Chapter 411: Chapter 195: A Boat on Green Waves, People in a Painting, This Is the Life.
Xu Yun answered, "While I’m still young, I suddenly felt the urge to get out and travel, to see the world and chase the horizon."
"I really envy you."
Hearing this, Chen Ran sighed. "I love to travel too, but I’m nowhere near as free as you.
I can only get away once a year, and it can’t be for more than a week. Otherwise, not only do I forfeit my salary, but I also have to pay the company back for my benefits contributions."
"That’s brutal. Is your boss even human?"
Xu Yun teased, "Why don’t you buy a book on labor law when you get back from your trip, study up, and then sue him?"
"And end up unemployed and looking for another job?"
She laughed self-deprecatingly. "In this economy? Major companies are doing massive layoffs, the job market is terrible. I don’t dare be that bold."
"If you don’t mind me asking, what is it you do for work?"
"Just some administrative work. It’s not a difficult job, the kind it feels like anyone could do. So if I step out of line even a little, I’m easily replaced.
That’s why I never dare to take too much time off. I’m afraid my boss will realize the company runs just the same with or without me, and then I’d be finished."
After she finished, Chen Ran smiled and asked tentatively, "What about you? You seem so free. You’re not one of those capitalists, are you?"
"I wouldn’t call myself a capitalist, but I do have a small company."
Xu Yun replied, "But I’m just a hands-off owner. Other people have been managing it since it started, so it doesn’t make much."
"That’s still better than us wage-earners."
’Even though I only just met my rafting companion, her "slipper theory" from earlier shows she’s pragmatic and has a good head on her shoulders.’
’Maybe I should introduce her to Li Jinshu’s fitness center? She could help Jinshu grow the business.’
Xu Yun said, "Let me run something by you."
"What is it?"
"How about this: you buy me a meal later, and I’ll introduce you to a job. What do you say?"
Chen Ran: "???"
...
On a bamboo raft not far behind them, Lin Wanzhou and Wang Yang had been rather silent for the whole trip.
They didn’t know what to talk about.
Wang Yang had wanted to be paired with the more humorous Xu Yun, but he’d chosen someone else.
’Since she didn’t have a choice, she just had to deal with it.’
’She was getting paid, so she had to do her job and provide the client with the expected service and positive experience.’
So she took the initiative, starting to tell Lin Wanzhou about the sights along the Yu Long River and the origin of its name.
Lin Wanzhou just listened, occasionally chiming in with a word or two. He was a bit stoic.
She ran out of facts about the sights, but their journey down the river wasn’t over. Wang Yang had no choice but to find another topic. "Boss Lin, what do you do for a living?"
"The same as you. I’m a tour guide."
Wang Yang was left speechless.
’No way, is he in the same line of work as me?’
’With a personality like that, who would possibly hire him?’
’Wait...’
Wang Yang asked in surprise, "Don’t tell me you’re Boss Xu’s guide too?"
"Mm."
Lin Wanzhou nodded and explained, "I’m in charge of his guidance and safety for the entire trip."
Wang Yang asked curiously, "So how much is he paying you?"
"Over a hundred thousand, I guess."
Wang Yang’s jaw dropped.
’A guide like me makes a few hundred a day, and he just casually says he’s making over a hundred thousand?’
’Isn’t that gap a little too huge?’
Wang Yang asked, confused, "May I ask what exactly your responsibilities are?"
"Right now, not much. I just accompany him while he eats, drinks, and has fun. Pretty much what we’re doing now."
Wang Yang was at a loss for words.
Lin Wanzhou’s words completely shattered her.
’His job as a guide is way too cushy.’
’Getting to stay in nice places, eat good food, and have fun with the boss every day, all while getting a huge paycheck.’
’Comparing yourself to others is a recipe for misery.’
What she didn’t know was that later on, near the border, if Xu Yun were to face a life-or-death situation, Lin Wanzhou was expected to lay down his own life to save him.
So while over a hundred thousand might seem like a lot, it was essentially danger pay—the price for his life.
After all, who could ever say for sure what dangers lay ahead on the road?
...
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