Chapter 58 Grievance

Chapter 58 Grievance

Hot water was flowing freely in the bathroom, and the rising steam blurred the mirror.

Xie Lin stood under the showerhead, letting the warm water wash over his aching limbs, washing away his fatigue and dishevelment.

The rain I got soaked in today, the scolding I endured, and the countless stairs I climbed all flowed down the drain with the water, but the heavy, stifling feeling in my heart just wouldn't dissipate.

He looked down at the red marks on his palms, the marks left from holding the handlebars of the electric scooter for too long. These hands used to only hold pens and steering wheels, but now they were worn sore from just a few takeout orders.

"Xie Lin, I've left your clothes by the door!" Lin Mianmian's voice came through the door, filled with soft concern. "Come out quickly after you've finished washing. I made some ginger soup; drink it while it's hot to warm yourself up."

Xie Lin responded, turned off the tap, and took a towel to dry his hair.

After changing into clean clothes, the chill on my body dissipated considerably, but the spicy aroma of ginger soup lingered in the air, mingling with the faint smell of food in the living room, warming my heart.

When he came out of the bathroom, Lin Mianmian was standing in the living room with a bowl of ginger soup. When she saw him come out, she quickly came up to him and said, "Drink it quickly, or you'll catch a cold."

Xie Lin took the bowl, the warm porcelain soothing his palm. He tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. The spicy taste burned from his throat all the way to his stomach, dispelling the last trace of chill.

Lin Mianmian reached out and touched his forehead. Only after confirming that he didn't have a fever did she breathe a sigh of relief and then pulled him to sit down at the dining table.

On the table were two dishes and a soup: stir-fried seasonal vegetables, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and a bowl of steaming tofu soup. They were all simple home-style dishes, but they were delicious and visually appealing.

"I saw you came back late, and I guessed you hadn't eaten dinner, so I made a little extra." Lin Mianmian served him a bowl of rice, her eyes full of smiles.

"Try it! Today's tomato and egg stir-fry has sugar in it, it's super delicious with rice."

Xie Lin picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of scrambled eggs, and put it in his mouth. The sweet and sour taste melted on his tongue, and the familiar warmth of home cooking instantly smoothed out the wrinkles in his heart.

Looking into the girl's bright eyes, he suddenly felt that all the grievances he had suffered during the day were nothing.

He wants to make lots and lots of money for his baby.

"It's delicious," he said softly, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, afraid that his voice would betray his emotions if he opened his mouth.

Lin Mianmian smiled even sweeter and put another piece of greens on his plate: "Eat more if you like it. You must be exhausted today."

Xie Lin didn't dare tell her that he was delivering food, only vaguely saying that he had found a temporary job and it wasn't too tiring.

Lin Mianmian didn't ask any more questions, but just chatted on and on about the little things that happened today, such as Aunt Zhang downstairs giving her a bunch of green vegetables and the supermarket yogurt being on sale.

I said I want to make his favorite sweet and sour pork ribs tomorrow.

After dinner, Xie Lin insisted on washing the dishes.

Lin Mianmian leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching his back as he washed the dishes, and suddenly said, "Xie Lin, you don't really need to work so hard."

Xie Lin paused for a moment, but didn't turn around.

“I know you want to give me a good life,” Lin Mianmian’s voice was soft, yet it carried a power that penetrated the heart.

"But for me, as long as we're together, simple meals don't matter. I'm not afraid of hardship, I'm just afraid you'll get too tired."

Xie Lin turned off the tap and turned to look at her.

The dim light fell on her face, softening her features, and her clear eyes were filled with heartache.

He walked over, pulled her into his arms, rested his chin on the top of her head, and said in a hoarse voice, "Silly girl, I'm not tired. I'm not tired at all as long as I can give you a good life."

In the stillness of the night, Lin Mianmian slept soundly, her breathing even.

Xie Lin tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He quietly got up, went to the balcony, and lit a cigarette.

The night was thick, the streetlights in the distance cast a dim yellow light, and the occasional bark of a dog could be heard from the alley.

