So this mafia-looking guy stepped out with a bunch of shopping bags… just to make nice with the neighbors?

No. This had to be hush money—the kind that meant whatever you see, whatever you hear, keep your mouth shut.

What should I do? Call for backup?

No, even if I reached out to Haitang, the Queen of the Urban Village, it’d be too late.

Pretend I’m not home?

Impossible. The ancient AC unit in my room was so loud, it was practically announcing my presence.

"Anyone home?"

After ringing the doorbell for a while with no response, the mafia boss started knocking.

If I didn’t open the door now and he knew I was inside, things would only get worse.

I paced back and forth by the entryway, took three deep breaths, gave my chest a firm thump for courage, and yanked the door open.

Under his hat, his neatly combed bangs sat obediently against his forehead. He was clean-shaven and looked… surprisingly refined. Without the suit, he didn’t give off that much of a gangster vibe.

He was younger than I expected too. Then again, his daughter was still very young—of course, he wouldn’t be that old.

But I’ve seen enough movies to know that these types—the ones who look all calm and intellectual—are the most dangerous. Like a coiled cobra, just waiting for you to let your guard down before striking with a lethal dose of venom.

"H-h-hello, s-sir. May I a-a-ask who you’re looking for?"

Crap. I was so nervous my tongue got twisted.

"Oh? Kid, do you stutter?"

"No, just a little… nervous."

"I just moved in next door today. Name’s Zhu Beihai—‘Zhu’ as in ‘candle.’ If you don’t mind, just call me Brother Beihai. That’s what all my brothers call me."

A guy with a kid asking me, a high schooler, to call him "bro"?

Uncle Beihai would be more appropriate.

"This is just a small gift, nothing much," he said with an easy smile, passing me a paper bag with one hand.

"Th-thank you, brother Beihai." I took the bag carefully. "I’m Chang Kai—Chang, as in Chang Kai Shen."

"Oh? Kid, your hands are shaking."

I glanced down and, sure enough, my hands were trembling like I had a full-blown case of Parkinson’s.

"N-no, I’m just a little nervous."

"Relax. It’s not like I’m some kind of demon, you know?"

Easy for you to say! That smiling face of yours is terrifying!

"Speaking of which, the heat’s been brutal lately. Best to stay indoors on days like this…"

As he spoke, he casually undid two buttons on his shirt. And through the slight opening, I caught a glimpse of—

A massive, pressuring tattoo sprawled across his chest. Was that…dragon claw…Qinglong?

Forget what it is! The point is—it’s a tattoo! A full-on yakuza-looking tattoo!

Was he showing it off on purpose? Trying to intimidate me?

Am I really going to have to live next to this guy?

If I piss him off, will I wake up one day with my teapot chopped off and shipped to some underground idol factory?!

"Oh? Kid, are you trembling all over?"

"N-no, that’s not me shaking—it’s the Earth. Just some, uh, minor tremors from tectonic plate movements."

What the hell was I even saying?

"Anyway, I’ve got a ten-year-old daughter over with me too," he said.

…Right. That soft, adorable little girl in the white dress. Please don’t let her be some superpowered, self-absorbed esper.

"Being a single dad comes with a lot of challenges. There’ll be times I’ll need some help, so I hope you can lend a hand."

"I—I understand."

I mean, hiding bodies, chopping off limbs—obviously, those are things you don’t want a kid to see, right?

"By the way, are your parents home?"

"Ahaha, my dad’s at work. My mom? She, uh… went missing when I was little."

At the mention of a single-parent household, a shadow crossed his face.

"Single dad, huh? Same here. Your old man must’ve had a tough time raising you alone."

Oh, he’s had it real tough. With a crippling fear of women, his entire existence is suffering.

"The heat’s unbearable today, and I still have other neighbors to visit. I’ll bring my daughter along when your father’s home next time. See you around."

"Oh, uh, take care!"

As he walked away, the sweat-drenched white shirt clung to his back, revealing even more tattoos beneath the fabric.

From start to finish, our conversation was polite. He didn’t say anything overtly threatening.

But there was no doubt about it—he had to be involved with the underworld.

Having a mafia neighbor was way too stressful. Please, please let me live a quiet life.

Back in my room, I cautiously unwrapped the package… only to find an ordinary box of pastries.

