The woman in front heard his retching and awkwardly reminded, "Sorry, this building is rented out, and some people have poor manners. The police aren’t careful with hygiene, and some even urinate here."
They even... urinate?
Ou Mucen felt even more nauseous!
But when he thought about his child and the woman, who had lived here for so long, he endured the discomfort in his stomach, pushed the handkerchief back, and said, "It’s fine, let’s go."
"Yes, it’s on the third floor. Hang in there."
Seeing that he was okay, the woman continued forward, shining her flashlight...
This must be the biggest change in him since he met that mother and child. In the past, he would feel nauseous at the slightest filth, but now, he could come to such a place for them.
They didn’t speak as they continued upstairs. The woman went directly to the room where Ye Ning and her son used to live.
"Okay, it’s just ahead. Go and open it." Still feeling uncomfortable, Ou Mucen strode to the small window by the stairs and took a deep breath facing the outside.
Obsessive cleanliness is not an obsessive-compulsive disorder, but a psychological condition. Sometimes, even the person with it cannot control it.
Fortunately, the woman quickly found the room. He saw it, took another deep breath, and then approached.
When he got closer, the woman didn’t say anything but directly inserted the key into the keyhole.
As soon as Ou Mucen saw this, his heart seemed to be tightly gripped by something. He stared at the door, feeling so tense that even his breath seemed to stop.
It was the first time he felt this way. For so many years, no matter the storm in front of him, Ou Mucen remained calm and composed, his face never changing nor his breath catching.
But now, seeing this door about to open, he suddenly felt so nervous that he couldn’t even control his heartbeat. It was like a child finally about to see his most cherished toy.
After waiting for just a minute, the door opened with a "click," and he saw a sliver of light coming from inside. It was orange, not very bright.
Yet, to Ou Mucen, in the darkness outside, it was the most beautiful color, so bright and transparent. Just a glance, and his heart no longer felt cold.
"Xiao’an? Xiao’an, are you asleep?"
The woman opened the door and called out as she went inside.
Seeing this, Ou Mucen put his hands in the pockets of his coat and stepped inside step by step, beginning to examine the place where she temporarily stayed.
It was hard to believe that upon reaching the doorway and opening the door, he found an exceptionally tidy and clean room. It wasn’t very new, but it had been swept spotless. The floor was clean, and the otherwise shabby walls were covered with beautiful wallpaper by skilled hands.
A small table, small chairs, and a snow-white tablecloth covering the simple coffee table...
Wasn’t this the woman’s house?
His eyes flickered, and his face showed some puzzlement.
At that moment, from the room the woman had just entered, sounds of rustling came through the open door, as if someone was getting out of bed, or perhaps getting dressed.