Chapter 4 — They Teach Me To Grow Up By Abandoning Me

I gritted my teeth.

"Before noon. No problem."

I went back to the charging area. Continue to bombard Luc Vien's WeChat. This time he finally answered:

"Why bother, I'm awake. How much?"

“Alipay or WeChat?”

“Okay, wait.”

Thirty seconds later. A lucky money envelope appeared. My hands trembled as I pressed it open. Attached message:

“Let me try sending it first to see if you receive it.”

“Received!!! Quickly transfer real money!!!”

“Okay okay.”

Wait another minute.

“Wait, To Van.”

“What again?!”

“Suddenly I remembered… my credit card hasn't been paid yet this month, the balance isn't much left…”

“Are you kidding me?!”

“Really, let me figure it out…”

"Luc Yuan, it's 500 yuan. It's only 500 yuan. You opened a store and you don't even have 500 yuan?"

“Yes, yes… but I'll be very stressed after delivering it to you this month.”

"I was left behind more than 1,200 km from home! Why are you so tense? I'm about to die!"

"Okay okay okay! Stop screaming! Move here move here!"

The lucky money envelope arrived. I shook my hand and pressed it open.

"Let's transfer you 200 yuan first. We'll see if there's any money left this afternoon and then calculate it."

“You take the trouble to manage it first.”

"What can 200 yuan do? The hard seat train ticket from here to home is already 285 yuan!"

“Then buy a standing ticket.”

"The standing ticket is more than 200 yuan! And I don't have an ID!"

"No ID? So where is your ID?"

"In my mother's pocket! She took it away!"

“…To Van, how old are you this year?”

"What does it have to do with you?! Can we transfer more?"

"It's really over, sisters. To tell you the truth, my store's sales are very poor this month..."

I clenched my teeth. Plus 47.32 yuan in my pocket. Total: 247.32 yuan. You can't even buy a ticket for a hard seat. What's more, if you don't have an ID, you basically can't buy a ticket. I stared at the number in my WeChat wallet, my mind blank. At that moment, Ms. Vuong held a glass of soy milk and walked over very naturally. She doesn't need to pretend to wait anymore.

“Tieu To, right?”

She pulled out a chair and sat next to me.

“Let me give you an idea.”

I looked at her.

"First, your most important thing right now is not to buy a ticket home. You don't even have an ID, how can you buy it?"

"Second, you have to solve the problem at hand first — where will you sleep today? What will you eat?"

"Third..." Ms. Vuong lowered her voice, "with your situation, there is a high possibility that your parents won't return right away. You should prepare yourself to stay in this city for a few days."

“A few days?!”

"Didn't your mother tell your father to go cycling? It would take at least three or five days to ride a bicycle. And your mother also went along..."

My heart is half cold. Three to five days. In a strange city. No ID. No change of clothes. There are only these disposable slippers on my feet.

“So…” Ms. Vuong patted my shoulder, “girl, I advise you — find a job first.”

"Looking for a job? But now I... have nothing..."

"You have arms and legs, right? There's no shortage of seasonal jobs in the coastal tourist city. Serving food, handing out flyers, carrying goods... you can do anything. Earn enough money to go home first and then slowly settle accounts with your parents later."

When she said these words, there was a clear sense of experience in her eyes. Like what happened to me was insignificant. Just like she had seen worse things than this. I swallow khan. She's right. Sitting and waiting to die is better than getting up and looking for a job. I am a person who was fired from the company, left behind by my parents, and whose best friend only agreed to transfer 200 yuan. But at least... I can still move.

“Ms. Vuong.”

I stood up.

“Are there any restaurants or shops near the hotel that are hiring?”

Ms. Vuong laughed.

"Go out the door and turn left about three hundred meters and there is a food street. During the tourist season there is a shortage of workers every day."

“But Tieu To.”

"You'd better change your slippers first. If you wear hotel slippers to apply for a job, people will think you've escaped from a mental hospital."

I lowered my head to look at the white disposable slippers with the four words "Warm Hotel" printed on them under my feet. Then I remembered - The sneakers I wore when I came here... were still in room 312. And the room card - I instinctively touched my pocket.

“I'll go get my shoes first.”

“Go ahead, before twelve o'clock the room is still yours.”

I turned and walked towards the elevator. Behind her, Ms. Vuong's voice rang out:

"Do your best, Tieu To! I believe you can do it!"

Half the hall simultaneously turned to look at me. I immediately sped up my steps. Ears felt hot like they were about to catch fire.