Return of the Antagonistic Lady Boss

Chapter 253 - 242: Experiencing Life (Birthday + Bonus)

Chen Xiaoqian bought the tickets, but didn’t rush to take Shuixian inside. Instead, she let her stand at the door to feel the urgency on the faces of those looking for jobs.

"It’s almost the end of the year now, why don’t these people wait until after the New Year to look for work?" Shuixian asked.

"They don’t want to either, but the children’s school fees and the elderly’s medical expenses at home can’t wait for the New Year. Your father is usually very busy, right? He doesn’t want to be that busy, but if he doesn’t, how many families would lose their jobs?"

"Are you accusing me of being ignorant? You’re not me, how do you understand the pain in my heart!"

"How could I not understand? I experienced it just last night. You’ve met my boyfriend. Last night we almost had a fight. It’s the holiday season, and he’s off doing business for the peace of thousands of families in his company, but what about my peace?"

Shuixian looked conflicted at Xiaoqian, "Chen Xiaoqian, you’re making me a bit confused. Whose side are you on exactly?"

"There’s nothing to be confused about. I got involved with such a character, accepting him means accepting his identity. Enjoying all the benefits he brings also means tolerating his flaws, making it work if I can, and if not—"

Qian couldn’t stop ranting.

"How?"

"Break up." Qian looked into the distance and said expressionlessly.

"Then I can’t stand my dad. Can you fetch me another dad?" Teng Shuixian said sulkily, not noticing Qian’s emotions.

"Sure, if you don’t want yours, I’ll take him. Do you know what my dad does?"

"What does he do?" Shuixian only knew Qian’s parents were divorced.

"That’s a secret. When you pay me back the 80.5 you owe me, I’ll tell you my story. Come on, we need to find a job. Do you know what kind of job to look for?"

"One with lots of money, little work, and close to home?"

"Dream on. The job we need has only one criterion: not selling our conscience while still making money, with the premise that someone is willing to hire two people like us with no work experience and no qualifications."

In small cities without large factories, job opportunities are very limited. The slightly respectable positions in private companies aren’t hiring at the end of the year, the sector most in need of people is the catering industry.

Only upon arriving did one realize how difficult it was to find a job.

Especially when neither young woman has educational qualifications or work experience. After going in circles, Teng Shuixian finally faced reality — her current credentials were only good for a waitress job.

"I should’ve paid attention when my dad taught me how to trade stocks," Teng Shuixian muttered softly.

"You’ll be amazing at stocks and forex in the future, but right now you’re nothing," Qian said gleefully.

Few girls excel in the sciences, but if they do, they must have formidable logic and reasoning skills. Shuixian had inherited part of her talent from her father.

Teng Shuixian was excellent at trading forex. Qian followed her and made a few trades, earning just enough for a small sports car. Conning the naive Shuixian, Qian thought it thrilling even if she didn’t get any money from it.

"Are you mocking me again?" Teng Shuixian felt both love and hate for Qian’s half-joking tone.

"No, I’m just reminding you. Even if you learn about investments and finance from your father later, that’s still a skill your dad gave you. You may not take his money, but you still use his resources, his connections, even your intellect is a gift from him." Growing up starts with understanding the world comprehensively and reading relationships.

"...Starting now, don’t talk to me for five minutes."

Qian and Shuixian eventually found jobs as waitresses at a large barbecue restaurant in the city. Meals were provided but not accommodation, and there was no pay during the three-day trial. Qian negotiated the terms, allowing them to work as short-term temporary workers for a week.

Yu Mingli received a call from someone he had sent out, knowing that Qian was leading the daughter of someone with a large fortune to earn 100 yuan a week as a waitress, he was both amused and exasperated.

He thought for a while, picked up the phone intending to tell Mr. Teng about it, but then put it down.

Since Qian dared to do so, she must have her reasons. Yu Mingli decided to let it play out.

Besides, Mr. Teng’s people would have surely reported to him, at this point, it might already be too late.

"Forget it, let’s consider it as Qian’s practice. If you suspect someone, don’t use them; if you use them, don’t suspect." Saying this sentence, he felt as if his heart was bleeding, it really hurt to feign richness.

At the same time, Teng Daye also received a call from the bodyguard.

"Boss, Miss Chen took the young lady to a barbecue restaurant... Do we need to bring her back, or remind the restaurant to look after the young lady?"

Knowing the boss’s temperament, bringing her back would be a minor reaction; in excitement, he might even purchase the barbecue restaurant.

A tyrannical CEO is still tyrannical, even as he ages.

"No need, let her do it. Whatever happens to her in the restaurant, do not interfere, and especially don’t let her see you are there."

"Boss?"

"Do as I say."

After Teng Daye hung up, he opened his text messages on his phone and looked at the recent message he received thoroughly.

The message was from Chen Xiaoqian.

The content of that message prompted Teng Daye to let his daughter work, and he saved the number.

"If Shuixian’s condition doesn’t improve in three days, I will flatten your whole family, Chen Xiaoqian. I want to see how capable you are." Though the bit about flat-out eliminating a whole family was a bluff, as long as the Yu Family was around, nothing could harm Qian, but this was his only daughter, and he aimed to protect her at all costs.

Although the work at the barbecue restaurant seemed easy, the working hours were from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

There were fewer people eating barbecue in winter, so hotpots were the mainstay at the restaurant. After a brief training, the two girls officially began their working journey.

In this lifetime, Qian had done similar manual labor during her work-study days, but Shuixian hadn’t.

The work seemed simple and not too strenuous at first glance, but once you started, you realized customers’ orders meant running up and down the stairs constantly.

Even with no customers, you still had to help out in the back kitchen with skewering lamb, and the smell was rather pungent.

Qian found it exhausting, and Shuixian, being someone who didn’t eat regularly, was even more worn out.

After the first working day ended, several waiters sat together to eat.

The meal was particularly simple: dough drop soup and stir-fried shredded potatoes. Some waiters even took out leftovers from their private room customers to eat, but Qian refused to eat others’ leftovers, barely managing to drink half a bowl of the soup.

Shuixian, exhausted with sore arms and legs, had no appetite, but couldn’t hold back and also shared half a bowl.

Walking stiffly out of the barbecue restaurant, after a few steps, a Cadillac and a Bentley stopped by the roadside, and Shuixian looked at Qian with exhaustion.

"I’m going home in my family’s car... I can’t be bothered about regulations now."

There were no buses at this time either.