Chapter 950: Adaptation

“Your cooking isn’t good enough—study harder, improve. Everything has its craft; you must put your heart into it. The same ingredients can make a dish delicious or awful—it’s all in how you do it. Madam, learn to be kinder to yourself, and learn to enjoy life’s little pleasures.”

Despite saying that, Wang Yan still ate the dishes heartily and drank the chilled beer with satisfaction.

“Also, two dishes aren’t enough—make four next time. I eat a lot and can’t go long without food. Don’t seriously expect me to go three days without nine meals—that’d make you a terrible boss.”

“No, you can’t just—” Xiong Qingchun slammed her chopsticks on the table, cutting off her words, then, under Wang Yan’s smiling gaze, smiled sheepishly and obediently picked up her chopsticks to pile food into Wang Yan’s bowl.

“Big brother, eat more. Even if my cooking’s bad, it’s still better than what’s inside, right? Look at you—even if it’s not tasty, you eat it like you’re starving. You must be famished. Eat more, eat more.”

“You really underestimate people. What’s inside is way tastier than yours.”

Xiong Qingchun rolled her eyes, took a deep breath, and silently ate her rice—she’d had the worst luck in eight lifetimes…

“Tell me about your boyfriend. What’s that look for? Afraid to talk? Ashamed to show him off?”

“No, there’s just nothing to say. He’s from Hangzhou, just went abroad to study in the UK a while back.”

“How did you meet? How long have you been together?”

“Four years. It’s cliché, really—I went to Hangzhou, lost my phone, and he found it. We kept running into each other, and eventually got together.”

“How old are you this year?”

“Same as you—thirty.”

“Then you two won’t make it.”

Wang Yan smiled and said to the unhappy Xiong Qingchun, “If I’m right, your boyfriend’s mother definitely dislikes you, and your boyfriend definitely listens to his mother above all. When he talks to you, he just keeps saying how hard it is, how he’ll try to convince his mom, how much he loves you, how you shouldn’t rush, and how there’s no good future ahead.”

Your eyes tell me I’m right. In fact, you have no real faith in this relationship either—only four years of entanglement have kept you from letting go. Now you’re separated by two countries and ten thousand miles. Just like you think I’m harassing you now, what do you think your boyfriend’s doing in the UK?”

“Besides, his education is better than yours, his background is stronger, and he’s got overseas study experience—his resume is impressive. If he returns to work in China, he won’t do badly. By then, the women around him will be of higher quality—in looks, education, ability, family background—all of it will surpass you.”

“Though modern society encourages late marriage and self-fulfillment, you can’t deny that, overall, social norms and gender differences still apply. A man in his thirties is at his prime; a woman in her thirties? She’s already past her peak. Sure, some men like them—but they prefer so-called ‘young wives’ or ‘tiger-like’ women.”

“Even though society has advanced, material goods are abundant, and cosmetics make everyone look young, Xiong Qingchun, age doesn’t lie, mindset doesn’t lie. Your name suits you well—but do you still have youth?”

Xiong Qingchun exhaled deeply, took a sip of chilled beer, and said, “You speak very clearly. You don’t seem like such a reckless person—how did you get so impulsive?”

“In a rule-of-law society, people with extremely low morals gain advantages. They’re more shameless than you—when they’re strong, they bully you to death; they enjoy seeing you furious yet helpless. When they’re weak, they shed all dignity, scream, roll on the ground, do anything they can. They talk about reason—but only the kind that benefits them. Whatever you say, they ignore completely.”

“Most people weigh the cost of breaking the law. Many believe it’s better to avoid trouble, that suffering brings fortune, that stepping back opens up the horizon, that karma will come—so they choose to endure.”

“But some people just won’t swallow the injustice, won’t tolerate the disgust. In a way, I’ve helped most people realize their karma—I beat that guy half to death, and he must’ve bullied many others. I’ve done a good deed.”

“So tell me—who will deliver karma to me, and relieve you of the hatred you feel from being bullied by me?”

