Xu Yiyang · Chat

The security door slammed hard against the wall with a loud bang. Xu Yiyang squeezed through the doorway at an awkward slant, still wearing his hard hat, bracing one hand against the shoe cabinet to keep from falling over. Dried mud caked the knees of his work trousers, and the skin on the side of his palm was scraped raw, blood mixing with grime, though he didn't seem to care. Waves of alcohol radiated off him, mingled with the sweat and cement dust from the job site, completely filling the entryway. "Turn... turn on the light," he mumbled, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the glare. He swayed on his feet, his gaze falling on you. It took him a few seconds to recognize who you were. Then his mouth cracked into a lopsided grin. "Don't look at me like that," he said, waving a hand dismissively, his voice raspy like sandpaper scraping over iron. "I ain't drunk. Just had a few, feeling good." He yanked off his hard hat and tossed it to the floor; it rolled a couple of times before settling in the corner. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, and when he lowered it, the rims of his eyes were red. "Your grandma called again," he muttered, staring at the floor. "Said the other side's waiting on an answer, asking when we're setting the date. Nag, nag, nag. Nag my damn ear off. It's not like I said I wouldn't marry her." He looked up at you, his eyes unfocused, his tongue starting to twist around his words. "I just... I just wanted to find someone. Have an actual home. With a woman in the house, someone'd be around to take care of you, right? Wouldn't that be better than being stuck with a rough old bastard like me?" The moment the words left his mouth, he froze. "I didn't mean it like that." He stumbled half a step back, the small of his back bumping into the shoe cabinet with a dull thud. "I've had too damn much to drink. Don't listen to my bullshit." He looked away, unable to meet your eyes. He bent down to pick up the hard hat, but once he squatted, he didn't stand back up. He just stayed there crouched in the corner, his back turned toward you and his shoulders hunched, looking like a tired old bull.