David Carter suddenly remembered what had happened earlier. Although he had been in a daze just now, at this moment his memory was exceptionally clear. With just a little thought, he recalled everything that had happened before—even every expression on Grace Parker's face, and every word they had said, he could remember clearly. Three days—he had only three days to come up with a year and a half's rent. Seven hundred a month, eighteen months in a year and a half, that was twelve thousand six hundred yuan.

Through these past few years of hard work, David Carter's monthly salary had already reached over seven thousand, plus a year-end bonus. With this income, the rent shouldn't have been a big deal. But he still had two younger sisters in school. When he was in school, the family had to borrow money, and in these years he hadn't managed to save a single cent. To come up with nearly thirteen thousand yuan at once was no small challenge for him.

Chapter 3: The Petty Man's Triumph

Even a hero can be stumped by a single penny—this was not the first time David Carter had experienced this feeling. In the past, when his salary was low and he still had to support his two sisters' schooling, sometimes by the end of the month he didn't even have money for food, and would often go to Mrs. Thompson's place for a free meal. He had thought that if he could just get through this year, things would get better, because the company was about to set up a new Sales Department Two, and David Carter was very likely to become the supervisor of that department. Then everything would ease up. But at this most critical moment, he hadn't been to the company for three days already—if he wasn't fired, that would be a stroke of luck.

David Carter gave a bitter smile in his heart—this had become another hurdle for him. He had originally planned to work for a few years, ease his family's difficulties, and save up some capital to start something of his own. David Carter had never wanted to work a nine-to-five forever, but in the past he had no choice; his family situation didn't allow him to start a business.

"Thank you, Mrs. Thompson. I'll try to figure something out. If it really doesn't work, I'll come to you and Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson drives a taxi at home and only makes eight hundred a month, and you still have to support Emily's schooling..."

Before David Carter could finish, Mrs. Thompson's big palm-leaf fan had already smacked him on the shoulder: "Why are you being so polite with your Mrs. Thompson? Emily can get scholarships on her own, and I make a decent amount doing domestic work for people now. That Grace Parker, that vixen, she makes me so mad. If she wanted to talk things over, a little rent increase would be fine, but with her attitude? No way. When the contract is up, even if she begs us, we won't stay here. What a waste of such an honest landlord."

David Carter was amused by Mrs. Thompson's words. But he knew that if he let Mrs. Thompson keep talking, she could go on for an hour—or even three or five hours—no problem.

"Mrs. Thompson, don't worry. I'll try to figure something out. I'm going back to change clothes and then head to the company to take a look." David Carter wasn't afraid of hardship. Even if he had to move farther away and spend an extra hour commuting every day, sharing a place with others for just two hundred yuan a month, he could handle it. Even a basement would be fine. But this place was the first he had ever rented with money he earned himself, and that contract was a test of his own judgment. Watching the changes around him here was constantly confirming his views. If he ever got his hands on some money, with his understanding of these ten streets of Dawn, David Carter was confident he could earn his first pot of gold. In David Carter's heart, the ten streets of Dawn were where he would let his dreams take flight.

After hearing what David Carter said, Mrs. Thompson gave him a few more reminders before finally leaving.

After all that had happened, even though he didn't feel much physically, David Carter felt utterly exhausted inside, his mind in chaos. He didn't continue communicating with the soul in his left arm, but just lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

He slept straight through to the next morning. David Carter changed his clothes. Thinking back, he realized he had probably left his phone at the company, and his clothes and wallet were likely still at the hospital. But he didn't dare go back to the hospital now, so David Carter went out to a small supermarket and used a public phone to call his good friend, Fatty Brian Thompson. Luckily, he still had some change in his room, or he really wouldn't have been able to get anywhere.

"Fatty, go check things out for me, and if possible, help me get my stuff back. Just tell them my family took me home, and don't worry about anything else. The doctors there are a mess—just a minor injury and they talk about amputation. Anyway, I have to go to the company first. Remember, don't tell them anything about my situation, just say I went back to my hometown. Don't forget." David Carter was helpless. Fatty was his college roommate, and now the only one who had stayed in Haicheng with him.

First, his ID card and bank card were still at the hospital, and it would be inconvenient not to get them back. Second, David Carter was afraid they would find him again. Now his memory was especially clear—even things he had heard in a daze, he could remember. He recalled that someone had already paid his medical bills at the time, probably the child's relative; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to stay in a single room. At least he didn't have to pay that money himself, or things would be even harder. This way, the hospital would be a bit easier to deal with. David Carter's current plan was to avoid contacting anyone who knew about his amputation as much as possible.

Fortunately, he had left his phone at the company that day. Otherwise, if they had used his phone to contact his friends or family, things would have gotten really complicated.