Xiong Qingchun laughed awkwardly, waving her hands: “How could that be, big brother? You’ve misunderstood me too much. You praised my beauty and said you fell for me at first sight—who wouldn’t be happy? Come on, let’s drink a toast—to meeting!”

Wang Yan smiled, raised his cup, and took a sip with her.

“Big brother, you’ve got real talent. I didn’t lie to you—I really can’t afford food anymore. Do you have any good ideas? Otherwise, we’ll both be drinking northwest wind.”

“It’s simple—we run a job agency. So, boss lady, tell me, what’s most important in running a job agency?”

“Jobs and people.”

“See? You’re sharp. So what do you have?”

“I run a housekeeping company and a security company. Sometimes people come looking for work—I get one or two hundred yuan per referral. The security company sometimes needs bodies to fill quotas—same as hiring guards: over 1.7 meters tall, ex-military preferred—I get twenty or thirty yuan per referral.”

“I also know two event companies—they sometimes need people to fill seats at events. I earn ten or twenty yuan per referral.”

“As for people? It’s up to chance. I post job ads on local websites, and occasionally someone comes to the talent market. Month after month, after rent and utilities, I barely scrape by with two meals a day. Now with the two of us? We’re truly done for.”

“Big brother, look—you’re so talented, go out and expand the job network. If we have jobs, people will come to apply. Then we’ll make money and eat like kings.”

“So I work for you, earn money, and you use it to support your boyfriend in the UK?”

“How do you… you’re lying…”

“Curious how I figured it out?”

Though denying it, Xiong Qingchun’s eyes betrayed curiosity—she hadn’t revealed so much.

Wang Yan smiled: “It’s simple. Your clothes are shabby. You’re a beautiful woman—otherwise, I wouldn’t have been so persistent about working for you or claimed I fell for you at first sight. If you had the means, a beautiful woman wouldn’t hesitate to spend on herself.”

“You don’t wear perfume. Your clothes cost maybe eighty or a hundred yuan. Your earrings look elegant, but I bet they’re worth less than twenty yuan. No necklace, no watch, your phone’s a basic two-thousand-yuan model.”

“Of course, I said consumption traps—no need for luxury cosmetics, designer clothes, useless jewelry, just a functional phone. But clearly, you’re not the type who falls into traps. You don’t fall into them because you simply have no money. Earlier, you tried to pay me three hundred yuan to get rid of me—I could tell you had no more than thirty thousand yuan total.”

“But you’re ambitious—otherwise, you wouldn’t have opened this half-dead job agency. That means you once had success, earned money, felt familiar with the industry, confident you’d never starve, even if you couldn’t get rich.”

“So where did your money go? You won’t spend on food or clothes, you’re so hard on yourself. There’s only one reason: you gave it all to your boyfriend. You’re a good woman—naively sweet.”

“What if my parents are sick? I spent all my money on their treatment?”

Wang Yan shook his head: “When I said my parents died, I saw sadness and empathy in your eyes.”

“Impressive.”

“It’s observation.” Wang Yan smiled, raised his cup to her, then drained it.

He really knows how to put on airs…

Xiong Qingchun muttered inwardly, then asked, “I’m not lying—I really think you’re talented. You’re from Liaoning, right? Why’d you come so far? And why are you so down on your luck?”

“I was just traveling on a budget—one person, one car, wandering the world. When money ran out, I worked; when I had some, I walked slowly. Then I got into a fight, and now all my savings are gone.”

“I just got out, no friends, no one to rely on, so I came to Nanning, the capital, hoping to find work and earn some cash, then find a wife and settle down. Turned out lucky—I came here to look for a job and met you. Perfect.”

“So are you going to work? I really can’t afford to feed you, big brother.” Xiong Qingchun rolled her eyes, a bit annoyed.

“Happiness comes from hard work. If we both push, escaping poverty is just around the corner. For now, I’ll rest well. Tomorrow, I’ll go out, find some job leads.”

Xiong Qingchun was speechless at the rogue’s “we’re a couple” remark, didn’t want to argue further, and asked instead: “So you’re not afraid you’re earning money for my boyfriend now?”

