You’re Here To Sell Yourself
Translated by newbienoona
Edited and proofread by anks
As he watches her back, his eyes fill with happiness. The peaceful street is occasionally disturbed by the sound of pedestrian footsteps. They look at him and think where a charming student like him comes from.
He doesn’t find this gawking strange. In fact, he’s accustomed to it. Nothing has happened since An Chuxia left. He sizes up the place she used to live. There are only three houses. What he didn’t say is: the infrastructure looks dangerous and they’re occupied by humans? He’s afraid he’d offend Chuxia so he censors his words.
The landlady aunt is temperamental.
An Chuxia’s words flash in his mind and suddenly, his smile disappears. He picks up his pace and runs toward the direction she went. Why does he feel bad? He would have to see who’s willing to risk their life by cursing An Chuxia.
There are more pedestrians on the next road compared to the residential street, but it’s still relatively deserted. An Chuxia is worried Han Qilu will wander about aimlessly and come over. She runs up the the middle of the street and finds the entrance to the store. She sees an obese, middle-aged woman, holding a spray bottle.
Back then, this woman hated her a lot because her mother brought her to this place to live. She’d verbally abuse her but her mother always told her not to mind what she says. Gossip and slander shouldn’t make her angry.
“Landlady aunt,” An Chuxia walks into the store and greets her with clenched teeth, despite showing a bright smile.
The middle-aged landlady stops midway through her task. She promptly frowns before flashing a trace of surprise. “How are you?”
“I came over to take my room key. Do you have a duplicate?” Her smile is stiff. She realized she can’t show a real smile to this woman.
The middle-aged woman sizes her up and down. She picks an apple with a nail painted bright red. She bites into the fruit and says bitterly, “What’s wrong? Weren’t you taken away by that rich man? Since you’re uneducated, you’re driven out?”
The slack in Chuxia’s hand disappears after the woman says those words. Her grip forms a fist. Still, a stiff smile still hangs on her face. “I am here to take the key.”
An Chuxia doesn’t care if she’d be denied the key. She just wants to know if she has a copy.
“Bah!” The woman spits out the apple on the ground. She points a finger at An Chuxia and says, “Girl, your dead mother isn’t here to speak for you. I know why I don’t like you. How could you have some rich man raise you? Key? Key? I won’t give it to you today. Sleep on the street!”
The middle-aged woman is really irrational. The rent has been prepaid, and yet, she is denied access to the key. Morally or legally, this is wrong!
Clenching her teeth, she doesn’t want to rush to this woman and hit her. But she wants to do just that… .
“Big Aunt, please give me the key. I have a guest… .”
“Guest?” She doesn’t wait for An Chuxia to finish her sentence before interrupting her. She sneers. “You’re basically here to sell yourself! No wonder why you put these clothes on: to put on a show!”