Chapter 6, Part-time Work
In his impression, Li Mochen always had a gloomy expression from morning till night. Apart from him, William, no one in the neighborhood or at school was willing to befriend him— it is worth mentioning, however, that this did not apply to the girls
These guys from the South are really difficult to deal with, they are all a bunch of racist pigs. This is discrimination, pure discrimination! I am absolutely fed up, I swear! Once I buy that car, I will definitely never work as a waiter again
If possible, he intends to stay at home today to try to recuperate and thoroughly understand his physical condition. If time permits, he can also learn about the world through books and newspapers, and completely sort out the memories of the original owner.
If I had really rushed towards that woman at that time, it would have been truly embarrassing
There is no way around it; Li Mochen learned from his memories that the Cai Ji Chinese restaurant where they worked is one of the most prosperous restaurants on Market Street
Regarding this matter, several colleagues around also cast complex glances at Li Mochen.
Li Mochen could only cast a sympathetic glance at this individual. He had noticed earlier that William had gotten into a dispute at No. 37, which had entangled him for quite some time, and afterwards, the store manager had taken him aside for a reprimand.
Just as he was about to open the door, Li Mochen's mind stirred again. He immediately lifted his shirt, bit his finger, and drew some mysterious blood marks on his chest and abdomen.
Miss, this is your bill
As soon as William saw Li Mochen, he began to chatter away to himself.
The restaurant they work at, Cai Ji Chinese Restaurant, is quite famous for its cuisine, which attracts a large number of customers. As a result, the waitstaff here typically enjoy a higher income. Their fixed hourly wage, although a meager 2.5 gold shields, can yield tips that amount to between 60 and 80 gold shields in a single day.
The key point is that Li Mochen has Oriental ancestry through William—despite William's appearance as a quintessential Black man, he is actually of mixed heritage, being both Black and Oriental. Therefore, when Mr. Cai was hiring for the Cai Ji Chinese restaurant, he immediately selected them.
The original owner intended to save money to buy a bottle of 'Vitality Pill' from the black market, hoping to help himself break through his current martial arts realm; William, on the other hand, wanted to buy a car, as he had long desired a pickup truck from the used car dealership.
Li Mochen smiled politely and said, "Approximately 70 gold shields, though I haven't counted them carefully"
However, he has always been adept at learning, relying on the original owner's memories on one hand, while attempting to imitate his colleagues on the other hand
The generous tips here are precisely the reason why Li Mochen gave up resting at home and came to work alongside William
In just fifteen minutes, Li Mocheng had already mastered this profession with ease
It is simply a matter of a few phrases, and then maintaining a warm and attentive attitude, being courteous, and having a bright smile will suffice
Gentlemen, the Golden Mountain Hooked Fin you ordered has arrived
The "Supreme Purple Void Immortal King" rarely speaks falsehoods, yet human hearts are complex. If he can resolve unnecessary troubles with a few words, he is more than willing to do so
William was clearly hesitant to speak, but in the end, he shrugged and walked out of the dim and murky apartment alongside Li Mochen
Therefore, after completing these few talismans, Li Mochen specifically recalled the appearance of the summoned girl from yesterday to confirm their effectiveness before opening the door.
In the state of Georgia, the minimum wage for employees who do not receive tips is set at 10 dollars per hour, while the minimum wage for tipped employees is only 2 dollars.
Just as Li Mochen was taking a short rest in a corner of the store, William walked over in a huff
In America, the more popular a restaurant is, the more tips it tends to receive. Such jobs are coveted by countless individuals, and there is always one position for each person. Even if the owner offers no salary, many people still flock to it. If one does not show up today, the owner may find someone to replace them tomorrow.
The place where Li Mochen and his companions work is a Cai Ji Chinese restaurant located one block away from here. Due to their relatively honest and reliable appearance, coupled with their diligent work ethic and fluent Chinese, they easily found jobs here, working as waiters on weekends.
Based on what he understands, it seems that the guests cannot be entirely blamed. After all, it was William's initial mistake that caused the food to spill on the guests, and both parties were in a bad temper.
Although Li Mochen believed he had already sorted out his inner demons and that as long as he did not experience significant emotional fluctuations, he would not be in danger of succumbing to madness, the scene on the bus yesterday left him feeling apprehensive
May I ask what beverages you would like
This is the abalone three treasures you requested
Li Mochen also places great importance on this job, as it is likely his only source of income recently, apart from scholarships and government subsidies
Your credit card, thank you for your visit
Some girls at school seem to have a particular fondness for melancholic boys, so the guy in front of him receives more than three love letters every month, which once made him so jealous that he wanted to die
William rested his chin on his hand, observing carefully: "Indeed, you have changed somewhat; you appear much more cheerful and sunny than before. Damn it, you were already handsome enough back then."
After having breakfast with William, Li Mochen came here to work. At first, he was somewhat unaccustomed and his movements were clumsy. After all, he had never done this kind of work from childhood to adulthood; when he was in the original dome realm, he had mostly lived a life of comfort and luxury, so it was inevitable that he would feel awkward when he first started handling these tasks.
Unfortunately, as they are students, they can only come to work before the weekend. Therefore, prior to this, he and William had been looking forward to this day for a full five days
Although he found Li Mochen's 'mutation' quite strange, he was nonetheless pleased with the outcome. No one wants their companion to spend the entire day with a gloomy face
... ...
How much did you earn today, Amo? I noticed that those customers were giving you tips, all in five gold shields, all in five gold shields.
Just got up
In fact, it is one hundred and twenty gold shields, among which several customers were particularly generous, giving him tips exceeding ten gold shields
Those are relatively simple talismans, primarily used for calming the mind and soothing the spirit
However, Li Mochen's expression was still somewhat strange; this feeling of being bestowed with alms and rewards made him feel a bit uncomfortable
Perhaps due to the exceptional flavors offered here, the business of Cai Ji Chinese Restaurant is particularly thriving. From 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM, it remains fully occupied. Especially during noon, a long line of customers waits outside the door. Unfortunately, the restaurant temporarily closes at 2:30 PM; otherwise, they would continue to be busy.
However, he then fell silent, his expression strangely scrutinizing Li Mochen: "How peculiar, it feels as if you have become a different person after just one night apart."
At this moment, William looked at Li Mochen's bulging pockets with an envious expression
Please follow me, the two of you. As you can see, Table 13 is by the window, and this is currently the table with the best view
They all possess work permits issued by the school, and although the required salary is slightly higher, they are much more reliable and safe compared to those illegal immigrants who have crossed the border.
It is quite rare, A Mo, that you actually got up much later than I did today. What on earth did you do last night? You rascal, have you been hiding from me that you found a girl?
Li Mochen felt no stirrings within, and a look of confusion naturally appeared on his face. He even glanced at a small mirror hanging by the door, saying, "Is there? I don't feel anything has changed."
The culture and laws of America are such that this job, akin to that of a shop assistant, does not rely on a salary
Li Mochen smiled as if in self-mockery, then walked out of the room: "Let's go! Aren't you in a hurry to get to work? Why aren't you leaving quickly? You wouldn't want to be scolded by the supervisor, would you?"
Perhaps it is because I came to terms with it last night? William, you are right; one cannot remain stuck in the past. What has happened has already happened, and there is no way to go back.
Li Mochen casually responded and quickly walked towards the door.