Chapter 9 — They Teach Me To Grow Up By Abandoning Me

“XX Seafood Square… king crab offer 198…”

"King crab special offer 198 yuan! Freshly imported seafood! Come into the shop and get a drink!"

“The voice is fine.”

Manager Tran nodded.

"It starts at five o'clock and ends at nine o'clock. You stand at the intersection holding a sign and shouting, trying to attract customers here. If you do well, you will get a commission - for every table you attract, you will get an additional 10 yuan."

"Yes. Take the sign and go out."

I carried a billboard that was taller than me out of the seafood restaurant. Go to the opposite intersection. There were already two people there. A guy wearing a lobster head and holding an advertising sign for another seafood restaurant. A little girl dressed as a mermaid, holding a QR code in her hand. I stood between the two of them, holding up the billboard. The lobster head tilted his head, looking at me through the gap.

“Just arrived?”

"Do your best, girl. This isn't tiring, it's just a waste of your throat."

"Thank you."

I took a deep breath. Clear your throat.

"XX Seafood Square — king crab promotion 198 yuan! Freshly imported seafood! Come into the shop and get a free drink!"

My voice rang out in the middle of a crowded intersection. Then, I was immediately engulfed in the sound of car horns and noisy people. A few passersby turned to look at me. No one paid any further attention. I shouted again. Still no one cares. The lobster-headed guy started performing — shaking his butt, waving his arms, giving the tourists a thumbs-up. The mermaid also joined in - with her sweet voice and lovely movements, soon several people scanned the code. A girl wearing a wrinkled T-shirt, her face gloomy, her hand holding a billboard. There's no attraction at all. Ten minutes later, manager Tran called:

"Hello, To Van, right? Why haven't you pulled any tables yet? Are you shouting?"

I hung up the phone, gritted my teeth.

"Emperor Crab OFFER 198 CNY!!! FRESH SEAFOOD ARRIVED!!! COME IN TO THE BAR AND GET A FREE DRINK NOW!!!"

As soon as this scream rang out, everyone within a twenty meter radius turned their heads to look at me. Including the couple waiting at the red light. The girl was startled by me, and her boyfriend glared at me. But at least… Someone was looking. I shouted again. A middle-aged man stopped to look at the board:

"198? A whole one?"

"That's right! Whole king crab! The restaurant is on the opposite side!"

“Go, come take a look.”

First table. For the next four hours, I stood at the intersection, screaming until my throat was filled with smoke. Pulled four guest tables. Four tables, 40 yuan more commission. Plus basic salary of 80 yuan. Today I earned a total of 120 yuan. After work at nine o'clock at night, manager Tran counted 120 yuan in cash and stuffed it into my hand.

"That's okay, girl. Are you still coming tomorrow?"

“Okay, same time tomorrow.”

I squeezed the stack of money in my hand. Plus the previous 234.32 yuan. Total: 354.32 yuan. Hard seat ticket 285 yuan. Food for two days is about 50 yuan. There's 19.32 yuan left over. Really needy. But at least I see hope. Provided that— The police station handles the matter smoothly. I walk on the street at night. The sea breeze blew, bringing with it a gentle cold breeze. Stomach gurgling. I stopped at a roadside restaurant and spent 10 yuan to buy a portion of fried noodles. Squatting under a street lamp to eat. The phone vibrates. My mother texted.

“Daughter, have you eaten yet?”

I chewed noodles and typed each word:

“I've eaten.”

“What are you eating?”

“Oh, are the fried noodles over there delicious?”

I swallowed the food down. Stare at the words on screen.

“Is it delicious?”

The mother was asking the daughter she left behind more than 1,200 km from home, squatting under a streetlight eating 10 yuan fried noodles... if it was delicious? I typed a line:

"It's delicious. How's mom? Is the bike ride going well?"

Mother replied:

"My dad is very happy. Today he cycled sixty kilometers. He said he felt ten years younger."

"That's good. My place is fine."

"It's okay. Rest early."

I turned off the phone. Raise your head. Above your head is a sky full of stars. The atmosphere in this city is really good, you can even see the stars. That's fine. If only I didn't have to sleep on the street tonight. I sat in a convenience store open 24/7 all night. Buy a bottle of water, occupy a small corner and then collapse on the table to sleep. In the middle of the trip, the staff woke me up twice. The first time was at 1 a.m., they told me not to sit and take up space for too long. I bought another pack of tissues, then they stopped talking. The second time was four o'clock in the morning. The new shift staff thought I was homeless so I called the police. Two police assistants on patrol looked at me for a moment. I pulled out the appointment letter from the police station to show them.