CH 9

‘Why didn’t he go to work in the office if he was short of money?’

With furrowed eyebrows, Huo Yunchuan thought this over for a couple of minutes. Countless possible reasons flashed across his mind, but he couldn’t be too sure about any one of them was true. ‘Did he dislike the low salary or did he find a better place?’

But he didn’t believe that a part-time student could find a salary higher than 4,000 for part-time, which was almost impossible except working at entertainment venues. 

‘Could it be that the other party went to the company again?’

“…” When this conjecture foreignly landed on his train of thoughts, Huo Yunchuan’s complexion became worse and worse. He immediately scrolled on his contact list and stopped at the phone number the boy left that day and called. 

As for the reason for this, naturally, it was to save a youngster who had taken a wrong step in life. 

“Hello?” the young man’s clear voice was transmitted on Yunchuan’s line. The unique tone and fresh taste of his timbre quickly reminded the older man of their intimate moments. 

“It’s me.” Huo Yunchuan, who was slightly losing his calm because of his raging thoughts, easily adapted a calm voice as he asked lightly, “You didn’t go to the law firm?”

“Loui—oh no. Mr. Huo…” An Wuyang was partially shocked. Why did this bigshot president call him? He ate a few seconds of silence before he responded, “En, I didn’t go to the office.”

Huo Yunchuan asked in a deep voice, “Why not go?”

An Wuyang wrinkled his nose and nervously replied, “Because… I found a job that is more suitable for me, uh, as for the law firm, I don’t know anything about it.”

This was also one of the reasons for not considering getting the work there. 

“You don’t have to do anything seriously there, it’s just running errands and chores asked by the staff.” Huo Yunchuan added, “What kind of work is suitable?”

‘Did you really find another job?’

“En, it’s a family bakery. It’s located in Chun Hui Roa. Mr Huo can buy a snack there if he wants to eat. It’s called Huajia Bakery, and the pastries there are very delicious.” An Wuyang talked about his favorite things at the bakery on and on, and his voice was full of vitality. 

Listening to this kind of excitement, Huo Yunchuan was pulled into a trance for a second. He clearly knew that he and An Wuyang didn’t have a common language and that there was a big difference in their age gap, yet he still couldn’t help not to contact the other due to his annoying restlessness. “Tsk, I have no stomach for sweet and greasy things.”

He didn’t know what was wrong with him.

An Wuyang suddenly mentioned, “But you ate a lot of cherries that day.”

“…” Yes, that should be right. The sensual image of the cherry dangling on the semi-opened, supple, red lips appeared again. For the nth time this week. 

Huo Yunchuan’s adam’s apple bobbed up. He didn’t want to receive the other party’s intentional or unintentional teasing. He said coldly, “I’m hanging up. Goodbye.”

Swiftly hanging up without the other party’s consent, and not letting people to even say goodbye, An Wuyang twitched his mouth in contempt. “Smelly man.”

‘Is it true that rich and powerful men are like this?’

He wasn’t conscious that Huo Yunchuan was the only upper-class person he had been in contact with all his life. 

***

“President, this is the list of layoffs and job transfers for the newly acquired company.” Secretary Anan came in and handed the white vertical folder before Huo Yunchuan. “There are also pieces of brief information about the employees written inside. Please take a look.”

After a week of discussions and planning, the new company was ready to make new content for the management affairs. Some of the original employees would be able to keep their positions, while others were to be laid off, and the rest would be transferred to another company. 

“En. You can go. I’ll look at it later.” Huo Yunchuan said as he was occupied with the most important matters on hand. 

It was until the end of the working hours that he piled up the folder given by the secretary, and checked it. 

After he confirmed that everything was on-point and just, Yunchuan gave his subordinates a signal for execution. 

This Monday was particularly difficult for the An Cheng couple. They heard that the company was going to cut off certain employees by this week’s Friday, rearing everyone in a state of panic. Everyone’s hearts were in their own mouths, afraid about whether they would be part of the layoffs. 

