Chapter 16 Butter French Toast Drizzled with Condensed Milk, Sweet…

Bai Yuanzhi was quite confident she would be hired as a cleaner at Bilanting.

But during the process of lining up and waiting for her turn to apply, something happened that surprised her greatly—she actually spotted Li Yongzhen in the crowd!

Perhaps because Bai Yuanzhi was dressed plainly, or perhaps because there were too many applicants…

Li Yongzhen didn’t notice Bai Yuanzhi at first.

Of course, the reason Bai Yuanzhi spotted Li Yongzhen at a glance was because Li Yongzhen was dressed so strikingly!

Her wavy hair cascaded loosely, with the trendy “cloud-like” bangs framing her forehead.

She wore denim hot pants that revealed a pair of straight, long legs, paired with a loose-fitting red blouse with white polka dots, its hem tied at the waist in a scissor knot.

Her makeup was impeccable, with large white plastic hoop earrings dangling below her ears, white high-heeled sandals on her feet, and a white leather chain-strap bag slung over her shoulder.

She looked every bit the fashionable and fiery modern girl!

She was quite eye-catching.

Otherwise, Bai Yuanzhi wouldn’t have noticed her.

Li Yongzhen seemed somewhat uncomfortable with her outfit and makeup, fidgeting with her hair and tugging at her shorts…

Somehow, as Li Yongzhen’s gaze wandered aimlessly, she suddenly caught sight of Bai Yuanzhi.

Li Yongzhen froze.

She looked Bai Yuanzhi up and down…

Seeing Bai Yuanzhi dressed in ordinary denim pants, worn sneakers, and a faded T-shirt—looking utterly plain—Li Yongzhen curled her lip, rolled her eyes, and shifted her gaze away.

But before long, Li Yongzhen couldn’t help but glance at Bai Yuanzhi again.

—Though the girl was short and slender, seemingly not yet fully developed, her natural features were truly exceptional.

Moreover, in just half a month, Bai Yuanzhi was no longer the girl she remembered from their first encounter.

The Bai Yuanzhi of before had dry, yellowish hair, a thin and frail frame, and dark, rough skin.

Now, Bai Yuanzhi’s hair was glossy and shiny. Though still thin, her face had filled out slightly, and her skin had noticeably become fairer, smoother, and more delicate.

This only accentuated her picturesque brows and eyes.

For no apparent reason, Li Yongzhen felt a sense of pressure—if Bai Yuanzhi were competing with her for the front desk position, would she even stand a chance?

With this thought, Li Yongzhen grew anxious.

She hurriedly pushed her way toward Bai Yuanzhi—

She wanted to find out exactly which position Bai Yuanzhi was applying for.

However, Bai Yuanzhi and Li Yongzhen belonged to different applicant groups.

Bai Yuanzhi was applying for a part-time position and was waiting in Area B.

Li Yongzhen was applying for a full-time position and was waiting in Area A.

Before Li Yongzhen could make her way to Bai Yuanzhi’s side,

Someone at the entrance of the Area B interview room called out, “…Next group, please prepare: Bai Yuanzhi, Zhang Qiufen, and He Lina.”

So Bai Yuanzhi picked up her handwritten resume and walked with the others to the waiting area.

Li Yongzhen had no choice but to stop in her tracks, watching and observing intently.

When it was Bai Yuanzhi’s turn to be interviewed,

She first followed the instructions and demonstrated her bed-making skills on-site,

Then sat down to be interviewed by the interviewer.

The interviewer took her resume and carefully read it from beginning to end, then frowned as he looked at her. “Miss Bai Yuanzhi, did you write this resume yourself? You worked as a room cleaner at Aijia Hotel for a period of time?”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded.

“What is your educational background?”

“I finished junior high school in the mainland,” Bai Yuanzhi lied without changing her expression.

The Zhou family would never have allowed her to attend school.

In her previous life, when she was in the mainland, she was completely illiterate.

It was only after arriving in Hong Kong City later that she spent time and made a determined effort to learn to read and study.

Then Bai Yuanzhi told the truth, “I will be attending night school in Hong Kong City soon—classes start around July.”

The interviewer stared at Bai Yuanzhi for a long moment before smiling. “Miss Bai, you don’t need to be so nervous. Actually, what I mean is, with your excellent qualifications, applying for a room cleaner position seems a bit like overkill.”

“Look, the people competing with you are all around forty years old with little education,” the interviewer said, gesturing for Bai Yuanzhi to look at the others present.

Bai Yuanzhi had already recognized her advantages when she worked as a cleaner at Aijia.

—She was young, physically fit, strong, quick and efficient, responsive, and had strong communication skills.

That’s why she was confident she would pass the interview today.

The interviewer continued, “You’re young, literate, good-looking, and articulate, so would you consider… interviewing for other positions? For example, hotel lobby manager, front desk, or receptionist?”

Bai Yuanzhi replied politely, “Thank you, but I have my own plans. Right now, I only need the room cleaner job.”

The interviewer asked curiously, “What kind of plans?”

Bai Yuanzhi said, “I want to attend night school in the second half of the year and take the university entrance exam. So I can’t let work and earning money take up too much of my time.”

