This test paper was carefully selected by Song Wangzhuo from the bookstore, perfectly suited for a beginner like Shen Yuqing.
The difficulty level was noticeably lower than the first test Song Wangzhuo had prepared, making it much easier for Shen Yuqing to complete. In fact, he finished it in less than an hour. After checking his answers, he handed it over to Song Wangzhuo. “Done!”
Song Wangzhuo set aside the book he was reading, took the paper, and began marking it with a red pen.
While tutoring Shen Yuqing, he had already noticed that the boy wasn’t actually slow. He grasped concepts quickly, sometimes even making logical leaps on his own. His poor academic performance in the past was simply due to his unwillingness to study.
The accuracy of this test surprised him. Aside from a few complex questions, Shen Yuqing had gotten almost everything right.
“Not bad,” Song Wangzhuo remarked.
“Huh? Are you actually praising me?” Shen Yuqing raised an eyebrow. “That’s unexpected. I always thought your dictionary didn’t include words like ‘compliment.'”
Song Wangzhuo merely glanced at him.
Over the past few days, he had come to realize that Shen Yuqing wasn’t as terrible or spoiled as he had initially believed. He had subtly probed about the incident where he was locked in the changing room, but Shen Yuqing seemed completely unaware.
It really didn’t seem like something he or his lackeys would do.
If not Shen Yuqing, then who?
Seventy percent of the students at Slinor Academy came from influential families, while the remaining thirty percent, like Song Wangzhuo, were ordinary students who had gotten in through sheer academic merit.
But none of the others seemed to face as many overt and covert obstacles as he did.
“What’s on your mind?” Shen Yuqing asked. “You get upset over a couple of words, you’re such a weirdo.”
Song Wangzhuo snapped out of his thoughts. “Nothing.”
He lowered his head and resumed grading the paper. Shen Yuqing scooped a spoonful of fruit salad into his mouth, waiting for Song Wangzhuo to finish.
Ding—
Song Wangzhuo’s phone rang. He glanced at it and declined the call.
Within minutes, it rang again, as if the caller wouldn’t stop until he answered.
“Go ahead and take it,” Shen Yuqing said. “I don’t mind waiting. I could use a break anyway.”
Only then did Song Wangzhuo set down his pen, stand up, and take the call in his bedroom.
It was his landlord. Normally, the man only contacted him when rent was due, otherwise remaining completely absent.
“Xiao Song,” the landlord drawled.
Song Wangzhuo pressed his lips together. Something was up.
He had a feeling it was about a rent increase.
“Yes?” he replied. “Go ahead.”
The landlord didn’t beat around the bush. “I’m not renting the place to you anymore. Move out in the next couple of days. I’ll come by Monday to take back the apartment. I’ll compensate you with one month’s rent for breaking the lease.”
Song Wangzhuo frowned. “Why?”
“My son’s getting married,” the landlord said. “He likes the unit you’re in. I’m planning to renovate it as their new home.”
The excuse was flimsy. The landlord only had a daughter, who had already married years ago.
“I refuse,” Song Wangzhuo said. “My lease doesn’t expire until the end of August. Even if I move, it’ll be after the contract ends.”
The landlord raised his voice. “I don’t care! It’s my property. I’ll rent it if I want, and I won’t if I don’t! Pack up and get out. If your stuff is still there by tomorrow afternoon, don’t blame me for clearing it out myself!”
Song Wangzhuo still wanted to argue, but the other party couldn’t be bothered to listen and simply hung up the phone.
The dial tone buzzed from the receiver.
At this moment, Song Wangzhuo’s brows were knitted so tightly they resembled twisted dough.
Shen Yuqing had nearly finished his bowl of fruit salad by the time Song Wangzhuo finally emerged from the bedroom.
His expression was extremely grim, startling Shen Yuqing.
“What’s wrong?”
Song Wangzhuo replied, “Nothing. Let’s call it a day, no charge. I have something to take care of.”
“Huh?” Shen Yuqing asked, “What is it?”
Song Wangzhuo answered flatly, “Moving.”
Shen Yuqing looked bewildered. “Moving?”
He keenly sensed something was off.
Song Wangzhuo’s expression remained unreadable as he gave a faint hum. “I’ve been told to move out by tomorrow.”
As he quickly gathered his belongings, Shen Yuqing asked, “By tomorrow? It’s almost the end of the day, where are you going to find a place?”
Song Wangzhuo, having packed his things with swift efficiency, said, “A hotel for now.”
Seeing him about to leave, Shen Yuqing hurried after him. “It’s still early. Why don’t I come with you? Maybe I can help.”
Song Wangzhuo merely glanced at him. “No need.”
But Shen Yuqing wasn’t the type to take no for an answer. He brushed off the refusal and stubbornly followed.
The last time he’d been here, the area had been full of kids. Now, walking alongside Song Wangzhuo, he spotted a few casually dressed young adults strolling by.
Trailing behind, Shen Yuqing noticed Song Wangzhuo didn’t head home first but instead wound through several alleys to another building.
This one was clearly in better condition than where he lived at least it had an elevator.
As Shen Yuqing glanced around, Song Wangzhuo stopped in front of a door and rang the bell.
Someone answered almost immediately. The person didn’t seem surprised to see Song Wangzhuo but didn’t invite him in either, bluntly stating, “No vacancies.”
Song Wangzhuo frowned. “The listings downstairs say there are plenty.”
The man waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, I haven’t taken those down yet. There’s nothing available around here. Try somewhere else.”
With that, he shut the door again.
From behind, Shen Yuqing pieced it together this must be some kind of rental agency.
Watching the door close so abruptly made his heart sink. He immediately looked at Song Wangzhuo, but the man showed no visible reaction.
Had the protagonist really become this indifferent?
Song Wangzhuo turned away without a word and started back the way they came.
Shen Yuqing followed, unable to hold back his question. “Hey, why aren’t you angry?”
Song Wangzhuo pressed the elevator button silently.
Just as Shen Yuqing assumed he wouldn’t get an answer, Song Wangzhuo’s voice reached his ears.
“I’m used to it,” he said.
He was accustomed to moving, searching for a place, and moving again.
When he was younger, he’d faced far worse treatment. Being turned away at the door was already an improvement.
Hearing this, Shen Yuqing instinctively pressed his lips together. In his past life, though he’d lived frugally, at least when the pressure became too much, he could return to the orphanage for a temporary respite.
But Song Wangzhuo was different. No one knew how much effort and time he had spent just to finally reach Silino, struggling to survive.
Shen Yuqing didn’t speak anymore. He followed Song Wangzhuo to his home, but unexpectedly, upon reaching the upstairs corridor, they saw a potbellied man standing there.
The door to Song Wangzhuo’s apartment was wide open at that moment.
Song Wangzhuo shouted angrily, “What are you doing?!”
The man merely turned his head lazily at Song Wangzhuo’s words and said, “Oh, little Song is back.”
This man was Song Wangzhuo’s landlord.
