Chapter 9: You Two Should Exchange Contacts
While Xiao Chengfeng and Xiao Fu were in the locker room using the private showers, Xiao Chengfeng finally dared to ask, “You’ve got your eye on that caddie, huh?”
Xiao Fu chuckled. “Don’t be so shallow. I just think he’s got a certain charm.”
Xiao Chengfeng didn’t quite believe him. “Really?”
Xiao Fu shot him a warning glance, his voice calm but carrying weight. “Don’t do anything unnecessary.”
Feeling a little awkward, Xiao Chengfeng forced a laugh. “Got it.”
When Xiao Fu stepped out after his shower, he spotted Chi Wang chatting with another caddie. He walked over.
Chi Wang noticed him and slightly restrained his smile, respectfully greeting, “Sir, would you like to sit in the lounge for a while?”
Xiao Fu’s tone was lazy but amiable. “No, I’m heading out now.”
As he spoke, he casually patted Chi Wang’s back, an almost intimate gesture, before turning and heading downstairs.
Zhong Jin nudged Chi Wang and whispered, “Go see him off.”
Realizing his oversight, Chi Wang quickly followed.
As he trailed Xiao Fu to the parking lot, Chi Wang reflected that his experience in such high-end service jobs was still lacking. I’ll have to learn more from Zhong Jin.
Chi Wang had received 30,000 yuan in red envelopes that day. Always grateful to those who helped him, he set aside 5,000 yuan as a thank-you gift for Zhong Jin.
Zhong Jin initially declined, but Chi Wang insisted, so Zhong Jin eventually accepted it.
Chi Wang accompanied Xiao Fu to the parking lot. Just as Xiao Fu was about to get into his car, he turned and asked, “I forgot to ask, what’s your name?”
Chi Wang replied, “Sir, my name is Chi Wang. Chi as in ‘swimming pool,’ and Wang as in ‘visiting someone.’”
Xiao Fu nodded approvingly. “Nice name. See you.”
With that, he started his car and drove away.
Chi Wang let out a small sigh of relief. Thankfully, Xiao Fu didn’t do anything weird. Maybe I was overthinking it. After all, how likely is it to run into a gay guy here?
Zhong Jin commented, “Clients like Mr. Xiao are rare. You’re lucky to have started with someone so easygoing.”
Chi Wang nodded, acknowledging his good fortune.
After deducting the 5,000 yuan given to Zhong Jin, Chi Wang still had 25,000 yuan. True to his word, he planned to use part of it to buy a good-quality guitar for Kong Tianxi.
Even after spending 5,000 yuan on the guitar, he’d still have 20,000 yuan left. Save it up!
Chi Wang was in great spirits. With this kind of bonus, even if I encounter difficult clients later, I can endure it.
—
At lunch, Chi Wang was pleased to discover that the club’s cafeteria had excellent food at reasonable prices. He ate three full bowls of rice, his stomach round and content.
In the afternoon, Chi Wang dealt with a new wave of clients, mostly middle-aged men. They were far stingier, and their attitudes were less pleasant, treating the caddies as little more than servants.
But Chi Wang was mentally prepared for this, so he wasn’t disappointed.
Zhong Jin had warned him: generous clients like Xiao Fu were rare. Most just gave 1,000 yuan in tips to spread some good cheer.
By the end of his shift, Chi Wang tallied up his total income for the day. After giving Zhong Jin his share, he still had 28,000 yuan left.
Alright, time to buy that guitar for Kong Tianxi.
Chi Wang headed to a Yamaha store, where he bought a guitar for 3,000 yuan. After having it packed up, he carried it on his back and took a bus to his tutoring session.
After tutoring, he went to walk the dog. When that was done, he returned to his dorm, borrowed Luo Lianyun’s laptop, and started working on his low-cost side gig.
Even though he had made a small fortune from the caddie job, Chi Wang didn’t look down on the 100-yuan-a-day “workhorse” gig. He diligently completed his tasks as usual.
Still, the contrast in earnings was hard to ignore. The caddie job made the workhorse gig seem even less worthwhile.
