Chapter 4: Income Too Low
Chen Xiao leaped into the adjacent flower bed, narrowly escaping a dangerous situation, while the white Mercedes-Benz crashed into the guardrail with a bang.
Chen Xiao walked out, spreading his hand, which was cut by flower branches, leaving streaks of blood!
At this moment, the driver finally revealed herself: a woman around 25 years old, with long flowing hair, wearing sunglasses, and a slender build of about 170CM. She was dressed very formally. After getting out of the car, she asked Chen Xiao, “Are you alright?”
Chen Xiao, looking dishevelled, said in a very bad mood, “Alright, does that mean I don’t need a funeral? Did you get your driver’s license at Lanxiang? You’re driving a car, not an excavator.”
The woman said blushingly, “I’m really sorry, I mistook the accelerator for the brake!”
Chen Xiao looked at the parking space not far away. Not only did she mistake the accelerator for the brake, but she also put it in drive while reversing.
“Do you have a driver’s license?” Chen Xiao was very suspicious.
“Yes, I’ve had it for 3 years!”
“Miss, let me give you a suggestion. You’d better get a different car. You’re more suited to drive one that can drive itself in the future!”
How hurtful this person was, indirectly saying that she wasn’t suitable for driving and that it would be better if the car drove itself. Assistant Bai rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses, which Chen Xiao couldn’t see.
“Are you seriously injured? Or should we go to the hospital? Don’t worry, if there’s any problem, I can pay for medical expenses and lost wages!”
Chen Xiao secretly thought, “I doubt you can really afford my lost wages!”
“Forget it, it’s just a minor scratch. I have an appointment. You should get your car checked. Be careful when you go out in the future. If you’re a novice, don’t choose the difficult mode. And why are you wearing sunglasses when there’s no sun today!”
Assistant Bai knew she was in the wrong, so she could only endure his sarcasm.
“Are you sure you don’t need a check-up? I think you should rest for a few days. Look, your hand is cut!”
This woman is really not a good person. She wants me to rest. Does she know that I earn 8,000 yuan a day? You’ve harmed my body, and you still want to harm my wallet.
Of course, he wouldn’t say his daily wage was 8,000 yuan; if he did, others would just think he was crazy.
Righteously, he said, “Minor injuries don’t stop a man from working. How could someone who loves work so much be delayed by such a small injury? Moving bricks is the happiest, moving bricks cures all diseases!”
Assistant Bai looked at him with disgust. Moving bricks cures all diseases? You’ve moved yourself into a mental illness!
“Oh, by the way, Miss, how do I get to Building 5?”
“Building 5? What a coincidence, I’m also going to Building 5. You can follow me!”
Assistant Bai made a call to her insurance, left her car there, informed the guard, and then took Chen Xiao to Building 5.
Chen Xiao followed behind her and only then noticed how incredibly slender her waist was, and below that, her curves were extremely exaggerated. The combination of the two created such a beautiful sight that Chen Xiao couldn't help but imagine some puppy-like scenes.
When they arrived at Building 5, they discovered that they were going to the same floor.
“Who are you looking for?” Assistant Bai asked curiously.
“I’m looking for your Assistant Bai!”
“Hmm? Are you Chen Xiao from Dr. Feng Robot?”
No way, what a coincidence. Chen Xiao nodded in affirmation and at the same time said, “And you are?”
“Hmm, I’m Assistant Bai!”
Uh, it really is. Chen Xiao secretly thought, “This is bad. I’ve been insulting her this whole time. Women usually hold grudges!”
Both were preoccupied with their own thoughts until they reached Assistant Bai’s office.
She invited Chen Xiao to sit down. She had originally held a grudge and wanted to say a few sarcastic remarks, but when she saw the cuts on Chen Xiao’s hand, the words on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back. Little did she know that Chen Xiao had deliberately rolled up his sleeve to fully expose his injuries.
“Mr. Chen, please state your purpose,” Assistant Bai said, taking off her sunglasses and resuming her professional demeanor.
Chen Xiao quickly sized her up. What a beautiful face, much better-looking than with sunglasses on.
He briefly introduced his purpose, simply described Dr. Feng Robot’s products, and then said, “Because I know that the testing units under the design institute have equipment procurement needs every year, I came to see if there are any opportunities for cooperation.”
Assistant Bai said “Oh,” took his product flyer, and flipped through it. After a moment, she said, “These are all conventional technologies on the market. A few products have some unique features, but they don’t have very strong competitiveness!”
Chen Xiao knew he definitely couldn’t fool her. He had just entered the industry, and she had probably been doing this for at least a few years. He wasn’t sure, as she looked very young and probably hadn’t been in the industry for too long.
But Assistant Bai only commented on his products and didn’t say that this year’s procurement was already completed, which meant there was still a chance.
Chen Xiao repeatedly stroked his injured arm, wincing as he did so.
Assistant Bai couldn’t help but twitch her mouth when she saw him. What a bizarre salesman!
“How about this, Mr. Chen? I’ll keep the information, and we’ll discuss it. We’ll contact you by phone later!”
Chen Xiao looked at her resentfully. She was already dismissing him. Wasn’t this irresponsible? Not giving an explanation, did that count as a hit-and-run?
How could Assistant Bai know that his mind was filled with a jumble of wild thoughts? She explained, “I have an appointment with a friend for a beauty treatment later, so today…”
Chen Xiao couldn't help but ask slightly loudly, “During brick-moving time—no, during working hours, you’re going for a beauty treatment?”
Assistant Bai rolled her eyes, forgetting that he was a brick-moving maniac. She said, “We have flexible hours!”
Chen Xiao glanced at her chest, then thought of the view he had just admired from behind her. Indeed, she was very flexible.
“Flexible hours mean flexible time, not going for a beauty treatment when you should be moving bricks!”
Chen Xiao placed his injured hand on his chest, implying, “I’m like this, and you have the nerve to go for a beauty treatment and put my business aside?”
Assistant Bai was extremely annoyed. Why did she think of using that excuse to get rid of him? She should have just said she was going to a meeting. Alas, this was the first time she had encountered such a peculiar person!
“Alright, alright! Mr. Chen, let’s continue to discuss business.”
Only then did Chen Xiao say contentedly, “See? When the thought of moving bricks arises, the world instantly widens!”
Assistant Bai had a headache and almost pleaded, “Big brother, can we please stop talking about moving bricks? Those two words make me completely unable to feel the joy of work!”
Chen Xiao corrected her sternly, “Assistant Bai, you only get pleasure when you’re invested. Doing something passively versus actively, the enjoyment is completely different!”
Assistant Bai suspected he was being suggestive, but he was so serious and righteous that she felt she had wronged him.
“With this little money I earn each month, buried in this pile of work every day, I can’t go shopping, I can’t get beauty treatments, I can’t… Am I happy?”
“Assistant Bai’s income shouldn’t be low, right? With your position and ability, there’s no way you’re being underpaid!”
Assistant Bai rolled her eyes and said, “20,000 yuan a month, what’s that enough for?”
Chen Xiao nodded and said, “That’s not high. Barely enough to live!”
Assistant Bai then asked curiously, “What’s your base salary?”
“8,000!”
Assistant Bai almost bit her tongue. She rubbed her eyes, wanting to see clearly if he was joking, but Chen Xiao’s expression didn’t seem fake at all. Yet, how could he, with 8,000 yuan, have the nerve to say that her 20,000 yuan income wasn’t high?
If she wasn’t so young, she would have thought she had tinnitus and misheard him. The way he carried himself with 8,000 yuan was as if he earned 80,000.