Let her work here, and I'll make the top forty [Please keep reading after the paid release!]
She must have just heard the arguing inside, though probably not clearly enough to make out the words. All she knew was that the father and son were fighting.
The girl had always been sensitive and insecure.
She had come here nervous but hopeful, yet the moment she heard the argument inside, she assumed she was the reason for it.
Lu Yuanqiu glanced back at the supermarket without releasing her arm and said earnestly, "Wait a little longer. Just a little. If you dare leave, I won't go easy on you."
He pointed at Bai Qingxia and was about to return to the supermarket when she hurriedly grabbed his arm. Her eyes reddened as she pleaded, "Don't fight..."
Her voice trembled.
Lu Yuanqiu froze, then smiled reassuringly a moment later. "Fight? Don't worry. Real men never solve problems by arguing."
With that, he went to the supermarket entrance and kicked the door open.
Lu Tian turned around from beside the checkout counter and stared at his son in astonishment. "Are you fucking asking for it?!"
Lu Yuanqiu held up four fingers and looked his father squarely in the eye. "Let her work here, and I'll make the top forty in our class on this month's exam."
At those words, Lu Tian's anger faded. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and studied his son with interest.
Then he slapped his notebook onto the counter, wiped the smile off his face, and said, "Top thirty."
Lu Yuanqiu raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You... no. Top thirty-nine at most. Not a single place higher."
Lu Tian said, "Top thirty."
Lu Yuanqiu gritted his teeth. "Top thirty-six!"
Lu Tian slapped the counter. "Top thirty!"
Lu Yuanqiu slapped the counter too. "Top thirty-five!"
Lu Tian excitedly pointed at his son and grinned. "Deal!"
Lu Yuanqiu: ?
"You tricked me? You damned old bastard!"
At that, Lu Tian glared and started taking off his shoe. Lu Yuanqiu hurriedly made a tactical retreat. "Fine! Top thirty-five it is!"
Only then did Lu Tian snort. "Fail to make the top thirty-five, and that girl's out the door. I mean what I say, so you'd better find a way. Hey, that even fucking rhymed."
The corner of Lu Yuanqiu's mouth twitched.
There were fifty-three students in his class. Making the top thirty-five meant climbing at least five hundred places in the year rankings.
Sounds pretty epic, but I'm still stuck in the tutorial zone...
And he only had a little over a month.
If not for Bai Qingxia, he would still be sitting in the very last seat of the very last exam room this time around.
Should I cheat?
At that moment, possible strategies tumbled chaotically through Lu Yuanqiu's mind.
He was just about to go outside and bring Bai Qingxia in when Lu Tian called from behind him, deliberately lowering his voice. "You like her?"
Lu Yuanqiu turned back in surprise.
His father gave him a knowing sidelong look. "You think a girl like her would fall for someone like you? Even if you go this far for her, she won't give you a second glance in the future. Save yourself the trouble."
Lu Yuanqiu scoffed and ignored him.
His feelings for Bai Qingxia had always been pure. He was treating her entirely like a daughter he was raising.
You think I'm some desperate simp?! You old fart.
After Lu Yuanqiu went outside, his father, Lu Tian, let out a quiet sigh behind him, though a smile remained on his lips.
If I can use this opportunity to get the brat's grades up, that's not bad either... he thought.
Outside the supermarket, Bai Qingxia had obediently stayed put. But instead of standing beneath the light by the entrance, she was now in a pitch-black corner.
Her slender figure stood all alone, as though a gust of night wind could sweep her into the darkness and make her disappear completely.
The sight made Lu Yuanqiu's heart ache a little, but he still said, "What are you standing over there for? Trying to scare me?!"
Bai Qingxia hurried out at his words, her lovely, innocent face appearing beneath the light again. Lu Yuanqiu was about to speak when he noticed the tear tracks she had not quite wiped away.
"No. Some customers came by just now, so I moved aside."
She explained in a small voice.
Lu Yuanqiu took her by the arm and led her into the supermarket, bringing her before Lu Tian.
"Come with me, girl. I'll show you around first."
As Lu Tian spoke, he glanced at Bai Qingxia's pink schoolbag. He seemed to realize something, but did not mention it.
Bai Qingxia immediately followed him obediently, then took a notebook and pen from her bag, ready to listen attentively.
Lu Tian gave her an amused look. "No need for that. There's nothing terribly important for you to do. Besides, you can only come in for a little while in the evenings, right?"
Bai Qingxia nodded. "Yes."
The two of them walked ahead while Lu Yuanqiu followed behind. He watched Bai Qingxia's back with a faint smile, as though looking at his well-behaved daughter.
As they walked, Lu Tian explained her regular duties. There were only a few, and they were easy, but Bai Qingxia still carefully wrote them down.
"Basically, you'll straighten things on the shelves and take payments at the checkout. When there aren't many customers at night, you can do a little cleaning too. Remember to keep the refrigeration on in the fresh meat section..."
Following behind them, Lu Yuanqiu suddenly almost slipped. "Fuck!"
He hurriedly grabbed something to steady himself, then looked down at a puddle of yellow liquid on the floor.
Lu Tian and Bai Qingxia both turned around.
"What's this?" Lu Yuanqiu asked.
Lu Tian snapped, "Some little brat pulled his pants down and pissed here this evening. Got it all over the floor. Fucking hell, if I catch him next time, I'm dragging him to the hospital to get circumcised! I don't care if his mother's the Goddess of Mercy herself!"
Lu Yuanqiu gave his father a meaningful look. Remembering there was a girl beside him, Lu Tian stopped talking. Bai Qingxia, however, had her head tilted up and did not seem to understand.
Lu Tian then said to Lu Yuanqiu, "Clean that puddle up in a minute!"
Lu Yuanqiu stared at him. "Why didn't you clean it up yourself?! You left it there all this time just so I could do it!"
"I'm the boss!"
"Budget Wei Xiang" glared at his son, then turned back around and continued giving the girl instructions.
After making a circuit, the three returned to the checkout counter. Lu Tian put on his jacket and said, "Teach your classmate how to take payments. I'm heading home."
"...Okay."
Once Lu Tian left, Lu Yuanqiu spoke to Bai Qingxia, who was reading her "notes" beside him. "Have a look around and get familiar with the place. I'll write you a list of things to remember, including the procedures and how everything works."
Bai Qingxia looked over and nodded gently.
A few minutes later, Lu Yuanqiu finished writing down the things she needed to know. When he looked up, he discovered that his father had returned.
"Damn it. Forgot my bag."
Muttering to himself, Lu Tian headed toward the shelves.
Lu Yuanqiu paid him no mind, but after a while, he noticed Lu Tian standing rooted to the spot, staring in one direction.
Worried that something had happened to Bai Qingxia, Lu Yuanqiu hurried over. When he reached Lu Tian's side, both father and son stood stunned.
Between two shelves, the girl knelt on the floor, carefully wiping up the waste with a rag she had found somewhere.
Her figure was quiet and still. Conscientious and meticulous, she silently did what she believed she ought to do.
Lu Tian looked moved by the sight. Then he silently turned to his son and asked in a low voice, "Who exactly is she?"
Lu Yuanqiu took a deep breath and replied with mixed feelings, "She's a good kid."
Huh? Aren't you two the same age? Acting like some wise old man in front of your own father.
Lu Tian grumbled inwardly, though of course he could also tell that he had hired a good kid to work in his supermarket.
"If you don't make the top thirty-five, she's still out. No negotiations." Lu Tian gave his son a sidelong glance and spoke quietly, then took his bag and left.
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