Chapter 15: Odd Neighbor 05

Chapter 15: Odd Neighbor 05

The night in the residential area was exceptionally tranquil.

The high-hanging moon cast varying lengths of faint shadows on the ground.

A man with gray-blue eyes exited his apartment building and headed straight for the entrance gate.

Moments later, the shadowy figure lurking behind him emerged from behind a tree, following the only path while cautiously hiding its presence at every few steps.

...Despite the fact that the man walking ahead kept his gaze straight ahead, never once looking back.

Considering it was his first time doing such a thing, being cautious was understandable.

Under the watchful, suspicious gaze of the gatekeeper, Yu Bai pulled down the brim of his cap and quickened his pace, leaving the compound as if nothing was amiss.

That guy went left.

He promptly turned to follow.

Compared to the sparsely populated neighborhood, the bustling pedestrians on the streets outside served as natural cover, making it easier for Yu Bai to conceal his movements.

While concealed among the crowd, he noticed the man ahead gradually slowing his pace, seemingly taking interest in the shops along the street. Curiosity piqued, he too cast his gaze in that direction.

Fruit stand, breakfast shop, hardware store, real estate agency, bus stop...

This residential area boasts an excellent location, surrounded by several neighboring communities, resulting in a concentrated population. Consequently, the surrounding amenities are well-developed. Virtually every type of store can be found on this very street outside.

It was past eight in the evening, and some of the shops lining the street had already closed their doors, their interiors plunged into darkness, alternating with those that remained illuminated.

Yu Bai seldom ventured out, and when he did, it was either to visit Doctor Chen or attend to other pressing matters. As such, despite having lived here for a month, this was his first time observing his surroundings with such attention.

He noticed his non-human neighbor pause by a fruit stall.

Brightly lit shelves displayed round watermelons with their mottled green patterns, looking refreshingly crisp - perfect for the summer season.

Of course, these watermelons were dwarved in size compared to the one Yu Bai had gifted his neighbor.

Seeing the neighbor quickly avert their gaze from the watermelons, Yu Bai, hidden behind a street lamp, felt an inexplicable sense of pride.

The man continued his stroll forward.

Most passersby, startled by the uncommon sight of a blue-eyed mixed-race individual on the street, turned their heads to look at him as they crossed paths.

He, in turn, gazed attentively at the scenery on both sides of the road.

Pharmacy entrances were adorned with posters advertising discounts on medications, beckoning customers with special deals.

A hair salon proclaimed a bold twenty-yuan haircut offer, followed by a small footnote that this price was exclusive to new members who had prepaid.

...

Suddenly, he halted in front of a luggage store.

Yu Bai, trailing behind, was taken aback and followed his gaze.

The entrance of the luggage store was adorned with a multitude of banners hanging one upon another.

"Clearance sale, only one week left!" "Closing down sale, last three days!" "Lease ends, store closes tomorrow!" "Sobbing clearance, final day!" "Last day, moving out tomorrow for sure!" ...

Amidst the bustling street, the non-human passerby, with a sideways glance, pondered over the weathered banners, exuding a silent confusion.

Yu Bai exerted great effort to suppress his laughter, lest he give himself away.

It might come as a surprise that some human establishments possessed unique temporal dynamics.

Not only for the inexperienced non-humans, even ordinary pedestrians on the street could often feel bewildered by what they saw.

After passing numerous shops, Yu Bai observed him finally turn and enter a supermarket.

Recalling his search through the kitchen cabinets before leaving, Yu Bai was almost certain about his purpose.

The supermarket was of considerable size, with an array of shelves filled with an abundance of products and intersecting aisles that could bewilder any onlooker.

The man surveyed the area, following the suspended signs in mid-air, leading him towards the kitchenware section.

There, a row of shelves displayed a myriad of knives: slicing knives, cleavers, fruit knives, scissors...

Gazing at the shimmering, diverse blades, the man with black hair and blue eyes fell into a moment of silence. He then retrieved his phone from his pocket and lowered his gaze to inspect it.

Amidst the pots and pans, Yu Bai, pretending to be selecting cookware, couldn't help but internally comment: Humans truly are intricate creatures.

He observed his neighbor choose a kitchen knife, cutting board, fruit tray, then head to the electronics section for a juicer, and finally pick up a stack of paper in the stationery area.

—Seems like he not only found the standard way to eat watermelon on his phone but also discovered that it can be juiced.

As the man navigated through the vast array of products, he occasionally found himself drawn to items with particularly vibrant colors.