The interviewer suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly. “Miss Bai is an ambitious person.”

Soon, Bai Yuanzhi received a small badge that read “FIRST PASS.”

After waiting about an hour, she and the others who passed the initial screening entered the next round of interviews.

The second interview was even simpler. Bai Yuanzhi was asked a few questions like “What is your current address?” and passed.

Finally, all those who passed the interviews were divided into different groups. They sat together to listen to the supervisor’s instructions, and after the briefing, they were dismissed to prepare for work the next day.

Bai Yuanzhi did the math.

It had to be said, Bilanting Hotel truly lived up to its reputation as a five-star luxury hotel.

Even the wages for part-time cleaners were better than what she earned at Aijia.

—At Aijia, it was four yuan per hour, three hours a day, with a ten-yuan Perfect Attendance Bonus for working all thirty days. That meant she could earn 370 yuan for the entire month.

But at Bilanting Hotel, it was also three hours of work per day, with an hourly wage of six and a half yuan, plus a staff meal included. Working twenty-eight days in a month counted as perfect attendance.

The Perfect Attendance Bonus was divided into three tiers:

If there were no guest complaints, the entire group could receive the full bonus—fifty yuan per person;

If there were complaints but not exceeding the specified ratio, the entire group could receive the second-tier bonus—thirty yuan per person;

If complaints exceeded the standard, the entire group would only receive five yuan per person.

Bai Yuanzhi calculated:

To maximize the benefits, working twenty-eight days would earn her 596 yuan!

Plus, a free lunch was included!

Bai Yuanzhi was overjoyed.

So much so that when Li Yongzhen called out to her, she was a bit dazed.

—She had long since forgotten all about Li Yongzhen!

Li Yongzhen asked Bai Yuanzhi, “Hey, what are you doing here? Applying for a job? What position?”

Bai Yuanzhi shot back, “Hey, what about you?”

Li Yongzhen: …

“Country bumpkin, I asked you first!” Li Yongzhen snapped.

Bai Yuanzhi’s expression instantly darkened. “Try calling me that again?”

Li Yongzhen froze.

She had interacted with Zhou Sier and Zhou Zhaodi.

Zhou Sier certainly had her pride, but she was gentle by nature. Even when Li Yongzhen and Wu Jiayin picked on her, she never said much, at most just distanced herself from the Wu family.

As for Zhou Zhaodi, she had neither shame nor pride, clinging shamelessly to the Wu family for free meals and lodging…

So Li Yongzhen never expected Bai Yuanzhi to be so fierce.

All she did was call Bai Yuanzhi a country bumpkin—

Was it really necessary for Bai Yuanzhi to look so terrifying?

Just then, the interviewer who had earlier interviewed Bai Yuanzhi and his colleague walked out from inside. Seeing Bai Yuanzhi, the interviewer smiled and said, “Miss Bai, if you want to transfer to the hotel lobby front desk, come find me. I’ll help you with the formalities.”

Bai Yuanzhi replied politely, “Thank you, Mr. Zhou.”

Mr. Zhou and his group left, laughing and chatting.

Li Yongzhen’s face suddenly changed color. “Bai Yuanzhi! Are you here to apply for the front desk too?”

Hearing this, Bai Yuanzhi immediately understood what was going on—Li Yongzhen was here today to apply for a front desk position at Bilanting Hotel.

She glanced sideways at Li Yongzhen and sneered.

Li Yongzhen suddenly caught on. “You didn’t apply for the front desk, did you? Otherwise, that person wouldn’t have said what he just did.”

Bai Yuanzhi said word by word, “Then you heard what Mr. Zhou said just now. Even though the position I got isn’t the front desk, if I want to go, I can.”

“Hey, what about you? Did you get the front desk job?” Bai Yuanzhi asked.

Li Yongzhen’s face instantly flushed bright red.

Bai Yuanzhi laughed. “Looks like you didn’t get it.”

Li Yongzhen bit her lower lip and looked in the direction Mr. Zhou had left.

Her eyes shifted, and she asked Bai Yuanzhi, “Hey, are you… close with that person? Then talk to him for me, tell him to hire me!”

Bai Yuanzhi ignored Li Yongzhen and turned to leave.

Li Yongzhen chased after her. “Hey, say something!”

“Hey your head!” Bai Yuanzhi shouted angrily. “Are you that ill-mannered? Talking to people without even using their names, just ‘hey, hey, hey’ all day… Do you talk to your uncle and your cousin like that too?”

“Oh, I get it. You’re an orphan, right? Otherwise, why wouldn’t you live in your own home and stay at my aunt’s house all the time?”

“Alright, since you’re an orphan, I’ll forgive you for having no mother to teach you manners!” With that, Bai Yuanzhi quickened her pace.

Li Yongzhen was stunned.

After a long moment, she snapped out of it and hurried to catch up with Bai Yuanzhi. “Bai Yuanzhi, what nonsense are you talking!”

“I’m not an orphan, I, I…”

Li Yongzhen wasn’t close to Bai Yuanzhi and couldn’t bring herself to say the truth: “My home is on a very remote island, so I have to stay at my uncle’s place in Kowloon.”

