Chapter 39: A New Face and a Puzzling Directive

He remembered how, for two years while working here, Bai YuYang had always been alone, and every day had felt rather dull.

Now, with an extra person, it seemed things might be a little less boring.

“Well… let me think…”

Su Xiaomeng pondered for a moment, recalling the details from her time at school earlier, before stating truthfully.

“The timing should have been just right, but since it was the start of the semester and class representatives hadn’t been chosen yet, the subject teacher asked me to collect the pop quizzes for her after school and take them to the office.”

“So that’s why you were late?” Bai YuYang asked.

‘Indeed, at the start of the semester, a teacher’s request is quite hard to refuse.’

“That wasn’t all,” Su Xiaomeng continued.

“When I returned to the classroom, I found that the students on duty had already left. However, the blackboard at the back of the classroom hadn’t been erased.

According to the teacher, the student council members who inspect hygiene would be arriving soon, and I didn’t want the class to lose points on the very first day of school… so I erased the blackboard.

Then, as I walked back from erasing it, I noticed an area at the back that hadn’t been mopped.”

“So you cleaned the entire classroom again? Whoa, you’re really too kind-hearted. If you weren’t late, who would be?”

While possessing a sense of responsibility and class honor was commendable, Bai YuYang felt that if the part-time job was truly important to her, she should have prioritized herself first.

However, Su Xiaomeng merely offered a naive smile, then blinked at Bai YuYang, speaking with utter naturalness.

“Hehe, that’s true, but didn’t I make it in the end? And the class didn’t lose any points either. Everyone’s happy!”

‘Everyone’s happy, really?’

Seeing her optimistic demeanor, Bai YuYang couldn’t help but smile wryly, infected by her cheerfulness.

“You were just lucky.”

“But, but! I truly have to thank you, Senior, for successfully getting this job!”

“?”

Bai YuYang was perplexed.

‘What? Your success in getting the job is your own capability. What does it have to do with me?’

Su Xiaomeng’s eyes sparkled with gratitude as she spoke, every word deliberate.

“Actually, I had absolutely no confidence that I would pass the interview at first… After all, it’s such a high-end restaurant, and there were several other competitors. But thanks to a timely word of encouragement from you, Senior! I was able to take a chance for myself. Thank you so, so much!”

This time, Su Xiaomeng’s bow was complete and unreserved, expressing heartfelt gratitude towards Bai YuYang.

But Bai YuYang…

He was utterly bewildered.

‘When did I ever encourage you?!’

At that moment, Bai YuYang certainly didn’t know that his voice message, jokingly teasing Luo Hao and his friends about playing basketball, had been misunderstood by Su Xiaomeng and taken as encouragement for her.

After all, from behind, Su Xiaomeng couldn’t have seen Bai YuYang sending a voice message on his phone.

‘Whether you win or not is still uncertain. Your fate is in your hands, not heaven’s. Try to win a round, occasionally stand up for yourself.’

Though she didn’t know why Senior knew she was coming for an interview… or perhaps he didn’t know, merely sensing she had some troubles?

Su Xiaomeng, with her somewhat naive disposition, didn’t want to delve deeper into the question. She simply wanted to stand up for herself!

She was just thinking that even someone she’d met for the first time was encouraging her like this! How could Su Xiaomeng not fight for herself?

A sudden surge of confidence brewed within her. She had never imagined that after coming here, she would actually succeed in getting the job!

Bai YuYang was baffled, asking in confusion, “No, what do you mean by thanking me? And that encouraging remark…”

“Bai YuYang, you’re not busy now, are you? Come to the office for a moment.”

Before Bai YuYang could finish his question, Aunt Liu suddenly appeared from the staff area, beckoning him over.

‘Hiss, could it be about discussing salary deductions for being late? Oh well… this is my own doing, there’s no way around it.’

Before leaving, he asked, “Su Xiaomeng, will you be alright staying here by yourself for a bit? If anyone needs to pay, just follow the process we went over earlier.”

“Mhm, mhm! Don’t worry, Senior! I’ll hold down the fort!”

“You don’t have to be quite so serious.”

Indeed, her earnestness was reassuring, and her learning ability was strong. Leaving this to her would be no problem.

