He didn't know what kind of life he had lived before, but it must not have been like this.
Because in his subconscious, such a life was difficult and painful, something he couldn't imagine.
Zhan Beijue really wanted to rush forward and hug her, to give her some comfort.
But after all, there was a difference between men and women, so he restrained himself.
“Is there any work I can do? We have to pay rent in three days. I want to help in any way I can.”
“You?” Min'er was not foolish.
After contacting Zhan Beijue every day, she noticed his hands were so clean and slender, without a single callus.
His skin, clothes, and even the strands of his hair all exuded a lingering refinement.
How could she not guess that Zhan Beijue was a man of privilege before?
“The work I do is very hard. I serve dishes, wash bowls, and sometimes I get scolded. I get dirty all day long. You wouldn't be able to stand this kind of work.”
Zhan Beijue, however, was very confident.
“You're a girl, and you're so frail, yet you can endure it. How can I not? I'm willing to do any job!”
The owner of the restaurant where Min'er currently worked, though it was a Chinese restaurant, was a local Swiss.
He was cunning and sly at heart, employing every calculation to its utmost.
Externally, he hired three legitimate local employees.
Internally, however, it was people like Min'er, who had no identity, no education, and nowhere to go, working for him illegally.
Their wages were half that of locals, but their workload was double.
They were often scolded, and if he was slightly displeased, they could be fired.
Yesterday, another waiter had been dismissed, and there was now a vacancy at the restaurant.
But Min'er only found out by chance when he was complaining to someone else before the end of her shift.
She wasn't entirely sure.
Primarily, Zhan Beijue had a good appearance, and she believed he was more than capable of serving dishes.
It was just that his leg wasn't fully healed yet, and Min'er was worried he wouldn't be able to handle it.
Zhan Beijue insisted on trying.
“Even if not for you, I need to earn money as quickly as possible for myself. Don't worry, I'm not as weak as you think.”
Min'er had to work the night shift at the convenience store, so Zhan Beijue slept in her bed.
He stayed awake all night, and the next morning, Min'er returned very early.
They tidied themselves up and, with apprehension, went to the restaurant.
The owner was a tall man around 40 years old, with a small mustache, wearing a tight-fitting shirt and trousers, dressed very finely.
If you didn't know he owned a restaurant, you might mistake him for a corporate elite with that look.
Seizing the opportunity while there were few people around, Min'er introduced Zhan Beijue to the owner as a fellow villager looking for work.
The owner's eyelids flickered, and he sized Zhan Beijue up.
He wasn't very confident in his abilities.
“Our job is very busy. Don't bring someone unfamiliar to cause trouble for me. Have you done this before?”
Min'er was a little nervous and instinctively looked back at Zhan Beijue.
She was ready to cover for him.
To her surprise, Zhan Beijue confidently extended his hand to the owner.
“Hello. I was a lobby manager in China, so I have some experience.”
“Oh? A lobby manager at a star-rated hotel?”
“That’s right, a five-star one.”
Well.
A lobby manager from a five-star hotel working illegally here?
The owner didn't believe it.
“Then why did you come to apply here?”
Zhan Beijue was calm, with an unhurried demeanor.
“To be frank, I lost my wallet, phone, and passport at the train station the day before yesterday. The embassy is currently helping me apply for replacements.”
“I need to raise money to buy a plane ticket to go home. Once I have enough, I'll leave. I won't be working for you for too long.
The owner, who initially found him too well-behaved and proper-looking for this line of work,
found him rather interesting after hearing him speak and observing his demeanor.
“So, you only plan to work temporarily?”
“That's the plan for now, but it's not set in stone. Switzerland is a beautiful place. If I have the chance to stay, I would be willing to.”
The owner raised his hand and stroked his mustache, walked out from behind the counter, and circled him.
“Are you married?”
“No.”
“I can't offer you the same high salary as a lobby manager.”
“I am already grateful to you for giving me a chance to survive, sir. I will accept any arrangement you make.”
And so, in less than two minutes, Zhan Beijue had a job.
The public's enthusiasm for Chinese food here far exceeded Zhan Beijue's expectations.
The small restaurant, whose Chinese food was not even authentic, was doing booming business.
However, they didn't understand traditional Chinese customs, not knowing that dishes could be served using trays or even trolleys, carrying many plates at once.
Two waiters shuttled back and forth, carrying dishes plate by plate among the tables.
This made the entire front hall appear busy and chaotic.
Zhan Beijue was assigned to the back to wash dishes with Min'er.
After washing for a while, his legs felt uncomfortable from squatting, so he stood up to stretch and noticed this situation.
He then instinctively took a metal tray from the oven and walked out.
Moments later, he emerged carrying four dishes on the tray, serving them to four tables of guests with graceful movements.
This stunned the two waiters.
The owner also noticed and cast an appreciative glance.
This fellow villager of Shen Min'er seemed much smarter than her. At last, she had done something reliable.
It wasn't until past two in the afternoon that they had time to eat lunch.
Zhan Beijue and Min'er were eating in a corner of the kitchen when suddenly, there was a clatter under their feet.
A stainless steel bowl was thrown at them.
They looked up and saw the two dish servers from outside.
Min'er said they were a pair of brothers, the Gode brothers.
As if they disliked Zhan Beijue, the two walked towards him, rolling up their sleeves.
They hurled insults.
“Damn it, who is this punk? Just wash your bowls properly, why are you poking your nose into our business?”
“I don't know that using that metal thing can carry more dishes at once? This was to create more job opportunities for my brother! Now, with you here, he's lost his job.”
“Who is going to support him? Huh? Now the boss doesn't want him, and you tell me what to do tomorrow? I think you're deliberately looking for death!”
Zhan Beijue hadn't expected workplace competition to be so fierce.
Even in the small kitchen of a restaurant, such issues could arise between dishwashers and servers.
He had only meant to offer a helpful suggestion, but he hadn't expected this...
“I'm sorry. I had no intention of stealing anyone's job…”
“You didn't? I think you did it on purpose!”
The other party swung a fist at him.
Just then, the owner returned to the cashier counter from outside.
Min'er, with sharp eyes, saw the owner's shadow flash by. She dropped the bowl in her hand with a clatter.
She screamed.
“Ah! Please, don't hit me!”
Hearing the commotion from the kitchen, the owner immediately walked in with a stern face.
He then saw the broken bowls on the floor and the two men cornered.
“What's going on? Are you all not tired? Don't you want to rest? You think you don't have to pay for broken items? Why are you all crowded here?”