November, Beijing.

"What did you promise me? Buying a house in a few years? Buying a car? I left my family to follow you to this ghostly place. Look at how your classmates are progressing, and then look at you! What have you achieved? Are you even a man!"

enduring the nagging while they were walking, Xiao Yi stuck his hands in his pockets, and buried his head in smoke. His girlfriend stopped behind him. Xiao Yi didn't even notice; he just kept walking...

"I'm sorry," Xiao Yi sighed, tossing away his cigarette. "Honey, I need to survive too. I'm working really hard. Just give me a little more time..."

Xiao Yi turned around, but there was no one there anymore.

A brisk autumn breeze swept by, and his phone rang. A text message from his "girlfriend" appeared:

[Xiao Yi, let's break up.]

The phone rang again. Xiao Yi answered the call; it was from home.

"Xiao Yi, where are you?" Xiao Yi's mother asked. "Why aren't you answering the phone? When are you coming back?"

"I..." Xiao Yi replied wearily, "What's wrong? Is something going on at home?"

"Your dad just watched the news and asked if 80,000 yuan is enough for a down payment for wedding costs."

"I don't need your money. I'm on the subway. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I'll call you. Mom, go to bed early, and don't let Dad borrow any money."

At midnight, Xiao Yi returned to his rented house, dead drunk, kicked the door open, and flopped onto the sofa, gasping for air.

"Such a waste... a waste..." Xiao Yi mumbled, exhausted. "Is life even worth it?"

Xiao Yi staggered to the balcony, facing the night view from the 18th floor. He climbed up the railing, then climbed down, repeated this several times, and finally knelt down on the balcony, sobbing.

Xiao Yi, weeping: "Mom--"

"Stop crying!" The person in the neighbouring balcony yelled, pulling up the floor-to-ceiling door and shouting, "It's so late! Don't go crazy!"

In this materialistic society that worships money, even crying couldn't elicit sympathy. Xiao Yi crawled back into the room. Driven by the cold wind, he struggled to make his way to the kitchen, turned on the gas, and saw his phone buzzing incessantly. Xiao Yi glanced at it and saw that it was a classmate who had gone out partying tonight.

Xiao Yi stared at the gas stove, planning to cook some noodles before entertaining the idea of ending it all.

Xiao Yi slurped up the instant noodles while trying to call his girlfriend, but her phone was off. Exhausted, he lay down with the phone in his hand.

The house monthly rent was 2,000 yuan, water and electricity added up to 400 yuan, groceries cost 1,000 yuan, credit card debt amounted to 2,000 yuan, and transportation was 400 yuan... With a monthly income of 5,000 yuan, after tax deductions and repayments... a 80,000-square-meter house in Tongzhou required 2.53 million yuan...

At this rate, even if he didn't eat or drink, it would take 300 years to buy a house and get married.

Xiao Yi had considered going back home several times, but houses in third-tier cities required a 12,000-yuan down payment, and earning 3,000 yuan a month would only lead to starvation on the roadside.

Weakly, Xiao Yi turned off the light, and the phone rang again, its screen lighting up.

.

The next morning, it had seven missed calls. Xiao Yi dialled back wearily, but the caller sounded groggy and confused, asking, "Who's this?"

"It's me," Xiao Yi replied. "Why did you call so many times last night?"

The caller was Duma, a college classmate who used to share a bunk bed with Xiao Yi. Back in those years, he borrowed money from Xiao Yi as he tried to get close to a lot of girls. Last night, while out partying, Duma had called Xiao Yi several times. It seemed that Duma had some connections in Beijing, and he had made it big in just three years, driving a Lexus and mingling with the wealthy. When the two met again at a classmate meeting, it was a pleasant surprise.

Xiao Yi and Duma used to tease each other, but now, seeing Duma's success, Xiao Yi felt genuinely happy for him.

"Last night..." Duma began, "I was out drinking with my aunt and a few celebrities, and we had a few too many. I'm getting old, can't handle it anymore. I didn't call you to join, just to check on you."

Xiao Yi had returned home last night and eaten instant noodles. He replied, "It's okay."

Duma smiled and said, "Did your wife make you kneel on the washboard?"

"No," Xiao Yi replied with a smile, "She wouldn't dare."

Sounds of running water came from Duma's end, indicating that he had already woken up. Wearing a Bluetooth headset, he continued, "I mentioned you to my aunt. She wants you to come to the Huamao Center on Dawang Road today."