Chi Wang couldn’t help but ask Sister Yang, “Sister, don’t you think it’s a bit too much to make us work on Saturdays?”
Sister Yang replied bluntly, “Just say what you want. What are you after?”
Chi Wang: blushing.jpg “I’d like a raise.”
Sister Yang: “Not happening. I’ve been trying to get a raise for two years with no luck. You ask for one, and the boss will just hire another student to replace you.”
Chi Wang: speechless.jpg
With his dreams of a raise dashed, Chi Wang resigned himself to continuing the gig as it was.
After finishing his last task, he checked the time—it was already past midnight.
In the dorm, Luo Lianyun was gaming while Shu Tingyu munched on snacks and watched soap operas. Both were enjoying their leisure time.
Chi Wang, knowing he had to get up at five the next morning to run, quickly showered and prepared for bed.
In the bathroom, he discovered a few more scratches on his body. Exasperated, he muttered, Where did these come from? He had no recollection of getting hurt.
After patching himself up, Luo Lianyun poked his head out from his bed and asked, “You’re injured again?”
Chi Wang replied nonchalantly, “Mm-hmm.”
Luo Lianyun looked grave. “You should really go pray at a temple. Getting hurt this often isn’t normal. Have you heard of conditions where people are always clumsy? Like…brainstem defects or cerebellar atrophy?”
Chi Wang: “…Don’t scare me.”
Luo Lianyun added, “You’ve got to believe in something—either science or superstition.”
Chi Wang: sigh.jpg
Half-convinced, Chi Wang decided he’d schedule a hospital checkup someday. But it wasn’t urgent; after all, he’d been living like this for over a decade. What difference would a little more time make?
For now, he set the thought aside and went to sleep.
—
The next day, Chi Wang woke up early. It was his turn to do dorm chores, but since his roommates were still asleep, he skipped cleaning for the moment.
After his morning run, he brought back breakfast for everyone before quietly tidying up the dorm.
While cleaning, Chi Wang remembered that he had accepted Xiao Fu’s friend request yesterday but hadn’t messaged him since.
Zhong Jin had told him that maintaining relationships with clients was essential. The club didn’t forbid caddies from privately contacting clients, and it even turned a blind eye to certain kinds of relationships between them. However, Zhong Jin had also reassured him that the club would step in to protect caddies from harassment.
With these thoughts in mind, Chi Wang decided to take the initiative.
Chi Wang unlocked his phone and sent Xiao Fu a polite greeting.
When Xiao Fu didn’t reply, Chi Wang wasn’t bothered—he had done his part to maintain the connection.
He headed out to catch the bus, eventually arriving at the club. The weather was beautiful that day.
In the locker room, Chi Wang went to change but found his locker splattered with dirty water. His spare uniform and water bottle were soiled.
Chi Wang: “…”
He scratched his head. Having encountered this sort of thing before, he wasn’t particularly surprised. Maintaining his composure, he fetched a basin, cleaned out the locker, and washed his uniform, hanging it up to dry.
After finishing, he approached Zhong Jin to borrow a uniform.
When Zhong Jin learned what had happened, he frowned. “Let’s switch your locker.”
Chi Wang smiled. “It’s fine. I’ll let it slide this time. But if I catch them next time, they’ll regret it.”
Zhong Jin, taken aback, scrutinized Chi Wang. His casual threat didn’t match his delicate and refined appearance. “What will you do if you find out who it is?”
Chi Wang replied lightly, “Give them a beating, of course. Some people only behave after they’ve been taught a lesson.”
Zhong Jin was stunned. “You can fight?”
Chi Wang modestly said, “I know a little.”
Zhong Jin: “…”
Looks really can be deceiving.
But Zhong Jin still warned him, “No fighting at the club—it’s strictly prohibited.”
Chi Wang shrugged. “Then I’ll just reason with them. No other choice.”
Zhong Jin considered this. “For now, let’s leave it at that. You caught Xiao Fu’s attention as soon as you started, so it’s natural for others to feel jealous. Just try to keep a low profile for now.”
