Chapter 13 Hously Grand Hotel
Wearing in the hospital gown of St. Mary Private Hospital, Xia Xiaoluo walked on a less bustling street, but the rate of second glance was still very high. She really wanted to go back to her rented room for clothing change. But at the thought of the libidinous landlord, she gave it up.
Idling on the street, Xia Xiaoluo had no other way than to ask for help from Dou Ya, her best friend. However, she knew that Dou Ya was also in trouble, for she lived with her uncle and her aunt from childhood. Dou Ya’s father passed away when she was a little girl and then her mother left her and remarried. Besides, Dou Ya’s uncle and aunt disliked her, regarding her as a burden.
Yesterday in the western-style restaurant, Dou Ya offended the manager in order to prevent him from firing her. Consequently, both of them were fired. Having a terribly guilty conscience to Dou Ya, Xia Xiaoluo did not have the courage to disturb her again.
“Job advertisement!” Glancing at the advertising board in the front of the gate of Hously Grand Hotel, Xia Xiaoluo went over to have a close check of the advertisement immediately.
“Over 18 years old, female, of 160 centimeters or more…” Xia Xiaoluo seems to see hope again. Despite a five-star hotel, the requirements seemed not to be very strict. According to these, she guessed that she would meet these admission requirements.
Xia Xiaoluo then got the spirits right away. Regardless of her hospital gown, she walked openly into the hall of the hotel, speaking to the receptionist at the front desk, “Hello, I came here to apply for the position as a waitress, for I noticed there was a job advertisement.”
The receptionist looked down upon Xia Xiaoluo in the hospital gown, but, as a professional receptionist of a five-star hotel, she still smiled to her, saying to her in a tender voice, “Please fill in the form and go upstairs to the 2nd floor, where you’ll find the interview section. Please hand in the form to the guide and then just wait for your turn.”
“Thank you!” said Xia Xiaoluo. Taking the paper and the pen, she finished the form soon. After that, she rushed hurriedly to the 2nd floor and submitted the form to the guide.
Having a glance at the crowd applying for the position, Xia Xiaoluo concluded that there could be more than 30 applicants. But, to her surprise, she found a familiar face and shouted, “You bad Bean Sprout (the nickname of Dou Ya. The name has the same pronunciation with the phrase “bean sprout”)! Why are you here?”
“Xiaoluo!” Dou Ya dressed in a preppy suit. Compared with what Xia Xiaoluo wore, Dou Ya looked like more professional.
“Why are you in such a hospital gown? Are you ill?” asked Dou Ya, lifting her hand on Xia’s forehead to test her temperature. Xia Xiaoluo moved Dou’s hand and said, “I just had a fever, but I am all right now. I was hurried to leave the hospital, so I forgot to take off the gown.”
“As long as you are okay. At noon today, my neighbor told me that this hotel would be officially open next week. Thanks to it, it needs a lot of attendants. I wanted to call you to come here together with me and have a try, but your phone has been off. I didn’t expect to meet with you here!” complained Dou Ya, for she had been kept calling Xia Xiaoluo for nearly an hour.
“I had no money to pay the rent, therefore, I mortgaged my smartphone to the landlord last week. Even just now when I was filling in the application form, I used your phone number.” Xia Xiaoluo sighed.
“Poor girl! Hope both of us can succeed!” said Dou Ya, patting Xia Xiaoluo on her shoulder. “But, the gown is not suitable for the interview. Anyway, we have about the same size. After I finish my interview, you may put on my suit.”
“You lovely Bean Sprout! I love you so much!” said Xia Xiaoluo, giving Dou Ya a bearhug!
“Off with me! Don’t get my suit creased! It will soon be my turn.” said Dou Ya, giving a slight push to Xia Xiaoluo. Both of them sat down on the bench, waiting.