I asked you to write a light novel, but you wrote about living?

"Squeak—"

The old, dilapidated metal door to the basement was pushed open, making a harsh metallic scraping sound.

"Brother, I'm back! Teacher Chen is here too!"

The clear, resonant sound echoed in the small space.

Yu Wen reached out and turned off the monitor, the dim light on the screen instantly extinguishing. He slowly turned his wheelchair and turned around.

The first thing that catches the eye is a pair of black tactical boots standing on the oil and puddles—clean and free of the radioactive dust that is typical of the downtown area.

His gaze moved upwards.

She wore a dark gray uniform typical of teachers in the lower district, an old-fashioned style, but it looked neat and tidy on her, without the slightest hint of compromise.

Above that was a cold and indifferent face.

With fair skin, delicate features, and a pair of retro rimless glasses on her nose, she exuded an aloof and unapproachable aura.

People like this shouldn't be in places like this.

Yu Wen is well aware of his current situation—a disabled person with three million yuan in debt, living in a moldy basement, and only able to move around in a wheelchair.

This teacher, Mr. Chen, receives a large federal government subsidy and lives a clean and respectable upper-class life. He is the key figure who can determine his sister's treatment at school.

He straightened his slightly hunched back, quickly adjusted his facial muscles, and put on a gentle and composed expression, his eyes instantly becoming as clear as an ancient well.

"Hello, Teacher Chen. My humble abode is simple, and I don't even have a clean chair. I'm so sorry that you'll have to stand."

Yu Wen's voice was steady, without the slightest trace of the timidity or inferiority complex of someone from the lower class.

"It's alright, Mr. Yu. I apologize for bothering you."

Chen Jianjia stood at the door and nodded slightly.

The basement was extremely cramped, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of engine oil, which caused her a slight physical discomfort.

However, out of professional ethics, she did not look around, but politely focused her gaze on Yu Wen.

"Actually, I'm here today mainly to conduct a routine home visit."

Chen Jianjia pushed up her glasses, her tone gentle yet businesslike:

"After taking over this class, I've been wanting to learn about Yu Yin's family situation. This child is usually very obedient at school and doesn't cause trouble, but she's just too introverted, even a bit insecure, and hardly ever interacts with other classmates."

Upon hearing that the conversation was about his younger sister's performance at school, Yu Wen dropped his polite smile, straightened his posture slightly, and nodded earnestly.

"I understand. Given the environment in the lower district and our family's special circumstances, she's always been timid. I'm sorry to have troubled Teacher Chen."

"No trouble at all, Yu Yin is a good child."

Chen Jianjia looked at the young man in front of her, who was sitting in a wheelchair but was unusually calm and composed, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

She had met many parents in the lower district, most of whom were crude and irritable, or timid and submissive. It was extremely rare to find someone as clear-headed as Yu Wen.

She paused briefly, a hint of relaxed laughter in her voice:

"However, she gave me a little surprise during class meeting this afternoon. Not only did she raise her hand to speak, but she also told the whole class a very long fairy tale. I heard her say, 'Is that the one you usually tell her?'"

"Oh, that one."

Yu Wen remained calm and casually replied:

"I can't go out much, and I don't have the money to buy her holographic animations. At night, to coax her to sleep, I just make up some little stories to amuse her. Little girls like flowers, plants, and small animals."

Chen Jianjia looked at Yu Wen's nonchalant attitude and did not refute him.

She could tell, of course, that the story about "The Little Prince" was definitely not "made up on the spot." It contained a lot of vocabulary and logic that an ordinary person from the lower class could not possibly grasp.

But she is a sensible adult and a teacher.

She came for a home visit, not to conduct a background check or to discuss literature.

"So that's how it is."

Chen Jianjia nodded in agreement, not pressing for details, but simply said sincerely:

"Anyway, it's clear she really enjoyed your stories. Mr. Yu, in a place like the downtown area, it's truly remarkable that you've taken the time to protect the imagination of a ten-year-old. Having an older brother like you will greatly help shape Yu Yin's character."

"You flatter me, Professor Chen. I just did my best. After all..."

Yu Wen patted his numb legs with a self-deprecating smile:

"All I can do for her now is offer my words. I'll have to ask Teacher Chen to take good care of her at school."

"This is my duty."

Chen Jianjia nodded seriously.

Having achieved her goal of the home visit, she had no reason to linger in the cramped basement any longer.

She nodded slightly as a farewell.

But as she turned to leave, her gaze lingered on the disabled young man for a couple more seconds.

In this cramped space filled with the smells of mold and engine oil, where even breathing felt suffocating, Yu Wen sat calmly in his rusty wheelchair.

His back was very straight, and both his tone of voice and the look in his eyes when he looked at her exuded a kind of poise and composure that seemed out of place in this wasteland.

Chen Jianjia withdrew her gaze, pushed up her frameless glasses, and didn't ask any further questions.

"Squeak—"

She pushed open the heavy metal door, and with the crisp sound of her high-heeled tactical boots, she stepped back into the gloomy smog of the lower city.