Star-Crossed Lovers: The Ex-Convict and the White Rabbit - Chapter 3 - Moving Out

Chapter 3 – Moving Out

Lu Yin soon forgot about that day.

Afterwards, she liaised with the relevant departments at Yueya Correctional Facility about the style and quantity of the design. That batch of clothes was put into production and she never stepped foot inside that god-forsaken place again.

It was another Monday. Lu Yin made a small mistake at the regular meeting.

She was writing and drawing below the table with a pen, calculating the cost of renovation for the new house and future expenses. She was heavily in debt after buying a house. Most of the cash she had in hand was used to pay for the renovation, she still had to buy electrical appliances and furniture. Lu Yin listed them clearly one by one.

There were a myriad of things to do but she was content with joy.

Lu Yin took out her mobile phone, took a picture of her notebook and sent it to Liu Zecheng on WeChat.

Her superior was still talking and her mind wasn’t there. Her fingers tapped away every so often, her phone screen lighting up and shutting off repeatedly. The message she sent elicited no response.

At the end of the meeting, everyone dispersed and Lu Yin went out with the others.

Factory Manager Du straightened his neck and shouted, “Lu Yin, come to my office.”

Lu Yin froze, quickly responding.

***

Exiting the factory manager’s office, she sent Liu Zecheng a message.

Lu Yin leaned against the wall and lowered her head until the screen dimmed before putting her phone back in her pocket.

Liu Zecheng finally called after she was done for the day, telling her he wanted to eat at home tonight. Lu Yin first turned to the nearby market and bought fresh catfish, celery and lettuce – all his favorites. After thinking about it, she also bought two dozen cans of beer.

Entering the residential area, Old Li the security guard stopped her, “Xiao Lu, there’s a package for you.”

The gate to the residential area was an old-fashioned hollow iron gate. The path wasn’t too wide. There was a security post that was neither new nor old on the right and from inside came the sound of the radio. The earthy yellow wall was unkempt, mottled corners and mold grew wantonly.

Lu Yin stopped and freed up a hand, “Thank you.”

Old Li said, “You’ve had a lot of packages recently.”

She smiled, “There are many materials needed for the renovation of the new house so I bought some online.”

“You’re moving out?”

“There’s still quite some time.” Lu Yin walked forward, “The new house isn’t done yet… sorry to have troubled you, Mr. Li.”

Old Li waved his hands, “Don’t mention it.”

Lu Yin walked into the residential area.

She and Liu Zecheng had been living here for five years after graduating from university.

The buildings here had been in this old residential area for a few generations. Fortunately, the surrounding facilities were complete and the location was convenient. There were also people coming to manage the property from time to time. Several security guards were on duty so the security post had someone in it at all times and they would also usually help the residents replace the water inlet valve and fix the electric fuses. The public order was also pretty good. All in all, although the house was a bit old, it was still livable and so they chose to stay.

Later at night, Lu Yin had just finished preparing a few dishes when the sound of the door lock turning came from the door.

Lu Yin put the plate on the table and turned her head to say, “You’re back? Wash your hands and come eat.” After that, she ran back to the kitchen.

Liu Zecheng didn’t answer, bending down to change his shoes. He put down his backpack and went to the bathroom to wash his hands. Before sitting at the table, he pecked a kiss on Lu Yin’s forehead.

Lu Yin’s cheeks were flushed with heat, tiny beads of sweat flowed down her neck. She smiled, “Is the research institute busy lately?”

Liu Zecheng took a sip of the soup, “Yeah.”

“Don’t drown yourself in work. It’s not a good place to rest and they don’t have delicious meals either. Try to come home at night to sleep.”

The porcelain spoon hit the bottom of the bowl, a crisp ‘ding’ sounded. “Yeah,” he said, “Xiao Wang is on leave so there aren’t enough hands these days.”

Lu Yin said, “I’ll give you a massage later?”

Liu Zecheng paused. He raised his head and stared at her for a while before finally putting down the bowl of soup to hold her hand. His eyes were gentle and loving. Those eyes that seemed to hold magic that could melt her person looked straight into her eyes.