Chapter 030 (1/2)
The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant
Translator: Jury
Editor: NomNom
First Published on Chaleuria
—
Chapter Thirty
Ling Miao had been gone for three days. During that time, Su Yuyang’s life wasn’t particularly eventful and the only thing that dissatisfied him was that writing took twice as long as it usually did!
Looking at his word document, Su Yuyang frustratedly clicked the ‘X’ on the top right hand side.
Su Yuyang sighed and moved his cursor to his browser. Opening his browser, he went, not to his author’s dashboard, but to Ling Miao’s novel’s page.
Ling Miao was still updating his novel, but Su Yuyang knew that, come tomorrow, Ling Miao would have to break his update streak. Why? Ling Miao’s laptop was still here and Ling Miao didn’t have copies of his drafts saved on the website. Ling Miao had asked Su Yuyang to upload chapters for him before, so Su Yuyang knew Ling Miao’s username and password as well as the passcode to Ling Miao’s laptop.
Ling Miao’s laptop currently lay on Su Yuyang’s desk. Su Yuyang periodically tapped Ling Miao’s laptop, his expression hesitant as he considered whether to remind Ling Miao that his updates were about to run out or to just update for Ling Miao himself.
It had to be said that Su Yuyang didn’t wish for Ling Miao to break his update streak. Of course, that wasn’t because Su Yuyang was following the novel but because he didn’t want Ling Miao to blame him for this in future.
Knock knock knock: a series of hurried knocks came from the door. Su Yuyang looked at the time on the display. Hmm, takeout has arrived.
“Thank you.” Su Yuyang handed over the money, face frozen in a grimace.
The delivery guy huffed and puffed as he glared resentfully at Su Yuyang. He took the money Su Yuyang handed over and gave back the change. The flab on his face wobbled as he attempted a jovial tone. “It’s all right, just doing my job.”
After Ling Miao left, Su Yuyang had begun eating takeout again, but the more he ate the harder he found it to stomach.
After eating one bite, Su Yuyang pushed the food to one side, got up, and left his room. He returned holding a bag: the print on the side indicated that the contents were instant noodles.
Su Yuyang had eaten a lot of instant noodles these past three days. He had to thank Ling Miao for getting two packs of every kind: Su Yuyang hadn’t had to eat the same kind twice.
Eating Ling Miao’s noodles, reading Ling Miao’s novel, Su Yuyang suddenly started coughing.
Cough cough—
Su Yuyang coughed until he was red in the face, his expression pained, as if someone were choking him.
“Ling Miao, no wonder you haven’t made your name!” Su Yuyang wanted to laugh, but he was currently choking on chilli peppers and could only cough.
If Ling Miao were at Su Yuyang’s side, he’d have lunged forward with his vegetable knife and then waited for Su Yuyang’s various counterattacks. Su Yuyang had also looked forward to Ling Miao’s displays of stubborn pride. Unfortunately, Ling Miao had left.
“Nothing catches your eye?” Ji Linxi walked over holding food and sat down next to Ling Miao.
It was the weekend and Ji Linxi didn’t have to work, so Ling Miao had commandeered Ji Linxi’s laptop. Checking four or five job sites, every posting he found was either too far away or had requirements that were too stringent. The gist of it was that Ling Miao hadn’t found a job listing he liked.
“Ah. I’m in the tedious process of job hunting again.” Ling Miao lay down on the keyboard and weakly dragged over the food Ji Linxi had bought him.
Ji Linxi suggested: “Actually, you could look for Su Yuyang. Maybe he changed his mind.”
“Get out!” Ling Miao instantly rejected Ji Linxi’s suggestion then corrected Ji Linxi: “He didn’t fire me. I quit! I’m his die-hard follower and he suspects me of being an anti-fan—I can’t tolerate that!”
“Didn’t he apologize?”
“Can apologies mend my broken heart?” Ling Miao retorted. “Regardless, even if I have to sleep on the street I won’t bow to that bastard! Ah, Linxi. Does your company have any openings suitable for me?”
Ji Linxi searched his mind for news about employment opportunities. Ling Miao saw Ji Linxi’s eyes light up and asked excitedly, “They do?”
Ji Linxi said regretfully: “Yes, and in the same department as me, but with your personality you definitely won’t take it—that position reports directly to Hu Lin.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding.” Ling Miao wanted to flip a table. “Forget it. I’ll keep looking for other positions and if I really can’t find anything I’ll go apply at your place.”
Though Ling Miao said so, Ji Linxi didn’t take him seriously; he and Ling Miao both knew that even if Ling Miao passed the screening, Hu Lin would do his best during the interview to kick Ling Miao out of the running.
After eating lunch, Su Yuyang continued to write the chapter he hadn’t finished that morning and Ling Miao continued job hunting.
It was dinnertime before Su Yuyang knew it. He called the takeout place but the delivery guy said, “I’ll only deliver it downstairs.” Su Yuyang laughed. If I were willing to go downstairs, would I be getting takeout?
Su Yuyang had gotten a 10th floor apartment because he wanted quiet but now he regretted it a little.
Since the delivery guy wouldn’t deliver to his door and Su Yuyang didn’t want to go downstairs, Su Yuyang had no choice but to eat Ling Miao’s instant noodles for a while longer.
He ripped open the instant noodle bag and went to get hot water.
“Suddenly, I kind of miss Ling Miao’s cooking. If he were willing to deliver food to me every day…” Su Yuyang’s train of thought suddenly screeched to a halt. Not even a second later, a terrible scream came from Su Yuyang’s mouth.