Chapter 37: Mama's Boy

"Why are you here?" Huo Yan frowned. He had personally dropped her off at her building's entrance the night before and watched her walk inside. Yet, looking at Ning Shuyi now, she appeared as if she had been slumped over her office desk for half the night, with a distinct red imprint pressed into her cheek.

Ning Shuyi stretched her shoulders and arms, which were stiff and tingling from staying in one position for too long. "Don't ask. When I got home yesterday, I realized that at some point while I was out, the apartment above mine had a leak. Water had been dripping onto my ceiling for who knows how long; there wasn't a single dry spot left on my bedding or sofa. I spent half the night cleaning up and covering everything I could with dust sheets. Since there was literally nowhere to stand, I just came straight to the office."

She couldn't help but yawn. It had been past four in the morning when she arrived, and not wanting to disturb anyone in the duty room, she had simply come to the office to catch a short nap.

"What about the tenants upstairs?" Huo Yan asked, his brow furrowed.

Ning Shuyi shrugged. "I knocked for ages, but no one answered. I tried calling the number they had left for my father, but none of the lines went through. I used the spare key to get in, and the place was completely deserted. The faucets in the bathroom and kitchen had been left running, and the drains were blocked. After dealing with the mess upstairs and then my own place, I felt like I could fall asleep standing up..." As she spoke, she fought off another wave of exhaustion, propping her chin on her hand while her eyes struggled to stay open.

"Why didn't you call me to help?" Seeing her forcing herself to stay alert, Huo Yan sighed, feeling helpless, and sat down beside her.

Ning Shuyi opened her eyes, looked at him, and smiled. She shook her head. "You’re always so reluctant to trouble others. If you don't like bothering people, they’re naturally hesitant to bother you, too."

Huo Yan was stunned, momentarily silenced by her words. After a pause, he said, "If something like this happens again, call me. Don't be shy about it."

Ning Shuyi nodded and rubbed her face. "Then can I trouble you now? Could you make me a cup of coffee?"

Huo Yan stood up and headed toward the water cooler.

"Did you call a locksmith to change the locks?" he asked upon returning with a cup of instant coffee, placing it on her desk.

Ning Shuyi shook her head. "It was three or four in the morning; I didn't want to drag someone out to work. Luckily, I decided to check on the apartment last night, so the leak couldn't have been going on for long. Only my ceiling was damaged; it hadn't reached the neighbors downstairs yet. I turned off the faucets and the main valve, mopped up the water, and locked the door on my way out."

"Once we finish our work today, call a locksmith to change the locks. I'll go with you," Huo Yan said, checking his watch. "We should have enough time."

Having barely slept all night, Ning Shuyi downed the coffee in one go. "Wait for me a moment; I’m going to the restroom to splash some cold water on my face."

Huo Yan watched her, puzzled. She was clearly drifting with exhaustion, yet she maintained a strange sense of clarity.

"Finding Ning Shuyi hard to read?" Zhao Dabao, who had just arrived, had overheard their conversation. Having worked in the same unit as Ning for a long time, he knew her well. "She may look like a delicate girl, but when she first joined the bureau, we all thought that because she was a local and coddled by her parents, she’d be a bit spoiled. Turns out, we were all wrong. 'Soft on the outside, tough on the inside' was practically written for her. Plus, she’s smart and incredibly level-headed. By the way, if she needs any help, let me know. I’ll join you. Ever since my wife's pregnancy progressed, Ning has always stepped up to handle things so I don't have to rush around, allowing me to be there for my family. I’ve felt quite bad about that."

Huo Yan nodded. "I understand."

After washing her face with cold water, Ning Shuyi felt refreshed, though her eyes remained dry and strained from the lack of sleep. Her mind was awake, but her stomach was still "asleep," so she declined Huo Yan’s suggestion to grab breakfast. The two set off immediately to the factory where Chang Junchuo had worked to gather information. Afterward, they visited the neighborhood where Wang Hongzhen lived to interview old neighbors about the family’s history.

The factory management held a positive view of Chang Junchuo, describing him as a smart, quick-learning, and reliable worker. Though introverted, quiet, and rarely smiling, he was well-liked and got along with his colleagues. He never complained about overtime; in fact, he would often volunteer to stay behind when others didn't want to. Overall, he was well-regarded, though the sentiment was purely average—he was well-liked, but not exceptionally close to anyone. Some coworkers felt that while he wasn't social, he was a decent person. Others felt he kept everyone at arm's length, rarely participating in group activities, let alone socializing outside of work.

The female coworkers, however, were unanimous in their assessment: "Mama's boy."

One female workshop worker told Ning Shuyi and Huo Yan, "What era are we in? I’ve never seen anyone like Chang Junchuo! He’s a thirty-year-old man who acts like a ten-year-old! Sometimes, when we’d make small bets or compete in games, the loser would treat everyone to milk tea. He’d refuse to participate, claiming he didn't have enough money in his pocket to treat the whole group! We’d say, 'Fine, forget the twenty-yuan drinks; five or six-yuan lemonade is fine!' There aren't even ten people on our line! Even then, he couldn't come up with the money. He claimed his salary card was with his mother and he only had enough in his pocket to buy groceries after work. It’s absurd! He even worked side jobs outside of the factory, but every cent went to his mother. What kind of grown man does that? When people asked what he did after work, he’d say he went home to eat with his mom! Seriously, don’t think I’m exaggerating—that’s exactly what he said. No matter how hardworking or nice he was, that 'mama's boy' trait was just too much to handle!"