The wedding banquet had concluded, and guests were leaving one after another. Stepping out of the hotel entrance, Yan Xixi felt a gust of wind and sighed in relief.
The usually cheerful and vivacious Xu Xiaoya also fell silent. Only after a while, watching the luxury cars speeding away, did she sigh, "I think we’re the only ones who took a taxi to the wedding today. Sigh, Xixi, when do you think we’ll ever get rich?"
"Zhou Xiaoxuan’s words were full of barbs today, clearly targeting you. She used to compete with you for Huang Xiaojue, but since he didn’t like her, it’s natural for her to be jealous. That woman is so smug now..."
"Why can Zhou Xiaoxuan marry a rich man, but we can’t? She was so ugly in college. In the past couple of years, she’s had plastic surgery and transformed into a beauty. And she even managed to find such a rich man... Ugh, let’s not talk about it. Comparisons are truly odious. I still have to go to my night shift..."
Yan Xixi remained silent. Then, glancing at her knock-off LV purse, she marched off.
The tea shop owner called three times, but she didn’t feel like working today and just wandered the streets aimlessly.
That evening, her cell phone rang. She glanced at the number but didn’t answer. The phone kept ringing insistently. After a moment, she took a deep breath and finally answered, "Xiaojue, what is it?"
Huang Xiaojue sounded particularly elated on the other end. "Xixi, I got promoted! What gift would you like? I’ll buy it for you..."
She replied softly, "Congratulations."
"How’s your mother’s health? Any better?"
"Still the same. She constantly needs medication. The doctor said surgery would help. But where would I find that kind of money?"
"How much do you need?"
Huang Xiaojue fell silent on the other end. Yan Xixi was silent too. Then, she hung up.
She walked on for a while, then patted her empty pocket. Slowing down, she leaned against a roadside tree, blankly watching the nighttime traffic stream by.
Her phone rang again. It was Xu Xiaoya. "Xixi, I’m tied up tonight! Could you come cover for me quickly? I’ll pay you 1,000 yuan for the night. This offer won’t last, are you in? If not, I’ll find someone else..."
Yan Xixi hesitated. Xu Xiaoya, already impatient, pressed, "Xixi, are you free or not?"
"I..." She gritted her teeth, squared her shoulders. "I’m free. I’ll head over now."
「The place was a private entertainment club in C City called "Harem."」
When Xu Xiaoya saw Yan Xixi, she dragged her in like a whirlwind. Without even exchanging pleasantries, she said hurriedly, "Xixi, Zhong Minghui got into a car accident, and I have to go to the hospital right now! I have an important client tonight, so you’ll need to cover for me for a while. The uniform’s on the hanger. Quick, change into it!"
"This... Can I really do this?"
"Stop hesitating! What’s there you can’t handle? Don’t worry, no one will give you a hard time. I heard it’s some big shot tonight, very generous with tips. If you do a good job, the tip could be more than you imagine. If my boyfriend hadn’t gotten into an accident, I wouldn’t be letting you have this chance... Anyway, I have to go..."
Yan Xixi watched Xu Xiaoya sprint off. There was no room for regret; she could only quickly change into the uniform.
Yan Xixi carefully entered the most luxurious private room in the club. For some reason, her heart pounded in her chest. She was terrified of jostling the incredibly expensive bottle of red wine on the tray.