Chapter 7: Truly Pathetic

"Yes."

Xiǎngsī nodded. "Got it."

Seeing his disdainful expression, she added, "I'll open the windows for ventilation and clean up the kitchen. There won't be any lingering smells."

"You?"

Hánjiāng scoffed, curling his lips in contempt. "You can't even cook noodles properly, and you expect me to believe you can clean? Just leave it; the cleaning lady will handle it tomorrow."

After throwing down these words, he turned and went upstairs.

Finally, he's gone...

Xiǎngsī let out a breath of relief and sat back down.

The noodles, already cold and clumped together, now looked even more unappetizing.

She blinked, expressionless, as she picked up her chopsticks and finished eating them.

After eating, she opened the windows for ventilation and tidied up the kitchen. Then, she lay down on the sofa in the living room.

As for the guest room, there was no need to trouble herself. He would only complain again about her leaving a bad smell behind.

She planned to start looking for a new place tomorrow. For now, she would just make do for a couple of days.

…

The next morning, Xiǎngsī woke up early and left the house before Hánjiāng came downstairs.

She needed to find a job and a place to live as soon as possible.

Last night, she had already checked the routes. As soon as she left, she headed straight to the bus stop and then transferred to the subway.

Her destination was "Mí Sè"—a nightclub in Jiāngchéng.

Xiǎngsī's specialty was modern dance, and she was there to apply for a dancer position.

Everyone in Jiāngchéng knew that "Mí Sè" had a bit of a reputation; it was a place where the wealthy spent lavishly for pleasure.

But Xiǎngsī wasn't afraid. She was there to make money to support herself and…

Moreover, she was selling her skills, not her body, and there was nothing shameful about that.

At Mí Sè, she followed the directions Huānxi had given her and looked for a manager named Wu.

Since it was daytime and the nightclub wasn't open, she quickly met Manager Wu.

"Hello, Manager Wu." Xiǎngsī stood gracefully and confidently.

"Hello." Manager Wu smiled and nodded. "You're the one introduced by Miss Huānxi, right? What's your name again…?"

"Xiǎngsī Shèng, Shèng as in flourishing, and Xiǎngsī as in yearning."

"Yes, that's it."

Manager Wu scrutinized her carefully. She was clearly a referral but, seeing her striking looks and excellent figure, he couldn't help but smile more.

"Xiǎngsī, you're hired."

"?" Xiǎngsī was pleasantly surprised. Although Huānxi had recommended her, she hadn't expected it to be this easy.

"Thank you, Manager Wu."

"No need to be so polite."

Manager Wu waved his hand with a smile. "Since you're recommended by Miss Huānxi, how could I refuse? Besides, I'm confident you'll become a star at Mí Sè!"

He continued, "Let's do this: get your measurements taken so we can prepare your costume. How about we schedule your debut for this Friday? That's when we get the most customers."

"No problem."

Xiǎngsī quickly nodded. How could she have any issues with that?

"Great, it's settled then."

"Thank you, Manager Wu."

"…"

Leaving Mí Sè, Xiǎngsī called Huānxi.

After two rings, the call was disconnected.

A moment later, her phone rang again. It was Huānxi calling back.

"Seriously…" Xiǎngsī answered with a smile. "Why do you always do this?"

She was referring to Huānxi hanging up and then calling her back.

"What?"

Huānxi laughed on the other end. "International calls are expensive. Since you don't have much money, I'm saving it for you."

"Yes." Xiǎngsī bit her lip in gratitude. "I know, Huānxi. Thank you. And thank you for the job as well."

"It worked out?"

Huānxi was pleasantly surprised and excited. "I told you it would be fine. Don't worry, I've got things covered here."

International calls were costly, so they kept the conversation brief and hung up after discussing the essentials.

Next, Xiǎngsī had to find a place to live.

She visited several places, but none were satisfactory. Either they were too expensive, or the cheaper ones had questionable safety.

Just as she was about to head to the next place, her phone rang.

It was Fù Hánjiāng.

Xiǎngsī, her expression calm, answered. "Hello?"

"Where are you?"

His voice, full of impatience, came through immediately.

"Why aren't you at Yíntān?"

Huh? Xiǎngsī was surprised. Did this mean he was at Yíntān now?

Instead of answering his question, she asked, "Do you need something?"

"Are you asking me?"

Hánjiāng sneered. "Didn't Grandma tell you about the welcome party she's preparing for you? Now you're asking me what's going on?"

Oh!

Xiǎngsī remembered. "Is it tonight?"

"Yes! Get back here immediately!"