Volume One, Chapter 13: The Flight Attendant “Fell Ill”

There are certain conventions in interviews. Usually, at the end, out of courtesy, the interviewer would symbolically ask, "Do you have any questions for me?"

She must have known this interview etiquette, yet she never brought it up. A sudden emptiness welled up inside me.

She instantly sensed the shift in my mood and smiled gently. "Do you have something to say?"

I nodded, forcing a bitter smile. "Shouldn't you be the one asking if I have any questions?"

Her smile blossomed, her slightly curved lips as delicate as a rose. "If you have questions, there will be plenty of time to ask once you start working."

I was momentarily taken aback but couldn’t help letting a smile tug at the corner of my mouth. "Looking forward to working together."

After leaving the conference room, Zhou Shutong immediately approached me, concern evident in her eyes. "How did it go?"

I mimicked General Manager Mei’s playful manner, slyly extending my hand. "I’ll be counting on your guidance from now on."

Zhou Shutong laughed heartily. "Congratulations! From now on, we’re colleagues!"

Yang Shao’s expression was the exact opposite. He snorted coldly and strode away, clearly displeased.

I was baffled, having no idea what I had done to offend him.

After General Manager Mei and Yang Shao had gone some distance, Zhou Shutong gently nudged me and wore a hint of apology on her face. "Sorry, he has some issues with you. Maybe it’s because of me..."

I waved it off, unfazed. "It’s okay. If he dislikes me for whatever reason, I don’t mind. I’m not money; I can’t expect everyone to like me."

Zhou Shutong smiled warmly. "It’s good that you think that way. Enjoy these last few days of rest! I bet soon you’ll be starting work, so don’t be unaccustomed to it."

I smiled gratefully at her. "Think about if there’s anything you like to eat. I’ll treat you."

If it weren’t for Zhou Shutong’s help, I wouldn’t have found a job so quickly. Now that everything was settled, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sure! But not today—I have to prepare for a livestream."

"Okay, another day then."

Zhou Shutong was livestreaming at the company today, so I went home alone. Before I even got back, I received an Offer from the HR department. The salary and benefits matched what General Manager Mei had told me before: a base of eight thousand, with bonuses for completing tasks.

Staring at the Offer on the screen, a myriad of emotions surged within me. Honestly, this salary was far less than what I earned at the big company before. If I were job-hopping in the past, I wouldn’t even consider such an offer. But harsh reality had humbled me; the glory I once had felt more like a burden, making it difficult for me to find work.

After replying to the email, I even rubbed my face in disbelief. After all, finally having a job was something truly worth celebrating.

---

For some unknown reason, I impulsively sent a WeChat message to Lin Feifei to share this joy.

“Hey, guess what? I got a job! You owe me a meal to celebrate, right?”

I was only joking. Every time I contacted the flight attendant, I couldn’t help teasing her. Only when I was with her did I feel completely uninhibited.

After sending the message, I went to take a shower. When I came out, Lin Feifei had already replied.

Lin Feifei: “Congratulations! But I’m not feeling well today. I’ll treat you another day.”

My heart tightened, and I quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just some relatives came over, and my stomach hurts badly.”

Period pain?

The thought instantly dragged me into a deep pool of memories. Whenever relatives came, Kuang Li would be writhing in pain, and I’d scour the internet for remedies. Over time, I had gathered quite a few insights.

After a few seconds of contemplation, I swiftly sent her a message.

“Do you have brown sugar at home?”

“No, I just found a few painkillers. The pain made me break out in a cold sweat [crying emoji].”

Her reply made my eyebrows knit together. I was about to advise her to avoid medication if possible, but then I thought, given her condition, it would be best to check on her in person.

Hesitating, I responded, “To be honest, I know a bit about this. If you don’t mind, I can come over to take a look.”

“Look? Look at what?”

“...”

Her reply made me want to laugh and cry—the native language of silence.

“Of course, I mean look at you. I know some remedies to ease period pain.”

“Alright! Come on over!”

Lin Feifei’s place wasn’t far, just half an hour by subway. But thinking of her suffering, I bit the bullet and took a taxi.

At her home, Lin Feifei opened the door looking pale and weak. The flush of her lips had faded significantly, yet even in her simplest state, her beauty remained undeniable.

---

Lin Feifei noticed me staring at her face and smiled sheepishly. “I hope I didn’t scare you like this?”

I nodded seriously. “You did.”

“...”

Her mouth twitched as she was about to speak, but I interrupted, “Why bother putting on makeup at home? Even if I mean a lot to you, there’s no need for a bare makeup look, right?”

Lin Feifei rolled her eyes. “I haven’t even put on makeup!”

Feigning surprise, I said, “What? No makeup? Your natural look is so flawless, I thought you had at least done a light makeup.”

At my words, her face lit up with joy.

Sometimes, women prefer to hear sweet lies over the truth. Lin Feifei knew I was just teasing to cheer her up, but the smile on her lips was unstoppable.

She let me in and collapsed onto the sofa, burying her face in the cushions. A weak voice floated from within.

“I’ll lie down for a bit first. Make yourself comfortable.”

I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed a thin blanket and gently covered her, then asked, “Do you have a hot water bottle?”

She nodded weakly. “Yes, on the bottom shelf in the bathroom. You can get it yourself.”

I filled the hot water bottle, checked the temperature, and handed it to her.

“Put this on your stomach. The water isn’t too hot, but if it feels too warm, better keep it over your clothes.”

She thanked me, slipping the bottle under her pajamas, a faint smile appearing on her face. Hesitantly, she asked, “Do I look especially haggard like this?”

I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Even in such pain, she cared about her appearance.

Seeing me remain silent, she pouted. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Do I really look that bad?”

I chuckled and replied, “Seeing you suffer so much from your period, I truly realize you’re a woman.”

Suddenly alert despite her weakness, she sat up and said fiercely, “I’ll beat you to death!”