Chapter 1: An Apple iPad2

“My birthday is the day after tomorrow. I want an Apple iPad2. Will you buy it for me?”

“Sure. Then, we won’t pay the rent for next quarter and just sleep on the streets later.”

“You can buy it for me with your credit card. Once your payment comes in, just pay off the card, right?”

“What’s in it for me if I take on so much risk?”

“Hehe, the night after tomorrow… I could…”

“Could what? Start a ‘new’ life with me?” Lü Yang grinned mischievously.

“Go away! Is that all you think about? Can’t you think of something healthier?”

“What did you think I meant? Hmph! Spending thousands for you? I’d rather go to some roadside shop and get it done for fifty bucks!”

“You really have no taste.” Yi Yi shook her head and glanced around curiously.

“What are you looking at?”

“I’m checking if an apple might fall from the sky.”

“Better if a gold brick falls and hits you on the head.”

“Drop dead!”

As they bickered while walking, a man in black on a nearby bench suddenly stood up and spoke loudly on the phone before hurrying to the street. Yi Yi seemed to notice something and quickly ran over to sit on the bench, then seriously took out a small mirror and a colorless lipstick, applying it carefully to her lips.

“What are you doing?” Lü Yang walked over and looked at Yi Yi curiously.

“I got tired from walking, is sitting here not allowed?” Yi Yi shot Lü Yang a glare and glanced toward the direction the man in black had gone, watching him rush into a taxi and disappear around the street corner.

“We’re almost home! Why sit now? Go back and cook!” Lü Yang glared at her too, reaching out to pull her up.

“Hahaha…” Yi Yi laughed triumphantly.

“What’s with the sudden act?”

“My mom taught me from a young age to always pay attention to the ground and surroundings when walking—surely you can pick up money.” Yi Yi excitedly reached behind her back.

“Didn’t your mom teach you anything good, like helping an old lady who’s fallen?” Lü Yang shook his head.

“Look at this!” Yi Yi suddenly pulled something out from behind her back.

“An iPad?” Lü Yang was stunned.

“It’s an Apple iPad2! That man left it behind. Lucky I spotted it! Fate, fate! Whatever I want, it just falls from the sky.” Yi Yi was thrilled. She held the iPad up, looked closely at the bitten apple on the back, and then pressed the power button on the top corner.

“Ah!” Yi Yi gasped softly and looked at her finger.

“What’s wrong with you? Give it back to its owner. How can you just take advantage like that?” Lü Yang glared at her disapprovingly. When someone leaves something behind, the first thought should be to call them and return it, not just quietly keep it.

“Pfft! What’s it to you? You wouldn’t buy it for me, and I found one myself. None of your business!” Yi Yi turned away and started examining the iPad closely.

“That’s unlawful possession. Be careful they call the police and you get arrested!” Lü Yang shook his head and leaned back on the bench. The man who had hurried away seemed strange. The weather wasn’t that cold, yet he wore a black coat. And he was in such a rush he left his iPad behind.

“If I get arrested, it’ll be your job to cook and send meals to me every day! Hmph!” Yi Yi turned and glared at Lü Yang.

“Dream on! You’d deserve it if you got caught, I wouldn’t care!”

“Let’s go back. It won’t be good if the guy comes looking.” After studying the iPad for a bit, Yi Yi seemed to realize something, hastily put it in her bag, nervously looked around, and stood up to head toward their rented place.

“Wait a bit. If he comes back, we’ll return it.” Lü Yang grabbed Yi Yi.

“No! Absolutely not giving it back!” Yi Yi struggled free and hurried toward their rental.

“You… sigh… What kind of person are you? Watch out for bad karma!” Lü Yang sighed and thought about saying more, but she had already run off. In the end, he just followed behind her back to their rented place.

…

The whole way, Yi Yi kept looking around guiltily until they got inside. Then, happily, she pulled the iPad2 out of her bag, sat on the worn-out sofa, and started examining it carefully.

“Go buy groceries now; you can study that later.” Lü Yang walked over to the sofa and nudged Yi Yi a few times.

“Don’t bother me. There’s still one potato and one tomato, right? We’ll buy more tomorrow.” Yi Yi unhappily pushed his hand away.

“Then go cook!” Lü Yang grumpily went back to his old computer, sat down, and started looking up some information he needed from earlier that day.

“Got it!”

…

Lü Yang was a migrant worker who knew a bit of plumbing, electrical work, bricklaying, and carpentry. Yi Yi’s younger sister Yi Ya, who was in college, worked as an intern designer at Jiahui Decoration Company, part of Yida Group. Lü Yang had first met Yi Ya through an unexpected incident, and then later met Yi Yi when she came to visit her sister.

Yi Ya’s college was nearby, and she didn’t live on campus. She rented a place in the same residential area as Lü Yang. Yi Ya shared a 70-square-meter two-bedroom apartment with two female classmates, while Lü Yang rented a 50-square-meter one-bedroom unit himself. Sometimes, when Yi Ya found her own place too noisy, she would bring her own Apple laptop to Lü Yang’s to use the internet.

Yi Ya was very pretty and proud, so of course she didn’t have any interest in a street laborer like Lü Yang. But her older sister Yi Yi didn’t have such high standards or big dreams; she just wanted to marry someone decent enough to feed and take care of her, even if it meant doing laundry and cooking for them.

Although Lü Yang was just a street laborer, he was hardworking, charged low rates, and had good skills, which earned him a reputation in the area. In good months, he could make seven or eight thousand, and in slower months, three or four thousand. While some might look down on such earnings, in Yi Yi’s eyes, it was quite good.

So, after spending time together, one day when the three of them were having a meal, perhaps nudged by Yi Yi, Yi Ya remarked that Lü Yang and Yi Yi were well-suited. Although Lü Yang secretly liked Yi Ya, he knew she was too proud and hard to get, so he settled for the next best thing and quietly started dating Yi Yi.

One day after a meal with the sisters, Yi Yi was frying potato strips at Yi Ya’s place and ran out of vinegar. Not wanting to go far to the supermarket, she went to Lü Yang’s to borrow some. Just as she was about to leave with the vinegar, a torrential rain started and wouldn’t stop.

Strangely, Lü Yang didn’t have an umbrella. While he thought a little rain wouldn’t make Yi Yi sick, Yi Yi insisted she couldn’t get wet. So she stayed at Lü Yang’s, even taking the initiative to cook a meal for him.

After eating, they were bored and sat chatting on his worn-out sofa. Lü Yang, perhaps having eaten too much, felt pent up and gave in to his urges. He couldn’t resist the impulse and pushed Yi Yi down, forcibly kissing her.

Yi Yi was not strong enough; she struggled a few times but couldn’t break free, so she had to let Lü Yang kiss her. And as his desire grew, he touched her chest too. But even after that, Lü Yang didn’t stop; he pulled off her pants, underwear and all.