He picked up a bag of brightly colored food, studying the lively graphic on the front, then flipped it over to read the small print on the back.

—Those were the Sichuan pepper-flavored instant noodles that would still occupy an entire shelf even during typhoon shopping sprees. Don't take them; try a different flavor.

Yu Bai silently conversed with the man in his mind until he saw him approach the checkout counter. Only then did Yu Bai cease his stealthy observation and leave the supermarket first.

He didn't continue following, as he could already anticipate what would happen next.

…Also, because the supermarket cleaner who had repeatedly passed by him was growing increasingly wary with each encounter.

Well, such behavior was indeed somewhat obsessive.

Yu Bai repented his surveillance for a fleeting second.

After this one evening, it was evident that the non-human's life was simpler than a blank sheet of paper.

He was indeed clueless about human existence, so he was diligently observing and learning from everything around him, earnestly pretending to be human without resorting to his extraordinary abilities.

Even the sunflower Yu Bai had casually left on the kitchen counter had been imitated.

Yu Bai could now barely forgive such an act.

Considering how the neighbor had gone out of their way to buy a set of cooking utensils just for the watermelon he had casually given them.

The same must have happened the day before, a week ago, after he had gifted the watermelon.

It was a classic case of making a feast for a single condiment.

Only, in this case, the condiment was exceptionally, exceedingly large.

A feast of dumplings was indeed warranted.

Yu Bai removed his hat, and the first thing he did after returning home was to eat some watermelon.

Despite the mint oil scent lingering on the giant yoga ball watermelon, its taste remained refreshingly sweet and juicy as usual.

Each bite was as sweet as Xin Jie's.

Sitting beside him, Yan Jing ate with a distracted air, stealing glances at his own muscles from time to time.

"I shouldn't be eating this, right? I should be practicing more."

Yu Bai comforted him in good spirits, "Eat up, you can train again tomorrow."

"Sigh, how did he even train to get like that?"

Yan Jing sighed and caught sight of the telescope on the coffee table.

"You're not using it, right? Could I give it a try? Maybe I didn't see his physique clearly earlier, let me take another look."

"..." Yu Bai scoffed, "You're so weird."

He imagined that the neighbor, at this moment, was slicing watermelon in their kitchen.

This assumption was based on the radiant glow spilling from the window of the adjacent kitchen.

Soon, a gentle knocking sounded.

Yu Bai promptly stopped Yan Jing, who was about to answer the door.

"Why aren't you opening it—"

"Shh."

Only after all external noises faded away did Yu Bai rise to open the door.

By the side of his entrance, there lay the enigmatic small orb.

Of course, the familiar oversized note was also affixed to the door.

The non-human had indeed mimicked his gift-giving method perfectly; however, on the first occasion, Yu Bai and Yan Jing had been sound asleep, hence they missed the knock.

Yu Bai bent down to pick up the small ball and then reached out to remove the note. He already knew its contents without even looking.

This is a gift. I like watermelons. Thank you.

As expected, the sender mimicked his style, omitting the subtle mocking simple smiley face at the end.

Instead, a hint of a smile tugged at Yu Bai's lips.

Unlike last time, this time he had witnessed firsthand how much the other person enjoyed watermelons.

But why was it that not only was there no smiley face, but there wasn't even a signature?

"Phu-ha-ha-ha!" Yan Jing, who had been puzzled earlier, suddenly burst into laughter across from him. "Oh my goodness."

Yu Bai moved the note away from his hand, looking at Yan Jing in confusion. "What are you laughing about?"

Yan Jing's gaze followed the back of the paper, still giggling uncontrollably, as he nodded his chin towards it.

"Read it for yourself!"

Saying this, he promptly reached for his phone in his pocket, realizing that he should take a photo as evidence.

"Wait a moment, let me take a photo! Please don't move!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Bai instantly sensed something amiss. Without giving him the chance to open the camera, he flipped the note over as if it were a pack of instant noodles.

...To my surprise, there were words on the back this time!

Gazing at the lengthy, well-ordered text before him, which far exceeded a simple thank you note in terms of length, Yu Bai's expression gradually froze, turning him into a statue right where he stood.

It read:

I saw you today in our kitchen and out on the street.

You seemed to be evading something, not wanting to be noticed.

So I didn't approach you, and for that, I apologize.

I hope I didn't disturb you.

Here, the writer seemed to pause for a considerable moment before continuing, as the next line is spaced further down and the first character is inked more deeply:

May I, when we meet next, have the pleasure of greeting you?

—From the neighbor in Room 1204