He put an arm around her waist and asked if she would give herself to him. Aunt Luo shook her head and refused.
“Why not? Everyone else does, and they’re willing. Are you worried? I’ll treat you well. I’ll take responsibility for you, I promise.”
Yu Mingliang looked at Aunt Luo, his eyes so full of affection they seemed ready to overflow.
Aunt Luo lowered her head. She was only an intern, and she was just nineteen. She didn’t want to find someone to spend the rest of her life with here. Besides, she didn’t need to prove her affection that way.
Yu Mingliang smiled bitterly. The gulf between their ways of thinking seemed impossible to bridge.
*
The lights were chaotic, the thick mixture of smells assaulted her senses, and deafening music blared in her ears.
Through a gap deliberately left open for her, Aunt Luo saw the man who had promised to take responsibility for her discussing the origins of life with a married mother. He was as rough as an animal in the wild. So this was what he meant by taking responsibility. Her stomach churned.
Then there was her so-called “best friend,” who repeatedly took matters into her own hands without caring whether Aunt Luo was willing, and had already switched sides at some point. Or perhaps she had always meant to drag Aunt Luo “into the water” with her. Aunt Luo couldn’t bear to stay another moment in this soul-devouring place.
(This book is a reminder to all my friends: factories are full of tricks, so beware of being cheated and left physically and emotionally scarred. This is especially for those taking summer jobs or internships. Don’t ruin your life with a moment’s impulsiveness. Our futures are bright!)
The writing is very simple, as if I had worked in a factory. It was the same when I was working in the factory six or seven years ago. I was afraid of my boss if I did something wrong. When I was bored at work, I would chat with my colleagues. My colleagues would also deliberately joke with each other about who was interested in whom.