Chapter 21 Honey-Glazed Char Siu, Half Lean Half Fatty, Sweet and Delicious…
In the afternoon, Zhou Weihao rushed to the shopping mall where Bai Yuanzhi worked.
Bai Yuanzhi craned her neck to look behind Zhou Weihao, her eyes brimming with curiosity.
Seeing this, Zhou Weihao couldn’t help but smile bitterly, “Don’t look, I came alone.”
Bai Yuanzhi’s little face immediately fell, and she frowned, glaring at him, “Mr. Zhou, I made it very clear to you yesterday—the prerequisite for our agreement is that I must have a face-to-face meeting with your girlfriend.”
Zhou Weihao grew agitated, “I wish I could! But she…”
Ultimately, he was mild-tempered.
Before he could finish his sentence, he realized he shouldn’t be venting his anger at Bai Yuanzhi.
So, after taking a deep breath, he said dejectedly, “But she said she doesn’t care about status…”
Bai Yuanzhi was taken aback for a moment, thinking, how could anyone in a romantic relationship not care about status?
But soon, she quickly understood—Duoluoxi, of course, didn’t care about status because she wasn’t divorced yet!
With this thought, Bai Yuanzhi looked sympathetically at the top of Zhou Weihao’s head.
As soon as Zhou Weihao saw Bai Yuanzhi’s initial shocked expression, he shamefully turned his head away, naturally failing to notice the look of sudden realization that also appeared on Bai Yuanzhi’s face.
“Mr. Zhou, what do you want to do?” Bai Yuanzhi asked.
Zhou Weihao wanted to say something…
But at that moment, several young female customers gathered around, glancing at Zhou Weihao while pretending to ask Bai Yuanzhi about discounts and promotions on sauces.
Bai Yuanzhi subtly reached out and nudged Zhou Weihao away from the front of her stall.
Zhou Weihao had no choice but to stand beside Bai Yuanzhi.
Little did he know, wave after wave of female customers kept coming.
Zhou Weihao had no choice but to wait while helping Bai Yuanzhi with small tasks, such as passing her sauces or helping her female customers organize their shopping bags.
Yes.
All of this was Bai Yuanzhi’s plan.
—Zhou Weihao was handsome and had an outstanding demeanor, which made him very popular among married ladies and unmarried young women.
The reason she had asked Zhou Weihao to bring his girlfriend to the mall to discuss matters yesterday was precisely with this intention—while she talked with Duoluoxi, Zhou Weihao could help her sell sauces!
This way, she could close a 100,000-yuan “deal” without delaying her sauce sales. How perfect!
Unexpectedly, Duoluoxi refused to come.
So, she had to rely on Zhou Weihao’s face to help attract customers for her sauce business first.
After a wave of sales, the stall finally quieted down temporarily.
Only then did Bai Yuanzhi ask Zhou Weihao, “Mr. Zhou, what are your plans?”
After helping Bai Yuanzhi sell over a dozen boxes of sauce, Zhou Weihao was finally less embarrassed. Having worked alongside Bai Yuanzhi, the sense of unfamiliarity had mostly faded away, so he said, “Ah Zhi, I still hope you can help me.”
Bai Yuanzhi replied, “Elaborate.”
Zhou Weihao still didn’t dare to look her in the eye, instead staring at the sauce bottles in front of him as he said, “Ah Zhi, I hope you can be my contractual girlfriend… and then you need to help me with two things. The first thing, just as you said yesterday, is to make sure my parents… dislike you and feel that you are not as good as Duoluoxi.”
“The second matter is, I hope you can kindly provoke my girlfriend a bit, to make her…”
At this point, Zhou Weihao pondered for quite a while before continuing, “…to make her feel a little sense of crisis.”
Bai Yuanzhi pressed further, “What kind of crisis?”
Zhou Weihao replied, “At the very least, she shouldn’t be unwilling to want a formal status!”
Bai Yuanzhi: …
“Is it possible,” Bai Yuanzhi began to hint indirectly, “that your girlfriend never even considered spending her whole life with you?”
Zhou Weihao was stunned.