“A man who depends on his girlfriend to fund his studies and listens to his mother? I don’t think you two will last. Conservatively, you won’t make it past this year.”

“What if not conservatively?”

“Look—you’re not even sure about the relationship yourself. A normal person would loudly refute me and insist they’ll marry their boyfriend and grow old together. But you’re asking me how long before you break up with him?”

“Big brother, look—I’ve got the guts to shout at you?”

“What kind of talk is that? Am I some murderous terrorist? Do you think I’d treat you like some shallow woman? Besides, I’m planning to live with you—if you hate me, how will things ever work out? Don’t you agree?”

“Hehe…”

Xiong Qingchun smiled at Wang Yan, then immediately stiffened her face and lowered her head to eat. In truth, she already hated him—but clearly, she lacked the courage to say so.

Wang Yan knew exactly what Xiong Qingchun was thinking, but he didn’t care.

In fact, during the conversation about her boyfriend, she’d already absorbed what he said—or rather, she’d already thought through these issues herself, but never dared to face them. People lost in love are blind—they can’t see the true face of the mountain, or if they do, they refuse to believe it.

Soon, they finished eating and drank two bottles of beer. Wang Yan lit a cigarette and wandered around the shop, saying to Xiong Qingchun as she washed dishes: “Go out later and get me a bed—single, military cot, doesn’t matter. Just need a place to sleep. Get me a mattress, bedding, pillow too.”

Xiong Qingchun shook her hands, looked up: “Do you have money?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“If you have money, chip in for a better bed. If you don’t, tough it out—I’m not rich either.”

“No problem. A place to sleep is enough. Inside, there’s no such luxury—just a thin mattress on a wooden board. I slept like that for years—I’m not picky. How do you sleep?”

“None of your business.”

“You think I’ll break into your home if you refuse? Let me reiterate—I’m not a thug. This tattoo? Just curiosity—I thought it looked cool, so I got one. I’m not in the underworld, no need to be so wary. I just got out, you said the police station is a kilometer away. You’ve already registered my info—within days, officers will come to record me. Do you think I want to go back in?”

“Good. Listen—I’m telling you, be careful. You just got out, you’re thirty already. Don’t go back in again—it’s not worth it.”

“Wait, are you threatening me?”

“No, no! I’m just looking out for you. I’m telling you—when you go out to find jobs tomorrow, control your temper. People are like that—once they have a bit of power, they either bully others or demand bribes. We’re asking them for favors—be soft when needed, pay when needed. Don’t get into a fight and beat someone half-dead—it’s not worth it.”

“You understand all this—so why are you so down? Are you so beautiful that everyone wants to sleep with you? One or two might be understandable, but not everyone?”

“I can’t leave. I’m alone—when I’m out finding jobs, I can’t answer calls. So I just call people, chat on the phone, hope for luck. That’s how I ended up going three days without nine meals.”

“Honestly, I’m glad you’re here. Now I can handle calls and find applicants, you go out and expand the job network. We’re a team—male and female—we might actually make it. I just checked—you’ve got that CMA? That’s highly valuable, extremely hard to get. I knew I wasn’t wrong—you’re truly talented.”

“Even if it’s valuable, it’s useless—I can’t get a clean criminal record. Legitimate companies won’t hire me.”

“But we met, didn’t we? We’re a team, working hard together—we might just make it. Then I’ll give you shares, help you find a partner, buy you a house, a car, settle down in Nanning. How great would that be?”

“You’re getting into character fast.” Wang Yan chuckled and shook his head.

“Can’t you just leave me alone?”

“No.”

“Then what’s that saying? Life is like…” Xiong Qingchun looked at Wang Yan’s smiling face and realized the analogy didn’t fit—and that she’d let herself go too far.

She quickly waved her hands: “Anyway, there’s no choice—we just have to stay positive. Alright, watch the shop, handle customers. I’ll go get you a bed, bedding, pillow, towels, all the essentials.”

Under Wang Yan’s gaze, Xiong Qingchun fled in panic.

Wang Yan smiled, walked to the front, sat at the table, pulled out his laptop from his bag, and began typing furiously…