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

Ye Shu's hometown is that small county town in the north.

Ye Guoqiang was holding a watering can, bending over, watering the row of flowers and plants under the windowsill.

It's a sunny day, and the sunlight shines through the plastic sheet onto the leaves that have been sprayed with water, making the flowers look much more vibrant.

Grandma Ye Shu sat on the sofa, covered with a blanket, while a traditional opera program was playing on the television.

The old lady had poor eyesight, but her hearing was fine, and she kept tapping her hands on her legs to keep time.

"The sun is shining brightly today. I'll go to the market later and buy a fish. Shall we stew it for dinner?"

Ye Guoqiang straightened up, turned around and said:

"Even if it's stewed until very soft, you can still chew it."

"Sure, just do whatever you want. I'm fine with whatever I eat."

The old lady, without taking her eyes off the television, responded.

After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the eldest and second eldest sons' families all went back to their own homes, and Xiao Tao's family also left, leaving only the mother and son in the house again.

Although life was peaceful, it also seemed rather desolate.

Suddenly, as if struck by a sudden thought, the old lady spoke to her son, who was still watering the flowers by the window:

"Our little Shu is lucky. Although... sigh, he's married into a good family. I can tell from Xiao Wan and her husband that they really dote on him; it doesn't seem like they're faking it."

Ye Guoqiang placed the spray bottle on the windowsill, wiped his hands with a rag, and sat down on the sofa.

"Yeah, he's a really nice person, no complaints, it's just that..."

He frowned slightly and sighed:

"The difference between our two families is just too big. Theirs is..."

The old lady continued:

"Yes, the difference is significant. But they didn't complain, which is commendable."

Ye Guoqiang picked up the cigarette pack on the coffee table, took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and then exhaled the smoke, saying:

"Even though they don't mind, we can't be inconsiderate and act like we're doing something over there just because of this relationship. From now on, let the young couple live their lives happily over there. We don't need them to worry about us here, and we shouldn't cause them any trouble."

That makes sense.

Grandma Ye Shu smiled:

"Xiao Shu is a smart kid."

Just then, a loud cell phone rang from Ye Guoqiang's pocket, and he took out his phone.

This phone was bought for Ye Shudu a few years ago when he was in school. He and his roommates ostensibly worked to earn extra money, but in reality, they were going out to earn extra cash. They used their first pot of gold to buy it for him. He even put a faux leather case on it. It's the kind of flip phone that middle-aged people often use, the kind that covers the phone screen too.

Ye Guoqiang squinted at his phone screen; it was an unfamiliar number. He answered, then held the phone to his ear and spoke loudly:

"Feed? Who should I ask?"

The voice on the other end of the phone was quite loud; it was a woman's voice, and she sounded familiar, but her enthusiasm seemed a bit fake.

"Feed? Is that Brother Guoqiang?"

"Huh, who are you?"

Ye Guoqiang stared at the television and asked.

Grandma Ye Shu also took the remote control and turned the TV volume down a bit.

The person on the other end of the phone said:

"It's me, Xiaolian!"

Xiao Lian?

Ye Guoqiang frowned, pondering for a long time, but still couldn't remember which Xiao Lian it was:

"Xiao Lian...which Xiao Lian? I'm getting old, my memory isn't what it used to be, I can't remember right now."

The person on the other end seemed a little embarrassed, but still feigned enthusiasm, saying:

"Hey, back then, we used to live across the hall from each other, remember? You and my wife were always drinking together, Changyou, you know, Liu Changyou's wife, remember?"

"Ah, Nagatomo's wife! I remember now, I remember now."

Ye Guoqiang suddenly remembered that it seemed to be something like that. He had drunk with his neighbor across the hall a few times, but that was all.

"It's been so many years! More than ten years, right? You moved away after that, how are you doing? Is it good over there?"

"Sigh, it's alright, just getting by. I can't compare to you guys. Brother Guoqiang, what are you busy with at home these days?"

Ye Guoqiang flicked the ash from his cigarette and chuckled awkwardly:

"What can I be busy with? I just stay at home all day tending to the flowers, taking care of my old mother, and waiting for retirement."

Ye Shu's personality is largely inherited from his father.

Ye Guoqiang also disliked making small talk on the phone; after a couple of pleasantries, he felt bored.

After so many years of no contact, suddenly a phone call comes in, just to chat about these trivial things?

He didn't quite believe it.

Ye Guoqiang was getting a little impatient. He took a drag of his cigarette and stopped beating around the bush.

He doesn't treat his family and true friends this way.

But he couldn't be bothered to bother with these old neighbors who were completely unrelated to him, whom he hadn't contacted for over ten years, and who had suddenly reappeared.

"Little Lian, we're already so familiar with each other, I won't beat around the bush. You suddenly called, is there something wrong? Just say it, are you short on cash and need some money? I don't have much, but I do have some for emergencies."