Chi Wang glanced at his phone. Seeing no reply from Xiao Fu, he felt relieved.
—
Around 9 a.m., a car arrived at the club.
Chi Wang, having done some homework, now recognized car logos. He chose to approach a Ferrari.
Before the owner got out, a voice from behind called, “Hey, you—the most handsome one! Come here.”
Who could resist such flattery? Chi Wang and the other caddies all turned to look.
To his surprise, the person was pointing directly at him. “Yes, you. Don’t doubt it. Come over.”
Chi Wang: “…”
He walked over, about to speak when someone got out of the backseat. Seeing the person’s face, Chi Wang froze. It’s Xie Sicheng!
Zuo Qianxing, now close enough to get a good look, studied Chi Wang’s features carefully. His youthful, strikingly delicate face was sharp yet clear, his skin so smooth he seemed ageless.
“You work here?” Zuo Qianxing asked, surprised.
Chi Wang blinked in confusion. “Sir, do we know each other?”
Zuo Qianxing confidently grinned. “I know you, even if you don’t know me. Weren’t you working at a bar before? How’d you end up as a caddie here?”
Ah, a fan, Chi Wang realized.
He smiled politely, ignoring Xie Sicheng behind Zuo Qianxing. “Just a job, sir. Would you like me to assist you today?”
“I choose you,” Zuo Qianxing declared.
He handed Chi Wang the golf bag, still brimming with curiosity. “So, what did Xiao Fu say to you yesterday?”
Chi Wang immediately understood. “Nothing much. Why do you ask?”
Throwing an arm around Chi Wang’s shoulders like an old friend, Zuo Qianxing said conspiratorially, “Listen, don’t let Xiao Fu fool you. You’re young and inexperienced; you don’t know what he’s really like. He’s a bad guy—super shady.”
Feigning surprise, Chi Wang replied, “Really? I thought he was nice. He was very generous yesterday—gave out 160,000 yuan in tips.”
Zuo Qianxing was shocked. “He did that? That miserly jerk?”
Chi Wang, wide-eyed, played along. “Miserly? You’re joking, right?”
Zuo Qianxing scoffed. “Totally stingy! Always trying to freeload. And he’s ruthless—he even tried hiring foreign mercenaries to deal with his dad. Everyone in our circle knows it was him, even if there’s no proof.”
Chi Wang: Why are you telling me this?!
The more you know, the greater the risk. Understanding this, Chi Wang deftly changed the subject. “Are you and Mr. Xiao friends?”
Zuo Qianxing clicked his tongue. “Friends? Not exactly. You know how dorm groups with four people always have five subgroups? It’s like that. You get it?”
Chi Wang found him easygoing and approachable. “…I see.”
“Oh, right,” Zuo Qianxing added. “You’re still in school, right? Which one?”
Having received so much unsolicited information, Chi Wang felt bad lying. Especially since Xie Sicheng was within earshot. “I’m at H University, a sophomore this year.”
Zuo Qianxing’s jaw dropped. “No way! You’re at H University? Sicheng, this kid’s your schoolmate—your junior!”
The topic abruptly shifted to Chi Wang and Xie Sicheng.
Chi Wang: Cue the awkwardness.jpg.
He glanced at Xie Sicheng, their gazes meeting. Xie’s expression remained cold and detached, his eyes profoundly dark, like an icy abyss.
Looking closer, Chi Wang noticed the faint greenish tint of dark circles under Xie Sicheng’s eyes. If not for his handsome features and aristocratic air, the circles might have made him look gloomy.
Chi Wang awkwardly smiled. “Mr. Xie is a big name on campus. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Xie Sicheng responded coolly, “I’ve never seen you around.”
“That’s because I’m usually working and not on campus much,” Chi Wang replied.
With such a big campus and so many departments, running into each other was unlikely.
Wait… are we just casually chatting now? Wow… the school idol’s pretty approachable.
Xie Sicheng gave a noncommittal “Mm.”
Zuo Qianxing suggested, “Why don’t you two exchange contacts? You’re schoolmates—stay connected!”
Chi Wang: You’re a little too enthusiastic, aren’t you?
