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Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Chapter 3. part 2
They’d only known each other for three days, and she didn’t even know what he looked like.
She’d never told anyone else this secret before. If he turned out to be a scammer, she couldn’t even imagine the consequences.
Zhou An’an couldn’t help herself and blurted out, “Are you running some kind of scam?”
Lu Yuan nearly laughed in exasperation. “Why would I scam a penniless girl like you?”
Zhou An’an: Fine. I do have some money, but it’s being held by my eldest uncle.
Lu Yuan: Like the hundred yuan you found on the way home from school?
Zhou An’an: It’s the compensation money from my parents’ car accident!
Lu Yuan was silent for a moment. “How much?”
Zhou An’an: They were in an accident when I was in middle school. The total compensation was five hundred thousand yuan. Since I was a minor at the time, my eldest uncle was appointed to manage the funds. He’s been giving me ten thousand yuan annually for tuition and living expenses until I graduated from college. It’s been nine years now, so there should still be four hundred ten thousand yuan left.
Lu Yuan: I never would have guessed you went to college.
Zhou An’an: …
Lu Yuan: You’ve been an adult for years. Why hasn’t he returned the money to you?
Zhou An’an: He said he was afraid I’d spend it all because I lack self-control. He’d give it to me when I get married, as a dowry.
Lu Yuan: You actually believe that nonsense?
Zhou An’an: My eldest uncle can be decent to me sometimes.
Lu Yuan: Even you admit he’s only βsometimesβ decent. What about the rest of the time? I don’t need to spell it out, do I? I don’t want you crying and losing it again if I say something too harsh.
Zhou An’an sighed.
Sometimes she also felt her eldest uncle was too cold. Apart from giving her money each year, he never showed any genuine concern for her. But he had a large family to support, and she was just an outsider. She had no right to complain, so she could only feel quietly sad during holidays and festivals when everyone else was celebrating with their families.
Lu Yuan knew she was getting emotional again and continued speaking as if she hadn’t interrupted: You need to do two things immediately. First, quit your job. Stop wasting your time there. Second, go get that money back.
Zhou An’an was wary: And after I get it back? Should I transfer it to you?
If he said yes, it would be a clear scam.
Lu Yuan: What would I do with it? Can I eat it or drink it on Doomsday?
Zhou An’an felt slightly relieved: I’ll think about it.
Lu Yuan nearly punched her: What’s there to think about?!
Flushing, she said: I need to get back to work. We can talk more after my shift.
With that, she put her phone away and refused to look at it again.
Before she knew it, her shift was over. Zhou An’an began tidying up the burlap sacks and potato peels around her.
By the end of the day, she had fried an entire sack of potatoes, each fry perfectly golden and crispy.
The job was monotonous, poorly paid, and undervalued, but being able to support herself with her own hands gave her a deep sense of accomplishment.
Should I really quit?
She hesitated, torn.
“Zhou An’an, come to my office for a moment,” the boss called, poking his head in.
She tossed aside the potato peels and followed him, puzzled.
The boss sat in the store’s only genuine leather swivel chair, its creaks sounding like it might collapse at any moment.
“I heard you’re seeing someone?”
Zhou An’an: “…No.”
“Good. Young men these days are all scoundrels. A quiet girl like you would be easily deceived.”
His sudden concern caught her off guard. Flustered, she could only thank him, her ears burning red.
“No need to thank me. I appreciate obedient employees.”
The boss leaned closer, the greasy smell of his unwashed hair filling the air. “Even though you’ve only been here for less than half a year, I’ve decided to make an exception and promote you to a second-tier employee. That’s an extra fifty yuan a month. What do you say?”
“Huh?!”
“No need to be surprised, you deserve it. Are you free after work tonight? I know a great private cinema. I’ll treat you to a movie.”
He winked his right eye, and Zhou An’an struggled to keep from vomiting on the spot.
“No thanks, I need to go home and do laundry.”
“Laundry is so tiring. Don’t you have a washing machine? I happen to have a spare one at home. I’ll have it delivered to your place. An’an, a girl’s hands need to be carefully protected…”
The boss reached out to touch her hand.
Zhou An’an recoiled three steps, took a deep breath, and declared, “I… I quit!”
If she didn’t quit, she might have to endure his harassment even on the last day of her life- a fate worse than death itself.
Ten minutes later, Zhou An’an walked out of the store, clutching her bag.
I quit, she texted Lu Yuan.
Good job. When are you going to do the second one? Lu Yuan replied.
Everything is difficult at first. After successfully resigning, Zhou An’an suddenly felt much more confident, realizing that many things weren’t as hard as she had imagined.
Zhou An’an: My eldest uncle’s family lives in the countryside. I’ll go there tomorrow.
Lu Yuan: Wear your Bluetooth headset and keep the voice call open. I’ll guide you on what to say.
Zhou An’an: Isn’t that a bit much? He’s my own uncle, after all.
Lu Yuan: Are you 100% certain you can get the money back?
Zhou An’an: …
She wasn’t. Not even 50% certain.
Resigned to her fate, Zhou An’an accepted the plan and took a bus back to the countryside early the next morning.
As she walked through the courtyard gate of her uncle’s house, wearing her headset, she felt like a rookie spy on her first mission, every pore oozing with nervousness.
Lu Yuan: Don’t be nervous. You’re just here to reclaim your own money.
Zhou An’an: Aren’t we on a voice call? I haven’t said anything. How do you know I’m nervous?
Lu Yuan: I can hear your heartbeat even in the Doomsday world.
Zhou An’an: β¦
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