At 3:30 in the afternoon, someone from the head office came over with a list to announce. 

An Cheng and Ding Wei were working in the same department. The former stood firmly by his wife’s side, tightly squeezing her hand for comfort. He bowed his head slightly, and whispered silent cheer, “No matter what the results are, don’t be afraid. We’ll find another job again.”

However, Ding Wei was not so optimistic. “I’m afraid it’ll be difficult to find a job with a comparable salary.”

In current times, the sum of her and her husband’s wages was large enough. Otherwise, it would be nearly impossible to raise three children in a first-tier city like Beijing. 

When the list of the layoffs was read out, the An couple breathed sighs of relief. They were not included in the list of cut-off employees. 

Unfortunately, Ding Wei’s name was written on the list of employees to be transferred out. 

As they all naturally know, after accepting a job transfer, the benefits and their salaries would still not be disclosed by the head immediately. Compared with job layoffs, the individual listed in Ding Wei’s category may be just a reserved option. 

When re-negotiating the labor contracts one by one, the head office gave them a salary that was neither high nor low. 

“…” The husband and wife’s faces were loomed by dark clouds and sadness. They didn’t even have the energy to make dinner, and just sat directly on the sofa in a daze. 

Intellectually, they knew it’d be impossible to continue to get the previous high salary unless they perform such impressive work in the new company. By constantly doing that, it’s possible to return to a satisfactory level in two or three years. 

Yet on the emotional side, they couldn’t accept the sudden wage cut on their finances. This would entirely mean that the quality of their whole family would decline to adapt to their current circumstances.

It may even affect the quality of their children’s education. 

“Dad, mom?” An Wuyang had returned from the part-time job and saw that the table was still devoid of any food, so he took the initiative to wash the rice grains and steam it, and carried on to wash the vegetables as well, for hygienic purposes. 

“…” An Cheng patted his wife on the shoulder. “Oh, don’t think too much. We don’t want to affect the children.”

“En.” Ding Wei awoke from her stupor and stood up to help Wuyang cook. 

“What’s the matter with you?” An Wuyang asked. 

He noticed that his parent’s complexion just now was not good, and he was very worried. “Did you…have a quarrel?”

It stood to reason that they’re unlikely to have one. ‘My parents always have a good relationship, and I’m envious of them.’

Ding Wei shook her head, seeming to also erase the bad thoughts in there, and said, “We didn’t quarrel. We’ll talk to you later in the evening.”

“Oh.” An Wuyang heed his mother’s words, closed his mouth, and just concentrated on cooking. 

At exactly 7:30 in the evening, the younger brother returned home from the cram school and sat immediately in his seat once he had settled his things down. 

It was a bit heartless for An Wuyang but he had unknowingly forgotten the abnormality of his parents a few minutes ago. So when he heard from them that the company was acquired by someone and also the matter on their wages, he wasn’t mentally prepared at all. 

As far as he knew, there were not much savings at home…

Seeing the somber atmosphere at the table, An Cheng raised a smile. “Don’t worry too much. Mom and Dad will perform well in the new company and will strive to raise the salary as soon as possible.”

An Wuji put down his tableware and thoughtfully said, “… The cram school I’m currently attending is very expensive. Mom and Dad, I don’t want to do it anymore. I can just study by myself at home.”

“That won’t work.” Ding Wei objected first. “The cram school cannot be interrupted, so you should do what you’re supposed to do. Even with that, I will not shorten your educational resources.”

“Yes,” An Cheng agreed. “Your parents will work hard not just to educate you but also become future talents.”

Hearing the conversation between his parents and his smart younger brother, An Wuyang felt uncomfortable and outcasted. Needless to say, both the elder sister and his younger brother would definitely become individuals who were worthy of respect. Only he didn’t deserve to be supported with educational resources and to be spent so much money by going to a useless second-tier university. And in the end, it would be hard for him to find a proper job in the future. 

A bold idea quietly popped into his mind, but due to the majesty of his parents, Wuyang did not have the courage to say it. 

