cheng looked in the direction his boss was going. Did that mean he was supposed to follow him? He glanced around. Even though it was after work, hardly anyone was in sight. Asking for directions did not seem promising, and strangers might not answer him anyway. It looked like he could only follow his boss.
Only when they drew closer did Wang Cheng finally see the letter B. So that was what “straight ahead” meant. His boss actually lived in the same building as Eldest Brother. Their connection ran deeper than he had thought.
“Boss, could you press eighteen for me?”
Wang Cheng slipped into the elevator just before the doors closed. The moment he finished speaking, he looked up and saw that the button for the eighteenth floor was already lit. There were only two people in the elevator, so who had pressed it was obvious. He looked at Chu Yifeng, who was also looking at him. There was not much surprise in the man’s eyes, though inwardly he was probably just as struck by the coincidence.
When the elevator reached the eighteenth floor, Chu Yifeng stepped out first.
Wang Cheng followed and watched him walk toward the apartment marked 201, take out a key, open the door, and go inside. Only then was it confirmed that his boss lived on the same floor. Maybe someday he could write a story called The Days I Lived Next Door to My Boss.
An ordinary employee might have been terrified. A boss was like an imposing superior who watched you at work and then watched you after work too. Living like that would probably make every day a mixture of thrills and terror. Wang Cheng, however, did not feel that way at all. He actually thought Chu Yifeng was fairly easy to get along with. The man looked difficult to approach, but he was genuinely decent.
Ningjing Residential Complex was located in a commercial district and suited single people working for major companies, people with positions such as CEO. The interiors naturally matched that clientele and could be extremely luxurious, though owners could also decorate according to their own tastes. Wang Ning’an’s apartment had been provided by his company, however, so it had already been fully furnished before he moved in.
The apartment had a split-level layout and was extremely spacious inside. White dominated the decor. It was not especially warm or homey, probably because there was so little sign of human life. It was more than roomy enough for one person, and even with Wang Cheng moving in, it would probably still feel large.
Wang Cheng took off his shoes and wandered around for a while before discovering a discreet shoe cabinet near the entryway. Most of the shoes inside were dress shoes, with only a few pairs of sneakers. There was only one pair of indoor slippers, clearly his brother’s. To avoid leaving his brother without anything to wear when he came home, Wang Cheng decided to go barefoot for now.
He tossed his luggage onto the carpet beside the sofa.
The apartment had three bedrooms, one living room, and two bathrooms. Aside from the master bedroom, Eldest Brother had converted one of the other two rooms into a study. Wang Cheng stood at the doorway and looked inside. There were bookshelves and a desk, and the shelves held many books. They might be brothers, but he still would not barge in without permission.
The third bedroom was obviously meant for him. Wang Cheng took a quick look around. The furniture was all newly bought, and the room had clearly been prepared in a hurry, with many things not yet placed where they belonged.
Wang Cheng stood in the doorway for a few seconds before deciding to cook first.
He had clearly overestimated his brother. The kitchen was spotless, the kind of clean that came from rarely being used. The refrigerator contained nothing but drinks and beer, without a single vegetable or piece of meat. Finally, he spotted several transparent plastic containers in the trash, obviously packaging from frozen food. At last, he knew what his brother usually ate.
Back in the living room, Wang Cheng rubbed his already flattened stomach. Even the best cook could do nothing without ingredients. If he had known, he would have gone straight to a supermarket after work. Surely he could have found one just by asking for directions.
Wang Cheng sprawled across the sofa with all four limbs spread out.
Just then, the landline in the living room rang. He answered and heard his brother’s voice. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he realized it was already eight.
Eldest Brother told him he probably would not be home for another half hour to an hour and said Wang Cheng should eat dinner by himself first.
Wang Cheng put down the phone and silently looked toward the front door.