Pure emotion error - Chapter 11
Chapter 11 Be My Roommate
The elevator ascended smoothly.
The gleaming mirror reflected two figures, one tall and imposing, making the other appear exceptionally slender.
This imbalance of size disrupted the symmetry of the space, making Lin Yiqiao feel somewhat awkward.
Why hadn’t he noticed Yan Lu’s overwhelming presence in high school?
In the cramped metallic space, the warmth emanating from Yan Lu created an undeniable heat source, and Lin Yiqiao felt his heart rate rising.
He subconsciously gripped the backpack strap, rubbing his rough texture against his fingertips, his gaze fixed on the flashing red numbers above the elevator doors.
Finally, a soft “ding” sounded, the elevator doors opened, and Yan Lu’s gentle voice rang out: “Let’s go, we’re here.”
Lin Yiqiao followed Yan Lu to a large oak door, watching him extend his right thumb and press it on the fingerprint scanner.
A few soft beeps followed, and the door opened.
Lin Yiqiao’s gaze shifted from the slowly opening door to Yan Lu’s face, her eyes filled with confusion: “This is…your home?”
Yan Lu didn’t pause in pushing the door open, turning back to smile at Lin Yiqiao.
“No,” he said calmly, “the landlord is abroad. I’m the first tenant. He helped me register my fingerprints. Come in.”
“Wait,” Lin Yiqiao paused, “Your other roommate is you?”
“Yes,” Yan Lu stopped in the entryway, looking at Lin Yiqiao: “Do you mind?”
Lin Yiqiao looked at him, then at the house behind him, and remained silent.
Yan Lu looked slightly hurt: “If you dislike me, then forget it. I’ll find you another place.”
Lin Yiqiao shook her head and said, “I don’t mind.” She then stepped into the entryway.
The entryway led to a spacious living room, which connected to a semi-open balcony.
To the left of the entrance was an open-plan kitchen and dining area, while to the right were a bathroom and two adjacent bedrooms, the layout very neat and orderly.
Lin Yiqiao’s first impression of the space was that it was clean, tidy, and quiet.
The air was filled with only a faint woody scent, without a trace of any other odor. Everything was placed where it should, exuding a sense of rigorous order that made Lin Yiqiao feel comfortable, and his tense nerves gradually relaxed.
Yan Lu led him inside. “It’s well-lit and quiet here; it should meet your needs.”
Lin Yiqiao’s gaze was drawn to a painting on the living room wall—an abstract depiction of neurons. Blue lines intertwined on a black background, a chaotic yet dynamic beauty. In the lower right corner of the painting was an almost illegible Chinese signature: Zhao.
“This is…” Lin Yiqiao frowned slightly.
Yan Lu quickly moved to his side, naturally changing the subject, “I’ll show you your room.”
Pushing open the door to the second bedroom, they found an equally minimalist design: an expensive-looking bed, a built-in wardrobe, and a pristine white desk.
Bright light streamed through the blinds, casting blurry, grid-like shadows on the floor.
There were no unnecessary decorations, no scattered books, and no trace of personal belongings—it was practically Lin Yiqiao’s dream love room. Lin Yiqiao ran her fingers across the table; not a speck of dust. “So clean.”
Yan Lu smiled. “Every week…”
“Beep beep beep—click!”
The sound of the electronic lock successfully recognizing the fingerprint suddenly came from the entryway, followed by the smooth mechanical sound of the lock cylinder turning.
Lin Yiqiao’s body tensed instantly, and she abruptly turned to look at the door.
Yan Lu had gone outside upon hearing the first electronic sound. Soon, Lin Yiqiao heard voices outside.
It was a middle-aged woman’s voice: “Why are you home at this hour? Aren’t you at work?”
Yan Lu said, “Mom, why did you suddenly come?”
The middle-aged woman said, “Uncle brought some cherries. They look so fresh. I brought some over for you.”
Then came the rustling of a plastic bag, footsteps, and the sound of something being put down.
Lin Yiqiao stood rooted to the spot, all her senses alert, listening intently to the sounds outside.
“I brought a friend to see the apartment,” Yan Lu’s voice rang out again.
“Seeing the apartment?”
“I’m looking for a roommate to share the rent.”
The middle-aged woman’s voice suddenly rose eight octaves: “Rent?! If you need money, just tell your mother! Why…”
“Mom,” Yan Lu calmly interrupted her, “My friend is a little shy, please keep your voice down.”
Then footsteps approached, reaching the doorway.
Lin Yiqiao, like a startled animal, widened her eyes and met Zhao Meixue’s gaze at the door.
“Eh? Isn’t this Lin Yiqiao?” Zhao Meixue remembered him; he and Yan Lu had been very close back in high school.
Zhao Meixue’s impression of him was: quiet, shy, a little emotionally unintelligent, but very obedient and well-behaved.
“You’re going to rent the apartment to Lin Yiqiao?” Zhao Meixue looked at Yan Lu, having to crane her neck because her son was much taller than her. “How can you accept that…”
Yan Lu interrupted her again: “The landlord is worried that the second bedroom will break down if it’s been empty for too long, and he’s urging me to find a roommate quickly. Rent isn’t the main issue.”
