Cohabitation 1

Chapter 1: You Should Move Out

When Jiang Wan came back carrying a bag of fresh vegetables, she heard shouting coming from Room 203 just as she reached the corner of the staircase.

They usually argued about once a week, mostly centered on Mondays. But today was Friday.

She turned around and headed back down the stairs, planning to wait a while before going back up, but unexpectedly heard her own name in the middle of the shouting.

"Wei Qiyuan, do you have any shame?! Ah?! I'm asking you if you have any shame?! Jiang Wan has a prison record! She can't even go out and find a proper job! What on earth do you see in her?! Are you planning to move in with her?! Ah?! I'm asking you! Are you telling me to clear out and make room for her?!"

"Stop arguing, she'll be back soon..." Wei Qiyuan's voice replied.

"Fine! It's good that she's back! I'll clear out and make room for you two! Wei Qiyuan, just you wait!"

The door flew open, and He Yingtong rushed out, her face covered in tears, running straight into Jiang Wan standing in the hallway.

Without a single word, she bolted down the stairs and ran outside.

Jiang Wan chased after her with her bag.

He Yingtong didn't run far; she stopped near the garden at the entrance. She pulled a cigarette out of her pocket, lit it, and smoked while trying to calm her racing emotions.

A moment later, she looked at Jiang Wan and said, "You should move out."

"Okay," Jiang Wan nodded.

He Yingtong glanced at her and asked, "What are you thinking about right now?"

"I'm thinking about where to live," Jiang Wan answered honestly.

He Yingtong turned around, stared straight into Jiang Wan's eyes, and asked, "You don't like Wei Qiyuan, do you?"

Jiang Wan shook her head.

He Yingtong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You know what? As long as you went upstairs right now and told Wei Qiyuan that you liked him too, the one getting kicked out onto the street would be me."

Jiang Wan kept a calm face, stepping closer to give He Yingtong’s shoulder a reassuring pat. "I don't like him, don't worry. I'll move out later."

"Where are you going to move to?" He Yingtong stubbed out her cigarette.

Jiang Wan had been He Yingtong's roommate for half a year. Because she didn't have a stable job, but loved doing chores like cleaning, washing, and cooking—and was extremely frugal—He Yingtong had voluntarily waived her rent, only asking her to do household chores in exchange.

But this morning, when Jiang Wan got up, she caught Wei Qiyuan secretly sniffing her underwear in the bathroom.

The two of them had erupted into a massive fight.

At that moment, He Yingtong felt like her world was collapsing. She hated Jiang Wan, but she hated herself even more. She shouldn't have been greedy for cheap rent and rented out the second bedroom; otherwise, she never would have crossed paths with Jiang Wan.

"I'll look online," Jiang Wan said softly.

He Yingtong let out a long breath. "I can introduce you to a place. A client of mine has a friend looking for a live-in housekeeper, though I heard the person is a bit eccentric."

"Does it include a place to stay?" Jiang Wan cared most about that detail.

He Yingtong was speechless for a second. "...You're eccentric too." She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Let me call and ask if room and board are included."

"Okay," Jiang Wan said, looking at He Yingtong with complete sincerity. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," He Yingtong rubbed her aching, tear-stained eyes. "I don't want to see you. That's the honest truth."

"I know," Jiang Wan replied with a faint smile.

He Yingtong looked at her again.

When Jiang Wan first arrived, her hair was chopped extremely short—barely a centimeter or two longer than a man's crew cut. She wore a face mask, her skin was a dull, sickly yellow, and she looked thoroughly exhausted and wretched.

At first, He Yingtong had even disliked how plain she looked and hadn't wanted her to move in. But seeing how quick-handed, nimble, and hardworking she was, she let it slide.

Yet over the past half year, Jiang Wan's hair had grown out, her skin had turned fair, and once she took off her mask, her features were pure and delicate. She might not have been a jaw-dropping beauty, but her face grew on you more and more the longer you looked.

At first, He Yingtong had even been happy for Jiang Wan, complimenting how much prettier she had become—right up until today, when she witnessed firsthand the filthy, despicable thing her own boyfriend had done, making her realize how utterly wrong she had been.

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T/N:
What’s up, besties? Welcome to my little corner of the internet! 💅✨

So... we’re pivoting. We’re branching out. Your girl is diving headfirst into a brand-new genre today, and honestly? We are leaving the wholesome lane in the dust. If you’ve been following my previous works, strap in because we are entering spicy, messy, and totally unhinged territory.

Let’s talk about what you’re getting yourself into for the rest of this ride: we’ve got a retired e-gamer with main character energy and a serious attitude problem, a brooding slow-burn dynamic that’ll have you screaming at your screen, and just enough emotional baggage and drama to keep things toxic-sweet. It's giving tension, it's giving domestic chaos, and yes—we are definitely feeding the smut gods later on. (You've been warned, no take-backs! 👀🔥)
Since this is my very first time steering this kind of ship, please be gentle with me if my translation game is still finding its footing in this genre. Drop your thoughts, your reactions, or suggestions in the comments—don't be shy, let's chat!

Alright, stop looking at me like that and let’s dive into this mess. Happy reading, bbs! 🥂📖