With a heavy heart, the youngster carried on with his life during the blazing climate of July. 

In the early air of August, the Huajia Bakery gave its part-time students last month’s salary, which was very humane on their end, and the kind shop owner was very much loved by the student party.

Xiao Lin, who worked part-time with An Wuyang, came over after getting off work and said, “Wuyang, how about we invite the chefs to have a barbeque after work?”

Now that the salary had been handed to them, An Wuyang nodded without hesitation. “Okay.” It was more cost-efficient for the two of them to share the expenses together.

In the early evening, all the staff who were free got together, a total of six people, in a well-known barbeque restaurant near the bakery, and ordered a table of delicious food. 

Especially during summer when the air was warmer, having a barbeque and drinking beer with everyone could evoke a slow-paced, relaxed vibe on a hangout. An Wuyang had always liked this hangout.

After the barbeque was laid out on the table, he promptly held a can of beer in one hand and a lamb skewer in the other within just mere seconds and began to eat. 

Just with only two bites, An Wuyang frowned suddenly. He showed a disgusting expression as if he wanted to puke, put down the lamb skewers, and said, “Are today’s lamb skewers not fresh? Why do I feel nauseous…”

Xiao Lin wiped his shiny mouth greased with oil, and puzzledly replied, “No. It’s delicious, and exactly what it should taste like.”

An Wuyang could only admit that he was unlucky as he took another string. “Perhaps that skewer isn’t fresh…”

Just like the previous time, he only consumed two bites and the disgusting feeling came again. He quickly put down the roasted mutton. “You guys continue eating, I’ll just go to the bathroom.”

After staying in the bathroom for a while, his nausea slowly dissipated, and his face regained its pale and rosy color. But when he walked out, Wuyang was instantly hit by the strong scent of the barbeque and he immediately felt the urge to vomit again. 

“…” He might recoil from eating barbeques today, he thought. 

In order to not affect everyone’s amazing appetite, An Wuyang decided to leave early and let Xiao Lin pay for his share and then pay it tomorrow. 

On the way back, Wuyang bought light snacks and fruits for his younger brother to eat. 

An Wuji was delighted by the food that his kind older brother bought. He was like a little mouse that found a cheese to nibble during his escape. Eating those refreshments first before continuing to do his discarded homework. 

“When I go to high school, I will also work part-time.”

In An Wuyang’s bewildered dream, he laughed when he heard his brother suddenly broke a word. 

“Brother, brother, you’re going to be late.” At seven o’clock in the morning, An Wuji was horrified by his brother who was still sleeping on his bed. He climbed up on their double-deck bed and pushed Wuyang hard. “Wake up!”

An Wuyang, who was in the middle of a nice slumber, was awakened. But he was so sleepy, that he couldn’t manage to open his eyelids for more than a second, so he turned, and continued to sleep.

“Hey, don’t you need to go to work today?” An Wuji asked, uncertain.

“Go to work…” Who said there was no need to go to work? Wuyang immediately got up from his bed, but soon lay down again as he was attacked by dizziness, felt nauseous, and was really sick!

These symptoms lasted for some time, with An Wuyang enduring the sudden symptoms with his eyes closed. However, it still didn’t disappear in ten minutes. Wuyang felt that his body was a traitor to his will.

An Wuji looked at his sluggish brother and seriously said, concern evident in his tone, “You should call for sick leave.” 

But, An Wuyang simply replied as he acted to be fine. “If you ask for leave, then they will deduct that from your salary.” For the money, he got up with great perseverance, dressed well, and washed to go to work. 

His hand was gripping the pillar tightly as he rode in public transport to prevent himself from falling down. 

For An Wuyang, only if he really couldn’t get up could he let himself rest for the day. Otherwise, he was likely to spend precious time doing meaningless things and he would feel uncomfortable and worthless. 

‘After all, I am not good at studies. And if I don’t work hard in other areas, then I’ll truly become a worthless person.

The author has something to say:

I am a little bun. I will hurt my dad when I grow up.