Chapter 8 Renting a Subdivided Flat

The agent introduced by Auntie Jiang was a middle-aged man holding a cattail leaf fan, wearing a hole-ridden T-shirt and loose shorts, with flip-flops on his feet.

He asked Bai Yuanzhi and her sister to call him Fourth Uncle.

Fourth Uncle took Bai Yuanzhi and Zhou Zhaodi to view the property.

“Everyone in Sham Shui Po, Kowloon knows that Fourth Uncle here has the most complete selection of rental listings! If you want a place for fifty dollars, I’ve got it! If you want a nice flat for eight hundred dollars, I’ve got that too! Even if you want to be neighbors with Jenny (the most popular female pop singer right now), I have the connections!”

“In this area, there’s no property Fourth Uncle can’t get his hands on!”

“Now, the place I’m about to show you is known as the King of Subdivided Flats—”

Fourth Uncle stood in front of the building, ready to introduce it to Bai Yuanzhi,

but he didn’t know that Bai Yuanzhi was actually very familiar with this place.

In her previous life, when Bai Yuanzhi first arrived in Hong Kong City three years later, she lived in a subdivided flat in this very building.

Because she was poor, she rented the most dreadful kind—one shared by both men and women.

So-called subdivided flats are created when landlords partition an ordinary residential unit into multiple smaller, independent living spaces using panels, which are then rented out.

Bai Yuanzhi remembered clearly the subdivided flat she rented in her previous life.

A small residential unit, less than four hundred square feet (about forty square meters), was brutally divided into thirty subdivided rooms.

Just like the hard sleeper compartments on a green-skinned train, they were split into upper, middle, and lower bunks from floor to ceiling.

Bai Yuanzhi rented the middle bunk for a monthly rent of one hundred dollars. The subdivided space was only one meter wide, two meters long, and about 1.3 meters high. Once inside, a person could only lie down, sit, or crouch.

For safety, the subdivided rooms were separated by iron railings.

Every time Bai Yuanzhi returned from work and climbed into bed to sleep, she felt as if she were lying in a coffin.

Hong Kong City is located in a subtropical region, with a humid and hot climate. With thirty people crammed into such a small space,

the air was constantly filled with the stench of sweat, urine, spoiled food, cigarette smoke, smelly socks… all sorts of odors mixed together, damp, salty, and foul, enough to make one nauseous.

Since the rooms were all arranged in upper, middle, and lower bunks, the tenants included men and women, young and old.

So there were sounds of elderly people coughing up phlegm or wheezing,

babies crying through the night,

drunken men cursing,

women chopping vegetables on cutting boards in the middle of the night…

It was like a sleepless marketplace.

The most terrifying part, however, was the issue of using the toilet and showering for young girls like Bai Yuanzhi who rented alone.

From the very first day Bai Yuanzhi moved into the subdivided flat in her previous life, countless men had their covetous eyes fixed on her.

When she needed to use the toilet,

those men, young and old, would stand in the narrow hallway, unmoving, waiting for Bai Yuanzhi to brush past them.

Sometimes they would deliberately bump into her, forcing her to make physical contact with them, which would satisfy them and make them laugh heartily.

Even worse, some would lie in their subdivided rooms reading pornographic novels, then loudly recite passages or call out Bai Yuanzhi’s name from her previous life…

All the humiliation, fear, poverty, and helplessness became the driving force for Bai Yuanzhi to work hard and earn money.

In her previous life, Bai Yuanzhi lived in the subdivided flat for three months. Only after saving enough money to rent a one-bedroom apartment with its own entrance in a more remote area did her living conditions improve.

In this life, Bai Yuanzhi gave herself three months as a transition period.

But she didn’t want to experience the kind of life she had in her previous life again.

“Fourth Uncle, do you have any other properties available?” Bai Yuanzhi interrupted Fourth Uncle’s speech. “I don’t like this place.”

Fourth Uncle was in the middle of his enthusiastic introduction and couldn’t stop immediately. “…It’s called the king of subdivided flats, of course because it offers the best value for money! One unit… is spacious enough for you to sleep in and still turn over freely, and it can store a lot of luggage, all for just eighty dollars…”

“What?” Fourth Uncle rambled on for a while before realizing Bai Yuanzhi’s rejection. He asked blankly, “…What did you say? You don’t like this place? Why? It’s cheap and perfect for people like you who just arrived in Hong Kong City! And with the two of you together, there’s nothing to be afraid of!”