So she glossed over it, “I, I just forgot your name for a moment!”

Bai Yuanzhi was furious. “You’ve been waiting here for me for two hours, and you dare say you forgot my name?”

“I’m different, though. I’ve always remembered your name very well.”

“You’re called Chi Zuo Dao Ye Xiang (Cantonese pun: Late to dump night soil)!”

Li Yongzhen was stunned.

She never expected that just calling out “Hey” to Bai Yuanzhi would lead to such an attack.

The key point was,

She seemed completely unable to retort!

She couldn’t curse back either,

Because she still wanted to ask Bai Yuanzhi if she could help her get into Bilanting through that Mr. Zhou from earlier.

“Bai Yuanzhi, I, I…”

Li Yongzhen wanted to apologize but couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Seeing Bai Yuanzhi already striding away,

Li Yongzhen steeled herself. “Hey… no, no, Bai Yuanzhi! Bai Yuanzhi, wait for me! I, I shouldn’t have called you ‘Hey’ just now. I apologize!”

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment and stopped.

She turned back to Li Yongzhen and said, “Alright, I’ll give you a chance—treat me to a good meal, and I’ll forgive you.”

Upon hearing this, Li Yongzhen instinctively clutched her small purse tightly, glaring at Bai Yuanzhi with a pained expression.

After an internal struggle, Li Yongzhen closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, speaking with a determined, almost desperate tone, “Fine! What do you want to eat?”

Bai Yuanzhi answered without hesitation, “There’s a cha chaan teng up ahead. Treat me to French toast and silk stocking milk tea!”

Hearing this, Li Yongzhen breathed a slight sigh of relief. “Deal!”

Thank goodness, French toast and silk stocking milk tea weren’t too expensive.

The two went to the cha chaan teng.

Li Yongzhen reluctantly ordered French toast and silk stocking milk tea for Bai Yuanzhi.

When it came to herself, she was initially hesitant about ordering anything.

But then she thought, if even Bai Yuanzhi could eat so well, why should she be so hard on herself?

So Li Yongzhen ordered the same for herself.

Hong Kong City was a colony.

The rulers were the British, but over ninety percent of the residents came from various parts of mainland China, resulting in a unique culinary culture that blended traditional flavors from across China with Western influences to varying degrees.

Cha chaan tengs were highly representative of Hong Kong City—affordable, mid-to-low-tier restaurants that combined Chinese and Western elements.

And French toast was the most representative of these fusion foods.

Its main ingredient was bread, commonly known as sliced bread.

Sliced bread was bland; eating it dry could choke you.

But it was also a cheap food that could fill the stomachs of the poor.

The Chinese, a people long surrounded by delicious food, felt a strong sense of dissatisfaction upon realizing that sliced bread could only barely keep hunger at bay.

Thus, various transformations emerged.

French toast was probably the simplest and most successful culinary transformation.

—First, soak it thoroughly in milk, then dip it in beaten egg, and finally pan-fry it slowly in butter over low heat.

Once fried until crispy on all sides, remove it and drizzle condensed milk over the top.

Butter and condensed milk French toast was now complete.

Soon, two servings of French toast were brought to Bai Yuanzhi and Li Yongzhen.

Looking at the French toast before her, exuding a rich milky aroma, Bai Yuanzhi took a deep, blissful breath.

She was only seventeen now. Years of backbreaking labor on the mainland, coupled with never having eaten her fill… left her lean, malnourished body screaming every day: I want to eat, I want to eat, I want to eat!

The sight of this delicious, high-fat, high-sugar carbohydrate captivated her, its rich aroma so enticing it left her utterly spellbound.

Bai Yuanzhi couldn’t resist picking up the knife and fork, swiftly and deftly cutting a piece of French toast and stuffing it into her mouth.

Instantly, the rich flavors of milk and eggs filled her mouth!

Beneath the crispy fried surface lay soft bread soaked in milk and egg, each bite a delightful mix of the crackling crust and the juicy, tender center… the complex texture was utterly mesmerizing!

After a few more chews, the smoothness of butter and the unique wheaty aroma of fermented bread all surged forth!

So delicious!

Bai Yuanzhi devoured more than half of the French toast in one go, her mouth and stomach brimming with happiness.

Li Yongzhen was no less enthusiastic.

But the moment the French toast was served, Li Yongzhen’s heart was filled with malice.

She thought to herself, surely this country bumpkin Bai Yuanzhi wouldn’t know how to use a knife and fork, right?

Well, she was going to mock her mercilessly in a moment!

But to Li Yongzhen’s utter surprise,

Bai Yuanzhi picked up the knife and fork naturally and skillfully cut the French toast!

At that moment, Li Yongzhen’s eyes widened in shock.

The smug words, “How would a country bumpkin like you know how to eat Western food? Fine, beg me, and I’ll teach you how to use a knife and fork,” were firmly stuck in Li Yongzhen’s throat, impossible to utter.

Suddenly, Li Yongzhen remembered something else: how did Bai Yuanzhi, who was so poor, know that the tea restaurant served French toast and silk stocking milk tea?

