novelraw Chapter 252 - 241: Life’s Many Facets
Chapter 252 - 241: Life’s Many Facets
By the time they reached the agreed location, Teng Shuixian had already arrived.
Qian glanced at her wool coat, short leather boots, and the way her long hair floated down to her waist, and shook her head.
"You’re dressed like this?"
This looked like someone who often rode in cars; her clothes were way too thin.
"Is there a problem?"
"Come on, I’ll take you to buy some clothes."
Dressed like this, she’d freeze to death, and besides, dressed like this, she can’t get a job. Who would dare hire her?
Qian took her to the favorite big market of the poor, where everything was negotiable.
Since reaching adulthood, Teng Shuixian had not come to such places. The messy stalls dazzled her. Her family’s two bodyguards followed from a distance, highly alert. In such a crowded place, the air was terrible. With the New Year approaching, the place was packed, and they feared for the safety of the lady.
Qian took her to a clothing stall and pointed at a thick, padded jacket, "How much is that?"
"120, it’s genuine space down cotton, very warm."
"Will you sell it for 50?" Like hell it’s space cotton, it’s just some low-quality material. Wash it once and the cotton shrinks away.
"Little girl, stop joking, 50 for a padded jacket? This is genuine space cotton!" The stall owner feigned a very angry demeanor.
Teng Shuixian tugged at Qian, who gave her a reassuring look to stay calm.
"Add one more, will you sell it?"
"No, no, I’d be at a loss; I couldn’t even cover the stocking price."
"Oh, then let’s go." Qian turned, leading Teng Shuixian, moving at a snail’s pace.
"3, 2, 1." As soon as Qian finished counting, they heard the stall owner chasing after them.
"Girl, don’t go, let’s discuss it further!"
...
"That was exciting. I thought you guys were about to fight."
Buying clothes felt like a brawl. Shuixian’s imitation skills were strong; after watching Qian bargain once, she negotiated prices herself for subsequent purchases. Truly the daughter of a cunning merchant, she had a talent for bargaining.
After leaving the big market, Teng Shuixian had changed outfits.
The low-key luxurious wool coat was wrapped with a large padded jacket, and on her head was a knitted hat that Qian had bought for her; when buying the hat, they had even forced the seller to include gloves.
Only one bodyguard from the Teng Family was left following; the other seemed to be texting the boss with a report.
Within five minutes, Qian’s phone rang.
"Qian, wait there. I’ll send you some shopping vouchers."
It was Mr. Yu calling.
Qian looked around, couldn’t figure out which passerby was arranged by Mr. Yu, or perhaps the Teng family bodyguard reported to him.
"No need."
"Are you sure?"
"Mm, if you keep interfering, I’ll have Shuixian complain to her dad, and you won’t get any more orders."
"... Did a monkey send you as backup?" Mr. Yu was at a loss for words because of Qian.
"I’m the backup you called for." Qian hung up the phone.
"Are you ready, daughter of the rich family? You’re about to take your first step toward independence."
This fresh feeling made Teng Shuixian a bit excited, but catching a glimpse of her family’s bodyguard in her peripheral vision, she said somewhat disappointedly.
"I wish they wouldn’t follow."
"It’s just a life experience; it’d be bad if anything went wrong. If they want to follow, let them. Just pretend you don’t see them."
Daughter of a wealthy family cannot go out without some followers. Qian didn’t want things to go too far; today’s experience was just part of a treatment process, necessary security measures should still be in place.
"It’s not an experience; I’m serious."
"Okay then, serious young lady, we’re going to the job market. Don’t tell me you don’t know what a job market is."
"I’m inexperienced but not stupid, so stop joking with me."
Teng Shuixian wanted to have the bodyguard drive over, but Qian shook her head while holding onto her hand, "That car’s your dad’s too."
"Then we’ll hail a cab."
"A cab’s starting fare is 6 yuan; going to the job market will be around 8 yuan. Do you have any money? The money for your clothes is borrowed from me already."
"... So we’ll walk?"
Qian gestured with the coins in her hand, "We’ll take the bus, 50 cents each. Inexperienced girl, do you feel the disparity between rich and poor?"
Back then, taxis had just moved on from minivans, with a starting fare of 6 yuan for 3 kilometers. In a small city like this, they were already considered a luxury.
"A cabbie, after deducting gas and franchise costs, working 9 hours a day, doesn’t have much left when you include vehicle depreciation. But compared to regular office workers, it’s already pretty good. What’s the current salary for workers?"
"The frontline workers in our family factory can earn 600, and with overtime, 800." Teng Shuixian wasn’t completely ignorant; following her father, she heard bits and pieces of such topics.
"Most of your family’s factories are in the south, so wages are slightly higher than here. Do you know how much your wool coat costs? It’s at least half a year’s salary for an average family, and I bet it’s the cheapest of the clothes you brought with you."
To reshape Teng Shuixian’s vague perspective, she needed to be shown the full spectrum of society.
"Chen Xiaoqian, did I come to hear your lecture?"
The bus arrived, and Qian dragged her onboard, packed with people, no seats available.
"I don’t like lecturing; I prefer leading by example." Qian held onto the grab handle with difficulty; being short was indeed a disadvantage.
"I don’t like any kind of teaching from you. I just want to prove myself."
"Oh, go ahead and prove it. I hope by the time we get to the job market, you’re still brimming with confidence—by the way, the 80 yuan and 50 cents you owe me for clothing and car fare, I wonder how many days it’ll take you to repay it."
"I’ll get off now and withdraw from the bank for you."
"The money in your account, is it your own?" One sentence from Qian and Shuixian went silent.
Stubbornly looking away, after a moment, she turned back and said seriously.
"Chen Xiaoqian, I’m starting to dislike you now."
"Keep that dislike going, just don’t start seeing me as your friend. Otherwise, I won’t be able to be tough on you, and it won’t work."
"..."
The job market was not aptly named; true high-end talents rarely sought jobs here. Those trying their luck here were usually lower-class workers, with employers mostly being restaurants, factories, and small workshops offering low wages.
Even so, it was packed with people earnestly recording every recruitment detail.
"This is already considered less crowded. With college students on break, usually there are students here looking for part-time work too. In recent years, with state-owned enterprises going bankrupt and massive layoffs, many middle-aged individuals have had to compete with young people for meager wages, starting over just for their families."
Such is life.