"But Xixi, I’m worried about you. You’re all alone out there, and I’m afraid you’ll be wronged. You can’t even find anyone to talk to, and as a useless mother, I can’t help you. All I can do is buy you an insurance policy, so at least you’ll have some security in your life."
"Can’t you just wish for me to do better?" Chu Xi said impatiently, "Alright, are there many people around you? Go outside first; I have something to tell you."
"But I’m at work, and if I go out now, the supervisor will be angry." The timid voice of the woman on the other end finished speaking and hesitated for a moment, then, as if making up her mind, she said to her, "Wait for me, I’ll tell my supervisor, and I’ll be right out."
She didn’t want to miss the rare call from her daughter and hastily took her mobile phone to explain to the supervisor.
The supervisor was a sharp-tongued woman in her forties who, upon hearing that she wanted to sneak out during the busiest time of the restaurant, scolded her fiercely and absolutely refused.
The thin and hunchbacked woman kept apologizing profusely, whispering, "Sorry, sorry, I know it’s busy now, but my daughter has finally e back, and I would like to take a leave of absence; truly, I am sorry."
Having said that, the supervisor found it hard to continue scolding her, but with a displeased look said, "It’s so busy here, and you just think you can leave? Fine, but let me make it clear, if you go, you’ll lose today’s wages, and I’m going to deduct three hundred yuan from you."
The woman, with a face full of fatigue and age, looked up pleadingly and stammered, "Is three hundred too much...Last time Liu Yan took leave, she was only deducted fifty, I..."
"Today is the weekend, last time was Monday. Are they the same?! If you leave, I need to call someone else to rush over to cover your shift. Do you think finding a replacement and paying for their travel and overtime doesn’t cost money? I’m only deducting three hundred because you usually work hard, keep quiet, and are honest. Otherwise, with the business so good today, I wouldn’t let you go at all."
"Think carefully about whether you want to take the leave or not! If you can’t bear to lose those three hundred yuan, then you stay."
The woman’s waist was as thin and frail as if she had never had a full meal in her life, merely a stick, her hands calloused from years of hard labor, her face lined with wrinkles and poverty, making it difficult to guess she was just in her early forties. After being berated by the supervisor, she moved her lips but didn’t dare retort. She fell silent for a second, then suddenly, as if mustering up her courage, looked directly into the supervisor’s mean eyes, "I’m taking the day off! Even if it costs three hundred, I need to take it! My daughter is looking for me, I must take the day off today!"
"I’m really sorry for today, for causing you trouble. My daughter is still waiting for me, I have to go. Thank you." She bent down, bowed to the supervisor, and then quickly took off the sleeve covers and plastic gloves from her wrists, her eyes shining as she joyfully scampered out.
She clutched the phone tightly and ran as fast as she could, as if fearing that if she ran any slower, the person on the other end would hang up out of impatience.
After staggering out, she didn’t even look for a place to sit down; she immediately put the phone to her ear, breathing anxiously, "Xixi, are you still there?"
Chu Xi replied impatiently, "I am."
"I’m out now. I’m not going to work today; we can talk for as long as we want. How are you doing, are you happy? The temperature in Mema is lower than here; did you wear the little sweater I sent inside? I knitted a few for you; where are you staying, I’ll send them over to you." She sounded careful and excited, even her usually dull plexion seemed brighter, radiating vitality that made her look much younger.
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