From Lifesaver To Piranha Lord

Synopsis

My name is John, and I am thirty-six years old, having accomplished nothing. My grandfather gave me this name, saying a humble name makes it easier to survive. Indeed, I survived, but I have also been humble for thirty-six years. No marriage, no children, no savings, no house. I rent a single room in an urban village, with a monthly rent of 150 USD. The toilet is shared, and the kitchen is in the hallway. Whenever anyone stir-fries twice-cooked pork, the whole floor can smell it. I work as a courier, have been doing it for eight years, and am still a courier. It's not that I haven't thought about climbing up, but I don't have what it takes to climb,education, connections, a smooth tongue. All I have is an electric scooter and a pair of legs that never stop running. I get two days off a month, with a take-home pay of a bit over 1,667 USD. After paying rent, utilities, and food, I'm left with about 333 USD. I dare not get sick, dare not give gift money, dare not fall in love. This is my life. A road that stretches out endlessly before me, covered entirely in dust. That evening, I came back from work, walked to the door, and found it ajar. I paused. I was sure I had locked it this morning. I pushed the door open. The lights were off, and I saw someone sitting on the bed. It was an old man. Thin, wearing an old cotton-padded jacket, hair white as snow. He sat on my messy bed, hands on his knees, looking straight at me. My first reaction was a thief. But thieves don't sit like that. My second reaction was a ghost. But do ghosts wear cotton jackets these days? "Who are you?" I asked. The old man didn't speak, just looked at me. I reached out to touch the switch on the wall. The lights came on. He sat there, the wrinkles on his face appearing deeper under the light. "Are you John?" he asked. His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper grinding on wood. "Who are you?" He slowly stood up and walked towards me. He was half a head shorter than me, but inexplicably, I took a step back. "My name is John," he said. My brain buzzed.