What to Do if I Am Noticed by the Straight Guy Next Door?

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Su Bin felt uncomfortable with the veteran’s grievances, as if he had used some despicable means. While carrying the menu, he asked, “What is the normal process like?”

Veteran: “At Level 1, you wash dishes and various items. At Level 2, you cut cabbage and fry shrimp chips. At Level 3, you brew tea, close the restaurant, and set up tables…”

When Su Bin heard this, he realized that Lily, who closed the restaurant, was already at Level 3. She was truly impressive!

“The highest level is taking orders and serving dishes, also known as being a ‘runner.’ That’s the ultimate challenge I’ve been looking forward to!” the veteran said with tears streaming down his face. “Because you can unlock the dialogue feature!”

Su Bin: “…” So the veteran’s attribute should be… talkative, right?

In the evening, close to the peak hour, there were fewer customers. Su Bin was called out by the supervisor for “training.” When he appeared in the dining hall, Lily looked at him with surprise, making Su Bin feel like he won unfairly.

Fortunately, Su Bin stumbled through serving a few tables without making any major mistakes, just a bit slow. He carefully observed the supervisor’s expression, but the supervisor didn’t scold him. Instead, he said, “Keep practicing. After dinner, it will get busier, and you won’t be able to handle it. At that time, go help Lily with clearing the tables, and practice when it’s less busy.”

It seemed that the supervisor had the intention of training him, but Su Bin already felt a lot of resentment building up inside him, unsure whether to be happy or worried.

At 5:30 PM, dinner service began, with half an hour for meal breaks. Su Bin noticed that Lily ate two bowls of rice in a row and then leaned back, patting her full stomach and texting on her phone.

“Why did you eat so much today? Giving up on losing weight?” Su Bin smiled and asked.

“I’ve been tired all afternoon. How could I have the energy to lose weight?” Lily replied. She looked at her phone screen and suddenly smiled foolishly.

Su Bin asked, “Who are you texting? You seem so happy.”

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“It’s my boyfriend,” Lily said with a gentle expression. “He’s in China.”

Su Bin was surprised, “It’s already one or two in the morning in China, right? Isn’t he sleeping?”

“He’s staying up for me. I told him to go to sleep, but he won’t. Ah…” Lily looked like she was both distressed and sweet. “But if he’s willing, let him be. I’m happy that he’s thinking of me.”

Su Bin felt envious. He also wanted to text Chen Xiaotian all the time, just like Lily did with her boyfriend.

“Your relationship with your boyfriend is really good. My girlfriend doesn’t like it when I call her often. If I were to call her at this hour, she would definitely get angry.”

“Is your girlfriend also in China?” Lily noticed the similarity between Su Bin and herself and became somewhat happy, but she realized that Su Bin’s situation seemed different from hers. “Why would she get angry? Whenever my boyfriend calls me, I’m always happy.”

“That’s why I said you’re really lucky.” Su Bin was gloomy. Lately, his contact with Chen Xiaotian had become less frequent because he couldn’t talk about his job, and Chen Xiaotian didn’t like him constantly complaining. As a result, during their last conversation, Su Bin didn’t know what to say…

“What do you usually talk about?” Su Bin asked Lily.

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“We talk about anything. I even mentioned you to him,” Lily said, not avoiding showing Su Bin her latest conversation with her boyfriend:

[Lily: There’s a handsome guy who joined the restaurant today. He looks like a young master.]

[Husband: Handsome guy? Am I handsome?]

[Lily: He’s more handsome than you.]

[Husband: What did you say? Say it again?]

[Lily: But he’s not as silly as you, hahaha. He looks silly.] (Su Bin: …)

[Husband: Ahem, forget it. I forgive you~]

…

[Lily: That handsome guy actually went from washing dishes to being a runner just based on his looks! I never got that treatment >_3

Second Strike: "If the feelings are deep, what's wrong with proposing a few years later?"

Third Strike: "Doing something like working to buy a ring is only touching to young girls and women immersed in idol dramas."

Fourth Strike: "If your girlfriend is as rational as you say, she would definitely not be surprised and would think you're too impulsive and brainless!"

