Chapter 1: Returning to My Hometown

“Alright, Miss Qin, do you have any other questions?”
“May I ask what the scope of the company’s business is?”
“You’ll find out once you join.”
“Alright, then is the staff limited to those I’ve seen? What’s the size of the workforce?” Qin Yueyan asked.

She groaned inwardly. If what she saw—plus this boss—were all there was, just four people, would she have to do multiple jobs at once?

The middle-aged man frowned, “That’s not something you should be asking.”

Qin Yueyan felt her smile falter. From the beginning, when he asked a barrage of irrelevant questions, to now, when her queries were met with vague answers, she was already exhausted.

But… for the sake of work!

She paused, then asked the question that mattered most to her: “How are the benefits and compensation?”

“In our company, social insurance is only purchased after you become a full-time employee, and we don’t pay into the housing fund,” the middle-aged man replied, crossing his legs. Then he added, “Oh, right, becoming a full-time employee depends on performance. The probation salary is one thousand plus commission. If you work hard, you could make tens of thousands a month.”

He picked up his teacup and took a sip. “Young people have to strive.”

What was that? One thousand? The job posting listed the salary as 3,500 to 4,500!

Qin Yueyan’s mouth twitched as she prepared to end the interview. “Alright, thank you. I have no further questions.”

“Okay, then go home and wait for our notification.” He waved her out.

Qin Yueyan couldn’t manage a smile anymore and forgot her manners, rising and leaving abruptly.

Once outside, away from the company, she couldn’t help but curse under her breath. “Damn it, damn it! Wait for their notice? I don’t even want to come here! This lousy company barely has any people, and the salary doesn’t match what’s advertised. What can you do with a thousand?!”

Rent and utilities would eat up more than half, and then food, phone bills—she’d be paying to work!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She opened the job app and found a message from HR.

“You finished your interview, right? The boss handled it since I was out today.”

“I finished. May I ask a few questions?”

“Sure.”

“Does your company pay overtime? Do you really offer all five types of insurance and the housing fund after becoming a full-time employee?”

“Ah… no, we… overtime is voluntary,” HR replied awkwardly, inwardly cursing the boss for neglecting to address the candidate’s concerns.

“And no housing fund.” A moment later, another message arrived.

Qin Yueyan let out a cold laugh. As expected.

She sent another message, essentially advising that the company wasn’t legitimate and suggesting HR leave soon.

After exiting the app, Qin Yueyan felt lost. She’d been job hunting for so long after graduation, facing rejection everywhere, her confidence shattered.

She lowered her gaze, clutching her phone. Perhaps she really was a terrible person.

---

Moreover… Qin Yueyan sighed. If she didn’t find work soon, her savings would truly run dry.

She walked absentmindedly back to her rented apartment. The moment she entered, her phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID: Third Aunt.

Qin Yueyan sneered, ignoring it. Calls from her at this hour were nothing but pretense, an excuse to mock her.

She put the phone aside and tried to think about her next steps, but her thoughts wandered, drifting back to the summer when she was ten.

That year, they went on a trip, but a car accident took her parents. When she woke in the hospital and learned the tragic news, she hadn’t even recovered before her so-called relatives began fighting for custody—just for the compensation and insurance money!

Later, her third uncle’s family won custody, claiming to hold the money for her living expenses, though little was spent on her.

Living under their roof, she suffered constant verbal blows, her grades plummeting, and she barely managed to attend a private university.

Of course, when she turned eighteen, she hired a lawyer and reclaimed what remained of her inheritance, using it for daily expenses and tuition.

After that, their relationship hit rock bottom. They barely spoke.

But that didn’t stop them from making snide remarks day in, day out. “So what if you went to university? You’re still not as good as my daughter. She only went to vocational school, but earns five thousand a month now.”

Or they’d message her, “Want Chu Chu to introduce you to her company?” and similar nonsense.

At first, Qin Yueyan answered politely, but eventually she ignored them altogether.

Of course, during university, she took on odd jobs, mostly factory work during winter and summer breaks—the pay was decent for temp workers.

But after graduation, her resume was lacking. Factory work hardly counted as experience.

“Sigh…” Qin Yueyan looked at her remaining three thousand or so and lamented, “If I can’t survive, maybe I should just go back…” Her eyes lit up. “Home!”

Her parents still had a house in her hometown. It was just two and a half stories, but as long as she paid for utilities, there was no rent.

And the cost of living was cheaper. Plus, the area had become a tourist spot—maybe she could find a job there.

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She checked for train tickets, bought one for three days later, and contacted her landlord to terminate the lease.

The landlady was kind, so she quickly got her deposit back and set off for home.

After five hours, she stood in front of her family’s door, eyes shining with excitement and nostalgia.

“I’m finally back,” Qin Yueyan murmured.

She hadn’t returned in four years, not since starting university. Busy earning money during breaks, attending classes during term—she never had time to come back.

Opening the door, she was greeted by a cloud of dust.

Inside, she looked at the familiar surroundings, hands on her hips. “Ah, I’m back again!”

Rolling up her sleeves, she opened all the windows for ventilation and began checking the faucets, the kitchen, and other utilities.

After a thorough inspection, things were better than expected! The old appliances were sturdy—the rice cooker, induction stove, and others still worked.

---

Once she finished checking and threw away what wasn’t needed, she started cleaning. She left the first floor for now—it used to be a fruit shop, while the second floor was their living space.

After all her travel and exhaustion, she wanted to rest, so she cleaned her bedroom and the bathroom first.

But before she could rest, her stomach growled loudly.

Qin Yueyan rubbed her belly. “I’m hungry… Forget it, let’s eat first.”

Just as she was heading downstairs, she saw a head peering in through the window.

She walked over. “Grandma Li?” Qin Yueyan asked uncertainly.

“Oh, you know me?” Grandma Li studied Qin Yueyan for a moment, then exclaimed, “Ah, you’re Xiao Yan! You’ve grown up, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“Wait a moment,” Qin Yueyan said, running to open the door and approaching Grandma Li.

“Is there something you need, Grandma Li?” she asked.

“I was passing by and saw the windows open, thought a thief had broken in. I was about to call for help. Turns out it’s you, Xiao Yan, back home,” Grandma Li explained.

“Well, now you know it’s me, you can rest easy,” Qin Yueyan replied with a smile.

“Yes, yes, I’m relieved. I’ll go visit Grandma Wang now, she lives next door anyway.” Grandma Li patted Qin Yueyan’s hand. “Come have a meal at my place when you have time, it’s not far.”

“Alright, Grandma Li.” Qin Yueyan nodded sweetly.

Watching Grandma Li leave, Qin Yueyan returned to close the front door, then headed toward the back. She was lazy and didn’t want to take the long way.

Was it her imagination, or did the back door flicker?

She rubbed her eyes and looked closer. Nothing happened. She thought, “Oh no, I’m so hungry I’m hallucinating.”

Scratching her head, she reached out and opened the door.

***

Warnings:
1. Amateur writing style.
2. Slow-paced, the plot may take a while to start and might be boring.
3. Just ordinary, peaceful daily life, business, and tourism.
4. No male lead.
5. The female lead might get some major advantages.

Lastly, leave your brain behind and enjoy reading—this is a storage place for brains.