Chapter 40: Taking the Blame

Having barely eaten at lunch, I was soon hungry.
Yan Rong took me on an inspection of the entire hotel. No lifts. We climbed the stairs floor by floor and walked corridor after corridor.
Suddenly, she stopped.
Following her gaze, I saw a puddle on the floor.
“What should you do when there’s water on the floor?” she demanded.
“Wipe it up.”
“Have you read the regulations?”
Her expression darkened.
“Yes…”
I hurriedly leafed through the booklet in my hands. Page after page, I couldn’t find anything about what to do with water on the floor.
“Here,” Secretary Ouyang said, pointing.
“Floors must be left completely dry after mopping. Any remaining water will result in a ten-yuan deduction,” I read aloud.
“So we deduct their pay?” I asked innocently.
“Write it down. You’ll issue the penalty notices when we get back.”
Yan Rong moved on, with Ouyang and me close behind.
“The vase hasn’t been wiped properly. The flowers aren’t fresh. The bin hasn’t been emptied. A cigarette end on the floor. Windows closed, poor ventilation. Carpet crooked. Painting hanging askew. Dust on the handrail…”
I fought my hunger and scribbled as fast as I could.
I had to admire her. Even these bright, spotless corridors and stairways yielded a catalogue of faults.
If she inspected me, she would surely find something wrong with every inch.
Back in the office, my feet ached, my hand was numb and all my strength had gone.
I stared at the full page of shortcomings while Ouyang brought over a pad of penalty notices.
“How do I fill these out?”
“Whoever is responsible for the area answers for it. Here’s the staff list. It gives everyone’s assigned area and duties. And when an employee makes a mistake, their immediate supervisor shares responsibility.”
“How much do we deduct for flowers that aren’t fresh?”
“It’s all in the regulations.”
Where was I supposed to find it among all those pages?
“Couldn’t you just tell me?”
I gave her a flattering smile.
“Looking it up yourself will help you remember.”
She sounded exactly like Yan Rong.
Fine. I would find it myself.
“Flowers aren’t fresh… flowers aren’t fresh…”
My finger followed the densely printed lines.
After going through the whole booklet, I still couldn’t find a relevant rule.
At this rate, I wouldn’t finish the notices by tomorrow.
But what could I do? Neither Yan Rong nor Ouyang was going to help.
“You’d better finish those today,” Yan Rong said.
“Could I have a few more days?”
“Days? You need days to fill out penalty notices?”
Her gaze shot towards me.
“Then… tomorrow?”
My voice was small.
“At this rate, you won’t finish the day after tomorrow either.”
That contemptuous expression was unbearable.
But she was Ji Feiyang’s mother.
I would endure it.
Taking a sweet from my pocket, I put it in my mouth.
His method for keeping my temper.
“No eating during working hours. Ouyang, what’s the penalty?”
“Fifty yuan.”
Even a sweet earned a fine?
As I stared at Yan Rong, her figure seemed to twist into a vampire, its mouth dripping blood.
“Not even sweets?”
“No food of any kind,” Ouyang explained.
Her cold face looked like a vampire’s too.
Two vampires.
Poor me, trapped between them.
Sooner or later, they would drain every drop of my blood.
Who was going to save me?
The thick booklet blurred before my eyes.
I wanted to sleep.
Desperately.
Ouyang had gone out. Yan Rong was occupied with her documents.
Keeping a watchful eye on her movements, I secretly texted Ji Feiyang for help.
And before the end of the working day, every penalty notice was finished.
“Aun—”
I nearly called her Auntie.
“Chairwoman, I’ve finished.”
At last, I could hold my head up.
She gave me a suspicious look.
“I despise people who cheat.”
My confidence collapsed.
Still, one problem was solved.
After a day of battle, I returned home, every part of me celebrating freedom.
The whole family gathered around, eager to hear how my first day had gone.
Apart from Yan Rong belittling me repeatedly, nothing too terrible had happened.
