Yan Heng gave a slight nod to show he understood and secured the listening device disguised as a brooch.
Wearing a black face mask, Yan Heng entered the Daffodil Club through the back door. He first sought out the club's staff manager, explained that he was looking for a temporary waiting job, and informed the man of his extensive experience as a temp worker.
The manager looked Yan Heng up and down and gestured for him to take off his mask. Yan Heng complied, removing the mask to reveal his handsome and elegant face.
The manager flashed an ambiguous smile. Of course you can work here. Our club has two types of arrangements for male waiters. The first is regular service work, but the pay isn't high, just one hundred and fifty yuan a day. As for the other, well, you should know what it entails, and the money comes much faster and in larger amounts than the first.
The first type. Yan Heng's gaze was firm.
Sigh, the manager said, his expression tinged with regret. You should think it over carefully.
But Yan Heng's attitude was resolute, and he provided the name of a reference prepared by his store manager.
The manager had no choice but to give up persuading him. He then glanced at the medical report Yan Heng had prepared in advance. Alright! Wait a moment, I'll have someone take you to familiarize yourself with your post. Put your mask back on! Here, the first type of service staff must cover their faces with black masks so that the guests can distinguish their roles. Take this, it's your uniform. Check if it's the right size!
Yan Heng put the black mask back on and changed into the properly sized uniform. Before long, a young man, also wearing a black mask, arrived to show Yan Heng around the club and inform him of his work location and duties.
Yan Heng pretended to listen earnestly, but his eyes darted around, secretly memorizing the club's internal layout.
The club was decorated in a Western palatial style, featuring various rotating crystal chandeliers, exquisite Persian carpets, and wallpaper with dark gold patterns. The walls were also adorned with nearly flawless replicas of world-famous paintings.
It was a scene of dazzling lights, intoxicating luxury, and sheer debauchery.
The waiter left after giving a few brief instructions. Using his new identity, Yan Heng carefully snooped around the club for information regarding drugs. He also feigned casual chats with other waiters to secretly gather intelligence.
He was very familiar with this kind of work. After collecting some useful information, Yan Heng headed to the first-floor restroom to meet with an undercover narcotics police officer posing as a guest. Taking advantage of the empty room, they exchanged information.
The service staff at this club worked from ten at night until four in the morning.
Yan Heng collected his daily wages from the manager and was about to leave through the back door when he accidentally bumped into a teenage boy wearing a white shirt.
I'm sorry. After apologizing to the boy in the white shirt, Yan Heng was about to hurry away.
But upon seeing the boy's face, Yan Heng froze.
Two days after the Lantern Festival marked the start of the new semester at Scott High School. Zhu Yaya no longer had to go to the Once in a Lifetime milk tea shop to keep an eye on Xu Chun.
Heaven knows how much money she had spent at that milk tea shop over the holiday! Besides, she had finished her winter break homework ages ago, and apart from constantly watching Xu Chun and Murong Beichen, there was nothing else fun to do. She was bored to death!
When you are in school, you long for a holiday; when you are on holiday, you long for school.
Ah, the inherent contradictions of human nature!
Yan Heng finished his stint at the Once in a Lifetime milk tea shop and returned to the Tian Tian Breakfast Shop.
Zhu Yaya hadn't eaten the steamed buns from the Tian Tian Breakfast Shop in over a month and missed them dearly. She took a bite and felt that the bun in her hand tasted even better than before. But when her gaze fell on Yan Heng, a trace of worry flashed in her eyes. The exhaustion on Yan Heng's face had deepened, and his eyes looked vacant.
Zhu Yaya asked him about it, but he kept his mouth shut.
Zhu Yaya's mood instantly soured. What exactly was Yan Heng doing behind her back? A feeling of bitterness spread through her heart.
Having not seen each other for an entire winter break, everyone had so much to talk about, making the whole classroom loud and bustling. As soon as Zhu Yaya arrived at the classroom, she was grabbed by her desk mate, Xu Baoying, who chattered away endlessly.
Zhu Yaya had almost failed to recognize Xu Baoying earlier. Who knows where Xu Baoying had gone, but she had gotten several shades darker and noticeably thinner.
Zhu Yaya looked Xu Baoying up and down with a strange expression. You, you, you... where did you run off to go crazy? How did you get so dark and skinny?
Completely unbothered by her tan, Xu Baoying smiled brightly. Oh! I went on vacation to a tropical island! I went swimming every single day!
Zhu Yaya clutched her heart with both hands and said in mock agony, It's over, it's all over! My precious Yorkshire pig that I worked so hard to fatten up! Now you've shrunk into this ghostly shape! Even your breed has changed! What a massive loss!
Screw you. Xu Baoying smiled coyly and playfully thumped Zhu Yaya on the chest.
Zhu Yaya took the opportunity to pretend to cough up blood, collapsing onto her desk and twitching occasionally.
Alright, Xu Baoying laughed, patting the playing-dead Zhu Yaya. I have serious business with you.
What is it? Zhu Yaya crawled up from the desk.
Xu Baoying faked a cough. Ahem, that tropical island was really fun. So... ahem, your winter break homework! Her eyes hinted frantically.
Hah, women!
Zhu Yaya put on a cold face. I'm not lending it.
Xu Baoying clasped her hands over her heart and looked at Zhu Yaya with puppy-dog eyes. Beautiful Miss Yaya, I'm begging you!
Zhu Yaya kept a straight face and said very seriously, No! I am a woman of principle! You always borrow my homework to copy, and that is incorrect behavior. Student Xu Baoying, please correct your attitude towards learning!
I brought you a present.
Zhu Yaya: !!!
What were principles anyway?
Here, take it!
Zhu Yaya simply handed her entire backpack over to Xu Baoying, looking incredibly generous.
She happily tried to guess what present Xu Baoying had brought her. Rumor had it that this gift was carefully handpicked by Xu Baoying herself.
When she saw the seashell necklace Xu Baoying handed her, she turned to stone on the spot.
Hehe, the daughter of an evil capitalist was indeed not to be underestimated!
When the long recess arrived, Zhu Yaya ran upstairs to Class Seventeen of the eleventh grade, took a few glances at Xu Chun and Murong Beichen, and sat in the empty seat next to Yan Heng.
Usually, Yan Heng rested during class. During breaks, he would either be reading a book or sitting quietly on the side, listening to Zhu Yaya chat with Li Hao in the front row.
However, during today's long recess, Yan Heng was sprawled over his desk, resting his head on his arms, sleeping soundly.
Afraid of waking the sleeping Yan Heng, Zhu Yaya communicated with Li Hao using pen and paper.
Li Hao told Zhu Yaya that as soon as Yan Heng arrived in the classroom today, he collapsed and fell asleep, and hadn't woken up since. He had even tapped on Yan Heng's desk during class, but Yan Heng hadn't been roused.
Zhu Yaya thought for a moment and wrote on the paper: [Maybe he has been working a lot of temp jobs again recently. Don't disturb him! Let him get a good rest.]
