Chapter 41: The First Paycheck

After a moment of stunned silence, the store manager arrived by my side.

“So, how about it? Quite suitable, wouldn’t you say?”

“No, Store Manager, this is like the beginning of a boss battle; I haven’t even figured out the mechanics yet, but you’ve already used a single skill to push her into the final phase. Isn’t that a bit too strong, too aggressive?”

“Oh, that’s quite an apt metaphor. However, she inherently possesses such abilities; she only needs to overcome her previous, unnecessary nervousness, and she’ll be perfectly capable. It’s certainly not excessive.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed. Not only did she quickly master the cash register and possess an excellent memory, but she also seems to exercise regularly. Her movements when retrieving items from the counter are both swift and precise, and remarkably graceful to watch. That alone is impressive. Combine that with her looks, and she’s simply exceptional.”

‘You’re truly remarkable, too, and it’s not just that you can’t hide your pride; I can’t help but want to give you a thumbs-up.’

“Needless to say, she’s not just a young lady from a prominent family; she’s also the rising star of our school’s girls’ basketball club.”

“Look at you, all smug. You truly did unearth a treasure for me.”

“Eh? From the sound of it, she’ll be coming back? I believe I mentioned she’s a young lady from a wealthy family, didn’t I?”

“So what? This was her own decision. What? Young ladies from prominent families aren’t allowed to work part-time?”

“…It’s not that they can’t.”

‘Seriously, what kind of young ladies have I ended up with?’

“It’s perfectly fine, actually. I can guess what you’re generally thinking, but what she lacks is precisely the experience needed to overcome and correct her current shortcomings, along with the corresponding feelings that come with it. As a friend, you should be happy for her, seeing her make such a resolute decision.”

“So, when does her shift end?”

No matter what, Fifth Ziyuan was brought to the store by me. If she had simply left after buying her things, it would have been better, but now, if I don’t at least escort her to the station entrance in her residential area, I won’t be able to rest easy.

“You can leave now. Since you came together, it’s only natural that you’re responsible for safely seeing her back.”

“Thank you, Store Manager.”

“No need to be polite. Whether as the store manager or an elder, it’s my duty to look after you youngsters.”

“That actually sounds quite embarrassing.”

“Heh heh, you’re actually the shy type? That’s quite a surprise.”

“I was talking about you…”

“Ah? Oh, you rascal! You dare to tease me? Go on, hurry up, and bring Liu Xiaoxue with you.”

With that, she gave my back a gentle push.

“Eh? You want me to tell them?”

“Otherwise, what? I’m the store manager; I need to maintain my image. Besides, didn’t you say you were familiar with the cash register equipment when you applied?”

Having said that, she walked towards the women’s changing room. It seemed the people who were supposed to swap shifts had simply been delayed.

‘Still, wasn’t this also a small act of revenge, disguised as playful teasing? Who knew the store manager could be so petty in this regard…’

“Student Liu, Student Fifth, you’ve worked hard.”

“You’ve worked hard too.”

The other cashier, Liu Xiaoxue, responded with a faint expression.

“Ah, Student Zhao, you’ve worked hard too. It seems you’ve finished up over there.”

“Yes, the Store Manager said you could hand over your shifts now. I’ll take over here for a bit; you two go change.”

Liu Xiaoxue suddenly turned her head to look at me.

“Student Zhao, don’t be so thoughtless.”

“Huh?”

“How can you directly tell girls to ‘change clothes’? That’s so unrefined. Even saying ‘change attire’ would be much better.”

“Oh, I’ll remember that.”

‘There are nuances to this too, apparently…’

“Well then, I’ll leave this to you for now.”

As Liu Xiaoxue spoke, she operated the cash register to complete her shift settlement. Then, she gave us a slight nod, before leaving the counter and heading towards the changing room.

“You really are quite thoughtless sometimes.”

Fifth Ziyuan suddenly leaned in slightly and said this.

“Ah… I’m not good at it, after all. But let’s not talk about that for now; you should hurry and get ready to go home too.”

“That way of speaking sounds perfectly fine now. Just don’t let there be a next time.”

She said this with a grin, waving her hand, and was about to leave.

“Wait! Didn’t you forget something!?”

“Huh?”

Seeing me point exasperatedly at the cash register she had been operating, she paused again, before finally realizing.

“Wow~ I’m so sorry, I really did forget.”

After hastily completing her shift settlement, she first retreated to the side, both embarrassed and a little cautious. Only after I had checked the cash register and nodded to signal everything was alright, did she let out a sigh of relief, smiling once more as she waved at me, then jogged away from the counter towards the changing room.

“Sigh, I was originally thinking that I finally managed to find two more full-time night shift workers, but they turned out to be a bit lazy. It’s quite troublesome, really.”

Not long after, the store manager, complaining as such, handed me the salary placed inside an envelope.

“Hmm? Two envelopes? Oh…”

One of them bore Fifth Ziyuan’s name.

“Yes, Ziyuan’s is temporarily entrusted to you as well. Your shifts have also been temporarily arranged together.”

