Chapter 30: Deficit

February 10th, the snow has melted.

“This is really stressing me out…”

Feeling a bit down, I curled up in the rattan chair in the Housekeeper Room, my knees pressed against the wooden desk as my pen unconsciously drew circles on the Account Book.

I had maintained this posture for nearly half an hour, studying this month’s spending figures.

The sound of melting snow dripping onto the air conditioner outside mixed with the music blaring from Yan Dong’s game, making the already confusing numbers even more irritating.

“We’ve gone over Budget again today.”

My pen slid across the alarming numbers in the Account Book, circling the line for “Evian Mineral Water” twice for emphasis.

It’s only been ten days into the month, yet our Budget is already 50% higher than the same period last month.

Yan Dong alone ordered three more cases of this Imported Mineral Water than last month.

To make it even more absurd, the Young Master specifically instructed that our Jasmine Tea must be brewed with Imported Mineral Water, claiming it would “wash away the slum’s stench.”

Yan Dong is usually a total slob, but when it comes to these strange obsessions, I really don’t know what to say.

Of course, the over-budget part refers only to the amount I’ve been covering in advance for Yan Dong’s groceries and daily necessities.

Uncle Yan’s company only provides a basic Budget of 8,000, and any excess is temporarily paid by me and reimbursed at the end of the month.

At first, I naively thought there was no way I could spend so much on daily necessities, but every month I end up over Budget by more than 2,000.

At this rate, I’ll probably go over by 3,000 this month.

As for the rich Young Master, he’s currently racking up kills in his game with a gun skin he just spent over a hundred thousand on.

“BOOM!”

A grenade explosion sounded from the living room sofa—loud enough for me to hear clearly even through a closed door.

“My head hurts.”

I irritably pulled off the red Jasmine Hair Tie that smelled faintly of jasmine.

The Crystal Jasmine knocked crisply on the table, while the tear mole at the corner of the girl’s right eye in the mirror flickered in and out of sight beneath her messy hair.

“It’s still better with a Head Tie on…”

The girl in the mirror suddenly bit her lower lip, stopping herself from blurting out something weird.

The tips of her ears quickly turned red.

Fidgeting as if shocked, she turned her head away, but a sharp pain came from her hair getting caught in the rattan chair’s gap.

Crazy. Just ten days ago, I could lift a whole case of mineral water with one hand.

Now, even turning my head, I have to worry about my suddenly longer hair.

“I really can’t stand that submissive, gloomy face of yours…”

Out of nowhere, I remembered what Yan Dong said yesterday when we argued.

Somehow, my gaze drifted back to the mirror.

Resting my head on my arms, I stared blankly at the girl in the reflection, watching her fingertips rub the white jasmine.

She extended her forefinger to touch the cold surface of the mirror, just like me.

Her slender fingertip traced the outline of her reflection, from the furrowed brow down to the tense lips.

“Looking like this… isn’t that bad, is it?”

The voice in my throat was so soft it was almost drowned out by the air conditioner’s hum, but I still felt a strange irritation inside.

“Why did he say that about me? He said he didn’t dislike me, and that not disliking me means he actually likes me”

The girl in the mirror’s lips moved, letting out a gentle sigh, startling me so much that I buried my face in my arms.

No surprise—the girl in the mirror’s ears were now bright red.

“What am I even thinking.”

Those ridiculous, dangerous thoughts in my head were even more terrifying than the overdraft numbers in the Account Book.

I hurriedly flipped the mirror face-down on the desk, then sat up to rub my temples and calm myself.

Since when did I start caring about such absurd, laughable things?

Someone like me should only be worrying about how many food deliveries I need to run tonight so I won’t go hungry.

Shaking my head, my gaze returned to the Account Book filled with dense numbers.

A deficit needs to be filled. Maybe I should look for a home tutor job at night to earn a little extra?

And that Convenience Store Night Shift I’ve been putting off—maybe it’s time to consider that too?

While thinking this, I scrolled through part-time jobs on the Recruitment App on my phone, and to my surprise, I actually found a posting so perfect I could hardly believe it.

“Hiring female university student as Home Tutor. Requires excellent college entrance and university grades. Working hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 18:00–22:00. Hourly wage: 200 yuan?!”

This Home Tutor ad was like a ray of sunlight piercing through the clouds, making my eyes light up.

I’d actually worked as a Home Tutor before, but my mom’s health was too poor, and I always had to take time off.

In the end, I could only choose the more flexible work as a food delivery driver.

Four hours a night, 800 yuan?

“Why so much money? From the agency’s verified info, it doesn’t look fake.”

Anyway, if someone’s willing to pay that much for a Home Tutor, they must have high standards.

I wasn’t sure if I could live up to it.

Still, after thinking it over, I decided to give that weekend part-time job a shot.

This afternoon, I only had one optional Public Class and a History Class.

Skipping class is a bit disrespectful to the teachers, but if I hurry, I should catch the end.

So, just after 11:30, I was already getting ready to head out.

“Lin, what’s the rush? Going to meet your side guy?”

But before I reached the entryway, Yan Dong, sprawled on the sofa playing games, called out to me.

“No time for that. I’m going to interview for a Home Tutor job.”

There was no need to hide this from Yan Dong, so I told him my plans for the afternoon as I bent over at the entryway to tie my shoes.

“The pay looks pretty good.”

“Looks like Housekeeper Lin still thinks her life’s too easy.”

He snorted, turned off his phone, and gave me a once-over as I stood there in my tidy suit uniform.

“Careful you don’t work yourself to death.”

“Better to die from overwork than from hunger.”

I glanced at the lazy Yan Dong slouched on the sofa, my tone as flat as ever.

“If the Young Master could just support Domestic Mineral Water, maybe I’d live two days longer.”

“Lin, that’s where you’re wrong.”

He chuckled, stuffed his phone into his hoodie pocket, and stood up to stretch.

“I’m just training your ability to handle pressure.”

“The Young Master is certainly cultivating me well.”

I tossed out these cold words and was about to open the door when Yan Dong suddenly strode straight over and stopped right beside me.

“Is there something you need, Young Master?”

“Of course. I’m coming with you. The Young Master wants to evaluate his Employee’s Third Job.”

He glanced at the way I unconsciously gripped my canvas bag strap and suddenly smirked.

“Today we’re taking the bus, so you don’t have to pay the fuel surcharge. Just use your subway fare as the base rate.”

“……”