Chapter 5

In the morning, the cuckoos by the roadside were chirping loudly in the trees. Qi Yaoguang was waiting for breakfast at the coffee table in the living room. Finding it noisy, he cursed out the window. When he saw the familiar old meal, he rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Hey, it's egg noodles again. Can't you try something different? Rice noodle rolls would be fine too!"

Gu Mengzhu stretched out her right hand towards him, rubbing her index finger and thumb together rapidly.

"Sure, here's the money!"

He frowned and glared at her, then resentfully stuck his chopsticks into the bowl and viciously bit into the noodles.

"Hey bro, you're eating noodles, not gnawing on a big bone, do you have to be so ruthless?"

He didn't speak, so she leaned closer to him to discuss it:

"I told Fang Jie, the owner of the fruit shop where I work, that the shop is short-staffed on weekends and she could let me help out. She said it would cost me 120 a day for eight hours, and lunch would be included."

Qi Yaoguang put down his chopsticks and his shoulders trembled slightly.

"120? Eight hours?"

Yes.

She started shaking too.

"Hey, ma'am, if you put it that way, why don't I join a factory? I used to live in Hong Kong, and I passed by a tiny fruit shop that was hiring part-time workers and they paid 20 NT an hour!"

“That’s a big city, it can’t compare. Back home,” she paused and changed her words, “you know where Yubin is, it’s only 75 a day! Fangjie is only willing to give you 120, that’s already very good. Also, I can’t control you at other times, so you better behave yourself and find a job!”

"Yubin? What a small place. I've never even heard of it. No wonder you're so dark-skinned. People from that kind of place are indeed dark-hearted."

"Yes, yes, you're the whitest!"

Gu Mengzhu raised her chopsticks as if to stab someone. Seeing her grimacing and making funny faces, he cursed at her, "You're crazy."

Despite Qi Yaoguang's reluctance, she still dragged him to the fruit shop on the weekend. Sister Fang looked at the tall, burly man before her, sizing him up from head to toe:

"Young man, remember to put in more effort and be more cunning when you do things."

"Okay, Sister Fang." Gu Mengzhu tugged at the man standing next to her. "Hurry up and thank Sister Fang."

"Boss, I have to thank her for working for her? Ah—" His waist was twisted straight up, and his eyes almost bulged out. "Thank you, Sister Fang!"

Fang Jie frowned:

"Young man, you're sharp-tongued and quick-witted, hurry up and get to work."

Gu Mengzhu quickly pulled him away. Qi Yaoguang fiddled with the film-making machine for a long time, failing several times before finally producing a perfect package. He touched the smooth film surface again and again, nodding frequently as if he was very satisfied. Gu Mengzhu saw the man working so diligently with his head down and nudged him with her elbow:

"Hey, want me to get you a mask?"

Why?

"If someone recognizes you, that would be troublesome. The fruit shop would be completely surrounded, and you wouldn't be able to get out."

"Wouldn't that be even better? With so much business, you'd make a fortune! You'd be laughing all the way to the bank!"

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, she was filled with doubt:

"Hey, don't you feel bad? You used to be so successful, spending thousands or tens of thousands at a time, and now you have to work in a fruit shop, you—"

"Why didn't you consider this when you asked me to work to pay back the money? And now you're suddenly showing your kindness? Besides, even the owner of your fruit shop doesn't recognize me. In such a small, run-down place, how many people would even know me?"

"I'm glad you don't mind!"

She shrugged and turned away to label the fruit. Not long after, Chen Luo came to work the night shift, crossed her arms, glanced at Qi Yaoguang from afar, and nudged Gu Mengzhu beside her with her shoulder.

"Hey, is Parasite really a celebrity? He doesn't look like one at all."

"Even at her peak, she was only a third, fourth, fifth, or sixth-tier celebrity. Nobody watched the movies she starred in. It's normal that you don't recognize her." She picked up a box of pears and was about to leave when she said, "Excuse me, excuse me."

Chen Luo quickly stepped aside and followed behind her, asking in a low voice:

"Then how do you recognize it?"

"At that time, the cinema was showing his movie, and they happened to be giving away free tickets, so I went to see it."

Who gave you the ride? Your ex-boyfriend?

"Oh dear!"

Gu Mengzhu frowned as she put the pear down, removed the foam netting from it, folded it outwards, rearranged it, and then put the pear back on and straightened it.

"His fans all stood at the theater entrance, handing out tickets to everyone they met!"

"oh."

Seeing that she was busy, Chen Luo decided not to make a fool of herself. She took a fruit knife from the counter, sat down next to her, and started cutting the jackfruit.

Just before it was almost time to leave work at five o'clock, Sister Fang came over carrying a bag of things.

"Fresh tangerines, one for each person. Everyone gets one."

She looked at Qi Yaoguang and handed him a tangerine:

"You've done a good job, young man. You've worked hard enough. Take out your phone, I'll transfer your wages for today."

"Hey, Sister Fang!" Gu Mengzhu hurriedly swallowed the tangerine in her mouth and reached out to block between the two of them. "He can just transfer his salary to me directly! No need for all that trouble."

"Oh, so you're in charge? Okay, take your time eating, I'm going now."

As she received Fang Jie's transfer, she waved goodbye to people, then turned around to face Qi Yaoguang.

"Hey, from now on, all the money you earn from working part-time here will be given to me. If you go to work somewhere else, you can let me keep your bank card for you. I'll give you forty dollars a day for food. A fast food meal here costs ten dollars for one meat dish and two vegetable dishes, so forty dollars a day is about right. I think you're a boy, so you should eat a little more. If it were me, I could still have thirty dollars left over."

He looked listless after hearing this.

"Fast food is oily and tastes awful, how can anyone eat it?"

"Wow, should I order you an Australian lobster to go with your meal? If you say another word, I'll deduct ten dollars, and then you won't even be able to eat pork leg rice."

Qi Yaoguang scoffed, noticing the time had passed, and took off his work clothes as he walked inside. Chen Luo peeled a tangerine and leaned over, his eyes brimming with gossip.

"Hey, you busybody, why are you watching so closely? Are you after someone's wife?"

"I'm afraid he'll go gambling again."

"Hey, gambling is something even juvenile detention centers can't handle. Besides, even his parents can't control him. You just need to give him the money, why worry so much? You said you didn't want to be a teacher, oh, and now you're following him around trying to control his future."

She handed over a piece of meat, but Gu Mengzhu found it too greasy and shook her head to refuse it, so she had to take it back and stuff it into her own mouth.

"But you're only giving him money for food now. He wasn't working before, so what did he eat?"

"Those frozen in the refrigerator, just microwave them. There's also instant noodles in the kitchen."

"No wonder people are unhappy with you, you big star, for eating this swill-like stuff!"

"I don't care whether he's happy or not."

Gu Mengzhu took off her work clothes, folded them neatly, and held them in her hand, awkwardly replying:

"I just hope he can pay me back soon! I'm off work, I'm leaving now."

"Demon, so small in size but so temperamental."

Chen Luo tossed the last piece of meat into her mouth, casually waving her hand to indicate she understood. When Gu Mengzhu came out of the restroom, Qi Yaoguang was still waiting for her with his hands in his pockets at the door. The slanting sunset bathed him in an orange glow, making him look warm and comfortable. She couldn't help but smile, even thinking that he looked much better now than when he dressed up for red carpet events on television.

"Is it done yet?"

He grew impatient seeing her standing still. She quickly responded and then hurried to meet her.