“Oh~ As expected of the Store Manager, what a sagacious decision, truly prophetic.”

I said, placing the envelope into my bag.

“Heh heh, spare me the flattery. Praising me won’t do you any good. As for those two who are still putting on makeup, if I hadn’t gone through the same phase myself, I certainly wouldn’t be this lenient.”

“Hmm, I’ll reserve my judgment on that.”

“Quite the smooth talker, aren’t you? But make sure to safely see Ziyuan home.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“It’s a must. Anyway, you’ve worked hard; be careful on your way.”

“Alright, thank you for your concern. You’ve worked hard too.”

****

Leaving the store through the staff exit, I waited outside for a moment, then saw Fifth Ziyuan and Liu Xiaoxue walking out side-by-side.

They seemed to be getting along quite well.

“Eh? Student Zhao, I thought you’d already left.”

Fifth Ziyuan, looking rather surprised, walked towards me.

“What nonsense are you talking about? No matter what, I’m the one who brought you here. By the way, is everything alright with your family?”

“Yes, I called home. I told them I was out celebrating with a classmate.”

“Don’t just casually make up such flimsy excuses. You always have to face reality.”

“Hmm… just let me tell a tiny lie today, alright?”

“That’s not something to be praised for.”

“Eh… mm, I know I was wrong. Student Zhao is quite strict at times like these…”

“Because this is a very necessary reminder.”

She can’t keep making excuses forever. When this person made her decision earlier, she couldn’t have completely overlooked these things, could she?

“I apologize for interrupting you two, but I’ll take my leave first.”

“Oh, Student Liu, if you don’t mind, why don’t we go to the station together?”

“Thank you for your kindness, but my home isn’t far, and we’re heading in different directions, so there’s no need. Goodbye.”

“Mm, goodbye.”

“Xiaoxue, bye-bye, see you next week.”

In response to Fifth Ziyuan’s cheerful wave, Liu Xiaoxue merely gave a slight nod before departing.

“Don’t let Xiaoxue’s demeanor fool you; she’s actually very warm-hearted. There were a few times I almost made a mistake, and she was the one who proactively reminded me.”

“Then you really ought to reflect on that.”

“Hmm~ Student Zhao actually enjoys bullying girls, doesn’t he?”

“It’s clearly your own fault; don’t try to force everything onto such an excuse.”

I said this, already opening my bag and taking out her salary.

“Here.”

“What’s this?”

“Your wages.”

“Eh?”

Fifth Ziyuan took it with a surprised expression, then for some reason, stared at the envelope, frozen in place.

“What’s wrong?”

When I asked, she didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she remained stunned for about a minute before suddenly taking a deep breath.

“Wow~~~ How touching!~ Student Zhao, it turns out that receiving the fruits of your own hard work with your own hands for the first time is such a moving experience!~”

Oh, so that’s it. I understand, yet I also don’t quite understand. Should I say your emotional sensitivity is too high?

“Wuwu~ Seriously, I’m almost about to cry.”

“No, please, don’t you dare. At a time like this, in a place like this, are you trying to repay kindness with enmity?”

Although it wasn’t yet seven o’clock and the sky was still relatively bright due to the season, if you dared to cry, I would dare to run away from you!

“Hmm~ Student Zhao truly has no sense of humor.”

Fifth Ziyuan said this with a pouting expression, then carefully and meticulously placed the envelope into her bag.

“Alright, stop messing around. Let’s go.”

I said, leading her towards the alley entrance on the other side.

“By the way, you must be hungry, right?”

“I really am hungry! Oh!~ In that case, why don’t I treat you to dinner, with my very first paycheck in life!~”

“It’s good that you’re happy, and I don’t want to dampen your spirits, but I’m well aware that you’re actually a young lady from a prominent family. So, I absolutely won’t hold back, you know? If we do that, your wages will not only instantly vanish but you’ll probably even have to pay extra. Is that really alright?”

If it were anyone else, my attitude might not have changed so quickly, but her sudden transformation into a fellow part-timer made it impossible for me to simply continue seeing her as a pampered young lady. In fact, she instantly became a companion with whom I could share both hardships and joys.

“Eh?!~ Can’t you be a little more polite? Even if it’s just to be comforting!”

“Ah, alright, alright, then… Eh? Wait, didn’t you buy anything earlier?”

It only just occurred to me that she was only carrying her school bag and I hadn’t seen any other shopping bags.

While the current situation of her first part-time job was truly gratifying, hadn’t the outcome also deviated from the original intention?

“Oh, I bought a magazine. The Store Manager told me that the most crucial aspect of a convenience store lies in the word ‘convenience.’ Actions like mine, which were purely for stocking up, are better suited for a supermarket or directly contacting a wholesaler.”

So, just how many items did you plan to buy that the Store Manager gave you such a response?

However… hmm.

“In that case,”

I said, turning and stopping at the alley entrance, watching Fifth Ziyuan, who had also stopped but was tilting her head in confusion.

“Congratulations, Student Fifth Ziyuan. Not only have you successfully overcome your fears and filled a void, but you’ve also gained valuable experience and feelings from your first job in life.”

