Chapter 27 Neighborhood Mutual Assistance

Chen Ke had never heard such thunder. It was different from the rolling thunder before the rainstorm. This sound was like something in the sky was cracking.

He pulled off the towel to dry his body, tiptoed to the door, gently opened a gap, and looked out curiously.

In the gloomy sky, huge clouds were being carried by the wind and drifting westward. Purple movements flashed in the clouds from time to time. The cool wind came in through the crack of the door, and Chen Ke shuddered.

"Look, this thunder is really strange, isn't it? It sounds different from usual."

"Mr. Chris, don't change the subject. If you can't pay the rent today, I'll have to let you pack up and leave."

There was a commotion from the right side of the corridor. It seemed that Chen Ke was not the only one attracted by this strange thunder.

Chen Ke pushed the door open a little more to see what was going on. At this moment, he was naked and worried about not having a change of clothes.

The owner of the motel, a 50-year-old man wearing a red flat cap and licking his big belly, was talking to Chen Ke's neighbor.

The motel has low fees and simple procedures, so the identities of the tenants are relatively complicated. There are all kinds of people here, and most of them are people with limited funds. They are either penniless drug addicts or young people who have run away from home.

If you are lucky, you can also meet people who have committed crimes and are temporarily stopping.

But Chen Ke found that his neighbors did not look like the above three types of people.

The man called Chris by the hotel owner was about the same height as Chen Ke. He was a very common black man in the United States, about 27 or 28 years old, wearing a white shirt and brown suit pants, and with a 5-year-old child.

"Bob, please, give me another week. This interview went well. I am determined to get this job! When I become an employee, I will immediately advance you a month's salary and rent the house!" Chris begged.

"Honestly, Chris, if you can't even get the money together to rent a motel, you can consider applying for relief at the Opportunity City Church. If you line up in time, you can apply for a bed at the church every night, and during the day, you can go to the Opportunity City Central Park for a walk. In short, don't even think about delaying it! You just told me last week that you found a job, but today you told me that you just finished the interview. I will never believe you again!" The innkeeper Bob yelled.

"Don't be like this, Bob... Christopher is only 5 years old. If there are too many strangers around, he can't sleep..." Chris said.

"Come on, Chris, that's your problem. If the bed in the church is not suitable for you, you can still take him to the public toilet in the park. It's quiet there! And I promise it will be clean! And it's free!"

Bob's voice was deafening and merciless. Chris looked at the innkeeper in embarrassment. His child Christopher hid behind him timidly, pulling the corner of his faded blue shirt and secretly looking at the irritable Bob.

"Okay Bob, I will pack it up and move out before the afternoon..." Chris said helplessly.

"Noon! Leave before noon! I'll give you one hour!" Bob stretched out his stubby fingers and gestured in the air.

As he spoke, Bob saw that the door of the next room was open, and Chen Ke was looking at him. His attitude suddenly changed 180 degrees.

"Oh, I'm very sorry. I was just resolving a business dispute. Was it too noisy?" He took off his hat and smiled.

Chen Ke opened the door a little wider, leaving only his head outside. His hair was still wet after taking a shower.

"It's okay, Chris? Your name is Chris, right?" Chen Ke dealt with the boss first, and then called to the backs of Chris and Christopher.

Chris stopped and turned around in surprise.

"Chris, come here. And little Christopher, come here." Chen Ke stretched out his left arm from the door and made a "Come on~Come on~" gesture.

Chris and his son looked at each other for a moment, and walked towards Chen Ke nervously.

"Do we know each other, sir?" Chris asked tentatively.

"It's not important, Chris. What's important is that you and I are both in big trouble now, but we can help each other through it." Chen Ke smiled.

"Are you... willing to help me pay the rent?" Chris asked.

Christopher curiously peeked through the crack of the door, and Chen Ke subconsciously hid behind the door again.

"Of course it's paid, Chris." Chen Ke nodded.

"In that case, you have to help him make up for the overdue rent." Bob interrupted from behind.

"What did you do before, Chris?" Chen Ke asked.

"I used to be a mechanic at the Schover Car Factory in Opportunity City, sir." Chris said.

"Didn't you find a new job?" Chen Ke looked at him.

"No company is willing to hire a 30-year-old middle-aged man who is still sending resumes everywhere..." Chris whispered.

Chen Ke suddenly remembered something. At this time, the time in this world is March 2009. If he guessed correctly, the subprime mortgage crisis that occurred in the United Federation in 2008 and affected the entire Western world has not ended. Coupled with a series of operations by the giants of the psychic industry, a wave of unemployment is sweeping the entire United Federation.

"I found a job a few days ago, but they eventually rescinded the offer because my commute was too far and I might not be able to work overtime. Even though I repeatedly assured me that I could do it." Chris seemed to want to prove something.

"You have to promise that it's not important, Chris. They are the ones who are picking you. I know all this very well." Chen Ke nodded. Before he crossed over, he was also an obscure office worker. He had seen all these things, such as 996, layoffs before the year-end bonus, and forced resignation of older employees.

However, even when the subprime mortgage crisis swept the Western world, psychic companies could still spend a lot of money to hold on to the land. It can be seen how prosperous the psychic industry is in this world.

Since it is an industry, there must be products and demand. Military industry and holy objects are only one aspect. Chen Ke has not yet seen how the psychic industry performs in civilian products.

Mainly because he is too busy, busy prolonging his life.

"Why not try... to be an investigator?" Chen Ke suddenly asked.

"Ha! Why don't you ask him why he doesn't become a miner?" Bob laughed on the side.

Chris shook his head and said, "Not everyone is willing to deal with those ghosts, sir."

Chen Ke said, it seems that he has always overestimated the attitude and acceptance of the world towards the job of investigator. He looked at Christopher and then at Chris.

"You just said we can help each other, right? Sir? What should I call you?" Chris always remembered that Chen Ke would help him through the difficulties, although Chen Ke did not explicitly say that he would do so.

"Yes, we are neighbors, and good neighbors should help each other. How many sets of clothes did you bring?" Chen Ke blinked at Chris.

"Clothes...clothes?" Chris was stunned.

"Yes, underwear, trousers, coats, socks, shoes, these." Chen Ke emphasized.

"I do have a few sets of old clothes, but they may be a little old. I have worn them for several years..." Chris became a little uneasy.

"500 Lianbi, Chris, give me a set of clothes, and I will give you 500 Lianbi." Chen Ke looked into Chris's eyes.

"Uh...that's a lot of money, sir. You can buy new ones..." Chris was puzzled.

"I want it now." Chen Ke interrupted Chris.

"You can buy it from me." Bob interjected.

"I can wear your pants as a coat." Chen Ke waved his hand.

"I'll bring my suitcase over now, you can choose whatever clothes you want!" Chris said.

"You must wash your underwear, definitely!" Chen Ke repeatedly reminded.