Li Yongzhen bit her lower lip, her face flushing bright red.

Bai Yuanzhi paid no attention to Li Yongzhen.

Sweet treats brought joy,

so Bai Yuanzhi directly asked Li Yongzhen, “Did you come to me about applying for the front desk position at Bilanting Hotel? Weren’t you always looking down on such jobs?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Yuanzhi regretted her words.

Li Yongzhen didn’t immediately realize why Bai Yuanzhi, whom she had only met three times, knew so much about her.

She only felt ashamed, her face red as if dripping with blood.

“Ah Zhi, please, don’t tell your aunt, and don’t tell Jia Yin… oh, and definitely don’t tell Zhao Di,” Li Yongzhen whispered softly.

Bai Yuanzhi tilted her head and looked at Li Yongzhen.

Li Yongzhen said awkwardly, “I’m afraid if I don’t get the job, they’ll laugh at me.”

Bai Yuanzhi didn’t quite understand, “Why wouldn’t you get hired?”

After all, among the applicants, Li Yongzhen was the kind of beauty who caught the eye at first glance.

The Mr. Zhou who had just interviewed her also said that girls with good looks were easily selected, especially since a five-star hotel needed beautiful women at the front desk.

Even someone as plain as herself was qualified to work the front desk, so how could Li Yongzhen, a curvy beauty, not be chosen?

Li Yongzhen blushed and said, “I can’t pass the literacy test.”

Bai Yuanzhi’s eyes widened in surprise.

Li Yongzhen explained further, “Bilanting is hiring two types of front desk positions: those who know English earn three thousand a month! I applied for the Chinese front desk position, which pays two thousand a month… but there are many applicants for this position, and I was eliminated in the first round.”

“Working at the front desk, you can’t be illiterate!” Bai Yuanzhi blurted out. “Since your literacy isn’t up to par, why don’t you go to night school?”

Li Yongzhen was stunned.

She had never even considered this possibility.

For a moment, she fell into deep thought.

After a while, Li Yongzhen muttered to herself, “That’s right, why… have I never thought about going to night school?”

A moment later, Li Yongzhen shook her head again. “Whether or not to attend night school can be discussed later. But right now, I really need a job. Ah Zhi, since you and Mr. Zhou are so close, could you ask him to help me?”

Bai Yuanzhi countered, “Have you considered that if your education and knowledge are insufficient, and you force yourself into this position, what if a guest comes to check in and you can’t even fill out the registration book? Or what if you manage to write it, but something goes wrong? Who would bear the consequences?”

Li Yongzhen stared blankly, her mouth agape.

Bai Yuanzhi cut another piece of French toast and slowly savored it in her mouth.

Li Yongzhen bit her lower lip and sighed. “What you say makes sense… but I really do need a job.”

Bai Yuanzhi recalled how, in her past life, Li Yongzhen, Wu Jiayin, and Zhou Niandi had competed to dress themselves up as socialites and vied to seduce wealthy heirs, their fawning attitudes on full display. Looking at the Li Yongzhen before her now, desperately in need of a job, she couldn’t help but say, “Then why don’t you look for a suitable job?”

Li Yongzhen sighed again. “First, because Bilanting is a luxury hotel—working there is very prestigious, and the pay is high. Second, because I can’t find any other suitable jobs… And third, because I can’t stay at your aunt’s house anymore.”

Bai Yuanzhi widened her eyes and quickly asked, “Why? Isn’t your uncle very fond of you?”

Indeed, if it weren’t for wanting to find out about Zhou Xiangmei’s recent situation, Bai Yuanzhi wouldn’t have agreed to have a meal with Li Yongzhen!

She would rather spend her free time working.

Li Yongzhen wailed, “Ah Zhi, you have no idea! Your aunt now… gets summoned to the police station by Officer Xiao Jiang every other day, so all the housework at home falls on me!”

“Before, your aunt did all the housework. Honestly, I really thought she was just playing around all day. Now that it’s my turn to do the chores, I realize how much work there actually is in a household! It turns out your aunt only seemed to be playing all the time because she’s so efficient…”

“Most importantly, they always compare me to your aunt! They complain that my cooking isn’t tasty, that I don’t mop the floor clean enough, that I don’t separate dark and light clothes when doing laundry, or socks and underwear…”

“I’ve had enough!”

“So I want to find a job and move out!” Li Yongzhen declared.

When Bai Yuanzhi heard that Zhou Xiangmei was being summoned to the police station every other day, she let out a long sigh of relief.

How wonderful!

That meant Zhou Xiangmei probably had no energy left to pressure the hospital about abandoning Zhou Sier’s treatment.

After listening to Li Yongzhen’s complaints, Bai Yuanzhi suddenly realized—this world seemed to have changed the fate trajectories of many people, all because of the slight flutter of her own butterfly wings!

Look, Zhou Xiangmei hadn’t become a wealthy woman,

Her eldest sister’s life was temporarily preserved,

Zhou Zhaodi was teetering on the edge of going astray,

And Li Yongzhen was showing faint signs of becoming more grounded and upwardly mobile!