“…Thank you, Student Zhao Wangqiu. I’m truly grateful to you. My resolve to come along was all because of your encouragement, and it’s absolutely the most fortunate decision I’ve made in my life so far.”

Seeing her about to bow, I quickly jumped aside.

“Enough with the sentimentality, let’s go! I’m suddenly starving.”

“Eh?!~ How can you be like that? I’m sincerely thanking you!”

“Then let me empty your wallet.”

“You should say ‘envelope’! My wallet holds the allowance my family gives me; I won’t allow you to eye that.”

“Alright, then where does Student Fifth want to treat me to dinner? Let me warn you beforehand, I’m not used to overly fancy food.”

She suddenly stopped walking.

“…Ziyuan.”

“Huh?”

I stopped and turned my head, first seeing her with her head lowered, then looking at the hand she had gripped my shirt sleeve with.

“Just call me Ziyuan.”

“…Alright, Ziyuan.”

Anyway, I was quite used to this kind of situation.

However, she recoiled her hand as if shocked by electricity, hastily lifting her bag to cover her face.

Eh?~ In the end, you’re the one who got shy?

After a while, she slowly lowered her bag, revealing eyes full of smiles.

“Then… since I’m treating, you pick the place, Wang… Wangqiu…”

“Oh, in that case, I won’t be polite.”

“Eh?”

Watching her freeze, I chuckled inwardly and turned to walk away.

After taking a few steps without looking back, I heard hurried footsteps behind me, followed by a light tap on my left shoulder.

Turning my head, I saw her glare at me, puffing out her cheeks.

“At least pretend to be polite.”

“No way.”

“Your attitude changed so quickly; are you fickle?”

“Because you’re my colleague now, so why should I still be so polite? Or do you wish for that?”

Fifth Ziyuan blinked.

“Ah~ Anyway, you’re suddenly so annoying!~”

She said, raising her fist and tapping my shoulder again.

I casually retaliated in kind.

“See, I told you to stop messing around. Don’t you know you’re drawing a lot of attention?”

“I can’t compare to you. Aren’t you aware that you’re already quite famous at school?”

“Then I can only say I’m lucky to have good friends who don’t care about such things.”

“…Then, am I one too?”

“What?”

Since her voice had suddenly become much softer, and we were walking on a bustling street, I didn’t quite catch it at first.

“…Nothing. So, where are we going?”

“Just up ahead. If you’re not too keen, then we can go into the station and wait for the train, and discuss it on the way.”

I pointed to the food court attached to the station.

Unsure if she would accept, I gave a heads-up.

“No! There!”

Instead, her eyes lit up as she grabbed my forearm, excitedly dragging me forward into a light jog.

“Because, besides the convenience store, that’s also a place I’ve actually wanted to go to for a long time!”

“It’s good that you’re happy, but can you stop dragging me along?”

Doesn’t she realize her athletic ability isn’t just excellent, but exceptional?

Don’t make things difficult for me.

“Haha~ I found Wangqiu’s weakness!~ So no way!~”

Instead, she laughed even more happily and sped up a bit.

“Ah~ Don’t go too far, alright?”

I already had trouble dealing with Nina when she got excited; this girl is probably still just at the playful stage.

I really hope things like this happen less often for a while, because I’m genuinely trying my best to train.

Speaking of which, Lan Xinyue and the others had gotten a bit too excited playing with Cao Kexin as well. Su Yuanyi had originally said she wanted to visit me at work, but while I was waiting for Fifth Ziyuan, I saw photos she sent of herself having a great time at the amusement park in District 15.

“Ah~ So many choices! Wangqiu, do you have any recommendations?”

Once we arrived at the place, she looked at the dazzling menu board, immediately falling into indecision, and asked me this while shaking my arm.

I first confirmed her usual taste, and since she had no dietary restrictions, I recommended a suitable meal for her.

A large portion of Yangzhou fried rice.

It also came with a boiled egg cut in half, a small serving of spicy pickles made with shredded cucumber, shredded green bell pepper, and kelp, and a small bowl of seemingly rich seaweed soup.

I ordered the same thing myself.

The only difference was that hers had shrimp as the main meat ingredient, while mine had ham.

“Why did it turn into you treating?”

“Because I’m your senior, after all. There’s no way I’d let a junior who just got their first paycheck treat me.”

Rather, she wasn’t yet familiar with these places. The process of buying tickets first, then picking up food, she ought to observe that first.

“Hmm~”

When the server delivered the meals to their small table, Fifth Ziyuan first used her spoon to pick out two shrimp, placed them on my plate, and swapped them for two slices of ham.

“Ah~ Ham is also quite good! Next time, I’ll order this.”

“Alright.”

Then I’ll switch to chicken next time.

After eating with occasional conversation, Fifth Ziyuan seemed very satisfied and didn’t accept my offer to see her home, instead having her family send a car to pick her up.

After exchanging contact information, I watched from a distance as she got into the car sent by her family. As it slowly drove away, I turned and entered the station to head home.

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