Then Otis heard the voice calling again.
"Otis... Otis..."
He glanced at his computer, confused. The sound seemed to come from his headphones.
"Otis..."
He took off his headphones, only to realize it wasn't coming from them.
It was Mei calling for him.
Otis opened his door and called out, "What's wrong?"
Mei had intended to take a shower, but the water was ice-cold. Even though it was summer, the chill was unbearable, biting straight to the bone.
She spoke softly, almost a whisper. "The water… it's too cold…"
Otis, standing outside the bathroom door, could barely hear her over the muffled sound.
"What? Speak louder!"
Mei shouted this time, "Check the water heater! The water's freezing!"
Ugh... Mei had initially planned to check for herself, but her clothes were already off, tossed into the new basin she'd bought and soaking wet. With nothing clean to change into, she couldn't just step out.
Awkward and embarrassed, she stood in the bathroom, her long, fair legs instinctively pressed together. The thought of Otis being just outside while she was completely unclothed made her blush furiously.
She lowered her head, face burning.
It's only the first day of living together, and this is already happening. How am I supposed to survive this?
Otis walked into the kitchen, where the water heater was located. A quick glance told him it hadn't been turned on, likely because the landlady had switched it off to save on costs.
He turned it on, hearing a satisfying "click" as the indicator light came on.
Otis called toward the bathroom, "Try it now!"
Mei turned on the hot water faucet, confirming that warm water was now flowing. She shouted back, "Thanks! You… you can go now! And make sure to lock the door and put your headphones on!"
Otis rolled his eyes. Isn't this just fooling yourself?
Besides, it's just the sound of water. What could possibly be worth listening to?
It's not like I can magically eat three bowls of rice just by hearing someone shower.
He returned to his room, shut the door, put on his headphones, and played some music. After a moment, he removed them and lay down on the bed.
I'm only doing this in case she needs something again. Definitely not because I'm trying to hear her shower.
Otis lay there for about half an hour, the sound of running water in the background slowly lulling him to sleep. Initially, his mind wandered, but eventually, even his thoughts grew drowsy.
Mei, having finished her shower and dried her hair, knocked on Otis's door.
Otis, half-asleep, instinctively yelled, "Come in!"
Mei pushed the door open.
She was dressed in a long white nightgown that revealed her slender, fair legs and pinkish knees. Her naturally pale skin now carried a rosy glow, even on her delicate face. Her short hair was still damp, with drops of water clinging to the ends.
Otis's heart skipped a beat.
She gently rubbed her hair with a towel and said, "I'm done. You can take a shower now…"
Otis stared for a moment, dazed. She's… adorable.
Her short, jet-black hair framed her face perfectly, and the fresh scent of her shower gel mixed with her own unique fragrance filled the room.
Wait, what am I thinking? Am I some kind of creep?
Shaking his head, Otis stood and muttered, "You took long enough. Did you shower for nine people?"
Mei glared at him. "Hmph. So what? Just hurry up and shower!"
Did I take that long? She thought to herself. It didn't feel like it… but I do feel much better now.
Why does this feel like married life?
She quickly shook off the thought.
"Anyway, go shower. I'm going to bed."
She turned and left, her graceful figure disappearing down the hall.
Otis washed up quickly and returned to his bed, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling.
This is no different from an old married couple sleeping in separate rooms after twenty years of marriage, he thought with a sigh before drifting to sleep.
The next day.
Otis sat at his desk at work, taking in his new surroundings. His job as a testing engineer involved simulations, analysis, and various tasks he had yet to grasp.
As a fresh graduate, he was a bundle of enthusiasm but cluelessness. For now, he decided to follow his seniors' lead.
Behind him sat a man about his age, tall and thin with glasses, exuding an air of someone who didn't exercise much.
"Hi, I'm Fred," the man said, extending a hand. His slender fingers, veins visible, wore a gold watch.
Otis shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Otis. Looks like we're colleagues now."
Fred Anderson smiled and nodded. "Which school did you go to?"
"Crépuscule University. And you?"
"Wow, impressive. I went to Frisson. Nothing worth mentioning."
Fred's humility set a friendly tone as they exchanged small talk.
The first day passed without much to do. Otis met his supervisors and began familiarizing himself with the company's processes. For the initial period, he would attend training sessions, as the company provided structured onboarding for new hires.
Otis, however, was already a master at time management—or rather, wasting time.
Work is all about wasting time efficiently, he thought. Getting paid while taking bathroom breaks? Life couldn't be better!
Fred leaned in conspiratorially, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "So, are you still at a hotel, or did you find a place?"
"I've already rented a place," Otis replied casually.
Fred looked impressed. "That fast?"
"How's the rent? Are you living alone?"
Otis hesitated before answering honestly, "It's decent—over a thousand yuan a month. But I'm sharing."
Fred's eyes lit up at the mention of sharing. "Oh? With a guy or a girlfriend?"
Otis hesitated again. Should he tell the truth?
If I say it's a guy, he might want to visit later. Then explaining it would be awkward.
Before he could decide, Fred smirked knowingly. "It's a girlfriend, isn't it?"
Caught off guard, Otis fumbled for words. "Uh… something like that."
Fred grinned, patting his shoulder. "Got it. Say no more."
What do you got, exactly? Otis thought.
Meanwhile, Mei faced a similar situation.
Dressed in a sharp suit, she sat at her desk, relieved to be working at a different company than Otis.
If they had ended up at the same workplace, she would've packed her bags and fled that very night.
They had studied the same major in college different classes but overlapping courses. Thinking about it brought back memories of whispering with Otis during lectures.
She used to love hearing him talk, his youthful voice intoxicating, like the smoothest wine…
What am I even thinking?
Mei shook her head, slapping away the thought. It's just nostalgia. Nothing more.
Her role as a DQE engineer came with a variety of tasks. As a newcomer, she would follow her mentor, Jessica Halley—a woman in her thirties with a mature, gentle demeanor.
Jessica had wavy, long hair and a slender, elegant figure. She wore a professional suit, embodying the perfect mentor for Mei.