My phone screen lit up; it was a message from the middle-aged man at the labor market, saying there was a job moving goods tomorrow, paid daily, but it would be tiring.

Xie Lin stared at the screen for a long time, his finger hovering over it for a long time, before finally replying with "Okay".

Moving goods can earn more money for Mianmian; it's better than being idle.

He thought that as long as he could make money, he could endure any kind of hard or tiring work.

The next morning, Xie Lin got up early as usual.

Lin Mianmian was still asleep. He quietly washed up, not daring to disturb her, and left a note saying that he was going to work and would be back early in the evening.

The moving site was a warehouse on the outskirts of the city, which was dirty and messy, and the air was filled with the smell of dust and engine oil.

The men who worked with him were all men who did manual labor year-round; they had dark skin and rough hands.

Xie Lin, dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, stood out from the crowd with his refined demeanor.

"Young man, is this your first time doing this?" A bearded man patted him on the shoulder, his voice booming. "Take it easy, these boxes are heavy."

Xie Lin nodded without saying anything, but bent down and picked up a box.

The box was much heavier than he had imagined, making his shoulders ache. He gritted his teeth and walked step by step toward the truck.

Back and forth he went, and soon his T-shirt was soaked with sweat, which streamed down his face and dripped onto the dusty ground, leaving a small dark stain.

His shoulders ached from the box, and his arms were so sore he could barely lift them, but he dared not stop and could only grit his teeth and persevere.

During the lunch break, everyone sat on the ground, eating steamed buns and drinking mineral water.

Xie Lin was also hungry, but he didn't have much of an appetite. Looking at the hard steamed bun in his hand, he thought of the soft and tender braised pork that Lin Mianmian had made, and felt a mix of emotions.

“Young man, don’t complain about the hardship,” the bearded man sat down next to him and handed him a bottle of water. “Money is hard to earn, and life is tough. These days, it’s not easy to make a living.”

Xie Lin took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. The cool water slid down his throat, relieving his thirst a little.

Looking at the uncle's dark face, marked by the ravages of time, he suddenly realized that his own hardships were nothing in comparison.

The afternoon work was even heavier, involving moving large appliances.

Xie Lin and the uncle carried a refrigerator together, moving it step by step onto the truck.

As he reached the truck door, his foot slipped, and he stumbled, causing the refrigerator to hit the door hard, chipping a piece of paint off.

"What the hell do you do at work!" The warehouse owner rushed over upon hearing the noise, pointing his finger at him and cursing, spitting all over his face.

"This refrigerator is new! How can you sell it if the paint is chipped? Can you afford to pay for it?"

Xie Lin's face flushed instantly. He clenched his fists and whispered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"What good is 'sorry'?" the boss persisted, his voice shrill. "You can forget about today's wages! You'll also have to pay for the damage to this refrigerator!"

People gathered around, pointing and whispering.

Xie Lin's face burned, as if he had been slapped hard.

The bearded man quickly tried to smooth things over: "Boss, it was an accident, please don't be angry. The paint on the refrigerator isn't chipped much, it won't affect its sale..."

"Get out of here!" The boss shoved the man aside, still cursing. "Get out, no pay today!"

Xie Lin clenched his fist, wanting to punch him, but he couldn't be so willful. He turned around, picked up the coat that was placed aside, and walked out of the warehouse without looking back.

The sunlight was blinding. He stood by the roadside, watching the passing vehicles, and suddenly felt a sense of bewilderment.

He walked for a long time, until the sun set, before slowly heading home.

My pockets are empty. Not only did I not make any money today, but I also got really upset.

When he reached his doorstep, he stopped and stood there for a long time before slowly raising his hand, patting his cheeks, and forcing a smile.

The moment the door opened, Lin Mianmian's voice came through, tinged with laughter: "Xie Lin, you're back! I made your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs..."

Before she could finish speaking, she saw the weariness and dejection on Xie Lin's face, as well as the faint bruises on his shoulders.

Lin Mianmian's smile froze on her face. She walked quickly over, gently patted his shoulder, and said in a choked voice, "Xie Lin, tell me, what are you doing?"