The Varied Facets of Life

"No problem, I've gotten used to it. These guys always call me '腐竹' (Fǔ Zhú) anyway," the chubby man said, pointing at the captain and the other two.

"Uh!" Ye Chen shook his head with a wry smile and shook hands with Zhu Naifu.

"Hi, Ye Chen, I'm Wang Yong."

"Hello!"

Aside from Ye Chen, Wang Yong seemed to be the only normal one among the four.

Captain Li Gang was short, likely not even 1.65 meters tall, and that was a generous estimate. His age might have contributed to his stature.

Zhu Naifu, the chubby one, stood around 1.75 meters tall, with a waistline probably the same size. His oversized security uniform barely buttoned up.

Zhao Peng, the skinny young man, looked so thin that a level-three wind could blow him away. Standing around 1.8 meters tall, he probably weighed less than 100 pounds.

Only Wang Yong looked relatively normal, standing about 1.78 meters tall, just a bit shorter than Ye Chen, with a balanced build and muscles.

After everyone introduced themselves, Captain Li Gang said, "Alright, let's tidy up and give Ye Chen a proper welcome."

While the other three changed, Captain Li Gang handed Ye Chen two sets of autumn-spring security uniforms and said, "Ye Chen, I picked up your uniforms before leaving work. Try them on, and if they don't fit, we can exchange them tomorrow."

"Thanks, Captain."

Ye Chen's build was quite standard; size 180 clothes fit him perfectly. He tried on the uniform jacket, and it was just right.

"Captain, it fits perfectly."

"Great, tomorrow you'll be on the same shift as Zhao Peng, patrolling the first floor."

"Got it."

While Ye Chen and the captain talked, the other three had already changed into casual clothes. Seeing this, Ye Chen took off his security uniform and put on his own clothes.

The welcome dinner took place at a small restaurant not far from the building. Ye Chen didn't mind the simplicity; he understood that security guards typically weren't well-off.

They ordered four dishes and four plates of dumplings, which made it eight dishes in total—a modest but warm welcome feast.

Dumplings paired well with alcohol, so they ordered a bottle of 42-degree Baijiu. The five of them each got a small glass.

"Let's eat. What are you waiting for?" Captain Li Gang said.

The next morning, Ye Chen woke up at 6:30 AM. He went for a run, had breakfast in the canteen, and reported to work. While the mall and office building opened at 9 AM, security guards started their shifts at 8:30 AM.

The mall and office building closed at 6 PM, so the security guards finished at 6:30 PM.

Of course, this was just the day shift. There were also night shifts, but according to Captain Li Gang, their team didn't have night shifts this month.

For security guards, night shifts were normal, and there always had to be someone on duty. However, not many were needed for night shifts, so they rotated, sometimes only getting a week's night shift every few months.

This rotation was possible because of the large number of security personnel. Before the shift, Ye Chen learned there were over a hundred security guards at this location, which was why a major team leader managed it personally.

At 8:30 AM sharp, the team assembled. After a brief speech from the major team leader, they started their shift. Zhao Peng approached Ye Chen and said, "Chen, I'll show you around our patrol area."

"Okay, let's go."

Ye Chen's team was assigned to the mall security. They mainly patrolled inside the mall, although sometimes their shifts included outside patrols.

But mostly, they stayed inside, making it a desirable job—comfortably warm in winter and cool in summer, avoiding exposure to the elements year-round.

"Chen, check the 9 o'clock direction," Zhao Peng said without looking away.

"What?"

"The 9 o'clock direction," Zhao Peng repeated.

Ye Chen glanced over and saw a few flamboyantly dressed young women. Yes, they were young, but not particularly attractive.

Ye Chen turned back to Zhao Peng and said, "Are you here to patrol or to ogle girls?"

"Hey, it's nice to have something to look at!" Zhao Peng replied with a grin.

Ye Chen shook his head. Even if it was for eye candy, he preferred attractive ones, and these girls weren't worth a second look.

This mall sold luxury goods, so the shoppers were usually wealthy. There were elegant and dignified ladies, and some who were all designer brands with a lot of flesh.

There were successful, courteous businesspeople and also potbellied rich men. There were young, wealthy men and women, both attractive and not, young and old.

In short, except for the poor, all kinds of people shopped here.

Ye Chen wasn't particularly interested in the shoppers, regardless of their age or beauty.

Because these women were out of his league, attracting trouble. His monthly salary probably couldn't even buy one of their underwear pieces, so it was best to avoid unnecessary complications.