Chapter 25: Want a Raise? Then Find a Way to Please the Boss

You heartless old codger... This time, I’ll make it into the top thirty-five just to prove you wrong!

Lu Yuanqiu watched Lu Tian’s retreating figure and silently vowed to himself.

Even if it weren’t for Bai Qingxia, for the sake of the college entrance exam, Lu Yuanqiu knew he had to start making an effort now.

He had only one year, and he’d have to use a brain that had rusted away for fifteen years to fill in a two-year knowledge gap.

Time was short, and the task was daunting.

But unlike his previous life, this time Lu Yuanqiu felt no resistance, no reluctance toward working hard at his studies. He knew clearly now what he wanted out of this life.

Looking ahead, Lu Yuanqiu walked toward the girl kneeling and scrubbing the floor.

“Hey!”

At the sound of his voice behind her, Bai Qingxia turned her head. She slowly stood up, holding the filthy rag, and looked at Lu Yuanqiu in confusion.

From her calm expression, it was clear she didn’t think much of kneeling on the floor cleaning up urine.

Lu Yuanqiu strode up to her and couldn’t help reaching out to poke her smooth, fair forehead. “Are you stupid? There’s a mop right there, and you’re on your knees scrubbing with a rag?”

Bai Qingxia closed her eyes and shrank her head back a little.

Her eyes held a hint of grievance as she glanced at him, then she whispered, “The rag was all I could find.”

Lu Yuanqiu bent down to brush the dirt from her knees, retorting, “That doesn’t mean you have to handle this. There are other people in the supermarket, you know.”

Bai Qingxia stepped back shyly, her head bowed. “Uncle said, when it’s not busy at night, I could help clean up a bit…”

“You... You dare talk back to me, is that it?”

Lu Yuanqiu pointed at her with a stern expression. Bai Qingxia looked up at him timidly, thinking he might poke her forehead again, so she instinctively shrank her neck, eyes squeezed shut, her long lashes trembling.

But Lu Yuanqiu didn’t do it. Bai Qingxia peeked open her eyes, only to hear him say with obvious distaste, “Throw that rag away, it’s filthy.”

“Where should I throw it?”

“...Throw it in my face.”

Lu Yuanqiu gazed at her expressionlessly.

Bai Qingxia lowered her head, cheeks flushing red from his rebuke. She looked around, then finally let the rag drop gently to the floor.

Only then did Lu Yuanqiu turn and say, “Come with me.”

As they passed a small door, he pointed. “That’s the janitor’s closet. Go wash your hands first, then come find me at the register.”

“Okay.”

After washing her hands, Bai Qingxia approached the register and saw Lu Yuanqiu taking out some cash from the drawer.

He was pulling out five red bills, then turned to the girl. “Hold out your hand.”

Bai Qingxia stared blankly, making no move.

Lu Yuanqiu explained, “It’s tradition here—at the start of the month, we pay wages in advance. All the staff get paid like this.”

Just then, the young man from the meat counter, untying his apron, called cheerfully from the door, “I’m off, little boss Lu!”

Lu Yuanqiu hurriedly hid the five hundred yuan under the counter and nodded to the departing employee. “Alright, take care on your way.”

“Will do!”

Once the other left, Bai Qingxia looked at Lu Yuanqiu with an expression that seemed to see right through him, her beautiful eyes fixed on him.

Lu Yuanqiu knocked on the counter and scolded, “What’s with that look? Not enough for you?”

Bai Qingxia lowered her head and murmured, “I don’t want an advance. I want to be paid at the same time as everyone else.”

Lu Yuanqiu slapped the counter and pointed at her stubbornly downcast face. “Are you defying your boss? Want me to fire you?”

Bai Qingxia looked up, her lovely eyes calm and unmoved, gazing at him in silence.

Her expression seemed to say: Is that all?

Not much of a threat.

Lu Yuanqiu spoke slowly, “Looks like you want my dad to find out what you did on the thirtieth.”

At that, Bai Qingxia’s face blanched, and she hurriedly took the five hundred yuan, clutching it tightly to her chest, lips pursed in anxious silence.

Lu Yuanqiu smiled.

Then he said, “You work the fewest hours, so you get paid the least: five hundred a month. If you do well, maybe I’ll give you a raise.”

“Of course…” He leaned forward, fingers interlaced, looking intently at the innocent girl before him.

“If you can find a way to please your boss, a raise might be easy to arrange~”

He gave a sinister chuckle.

At those words, Bai Qingxia’s earlobes turned scarlet.

She brought up her other hand to clutch the money tighter to her chest, looking both nervous and annoyed.

She knew he was teasing, but she couldn’t help worrying he might mean something more.

“What are you thinking?” Lu Yuanqiu got up and sat on the counter, reaching out to ruffle her hair. “I meant you should smile more. That’s one way to please your boss, understand?”

“And you’re supposed to help tutor me.”

Bai Qingxia looked up solemnly. “I’ll definitely help you study!”

“Obviously—that’s your job. This Saturday, be at my house. If I don’t see you…”

Lu Yuanqiu waggled his hands menacingly in front of her, trying to scare her.

Bai Qingxia pressed her lips together, her earlobes bright red, but said nothing.

“By the way, what are you going to do with your first paycheck?”

Lu Yuanqiu, sitting on the counter, pointed at the five hundred yuan she was clutching.

Bai Qingxia realized what he meant and quickly held out a hundred to him. “Here’s your money back!”

That wasn’t quite what Lu Yuanqiu meant... but he took it anyway. “Alright.”

As he put it away, he noticed her cheeks were still flushed, her face caught between wanting to say something and holding it in.

“What is it?”

Bai Qingxia’s voice was barely a whisper. “You owe me thirteen fifty in change…”

Lu Yuanqiu blinked, then burst out laughing. “Right, I almost forgot—here’s your thirteen fifty!”

Bai Qingxia lowered her head, biting her lip in embarrassment.

He handed over the change, and she reached out with both hands to take it.

Lu Yuanqiu teased, “Aren’t you going to count it?”

Bai Qingxia shook her head at once, her cheeks as red as tomatoes.

Lu Yuanqiu went on, “So, what about the rest of the money? Any plans?”

In 2010, four hundred yuan was a fortune for a high school student.

Bai Qingxia answered earnestly, “One hundred to top up my lunch card, one hundred for practice exam papers…”

She paused there, not seeming to have plans for the rest, or at least not for now.

Lu Yuanqiu reminded her, “Fifty for the class T-shirt.”

Bai Qingxia looked at him, stunned for a moment, then shook her head. “I’m not buying the class shirt.”

Lu Yuanqiu propped himself up on the counter, looking up at the ceiling and saying lazily, “True, it’s just for marching in the sports day parade, not worth buying that worthless thing.”

“But Bai Qingxia, we only get one youth.”

“In ten or fifteen years, maybe I’ll regret not studying harder. And you might regret not wearing that pretty dress for your last high school sports day.”