Under Sister Yu's oppressive rule, everyone worked in complete silence, too scared to make a sound, diligently typing away to carry out scams.
I sat there like a wooden dummy, lost in a daze. If it weren't my first day on the job, I might have already been shocked with an electric baton.
During that time, Big Head came to check on me several times, but I managed to fend him off with the excuse that my hand was still healing.
I missed home and my parents. I wondered how they were doing and if they had reported me missing to the police.
I didn't want to stay here for even one more second...
As the workday was ending, Dinosaur unexpectedly made another sale.
Seventy thousand yuan—not too much, but not too little.
Big Head was so pleased that he rewarded her with a piece of bread and a bottle of cola on the spot.
The envious men couldn't figure out how someone who seemed so clumsy could consistently be the top seller.
"Take this, hide it well!"
Dinosaur tore off a piece of the bread, pretended to take a bite, and then secretly slipped the rest into my hands.
"...?" I looked at her in astonishment, unable to understand why she was being so kind to me.
I later learned that Dinosaur had a special fondness for men who were either good-looking or tall and slender.
And it turned out I fit both criteria.
Plus, we were from the same hometown.
Not to brag, but back in school, I was a low-key heartthrob.
If I hadn't been obsessed with my niche hobby, I might have been married with kids by now.
"Thank you."
I might turn away a beautiful woman, but I'd never refuse food handed to me.
"We're from the same place, no need to be polite. Little Bottle, don't trust anything Sister Yu says. She's from Zhejiang, very business-savvy and ruthless. I'm afraid she might use and harm you."
Dinosaur spoke mysteriously about Sister Yu but wouldn't elaborate.
I squeezed the bread and put it in my pocket. "I'll remember that."
"I'll tell you more when I get a chance. Anyway, there's no one good here, but I would never harm you. You have to trust me."
Dinosaur suddenly spoke to me earnestly, her eyes showing no trace of insincerity.
"I trust you, because we're from the same place."
I looked into her eyes and forced a bitter smile.
In this godforsaken place, who else could I trust?
Just for risking her life to give me food, I couldn't look down on her.
"You look really handsome when you smile, and those dimples are so charming!"
She turned her head self-consciously and said, "Too bad I'm too ugly."
"..."
I twitched my mouth, not knowing what to say.
I could only pretend to read a script book, lost in thought.
In reality, I didn't read a single word; I was just putting on a show.
Finally, it was time to clock out. Big Head assigned a scarred man to take me to the low-end dormitory to rest.
Here, people with zero performance were thrown into dog cages, water prisons, or basements for a few days as punishment.
People with mediocre performance squeezed into a stinky dormitory with ten people per room.
Those who performed well lived in dormitories with two or three people and a bathroom.
Top performers who made tens or hundreds of thousands from a single deal lived in luxury single rooms with appliances and first-class food.
This hierarchy was designed to make the workers slave away for money.
They would do anything for money.
Since Dinosaur had decent performance, she returned to her three-person dorm.
I had to follow Scarface to the dirty, smelly ten-person dorm.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw a boy lying on the ground, staring blankly.
His hands were wrapped in blood-stained bandages, and Sister Yu's drink and bread were untouched on the floor.
His eyes were fixed on the peeling ceiling, looking as if he had lost his soul.
I wanted to comfort him, but I didn't know what to say, so I just sat next to him.
The ten-square-meter dorm had no beds; everyone slept on the floor in a row.
The blankets were blackened, having been used by countless people for who knows how many years without being washed.
"Little Bottle, having a place to sleep is better than the water prison or the basement."
Scarface closed the door and sighed.
"Uncle Scar, aren't there ten people in our group? Besides Big Head and Sister Dinosaur, where are the others?"
The boy whose leg was chopped off this morning definitely wouldn't be back.
"No performance means they were taken to the basement for a beating. You're new, so you don't understand. If you want to survive, you need to perform."
Scarface was from a rural area in Hubei, forty years old, with a wife and kids. He was lured here by a coworker promising high wages six months ago.
"I don't want to deceive people. My parents taught me to live an honest life. I'd rather die with them."
I clenched my fists and said angrily.
Scarface gave a bitter smile. "You're stupid! Even if you want to die, you can't! Do you know what's the scariest thing in life?"
I blurted out, "Having no money!"
"No! It's wanting to die but being unable to!"
Scarface looked at the nailed-shut windows with sad eyes.
I didn't quite understand him. "I don't believe it! I must escape!"
"Keep your voice down, don't let anyone hear you." Scarface nervously glanced outside the door, lowering his voice. "I'll tell you more in a few days. For now, just work hard and avoid getting hurt."
"Are you planning to escape? Can you take me with you? I really don't want to die here, sob!"
The boy suddenly sat up, emotionally collapsing and crying.
"Don't cry! If you don't want to die, have your family send money or get some performance!"
Scarface covered his mouth, afraid someone outside would hear.
"Brother, I can't think of a way to escape right now... What's your name? Where are you from?"
I picked up the water from the floor, opened the cap, and handed it to him.
He must not have eaten all day, his lips chapped and peeling.
"Thank you... I'm from Jiangxi, 21 years old, my nickname is Feifei."
He took a sip of water, tears streaming down his face as he cried, "Those bastards, I want to kill them. They're not human.
They took turns humiliating Shanshan and made me watch.
When I refused, they beat her, shocked her with electric batons, and used tools to harm her...
The more I begged, the more cruel they became. Eventually, my dad sent 500,000 yuan, and they stopped the violence!
Those scumbags went back on their word. After getting the 500,000 yuan, they said they would release me but then threatened to cut off my fingers and forced my dad to send another 300,000.
I hate myself so much! I shouldn't have taken Shanshan to Yunnan for a trip!
I deserve to die! I failed her, I failed..."
Hearing this, I was filled with rage.
But as a trapped piglet, what could I do?
Words of comfort stuck in my throat.
They seemed so powerless.
I could only hold his hand and silently listen to his cries.
"Child, eat something first. Don't let your body break down, otherwise..."
Scarface touched Feifei's bleeding forehead, swallowing the words "you won't make it home."