Xiao Yi: "???"

Xiao Yi struggled to get up, bumping his head against the door in the process.

Xiao Yi: "Why would I go to Dawang Road?"

Duma seemed puzzled, "Aren't you looking for a job change? Are you out of your mind?"

Xiao Yi: "!!!"

Xiao Yi suddenly remembered. He must have mentioned this when they were drinking last night. He brushed his teeth and replied half-heartedly, "Sure, if possible, please order some barbecue."

Duma said, "I'll send you the address and let my aunt know when you arrive."

The call ended, leaving Xiao Yi quite grateful that last night Duma called him several times while accompanying his aunt drinking. 

Eight in the morning.

Xiao Yi prepared for the day. He faced the morning rush in the crowded Beijing subway, arriving at his destination with some difficulty. The address Duma had provided seemed to lead to a place teeming with activity.

Upon entering the elevator, he couldn't help but break into a sweat.

This was the location where every Beijing brokerage company was situated, and you might even encounter a celebrity here.

Xiao Yi eventually reached the right floor and decided to freshen up in the restroom. Despite the rushed situation, he attempted to tidy up his appearance, combing his short hair, and hiding his exhaustion beneath his dark circles.

I am old… Xiao Yi thought.

He couldn't help but reflect on how much life had changed since his student days when he was an aspiring musician, playing guitar and composing music. I did not expect that society would become like this. Xiao Yi sighed.

Xiao Yi entered the restroom to relieve himself. As he stood there, he suddenly heard the sound of approaching footsteps. A tall man in sunglasses entered the restroom and quickly began to untie his trouser chain. He took a long breath and urinated with noticeable force.

Xiao Yi squinted, and he discreetly glanced upward. The man shifted slightly, and their eyes met briefly.

Xiao Yi was flabbergasted, "You...you're..."

“What are you doing!” The man growled, pulling away from the urinal, narrowly avoiding an unwanted mishap. Xiao Yi quickly apologized, turning back and fumbling with his own zipper, hoping to exit the restroom as soon as possible.

A minute later, the man finished washing his hands with a somewhat bitter expression and hurried out of the restroom.

This tall, clean-cut man was approximately 1.8 meters in height, with sporting short hair and a strikingly handsome face. He was casually dressed.

Xiao Yi had never imagined that he would run into a male celebrity in a restroom! He was momentarily dumbfounded, and as he came to his senses, he began to tremble, "Male...Male god!"

The man merely shook his head and walked away.

“Lu … Lu” Xiao Yi hastily retrieved a pen and paper from his bag, "Could you please give a signature for my girlfriend? She's a huge fan of yours."

The man sighed, showing no interest, and quickly washed his hands with hand sanitizer. Then, without further ado, he left the restroom.

Xiao Yi followed, anxiety bubbling up, "Goddess, my girlfriend threatened to break up with me..."

"Come here!" The man, now audibly frustrated, shouted suddenly.

People began to emerge from the hallway, causing Xiao Yi to instinctively retreat. When security arrived, the man had become exasperated, yelling, "How did this guy get in here? Why is everyone barging in? Get him out of here!"

The security personnel promptly escorted Xiao Yi out, and the man hurried away. Amidst the chaos, a door opened in one of the offices, and a female voice inquired, "Is that Xiao Yi?"

"Yes," Xiao Yi was relieved to find a saviour and replied, "I'm here."

He was allowed to enter the office, where he finally took a deep breath.

"I called downstairs," the woman in the office said, dressed in a suit and skirt. Despite being in her forties, she appeared well-preserved. She introduced herself, "I'm Duma's aunt. You can call me Aunt Du."

Xiao Yi offered a polite smile, recognizing her as Du Mei. She seemed ready to pour him a glass of water, but he declined, saying, "I can manage it myself."

The other man in the office chimed in, "Introduce yourself."

"My name is Xiao Yi," he responded, taking a seat and stating seriously, "I majored in music editing and production, spent four years drifting in the north, I'm twenty-five years old, and I've been working for a year."

Xiao Yi proceeded to provide additional personal information, "I'm unmarried, and my parents don't live in Beijing. My dream is to become a musician. Before Duma introduced me, I was involved in video editing on the Sina website."

