Ah. Why wasn't she born a pretty rich heiress again?
"Miss, your card doesn't work. Would you like to pay in cash instead?"
"Really? Even with the discount coupons?" Xue Ning asks incredulously, pointing to all the crumpled coupons she deposited on the counter.
"Miss, you can only use one at a ti, they can't be stacked," the cashier says, sounding pissed. Xue Ning glares at him, her big eyes and impressive dark circles making a scary picture.
The cashier mumbles ekly, "it's in the T&Cs, please don't make trouble for ."
Xue Ning sighs to herself, reminding herself not to shoot the ssenger. This poor guy was just the sa as her, a sad adult working a poor paying job to make ends et in this expensive city.
"Fine," she growls out. "Then if I make separate purchases it's fine right?"
"Yes? But -" The cashier starts, but Xue Ning cuts him off.
"Then I'll just take this first," Xue Ning says, pointing to one box of aspirin. "And I'll co back for the rest of them later."
"...Alright," the cashier says, imdiately helping her to scan her purchase. Xue Ning hands over the asly pocket change scrounged from her jacket pocket.
Behind her, a group of teenage girls were not too pleased about the delay in queue and have taken to talking snidely behind her back.
"God, how can one purchase take so long?"
"Sshh… she's using coupons you know. Of course those take longer."
"Coupons for one item? You must be joking. I didn't realise people were that poor."
Xue Ning turns and steadily glares at them, getting satisfaction from the way they squeak and
eventually fall into ashad silence.
But then soone else chid in, her shrill voice reminding Xue Ning of nails on chalkboard.
"Excuse , Miss? Can you hurry it up? So of us don't want to waste our precious ti in line. I have a boyfriend to impress at a party later." Xue Ning turns around to eye the person that spoke to her.
A tall woman looks down at her imperiously, and her nose scrunches up, as though Xue Ning is so foul-slling dirt stuck at the bottom of her shoe.
Xue Ning rolls her eyes. Great. Another rich stuck up party-girl that she'll most likely have to be polite to at work.
But she isn't at work now, so she rely scoffs and retorts, preparing to give this woman a tongue-lashing.
"Then why isn't your boyfriend buying things for you? Does he not love you enough?"
"Nonsense! Of course he loves ! He bought this Chanel bag!" She says proudly. She deliberately waves her branded Chanel bag in front of Xue Ning's face, as though it could dispel the poverty surrounding her.
Xue Ning snorts as she eyes the bag.
"Miss, you better hope your boyfriend's feelings for you are more real than the fake Chanel bag you're carrying." Xue Ning says callously, ignoring the shocked gasps from the schoolgirls and the horrified cashier.
"How dare you! I'll have you know that this is completely authentic!" She screeches to Xue Ning and everyone who was listening. "My darling would never give fake goods!"
"No it's not," Xue Ning replies cooly, giving her a mildly pitying look. "The logo on your bag isn't even the right shade of gold."
And she should know, she served rich bastards on a daily basis, and so of them gladly taught her how to discern fake goods, and her coworkers helped supplent that knowledge.
Before the woman can argue further, she continues.
"Your Chanel bag has a logo with a cool blue undertone, but the logos of real Chanel bags have a warm orange one. If I were you, I'd be angry at your boyfriend. Nevermind that he gave you a fake bag - he didn't even give you a good fake!"
The woman lets out an outraged scream, and Xue Ning is half-hoping she'll try and fight her, it's been a while since she got to punch soone.
But alas, she rely leaves in humiliated silence. The schoolgirls have their mouths open in surprise.
"Miss, your purchase is ready," the cashier says hesitantly.
"Thanks," Xue Ning says, "now I want to buy these too," she points to the packet of tissue paper that she had initially picked up. Her skin is as thick as a rhinoceros when it cos to snatching deals. "The coupon should apply then."
She doesn't need to imagine the disappointnt and dismay of the girls behind her, but they clearly learnt their lesson. Instead of comnting on her, their conversation turned to celebrity gossip - and who was a bigger celebrity than one of Shanghai's modern day princes: Sun Jingwei?
"Did you hear? Sun Jingwei is buying an island for his 25th birthday!"
"I heard he's inviting every beautiful woman to that island!"
"What a party boy… I'm so envious…I want to go too!"
"You? Only if he pays for your plastic surgery - ouch why did you hit !"
"You deserved it. I'm not asking for much from God, I just want to marry him!"
anwhile, Xue Ning rolls her eyes at the sheer nonsense. Sun Jingwei, what a pain in her ass.
She had never t him, but with all the terrible rumours about him - she never wanted to et him!
He was like a ghost haunting everyone in Shanghai, and she hated ghosts, especially said ghosts were rich handso n that had the world at their fingertips, but still proceeded to squander all their potential.