Bai Yuanzhi didn’t want to be too blunt either, so she racked her brains for reasons, “For example, she might be a commitment-phobe. Or, she might be perfectly content with the current situation and doesn’t want any changes. Or maybe, you’ve settled in Hong Kong City, but she has plans to move elsewhere…”
As Bai Yuanzhi spoke, Zhou Weihao shook his head vigorously, “No way! Impossible! That’s not possible…”
“Duoluoxi loves me deeply, and I love her just as much,” Zhou Weihao said without hesitation. “For my sake, she bears a bad reputation she shouldn’t have to. Ah Zhi, even though you’re also my friend, I don’t want to hear anything negative about Duoluoxi from you again. Please show some restraint.”
Bai Yuanzhi had no choice but to fall silent.
Zhou Weihao grew uneasy again, “Ah Zhi, are you angry? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that earlier… um, as long as you don’t do that, I, I…”
Seeing that Bai Yuanzhi still wasn’t speaking,
Zhou Weihao became disheartened, “Alright, if you don’t agree, I’ll have to try finding someone else…”
Bai Yuanzhi’s eyes widened instantly!
That wouldn’t do!
How could she let the 100,000 yuan that was practically within her grasp… slip away?
“Mr. Zhou, even though I’m young, I know that the plan you’ve proposed… honestly, isn’t very clever,” Bai Yuanzhi said.
Zhou Weihao’s face flushed bright red.
Bai Yuanzhi continued, “But I have great respect for wealthy people, so I accept the plan you’ve proposed.”
“Yesterday, we briefly discussed the matter of compensation and the timeline. Mr. Zhou, do you have any objections?” Bai Yuanzhi asked again.
Zhou Weihao nodded repeatedly, “No problem! I can write you a check right away.”
Bai Yuanzhi felt inexplicably excited.
She didn’t speak but took several slow, deep breaths, finally calming her excitement. “Since Mr. Zhou is so straightforward, I won’t hold back either… Mr. Zhou, next, I’d like to discuss a few liability exemption issues with you.”
Zhou Weihao asked curiously, “…Liability exemption issues?”
“Yes!” Bai Yuanzhi said seriously. “Regarding the first matter you mentioned—you want me to behave in a certain way in front of your parents, with the goal of making them think I’m inferior to your girlfriend in every way, thereby highlighting her virtues… Is my understanding correct?”
Zhou Weihao nodded, “That’s correct.”
Bai Yuanzhi asked, “Then, what if I do as you say, but your parents end up thinking I’m better than your girlfriend?”
Zhou Weihao’s mouth fell open.
He initially wanted to say that was impossible.
But upon second thought, he realized it was entirely possible.
—Although Bai Yuanzhi was a “mainland girl” who had just arrived in Hong Kong, in his mother’s mind, the status of a “mainland girl” was probably still higher than that of a Filipina domestic helper.
Bai Yuanzhi understood Chinese traditions better than Duoluoxi, perhaps even more than his mother, making it easier for her to resonate with his parents.
Bai Yuanzhi was younger and more beautiful than Duoluoxi, with a much livelier and more adorable personality, making her more likable.
So…
Could this backfire?
For a moment, Zhou Weihao was stunned, unsure of what to do.
“So, Mr. Zhou, to avoid such an awkward situation, we must reach a liability waiver agreement,” Bai Yuanzhi said. “First, the persona I should adopt in front of your parents is entirely up to you. Second, if I perform as you instruct but fail to achieve the desired effect, the responsibility does not lie with me. Is that acceptable?”
Zhou Weihao thought again: No matter what, as long as Bai Yuanzhi didn’t pester him in the future, that would be the best outcome.
So he let out a long sigh of relief. “Alright!”
Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “Another issue is that you hope I can kindly provoke your girlfriend, making her love you more, care about you more, and take a more proactive approach to your relationship… right?”
Zhou Weihao nodded again. “Yes, exactly!”
Bai Yuanzhi continued, “Just like the previous issue, I need your explicit instructions—exactly what kind of persona do you want me to adopt in front of your girlfriend? As long as you specify, and it doesn’t involve anything against public order or morals, I’ll do it.”
“But if I follow your instructions and the results aren’t as you hoped, the responsibility still doesn’t lie with me.”
“What do you think, Mr. Zhou?” Bai Yuanzhi asked again.
Zhou Weihao let out another long sigh of relief. “Agreed!”
Bai Yuanzhi replied cheerfully, “Good! Then it’s settled!”
Zhou Weihao smiled sincerely.
