The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

To everyone's surprise, Qin Lili's setback actually made the usually timid Xiaoxue brave.

That night, Xiaoxue thought a lot. She sat at her desk and wrote that line in her notebook.

I want to try living on my own.

After writing that sentence, she stared at those words for a long time.

She was thinking of Qin Lili, that carefree older sister, who had suddenly disappeared.

When her older sister Lili was injured, all she could do was make a phone call... She felt useless.

She can't go on like this.

Xiaoxue closed her notebook, lay down, and went to sleep.

When she woke up again, she opened her notebook and saw several new messages:

[Great job! Our Xiaoxue has finally stood up! I support her!]

Independence is good, but can you accept such a big leap?

I suggest starting with an initial trial within the family, and then making further plans based on the situation.

Xiaoxue looked at these comments, bit her lip, thought for a moment, and then left a note at the end of today's notes:

I've thought it through. I think I can do it.

The reply to this comment was:

[Exactly, once you've thought it through, just do it. What are you afraid of? We're here for you.]

"Well, since Xiaoxue has made up her mind, I'll talk to Mom and Dad."

Living independently can indeed help with personal growth, but it's essential to conduct thorough risk assessments and prepare necessary supplies.

Xiaoxue felt a warmth in her heart when she saw these things.

She is not alone, and never has been.

So, she, or rather they, really moved out.

The rest is history. An Jianxing bought a house in Yunduanyuan and then replicated the bedroom exactly like his own home. After arranging all the household appliances, food, clothing, and daily necessities, Xiaoxue moved in.

But sometimes that's how it is; you go all out, but once that energy is gone, it's all over.

On the first day Xiaoxue woke up in her new home, she opened her bedroom door and saw a hallway that was completely different from her home. She was stunned for a moment before she realized where she was.

Then she went back to bed and hugged Xiaoxiaosu to her chest, even though the pillow wasn't called Xiaoxiaosu back then.

She curled up in a ball and stayed in her bedroom all day.

She didn't eat anything that day.

She was hungry, but she dared not go out, because as soon as she turned the doorknob and stepped out of the room, she would find that this was not home at all.

Although the bedroom looks exactly like the house, once you leave the bedroom, you're greeted by an unfamiliar living room, an unfamiliar kitchen, and an unfamiliar hallway.

There was no sound of Dad watching TV, no sound of Mom talking, only myself.

It's so empty, so big, and I'm so scared.

She cuddled her little one in bed, listening to the quiet outside the room.

This kind of quiet is different from the quiet at home. The quiet at home has warmth; it's the kind of quiet where someone is walking around outside, or someone occasionally coughs.

But the quiet here is empty; it's a quiet where you're all alone.

She didn't dare go to the toilet because it was outside the bedroom.

She endured it all, hiding in her shell, hungry and thirsty, until nightfall.

However, when it got dark, Xiaoxue didn't dare to go to sleep at all.

She turned on the bedroom light, locked the bedroom door, stared at the ceiling, and thought about her parents.

She seemed to regret moving out; she really wanted to call her mother.

The phone was right next to my pillow. I picked it up and put it down again, looking at my mother's contact information several times before finally deciding not to press the button.

Because she knew that if she heard her mother's voice, she would definitely burst into tears.

She knew all too well that as soon as she cried, her parents would definitely drive over, her father would immediately pack his luggage and say "Let's go home," and her mother would hug her.

Can that still be called independent living?

That's not called independent living, that's called running away from home and being taken back.

She put down her phone, buried her face in the small pastry, her tears wetting a small patch, and sobbed.

She can't make phone calls.

She can't.

She didn't know what time it was, but her body couldn't take it anymore, and she cried herself to sleep.

Fortunately, the scary thing about this house is that Xiaoxue is all alone, but the reassuring thing is that Xiaoxue is all alone, and Xiaoxue has gradually adapted to this new home.

As we all know, Zhi Qiu suggested finding a roommate, and then Ye Shu came along.

When Xiaoxue learned that she was going to find a roommate, she was extremely unwilling.

What if my roommate isn't a good person? What if my roommate hates me? What if my roommate is too scary?

A series of "what ifs" flashed through her mind in an instant.

Also, what if I happen to be awake that day? Will I be able to handle it?

That's how it is; what you fear most is what happens to you.

She happened to be there that day when her phone rang. When she answered, the caller said he wanted to rent a room, and it was a man.

Xiaoxue froze on the phone. She didn't know what to say; her mind went blank. After stammering for a while, she finally managed to say, "Then come over now..."

Then the call ended.

He only realized what he had said after hanging up the phone—that he should come and see? So, is he coming now?!

I should have said I'd come another day!

She panicked and ran to the living room in her slippers. She opened her notebook and saw the materials that Sister Zhi Qiu and Sister Xia Qing had prepared for her.

Sister Zhi Qiu wrote:

The rent is agreed to be 800 yuan per month, utilities are free. We'll show the room to potential tenants, but remember, the master bedroom is off-limits; that's ours. You can look at the kitchen, bathroom, and living room freely.

Xia Qing wrote the following on the side:

Don't give them a friendly welcome; scare them a little first, so they won't bully you later. Remember, we're the landlord. Pepper spray is in the bedside table drawer; hide it in your sleeve. If all else fails, spray it right into their eyes.

Xiao Nuan is the most reliable; she has already prepared the rental contract in advance, which is placed under the coffee table so that the person who comes to rent the room can sign it.

After Xiaoxue finished reading, she waited at the door.

She dared not sit down, afraid that her legs would give way and she wouldn't be able to stand up. So she stood at the door, staring at the surveillance camera, holding Xiaoxiaosu in one arm and a bottle of chili water in the other.

A little while later, the doorbell rang, startling Xiaoxue so much that she shrank back.

She didn't open the door, but stared at the monitor for a long time.

Sure enough, there was a man at the door, tall and thin, with messy hair that looked like it had been blown by the wind.

Xiaoxue stared at the screen for a long time.

This person doesn't seem like a bad person, right?

His eyes looked quite gentle, and he didn't have that carefree attitude. His face didn't look fierce either; he even looked a bit honest.

He's probably not a bad person...

But she was still worried and secretly squeezed the pepper spray bottle in her hand.

Then she took several deep breaths, her hands trembling, and turned the doorknob.

Xiaoxue had no idea that the man standing at the door with a suitcase would become the most important person in her life.

Xiaoxue, however, only mustered her courage and asked timidly:

"Hello, are you Mr. Ye here to view the apartment?"