“Ah Zhi, could you help me?” Li Yongzhen pleaded meekly.

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment and spoke honestly, “I can’t help you.”

Li Yongzhen’s face immediately fell.

“I can only offer you one piece of advice,” Bai Yuanzhi said. “If you want that receptionist job but aren’t qualified enough, then work on meeting the qualifications.”

“But during this gap period, you’d better take on a job to make ends meet first. For example, something like a lobby attendant at the Bilanting Hotel. The pay might be a bit lower, but it’s still working at a five-star hotel!”

“Then you can attend night school while observing what the front desk staff usually do… and aim to transfer to the front desk in next year’s or future recruitment.”

“I believe that as long as you meet the requirements, you’ll be prioritized for hiring because you’re already an employee of Bilanting.” Bai Yuanzhi pretended not to notice the changing expressions on Li Yongzhen’s face and earnestly offered her suggestion.

Li Yongzhen’s expression shifted from an initial scowl, her face clearly saying, “You won’t help me and still expect me to treat you to French toast? How shameless,”

to “Hmm, that actually makes some sense,”

and finally to “This is a feasible path…”

Li Yongzhen’s expression finally brightened, and she said with a smile, “Then—”

She suddenly paused, “But I’ve already failed the interview. How can I go interview for the lobby attendant position again?”

For the previous application, she had sent a letter in advance as required by Bilanting. After screening, they replied to her and provided an interview letter, which gave Li Yongzhen the qualification to interview at Bilanting.

So what should she do now?

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment, “Take advantage of the post office still being open. Send another letter right away, using the express option!”

Li Yongzhen anxiously replied, “But that won’t be in time!”

—This recruitment period at Bilanting only lasted three days.

Bai Yuanzhi said, “You must take care of this today, immediately! Then tomorrow, we’ll come here together to wait for that Mr. Zhou.”

Unconsciously, Li Yongzhen had come to trust Bai Yuanzhi, nodding repeatedly.

The two quickly finished the remaining French toast in a few bites, gulped down the cool and refreshing milk tea, and hurriedly left the tea restaurant together.

Just as they were about to go their separate ways,

“Wait!” Li Yongzhen suddenly called out to Bai Yuanzhi, “Ah Zhi, which position did you go to Bilanting to interview for today?”

Bai Yuanzhi replied, “Room attendant.”

Li Yongzhen was taken aback, “Isn’t that a part-time job?”

“It is part-time.”

Li Yongzhen asked, puzzled, “But didn’t Mr. Zhou say you could work at the front desk? Why didn’t you go for that? It’s respectable and pays well!”

Bai Yuanzhi said, “I have my own plans.”

Li Yongzhen: …

How to put it? Bai Yuanzhi’s statement carried a hint of wanting to show off.

It was like a billionaire sitting at a table, looking disdainfully at a lavish feast, refusing to eat a bite, and instead choosing to sit by the roadside, eating curry fish balls from a street stall at five for a dollar—

it felt oddly out of place.

But for some reason,

this kind of feeling seemed perfectly natural when it came from Bai Yuanzhi.

Li Yongzhen nodded, “Oh.”

After a pause, she asked Bai Yuanzhi, “So where are you living now?”

Bai Yuanzhi told her honestly.

Li Yongzhen was surprised again, “That place… is a subdivided flat, right?”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded.

Li Yongzhen bit her lower lip and asked about the rent and living costs.

Then the two parted ways.

Bai Yuanzhi went to the mall.

Because she had to go to Bilanting for the interview today and wasn’t sure how long it would take, she hadn’t scheduled any work shifts.

However, if she rushed to the mall now, she might still catch another promotional shift.

Of course, that was assuming there were still promotional slots available.

Might as well try her luck!

Perhaps all her good fortune for the day had already been spent on getting accepted at Bilanting.

By the time Bai Yuanzhi arrived at the mall, all the promotional slots had already been filled.

When Sister Wen saw her, she first asked, “Did you settle things over there (at Bilanting)?”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded.

Sister Wen was delighted. “That’s great!”

Then she added regretfully, “It’s a shame there are no slots here today.”

Bai Yuanzhi didn’t mind. “It’s fine, I’ll just treat it as a day off!”

And so, she started wandering around the mall.

It was somewhat ironic—she came here to work every day, always rushing in and rushing out, never having the time to properly explore the place.

So, Bai Yuanzhi thoroughly explored all three floors of the mall.

Once she was done browsing, she went back to say goodbye to Sister Wen and prepared to leave.

But Sister Wen gave Bai Yuanzhi a meaningful look and glanced at Ah Fang not far away.

—Ah Fang was Bai Yuanzhi’s partner. She also specialized in selling Xia Mei sauces and worked alternating shifts with Bai Yuanzhi.

However, due to Sister Wen’s seniority at the mall,

she had always favored Bai Yuanzhi for the Xia Mei promotional booth.

If Bai Yuanzhi took the evening shift, Ah Fang could only work the morning shift.

As everyone knows,

the mall gets much busier in the evenings.

So Ah Fang, who always worked the morning shift, earned far less than Bai Yuanzhi and had always treated Bai Yuanzhi with cold disdain.

