Chuck was really surprised. Queenie didn't tell him where she was working part-time, so he thought that she was working in a restaurant far away. He thought that she was only reluctant to say anything because she had her concerns.
Chuck never expected her to actually be working part-time in a restaurant in his plaza.
Queenie was originally very pretty and innocent-looking, and the fact that she always put up her hairstyle in a bun made her look even cuter.
However, by wearing a uniform, it managed to compliment her curvy body, allowing her to bring out the sexiness that she usually didn't seem to have. Chuck was surprised, he never knew Queenie could look so attractive!
Yvette was also surprised. Queenie was her student, but she knew that her family's financial situation was not good and she had been working part-time. She observed and found Queenie's complexion to be slightly pale, as though she was too busy to spare some time to eat. All of a sudden, Yvette felt empathy towards hardworking, poor Queenie.
Queenie was taken aback with joy when she saw Yvette here since she was her teacher. However, she was surprised to see Chuck at first. She knew that Chuck was probably just here with Yvette to have something to eat, and the joy in her heart died down.
However, upon making contact with Chuck's eyes, Queenie felt a little embarrassed. Would he look down on her just because she was working as a waitress? Would he stop talking to her? Queenie's mind was flooded with worries.
As for Zelda, since she was not acquainted with Queenie, she was entirely focused on observing the restaurant that imitated hers.
"Teacher, Chuck, here is the menu," Queenie said softly.
Yvette nodded and took the menu. "Haven't you had dinner yet? Sit down and eat with us."
"Yes, let's eat together." Chuck also realized that Queenie was probably extremely hungry, and he took pity on her.
"No, the rule here is that we can't eat together with customers!" Queenie hurriedly shook her head.
Yvette said helplessly, "All right."
She ordered a few dishes quickly and then handed the menu to Chuck.
Chuck was not in the mood to order anything. He shook his head and gave it to Zelda. Zelda looked at it for a while and then pointed out a few items. The dishes were ordered.
Queenie said, "Alright, teacher, Chuck, wait a minute! I'll ask the kitchen to prepare your orders quickly."
While Queenie went to the front desk with the menu, Yvette shook her head and said, "This girl is too considerate."
Chuck hesitated. Indeed, she was considerate. Queenie seemed to have borrowed money to study at university, and she worked part-time every day. Chuck and she had a good relationship. Most of the time, the two of them went to have their meals in the canteen together.
In that case, should he allow her to work under Yolanda Lane? The salary is also much higher, and she doesn't have to be busy until she can't even enjoy a simple meal. It would just be a matter of words for Chuck, so why couldn't he?
Chuck immediately excused himself and got up to look for Queenie.
"This restaurant is really like mine. The interior designs, the uniforms, and even the menu are all similar! The only thing missing is the name."
Zelda was slightly angry. All the concepts in her restaurant, including the designs and the menu, were designed by herself overnight. Now, someone actually had the audacity to copy her work and implement them here. How dare them?
Yvette was a little embarrassed. If they came here for dinner, didn't it mean that they were supporting the pirated version of Zelda's restaurant?
"By the way, what was the issue last time that you mentioned that prompted you to thank me like this?"
Zelda's expression returned to normal. When she heard Yvette say this, she thought, "Did she want to thank me for treating her to eat steak last time? Was this way she was treating her to dinner too?"
"It was the call that Chuck made to you," Yvette said,
"Call?" Zelda was suspicious. She didn't remember Chuck calling her at all.
Yvette was confused when she saw Zelda's expression. Didn't Chuck call her? Why did she look so bewildered? Who did Chuck call then if it wasn't Zelda? Who could possibly make the plaza owner force Manager Yarn onto his knees and fire him?
Zelda quickly scanned the situation and inadvertently looked in the direction of Chuck. She muttered in her heart, "Chuck, didn't you hide from Yvette when you were at the restaurant last time? What on earth do you want to do this time? Are you using me as a shield or something?"
Oh well, might as well just cooperate with his lies for now. Zelda smiled. "Don't mention what happened last time. It's just a phone call, isn't it? It's okay." Yvette, who was in confusion, heard Zelda's words which dispelled her doubts. She thought about it for a while but really didn't know who Chuck could call except for Zelda.
Now that Zelda admitted it, she naturally had no more questions.
