Chapter 11: Expelled Once Again

Many workers watched the scene unfold but no one stepped forward to help; some even hoped Cao Yang would give the supervisor a good beating. Cao Yang’s strength was immense—if he really exerted himself, he could easily snap the supervisor’s neck.

“Don’t be impulsive!” Li Yan rushed over. She wasn’t defending the supervisor; she feared Cao Yang might actually kill him and cause serious trouble.

Cao Yang somewhat heeded her words, roughly throwing the supervisor to the ground, leaving him dazed and disoriented.

Unsurprisingly, he was fired again.

Sitting on the lawn outside the factory with his luggage, Cao Yang sank into deep thought. Was he such a detestable person? Why did the supervisor pick on him? He couldn’t understand. He worked diligently, never shirking or cutting corners, and yet he was being targeted.

He felt lost. Having been fired twice within just a few days, and neither time was it because he had instigated anything.

The workday ended, and Li Yan also came out of the factory carrying her luggage.

“Yan, you’re quitting too?” Cao Yang asked, eyeing her bag. “Did they fire you as well?”

“Yes!” Li Yan snapped irritably.

“Why?”

“Are you seriously asking?” Li Yan was angry. “Everyone knows we’re together. You hit the supervisor, so how could he tolerate me? It’s all because of you. How dare you ask me that?!”

Li Yan had resigned on her own. She knew full well that she had dragged Cao Yang into trouble, causing him to be targeted, but she wouldn’t admit it. Instead, she wanted him to feel guilty, to stop bossing her around and controlling her.

As expected, Cao Yang hung his head awkwardly. “It’s mainly because the supervisor was too much. I just couldn’t hold back.”

“You still have to hold back! Who doesn’t get bullied when they work away from home?!” Li Yan threw her luggage on the grass and plopped down, clearly upset.

Cao Yang lowered his head even further, looking like a child who had done something wrong.

Li Yan turned her head away, afraid she’d burst out laughing and be caught by Cao Yang.

About ten minutes later, she finally spoke. “What do we do now? We have no job, no place to sleep, and hardly any money left!”

“I don’t know,” Cao Yang replied quietly, still looking down.

Li Yan said, “I’ll give you two choices. First, I can work at the Nightingale Club. Second, you can pay to rent a place and take care of our meals.”

“I don’t have any money!”

“Then I’ll go work at the Nightingale.”

“But I don’t want you to go.”

“You damn fool! Do you think I want to? Who works for fun? And why do you keep bossing me around? We’re just neighbors. What I do for work is my own business. You nag me more than my mother ever did!”

Li Yan paused for two seconds, then suddenly opened her mouth wide. “Damn, do you like me or what? That’s why you don’t want me to work at the Nightclub?”

“Who likes you? Don’t be so deluded. I’m just worried you’ll get bullied in a place like that.”

“I worked for years before without any trouble. Now you’re here and suddenly I’m going to get bullied?” Li Yan said that aloud, but secretly felt warmth from the concern.

“Let’s go. We shouldn’t just stand here.” She grabbed her luggage and walked ahead, with Cao Yang following.

They arrived at a small inn, red cloth with rental notices pasted below.

Though called a small inn, it actually had over a hundred rooms. It was “small” only because it was cheap, the rooms tiny, and the amenities poor.

Usually, the patrons were handsome young men and pretty girls from nearby factories—the inn was essentially their rendezvous spot.

Besides that, some rooms were rented out to nearby barbershops, restaurants, and supermarket owners to house their employees.

There were also some couples renting rooms, but overall the draw was cheap prices and barebones facilities.

Li Yan rented a room for two hundred yuan. It had formerly housed waitstaff from the restaurant downstairs and still contained a bunk bed, which they would use to avoid buying new furniture.

“You sleep on the top bunk, I’ll take the bottom,” Li Yan said, putting down her luggage and dividing the beds.

“Aren’t we sharing one room a bit awkward?” Cao Yang scratched his head, feeling embarrassed.

“I’m not embarrassed at all. Why should you be? It’s not like we haven’t slept together before!”

“That was because of limited options. Maybe we should rent another room?”

“Sure, if you have money, go ahead and rent one yourself! Nobody’s stopping you!”

When money was mentioned, Cao Yang fell silent and quietly climbed to the top bunk to make the bed.

Li Yan took out her phone and dialed. “Hello, Manager Xu? This is Li Yan... the waitress who applied three days ago.”

“Yes, I heard your brother offended you. He’s just a kid, inexperienced. Don’t take it personally...”

“I just wanted to ask if you still need people. I want to work.”

“Ah, you want to start tonight? Okay, I’ll be there soon!”

Li Yan hung up and began searching her bag for clothes.

“Are you really going?” Cao Yang asked from atop the bunk, his expression complicated.

“What else can I do? Starve to death?”

Li Yan pulled out a set of underwear. “Close your eyes!”

“Why?”

“So you don’t see me change!”

“Oh.”

Cao Yang closed his eyes while Li Yan unzipped the back and exposed her flawless white skin. She quickly changed out of her clothes and into a new dress.

“All done, open your eyes.”

Just as Cao Yang opened them, Li Yan’s discarded underwear flew into his face.

“What are you doing?” he exclaimed, feeling unlucky.

“Wash it for me.”

“You want me to wash your underwear? I’m a grown man!”

“If you don’t wash it, I won’t give you money!”

In the bathroom, Cao Yang soaked his own clothes in water first, then took Li Yan’s skirt and underwear, holding them carefully in his hands. He studied the lace trimming for a few seconds.

The freshly removed underwear still held warmth; he brought it close to his nose and inhaled.

Hmm... a faint scent of milk.

“Wash it and hang it by the window,” Li YanI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.