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

Ye Shu busied herself in the kitchen for a while, while Xiao Nuan sat quietly at the dining table, her back straight, her hands on her knees, the bag of unfinished nuts beside her, waiting motionless for the meal to begin.

Not long after, Ye Shu came out carrying a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and then turned back to bring out a small pot of freshly steamed white rice.

I set out two sets of bowls and chopsticks, sat down opposite Xiaonuan, and felt a little uneasy.

"Alright, eat up, try it and see if it suits your taste... uh, give it a try."

The question "Does it suit your taste?" was on the tip of his tongue, but looking at Xiao Nuan's expressionless face, he swallowed the words back. It seemed a bit redundant to talk about taste with this person.

Xiao Nuan didn't say anything. She picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of egg, mixed it with some tomato soup, put it in her mouth, chewed it a few times, and her face remained unchanged, making it impossible to tell whether she liked it or not.

But she didn't stop. She ate one mouthful of white rice after another without saying a word.

Seeing how engrossed she was in her meal, Ye Shu picked up her bowl and started eating too. To be honest, after all the work, the simple home-cooked food tasted quite delicious. And it was cheap and affordable, too.

Xiao Nuan ate very quickly; in no time, she finished her bowl of rice and most of the dishes on her plate.

She put down her chopsticks and resumed her previous posture, placing her hands on her knees and watching Ye Shu, who was still eating, without moving.

Ye Shu felt a little uneasy under her gaze, swallowed the food in his mouth, and couldn't help but ask:

"W-what's wrong? Aren't you full? There's still rice in the pot."

Xiao Nuan shook her head and spoke:

"I'm full."

"That……"

Ye Shu was bewildered by her direct gaze. Various possibilities raced through her mind before she tentatively asked:

"Then... what did I do wrong?"

Xiao Nuan blinked, seemingly pondering Ye Shu's question, before speaking:

"I want to eat scrambled eggs with tomatoes."

She held up one finger and pointed to the dish on the table:

"This is scrambled eggs with tomatoes."

Ye Shu was completely bewildered by the sudden recitation of the menu, and nodded subconsciously:

"Ah... well... and then?"

Xiao Nuan withdrew her hand and said:

"So, you're not wrong."

After saying that, she stood up before Ye Shu could react, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a slight sound.

"I'm going back to my room."

Then, she really turned around and went back to her bedroom, the door closing with a soft "click".

Ye Shu was left alone in the restaurant, along with the lingering echo of her "That's right" in the air.

Ye Shu held her chopsticks, mouth agape, staring at the closed door, unable to come to her senses for a long time.

Her thought process is really straightforward. So, all that deep, affectionate gazing at me just now wasn't about making any judgments or anything, but simply about confirming whether what I'd just eaten was actually scrambled eggs with tomatoes?

Ye Shu finished the last bite of rice with a wry smile. It seemed that cooking for her in the future wouldn't be too stressful; as long as it was familiar enough to eat, it would be fine.

After finishing his meal, Ye Shu looked at the bowls and chopsticks on the table, then at the closed door across the room, and sighed.

Sometimes being too straightforward isn't good; I don't even know how to be polite... So I have to do the dishes myself.

The sound of rushing water filled the air as Ye Shu washed herself, and she couldn't help but think:

Although communication can be a bit difficult, in a way, getting along with a roommate who is clear about their goals and never wastes time on others seems... quite worry-free? At least it's much easier than dealing with some people who are full of hidden agendas.

After washing the dishes, Ye Shu threw herself into the soft sofa in the living room, letting out a long sigh. Rest was out of the question; reality was already at her throat.

He took out his phone, and his face, marked with worry about making a living, was reflected on the screen.

Now he has less than fifty yuan left on him. This number is like a fishbone stuck in his throat, he can neither swallow it down nor spit it out.

Although I just bought rice and flour, so I won't starve for now, the thought of feeding two people in this house means the consumption is real. That little bit of food won't last more than a few days.

"well……"

He resignedly unlocked the screen and opened the familiar recruitment app.

As you swipe your finger across the screen, the information appears like substandard parts on an assembly line—it looks impressive at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it's full of flaws.

[High-paying job opening! Beginners welcome! No educational background required! Earning a monthly salary of 10,000 RMB is within reach!]

Ye Shu didn't even click on it, a cold smile creeping onto her lips:

"Ha, it's definitely not a dream. You can't dream of something this wonderful. It's either selling insurance or running a pyramid scheme."

[Direct recruitment by a well-known company; elegant environment; young and energetic team!]

He clicked on the details, his finger quickly scrolling down, skipping over the fluff like "flat management" and "broad career development opportunities," and getting straight to the point: salary and benefits.

Sure enough, in the most inconspicuous corner of the page, it said "Salary Negotiable".

"Negotiable? You still have the nerve to negotiate with me?"

I spent over an hour flipping through the pages; my eyes were sore from looking at them. There was hardly any useful information, but I did get to review the usual tricks.

Either the salary is vague, or the requirement is "the ability to withstand significant work pressure."

Translation: Working overtime like crazy.

"Possesses excellent teamwork skills"

Translation: To obey and take the blame.

Occasionally, I would see one or two jobs with clearly stated salaries, but they were either outrageously low or required more than three years of relevant experience, effectively excluding recent graduates like him.

"Hey! This one looks alright!"

He saw an administrative clerk position with low requirements and a clearly stated salary range of 4k-6k. Full of hope, he clicked on it, only to carefully read the last line of fine print in the job description: "Able to work shifts."

Scrolling down further, the company address is clearly stated as being located in an industrial area nearly two hours' drive from the city center.

"..."

Ye Shu silently closed the page. Four thousand yuan, after deducting commuting costs and time, is less than the cost of finding a job in the city for three thousand five.

I feel powerless, truly powerless.

He put down his phone, rubbed his throbbing temples, leaned back on the sofa, and stared at the stylish but cold chandelier on the ceiling.

A degree is like an admission ticket. You finally manage to squeeze in, only to find the venue packed with people, all the good seats already taken, leaving only the corners and edges, where you have to fight tooth and nail to get in.

Is becoming a "telemarketing prince" or a "construction site knight" really the only option?

It wasn't that he was afraid of hardship, but rather that he was unwilling to accept it. After so many years of hard study, in the end…

Ye Shu leaned back on the sofa, looking out through the floor-to-ceiling window.

The summer afternoon sun was so bright that it hurt people's eyes and made them feel restless.

Go out for a walk; if you stay cooped up like this any longer, you'll become depressed.