Chapter 11

Many of the workers nearby saw what was happening, but no one stepped in to help. Some even hoped Cao Yang would give the supervisor a good beating.

Cao Yang’s strength was terrifying—if he really wanted to, he could snap the supervisor’s neck with one squeeze.

“Don’t be rash!” Li Yan ran over. She wasn’t trying to help the supervisor; she was afraid Cao Yang might actually kill him and bring disaster on himself.

Cao Yang still listened to her somewhat. He flung the supervisor heavily to the ground, leaving him dazed and dizzy.

…

As expected, he got fired again.

Carrying his luggage, he sat on the lawn in front of the factory gate, deep in thought.

Am I really such an unlikeable person? Why does the supervisor have to bully me?

He couldn’t figure it out. He worked hard, never slacked off, did everything properly, yet he was singled out?

He felt a little lost. Just a few days in, and he had already been fired twice—neither time was he the one who started trouble.

When the shift ended, Li Yan also came out with her luggage.

“Sis Yan, why aren’t you working anymore either?” Cao Yang asked when he saw her bags. “Did they fire you too?”

“Yeah!” Li Yan said crossly.

“Why?”

“You’ve got the nerve to ask!” she snapped. “Everyone knows we’re together. You hit the supervisor—of course he wouldn’t keep me around! It’s all your fault. And you’re asking why?!”

The truth was, Li Yan had quit on her own. She knew perfectly well she was the reason Cao Yang had been targeted and fired, but she wasn’t about to admit it. She wanted him to feel guilty. Serves you right for threatening me and bossing me around!

Sure enough, Cao Yang lowered his head, embarrassed. “It’s just that the supervisor went too far, I couldn’t hold back.”

“Even if you can’t, you have to!” Li Yan scolded. “Who doesn’t get pushed around when working away from home?”

She dropped her luggage onto the lawn, plopped down angrily, and glared.

Cao Yang hung his head even lower, like a child who’d done something wrong.

Li Yan quickly turned her head away—she was afraid she’d burst out laughing if he saw her face.

After about ten minutes, she decided it was time and said, “So what do we do now? No job, no place to stay, and not much money left!”

“I don’t know,” Cao Yang mumbled, eyes downcast.

Li Yan said, “I’ll give you two choices: one, I go work at the Nightingale Club. Two, you pay for a place to stay and cover our meals.”

“I don’t have money!”

“Then I’ll go work at Nightingale.”

“But I don’t want you to go.”

“Damn it! You think I want to go? Who wants to work there if not forced by life? And why are you always meddling in my business? We’re just neighbors! What job I do is my freedom. You nag more than my mom!”

She paused for two seconds, then suddenly widened her eyes. “Wait—you’re not into me, are you? That’s why you don’t want me working at the nightclub?”

“Who likes you? Don’t flatter yourself! I just don’t want you getting bullied in a place like that.”

“I worked there for years before you came, and no one bullied me. Now that you’re here, suddenly I’ll get bullied?” Li Yan snapped back, but deep down she felt a little warm being cared for.

“Come on, let’s go,” she said, picking up her luggage and walking ahead. Cao Yang followed behind.

They arrived at a small hotel. A red cloth at the entrance was plastered with rental notices.

This “small” hotel wasn’t really small—there were over a hundred rooms. It was only called small because it was cheap, cramped, and poorly equipped.

Most of the guests were young men and women from nearby factories, using the rooms as hookup spots. Some rooms were also rented out long-term to workers from nearby barber shops, restaurants, and supermarkets. A few young couples rented them too. Cheap rent, simple amenities—that was the appeal.

Li Yan spent 200 yuan to rent a room. It had once been a restaurant staff dorm, with a bunk bed still inside. Perfect—they didn’t need to buy one.

“You sleep on top, I’ll sleep below,” Li Yan said, setting down her bags.

“Us staying in one room doesn’t feel right,” Cao Yang muttered awkwardly, scratching his head.

“I’m not embarrassed, why are you? It’s not like we’ve never slept in the same room before!”

“That time was because we had no choice… maybe we should rent another room?”

“Sure, if you’ve got money. Go rent one yourself, no one’s stopping you.”

At the mention of money, Cao Yang went quiet. He climbed onto the top bunk and started making his bed.

Meanwhile, Li Yan pulled out her phone and dialed a number. “Hello, Manager Xu? This is Li Yan… yes, the waitress who applied three days ago.”

“Yes, it was my younger brother who offended you. He’s just a kid, doesn’t know the world yet, please don’t hold it against him…”

“I just wanted to ask if you still need staff. I’d like to come work.”

“What? Tonight already? Okay, okay, I’ll be right over!”

She hung up and started rummaging through her bag for clothes.

“You’re really going?” Cao Yang asked from the top bunk, his face complicated.

“What else? If I don’t work, do we starve instead?”

As she spoke, she pulled out a bra. “Close your eyes!”

“Why?”

“Can’t you see I’m changing?”

“Oh.”

Cao Yang shut his eyes. Behind him, Li Yan unzipped her dress, exposing her fair, jade-like back to the air. She quickly slipped out of her bra and put on a new dress.

“Okay, you can open your eyes.”

As soon as he did, her discarded underwear hit him in the face.

“What the hell?” he sputtered, disgusted.

“Wash it for me.”

“You want a grown man to wash your underwear?”

“If you don’t, I won’t give you money.”

In the bathroom, Cao Yang first soaked his own clothes, then picked up Li Yan’s skirt and bra. He stared at the lace edges for a few seconds. The fabric was still warm. He held it to his nose and sniffed—

Mmm… a faint milky scent.

“Once you’re done, hang it by the window,” Li Yan said as she put on makeup in front of the mirror, unaware of his behavior.

Finished, she handed him 10 yuan from her bag. “Here, your living allowance.”

Then she headed off to the Nightingale Club, checking in with Manager Xu—the same old woman from before.

Xu smiled at her, brushed off the past incident, and had a floor supervisor get her a uniform to start work.

A skinny man licked his lips as he watched Li Yan’s figure. “Sis, that one’s got a nice body. What a waste as a waitress!”

Xu smirked. “What waste? It’s only a matter of time. Of the ten girls here, eight started out as waitresses. After a while, when they see others making good money, they’ll come ask for it themselves.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Heh heh…”

…

After Li Yan left, Cao Yang went downstairs, grabbed a plate of fried noodles, and wandered around the neighborhood.

He passed a corner shop and saw a crowd gathered inside. He knew they were playing the slot machines and couldn’t resist going closer.

Five or six people were crowded around one machine. Even the “Old Ghost Apple” spot was taken.

Cao Yang watched a few rounds—it kept eating credits. He figured a payout was coming soon. He pulled out a one-yuan coin and fed it in.

The regulars glanced at him but said nothing.

He aimed for “Double Star,” but someone else had already bet fifty. He ignored them and pressed ten times on the Double Star button.

“I’ll put ten on Double Star too.”