Gu Yue's Surprise

Time crawled by agonizingly. Finally, it was time to clock out.

Old Wang showed up right on time, looking full of energy. The milk tea had just arrived, and he happily took it before waving goodbye to Tang Wulin. "I'm off, Little Tang! See you tomorrow! Remember to bring a power bank—the outlet here is pretty useless!"

"Got it, Uncle Wang! See you tomorrow!" Tang Wulin forced out a smile and agreed.

As he walked out of the community service center, the evening breeze carried a hint of chill, dispersing the daytime heat. Tang Wulin took a deep breath of fresh air and felt even more refreshed than he had under the air conditioning in the monitoring room. He headed home with light steps. The ten-minute walk left his mind teeming with thoughts.

When he pushed open the door, the familiar aroma of home-cooked food washed over him. Gu Yue had already placed the dishes on the table: two dishes and a soup, all steaming hot. She had changed into casual clothes, her long hair loosely tied up, and was taking off her apron. When she saw him return, a gentle smile appeared on her face. "You're back? Go wash your hands and eat."

"Honey, I'm home!" Tang Wulin tried hard to adjust his facial muscles, putting on an expression that said, "I worked hard all day, and though I'm tired, it was worth it." He leaned in, intending to kiss her cheek, but Gu Yue dodged him with a smile.

"Go on, go on. You reek of sweat. Wash your hands first," Gu Yue scolded playfully, though her eyes were smiling.

"Honey, it was my first day at work today, and it went pretty smoothly," he said cautiously.

"Mm, I could tell. You're in a good mood." Gu Yue picked up some greens and placed them in his bowl. "How's the work environment?"

"It's great! Spacious and bright, the AC is powerful, and all the equipment is brand-new." Tang Wulin swallowed his food and began describing it vividly. "An old man is training me and taught me some basic procedures. Mostly, I just watch the surveillance screens and see whether anything unusual happens. Nothing major. Then I just clock in every two hours."

"Sounds pretty relaxed." Gu Yue nodded, a trace of relief in her tone. "And the salary... is it really that much?"

"It is, it is! Seven thousand two hundred, not a cent less!" Tang Wulin patted his chest in assurance, then put on a grave expression. "But Uncle Wang said that even though the job is easy, the responsibility is huge. I have to stay alert at all times. So starting tomorrow, I might need to adapt a little."

As Gu Yue listened, her eyes gradually changed. The tired gentleness in them slowly brightened, just like when Tang Wulin had received that high-paying acceptance letter on his first day—the gleam of someone who had discovered a treasure.

"You mean..." Gu Yue put down her chopsticks and leaned forward slightly, barely able to suppress her excitement. "All you do every day is sit there, watch screens, clock in, and then you get seven thousand two hundred a month?"

"Uh... more or less. But I can't just slack off. I still have to be responsible..." Tang Wulin tried to maintain the appearance of a "serious job."

"That's amazing!" Gu Yue suddenly slapped the table, startling Tang Wulin. "Wulin! I'm going too! I'm applying for that job too!"

Tang Wulin: "..."

The "relief" he had expected never came. Instead, Gu Yue reacted fiercely as though she wanted to join the army of slackers. Looking at the light in her eyes, he seemed to see another version of himself. The difference was that he felt awkward out of guilt, while Gu Yue was ecstatic because she had found an extremely cost-effective job opportunity.

"H-Honey, this might not be right for you, might it? It's a fire control monitoring position. You need a certain amount of professional knowledge..." Tang Wulin tried to dissuade her.

"I learn very quickly!" Gu Yue declared confidently. "Isn't it just watching surveillance cameras? My eyesight is excellent! And I'm careful—I can definitely stare at the screens longer than you can! Most importantly..." She began counting on her fingers. "Seven thousand two hundred! It's way more stable than writing manuscripts! Tomorrow, I'm asking whether your director is still hiring!"

Tang Wulin's head felt twice as big. He had imagined Gu Yue getting angry. He had imagined her being disappointed. The one thing he had never imagined was that Gu Yue would also want to "lie flat." This was just perfect. If Gu Yue really came, wouldn't they be putting on a performance of "husband and wife slacking off together" in the monitoring room? If Old Wang or Director Li discovered them, that would be a real spectacle.

Just as Tang Wulin racked his brains for a way to change Gu Yue's mind, her phone suddenly rang. It was an email notification.

Gu Yue casually picked up her phone and looked at it. The excitement on her face from having "found a dream job" instantly froze, then rapidly turned into a more complicated, incredulous emotion.

"What is it?" Tang Wulin's heart tightened. Had something happened?

Gu Yue raised her head and looked at Tang Wulin. The corners of her lips slowly curved upward. That smile held relief, a hint of mockery, and the exhilaration of finally emerging from hardship.

"It's nothing." She spoke lightly and turned her phone screen toward Tang Wulin. "I just received an offer. It's a secretary position at a trading company, thirteen thousand a month, plus performance bonuses after the probation period. I report tomorrow morning at nine."

Tang Wulin: "!!!"

Thirteen thousand?! That was far higher than his "dream job"! And it was a secretary position—it sounded far more respectable and promising than watching surveillance monitors!

He looked at Gu Yue, momentarily not knowing how to react. First came wild joy—his wife had found a good job! Then came overwhelming shame—his slacking-off salary of seven thousand two hundred suddenly seemed a little... embarrassing next to his wife's thirteen thousand. Finally came relief—thank goodness Gu Yue had received this offer first. Otherwise, with how determined she had been to join the monitoring room, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"That's wonderful, honey!" Tang Wulin immediately went along with it, his face full of sincere delight. "I knew you could do it! Thirteen thousand! That's incredible!"

Gu Yue smiled, and this smile was more genuine and relaxed than before. "Yeah, all that effort wasn't for nothing. It's a little lower than I expected, but it's acceptable as a starting point."

She stood and began clearing the dishes. "Tomorrow is my first day at work, so I need to rest early. You too. Even if your job is relaxed, don't get too careless. Leave a good impression on people."

"No problem! I definitely won't embarrass you, honey!" Tang Wulin immediately declared. Then he asked eagerly, "How about I drive you there tomorrow? It's on the way to my work anyway."

Gu Yue shook her head and carried the dishes into the kitchen. "No need. Parking near the company is inconvenient, and I heard the subway goes straight there. I'll ride a shared bike instead. It's green, environmentally friendly, and good exercise."

"Ride a bike?" Tang Wulin frowned. "You'll be leaving early, and there'll be lots of people and cars on the road. It isn't safe. How about I take you to the subway station?"

"Really, there's no need." Gu Yue poked her head out from the kitchen, her tone firm. "The money we save on gas and parking would be better put away. Besides..." She blinked. "I want to enjoy the morning breeze. Just take care of yourself. Don't be late on your first day at work."

"...Understood, my lady." Tang Wulin agreed helplessly, his heart a tangle of emotions. Watching Gu Yue efficiently clear the table, then thinking of his dream job of "drinking tea, reading newspapers, and playing on his phone," he suddenly found that he had lost his appetite.

His wife had found a more promising, better-paying, respectable job. This should have been a time for the whole family to celebrate. So why did he feel a faint, crushing pressure building inside him?

Perhaps this was what it felt like to be completely outclassed by his wife. Tang Wulin silently finished his last bite of rice and decided that tomorrow, in the monitoring room... he would act a little more "dedicated to his job." At the very least, spiritually, he had to keep up with Gu Yue's progress.