Du Mei glanced over Xiao Yi's personal information before handing it to her assistant for review. After a quick glance, she said, "You've won several small awards for your original music. I see you have a preference for Chinese style and traditional instruments. You also mentioned you're a fan of celebrities like A Tangge, Li Changzheng, Lu Zhou, and Dao Ming. You seem to appreciate the tough guy style. You also mentioned that your girlfriend became a fan of Lu Zhou through you."

Xiao Yi couldn't help but recall the awkward encounter in the restroom with Lu Zhou. It had probably left a less than favourable impression.

Du Mei continued her inquiry, "Can you cook?"

Xiao Yi hesitated momentarily before answering, "Yes, I can."

Du Mei added, "Please feel free to talk. Don’t be nervous."

Xiao Yi responded, "I can prepare Hubei cuisine."

She pressed further, "How about Sichuan and Cantonese dishes?"

Xiao Yi admitted, "I can make some, but it's usually done using a rice cooker."

He wondered why the focus was so much on his cooking abilities. A sense of unease began to creep over him.

Du Mei then inquired about his hobbies, "Aside from music, what are your interests?"

"Running," Xiao Yi replied, "I enjoy going online, listening to music, reading, and watching movies."

The vice president of the company asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Xiao Yi nodded and added, "Yes, I do. We just broke up"

Du Mei inquired further, "What led to your breakup?"

"It was my decision," Xiao Yi confessed.

Xiao Yi  felt somewhat embarrassed, but as the other party was an olde, it did not matter so much.

Du Mei asked: “Can you drive?”

"The guy is handsome." The vice president said, "Eyes with dark circles, stayed up all night."

"Work and rest are not regular." Xiao Yi said, "I will pay attention, thank you."

Du Mei said: "He's very patient and has good temper..." Du Mei glanced at the assistant, the assistant didn't speak, and turned over Xiao Yi's information again.

Xiao Yi then asked, "May I ask which celebrity this job is for?"

Du Mei smiled and explained, "We are looking to hire a personal assistant for one of our artists. However, we can't disclose the artist's identity just yet. Before proceeding, you'll need to sign a confidentiality agreement. You must also be patient and willing to commit to this job for a longer duration.  You would be paid, all inclusive, a monthly salary of 8,000, before tax, with five insurances.”

Xiao Yi: "!!!"

The assistant said,  “The role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including assisting the artist on movie sets, during commercial shoots, and in daily life. You'll be required to live with the artist in the same residence, and you may also need to chauffeur them occasionally, sometimes go out to buy things for him. The work can be quite demanding."

He went on to explain, "In this role, you need to exercise utmost discretion. You must be vigilant about what you say and what you don't. It's crucial to keep a low profile and prioritize action over words. Regardless of the artist's actions or statements, you're not permitted to share them publicly or online. Even within your family, you can't disclose your occupation. In essence, you must maintain strict confidentiality about your work. Take some time to think it over."

Xiao Yi contemplated the responsibility and confidentiality that the job entailed.

He couldn't help but think about the potential opportunities this job might bring, such as being in close proximity to celebrities and experiencing the high society he had only ever dreamed of. However, the confidentiality aspect seemed stringent.

In the entertainment industry, personal assistants are typically chosen from among the star's circle of trust, often involving friends or family. There are generally two scenarios: either the star is not widely known to the public, or the star faces challenges that make it necessary to have a reliable assistant. Assessing the reliability of such a job can be a bit tricky.

However, one significant advantage of this job is that it allows you to save your entire salary without spending a dime. Besides supporting your parents, you could potentially purchase a small property each year. If property prices remain stable, it might take around 100 years of diligent saving to afford a suite in Beijing. Additionally, this position occasionally provides the opportunity to interact with the glamorous high society associated with stars.

Xiao Yi stepped out into the corridor, lit a cigarette, and attempted to call his girlfriend, only to find her phone turned off.

After some contemplation, Xiao Yi returned to the office and nodded, saying, "I've thought it over, Sister Du. I'm willing to give it a try."

Delighted, Du Mei said, "Duma spoke highly of you, mentioning your enthusiasm and patience. We'll start with a trial period."

Xiao Yi gave a wry smile and agreed. Du Mei prepared the contract, and as Xiao Yi glanced at it, he inquired once more, "Could you tell me which artist this is for?"

The assistant chimed in, putting the contract on the table "It's Lu Zhou, he's in the office next door."

“…” Xiao Yi was left stunned.

 

Translator : DarNan