Book 1: Chapter 107

Book 1: Chapter 107

After Uncle Two finished speaking, everyone gradually dispersed. Many people hugged me, but I didn't react. All I could think was, is this really necessary? I feel like a seriously ill patient.

I had just learned that I was sick even though I felt like I was in good health. I had no idea what I would face in the future.

There were several famous crawfish shops on Hefang Street. Xiao Hua pretended to leave first and didn't come back until Poker-Face, Fatty, and I were sitting down in one of the crawfish shops. Poker-Face and Xiao Hua didn't normally eat this kind of food, so they ate some cucumbers instead. Fatty and I quickly ate a mountain of crawfish before we calmed down.

We were all quiet about what had happened just now, but the thing that was bothering me was that Uncle Two was always a man who avoided the important things. I wasnt sure if he had told me the real severity of my situation. What he had said just now could have big and small parts. He had obviously told me the small part, but didnt mention anything about the big part at all.

This was his style.

After drinking a few beers, the boundaries and depression in my heart disappeared and I started to relax and joke. Fatty kept saying I might be cured after eating Poker-Face meat. In the future, wed have to keep Little Brother's bath water to use as soup stock to prolong our lives.

I told Xiao Hua to say what he needed to say. I had been ordered to stay healthy now and I had to get up early to go to work tomorrow. I wasnt familiar with the new work unit, so I had to be on my best behavior.

Xiao Hua looked at the beer in his cup. The seats here were very crowded and he always looked a little uncomfortable on such occasions.

"Black Glasses situation isnt looking good," Xiao Hua said. "Based on what my men said, he was completely blind on his way to Mute Village."

Poker-Face had to participate in everything, yet I couldnt get involved at all.

I was a little dazed and didnt pay attention to what Xiao Hua said after that. When I walked out of the crawfish shop, a wave of tiredness washed over me. For the first time, I felt that our era might soon pass.

I knew that this day would come eventually, but I never understood why so many people were unwilling to quit. I wasnt the nostalgic type, but now that this day had come, the curtain call felt so uncomfortable.

I slept in Fatty's hotel room and then drove back to Warehouse Eleven at eight the next morning.

When I walked in the door, I saw Bai Haotian standing there holding a bunch of flowers. "Little Master Three, hello!"

I nodded and looked at my job title. I was a director, but Bai Haotian had a manager's badge on her chest. I didn't know which one had the higher authority here.

Bai Haotian kept talking, "Theres no social insurance (1), wages are paid in cash, theres a gas allowance, and you get one day off a week. Sound good?"

****

TN Notes:

(1) Chinas social insurance consists of five different types of insurance, plus one mandatory housing fund. The five insurances are pension, medical, unemployment, work-related injury, and maternity. More info here.