Chapter 45: Tong Yingying Wants to Make Him Stay |
"I have a feeling Xiao Huan might quit his job soon."
Saturday night, inside the Ballad pub in the South Ward.
Tian Li, who had just changed into his bartender uniform, suddenly said this to his girlfriend and coworker, Guan Rong, while moving tables and chairs.
"Eh, why do you say that?"
"The apartment I rent is pretty close to Xiao Huan''s place. Didn''t I take a short leave last night to go home and grab the group report?"
"Uh-huh, and then?"
"And then, on my way back, I saw Xiao Huan bringing his elder and older sister to his house for a visit. I heard him call that elder Auntie, and she seemed quite wealthy."
Guan Rong finally remembered something and replied,
"Oh right, Xiao Huan didn''t come to work yesterday either. But how do you know his aunt is rich?"
Guan Rong did not understand much about cars; she only recognized a few famous logos.
But after hearing the price, she still couldn''t help but cover her mouth and exclaim in surprise,
"Ah, but didn''t Xiao Huan grow up in the South Ward? I don''t think I''ve ever heard him mention having any rich relatives."
"Who knows? Maybe they tracked him down from their hometown in the Dragon Country."
"Wow, that''s so nice. But we still can''t be certain that Xiao Huan will definitely quit."
"If I had money, I wouldn''t work a part-time job either. We all come out to work to make money, don''t tell me it''s to experience life?"
Tian Li arranged the tables and chairs one by one, sighing as he did so.
"Besides, isn''t Xiao Huan busy enough? He''s the Student Council President and has great grades. He has to handle Student Council matters, study, and work to make a living. I feel tired just watching him. If he can rest, why would he keep working?"
"That''s true."
After exchanging a few sighs, Tian Li and Guan Rong went back to work, moving furniture and wiping off dust.
However, just as Guan Rong was about to head to the back to wash her rag, she turned her head and noticed that Tong Yingying was leaning against the entrance, lighting a cigarette. She had no idea when her boss had appeared.
"Sister Tong? When did you get here?!"
"Just now."
"Oh, oh. I''m going to wash my rag."
"Mm."
Tong Yingying glanced at Guan Rong, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face, though her eyes remained as gloomy as ever.
Her long legs, wrapped in blue jeans, swayed occasionally, reflecting her restless mood.
Tian Li finished arranging the furniture and returned to his station at the bar counter, while Tong Yingying didn''t go inside today. Instead, she sat on a chair placed outside the pub.
She took out her mobile phone and glanced at the time. It was almost time for Yan Huan''s usual weekend shift.
Opening Plane, she navigated to her chat with Yan Huan.
The chat history was still frozen on the speechless meme he had sent earlier.
Would his next message be a resignation?
''Sister Tong, I don''t want to work anymore, goodbye~''
It would probably be something like that.
Well, it was fine if that guy left.
Afterward, there would be no one to nag her about smoking and drinking, or when she woke up and went to sleep.
Being completely free and unrestrained, what was so bad about that?
Tong Yingying pulled an ashtray over and snuffed out her cigarette, only to quickly light another.
But the burning smoke acted like an accelerant, making her insides churn with restlessness, rendering her completely unable to calm down.
"Tsk."
Tong Yingying bit her lip, looking out at the increasingly bustling street.
The passing crowds, walking together in twos and threes, only annoyed her.
"Ding~"
Right at that moment, her phone, lying face-down on the table, suddenly rang.
And the ringtone was special, not the standard notification sound.
It was a Plane message!
Tong Yingying paused slightly, keeping the phone face-down, too afraid to flip it over and look.
Was it Yan Huan?
He still hasn''t arrived at this hour.
Could he be asking for leave again today?
But that guy clearly didn''t show up yesterday, nor did he ask for leave on Plane. Instead, he secretly brought his rich aunt to his house as a guest.
Yesterday, Tong Yingying even thought he was angry because she had never been very gentle when chatting with him.
He was obviously just concerned about her schedule, which was why he asked, but she hadn''t given him a single nice word in response.
With a constant lack of positive feedback, anyone would eventually feel disheartened, right?
In reality, even Tong Yingying herself didn''t realize that she was already gentle enough with Yan Huan.
It was just her nature; she wasn''t good at expressing it directly, so it could only be glimpsed through certain details.
Then, was it possible that this message wasn''t asking for leave at all?
But rather...
"I have a feeling Xiao Huan might quit his job soon."
Tian Li''s words still echoed in her ears, piercing her mind like a bolt of lightning, making Tong Yingying''s hand holding the phone grow increasingly stiff.