His question was very direct, and in some ways a bit impulsive, but that's just his personality.

In Ye Guoqiang's view, if you really have difficulties, just say so. If you can help, you might consider it out of consideration for the past friendship between neighbors.

It's really pointless to beat around the bush like this.

"No, no, I won't lend you money, I really won't lend you money."

Xiaolian quickly explained on the other end of the phone, but then her voice lowered, as if she were a little embarrassed:

"Well... since you've put it that way, I won't beat around the bush. Yes, there's something I'd like to ask you for a favor."

Ye Guoqiang took a drag of his cigarette, remained silent, and waited to hear what was to come.

Xiaolian hesitated for a moment and then said:

"Well, my son is graduating this fall. He's never liked studying, so he ended up with a vocational high school diploma. Now that he's about to graduate, it's so hard to find a job these days. He can't get into good companies, and he thinks the bad ones are too tiring. He just wanders around at home all day. I'm so worried."

At this point, she stopped talking, seemingly waiting for Ye Guoqiang's reaction, but Ye Guoqiang didn't give any response at all, just kept smoking.

Xiaolian had no choice but to continue probing:

"I just... heard from someone that your Xiao Shu is dating someone up south? And that girl's family... apparently they're big bosses, owning a big company, right?"

Ye Guoqiang listened, his eyebrows furrowing, and he understood the purpose of this.

On the day of the phone call, the true intentions were finally revealed:

"Brother Guoqiang, you see... we've been neighbors for so many years, could you talk to Xiaoshu and ask him to put in a good word with his girlfriend's family to help arrange for my son to get a job there?"

Ye Guoqiang coughed, interrupting the conversation, and said:

"Ah, this matter... Little Lian, I really can't help you with this."

"Oh dear, look at what you're saying, Brother Guoqiang."

Upon hearing Ye Guoqiang's refusal, the person on the other end seemed anxious and quickly said:

"It's just a matter of you saying the word! How can a son not listen to his father? Besides, Xiao Shu's girlfriend's family is incredibly powerful; I heard they have a huge business empire! Getting a couple of people in there is just a piece of cake. It's just helping out our old neighbors; it's not like they're asking him to do anything illegal or disorderly. What's so difficult about that? We've been friends for so many years..."

Before she could continue her attempt to get closer to him, Ye Guoqiang threw the cigarette butt into the tin can on the coffee table and said into the phone:

"Little Lian, you've really misunderstood. No matter how big their business is, it's still their business, and they don't belong to the Ye family. Why should I, Ye Guoqiang, have any influence? I don't have that much face."

He paused, this time with a hint of sarcasm in his tone, perhaps directed at the other person, or perhaps at their request:

"Besides, my son Xiao Shu got to where he is today through his own hard work. His girlfriend's family is powerful, but Xiao Shu hasn't tried to use those connections to get himself in. He's working for someone else now. I, as his father, am not capable enough to give him what he wants. I have this much backbone, so I let him go. We don't covet what belongs to others, and we can't bring ourselves to ask for it."

After Ye Guoqiang finished speaking, his tone returned to its initial calmness, and he directly saw the guest out.

"I really can't help with this. Finding a job is up to the child himself. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now."

"Hey, Brother Guoqiang, wait a minute..."

The other person wanted to say something, but Ye Guoqiang didn't give her the chance and hung up on her directly.

"Who is it? Why have you been talking for so long?"

Grandma Ye Shu had been listening the whole time and probably understood what was going on.

Ye Guoqiang put his phone in his pocket, picked up his teacup, and took a sip:

"It's the woman who used to live across from us, Changyou's wife. We haven't been in touch for years. When she calls, all she wants to talk about is getting her son into Xiaoshu's father-in-law's house."

"This person..."

The old lady listened without sighing.

"Well, our Xiao Shu is still working outside too, isn't he?"

"Well, you could say that."

Ye Guoqiang poured himself another cup and began to ponder.

My son has finally found a partner outside. His girlfriend is a good person, and her family is good too. It seems like things are going to get better.

But when it comes to interpersonal relationships and favors, everyone is drawn in, thinking that if one person succeeds, even their relatives and friends will benefit, and everyone wants to hitch a ride and take advantage.

But is it so easy to take advantage of someone like that? Putting aside whether the other person is willing or not, will it be seen as looking down on Xiao Shu?

The feeling of having to ask for help is unpleasant.

He needs to find an opportunity to remind his son.

When you're out in the world, you have to be careful in your dealings with others. There are some old acquaintances and relatives you should be wary of, but don't be too polite.

Some doors must not be opened, or trouble will ensue.

But what he didn't know was that before Xiao Lian called him, trying to take a roundabout route, she had already been scolded by Ye Shu.