Finishing Move: "Fortunately, my boyfriend isn't as childish as you, otherwise, I would have dumped him a long time ago!"

…Su Bin's health bar hit rock bottom, and he was knocked out!

Looking at the handsome guy's soul being crushed by being struck in the heart, Lily couldn't help but lament in her heart:

What a second-year high school syndrome young man~

"Don't overthink it," Lily's tone softened. "Come on, I'll teach you how to clear the tables…"

Su Bin stood up dazedly. Even when his soul was out of his body, he couldn't afford to lose focus during work. Reality was just that cruel.

Clearing the tables was a skill, and watching Lily stack four or five heavy plates on her arm, Su Bin was amazed…

"Are those plates not heavy?"

"They're heavy."

"…"

"Stop talking nonsense and learn quickly. Do you plan to carry each plate to the kitchen one by one when it's time to clear the tables? Everyone in the restaurant will be watching you."

Su Bin learned it after two tries.

As long as his intelligence was intact, he could quickly learn the technique of stacking plates.

However, becoming as skilled as Lily was not easy. Su Bin cleared a few tables, and he always felt that if he continued like this, he would eventually become a martial arts master or a frisbee thrower… It was quite impressive when he thought about it.

At this moment, Su Bin had no idea about the feeling of having both his arms strained the next day.

If he had known, he wouldn't have thought that way. Although he didn't wash dishes again in the evening, Su Bin was not any less stressed than the day before.

Due to Lily pointing out that Chen Xiaotian might not love him, Su Bin's heart was filled with anxiety. Despite his efforts to focus on clearing the tables, he inevitably broke a few plates, and the supervisor caught him and scolded him severely.

Su Bin felt particularly humiliated watching the customers enjoy various delicious dishes in the dining hall while he was being reprimanded on the side. The feeling of humiliation he felt when Allen controlled him a month ago was completely different.

When Allen controlled him, Su Bin keenly felt the huge gap in physical strength and aura between them, and his feeling of inferiority as a man was much greater than the feeling of being insulted.

However, when the supervisor scolded him, Su Bin's heart resisted strongly. That kind of humiliation stemmed from the inequality between people and the lack of respect from a superior to a subordinate in their speech.

Although he was now working for certain reasons, it didn't mean he was inferior. Everyone is capable of making mistakes, especially a novice like him.

At that moment, Su Bin felt like giving up. Just as the "veteran" said, he had no way out, but he did. He wasn't obliged to work there.

Su Bin's way out came from the sufficient allowance his dad provided, allowing him to avoid suffering and enjoy the best student life abroad. For some reason, Su Bin's mind was flooded with memories related to his dad.

He remembered when his dad started his own business, he often suffered from insomnia due to the stress. Several times, Su Bin would wake up late and smell smoke throughout the living room, but at that time, Su Bin only knew how to complain.

He recalled that every time he achieved good grades, that man would only say one thing – "If you want something, I'll give you money. Go buy it yourself."

At that time, Su Bin thought that men only cared about money, and he deeply misunderstood his father's intentions. Now he realized that money was perhaps the simplest thing in this world that could maintain a person's "dignity."

Thinking about this, Su Bin's eyes welled up with tears again. He suddenly felt that it was silly to try to prove his ability to "stand on his own'' to his father through work…

He wanted to give up, but he was afraid that giving up would mean "being unable to endure hardship," and he would not only be looked down upon by others but also be unable to approve of himself. He was truly distressed…

After work, Su Bin didn't know how he ended up at home. When he realized it, he was already standing at his doorstep. He glanced at the time, 1 a.m… Orz..

I won't take a shower tonight, I'll go up and sneak back into my room to sleep. It wouldn't be good if I woke Allen up again. Su Bin thought so and slowly opened the door, tiptoeing in.

He was so careful that he wished he had cat paws under his feet. But when he looked up, he saw Allen sitting on the living room sofa, his dark green eyes coldly staring at every move Su Bin made when he entered…

Su Bin shivered, and in his mind, there were only two words – "It's over!"

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