Chapter 4: News of Sister Shuang

"It's fine, hospitals are expensive, and these are just skin injuries, it doesn't matter. I still have to go back to work!"

Thinking about the three thousand yuan I owed Wang Li, I was even more afraid to spend money at the hospital.

The girl tried to persuade me for a long time, but seeing it was useless, she didn't insist. Sister Ling had already helped us take leave. To thank me, the girl wanted to treat me to a meal.

I didn't really want to agree to eat with her, but I thought it would be better to settle things clearly, so I took it as a thank-you gift and didn't want to have any further involvement with her.

Through our conversation, I learned that this girl was named Su Xueyan. She was actually a student, but she was already an adult, otherwise, Sister Ling probably wouldn't have dared to hire her. Her family situation wasn't very good, so she worked part-time during her breaks. The main reason was that the KTV paid well and there were tips. What she hadn't expected was that the KTV could be a deep, murky place, especially in our small area where the emperor was far away.

However, I heard from Su Xueyan that Sister Ling was quite strict about these things and didn't allow guests or anyone else to bully the people in her shop. It was precisely because of Sister Ling's presence that Su Xueyan dared to work part-time at this KTV.

"What are your plans for the future?" We were sitting in a restaurant, facing each other, and I spoke first.

"What plans could I have? You know my family situation. I really need this job, and my younger sister is doing very well in school. If I went anywhere else, I wouldn't be able to earn this much!" Su Xueyan said helplessly.

"But with what happened with Wang Li today, I'm afraid things won't be easy in the future!" I was worried. Honestly, I had thoughts of just running away, but Wang Li could find where I lived, so even if I ran, there was no way out. But this girl was different.

"It's fine, I have Sister Ling's protection, and I have you!" When Su Xueyan mentioned me, her face flushed slightly, and she looked at me before hurriedly lowering her head.

Because we were facing each other, it was easy for me to look at Su Xueyan. I realized that she was actually quite pretty. Although she didn't have the charisma of Sister Ling, she was very pure and cute. Comparing the two, I felt even more inferior.

"Me? Protect you? You're overthinking it. It'll be good if I don't cause trouble. I'm just a useless piece of trash!" I mocked myself. Thinking about Wang Li, I felt desperate. I couldn't imagine how much more miserable my life would be.

"That's not true, I believe in you, you definitely can!" Su Xueyan gave me confidence, looking at me firmly, and reached out to grab my hand.

I suddenly pulled my hand away as if I had been electrocuted. My face felt hot, and my heart was even more timid. I gritted my teeth and shouted: "I don't believe it! In the future, you'd better look out for yourself and don't come bothering me again!"

After saying that, I didn't care about Su Xueyan's reaction and ran out.

I returned to where I lived. This place was left behind by Sister Shuang years ago. The house wasn't big, only two rooms, and it was very narrow. But now, only I was left. After Sister Shuang left, she never came back. During that time, I occasionally sent texts and called, but no one replied. Sister Shuang had disappeared as if she had evaporated from the world.

As usual, I took out the Nokia phone I had been using for years and sent a text to Sister Shuang, asking when she would be back.

But unlike usual, this time I actually received a reply. Seeing the reply, I was incredibly excited and surprised. I stared at the phone for a long time before clicking on it.

However, seeing the content of the text, my heart was even more delighted. Sister Shuang said she would be back in a while and told me to take good care of myself and study hard.

Seeing "study hard," I felt panicked. I should have been in my third year of high school like Su Xueyan, but the tuition and living expenses Sister Shuang gave me had long been squandered. I was no longer a student.

I looked at the text for a long time, not daring to reply. I didn't know how to tell Sister Shuang.

I thought about it all night and decided to make something of myself. Since I couldn't go to school, if I continued to be a bottom-of-the-barrel hoodlum, Sister Shuang would definitely look down on me. I decided to become strong, to make a name for myself, so that when Sister Shuang returned, she would be impressed.

Early the next morning, I felt like I had been injected with adrenaline and arrived at the KTV early. Because it was the weekend, there would be many guests, so the shop opened early. Just as I arrived at the entrance, I saw Su Xueyan. She was dressed the same as before. Theoretically, KTV hostesses should dress a bit sexier and more alluring, but Sister Ling didn't think so. She said some pure-looking ones were also good; some people liked that.

Su Xueyan felt nervous when she saw me, but I took the initiative to greet her, and she responded happily.

If it had been before, after what happened yesterday, I definitely wouldn't have bothered with Su Xueyan today. But today, I was in a good mood, and with the confidence I had gained, I took the initiative to greet her.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, I was too abrupt!" Su Xueyan apologized for yesterday's incident.

"It's not your problem, you don't need to apologize. It was my fault. As compensation, let me treat you to a meal after work today!" I smiled and said to Su Xueyan.

Su Xueyan was clearly unaccustomed to my sudden change, looked at me, and said: "I find you've become a bit different from yesterday?"

"Oh? Really? Have I become uglier?" I asked jokingly.

"No, you've become more charming!" Su Xueyan smiled slightly.

I chatted with Su Xueyan for a bit and then went back. Although Sister Ling wasn't particularly strict with our management, I was afraid that because of me, Wang Li and his crew would hold an even greater grudge against Su Xueyan.

Returning to our base, I found that Wang Li and his men didn't react much to my arrival. I had been prepared for a storm, but there wasn't even a breeze, which I found very strange.

However, I could see the clear hatred in Wang Li's eyes when he looked at me, but he hadn't made a move. I guessed there was some reason, or he was plotting something else.

They were acting as usual, asking me to go out and buy cigarettes and food. Of course, the money was the same as before, making me pay a portion.

"The money isn't enough. Even hard-pack Zhonghua costs forty-five a pack!" My sudden remark stunned them all.

"Damn it!" Wang Li was so angry he slammed the table and was about to move, clearly full of rage.

"Brother Li, don't, don't, have you forgotten Brother Tao's words?" Sanmao, who was beside him, quickly stopped him.