Now, with Sister Wen acting so cautious…

Bai Yuanzhi calmly said, “Sister Wen, about that lunchbox you borrowed from me last time—can I have it back now? I need to use it.”

Sister Wen immediately replied, “Sure, come with me, I’ll get it for you.”

She pulled Bai Yuanzhi aside and whispered, “Do you remember that Mrs. Xu? The one who bought several hundred yuan worth of sauces from you when Xia Mei first opened?”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded.

Sister Wen lowered her voice even further. “Mrs. Xu’s housekeeper called the mall and said they want to order four hundred sets of sauces as gifts for the company’s annual party, but they require Xia Mei to customize the packaging gift boxes… Mrs. Xu’s intention is for someone from Xia Mei to visit her home so she can explain the details of the gift boxes.”

Then Sister Wen added, “Why don’t you go!”

Bai Yuanzhi was taken aback.

—Something like this should technically go directly to the Xia Mei manufacturer.

Because even if Bai Yuanzhi handled the gift box packaging matter, she would ultimately have to relay it to the manufacturer for them to execute.

But Sister Wen’s intention…

“If you go, record Mrs. Xu’s requirements clearly, and then you can ask the manufacturer for a discount!” Sister Wen whispered.

Bai Yuanzhi suddenly understood.

Sister Wen slipped a small note to Bai Yuanzhi. “Before Ah Fang finds out about this, go right away! Don’t delay!”

Bai Yuanzhi unfolded the note and saw an address written on it: “XX Bay Hillside Luxury Estate XX-XX-XX.” It was clearly a villa in an affluent neighborhood.

She clenched the note tightly and nodded at Sister Wen. “Alright, thank you, Sister Wen. I’ll go right away.”

Bai Yuanzhi boarded the minibus heading to Hillside Luxury Estate.

Along the way, gazing at the lush green mountains and clear waters on both sides of the road, she fell into deep thought.

Was there… a possibility for her to act as a middleman?

Although Bai Yuanzhi had plans for the future, she never expected this opportunity to come so quickly.

She was well aware that in the early 1980s, the economies across Southeast Asia would take off, and Hong Kong City would be no exception.

For gold diggers, opportunities were everywhere.

She, too, was a gold digger.

She shouldn’t let go of this opportunity that had landed right in her lap.

Bai Yuanzhi went to the Xu Family.

The Filipina domestic helper recognized her and immediately called for the butler.

The butler, who was over fifty, said to Bai Yuanzhi, “I’m sorry, Miss Bai, but Mrs. Xu is currently meeting with guests and may not be able to see you. Could you please wait for a while, or perhaps reschedule for another time?”

Bai Yuanzhi replied politely, “Then I’ll wait.”

So, the butler arranged for Bai Yuanzhi to wait in a room and had a servant bring her coffee and a small cake.

It had to be said, the Xu Family was truly wealthy and powerful.

This four-story villa located halfway up the hill was astonishingly large!

The first floor was likely the family’s activity area, with a swimming pool, a garden, and even a small golf course.

The small glass room where Bai Yuanzhi was waiting seemed to be a small resting area separated from the study. It wasn’t large, probably around ten square meters, furnished with a two-seater sofa, a small garden round table, and two chairs.

A few fashion magazines were placed on the table.

The room was fully air-conditioned.

Sitting in such a sunny yet cool and clean glass room to read was truly a pleasure.

Bai Yuanzhi was mentally rehearsing what she would say when she met Mrs. Xu.

Then—

She faintly heard a woman angrily growling, “…I’ve had enough of this damn life!”

Bai Yuanzhi froze.

The woman went on and on:

“That old bastard doesn’t treat his son and daughter-in-law as human beings at all. In his eyes, aside from himself, everyone else is just a bug crawling at his feet. If he’s happy, he’ll crush you with a single step! If he’s unhappy, he’ll still crush you with a single step!”

“My husband is also a useless coward! Clearly, by his generation, he’s the only one left. If he’s not the heir, who is? But that old bastard just won’t let him become the heir!”

“For so many years, my husband hasn’t even been able to enter the board of directors, and he doesn’t own a single share of the company… All because of that, he and I have to rely on the family’s trust fund to get by every month!”

“I know, that old bastard wants to leave the family fortune to that little bastard! After all, the old bastard still gives that little bastard five hundred thousand every month, while my husband and I don’t get a single cent!”

After venting her anger for a while, the woman caught her breath and continued:

“Sister-in-law, I just couldn’t hold it in today… Today, I went shopping with Mrs. Song and Mrs. Lin, and they both bought the latest Hermès bags. I thought I hadn’t bought one in a long time, so I couldn’t resist getting one too…”

“Do you know what happened next?”

The woman’s voice began to tremble, “The Hermès manager came over and told me that the check I wrote was rejected by the bank! I called my husband and asked him what was going on. He told me he had just bought a new golf club yesterday for six hundred thousand! So, this month’s trust fund allowance was already used up!”

“Sister-in-law, can you imagine how Mrs. Song and Mrs. Lin laughed at me?”

The woman couldn’t help but cry, “Sister-in-law, tell me, how did I end up marrying such a useless man!”

