A Member of the Shanghai Drifter Group
Shanghai is a shrewd city that can change a person's nature to the greatest extent. This forest of steel and concrete, with soaring prices and housing costs that are on par with the universe, forces you to learn to be realistic, forces you to be cunning, and compels you to strive for survival in the cracks, expanding your living space.
When I graduated from school, I was a girl with a gentle personality like a little white rabbit. However, after five years in Shanghai, I have changed so much. I gradually became realistic because I finally realized how insignificant I am in this city. If I didn't become realistic, I would slowly be swallowed up, leaving no trace behind.
At first, I shared a rental with female colleagues. After they gradually found their own place to settle down, I lived alone for two years.
I could easily be labeled as a homebody, a fan of anime and manga, a dry girl, or a leftover woman.
My schedule has always been very stable—early to bed and early to rise, occasionally suffering from insomnia. On days off, I face my computer, then fall asleep amidst the noise of the television. When I feel energetic, I cook a simple meal to reward myself; when I'm tired, I find a relatively clean restaurant to solve my dinner problem.
I don't exercise often, but I am in good health and have never had any major illnesses. For minor issues like coughs, I already know how to treat them effectively. The only time I had a more serious cough and went to the hospital for an IV drip, I carried the bag of fluid myself, finding a seat, passing the time by reading a magazine. As the cold antibiotics flowed into my veins and spread throughout my body, I knew I could get through it.
My interpersonal relationships are very simple. Although I sometimes feel lonely, I never make friends with netizens or people of unknown origins. I am afraid of contracting various strange gynecological diseases, so I maintain a virtuous lifestyle akin to a nun. But this does not mean that I am an abnormal woman.
There are too many leftover women in Shanghai, and the marriage market is as competitive as the job market. After my colleagues got married and had children one after another, I still lived my life calmly on the surface.
Regarding marriage and love, things that cannot be fully controlled by effort, I take a go-with-the-flow attitude. I have a reasonable financial management plan, investing in stocks and keeping an eye on housing prices. While cursing the damn high housing prices, I secretly continue to save for a down payment, planning to become a mortgage slave when I get tired of moving houses.
My life is frugal. I don't crave delicious food. When shopping, I can control my desire for full-priced new items well. I always buy cosmetics with a good price-performance ratio and don't pursue expensive brands. I have no interest in Taobao shopping or receiving packages.
I am such a woman with few desires and a monotonous life, and I never expect a romantic encounter to happen.
Until he appeared.