Huh.

I mean, yeah, even if he is a gangster, he wouldn’t just hand out stacks of cash to random neighbors.

My room had both a balcony and a window. The balcony overlooked the front yard and gate, while the window behind my desk faced the neighboring house.

Every so often, I’d catch glimpses of that little girl in the white dress dashing around her room. She was lively, adorable—if she weren’t a mob princess, I’d actually find the sight pretty charming.

But right now? I was too afraid to keep looking. If her dad caught me staring, he might just gouge my eyes out.

I yanked the blinds shut.

My phone rang.

It was Haitang.

"Yo, what’s up?"

"Commander! I figured out where we should go!"

"Why are you trying to drag me outside in this heat? I don’t wanna step one foot out of my room."

"Oh, you will wanna go to this place."

"…Where?"

"‘Aqua World’—an indoor water park! It’s still in soft-opening, but I have a way to score some tickets!"

Aqua World… I’d heard about it. It was a brand-new dome-shaped indoor water park, and since the weather had been scorching, it was all over the news.

Brand new, fully air-conditioned, and still in soft-opening—meaning it wouldn’t be packed like a human stew pot.

"…That’s not bad. When?"

"Well, since reservations are tight, our group tickets are for the day after tomorrow—Sunday. You’re free, right?"

"Group tickets? Who else is going?"

"You, Zhao Zhao, and Tangerine. Oh, and some of my student council friends. If you wanna bring anyone else, go ahead—group tickets allow up to twelve people."

"I was thinking of inviting two… but I’m not sure if they’ll accept. I’ll check with them first."

Rinka had been on my mind for a while now. Whether she agreed or not, it was time for a proper talk.

"Alright, just let me know. No point wasting the tickets."

After ending the call, I sent invitations to Yan Liuzhuan and Rinka.

Honestly, Yan Liuzhuan and I weren’t exactly close. If I hadn’t been late that one time before summer break, he probably wouldn’t even remember my name.

To my surprise, he replied almost immediately—straight to the point.

If Rinka was going, he’d go too.

…Even if his face didn’t show it, did he actually care about her a lot?

Rinka, on the other hand, hadn’t replied at all.

He wouldn’t say it outright, and his face sure as hell wouldn’t show it, but… did this guy actually care about Rinka more than he let on?
Meanwhile, Rinka still hadn’t responded.

I sat there for a while, waiting. Then, just like always, I gave up and went back to gaming. Played until around three or four in the afternoon, then grabbed a shopping basket and headed out to buy groceries for dinner.

Honestly? I was weirdly good at this whole domestic routine. Maybe I had a knack for it…

“We’re back.”

It was my dad and Wu Qinglan.

Man, suits are really all about the person wearing them.

That neighbor, Zhu Beihai, wore his like a ruthless mafia boss straight out of a crime flick.

My dad, dressed in the same black suit? Looked like an overworked corporate drone.

Brother Qinglan? Even worse. With his small frame and slouched posture, he had the exact vibe of one of those underpaid real estate agents handing out flyers at the metro station. The kind that never closes a deal.

“Ohh! Tonight’s special at ‘Kai’s Kitchen’ is curry, huh?”

What the hell is Kai’s Kitchen? When did I start running a third-rate cooking show?

Wu Qinglan, as always, was the type to eat whatever was put in front of him. Not picky, not shy—just grabbed a seat and started digging in.

“Son, your cooking’s been getting simpler lately…”

In contrast, my dear father just had to complain. Excuse me, but do you have any idea how much effort goes into making curry?!

“Curry’s great. Covers tomorrow’s meals too.”

“Actually,” Wu Qinglan cut in between bites, “I’ve come up with a brilliant new treatment plan for Uncle Chang.”

Dad frowned, looking immediately skeptical. “What are you planning this time?”

Ever since the whole "Monika Incident," his mental state hadn’t been great. He wouldn’t even touch galgames anymore.

Which meant he’d also given up on therapy. Just straight-up resigned himself to suffering.

“This method is a little… bold,” Qinglan admitted, scooping up another spoonful of curry. “But as long as we prepare properly, it should be relatively safe!”

He took a dramatic pause.

“I call it—The Isolated Exposure Therapy!”