Bai Yuanzhi added, “But Mr. Zhou, there are three more matters that need to become prerequisite additional conditions for our agreement.”
Zhou Weihao’s smile gradually faded, and he frowned. “What exactly are you talking about?”
Bai Yuanzhi explained them one by one.
The first matter was that she wanted to use the 100,000 yuan Zhou Weihao gave her to buy a house.
She had already picked out the house long ago—the same 300-square-foot (approximately 30-square-meter) apartment she had bought in her previous life.
In her previous life, she had spent nearly one million yuan to buy that apartment five years later. She had once checked and found that the apartment was only worth around 300,000 yuan in the year her older sister passed away, but five years later, its value had tripled!
So, Bai Yuanzhi decided to take out a mortgage loan as soon as she received Zhou Weihao’s check.
The 100,000 yuan could serve as the down payment;
Work and income proofs could be arranged with Zhou Weihao’s help, since they were colleagues;
Additionally, as her “boyfriend,” Zhou Weihao would need to act as the “guarantor” on her home purchase contract.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Weihao’s expression eased slightly.
After all, for him, if money could solve the problem, it wasn’t a problem.
Besides, even if Bai Yuanzhi’s home purchase caused trouble, for him, it would just mean spending around 300,000 yuan to buy a small apartment—no real loss.
Seeing that Zhou Weihao had no objections, Bai Yuanzhi let out a long sigh of relief.
She then mentioned the second matter.
“Mr. Zhou, my cousin has had an accident and is currently lying in the ICU…”
Hearing this, Zhou Weihao was startled. “What? Li Yongzhen… Miss Li was perfectly fine yesterday, wasn’t she?”
Bai Yuanzhi pursed her lips, “Actually, I’m not very close with Li Yongzhen. Our familial ties are so faint they’re almost nonexistent. It’s just that I saw she didn’t get the job interview that day and felt sorry for her, so I asked for your help.”
Zhou Weihao breathed another sigh of relief, “So you’re not close with her? That’s great!”
Bai Yuanzhi smiled gently, “Then let me tell you about my cousin… uh, my actual cousin’s situation!”
“My cousin injured the back of her head and has been lying in the ICU for a long time.”
“Mr. Zhou, don’t worry, I’m not asking you to pay for my cousin’s treatment. But I really hope you can back me up… The reason is that my aunt, my cousin’s mother, doesn’t want to continue treating her anymore. I hope you can accompany me to the hospital and put pressure on my aunt too, to force her not to give up on my cousin’s treatment.”
Zhou Weihao sighed in relief again but was also somewhat puzzled, “So your aunt wants to give up on her daughter’s treatment—is it also because of the treatment costs?”
Bai Yuanzhi shook her head, “This matter is a bit complicated; it might involve emotional issues…” She deliberately left things vague, not explaining clearly.
“But when it comes to emotional issues, it’s best if neither of us gets involved. I just don’t want to see such a good cousin, who clearly has a chance of recovery, lose her life because of emotional entanglements. Mr. Zhou, can you promise me?” Bai Yuanzhi asked again.
Zhou Weihao thought and thought, believing the root cause still lay in the treatment costs.
He remained firm in his belief—as long as it was a problem money could solve, it wasn’t a problem.
Zhou Weihao nodded again.
Bai Yuanzhi was overjoyed.
Her first thought was: This lovestruck fool’s money is so easy to earn! It seems she’d better find a few more part-time jobs, like becoming an insurance agent or something, and trick this lovestruck Zhou Weihao into buying insurance. She could earn commissions and definitely make a lot!
Ahem, she mustn’t let her joy show.
She must maintain respect for her benefactor.
Although he’s lovestruck, he’s not a fool. He might even become a big client in the future, so she can’t just mess around.
“Mr. Zhou, thank you!” Bai Yuanzhi happily bowed to Zhou Weihao.
Zhou Weihao said anxiously, “Didn’t you say there were three things? What’s the last one?”
Bai Yuanzhi forcibly suppressed the corners of her mouth that were about to uncontrollably lift into a smile, “This last matter… is the most important one.”
“That is, I need to ask you, Mr. Zhou, for an advance on an attitude.”
Zhou Weihao was stunned, “What… advance… attitude?”
He didn’t understand.
Bai Yuanzhi said, “Mr. Zhou, I’m just a girl who recently came to Hong Kong from the mainland and knows nothing. You’ve given me such a difficult task, so I’m bound to make mistakes.”
