Chapter 5: A Strange Encounter

A strange person.

Thinking back, there was something peculiar about her own decision to accept the gift without questioning. Qian Surou had a hunch that the time to return the favor was close at hand.

The area was a student hub centered around Duyou University, and her intuition wasn’t unfounded. Spring Rain Street was popular among students, so the girl could very well be a junior or an alumnus.

She peeled off a corner of the candy coating and placed it in her mouth. The taste of the sugar-coated haw was strangely unfamiliar, almost as if she were tasting it for the first time.

Despite not having strict family rules, Qian Surou had always lived by the principle of ‘not bringing shame to her family,’ mirroring the behavior of other young ladies in her circle. Now, however, such propriety seemed unnecessary.

The girl she met today was exceptionally beautiful. Her long hair swept back into cute twin braids, secured with a black velvet ribbon, complemented a light gray button-down shirt and a dark green V-neck dress.

Custom-patterned sneakers added a playful touch. Her bulging student bag wasn’t the standard issue, and paired with her black-framed glasses, she had an air of obedient student charm.

Her beauty rivaled Qian Surou’s, and beneath her loose clothing, a slender figure was hinted at.

This outfit seemed to conceal her beauty, but the girl’s demeanor was far more memorable.

Despite her simple appearance, she stood out among her peers, like a fairy princess from another world, flying in on a jet. Yes, the trail of clouds was always beautiful.

Beauty comes in many forms, and there’s no need for comparison. With a sense of belonging to a minority group, Qian Surou never expected much from casual encounters.

After being rejected by Ji Yushu, she had no intention of returning to the whirlwind of romance.

This week, she had been searching for new part-time jobs in addition to her current work. She even tried out professions she had once looked down upon.

Performing arts, waitressing, and tutoring—following her interests, she even sneaked a peek at street mural artists and visited a bar for a drink. Then, she was persuaded by the boss to try a daily-paying part-time job.

The only reason she agreed was the attractive salary and the convenience of working different shifts from her day job at a cafe. Although she chose the position of a waitress, the boss clearly hoped she would sell drinks.

While the clientele were mostly women, things could get rowdy, and she was already experiencing unwanted advances from coworkers.

The conversations were still respectful enough to avoid discomfort, but there was one overly confident girl who treated her as a potential friend, displaying a strong sense of aggression.

Qian Surou had no prejudice against short-haired girls. Ji Yushu had once considered a drastic haircut, though she now grew her hair long for an audition.

Qian Surou remembered that time when Ji Yushu, despite being teased, always smiled brightly, her laughter infectious.

However, Qian Surou couldn’t appreciate behaviors like smoking, boasting, and a carefree attitude. They reminded her of a poorly made product, mass-produced and lacking individuality.

She had tried to find depth in people, but to no avail. Honestly, she hadn’t encountered such rude behavior even among middle-aged men. Specifically, labeling her and trying to set up a date were the most annoying aspects.

Perhaps due to her past experiences, Qian Surou leaned towards assertiveness and wasn’t particularly drawn to tomboyish girls.

Even at school, the girls who confessed to her were mostly cute and gentle types. Ji Yushu used to joke about them: ‘Which junior is volunteering to be our queen’s model today?’

The chaos wasn’t limited to unwanted advances. There were drunk women who shouted, ‘Sister, you smell so nice!’ and buried their faces between a girl’s knees.

Others engaged in passionate kissing in the midst of the commotion. Qian Surou caught glimpses of girls with visible marks on their bodies.

Despite seeing some who looked out of place and others who seemed like career women, they were all intruders in this neon-lit world, some engaged in friendly conversations, others targeted by ‘hunters.’

The most chaotic were the network-arranged seating areas. There were incidents where a girl’s family member had to intervene, shouting, “What are you doing? Take your hands off! Wake up! You bastard!”

It almost reached the point of requiring police intervention. It seemed the girl was underage, using her sister’s ID to enter.

“This is the first time I’ve seen something like this in all my years working here,” a coworker said, exhaling smoke from a cigarette.

Cases of girls being forced to drink and leave were not uncommon, and the bar usually didn’t interfere.

However, for incidents with a greater impact, the boss would personally step in to mediate and prevent any disruption to the customers and the business.

Finally, a coworker looked at Qian Surou as if she were a small pastry and said, “With your looks, you don’t need to work in a place like this. This area’s bars are too commercial.”

“Thank you.”

Although her goal was to earn money, and the commercial setting offered better pay.

Qian Surou had initially planned to work until the start of the school term, but the chaos she witnessed made her change her mind.

Having grown up as a young lady, she understood that the environment has a profound impact on one’s character.

Customers who chose the cafe’s counter seats were often alone.

During lulls in orders, Qian Surou would glance at a legitimate job-hunting app. Due to the chaos in the job market seven or eight years ago, current platforms were more regulated, and job listings were scarce.

Qian Surou limited her search to areas near her school and home, further reducing her options.

Putting down her phone, she used a whale-shaped spray bottle to tend to the store manager’s little ‘princesses,’ and upon returning, found a regular customer at the counter.

“N-Not really…” Qian Surou hesitated, her gaze still on the job-hunting app displayed on her phone screen.

Being approached about part-time jobs at her workplace made her feel she was letting the manager down.

“Still the same?” Receiving a nod, Qian Surou poured a coffee with a sunflower design, bowed her head, and softly said, “Please enjoy your drink.” She slowly raised her face.

It was the female customer who always sat in the backlit area. The woman had a commanding presence, her back always straight, and a professional smile on her face, reminiscent of a seasoned corporate negotiator.

Her aura made Qian Surou feel a bit uncomfortable.

“Have you considered it?” A business card slowly slid across the counter, coming into Qian Surou’s view.

Dating Club. The card was a square, pale orange, with the club’s name in a playful font. The bottom left corner bore a name and contact information. Meng Hansheng. There was an attempt at an English translation, but it felt forced.

There was no address or logo for the club. Qian Surou had seen similar cards before, stuck on bathroom walls in public restrooms, their yellowed color and foul odor a perfect match. This was her first encounter with such a thing while job hunting.

She checked her reflection in the nearby glass. Light makeup, a collar shirt under a hundred yuan, a hand-knitted cream-colored sweater, and a work-appropriate high-waisted skirt.

In no way did she fit the ‘vain’ stereotype. Had she misunderstood? Qian Surou was momentarily confused.

“—This kind of thing… is illegal.”