Reborn

Potato thought Zhao Fan's socks smelled bad. After chewing on them for a while, it climbed onto the bed and quietly nestled against Zhao Fan, perhaps falling asleep. Six months ago, Zhao Fan and another young man from out of town, Liu Qiang, rented a six-bedroom apartment together. They each had a bedroom, and shared the living room, kitchen, and wardrobe. They got along well and looked out for each other. But Liu Qiang was outgoing, handsome, and tall, and he was often accompanied by a girlfriend. Zhao Fan, on the other hand, was frail and sickly, neither tall nor broad-shouldered, and so ordinary-looking that he made no impression at first glance. He was still single, and after coming to Beijing, he had stopped expecting much. He often saw Liu Qiang and his girlfriend, Annie, whispering sweet nothings to each other, and it left him feeling bewildered and miserable. One day, he happened to see a street vendor selling dogs. The puppy was cute, even if it wasn't a purebred Border Collie, and Zhao Fan was willing to spend half a month's wages to bring Potato back to the apartment. After that, whenever Liu Qiang and Annie watched TV in the living room, Zhao Fan would hide in his room, surfing the internet or playing with Potato. In time, he got used to this life. Zhao Fan had always been the sort of person who took things as they came.

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.