''Sister Tong, I don''t want to work anymore, goodbye~''
Could it be that if she flipped it over, she would see a message exactly like that?
And then, she would send a message back to ask him about it.
Saying something foolish and clownish like, "Why?"
What she would get in return would likely only be a red exclamation mark:
"Yan Huan has enabled friend verification. You are not yet his friend. Please send a friend verification request first..."
!!
Tong Yingying opened her mouth, and her burning cigarette unconsciously fell onto the table.
Her usually half-dead eyes widened slightly as she looked down at the burning cigarette on the table.
Tong Yingying felt as if what was burning wasn''t rolled tobacco, but herself.
After a moment of silence, she picked up the cigarette, jammed it into the ashtray, and completely extinguished it.
''Whatever!''
''What will be, will be.''
''It''s just a Plane message. I''ve weathered so many storms over the years; am I really going to panic over a college student leaving?''
''Although he is indeed very handsome, very gentle, treats me very well, is lively, easy on the eyes, and even made me much healthier, younger, and more energetic...''
''But he''s still just a college student. I don''t care at all!''
Thinking this, Tong Yingying''s body subconsciously leaned further back against her chair, moving her head as far away from the phone on the table as possible.
Then, she carefully lifted the face-down phone just a fraction, revealing a tiny bit of the phone screen, and peeked at it sideways.
She looked exactly like a degenerate gambler playing cards, nervously checking her hole cards.
Just what kind of hand was she holding?
Just what message had Yan Huan sent?
At this moment, the meaning of the two gradually became equivalent!
''Then, let the gamble begin!!''
Tong Yingying gritted her teeth and, throwing all caution to the wind, pressed the lock screen button, unlocking the phone screen!!
Then, her gaze fell upon it.
Li Xiumei (Mom): "I told you to find a partner before, when are you finally going to give us a definite answer?! Are you trying to anger me and your dad to death?!"
Looking at the message on the screen, Tong Yingying froze slightly.
Subsequently, her expression instantly darkened, and veins bulged on her forehead.
She picked up her phone and opened her mother''s chat window.
This time, she didn''t type, but directly pressed and held the voice record button.
Taking a deep breath, what was about to burst from her lips was none other than the concentrated essence of her homeland''s profanity!!
"Motherf—"
"Sister Tong?"
The teeth-grinding Tong Yingying, who was on the verge of turning into a Super Saiyan, was suddenly interrupted by a male voice.
Her spellcasting abruptly canceled, she raised her slightly trembling eyes to look ahead.
Only to see a handsome young man holding a bottle of lactic acid drink looking down at her.
A casual white cotton long-sleeved shirt made his shoulders look exceptionally broad. His hair seemed a bit longer since it hadn''t been cut for a while, making his temperament appear even more refined.
It was none other than Yan Huan, arriving for work.
"Are you fighting with Auntie again?"
"Ah... um, no, I..."
Tong Yingying paused, her hand subconsciously relaxing. She didn''t notice that she was still pressing the voice button.
Consequently, a voice message lasting over ten seconds was sent out.
However, Tong Yingying''s attention was completely captivated by Yan Huan at the moment, so she paid no heed to the Plane app.
She put down her phone, irritably scratched the back of her head, and her peripheral vision darted back and forth over the ashtray.
It was indeed just as Yan Huan had said; her claims of quitting smoking and drinking were pure bullshit.
"I had some things to deal with at home yesterday, and forgot to ask you for leave, Sister Tong."
Tong Yingying opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say or ask something, but ultimately couldn''t bring herself to speak.
"...It''s fine. Go change your clothes."
And so, she replied just like that.
She didn''t mention deducting his pay?
Yan Huan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
But if the boss didn''t mention it, he wouldn''t bring it up either. Only a fool would pass up an advantage.
He nodded, intending to head straight inside to change.
Behind him, Tong Yingying''s gaze—which had reverted to its usual half-dead state—kept following Yan Huan.
She had a few doubts.
If what that guy Tian Li said was true, and Yan Huan really had such a rich aunt, would he still come to work?
Looking at him now, he didn''t seem like someone receiving financial backing at all.
Could it be that Tian Li had actually misunderstood?!
At this thought, Tong Yingying''s murky eyes brightened up slightly.
''It really can''t be helped...''
''A lost college boy who needs to work hard to earn a living can only be saved by a generous and beautiful boss like me~''
"Yo, Xiao Huan, you still came to work?"
"Why do you say that, Brother Li?"
Inside the pub, Guan Rong chuckled.
"Ah-Li saw your aunt visiting you yesterday. He said the car she drove was extremely expensive."
