Smile Code (Lost Laughter) 失笑 - Zhu Le 祖乐

7

Locked in the box of fate, I felt the helplessness of a turtle unable to flip over.

After everything was packed, the truck bed was still half empty. Liang Daiwen waved the driver off and gestured for Gu Yi to get in the car. Gu Yi hesitated for a few seconds, letting Liang Daiwen go first as she thought about going upstairs again. But the moment she lifted one leg into the car, the truck started driving. Her right leg was still outside, and she had to hop three steps: "Hey, I haven't gotten in yet!"

The driver apologized.

The truck stopped, but Gu Yi didn't get in. She turned back, went upstairs, and slipped a note under the door of 509: "I'm really sorry for making you unhappy. You're always welcome to come to Ounce for an open mic and experience stand-up comedy for yourself. Goodbye for now."

Running back out, the sky was lit in shades of orange and purple. The freight truck was parked at the entrance of the complex. Liang Daiwen looked up, appearing somewhat weary: "The taxi left. I'll call another one."

It turns out that when Liang Daiwen was tired, there was an expression on his face that resembled "emotions." It wasn't that he was entirely indifferent. His black corduroy jacket was worn, with patches of yellow and gray, and though she didn't know him well, Gu Yi knew he was a bit of a neat freak. She was moved by this scene, and instinctively grabbed Liang Daiwen's hand as they jumped into the empty truck bed. Touching his warm arm, Gu Yi thought to herself, I wonder where he learned to be so obedient.

As soon as the car started, Gu Yi instinctively leaned back. Liang Daiwen happened to be behind her, and she bumped into him, causing him to act as a cushion against the car door. The door locked tightly, and Liang Daiwen let out a painful grunt. Gu Yi felt extremely sorry, but he reassured her, "It's fine, I'll just think of it as taking a hit."

She finally understood: Liang Daiwen must have had no friends when he was younger, and if his friends hadn't wrapped him up in a sack and beaten him, that would have been considered a favor. The truck bed seemed to have been used before, and Gu Yi turned on her phone's flashlight to look around. It was dark, giving her a feeling of surviving a disaster together. She sniffled, and Liang Daiwen spoke from the darkness: "Found something new about me again?"

"No." She couldn't just tell him, I've realized you have a crush on me.

She took out her phone and sent a message to Yu Dule: "I'm on my way to Liang Daiwen's place."

"Progressing so fast?"

"It's not what you think. I moved out. For now, I'm staying at his place."

"Isn't that exactly what you think?"

"Because he unilaterally canceled my lease. Forget it, I've already socially died. I'll find a new place soon."

"Gu Yi, this isn't the time for you to date him. This is the best time. You need to package yourself well. Don't act careless anymore. Talk to him about comedy, discuss literature and art, show him you're a girl with a rich soul even if you can't make him laugh. And wear matching underwear, a silk nightgown, move gracefully like in your magazine's marketing department, and make sure your body lotion reaches your fingers. Once you're officially in, you'll save on rent."

"You're overdoing it. Didn't I tell you? The people in the marketing department who deal with luxury brands always have to borrow bags and rent clothes when they go out to meet clients."

"This is called packaging. You establish your professional image within three minutes, and it's the same with dating. When meeting him in person, you have to showcase your sexiness—sexiness!"

"Teacher Yu, have you forgotten? Our first meeting was at an open mic at Ounce, and just now he moved my things from my old place—he even saw my underwear."