"You can't just take your anger out on people."
The old man shook his head.
The young man pressed his lips tightly together.
As if he were trying hard to suppress something.
The old man looked at the owner of the little dog.
"Young man."
"I'm sorry."
"Is your dog all right?"
My temper had been getting worse and worse.
But several days passed, and the sound of the rooster still hadn't gone away.
"You know this is Xiao Ding's problem."
The way he'd seemed intimidating to the old man at first now only made the old man feel sorry for him.
Perhaps tonight the young man wouldn't hear the rooster crowing.
He wouldn't make such a scene in a rented apartment, either.
"Young man, I'm not making excuses for him."
The old man spoke slowly, as if he wanted to make sure the young man understood exactly what he meant.
He couldn't shake the feeling that the rooster's crowing was echoing inside his head.
"But you know that when people don't get enough rest, it's hard for them to keep their temper."
A flash of inspiration came to the old man.
Every household he'd visited was just like the old man in front of him: not one of them had heard the rooster crowing.
He was going to find a second person who'd heard it!
The idea was crazy.
The young man's mood was clearly terrible.
The rooster still hadn't been dealt with.
He was also surprised.
A newcomer to the workforce who'd only recently graduated.
Had someone in the building bought a live chicken?
"I just have this problem where I can't sleep well..."
Had this young man asked him whether he'd heard a rooster crowing?
Even half-asleep, all he could hear was