"Right? Torch Dragon 3! Even though I''m an internal combustion engine fan and not really into electric cars, I''ve seen the reviews, and that car is seriously awesome. I didn''t see wrong yesterday, did I?"
Tian Li, you absolutely saw wrong.
Tong Yingying had followed Yan Huan into the pub, and her gloomy eyes revealed an absolute certainty.
However, upon hearing this, Yan Huan smiled slightly and replied to Tian Li,
"So you were there yesterday, Brother Li. I didn''t even see you, and you didn''t say hi to me."
Eh?
Tong Yingying blinked.
"Ah, I was just passing by, and I was pretty far from you guys. You went straight upstairs the moment you got out of the car, so I didn''t have time to greet you at all."
Yan Huan didn''t say much more, preparing to head inside and change his clothes.
Tian Li initially wanted to ask when he was going to quit his job, but then he saw Tong Yingying walk in expressionlessly.
"..."
His survival instinct told him that it was best not to do that right now.
Tian Li gave an awkward smile, and Tong Yingying stepped up to the counter.
She beckoned with her finger and said,
"Give me my unfinished bottle of Highland Queen."
Highland Queen, a brand of whisky.
"Right away, Sister Tong."
Tian Li skillfully slid a glass filled with ice cubes over to Tong Yingying along with the bottle.
Taking them, Tong Yingying walked over and sat down in her familiar corner spot near the back door.
Glug, glug, glug.
The poured liquor dyed the ice cubes. She didn''t pour much; after all, there was a difference between tasting alcohol and trying to get drunk.
Taking a sip of the whisky, she propped her chin on her hand and cast her gaze across the pub.
She watched as Yan Huan came out in his uniform, noticing that the number of customers in the pub was gradually increasing.
Truth be told, Tian Li''s bartending skills were entirely self-taught and merely passable.
Tong Yingying, on the other hand, mixed drinks exceptionally well, but she rarely did it herself.
The pub''s good business was primarily due to two reasons:
First, the shop faced the street with high foot traffic, so naturally, it attracted more customers than establishments hidden away in remote corners.
Second, the interior decor had a great aesthetic. It was a high-quality lounge bar completely out of place with the surrounding style of the South Ward.
If someone wanted to have a quiet drink, this was simply the best choice in the South Ward.
The first point could be credited to Tong Yingying, as she was the one who bought the storefront.
As for the second point, considering her reputation as the "Drunken Idea Generator," the credit largely went to Yan Huan.
When she first intended to open the pub, Tong Yingying was fully prepared to run it in a bare-bones, concrete-walls style.
However, she was deterred by Yan Huan, who had just successfully interviewed for a job, leading her to spend a little extra money on renovations.
Yes, Yan Huan was the first employee Tong Yingying had hired. Tian Li and Guan Rong both joined later.
It could be said that the current "Ballad" had been built up bit by bit through discussions between Tong Yingying and Yan Huan.
Their relationship was casual, and the pay Tong Yingying gave him was quite substantial.
For a twenty-eight-hour work week, while others calculated based on hourly wages, Tong Yingying paid him a flat rate modeled after a monthly salary. Two hundred a day, and if he worked a full twenty-eight hours a week, she gave him fourteen hundred. Plus, the various red envelopes and bonuses during holidays never ceased.
Just as Yan Huan always emphasized, Tong Yingying was indeed very generous to him.
''However, no matter how generous I am, this kid must still be quite exhausted, right?''
Sipping her whisky, Tong Yingying thought this as she watched Yan Huan''s back while he worked.
Well, although having this guy work here was easy on the eyes and made her healthier—maybe even extending her lifespan.
But to make him keep working so hard just because of that seemed a bit too selfish.
Tong Yingying poured herself another glass of alcohol and let out a heavy breath.
She had some savings of her own. It seemed she could emulate his aunt and just give him money without making him work.
But under what justification?
That woman was Yan Huan''s relative. Who was she?
Furthermore, wouldn''t that basically make him a kept man?
Although Tong Yingying thought that wasn''t a bad idea either, she feared it would be a blatant insult to Yan Huan.
Stripping him of his right to strive through hard work by dumping a bunch of money on him...
That would be too cruel.
"Ding~"
Right at that moment, her phone on the table chimed again.
It was a Plane message.
Picking it up to look, she saw another message from her mother.
"Yo, silently getting the big things done, huh? Who was that boy talking? His voice is quite nice, must be a pretty young guy, right? When did you start dating?"
Speechless, Tong Yingying typed with one hand:
"Damn it, stop making things up. We aren''t dating."
"Who are you trying to fool? How do you usually talk to us, and how did you talk to him just now? Are you two-faced?"
"Isn''t it because you guys are too annoying?"
