A random stranger she met

"So," she said after a beat, her curiosity piqued, "what about you? You live here long?"

"Yeah, a couple of months," he replied with a slight shrug. "Moving to a new place was a bit of a hassle, but I'm getting used to it. The neighbors aren't too bad. Most of them keep to themselves." He glanced around the hallway, as if evaluating the space. "Except for the occasional locked-out situation."

Chen Lin chuckled softly. "Yeah, hopefully I don't look too silly sitting out here locked out."

"You're not, don't worry. It's... pretty common," he said, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before continuing. "You seem pretty calm about it, though. Most people would be pacing back and forth, stressing about how to get into their own place."

She shrugged. "I figure it's just a minor setback. My husband will be home soon enough. It's not the end of the world."

The man studied her with a hint of admiration. "That's a pretty healthy perspective."