Zhao Meixue’s eyes widened, seemingly understanding something: “Oh, is that so…”
Yan Lu looked at Lin Yiqiao, “If a room is empty for too long, the appliances will break down, right?”
Asked about a common-sense question, Lin Yiqiao subconsciously answered, “Yes, appliances that aren’t used for a long time will have their internal electrolytes dried out or fail, and they might break the next time they’re plugged in.”
“That’s right,” Yan Lu said to Zhao Meixue.
Zhao Meixue nodded in sudden understanding, “I’ve learned something new.”
“But,” Lin Yiqiao gripped his backpack strap tightly, “but as long as I keep the appliances plugged in regularly, it’ll be fine.”
With that, he quickly walked out of the room, passing between Yan Lu and Zhao Meixue, and ran towards the door.
“Lin Yiqiao!”
Yan Lu’s shout overlapped with the sound of the door closing. He immediately chased after her.
Lin Yiqiao had already entered the elevator. Yan Lu only had time to reach out and stop the doors a split second before they closed.
The elevator doors slid open again.
Lin Yiqiao stood in the corner of the car, head down, staring at the floor, her face expressionless, her hands gripping her backpack straps tightly.
Yan Lu didn’t immediately go in. He braced himself against the elevator door with one hand, the other in his pocket, his posture ramrod straight, blocking Zhao Meixue’s probing gaze behind him.
Lin Yiqiao felt a little overwhelmed; any unnecessary social interaction would only add to his burden.
“Mom,” Yan Lu said calmly without turning around, “Please go back first.”
Zhao Meixue stood there for a few seconds, then turned around and quietly went back into her room, closing the door behind her.
The corridor returned to silence, leaving only Yan Lu and the bewildered Lin Yiqiao in the elevator.
Yan Lu knew that Lin Yiqiao was a person with strong boundaries. If Lin Yiqiao knew this was his own house, she would definitely refuse to live with him.
More importantly, if Lin Yiqiao found out he was lying, it would immediately destroy the trust they had just built up… It was possible that Lin Yiqiao would put him on her untrustworthy list. Not only would all his previous efforts be wasted, but it would also be difficult to get close to Lin Yiqiao again.
In a flash, Yan Lu made a decision.
He entered the elevator, pressed the button for the basement, and then walked to Lin Yiqiao’s side.
“I’m sorry,” Yan Lu said softly, looking down at Lin Yiqiao, “It’s my fault that you were in that situation.”
Lin Yiqiao’s hand gripping her backpack trembled slightly, still looking down at the ground. “What you’re saying… is confusing. I don’t understand what you mean.”
“It’s my fault,” Yan Lu said frankly. “Actually, there’s another reason I want you to be my roommate.”
Lin Yiqiao didn’t react. Yan Lu continued, “It’s not because of the rent, and it’s not because of the appliances. I need you as my roommate precisely because of that situation.”
Lin Yiqiao finally slowly raised her head, looking at Yan Lu in the elevator mirror.
Yan Lu looked at himself in the mirror. “You know I work a lot every day. I need a completely quiet, regular, and orderly living environment. My mom is very concerned about me; she always seems to suddenly come over and disrupt my routine.”
Yan Lu spoke with a mix of truth and joking, which made him seem all the more sincere: “If I had a roommate, she would have to consider disturbing others, which is the most effective way to avoid her unexpected visits.”
“Then why are you only finding a roommate now?” Lin Yiqiao asked.
“Because my requirements for a roommate are too high,” Yan Lu said. “The roommate I’m looking for must be like me, able to maintain the existing order. No bringing friends home, no making noise, no leaving things lying around, and also clean, with a regular lifestyle and a sense of boundaries.”
Lin Yiqiao exclaimed, “Ah, I have the same requirements for a roommate.”
“Hmm, people like that are hard to find. You’re the only one around me who meets all these criteria.”
Lin Yiqiao thought about it; it seemed difficult to find someone like that around her, except for Yan Lu.
Besides, she was quite satisfied with the apartment.
“Can you consider it?” Yan Lu asked him.
“Sure, sure…” Lin Yiqiao was concerned about one question, “But, is this house really not yours?”
“It’s not mine,” Yan Lu said immediately.
Lin Yiqiao’s fingers, which were tightly gripping his backpack, unconsciously loosened. He asked softly, “Then why can your mother open the door with her fingerprint?”
Yan Lu replied, “Because the landlord also registered her fingerprint. They know each other.”
A mother knowing her son’s friend is like Zhao Meixue knowing him. Lin Yiqiao thought this made sense. He said, “I don’t want other people coming and going freely in my place.”
Yan Lu breathed a sigh of relief, a smile playing on his lips. “Okay, before you move in, I’ll have the landlord remove her fingerprint.”
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Qiao Bao is moving tomorrow with jellyfish~~~（:]ミ （:]彡 （:]ミ （:]彡