"Sure, we''re annoying. Seriously, giving birth to a piece of roast pork would have been better than giving birth to you!"
''Damn it.''
Tong Yingying couldn''t be bothered to reply anymore, solely focusing on pouring her drink.
But Comrade Li Xiumei sent another message.
"You''ve been independent since you were little. You went all the way to Linmen alone to study. The family didn''t have much money, so we couldn''t help you with anything.
"We aren''t trying to force you into marriage. It''s just that every time we video call, you look so exhausted, and we genuinely worry about you.
"Are you making soup for yourself over there? Are you eating well?
"Plane tickets to Linmen are too expensive; we rarely get to see you even once every few years. Because of that, we just want someone to be there to take care of you in our stead...
"If that boy from just now is a good match, treat the relationship well. Don''t unleash your rotten temper on him. Be a little more sincere, you hear?"
Tong Yingying didn''t reply again. The reason was exactly like the excuse used in many instances of the silent treatment.
"I don''t know what to say."
But at this moment, she truly didn''t know what to say to her mother.
If her parents knew she was tangled up with the underworld in Linmen, it would probably scare them so much they wouldn''t be able to sleep for three days and three nights.
"Okay."
After typing out that simple reply, Tong Yingying downed her glass of whisky and lifted the bottle next to her, preparing to pour another round.
Only to be gently stopped by an outstretched hand.
"..."
Without even needing to raise her lifeless eyes, she knew there weren''t many people who would stop her like this.
"Sister Tong, although I knew early on that your talk of quitting smoking and drinking was pure bullshit, isn''t your condition getting worse and worse?"
Resting her chin on her hand, Tong Yingying turned her head to look at Yan Huan beside her.
"Uh-huh?"
"Sister Tong, I told you before. The more you drink out of frustration from your parents pressuring you to marry, the harder they''ll push."
Tong Yingying looked at Yan Huan in front of her. She remained silent for a moment but didn''t respond to his statement.
Instead, she pointed to the seat across from her and said softly,
"Sit. I have something to tell you."
Yan Huan blinked, glanced in the direction she was pointing, and replied,
"The pub is still busy."
"It''s fine. Sit."
Yan Huan thought about it for a second before taking a seat in front of Tong Yingying.
"So, what is it?"
"What Tian Li said, is it true?"
"It''s true."
There was nothing to hide, nor was there any need to play the pig to eat the tiger.
Tong Yingying poured another glass but didn''t drink it. Simply holding the glass over her palm, she asked Yan Huan,
"You''ve lived in the South Ward for so many years. Why didn''t your aunt come to find you for so long, yet suddenly shows up now?"
"The situation is a bit complicated. It''s just..."
"Be careful not to get your kidney harvested~"
Tong Yingying took a sip of her drink, not looking at Yan Huan, and suddenly made this remark.
This casual sentence caused sweat to bead on Yan Huan''s forehead.
"No, she''s very wealthy. Why would she—"
"The richer they are, the more likely they are to do exactly that, right? They set their sights on your high-quality organs, toss you a few sweet dates, and then lay a trap for a background-less, prime college student like you just to replace a failing organ in their own child."
"..."
"By the time the anesthesia wears off and you slowly wake up, you''ll find you''re missing a kidney. You''ll be left lying pitifully on the operating table, wanting to cry but having no tears, regretting it for the rest of your life... Tsk, tsk. Yan Huan, don''t let yourself get scammed~"
"What kind of movie plot is this?"
"Movie plots all originate from reality. That''s common sense, isn''t it?"
"..."
Yan Huan looked at Tong Yingying—whose eyes weren''t even looking at him, silently drinking and then rebutting every sentence he spoke—and was momentarily speechless.
However, why did he feel...
So, he pretended to stroke his chin and muttered,
"Hiss, if that''s the case, it really is a bit worrying..."
"Right?"
"Then tell me, Sister Tong, what should I do? I''m still young and lack experience, so I''ll listen to you."
"Ah, I have an idea."
With the conversation steered to this point, Tong Yingying finally turned her head to look at Yan Huan with brightened eyes, even raising a single finger.
Then, what she saw was an expressionless Yan Huan, who looked as if he had already seen through everything.
"..."
"..."
The two locked eyes, and the bright, sunny expression Tong Yingying had when presenting her "idea" instantly froze.
''Crap, this kid saw right through me!''
"Speak, Sister Tong. What idea? I''m listening."
Yan Huan smiled as he looked at Tong Yingying and asked.
Under his step-by-step pressure, a layer of cold sweat unconsciously broke out on Tong Yingying''s forehead.
