Don't Pick Up Men by the Roadside

The young writer Lou Jun hit it big with a book. Before he could even celebrate, his inspiration dried up again. He picked up his pen, but couldn't write a single word.

Panicked, he cut himself off from the outside world for a while and spent half a month moping at home, but still couldn't write anything.

Lou Jun decided to travel and look for inspiration. He bundled himself up and went out, only to find a person by the trash heap outside his own home.

Though the person was dirty and covered in grime, Lou Jun could still make out a high nose bridge and delicate features.

On a whim, Lou Jun took him home. The next day, the stranger woke up and clung to him like a child, looking up at him with drooping puppy eyes. He said his name was Ji Zhan.

Lou Jun firmly shut him out, frowning impatiently. "I don't know you. Now that you're awake, go home."

Ji Zhan lowered his eyes, looking utterly wronged. "I've lost my memory."

"..."

So what if he'd lost his memory? What did that have to do with him?

Lou Jun kicked the pitiful Ji Zhan out. The wind howled outside, rattling the windows. A minute later, he opened the door, hauled Ji Zhan inside, and laid down three strict rules with a deep frown.

Rule one: Don't bother me unless it's important.

Rule two: You can't stay here for free. You have to do housework.

Rule three... When Lou Jun got to the third rule, he accidentally met Ji Zhan's eyes and lost his nerve, leaving the rule unsaid.

Like a puppy, he muttered as he turned away.

But he never expected his inspiration to return within three days of Ji Zhan moving in.

Lou Jun was surprised and delighted, and Ji Zhan started looking a lot more agreeable to him.

Until one day, he came home and found Ji Zhan gone.

All that remained was a note, written in Ji Zhan's hand but cold enough to seem written by someone else: I'll repay you for letting me stay.

Lou Jun understood at once: Ji Zhan had regained his memories.

It was like waking from a dream. His inspiration was still there, but the person who had kept him company was gone.

He tore up the note, intending to throw it in the trash. A moment later, he carefully pieced it back together and tucked it into a book.

Ji Zhan came from a powerful family and was cold to everyone. One day, someone who held a grudge against him attacked him from behind, striking his head and making him lose his memory.

After regaining his memories, Ji Zhan took one look around the little house, so full of signs of life, frowned in disgust, and returned to the Ji family mansion.

After dealing with the person who had set him up, he lay back in his familiar bedroom. On a whim, he opened his phone and nearly dropped it on his nose. The aloof, proud young master Ji leaped out of bed.

His photo album was full of pictures of him with a man.

The man had a bookish air about him, but always wore a frown. Every single photo was the same.

And him? He was grinning like a foolish dog who'd just been praised by his owner.

Damn it, who was this little mutt? Was he really like this when he had amnesia?

The angry young master Ji didn't notice that now, with his memories restored, he was grinning at the photos even more foolishly than he had in them.

Theme: Don't pick up strangers and take them home.