Bai Yuanzhi said expressionlessly, “I don’t like this place. Even though it’s good, it clashes with my energy. I can already feel it.”

Zhou Zhaodi asked curiously, “Huh? Afraid of what? Why wouldn’t we be afraid if there are two of us?”

Before Fourth Uncle could explain,

suddenly—

an ugly, short, and overweight middle-aged man walked out of the building.

He had a cigarette in his mouth, was shirtless and wearing shorts, and had dirty flip-flops on his feet. His entire body reeked of heavy sweat. Even the dirt and grime on his skin made it look patchy and unpleasant.

The man suddenly caught sight of Bai Yuanzhi and Zhou Zhaodi, two fresh-faced young girls, and his inverted triangular eyes widened instantly!

He stretched out his hands in front of his chest, grabbing at the air without saying a word, and let out a lewd and vulgar laugh. “Hey, pretty girls, let’s be friends!”

Bai Yuanzhi frowned.

Zhou Zhaodi screamed in fright, “Oh my god, help!”

Fourth Uncle shouted at the man, “Get lost, you pervert!”

Only then did the man notice Fourth Uncle standing nearby. He muttered a few curses under his breath before walking away.

Fourth Uncle immediately said to Bai Yuanzhi, “Miss Bai, earlier you said this place clashes with your energy… I think you’re absolutely right! Sometimes, if a person wants to succeed, hard work alone isn’t enough. You really need a bit of luck…”

“Let’s go. This time, I’ll take you to a place with excellent feng shui! I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

So, Fourth Uncle took Bai Yuanzhi and Zhou Zhaodi to another building.

The building looked ordinary, but Fourth Uncle said:

“Among the properties I have, this one is the best! A full forty square feet (about four square meters), and the rent is only two hundred and seventy dollars, with a private toilet!”

“Let me tell you, other subdivided flats house dozens of people in one unit! It’s really like a chicken coop! People are still alive, but they have to lie down as if they’re dead…”

“This place is different. Look, even though it’s a bit narrow, you can stand inside! And if you two sisters live here, just ask the landlord to add another bed. It’s really perfect… Plus, this place was renovated just six months ago! This is the last unit left! At this price, it’s practically a steal!”

Bai Yuanzhi examined the place.

Compared to the chicken-coop-like subdivided flat she lived in during her previous life, it was like night and day.

This one in front of her was simply too good!

The room was about 1.2 meters wide and no more than 3 meters long.

The door opened outward.

Upon pushing the door open, a single bed occupied two-thirds of the “room’s” space.

Behind the door, a flush toilet was installed.

A movable tabletop was placed on the toilet.

Fourth Uncle explained, “See, I told you, this place has its own bathroom and kitchen, right?”

“When you need to cook, just put this tabletop down. You can use an electric rice cooker… there’s a power outlet here. Cook some rice with some cured sausage in it, and once the rice is done, the dish is ready too!”

“You can even shower here!”

“See, you can buy a shower curtain and hang it here. When you shower, just pull the curtain closed. The curtain is waterproof, so when you take turns showering, the water won’t splash onto the bed.”

“I’m telling you, 270 in rent for two people to sleep here is a great deal!”

“And look, the lighting in this room is really good! The place is newly renovated, everything is brand new, very clean… Also, don’t think 270 a month is expensive. Precisely because it’s pricey, it keeps out a lot of troublemakers. You two young girls renting a place, it’s best if the neighbors aren’t too complicated, right?”

As he spoke, a burly man wearing only pants stumbled drunkenly out of another room.

Fourth Uncle immediately shouted fiercely, “Put on some clothes, you brat!”

The burly man was startled and stumbled away, probably trying to return to his own room.

But with a loud “thud,” he slammed hard into the wooden wall of the neighboring room. A sharp female voice immediately rang out, “Who’s there? Want to die?”