After giving a couple more instructions, Bai YuYang left the cashier counter, passing through the staff area to an office at the back, where the restaurant manager worked.

The door was ajar. Aunt Liu sat at the desk, waiting, her expression grave—a clear sign that she was about to demand an explanation.

‘Don’t ask, there’s no escape.’

Bai YuYang walked in with a subdued expression, dutifully standing by the door without moving further inside.

“Aunt Liu? Did you call me here for something? It’s actually a bit busy outside, so if it’s nothing urgent, I’ll just…”

‘He still wanted to slip away if possible!’

But Aunt Liu seemed disinclined to offer that chance.

“I see that the new girl has learned pretty much everything. New employees need training, and mastering the job alone isn’t a bad thing. Putting that aside for a moment, Bai YuYang, regarding today’s incident, do you have anything to explain?”

“I… uh… no, I confess.”

“Very good. It’s commendable to admit your mistakes and correct them. We’ll overlook your lateness today. Don’t let it happen again.”

“Alright… please don’t deduct too much from my salary… Eh? Aunt Liu, what did you just say?!”

“I said we’ll overlook it this time, but don’t let it happen again. What, are you not satisfied with this outcome?”

Bai YuYang quickly shook his head, saying, “No, no, no, I am extremely satisfied, no questions at all!”

‘As long as there’s no deduction!’

Though he said that… Bai YuYang remembered that in his previous life, Aunt Liu wasn’t such an easygoing person. She was strict, fair in rewards and punishments, and never made exceptions.

Before Bai YuYang could figure out what was going on, Aunt Liu began to address the real reason she had called him over.

With a sigh, she recounted the day’s events in full detail.

“The young girl who came today, her name is Su Xiaomeng, right? To be honest, I hadn’t planned on hiring her, because although we posted a recruitment notice, the person we need to hire now is full-time, not part-time.”

“Then why did you hire her today?”

Bai YuYang had a premonition that Aunt Liu’s next words might hold the answer to the question that had been puzzling him: why Su Xiaomeng became an employee here in this life, but not in his previous one.

At this, Aunt Liu first showed a somewhat troubled expression.

Then she tapped her finger on the desk, looking at Bai YuYang.

“This still goes back to your lateness.”

“Me again?” Bai YuYang asked in surprise, pointing at himself.

‘How strange. My being late is one thing, but what does it have to do with hiring a part-timer?!’

“That’s right,” Aunt Liu explained. “Originally, there was no need to hire her. But today was your first time being late, wasn’t it? I watched the cashier station for ten minutes and realized the job wasn’t as simple as I thought.”

“Our restaurant wasn’t as popular before as it is now. I really underestimated the increased foot traffic during the dinner rush. Or rather, I don’t understand how you used to manage those two hours during the dinner rush all by yourself. Were you truly able to handle it?”

“Ahaha… It was alright, I guess. I just thought if you worked efficiently, it was nothing much.”

“There’s no need to force it. I personally oversaw that time slot, and now I understand how difficult it is. So, we’re adding another person for this period. Compared to a full-time employee, hiring a part-timer for two hours is more cost-effective, as we only need extra hands for those two hours.”

Aunt Liu concluded, “That’s the reason we hired that girl. Alright, Bai YuYang, does that explanation make sense? I told you all this so you wouldn’t overthink it. The restaurant isn’t questioning your work ability; we’re just trying to ease your workload.”

“Ah… I understand. I wasn’t overthinking it.”

“Good, as long as you know. Return to your post. You can clock out on time at the end of your shift.”

“Understood, Aunt Liu.”

A relieved Bai YuYang left the room, gently closing the door.

Alone in the office, Aunt Liu looked at her phone once more.

The message on it, sent by the highest level of the company, made her break out in a cold sweat.

[Make sure to give special care to an employee named Bai YuYang. His salary can be increased, but not deducted. Find a way to reduce his work pressure. This is a top-level directive and must be fulfilled.]

A top directive…

Aunt Liu had genuinely never seen a top-level directive before. Logically, the company’s highest echelons wouldn’t concern themselves with this small restaurant.

Bai YuYang had worked here for two months, and he was efficient—a truly promising talent. But who exactly was he, to warrant such a personal, top-level directive for special care?

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