“I asked him to work at the company, at least as a CEO… or even a vice president! He’d have some prestige, and I’d share in the glory! But he refused. He even wanted me to talk to his own father! What a joke! That old man is so fierce. I’m just a daughter-in-law, an outsider in their family, and he actually expects me to go talk to that old man!”

“Fine, he’s useless, and I don’t expect much from him anyway. My husband and I just scrape by on the monthly trust fund… But then he goes and keeps mistresses, not just one or two, and on top of that, his own expenses are huge!”

“Sister-in-law, when we women get married, isn’t it just for the sake of ‘marrying a man to have clothes to wear and food to eat’? But today, I’ve truly been humiliated. I don’t even have money to buy a bag…”

“And not only is that old man annoying, but that little bastard…”

At this point, Mrs. Xu’s voice finally rang out, “Wenrui, Old Master Ming is your father-in-law, A Yao is your son. You are a daughter of the Xu Family and a daughter-in-law of the Ming Family.”

“I hope you possess the qualities befitting a lady from a prominent family and refrain from constantly using terms like ‘old man’ and ‘little bastard’…”

“If you insult your in-laws like this in front of me today, will you insult your own family in front of others tomorrow?”

Hearing this, Bai Yuanzhi realized—the woman who had been crying and complaining must be Mrs. Xu’s sister-in-law.

Since Mrs. Xu called her “Wenrui,” she must be Xu Wenrui.

At this point, Bai Yuanzhi also began to understand.

In her previous life, after all, she had worked hard in Hong Kong City for many years and had heard of the Xu Family and the Ming Family.

The Xu Family, it was said, had fled from the mainland half a century ago to escape the ravages of war. At the time, the Xu brothers relied on their skills as carpenters and masons to start a renovation business in Hong Kong City. After two generations of hard work, they expanded into the building materials trade. Today, the Xu Family controls half of Hong Kong City’s building materials market and is a significant force.

However, Bai Yuanzhi was somewhat surprised. Mrs. Xu’s temperament was very humble, without a trace of arrogance from someone in a high position. So she truly hadn’t expected that Mrs. Xu’s “Xu” referred to this wealthy Xu Family!

As for the Ming Family, it likely referred to Hong Kong City’s shipping magnate, Ming Jingxing.

He was one of Hong Kong City’s top tycoons.

Bai Yuanzhi pursed her lips.

She hadn’t expected that, just by coming here to try and discuss a business deal with Mrs. Xu, she would overhear such gossip.

Mrs. Xu and Xu Wenrui were talking as they walked toward the glass sunroom where Bai Yuanzhi was,

so Bai Yuanzhi could hear them even more clearly.

Mrs. Xu was lecturing her sister-in-law, “Live within your means; don’t be insatiably greedy!”

“Even before you got married, I told you that even if both your in-laws and your own family are well-off, relying on others for money is not an easy life.”

“If you don’t want to endure others’ disdain, then find a way to earn some pocket money yourself.”

“If you think it’s too tiring or beneath your dignity to make money through business, then be a good daughter-in-law and a good wife. Rely on the goodwill of your in-laws and husband to take money from your husband’s family with a clear conscience.”

“But what about you? You’re unwilling to settle down and study economics, and you constantly insult your father-in-law, husband, and son… Who would want to give you money? They’re not fools!”

“You spend all day competing with Mrs. Song and Mrs. Lin in showing off your wealth, but do you know that Mrs. Song, whose family background is similar to yours but whose in-laws’ wealth is far less than yours, opened a cheongsam shop and is making a fortune? Mrs. Song is even six years younger than you!”

“You always mock Mrs. Lin for coming from a poor family, calling her a gold digger, but Mrs. Lin also opened an accessories shop… Although it’s not as large or grand as a jewelry store, she has already opened several chain stores. With small profits but quick turnover and accumulating bit by bit, she earns no less than Mrs. Song!”

“Wenrui, with the support of both your family and your in-laws, it would be easy for you to start a small business and earn some pocket money.” Mrs. Xu advised earnestly.

Bai Yuanzhi listened and nodded to herself.

She thought that wealthy people indeed had a broader perspective.

Mrs. Song, who was already from a wealthy family, used her connections to open a high-end cheongsam shop;

While Mrs. Lin, who came from a humble background, used her understanding and preferences of lower-class women to open a small accessories shop;

They both started businesses in fields they were most familiar with—no wonder they were making money!

Mrs. Xu continued, “Wenrui, you…”

Xu Wenrui grew angry, “Sister-in-law! I came to talk to you about this, not to listen to you lecture me! You’re my family, shouldn’t you be on my side?”

Mrs. Xu sighed, “I stand by what’s right, not by family ties!”

Xu Wenrui stomped her foot in frustration and asked, “Then, sister-in-law, can… can you lend me five hundred thousand first?”

Mrs. Xu firmly refused, “Over the past two years, I’ve already lent you several million! Your brother has warned me many times not to lend you any more money. Besides, Wenrui, when have you ever repaid me?”