Scolded, the drunkard got angry, muttering incoherently as if he wanted to smash the neighbor’s door. But disoriented, he couldn’t find his way and slammed into another wooden wall with another loud “thud.” Finally, dizzy, he lay down in the hallway and started snoring lightly.

Zhou Zhaodi was frightened once again.

Bai Yuanzhi remained completely calm.

Fourth Uncle said nonchalantly, “Heh heh heh, it’s fine, just an accident.”

Bai Yuanzhi said, “Fourth Uncle, accidents are uncontrollable, but look, my sister is terrified, and that’s a fact.”

Fourth Uncle glanced at Zhou Zhaodi.

Zhou Zhaodi hadn’t yet recovered from the shock.

Bai Yuanzhi continued, “So—”

“Please help us negotiate the rent with the landlord again, Fourth Uncle. Let’s lower it to 240 a month!”

“It’s only a 30-yuan reduction. For the landlord, that might just be half a Roast Goose. But for us sisters, it’s half a month’s food expenses.”

“Besides, we girls are very clean…”

Fourth Uncle hesitated for a moment. “Well, since you were introduced by Aunt Jiang, I’ll go talk to him for you!”

Bai Yuanzhi added, “Also, we need an extra bed.”

“And one more thing, I only have enough money for three months’ rent right now, so I can’t afford the deposit. I can pay two months’ rent upfront, covering April 20th to June 20th.”

“For the rent from June 20th to July 20th, I might have to wait until June 20th to pay.”

Fourth Uncle frowned upon hearing this. “Wow, Miss Bai, you’re only renting for three months, yet you have so many demands. Adding beds, reducing rent… such a long list of requests, and you’re only renting for three months!”

Bai Yuanzhi said seriously, “After three months, I won’t be renting a subdivided flat anymore. I’ll ask Fourth Uncle to help me find a better independent apartment then.”

Fourth Uncle immediately brightened up. “Then I’ll go help you talk to them!”

As soon as Fourth Uncle left,

Zhou Zhaodi quickly gestured for Bai Yuanzhi to look at the drunkard who had been lying on the floor earlier—he seemed to be trying hard to find his own room, but he hadn’t gotten up. Instead, he lay on the floor, slowly inching along, attempting to push open every door.

Bai Yuanzhi looked around, went outside by the door, and picked up a clothes hanger someone had left there.

She walked toward the drunkard with the hanger…

“Third Sister! What are you doing?” Zhou Zhaodi was terrified.

Ignoring her, Bai Yuanzhi used the hanger to poke open the drunkard’s door and said to him, “Hey, your home is here.”

The drunkard barely lifted his head to look, mumbled a thank you, and struggled to inch toward his room.

In the process, he bumped his head, shoulders, arms, and legs countless times…

But eventually, he managed to crawl into his room.

Bai Yuanzhi walked over again and closed the door for him.

Zhou Zhaodi hurriedly pulled her aside, asking with a fearful expression, “Sister, do we really have to live here?”

“I don’t want to live here!”

“It’s too scary! Look, what kind of neighbors are these!”

“Sister, let’s go, please!” Zhou Zhaodi was on the verge of tears.

Her mother Zhou Xiangmei’s house was her ideal home!

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment and said, “Mom gave us a thousand, and together we earned sixteen at Aunt Jiang’s place. This morning, we spent eight dollars on bus fare to and from the Amalia Home…”

“So, after I pay the rent later, I’ll give you back five hundred and four. From then on, you can live wherever you want, and I won’t stop you.”

“And don’t say I don’t care about you anymore—I already told Fourth Uncle to ask the landlord to add another bed board in this room. If you really have nowhere to go, you can still stay with me temporarily.”

“But Zhaodi, I have to be blunt,” Bai Yuanzhi said word by word, “after these three months, I won’t take care of you anymore.”

Zhou Zhaodi gasped sharply. “Sister, what do you mean?”

Bai Yuanzhi said calmly, “Exactly what I said.”

She had never really liked Zhou Zhaodi.

But in her previous life, at the end of her life, it was indeed Zhaodi who spent everything she had to save her, even though it ultimately failed.

Thinking about it carefully, Zhaodi’s intention to save her was still to leech off her.

But she still owed Zhaodi.

