"Zhan, keep the 200 dollars; you earned it," the manager said as he grinned uncontrollably while shaking his legs.
"You are my lucky star," he added before gesturing for me to leave his office with his hand. "I'm so glad you are part of this team, Zhan. You always surprise me."
I walked home this morning, happy. However, I felt guilty because I had not been truthful to the manager. I knew Cheng wanted me to keep the exact amount between us. I appreciated Cheng's help, but it didn't make me feel less guilty about not being truthful.
As I entered my basement, I quickly changed out of my uniform. My workday was long and tiring, and I couldn't wait to relax. I have an old duffel bag that Uncle Hao asked me to throw away. Mine was torn in different places, so I decided to keep it for myself as I didn't have a spare. I grabbed the bag and placed it on the floor.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my work tips today. I put them at the bottom of the bag and arranged my clothes on top of them. Most of my clothes were second-hand clothes that Moa had worn before. I didn't mind wearing them, as they were still in pristine condition.
I can't remember the last time I wore new clothes. Perhaps when I was five years old or so. It didn't bother me, though. I was comfortable with what I had and didn't see the need to spend money on new things. There is a crack in the wall that I had to patch up with wood. It's not pretty, but it gets the job done.
After hiding my money from the client, I lay down on the floor and wrapped myself up in my warm, worn-out duvet. It's not the most comfortable sleeping arrangement, but I've grown accustomed to it. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but think about the money hidden in the wall. It was my safety net, my fallback plan. With it, I felt I could weather any storm.
But for now, I let sleep engulf me. The worries of the world could wait. But now I was warm and safe, and that was all that mattered.
This morning, I woke up earlier than usual with one goal in mind: to avoid any confrontation. I don't want to be insulted, poured water on, or beaten. I want to be invisible until I move out.
I tiptoed out of my room as quietly as possible and headed straight for the kitchen. I barely slept for two hours, but I knew I had to keep myself busy and avoid conflict. So, I did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen and living room. I also made bacon with sunny-side eggs and toast for breakfast. I brewed coffee in the coffee maker for Uncle Hao and Aunt Ru and squeezed fresh orange and mango juice for Mao. By the time Uncle Hao and Aunt Ru woke up, everything was ready.
I quickly set the table with three sets of cutlery, plates, cups, and glasses. I made sure everything was in its place and looked neat and tidy. As Mao and Aunt Ru walked in.
"Good morning, Aunt Ru," I said, but they didn't respond as usual. Despite this, she made it mandatory for me to greet them, regardless of their response.
Finally, someone made sense. Aunt Ru said sarcastically.
"Or maybe he did something wrong and tried to cover it up with chores," Mao sneered.
My heart raced in my chest, and fear weakened my knees, but he couldn't have known about my side job. Would he? I nervously glanced up at him, wondering what he meant by that. I stayed silent, hoping he wouldn't pursue the topic further.
Aunt Ru's hiss was sharp and accusatory as she asked, "Did you break something?" The tone in her voice suggested that she was not pleased with whatever had happened.
"No, Aunt Ru, I didn't," I mumbled, trying to avoid her accusing gaze. Uncle Hao chose to walk into the kitchen at that moment, distracting us both from the uncomfortable situation.
"Your manager sent me money and called it a bonus, saying you impressed your customers," Uncle Hao said before sitting in his usual chair. Aunt Ru's face softened as she looked at me in surprise. Thankful for the distraction.
As I poured him a cup of coffee, I nodded and smiled in acknowledgment but refrained from saying anything. Only the sound of the coffee maker broke the silence as I filled his cup to the brim. He took the cup from my hand, savoring the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. I stood there, watching him take a sip, and then turned around to attend to other tasks.
They ate in silence as I walked upstairs to clean and arrange their rooms. I heard the clinking of plates and the occasional murmur of conversation as I worked.
Zhan. Uncle Hao called me downstairs. Without any delay, I rushed down to see what was going on. When I got there, Uncle Hao handed me fifty dollars.
I was about to ask what it was for, but he quickly told me to use it for transport to work, saying that he did not want my boss to get annoyed with me when I was late. I collected the money in shock. I had not received money from Uncle Hao in what felt like a lifetime.
Aunt Ru chimed in, "There are leftovers on the table." She smiled. And make sure to prepare curry sauce before you go to work. I thanked Uncle Hao and Aunt Ru for their generosity. With that, they all walked out of the living room. I quickly stuffed the money into my pocket and ran back up the stairs to finish cleaning.
Today is a very fortunate day for me, and I plan to savor every moment of it. Given how well those around me have treated me, it appears that luck is on my side. I can't help but wonder if there's something more behind this newfound kindness. Perhaps my manager gave my uncle a lot of money, or maybe my client gave a generous gift to my manager. Whatever the case may be, I am happy about this stroke of good fortune and intend to make the most of it.
At first, when I started working, I would walk to and fro, which took about 30 minutes each way. But after a while, when I started getting tips, I could take the bus and save time. Even so, there are times when I still choose to walk, as it helps to clear my head and lets me appreciate the small moments in life.
I made sure to finish all my chores before heading to the kitchen to eat and wash the dishes. Afterwards, I took a nice, warm bath and let sleep take over. I knew I would need all the rest I could get because Table 1 was going to have a month-long celebration for his birthday.
At around 5 p.m., I woke up from my nap and realized that Mao was not back from school yet. I walked into the kitchen and prepared some curry sauce and rice. I also made some side dishes to serve along with it.
Once I finished cooking, I took a quick shower to freshen up. After my shower, I got dressed and headed out to work.
When I arrived at the gate, I was surprised to see Mao and his friends. They were laughing and joking, and before I knew it, they dragged me back inside the house. I could smell the heavy scent of alcohol and marijuana. Mao and his friends were clearly drunk and high, and I knew exactly what was coming next.
Three of them tied me down and took turns attacking my mouth. I let my mind wander until they were done. I returned to my room to brush, and then I went to work with a sore throat and a headache from the way they pulled my hair.
I took the bus to work today and arrived around 7:30 p.m. Unfortunately, I was late and apologized to Cheng for my tardiness. I excused myself to use the bathroom, and when I returned, I didn't know when tears had started to flow freely from my eyes. I quickly apologized to Cheng again, this time for my emotional outburst, and explained why I was feeling so overwhelmed.
Cheng was clearly angry, but he seemed to understand why I was so overwhelmed. He sympathetically told me that he shared a room with his brother, and I couldn't share a room with his sister. He offered for me to stay in the staff quarters, but I told him that it would only make matters worse. I assured him that I would manage until I moved out.
"So much for my lucky day."