“Everything went smoothly.”
I raised two fingers in a victory sign.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and dinner passed happily.
Afterwards, I retreated to my room and called Ji Feiyang to report the details.
“Mum was deliberately making things difficult,” he said. “The hotel can’t have that many problems. How many notices did you issue?”
“How would I remember? Lots. My hand nearly fell off.”
“Well, you did throw away so much of her tea. She loves tea. I doubt those leaves were cheap.”
“I’ll never help her without asking again.”
That was a vow.
“And don’t say too much. If she gives you a hard time, keep your temper. As long as you don’t clash with her, she’ll accept you eventually.”
“All right.”
“Get an early night. You’ve got a tough battle tomorrow.”
“What?”
“You’ll see. I know Mum’s tricks.”
“Ji Feiyang, explain.”
“You’ll find out tomorrow.”
“Tell me now.”
“Think of it as a surprise. I look forward to hearing how well you handle it. Good night.”
Those last words were especially tender.
They gave me a shiver.
There was something behind them.
Honestly, that mother and son.
Gritting my teeth, I showered, got into bed and went to sleep.

The next morning, curiosity accompanied me into Yan Rong’s office.
She was already at her desk, industrious as ever.
I smiled at her expressionless face and sat at the temporary workstation she’d arranged for me.
Since when had Tang Yijun needed to watch somebody’s mood so carefully?
Still, she had given birth to Ji Feiyang.
I would put up with it.
Everything seemed peaceful.
The office was quiet.
No news was good news. If things stayed this way, heaven was showing me mercy.
An hour passed.
I began to fidget.
Yan Rong hadn’t assigned me any work. All I could do was sit there and play with my fingers.
I couldn’t remain like a block of wood for an entire morning.
Heaven’s mercy was welcome, but it was also rather difficult to endure.
I secretly took out my phone to text Ji Feiyang.
A knock sounded.
“Chairwoman.”
Ouyang opened the door wide.
A group of people stood outside.
“Let them in.”
They entered glaring at me as though I were their sworn enemy.
Among them was Team Leader Chen, whom I already knew rather too well.
“Chairwoman, how can you deduct our pay like this?”
Faced with their accusations, Yan Rong’s expression darkened.
“You’ve brought this to me? Take it to the person responsible.”
Everyone fell silent.
“The chairwoman has a great deal to attend to,” Ouyang said, her voice now gentle. “For a matter like this, you should speak to the relevant manager first.”
Every eye turned towards me.
The penalties.
I opened my drawer.
Empty.
The notices had already vanished.
Looking up, I found Yan Rong watching me. The force of her presence seemed to press the words out of my throat.
“Manager Tang should give everyone a reasonable explanation.”
Manager Tang?
I stared at her.
When had I been promoted?
“Well, Manager Tang? What’s your explanation?”
“Go on. Tell us!”
“Deducting people’s wages for no reason—have you no conscience?”
“We want fair treatment!”
“Give us an explanation!”
My blood began to boil.
Yan Rong watched me with evident satisfaction.
She was setting me up.
How could she do this?
Being Ji Feiyang’s mother didn’t give her the right.
“Tell us! Why are you taking our money?”
“New manager, is it? Trying to show us who’s in charge?”
Someone turned to Yan Rong.
“Chairwoman, you must see that we’re treated fairly.”
“I certainly will. Tang Yijun…”
They all stared like piranhas, ready to devour me.
“Stop shouting!” I snapped. “These were… these were…”
My confidence ebbed with every word.
“They were issued according to the hotel’s regulations.”
“I’ve worked here for years. I’ve never broken the rules.”
“Neither have I.”
“The flowers weren’t fresh? The chairwoman orders them. I check them every day.”
“Who says I didn’t empty the bin? I do it every day. Where’s your proof?”
“My floors are always spotless.”
So this was Ji Feiyang’s surprise.
I trembled with anger, unable to answer.
My glare turned on Yan Rong.
What a despicable trick.