“Of course, I’ll be very careful… and when interacting with your parents and your girlfriend, I’ll strictly follow your requirements.”
“But I’m young, so mistakes are inevitable.”
“So, I hope you can give me an advance ‘forgiveness’—in case I do make mistakes.”
Bai Yuanzhi said sincerely.
—This was her way of preparing Zhou Weihao for the upcoming Zhou Sier incident.
Bai Yuanzhi had been in Hong Kong for almost two months now.
Although Zhou Sier had already left the ICU and moved to a special care ward, she still hadn’t woken up.
Bai Yuanzhi also went to ask Jiang Yiming about the progress of Zhou Sier’s case.
It was clear that someone higher up must have intervened—so there was no progress at all in Zhou Sier’s case!
Bai Yuanzhi didn’t know who the real culprit behind it was, or how influential they might be.
Nor did she know whether Zhou Weihao and the Zhou family’s influence was enough to intimidate that culprit.
But Zhou Weihao was the biggest backer she could find at the moment.
She didn’t expect Zhou Weihao to do anything specific for Zhou Sier’s case.
She only needed Zhou Weihao to step forward and intimidate the culprit hiding in the shadows.
Then—
Just buy a little more time for Zhou Sier to wake up and recover, that would be enough.
Zhou Weihao, who didn’t fully understand the situation, felt somewhat uneasy after hearing Bai Yuanzhi’s words.
“Ah Zhi, you don’t need to worry too much,” he comforted Bai Yuanzhi. “Our agreement… I understand it’s a bit absurd. So, no matter how things end, I won’t blame you.”
“That’s even better,” Bai Yuanzhi said with a smile.
Unconsciously, it was time for the mall to close.
Today, with Zhou Weihao accompanying her, Bai Yuanzhi sold quite a bit of sauce…
She estimated she’d earned at least around a hundred yuan in commission today!
Bai Yuanzhi was overjoyed.
After closing up, as everyone was leaving the mall together,
the sister who sold ceramic tableware came over to tease Bai Yuanzhi. “Today isn’t a weekend or a holiday, but you still sold so much…”
Then, sizing up the handsome Zhou Weihao, she joked, “Wow, Ah Zhi, is this handsome guy… your boyfriend?”
Bai Yuanzhi glanced at Zhou Weihao.
Zhou Weihao felt a bit awkward.
Bai Yuanzhi grinned and said to the sister, “Not yet!”
The sister asked again, “Does ‘not yet’ mean there’s a possibility in the future?”
Bai Yuanzhi replied with a smile, “That depends on how he behaves from now on!”
Hearing this, Zhou Weihao gave Bai Yuanzhi a deep look.
After packing up, Zhou Weihao drove Bai Yuanzhi back to Xingfu Building.
Bai Yuanzhi asked him, “Mr. Zhou, do I need to do anything specific?”
Zhou Weihao glanced at his wristwatch, somewhat distracted.
—It was already half past ten at night. He hadn’t returned home all day and had no idea how anxious Duoluoxi must be.
So his reply was also perfunctory. “You don’t need to do anything.”
Bai Yuanzhi asked, “Then when will you help me with the work and income certificates? When will you give me the check? When will you accompany me to buy the apartment and sign the guarantee?”
Zhou Weihao was stunned for a while before turning to look at Bai Yuanzhi in surprise. “You… are you serious?”
Bai Yuanzhi was displeased. “So Young Master Zhou was just playing around?”
“Sorry,” Zhou Weihao quickly apologized. “I, I didn’t mean… I mean, you’re still very young. You’re only eighteen, and you’ve really decided to buy an apartment? Are you sure you’re not joking about buying a place?”
Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “Is it something to joke about when someone without roots, after accepting this land, wants to have a safe harbor here?”
Zhou Weihao composed himself and formally apologized to Bai Yuanzhi. “Sorry, Ah Zhi, I was… a bit distracted just now. Whatever you say, I’ll take it seriously.”
He thought for a moment and said, “How about this: I’ll go to the hotel first thing tomorrow morning. After I help you get the proof sorted, I’ll accompany you to buy the apartment. Is that okay?”
Bai Yuanzhi replied, “I start my shift tomorrow.”
