Volume One, Chapter 8: I Have a Job!

Behind the glass door lay a pool hall.

Perhaps everyone had gone out for lunch, as the hall was empty save for a few punks with bleached yellow hair, lounging on a pool table, smoking and chatting. As soon as I stepped inside, every pair of eyes in the room fixed on me. I didn't flinch. They stared at me, and I stared right back.

After a standoff that lasted about half a minute, one of the punks spoke up: "What’s the meaning of you just standing there staring? Are you here to play pool, or what?"

I told him straight out that I was looking for work.

"Looking for work?" The yellow-haired youth looked me up and down. "As a waiter?"

"That’s right!"

Hearing my blunt reply, he took another careful look at me. After about half a minute, he told me to wait while he went to fetch the boss to have a look. The title he used sounded a bit strange; I wondered if I’d misheard him, perhaps he meant "boss" rather than "big brother."

A short while later, he returned with a young man in his thirties. He was about the same height as me but significantly heavier, with a round, chubby face that looked surprisingly amiable. It was only early spring, yet he was dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. Most striking of all were the carp tattoos covering both of his arms.

"Brother Sheng, this kid wants to be a waiter." The yellow-haired youth introduced me, then told me, "This is the boss, Brother Sheng."

"Brother Sheng," I called out casually.

Brother Sheng looked me up and down, then suddenly asked, "Hey, kid, what’s your name? Can you rack the balls?"

Brother Sheng’s accent was extremely peculiar. It was the first time I’d heard it, and I almost burst out laughing. Fearing he might think I was mocking him and jeopardize my chances, I held it in and quickly told him my name was Zhao Gang and that I knew how to rack the balls. I’d played pool back in my village, so racking was no challenge for me.

"Alright, then rack them up and show me."

I immediately set the balls. Seeing that I was indeed capable, he spoke again in that same heavy accent: "Work hours are from seven in the evening until seven the next morning. You’ll be the only waiter in the entire pool hall. You have to rack balls, sweep the floors, and empty the ashtrays—can you handle that?"

Work? What was there to be unable to handle? As long as the pay was right, anything was fine. I asked directly, "Brother Sheng, is it three hundred and fifty yuan a month?"

"That's right, three hundred and fifty a month!"

"I’ll do it."

Brother Sheng seemed quite pleased. He patted my shoulder and laughed, "Then there’s no problem."

The more I heard his accent, the more amusing I found it. Scared I might lose my composure, I quickly lowered my head to agree, gave him a polite nod, and took my leave.

***

Once outside the pool hall, I couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into laughter. On one hand, Brother Sheng’s accent was just too funny; I’d been holding back so hard. On the other hand, I was genuinely happy. Three hundred and fifty yuan a month—this job paid much more than the odd jobs at the garment factory!

My cousin-in-law had been waiting outside for me. Seeing me laugh, she hurriedly asked, "Xiao Gang, how did it go?" I could see the anticipation in her eyes.

"I... I think I still need to consider it."

"Oh." Her expression dimmed, but she immediately put on a smile to comfort me. "It’s alright, waiter jobs are tough anyway. Don’t worry, I’ll go to the factory this afternoon and ask around; I’m sure we’ll find something."

I shook my head. "No need."

She paused, confused. "What’s wrong?"

"I’ve made up my mind."

"You have?" She looked puzzled.

I grinned. "I start at seven tonight. Three hundred and fifty yuan a month!"

"Oh!" She gasped, her beautiful eyes widening. She hurried to ask if it was true. I nodded vigorously, confirming that I’d landed the job at the pool hall.

"Oh, that’s wonderful!" She beamed with joy. "Come on, let’s go buy something good to eat and celebrate!"

"Okay!" Seeing her smile, I was happy too. With a job secured, my mood finally lightened.

"Oh!" Suddenly, she exclaimed. I asked her what was wrong. She turned and glared at me, feigning anger: "You little brat, Xiao Gang, you’ve actually learned how to lie to your cousin-in-law. Come here, let me hit you!"

I could tell she was joking, but I obediently lowered my head and said, "Cousin-in-law, I didn’t mean to lie to you."

"Hmph!" she teased. "If you really lied to me, see if I ever talk to you again!"

I straightened up, looking earnest. "I swear, I will never lie to you for as long as I live!"

She was clearly taken aback for a moment. Then, she jumped up and patted the top of my head. "That’s the price for lying to me just now." Her touch was light, completely painless. In that moment, I even had the fleeting illusion that she was flirting with me.

"Alright, let’s go buy some food. Dalong will be happy to hear the good news!"

***

I didn't care whether my cousin was happy or not; as long as my cousin-in-law was happy, that was enough. I agreed, and we happily went to buy food—some local Hong Kong-style rice rolls, braised meat, braised goose, and a bottle of soda—before heading back to our place.

As soon as we walked in, the room felt stifling with cigarette smoke. My cousin was lounging on the sofa with his legs crossed, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. He glanced at us coldly. "Why are you back? If you’re so capable, why didn't you just stay away?"

I felt like cursing him out. If it weren't for my cousin-in-law, even if he knelt on the ground and begged me, I wouldn't care to return!

She was clearly taken aback as well. After a few seconds, she said, "Xiao Gang found a job."

"Oh?" My cousin turned to look at me, asking what kind of job. When I told him it was at the pool hall, he curled his lip in disdain. "What kind of rubbish job is that? Hanging around with a bunch of shady characters."

Damn! As if you have such a high-and-mighty job yourself! I felt as disgusted as if I’d swallowed a fly.

My cousin-in-law still defended me. "It’s better than nothing. He can work there for now and change jobs once something better comes along. Besides, three hundred and fifty yuan a month isn't bad. It’s just that working the night shift is very tiring." She clearly felt sorry for me.

I felt a warmth in my heart and couldn't be bothered to argue with my cousin. Perhaps he had run out of things to say, for when he saw the food, he told her to hurry up and get dinner ready.

Once we sat at the table, he placed all the braised meat and goose on his side, within easy reach. He didn't care if it was hard for us to reach the dishes. Halfway through the meal, he said to me, "Xiao Gang, since you’ve found work, there are some things I need to tell you. We’re all out here to make a living, and I can’t have you eating and living here for free. But since you call me cousin, I can’t just ignore you. I won't charge you for food—you don't eat that much anyway. But the rent for this place is one hundred yuan a month; you’ll pay half, so fifty yuan."

My cousin-in-law immediately put down her chopsticks, staring straight at him. I knew she was about to speak up for me. But I didn't want her arguing with him on my account, so I spoke up first: "Fine, I’ll pay it as soon as I get my first paycheck!"

She turned to look at me. I poured her a drink, smiling. "Cousin-in-law, let me toast you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have found this job."

She understood what I meant and clinked her glass against mine. I could see a hint of apology in her eyes; she felt I had gotten the short end of the stick. I turned to my cousin and said, "Cousin, thank you, too. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to come to Hong Kong."

He gave me a sidelong glance and tapped his glass against the table—that was the extent of his acknowledgment. Then, with a cold, indifferent tone, he added, "Less of that lip service. As long as you don't stir up any trouble for me, I’ll count that as you having a conscience."