"No matter what, thank you so much," Yvette said seriously.
Zelda shook her head. She didn't know what Yvette was talking about, but she couldn't tell the truth. She could only change the topic.
Both of them were beautiful women of similar composure, so they easily managed to find topics of interest. Soon, they were smiling together as they chatted away, looking almost like tong-lost sisters reunited.
Meanwhile, Chuck was waiting at the door of the kitchen. However, a waiter who saw him standing there immediately notified Chuck that the kitchen was off-limits to customers. Chuck explained that he was looking for someone, but was met with the waiter's judgmental looks. He took one look at Chuck and scoffed. Looking for someone?
The only people working in the kitchen were the waiters and the chefs.
Queenie had just managed to pass the orders to the chef before walking out of the kitchen. She saw Chuck standing there and bit her lips. She walked over to him.
"Why didn't you tell me that you're working part-time here?" Chuck sighed. Queenie's face was a sickly pale colour as she had yet to eat anything.
Queenie was Chuck's only good friend in school, so he felt a little bit sorry for her to see her work like this.
"I'm sorry." Queenie lowered her head.
To be honest, she felt strange recently ever since she stayed with Chuck in the same house last time. Then, she had worried if Chuck would enter her room, but after he didn't she was slightly disappointed instead. A few days ago, after seeing Chuck's makeover that complemented his charisma, a strange feeling in her heart spread. She almost felt that Chuck she was looking at was no longer the same person as the Chuck of the past. She felt inferior to him.
"That's not what I mean. Why don't you change your job, I..." Chuck tried to explain. He was here to stop Queenie from doing this job.
Queenie was disappointed. Sure enough, Chuck was looking down on her. "I, I think it's good. The salary here is a little bit higher than that in other places. I will continue to do it."
"No, I mean..."
"Thank you, the treatment here is pretty good. Plus, I don't think it's a big deal to be a waitress since I can earn money to support myself." Queenie bit her lips. She felt wronged and her voice grew softer and softer as she lost confidence.
Chuck felt helpless as he knew she had definitely misunderstood what he was trying to say. Just when he tried to clear up the situation, a steel, cold voice loomed above them:
"Queenie, you don't want to work anymore, do you? I didn't expect you to be so lazy and chat with others when you were at work. I asked you to come to work, and that's how you repay me?"
The man who spoke was a middle-aged, bald man in a suit. The fat on his face jiggled as he spoke, and he walked over to the both of them looking stern and mean.
Queenie panicked. "Manager, I didn't..."
"What? Do you think I'm blind?" The middle-aged man glared at Queenie. "You violated the rules. I'll deduct 100 dollars from your salary!"
"Manager, please don't." Queenie cried. Her pay was 16 dollars an hour, and she worked for 3 hours every day. If she lost 100 dollars, her work for the past few days would be for nothing.
"No? You can either choose to get a pay cut or get out of here! You choose by yourself! Our restaurant is not short of people!" The middle-aged man snorted disdainfully, looking extremely ferocious due to the meat on his cheeks.
Queenie's tears flowed down her face like a string of broken pearls. She wanted to hold back her tears because Chuck was with her. She did not want him to see her like this, or she would feel more inferior. She bit her lip and nodded in a choked voice.
"I'm not leaving. you can deduct my money."
"Humph, smart decision. What are you waiting for then? Go clean the tables. You're so slow at obeying orders, are you trying to fish in troubled waters? Listen carefully, if there is a next time, it'll be useless even if you beg me! Leave!" The middle-aged man snorted coldly.
"Yes!" Queenie wiped away her tears and bowed before wanting to leave for work. However, a warm hand grabbed her by the hand and stopped her from leaving. Her tears had already stopped, but when the hand grabbed her, her tears couldn't help overflowing.
"Stop working," Chuck said gently.
"But..." Queenie choked back her sobs. The middle-aged man was not happy. He glanced at Chuck and sneered. "Who are you? Listen here, only I can decide whether she goes to work or not.
She'll only be able to work if I allow her to. If not, it'll be futile even if she kneeled down and begged me to work!"
"You have such great power?" Chuck narrowed his eyes and said in a cold tone.
"I am the manager of the restaurant. What do you think?" The middle-aged man scoffed arrogantly.
"Manager of the restaurant?" Chuck laughed. That's a pretty high rank!