Zhou Shuling reacted quickly, catching the trembling Shangguan Dandan. Seeing how agitated she was, as though she might faint at any moment, terrified Zhou Shuling.
It reminded Zhou Shuling of how she had felt when her wallet was stolen for the first time, and so she understood Shangguan Dandan's reaction.
The wallet had contained the deposit Zhou Shuling had prepared for renting a place. At the time, her whole body had turned cold. She had panicked and called the police, though she knew she would most likely never get it back.
Mobile payments had not yet become widespread then, and people were still used to carrying wallets when they went out. It was a time when thieves of certain special identities were exceptionally brazen; it was not uncommon for them to even beat their victims right on the street.
Zhou Shuling had felt as though she and her daughter were about to end up on the streets. Dazed and helpless, she could have been crushed into a breakdown at any moment by a pitying glance, a disgusted tone, or even a little too much self-pity of her own.
It was then that she saw someone renting out a place: no deposit required, rent set at the tenant's discretion, payment date also at the tenant's discretion.
Most people would only think it sounded far too unreliable, but in Zhou Shuling's eyes, it had been a lifeline. She had clung to it tightly.
The landlord had been a young man who would often stare blankly beneath a plane tree even during class, never reading textbooks and only reading miscellaneous books. His grades were probably not very good, and at first Zhou Shuling had even thought she might be able to tutor him.
Zhou Shuling glanced gently at Liu Chang'an, mildly reproaching him