Chapter 3After My Tenants Sued Me Into Bankruptcy, They Begged

The negotiations collapsed.

I refused all of their “proposals.”

I told them the gym and cafeteria were perks that I could cancel at any time.

The subdivided rooms were the reality they had all agreed to when they moved in, and that would not change.

If they were unhappy, they could submit a request to terminate their lease one month in advance, as per the contract, and I would not penalize them.

The next day, a single sheet of A4 paper was taped to my office door.

It was titled: Final Ultimatum.

It demanded that I provide a positive response to their requests and begin implementation within 72 hours.

Otherwise, they would take “all necessary legal measures.”

It was signed: The Haven Tenants’ Rights Committee.

Person-in-charge: Elias.

The atmosphere in the building changed completely.

In the hallways, the same young people who used to greet me with warm smiles now averted their eyes when they saw me, hurrying away as if I were a ghost.

The group chat I had created, “The Haven Family,” was now their war room.

I didn't leave the group.

I watched them delegate tasks and strategize on how to gather evidence.

“Who can get photos of the cafeteria kitchen? Try to get the grimy corners.”

“Check the gym equipment. See if any of it is past its service life.”

“Everyone needs to write a testimony. Emphasize that we were misled by the landlord and didn’t know the subdivided rooms were illegal.”

“I’ve already contacted my friend who’s interning at a news station. They’re very interested in a story about ‘graduates fighting for their rights.’”

Elias directed the operation with cool precision.

“Everyone, remember, our goal isn’t to cause a scene, it’s to ‘defend our rights according to the law.’ All evidence must be obtained legally. Don’t give them anything they can use against us. And remember to record all conversations with Clara.”

I saw that guy, Leo, was the most active in the chat.

“Don’t worry, Elias! I’ve already taken pictures of the crack in my wall! We can say the building is structurally unsound!”

I remembered that crack. He had made it himself when he clumsily tried to hammer a nail into the wall to hang a bookshelf.

He had even come to me, asking if I could help him patch it.

I sat in my office, smoking one cigarette after another.

The ashtray was soon overflowing.

Seventy-two hours passed.

I did nothing.

On the morning of the fourth day, I was served with a court summons.

Plaintiff: Elias, and ninety-eight other tenants.

Defendant: Me.

Case: Lease agreement dispute and illegal business operations.

I looked at the long, familiar list of names on the summons.

The first was Elias.

The last was Mia, the girl who had wanted braised pork just a few days ago.

I tossed the summons on the desk and called my lawyer.

“Hey, old friend. I’ve got a bit of a mess on my hands. I need your help.”

My lawyer listened to the whole story, then was silent for a long time.

“This is tricky. Very tricky,” he said.

“The other party’s representative, or rather, the ringleader, is a master. He’s targeted your two biggest vulnerabilities: the structural modifications and the unlicensed operations. On those two points, you have almost no chance of winning in court.”

“What about the contracts? They all signed them.”

“Just like this Elias kid said, they’ll likely be deemed invalid boilerplate clauses. You’re up against a large group of young people, the so-called ‘vulnerable group.’ They’ll easily win the judge’s sympathy. Right now, in the court of public opinion and the court of law, you are at a complete disadvantage.”

“So there’s nothing I can do?”

“The only way out is to settle. Agree to some of their conditions, like rent reductions or compensation, and get them to withdraw the lawsuit. It’s the least costly option.”

I hung up the phone.

Settle?

I looked out the window. In the courtyard, a few tenants were laughing and talking in the gym.

They were still using the equipment I had bought.

I picked up my phone and sent a single message to the group chat.

“See you in court.”

The chat was silent for three seconds.

Then, Elias replied with an “OK” hand gesture emoji.