Zhou Weihao was puzzled. “If I remember correctly, since you just transferred to Songhe Tower, you need to undergo pre-job training first? For the first week, you only need to be on duty for four hours a day.”
Bai Yuanzhi smiled faintly. “But Sister Marry requires me to be on standby twenty-four hours a day during the first week.”
Zhou Weihao’s expression darkened. “Nonsense.”
He instructed Bai Yuanzhi, “In any case, report to duty early tomorrow and complete your four hours. I’ll pick you up when you finish at noon. We’ll try to get the down payment for the apartment sorted in the afternoon. After dinner, I’ll bring you back…”
Then he asked Bai Yuanzhi, “Will you be staying in the dormitory tomorrow night or returning to Xingfu Building?”
Bai Yuanzhi said, “Sister Marry said that from now on, I’ll have to stay in the duty room twenty-four hours a day, just like Xiao Yu and the others. During my off-duty time, I can go out, leaving the bunk for colleagues on duty. Sister Marry also said this is a benefit the hotel provides, so we don’t have to spend money renting outside.”
Bai Yuanzhi had checked the day before. The duty room was only about ten square meters but had three bunk beds, totaling six beds.
However, there were eight people on this floor, including service staff and guest cleaners.
That meant the beds weren’t fixed; everyone had to take turns sleeping.
A Xi and Xiao Yu were willing to listen to Sister Marry because she was right—squeezing together in the duty room did save a lot of money.
But with so many people crammed into such a small room, no fixed beds, and no personal privacy, conflicts were bound to arise.
Moreover, because the duty room was too close to the VIP guest rooms, the hotel had strict rules: staff, whether on duty or resting, were not allowed to make noise that might disturb the guests…
Bai Yuanzhi didn’t want to stay in the duty room.
Back when she was working part-time, she had already studied all the rules and regulations of Bilanting Hotel.
So when Sister Lily introduced the benefits after her transfer, she knew right away—rules like “requiring off-duty staff to be on standby twenty-four hours a day” and “all VIP floor staff must stay in the duty room” were likely the result of some manager overstepping their authority…
But at the moment, Bai Yuanzhi was truly short on money, and staying in the duty room would also make it easier for her to gather information.
So she chose to comply.
Now things were different.
With Zhou Weihao as her “contract boyfriend,” she had the means to improve her living conditions and gather information more conveniently.
So why should she continue to endure hardship?
Bai Yuanzhi had already made up her mind.
At this point, Zhou Weihao corrected Bai Yuanzhi seriously once again. “The company doesn’t force staff to sleep in the duty room. They’re only allowed to rest there while on duty.”
He had corrected her twice in a row.
If Bai Yuanzhi still pretended not to understand,
it might make her patron feel that the 100,000 yuan wasn’t well spent.
So—
“Mr. Zhou, next time Sister Marry brings up these two things, can I tell her they’re unreasonable and that these matters were clarified by Mr. Zhou, the HR specialist?” Bai Yuanzhi asked.
Zhou Weihao grunted, his brows tightly furrowed and the corners of his mouth pressed into a straight line, looking rather displeased.
Bai Yuanzhi’s eyes shifted, and she asked, “Mr. Zhou, Sister Marry, she…”
Zhou Weihao said in a low voice, “I really dislike this person.” He felt that since he was going to collaborate with Bai Yuanzhi, he needed to make his stance clear. Who could be trusted and who must be kept at a distance—he had to spell it out.
Bai Yuanzhi turned her face toward the car window, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips.
Zhou Weihao continued, “Marry is my girlfriend’s cousin.”
Only after composing her expression did Bai Yuanzhi turn back, wearing just the right amount of surprise as she looked at Zhou Weihao in shock. “…Huh?”
She pretended to weigh her words before asking, “You… so, Sister Marry’s presence has affected your relationship with your girlfriend?”
This time, it was Zhou Weihao’s turn to be surprised.
He thought to himself, this girl really is clever and sharp!
He hummed in agreement and said, “My girlfriend has a very gentle, obedient, and family-oriented personality.”
He explained to Bai Yuanzhi, “But her cousin is very domineering, so much so that…”
Although he was deeply dissatisfied, his upbringing since childhood prevented him from speaking ill of others behind their backs.
Thus, he paused mid-sentence, hesitating for a long time without finding a more tactful way to phrase it.
