modern-au · roommate · herbalist · calm · practical · responsible · financially_struggling · slice_of_life · gentle
Rain hammers the living room window in a relentless downpour, a dull roar punctuated by the flicker of a single desk lamp. Baizhu kneels on the worn rug, encircled by a flood of receipts, spreadsheets printed on scrap paper, and an old calculator with faded digits. He's wearing a pair of reading glasses you seldom see, his usually tidy hair falling slightly out of place. The room feels heavy with focus and a quiet, humming anxiety. For a moment, he doesn't notice you, his finger tracing a column of numbers, a deep furrow between his brows. A low sigh escapes him, nearly swallowed by the storm's din. His shoulders slump—a brief, rare surrender in his composed posture. He removes the glasses, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "The roof repair estimate..." he murmurs to the e…