All the rich businessn looking to get drunk had whined about what a fucking lucky bastard he was, always bragging about how his father was a billionaire, treating all of them to drinks and stealing their dates and consistently winning all his car races.
Xue Ning had made consoling noises and rely slid over another drink, secretly unsympathetic at their complaints. These custors were rich enough to blow at least three months worth of her rent money on one night's worth of alcohol that would leave them puking at the back of their BMWs on the way back to their penthouses.
'Fuck those rich bastards', she thinks to herself as the cashier finally bags her last purchase, giving her a look like he would be thanking God if she never appeared in his outlet again.
She strolls off nonchalantly, ignoring the group of gossiping girls who give her the stink eye, before breaking off into a quick jog the mont she exits the outlet.
She needs to reach her workplace in ti! They had received a reservation for the entire club for so party. So rich tycoon's son apparently picked their club, so her boss had been losing his mind for the past week, wanting everything to be perfect.
A flurry of activity greets her when she enters the club.
"Hey Xue Ning, you need to look more excited! There's going to be a huge party tonight!" Her older coworker, Qiu Tong, chatters excitedly to her as they wipe down the glasses and the counter.
"Qiu Tong-jie, that ans we have more crazy people," Xue Ning lants. She was fine with her usual array of heartbroken custors, or people who hated their bosses. Parties however, ant that everyone was in a mood to celebrate. They got rowdy, and then… they got horny.
Xue Ning prays to any god out there that this isn't that sort of night. She doesn't want to see anyone's naked body under the neon discotheque lights of her club.
"More crazy rich drunk people!" Qiu Tong corrects excitedly. "Maybe one of them will throw thousand dollar bills everywhere and we can pick up so. Wouldn't it be great?"
"That would be great," she agrees, cheering up at the thought.
"Everyone, look sharp," their manager orders. "We're opening in half an hour, and everything must run smoothly. Got it?"
"Yes sir!" They all reply, busying themselves with last-minute preparations - checking the lights and music, taking stock of the inventory, even wiping the floors and couches and ensuring that the toilets had toilet paper for a long long night ahead.
Before they knew it, it was ti. The doors opened and in ca a steady stream of party-goers, won with tight outfits flaunting their figures, n in shirts and suits, and Xue Ning and Qiu Tong found themselves quickly hit with drink orders.
Even though her hands were kept busy, Xue Ning knew none of the people she served was the person responsible for hosting such a night. No one that rich or important arrived so early. But then again, as long as the night continued peacefully, she wouldn't complain.
After two hours, she gestures to another coworker to cover for her as she takes a quick breather outside. Ducking out from the staff entrance, she makes her way to the back alley and breathes in the cool crisp night air. It was 2am, and the night scene was still alive and thriving, but the rhythmic pounding of EDM beats was making her head hurt.
She hurriedly takes a quick drink of water, only to pause when she spies soone lingering at the fire escape.
He was tall, with broad shoulders wearing a well-pressed suit. His face was obscured by shadow, but Xue Ning could still see the hint of a strong jawline and a sharp cheekbone.
No one cos here other than the staff. Suspicious. She ntally calculates how hard she would have to hit to knock him out if he was indeed causing trouble.
"Oi, what are you doing here?" She calls out. The man startles, before shooting her a sheepish grin that shows the whites of his teeth.
"Nothing! Just catching my breath before I go in again." His voice was deep. It curled pleasantly in her ears, but she ignored that sensation. He could be a criminal. She narrows her eyes at him.
His suit was pressed and clean, completely wrinkle-free, and she didn't sll any alcohol from him. He was most likely sober, in addition to being tired and nervous. God knows how often she had heard soone trying to sound like they were fine when they were absolutely not.
"You're lying," she argues. "You don't look drunk."
"I have a great alcohol tolerance!" The man exclaims with bravado. "I'm just psyching myself up for later! The real party only starts when I'm here, don't you know?"
"No?" She takes another swig of water.
"You don't know who I am?" He asks challengingly. Xue Ning feels the faintest urge to deck him, but she has to conserve her strength. He's not a threat to anyone but himself.
"Nope. Should I?" Xue Ning asks, raising an eyebrow before taking a quick look at her watch. Her break is almost over. "No matter who you are, don't puke on the floor. I have to go back to work."
"Wait - "
She doesn't, because she's not paid to stand around in an alley on one of the busiest nights they have.
"Bye. Hope you feel less nervous later." She says, nearly draining the last of her water before deciding to throw him the bottle. The man catches it with flailing hands.
Huh. Guess he wasn't lying about being drunk, or this man just had terrible reflexes to begin with.
"Drink so water anyway. Make sure to throw that in recycling when you're done," Xue Ning says, as he stares at her, nonplussed, still clutching her plastic bottle in one hand.
"What's your na?" The man asks.
"Not telling you," Xue Ning replies tiredly.
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