"Manager Chen, about me being the cleaning supervisor..."
"Don’t worry, I’ll arrange it."
"Thank you, Manager Chen."
Listening to the conversation of those two in the room, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
"So it was about a job. This woman really doesn’t respect herself."
Wang Xinyi curled her lip in disdain, obviously looking down on such a woman.
I gave a bitter smile, "Every family has its own problems, right?"
A woman like her couldn’t possibly understand the hardships of the people at the bottom.
Just as Wang Xinyi and I were chatting, the door suddenly opened.
The pair inside came out.
Earlier, I hadn’t clearly seen the woman’s face, just found her voice somewhat familiar.
But when she walked towards us, I couldn’t help but freeze.
It turned out to be Liu Piaopiao!
She also froze, staring at me, then blushing, quickly ran away.
"Was that woman... Piaopiao?"
Wang Xinyi widened her eyes in disbelief.
I silently nodded, feeling somewhat incredulous.
Since leaving the gym, I hadn’t seen her again, but how could she have fallen to this point?
And she was even willing to accompany such an old and ugly man?
This was not like the pure and aloof ice beauty she once was.
It’s like she’s a completely different person.
"Could something have happened during this time?"
Thinking of this, I quickly said to Xinyi, "Sister Xin Yi, you go find Aunt Wu first, I’ll go see Liu Piaopiao."
"Okay, okay, you go quickly, I’ll come to find you guys later."
Wang Xinyi said nothing more, urging me to hurry up.
I quickly chased in the direction Liu Piaopiao left, finally spotting her at the corner of the corridor.
She was squatting in the corner, her head buried between her knees, quietly sobbing.
I walked over and handed her a pack of tissues.
"Xu Tian? Are you pitying me?"
"Do you think I’m disgusting? Low?"
She looked up at me with a teary face, eyes full of tears.
"Piaopiao, why are you doing this job?"
I squatted down and asked softly.
"What’s wrong with this job? I’m earning with my hands, nothing shameful about it."
Liu Piaopiao gave a bitter smile, her eyes full of despair.
Seeing her reaction, my heart ached.
"Piaopiao, what happened exactly?"
"If you still consider me your friend, just tell me. No matter what, I’ll help you."
I gently wrapped my arm around her shoulder, offering comfort.
Liu Piaopiao was stunned at first, then lightly struggled out of my embrace.
After hesitating for a long time, she told me what had happened to her.
After resigning from the gym, she wanted to start her own business but met a scammer.
She not only lost all her money but her dignity too.
Later she met a former classmate, and the two quickly developed a relationship.
However, she didn’t expect that man was married, and was caught in bed by his wife.
The woman fed her a drug, causing her to break out in itchy red welts every night.
Especially down there, she even wanted to die when the itching started.
What’s worse, the woman used her connections to ensure Liu Piaopiao couldn’t find a decent job.
This cleaning job, she got by using her body.
"Xu Tian, do you think I’m ridiculous?"
Liu Piaopiao gave a sad smile, her tears silently falling.
I sighed inwardly; she’s truly a woman marked by misfortune.
I also felt guilty; if I had kept her with me from the start, none of this would have happened.
She was once with me, and seeing her now, I felt very uneasy.
"Piaopiao, quit this job. My massage parlor is opening soon, and you can work there."
"Like you said, earning money with your hands. I won’t give you special treatment, you’ll be treated like everyone else."
"It’ll surely pay more than what you’re earning now, right?"
Seeing her about to refuse, I quickly explained.
"Then... I’ll think about it."
Liu Piaopiao nodded slightly, avoiding eye contact.
Though she didn’t agree immediately, she didn’t refuse either.