All Those Years

At 11 p.m., the woman next door left work early again. I am certain that she did not come back alone.Why did I say ‘again’?My name is Zhang Lu. Not long ago, in order to better prepare for the university entrance exam, I moved out of my school hostel. After I moved into this rented place, I realized that this building is actually the “hostel” of the ladies who work in the nightclub next door. Lin Xiaoya, my neighbor, usually gets off work at around 1 or 2 a.m. Therefore, every time she comes home early, it means that she has found herself a customer.The man moans, “Quickly, babe. I can’t wait.”Lin Xiaoya replies, “There’s no need to rush. I am not the only one living here.”Usually, I would put on my headphones and pretend that I can’t hear a thing. However, today, I subconsciously move towards the wall. Behind the poster left behind by the previous tenant, there is a tiny hole through which I can see the other side. I approach the hole and see Lin Xiaoya next door suddenly turn her head around and smile at me enchantingly.