Her gaze darting away guiltily, she brushed him off with an extremely hollow excuse,
"I... I forgot."
"..."
Yan Huan sighed. Then, looking at the woman before him, he smiled and asked,
"Sister Tong, could it be that you can''t bear to see me leave?"
"Not at all."
An instant answer.
It was just that those gloomy eyes still didn''t look at Yan Huan; she merely held her glass and stared toward the pub''s entrance.
Yeah, she completely couldn''t bear it.
"Regardless of whether you can or not, I don''t plan on resigning just yet."
"!"
Tong Yingying''s posture looking toward the entrance didn''t change, but her eyes snapped over to look at Yan Huan.
Taking a sip of alcohol, she spoke seemingly without a care in the world,
"Oh?"
"Aunt Ye will give me living expenses from now on. But after working here for so long, and with you helping me out during my hardest times, Sister Tong, I''ve developed feelings for this place. Leaving just like that would be too heartless. Besides, it''s so close to home—it''s just a few steps away."
"Oh..."
It was the same sound, but the tone had shifted slightly.
It probably meant, "Keep talking."
"However, Sister Tong, moving forward, I probably won''t be coming in full-time for five days a week. I can only come when I''m free. It wasn''t too tiring before, but being able to free up some time to do what I want is naturally better. Therefore, Sister Tong, you''d better hire another employee to share the workload."
"Oh."
This meant, "I understand."
Biting the rim of her glass, Tong Yingying''s head—which had been continuously facing the entrance—finally turned bit by bit to face Yan Huan.
''Developed feelings for this place?''
''It''s just a rundown pub, what feelings could he possibly have?''
''If he means he has feelings for something here...''
''Hiss, could it be that this kid actually likes me?''
Tong Yingying blinked, scrutinizing Yan Huan''s handsome features right in front of her.
All of a sudden, her previous conflicting thoughts and the words her mother had sent over Plane morphed into a torrent, crashing together in her mind.
Such an overwhelming force caused her to part her lips and actually take the initiative to ask,
"What did you mean just now when you said you have feelings for this place?"
Her exhalation, carrying the faint scent of alcohol, swirled inside the glass, leaving a thin layer of mist clinging to its sides.
Through the foggy glass, the handsome young man sitting opposite her appeared somewhat hazy.
That was probably exactly how Yan Huan looked in Tong Yingying''s eyes at this moment.
"Oh, I just meant my emotional attachment to the Ballad pub. What else could it be?"
"..."
Tong Yingying froze momentarily before setting her glass down.
The mist dissipated, and she looked at the bright, sunny smile on Yan Huan''s face.
"Huh?"
"Look, Sister Tong. With your skills, this pub would have shut down ages ago without me. If I left, I''d probably see a ''Shop for Transfer'' sign hanging on the door within days."
"..."
"After all, I''ve worked here for over a year, and it''s so close to my home. I see it every day when I go downstairs to buy things. Seeing it go out of business... even if your heart wouldn''t ache, Sister Tong, mine would."
"..."
Tong Yingying''s evasive gaze gradually reverted to its half-dead state, and then shifted from half-dead into a look that wanted to commit murder.
She took a sip of alcohol, set the glass down again, and revealed an amicable smile.
At the same time, her right hand had already slipped into her jacket,
"Mhm, and then? Anything else you want to say?"
Seeing this, Yan Huan silently stood up and said to her,
"Also, I''m asking for leave tomorrow. I''m going to a gaming convention in Linmen with my classmates tomorrow, and I''ll probably eat dinner outside, so I won''t be able to make it back in time."
"..."
Tong Yingying had already pulled out a stun gun, while Yan Huan casually looked back toward the pub''s interior.
"There are more customers in the pub now. I need to hurry up and help out, Sister Tong."
Yan Huan turned and walked away, yet Tong Yingying remained in her seat, continuing to stare at his back.
Her lips trembled slightly, and she suddenly spoke up,
"Wait a minute."
Yan Huan didn''t turn his head, merely asking in resignation,
"...What is it now, Sister Tong?"
"Moving forward... your salary remains the same."
Yan Huan was a bit surprised. He quickly turned around, only to see Tong Yingying with her head lowered, pouring herself another drink.
Her red bangs draped down, concealing her eyes, making it impossible for Yan Huan to see her expression. He could only see her rosy, appetizing lips.
"...Got it, Sister Tong."
After a moment of silence, Yan Huan smiled slightly and replied just like that.
The young man turned back to his work, leaving Tong Yingying sitting there alone, her cheeks tinged with a faint, imperceptible flush.
"..."
Perhaps it was because she had drunk some alcohol?
Highland Queen, a brand of whisky~
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