Crossroads

Chapter 290

When fate turned sour, it felt like a cascade of misfortune crashing down all at once.

Carrying two bags of garbage to dispose of on the ground floor, Stephanie noticed quite a few male neighbors stealing glances at her as she rode the elevator. She felt self–conscious and uncomfortable the entire way.

Underneath her long, dark green wool coat, she only wore a light purple silk nightgown. It was winter, and though she thankfully hadn’t completely lost her wits, she remembered to throw on a long coat. The modern style and color of the coat made her look even more radiant, with rosy lips and bright eyes. Despite her appearance, she felt deeply troubled.

She had no money, no phone, and no bra. Worse, she had forgotten to bring her keys.

Stephanie wondered if other renters faced such ridiculous mishaps. Glancing down at her feet in shabby flip–flops, she couldn’t help but sigh.

She walked through the complex, feeling utterly embarrassed and questioning how she had managed to get through the past few years.

Maybe the slight fever was clouding her mind.

For the first time. Stephanie fastened every button of her coat before seeking help from the property management. But her bad luck hadn’t run its course.

“Miss, I’m new here and don’t know where the spare keys are. Could you wait a bit?” said the new property manager.

“How long do I have to wait!” she looked at him and asked instinctively, crossing her arms and pulling her coat tighter in embarrassment. “Could you call someone? I’m in a bit of a bind.

Though the young manager didn’t understand her predicament, since it was a request from a beautiful girl, he agreed to resolve it as quickly as possible, even shyly offering her a seat in the property office to wait.

“No, thank you,” she replied, deciding to wait in her apartment instead.

Seeing a group of returning office workers waiting for the elevator at 10 PM, Stephanic wisely decided to take the stairs to avoid the crowd

glanced down at her

and a lazy cleaning lady. Her footsteps echoed as she climbed. each step triggering the sensor lights above, casting an

flights to climb, so she

manager’s call. The old property staff had gone for a late–night snack and wouldn’t return

themselves too much, she might end

I ask a neighbor for a phone and call Molly to come to my rescue?” In moments of crisis, she always

watching her step, she suddenly bumped into

stairway lights cast a hazy, yellow glow, and she couldn’t be sure if he was a figment of her imagination or

where you’re going. The voice was abrupt and familiar,

fear or shock, as she exclaimed, “Why are

ignored her. He turned and continued walking

to her left and saw her room, 402. But he was

you’re the lunatic from 502!” she recalled, her tone complex, and quickly followed

her, clearly displeased by her calling him a lunatic. His eyes were

on the stairs, stopping about 16

intense gaze made her uncomfortable, but she mustered the

above her might be someone she knew, and she had considered it might be

heart surged with an indescribable emotion, nervousness, confusion,

silent, simply taking out his key to

here?” she pressed, his indifference

have taken over the whole area by writing a project plan. A thought

She didn’t have the

thin veil between her and the truth, and she desperately wanted to know. She shouted his name, her

off guard, yet

open the door of

he stepped inside, he paused, turned, and, with his sharp, cold eyes, asked, “Do you want

mocking if she had

she cared about

why he asked that out of the blue. A thought flashed through her mind. It seemed that she never understood him. She

and likely never would

him. This man seemed