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墨書 Inktalez
Previously, we mentioned that Jiangbei University has many departments that recruit non-regular students in collaboration with the Adult Education College. These students are arranged by their respective departments to live off-campus in concentrated housing.
However, by the second year, some students began renting houses in nearby urban villages. The costs were cheaper and the living arrangements more convenient. Some even cooked for themselves, which further reduced their living expenses.
Hu Ruoyun's childhood friend, Wu Mingliang, was studying for self-exams at Jingnan Academy. His accommodation fee for the year was 500 yuan, shared among six classmates, totaling 3000 yuan. After the summer vacation this year, three of them who had a good relationship decided to rent a place together.
They explored the nearby urban village of Huangjiamen and found a one-bedroom apartment. They negotiated the rent down from 140 to 120 yuan per month and ultimately decided to rent it. The landlord provided a small table and chairs, as well as three single beds. After moving in their luggage, they spent less than 100 yuan on a coal stove and cooking utensils to start their new life. All in all, it was much more economical than staying in the dormitory.
To celebrate their "housewarming," Wu Mingliang invited Hu Ruoyun to visit their "new home." On a Saturday, he called Mao Na to take a "day off" and took bus 38 straight to Jingnan Academy in the southeastern suburbs of Jiangcheng. Knowing where they could cook, he stopped at a nearby market to buy some lamb for hot pot (which we call "Liao Guo Di Er").
Inside the apartment were three people: Kai Cheng and Xin Yuan's classmates Yuan Ziqiang and Yuan Zhiwei, who were also from the same hometown as Wu Mingliang and Hu Ruoyun. Aside from Hu Ruoyun, Kai Cheng's Yuan Ziqiang had also invited two female classmates from Jiangcheng Vocational and Technical College, and during their conversation, they discovered that they knew Hu Ruoyun's high school classmate Gao Jiazhuang.
The three "Host Family" members went out to buy some vegetables and beer, setting up for hot pot with all six gathered around one stove. Although it felt a bit cramped, the atmosphere was great; they were all kids from rural backgrounds, and having meat was already quite a treat.
As they ate and drank into the afternoon, Wu Mingliang took Hu Ruoyun to the rooftop for a chat while the other four set up a card game of Double Rise, popular in Jiang City. In the middle of their fun, however, Aunt Landlady suddenly knocked on the door: "The police are here to check Temporary Residence Permits!"
As she spoke, six or seven men with crooked hats and suspicious glares entered the courtyard. Some claimed to be police while others insisted they were security guards. One of them blocked the only staircase while others quickly moved from room to room knocking on doors and checking IDs.
The students had never encountered such a situation before and were caught off guard.
Soon enough, two of them found Wu Mingliang's room. The players inside held their breath in silence.
Outside, someone began banging on the door: "We know someone is inside! If you don't open up now, we'll kick down the door!"
Then came the sound of kicking! Xin Yuan's Yuan Ziqiang couldn't hold back any longer; trembling with fear, he approached and opened the door. Perhaps angered by their refusal to open up sooner, the two checking IDs adopted an aggressive tone. One of them had a round face and a protruding belly: "Show us your Temporary Residence Permit!"
Aunt Landlady stepped forward to mediate: "These kids just moved in over a week ago..."
The Fat Man shot her an irritated glare: "Step aside; I didn't ask you!"
Being local herself and not wanting trouble, Aunt Landlady snapped back: "What’s wrong with me speaking? They just moved in; can't you let them go get their permits later? Who do you think you are?"
The Fat Man clearly thrived on bullying those weaker than him; seeing Aunt Landlady getting upset made him back off slightly: "If you have a Temporary Residence Permit, show it! If not, it's a fine of 300 yuan per person!"
Wu Mingliang and Hu Ruoyun heard the commotion and came downstairs just in time to hear the Fat Man shouting.
Three hundred yuan per person—this was equivalent to half a year's accommodation fees!
In reality, these men weren't even auxiliary police; they were temporary staff recruited by the police station or local precincts whose salaries depended on these under-the-table fines.
Hu Ruoyun stepped forward: "They just moved here; there’s bound to be a process for getting Temporary Residence Permits. Is it reasonable to impose a fine of 300 yuan right away? Do you have any basis for this?"
The Fat Man looked at Hu Ruoyun—she appeared young enough to be another student—and disdainfully replied: "You want basis? Fine! Come with me back to the station..."
"Sure, which station are you from? I'll go with you right now!" Hu Ruoyun said.
The thin man, noticing that Hu Ruoyun showed no signs of fear, blocked the Fat Man's aggression and interjected, "What are you doing? Are you living here too? Do you have a Temporary Residence Permit?"
Hu Ruoyun took out his ID card, which showed that after reporting two years ago, his household registration and food relations had all been transferred to Jiangbei University. The ID indicated he was from Jiang City, and he handed it to the thin man.
The Fat Man snatched it away and looked at it. "What does it matter to you where I'm from... Stay out of this," he said dismissively.
Hu Ruoyun then pulled out the Special Correspondent Certificate issued by Jiangcheng Evening News. "I'm one of their fellow townsmen. I just happened to come here today, and I think it's necessary for me to understand your identity and where you're from, as well as the basis for your fines!"
The thin man took the booklet, glanced at it briefly, and quickly returned it. "Here's the thing: the three hundred yuan we mentioned isn't a fine... it's a deposit... They will refund it after they process the Temporary Residence Permit..."
Hu Ruoyun pointed at the Fat Man. "But we all heard him mention a fine, and he even said I should go back with him to see the basis for the punishment... Let's go see that basis; I'll cover this fine for them."
The more determined Hu Ruoyun became, the less confident the thin man appeared. He interrupted the Fat Man who was about to speak again, saying, "He misspoke! There’s no such fine... According to regulations, they just need to come to our station within a month after moving in to process their permits... Just have your classmates get it done as soon as possible; it's only 93 yuan per person for a year."
Then he forcibly dragged the Fat Man downstairs while expressing frustration, "That guy is a reporter from Evening News. If you get him into our station, he'll definitely cause trouble for your brother-in-law..."
Though reluctant, the Fat Man dared not resist further.
The group let out a sigh of relief; if each person had been fined three hundred yuan, it would have been a heavy burden for them.
After thanking Landlady Auntie again, their spirits gradually calmed down. It seemed there were indeed benefits to living at school.
Wu Mingliang and Hu Ruoyun were neighbors and had little to say. Yuan Ziqiang and Yuan Zhiwei repeatedly expressed their gratitude: "Brother Hu, thank goodness you were here today!"
Hu Ruoyun replied, "You guys should get your Temporary Residence Permits sorted out in the next couple of days; who knows when someone might come to check?"
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