Xu Wenrui burst into tears, “Sister-in-law! Are you just going to watch Mrs. Lin outshine me like this? If I can’t even compare to a gold digger, it’s a disgrace to both the Ming Family and the Xu Family!”

Mrs. Xu wasn’t swayed by this provocation, “I don’t care.”

Xu Wenrui stormed off angrily, “Fine, fine! I knew it—once a girl gets married, she no longer has a home!”

Then—

Bai Yuanzhi heard hurried footsteps fading into the distance.

She found it rather peculiar.

After all, Old Master Ming should be in his sixties or seventies.

Logically, his sons and daughters-in-law should be in their forties, so why did Xu Wenrui speak like a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl throwing a tantrum, naive and inexperienced?

Bai Yuanzhi couldn’t help but glance over.

She saw a figure hurriedly walking away.

—The woman wore an exaggerated sun hat, a fitted, flared-tail short blazer with a body-hugging A-line skirt, high heels, and carried an exquisite evening bag.

She looked like a slightly plump, wealthy middle-aged woman.

“Miss Bai?” Mrs. Xu’s voice rang out.

Bai Yuanzhi quickly stood up and nodded politely to Mrs. Xu, “Hello, Mrs. Xu. I heard you were interested in ordering Xia Mei sauce, so I came specifically to inquire about your needs.”

Mrs. Xu was truly a very patient person.

Bai Yuanzhi first took out a notebook and pen, jotting down all of Mrs. Xu’s requirements for the sauce packaging boxes. Then, she honestly asked Mrs. Xu if she could handle this order as an agent.

That is, she would place an order with the Xia Mei factory, have them prepare the sauce according to Mrs. Xu’s requirements, and then deliver the sauce to Mrs. Xu.

Mrs. Xu was taken aback for a moment. “You want to act as a trader, right?”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded, speaking very frankly, “I won’t deny that I want to earn this price difference, but I believe you’ll find it worthwhile.”

Mrs. Xu was stunned again, then laughed. “You’re taking away the room I could have bargained for. Why would I still find it worthwhile?”

Bai Yuanzhi answered seriously, “Because Mrs. Xu, you are a wealthy person.”

Mrs. Xu widened her eyes.

Bai Yuanzhi explained:

“What I mean by that isn’t that you have deep pockets and deserve to let me make money. Rather, I think that with your large family and business, you must have many things to attend to, right?”

“So I can assure you that after you make your request today, you won’t need to worry about these four hundred sets of sauce anymore.”

“I’ll first find a way to provide you with a sample according to your requirements. Once you’ve reviewed it and confirmed there are no issues, I’ll have the Xia Mei factory produce and package it based on the approved sample.”

“This way, you’ll only have to deal with me one more time… instead of constantly enduring the nuisance from the Xia Mei factory.”

“I’m not saying the Xia Mei factory is bad, but if any issues arise during the process and they can’t make a decision, they’ll definitely contact you frequently.”

“If you let me be the middleman, then the Xia Mei factory will bother me instead.”

“You’re paying for peace and quiet,” Bai Yuanzhi said.

Mrs. Xu burst into laughter. “Well done! After your explanation, it really does feel worthwhile!”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “Moreover, I’ll give you a discount based on the specific cost of the gift boxes. I can’t say exactly how much right now, but it will definitely be cheaper than what you paid on-site last time.”

Mrs. Xu smiled. “Good! Then, I’ll place an order with you. Leave me your title—company name, personal position, etc.”

Bai Yuanzhi froze.

After a long pause, she replied truthfully, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Xu, I… just came from the mainland to Hong Kong and haven’t started a company.”

At that moment, Bai Yuanzhi was even prepared for the “duck to fly away”—for the opportunity to slip through her fingers.

Unexpectedly, Mrs. Xu said with a smile, “It’s fine, then just write your personal name. You said you just arrived from the mainland, and since you’re going to help me with this, it wouldn’t make sense for you to front the money. Once we sign the order, I’ll give you a 30% deposit so you can proceed with the sample, right?”

Bai Yuanzhi was overjoyed. “Thank you, Mrs. Xu!”

Soon, Mrs. Xu’s assistant came over and prepared the order.

Bai Yuanzhi held the signed order between her and Mrs. Xu and received a deposit of five thousand Hong Kong dollars, feeling overwhelmingly excited.

Mrs. Xu personally escorted Bai Yuanzhi to the villa entrance and asked, “By the way, Miss Bai, earlier my sister-in-law and I…”

Bai Yuanzhi instantly understood and immediately said, “Mrs. Xu, I just arrived from the mainland. I don’t understand much here, and I don’t know many people… By the way, what about your sister-in-law?”

Mrs. Xu looked at Bai Yuanzhi and smiled.

She certainly understood that Bai Yuanzhi was telling her: she wasn’t aware of the affairs among Hong Kong City’s wealthy families, and since she had no friends in Hong Kong City, she wouldn’t spread any information.

Mrs. Xu smiled reservedly, “It’s nothing. Since you know nothing, that’s for the best.”

Bai Yuanzhi said, “Please rest assured, I will bring the sample of the gift box for you to see on the agreed date.”

Mrs. Xu nodded, “I look forward to it.”