So in this life, she allowed Zhaodi to follow her to Hong Kong City and gave her a three-month beginner’s care period.

This was Bai Yuanzhi’s repayment.

Nothing more.

Zhou Zhaodi stared at Bai Yuanzhi in shock, her lips trembling with feeling wronged. Not long after, Fourth Uncle returned with a middle-aged woman.

The middle-aged woman was the landlord, surnamed Huang.

Aunt Huang sized up Bai Yuanzhi and Zhou Zhaodi and asked first, “Did you just come from the mainland?”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded.

Aunt Huang asked again, “Are you adults? If you’re not, I can’t sign a contract with you.”

Bai Yuanzhi replied, “I have the documents.” Then she showed them to Aunt Huang.

Aunt Huang quickly signed a three-month rental contract with Bai Yuanzhi.

The terms were mostly in line with Bai Yuanzhi’s requests.

Seeing Aunt Huang’s straightforwardness, Bai Yuanzhi didn’t say much else. She took out a five-hundred-yuan bill and handed it over.

Aunt Huang accepted the money and, while giving Bai Yuanzhi her change, said, “Pretty girl, Fourth Uncle asked me to add a bed board for you. Would you like it done now, or should I do it tomorrow while you’re out working? It might take about three or four hours.”

Bai Yuanzhi took the twenty yuan in change from Aunt Huang and replied, “Do it tomorrow morning after I leave.”

Aunt Huang asked again, “What about your luggage?”

Bai Yuanzhi shook her head.

Aunt Huang widened her eyes, “What do you mean? You don’t have any luggage? Then… you’ll sleep on a bare bed?”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded.

Aunt Huang had probably never seen such a young, beautiful, clean, and tidy girl who was also so poor. For a moment, she felt a pang of pity. “In that case, I’ll give you a blanket. I’ll bring it over in a bit.”

Bai Yuanzhi thanked Aunt Huang sincerely.

Soon, Aunt Huang brought over an old blanket, along with two sets of her own clothes. “I haven’t used this blanket in a long time, but I’ve kept it well. These two sets of clothes are mine. They might not suit a young girl like you, but they should work as emergency changes.”

Bai Yuanzhi thanked Aunt Huang again.

After Aunt Huang and Fourth Uncle left, Bai Yuanzhi spread the old blanket over the bed board and asked Zhou Zhaodi, “I’m going to sleep. What about you? Staying here or going to Mom’s place?”

“If you’re going to Mom’s, I’ll give you the five hundred and four yuan.”

Zhou Zhaodi looked astonished, “Sleep? Now?!”

But it was only a little past five in the afternoon!

Bai Yuanzhi nodded firmly.

First, she was full and satisfied, so sleep would come easily.

Second, she had been awake for nearly seventy-two hours. Falling asleep now would allow her to sleep soundly until dawn the next day, when she could get up and look for work.

Ignoring Zhou Zhaodi, Bai Yuanzhi checked the clothes Aunt Huang had given her. Though old, they were clean and carried the scent of soap.

She closed the door, undressed, and used the clothes she had been wearing—Zhou Xiangmei’s—as a makeshift washcloth under the faucet to wipe herself down. Then she changed into the clean clothes Aunt Huang had provided, rinsed the wet clothes, wrung them out, and hung them above the toilet.

After that, she climbed into bed and lay down.

Zhou Zhaodi: …

She didn’t want to stay here at all.

The only reason she was still here was that she was afraid to go to Zhou Xiangmei’s house alone.

“Third Sister, let’s go back to Mom’s together!” Zhou Zhaodi tried to persuade Bai Yuanzhi. “Let’s try one more time. What if Mom softens up?”

Bai Yuanzhi was already half-asleep, letting out a soft “Mm” as she drifted off.

Zhou Zhaodi bit her lower lip.

After thinking it over, Zhou Zhaodi felt that holding the five hundred and four yuan herself would give her a sense of security.

So she shook Bai Yuanzhi awake, “Third Sister, give me the money!”

She made up her mind, “Since you won’t go to Mom’s, I’ll have to go alone!”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled, counted out five hundred and four yuan, and handed it to Zhou Zhaodi. After Zhou Zhaodi left, she locked the door and went back to bed to rest and recharge.