"And then there's my good friend, Anderson. I've saved up some money, but I guess I won't have the chance to use it."
"Anderson is a good man; in this building, he's the only one who talks to me regularly. Even though he's busy, he still makes time to keep me company during his busiest moments."
"Using my money on myself would be a waste. I should leave some money for him... maybe it'll help him live a better life."
"Lastly, to my mother. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'll be leaving before you..."
"Mom, I love you, I love you so much. I hope you can live a long and healthy life, even though you too are tormented by illness..."
"What saddens me even more is that I probably won't be able to make money anymore. I'm running out of time."
"I've always listened to you. I've been eating well. My stomach illness definitely wasn't caused by starving, definitely not. I don't even know how it came about."
"I've been living quite well, I just suddenly fell ill."
"But I'll try my best to tidy myself up and look healthy when I see you one last time."
When it came to his mother, Jack's words were somewhat insincere. He feared that after his death, his mother would blame herself, thinking he got the stomach illness because he hadn't eaten properly.
In fact, he had often gone hungry and was emaciated. But he didn't want his mother to think that.
Just like he always did, he would only share the good news and not the bad.
His confidante Little Jennifer, his love Yulia, his colleague Remian, his friend Anderson, and his mother.
These people made up Jack's current life.
So there wasn't even a door in his apartment that he could close, and he never tried to fix it.
It seemed as if, with the door open, these people would walk in and talk to him.
Even if they came asking for help, adding more troubles to his already troublesome life, it would still make him happy.
...
...
Life isn't a mirror; it doesn't necessarily smile back at you when you smile at it.
After writing a lengthy note as a farewell to the world, Jack sat dazed for a while before heading upstairs.
He was going to find Remian.
Soon, he apologized to Remian. He didn't mind Remian forgiving him condescendingly.
As long as there was no one else in the building who hated him.
He was supposed to leave then, but suddenly he thought he should make things clear—that he was about to die. How could a dead person still pursue someone they love?
He wanted Remian to know that Miss Yulia would never fancy someone like him, and after his death, that apartment could go to Remian.
He wanted to support and bless Remian, encouraging him to pursue love, even though Miss Yulia was unlikely to fancy anyone from this building.
So Jack turned back to find Remian.
Remian was on the phone.
"Yulia, please believe me, Jack's poverty doesn't need much explaining, but he's also very lazy and his heart is evil."
"You know his performances always disgust people, and he's no longer confined to making adults sick."
"Last week, he suggested performing at a school..."
"How malicious he is, those poor kids! How many kids will he traumatize with his hideous act? I'll make sure everyone knows his true nature."
"Did you know he doesn't love children? He actually hates kids."
"I heard he's intending to invite Jennifer to watch his performance alone. Oh my God, please make sure Jennifer stays away from him. She'll have nightmares!"
Jack stood at the stairway, the smile on his face long since frozen.
In fact, such scenes had occurred more than once.
Sometimes it was to the circus director, sometimes to Yulia; Remian always liked talking badly about others behind their backs.
There was no protective coloration; some people were just purely bad.
The enormous smiling face in the sky showed a hint of evil.
...
Anderson was Jack's good friend.
All along, Jack thought having one good friend in life was enough.
He wanted to bid a proper farewell to Anderson and give him some money.
But when he got home and was about to take out the money, Anderson and his girlfriend were in Jack's apartment.
"This place reeks of mold. Why do you keep money here?"
Anderson's girlfriend said in disgust.
Anderson nonchalantly responded:
"This dump is my piggy bank, no... it's my money tree."
"That idiot Jack always hides money in the compartment of that junky fridge. No one else knows that except me."
His girlfriend was puzzled:
"Then if you take his money, won't he know it was you?"
Anderson sneered:
"Of course, but it doesn't matter. I just lie and say I'm sick, and that idiot will believe me."
"He'll even worry about me, ask if I need more, and sometimes when he's out of money, he'll tell me to wait while he goes to do some odd jobs."
His girlfriend was even more astonished:
"Is there really such a person in this world?"
Anderson's smile grew more unrestrained:
"He's someone who prides himself on being willing to sacrifice everything for a friend, and I am that friend."
"So this money was actually mine to begin with. God saw how hard I worked and arranged a living piggy bank friend for me."
"Come on, darling, tonight I'll take you to a nice dinner, and then we'll find a room!"
Anderson put his arm around the woman's waist. The woman felt that something was a bit off.
Anderson said:
"In this world, some people dedicate to love, and of course, some dedicate to friendship. I gave him the friendship he fantasized about, so he gives me money. Makes sense, doesn't it?"