Bai Yuanzhi, understanding his dilemma, finished the latter half for him. “…She might, out of self-interest, overstep her bounds and make certain decisions on your girlfriend’s behalf, which later caused unpleasantness between you and your girlfriend?”
Zhou Weihao looked at Bai Yuanzhi in astonishment. “How did you know?”
Bai Yuanzhi chuckled but didn’t feel the need to explain.
After all—
Poor relatives trying to rely on wealthy ones to turn their lives around is only human nature.
Those who think highly of themselves, seeing their relatives as inferior in every way yet still attracting the favor of a wealthy suitor, may harbor jealousy and secretly look down on them—this, too, is a reflection of human nature.
In Bai Yuanzhi’s eyes, none of this was a big deal.
But Zhou Weihao, having grown up pampered and well-provided for, had never faced greater grievances than his parents being too busy earning money to spend time with him.
Of course, he lacked such cunning.
Bai Yuanzhi smiled at Zhou Weihao. “See you tomorrow, Mr. Zhou!”
Zhou Weihao nodded. “See you tomorrow.”
Bai Yuanzhi got out of the car and walked toward Xingfu Building.
Zhou Weihao stared at Bai Yuanzhi’s retreating figure for a long, long time.
Early the next morning, Bai Yuanzhi went to Songhe Tower.
Because she didn’t arrive at 6 a.m. as Sister Marry had instructed but instead showed up at 7:50,
Sister Marry’s expression was grim.
A Xi and Xiao Yu kept their heads down, working quickly, not daring to provoke Sister Marry’s displeasure.
Bai Yuanzhi asked Sister Marry with a cheerful smile, “Sister Marry, what should I do? Please guide me.”
Sister Marry snorted coldly. “I already told you before—the first week requires being on standby twenty-four hours a day. I was considerate of you, having just transferred here and needing time to pack your things… I didn’t even ask you to start standby last night, just to arrive at six this morning…”
“But look, what time is it now?”
“I’ve never seen an employee as disobedient as you! Since you clearly don’t listen to what I say, how could I possibly have the right to guide you?” Sister Marry said sarcastically.
Bai Yuanzhi showed a surprised and confused expression. “Sister Marry, I remember that in Chapter Three of the ‘Bilanting Staff Handbook,’ regarding attendance regulations, the working hours for staff are clearly listed.”
“Room attendants work eight hours per shift, with an additional hour for meals and restroom breaks, plus one hour for shift handover at the beginning and end… That means we room attendants only need to work ten consecutive hours per day.”
“Today is my first day on duty. According to the staff handbook, I only need to be on duty for four hours per day during my first week.”
“Sister Marry, I arrived at 7:50 a.m., which means by noon at 12:00 sharp, I will have completed my required duty time for today!”
After saying this, Bai Yuanzhi asked Sister Marry, “Sister Marry, am I right?”
Sister Marry was so angry she gasped for breath.
A Xi and Xiao Yu shrank back and quietly moved aside.
Bai Yuanzhi asked again, “Sister Marry, what should I do now?”
Sister Marry was so furious her eyes seemed to bulge. “You don’t listen to what I say, and you still talk back… So what do you want me to say now?”
“Since you’re so capable, then—do whatever you want!” With that, Marry lifted her chin and stormed off angrily.
Bai Yuanzhi didn’t care.
But she really didn’t know what to do next.
So she went to find Xiao Yu.
At first, Xiao Yu ignored Bai Yuanzhi.
About half an hour later, after confirming that Sister Marry had really left, Xiao Yu finally relaxed and pulled Bai Yuanzhi aside. She quickly taught Bai Yuanzhi how to do the work.
Bai Yuanzhi followed along and quickly got the hang of it.
Today was Xiao Yu’s shift, so Bai Yuanzhi was essentially helping Xiao Yu with her tasks.
Soon, the two of them had cleaned all the rooms on the entire floor.
Of course, Bai Yuanzhi now understood that the six rooms on this floor were very large, and the furniture and appliances inside were both luxurious and expensive.
As Xiao Yu worked alongside Bai Yuanzhi, she carefully watched the room entrances to prevent Sister Marry from returning. At the same time, she whispered to Bai Yuanzhi, “Ah Zhi, you’re really… amazing! How dare you oppose Sister Marry? Aren’t you afraid… afraid she’ll fire you?”
Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “If she wants to fire me, she’ll have to give a legitimate reason first, right?”
Xiao Yu widened her eyes. “You talked back to her… isn’t that enough?”
Bai Yuanzhi chuckled. “But I didn’t make any mistakes. In fact, I was upholding the hotel’s rules. Strictly speaking, Sister Marry is the one who neglected her duties! Even if it escalates, I’m not afraid.”
Xiao Yu looked puzzled. “Sister Marry neglected her duties? That can’t be! Even though she exploits us… no, no, I take that back! I mean, even though she’s very strict with us, she does it for the good of the hotel! If this really escalates… Ah Zhi, aren’t you afraid of being fired?”
Bai Yuanzhi smiled and glanced at her wristwatch. “I’m not afraid!”
Xiao Yu widened her eyes. “Oh, Ah Zhi, you just successfully transferred… and it’s only your first day! You, you…”
Seeing how genuinely worried Xiao Yu was, Bai Yuanzhi smiled and reassured her, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
Xiao Yu sighed, “Hey, since it’s your first day and you don’t know anything, I’ll give you a tip!”
Bai Yuanzhi nodded with a smile.
Xiao Yu lowered her voice, “At exactly 11:45 a.m., Sister Marry will come to lecture us. You should take this chance to mend your relationship with her!”
Bai Yuanzhi asked curiously, “Lecture?”
Xiao Yu explained, “Actually, it’s nothing too important—she mainly wants us to be grateful.”
“Grateful?” Bai Yuanzhi grew even more confused.
Talking about this, Xiao Yu also felt a bit annoyed. “Yeah, she wants us to be grateful to the hotel, saying it gives us a place to stay, pays us wages, and provides us with clothes and food. She wants us to understand gratitude…”
Bai Yuanzhi didn’t quite get it. “But for us, isn’t this just a job? If one employer doesn’t work out, we can always find another!”
Xiao Yu sighed, “Sister Marry looks down on us, thinking we Chinese… lack gratitude, that we’re all ungrateful!”
This point, Bai Yuanzhi had already noticed.
But what Bai Yuanzhi found even stranger was something else:
“But isn’t lunchtime at 11:50? Why does Sister Marry come to lecture at 11:45?” Bai Yuanzhi didn’t understand.
—Housekeeping staff and cleaners were not allowed to leave their posts, so meals were delivered by the staff canteen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The employee handbook stated that on-duty staff should eat in the break room, with mealtime from 11:50 to 12:00, lasting no more than ten minutes, and employees must not be seen eating by guests…
So?
Xiao Yu sighed and replied, “Hey, why she specifically chooses everyone’s mealtime to lecture every noon… I can’t really say. It feels like… intentional, maybe just to show off her authority!”
Bai Yuanzhi smiled without saying a word.
At 11:35, the staff canteen delivered meals, with each person receiving a boxed lunch.
Bai Yuanzhi checked the food—white rice took up four-fifths of the disposable lunchbox, while the remaining one-fifth consisted of sliced honey-glazed char siu (half-fat, half-lean), half a boiled salted duck egg with its shell, and a bit of stir-fried pickled mustard greens.
Bai Yuanzhi unconsciously licked her lips—she was actually a bit hungry.
However, the most important thing now was to make it to the end of her shift. She needed to follow Zhou Weihao out first and buy the house—that was the real priority!
Xiao Yu was patiently teaching Bai Yuanzhi how to keep the boxed lunch warm. “Look, pour a cup of freshly boiled water into your cup, place the lunchbox over the cup’s opening, and then cover the lunchbox with a towel like this—make sure to wrap both the lunchbox and the cup of hot water together.”
“The food they deliver is already lukewarm to begin with. By the time Sister Marry finishes lecturing, it’ll be completely cold! Doing this at least helps salvage it a bit.”
“Oh, and Sister Marry usually lectures us for at least fifteen to twenty-five minutes, so you have to eat quickly! Otherwise, if the mobile inspection team catches us eating outside of mealtime, our entire group’s attendance bonus will be deducted!” Xiao Yu patiently and meticulously instructed Bai Yuanzhi.
Bai Yuanzhi nodded repeatedly.
Just as Xiao Yu had said,
At exactly 11:45 a.m., Sister Marry arrived with a stern expression.
A Xi walked over expressionlessly,
and Xiao Yu tugged at Bai Yuanzhi’s sleeve, signaling for her to follow and listen to the lecture.
Bai Yuanzhi complied willingly.
Sister Marry’s gaze lingered on Bai Yuanzhi for a long time, remaining silent for a full ten minutes.
Then, Sister Marry finally spoke, “Some people, I don’t know if they genuinely don’t understand or are just pretending! If it’s genuine ignorance, then listen carefully to what I have to say. If it’s pretense, then it proves you don’t want to stay at our Bilanting Hotel… In that case, pack your things and get out! We won’t keep you!”
Perhaps because Bai Yuanzhi hadn’t talked back, Sister Marry finally showed a satisfied expression.
She relaxed, sweeping her usual disdainful gaze over A Xi, Xiao Yu, and Bai Yuanzhi, and said arrogantly, “In my opinion, your Chinese race is inherently inferior!”
“You can’t do anything right, your attitude is poor, you’re naturally lazy, your personal hygiene is terrible, and most of you can’t even speak English. It’s truly repulsive, no wonder Americans and Brits despise you…”
“You Chinese people are both rude and ungrateful! Have you ever considered that, with your lowly and despicable nature, if it weren’t for Mr. Holly (the chairman of Bilanting Hotel) taking pity on you and giving you shelter, how could you possibly get such an easy and respectable job with such high pay?”
“So you need to recognize your place and not easily forgive your sins—don’t ask me what sins you’ve committed! Even the most ignorant know that humans are born sinful!”
“Let me give you some advice: if you truly understand, you should work hard for Mr. Holly, do your tasks with gratitude, cleanse your minds of those dirty thoughts, and always think about how you can do more for Mr. Holly. Be proactive and…”
Sister Marry rambled on incessantly.
To be honest, Bai Yuanzhi couldn’t stand a single word of this insane babble.
But the time wasn’t up yet.
So she had to restrain herself and force herself to listen.
She even glanced at A Xi and Xiao Yu out of the corner of her eye.
—A Xi was probably dozing off, because although her head was lowered, her eyes were closed, her breathing was even, and her mouth was slightly open;
—Xiao Yu kept swallowing, probably hungry and wanting to eat…
After withdrawing her gaze, Bai Yuanzhi quickly glanced at the wall clock hanging in the hallway.
—Perfect! One minute past twelve!
“Sister Marry, thank you for your guidance. You spoke very well, and I feel as if I’ve been bathed in a spring breeze,” Bai Yuanzhi interrupted Sister Marry’s endless speech politely, “…but it’s already past working hours now, and I have something to attend to. Goodbye, Sister Marry!”
With that, Bai Yuanzhi strode away.
Sister Marry was stunned.
A Xi was startled awake,
and Xiao Yu stared wide-eyed with her mouth agape.
The three of them watched blankly as Bai Yuanzhi walked into the duty room. Moments later, they saw Bai Yuanzhi emerge in casual clothes and watched as she walked to the time clock, took out her card, and punched out…
Finally, seeing Bai Yuanzhi smiling and waving at the three of them, she said, “Bye, I’ll be on duty before 8 a.m. tomorrow. Thank you, Sister Marry. Sorry for the trouble, Xiao Yu. See you tomorrow!”
It wasn’t until Bai Yuanzhi stepped into the elevator—
That Sister Marry snapped back to reality and chased after her, roaring, “Bai Yuanzhi, stop right there! You’re still on duty! Who allowed you to skip work without reason?”
Bai Yuanzhi wasn’t fazed at all. “Sister Marry, I’m following the employee handbook for attendance. How is this skipping work?”
Sister Marry trembled with anger. “Bai Yuanzhi! Who taught you to do this?”
Bai Yuanzhi smiled delicately, pursing her lips, and said word by word, “It was Mr. Zhou who taught me!”
Sister Marry froze, asking in confusion, “…Mr. Zhou? Which Mr. Zhou?”
“Of course, it’s our Bilanting Hotel’s HR specialist—Mr. Zhou Weihao!” Bai Yuanzhi replied playfully.
She pressed the elevator’s close button, then waved at Sister Marry, saying sweetly, “Goodbye, Sister Marry!”
Sister Marry was utterly shocked!
She stood there dumbfounded,
like a fat frog frozen in place by an invisible pressure point, unable to move a muscle.