Chapter 4: Insufficient Income

Chen Xiao leaped into the flowerbed next to him just in time, narrowly escaping a brush with disaster as the white Mercedes slammed into the guardrail with a loud crash.

Chen Xiao emerged, holding out his hands; they were covered in red scratches from the flower branches.

The driver finally revealed herself: a woman in her mid-twenties with long, flowing hair, wearing sunglasses. She was slender, about 170cm tall, and dressed in formal attire. She stepped out of the car and asked, "Are you alright?"

Disheveled and in a foul mood, Chen Xiao replied, "Alright? Do you mean the kind of 'alright' where I don't need to arrange a funeral? Did you get your driver’s license at a vocational school? You’re driving a sedan, not an excavator."

The woman looked embarrassed. "I am so sorry, I mistook the gas for the brake!"

Chen Xiao glanced at the nearby parking space. It wasn't just a mix-up of pedals; she had put the car in drive instead of reverse.

"Do you even have a license?" Chen Xiao asked, deeply skeptical.

"I do! I’ve been driving for three years!"

"Miss, let me give you a piece of advice: you should really get a different car. You’re better suited for something with self-driving capabilities."

It was a cutting remark, sarcastically suggesting she wasn't fit to drive and that a car should drive itself. Bai Lu rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses, though Chen Xiao couldn't see it.

"Are you really okay? How about we go to the hospital? Don't worry, if there’s anything wrong, I’ll cover the medical expenses and lost wages!"

*My lost wages are probably more than you can afford,* Chen Xiao thought to himself.

"Forget it, they're just surface wounds. I have an appointment. You should get your car checked out. Pay more attention in the future. If you're a novice, don't choose 'hard mode.' And honestly, it’s not even that sunny today—why are you wearing sunglasses?"

Knowing she was in the wrong, Bai Lu had no choice but to endure his sarcasm.

"Are you sure you don't need a checkup? I really think you should rest for a few days. Look at your hands—they're all cut up!"

*This woman is truly a piece of work,* Chen Xiao mused. *Telling me to rest? Do you know I make 8,000 a day? You’ve already harmed my body, and now you want to harm my wallet.*

Of course, he wouldn't tell her about his 8,000-a-day income; she’d just think he was a lunatic.

He replied with righteous indignation, "A minor injury shouldn't stop the mission. How could someone who loves their work so deeply let a scratch delay 'laying bricks'? Laying bricks is the greatest joy; it cures all ailments!"

Bai Lu looked at him with utter disdain. *Laying bricks cures all ailments? You’ve clearly caught a case of insanity from it!*

"By the way, Miss, how do I get to Building 5?"

"Building 5? What a coincidence, I’m headed there too. Follow me."

Bai Lu called her insurance company, left the car, informed the security guard, and led Chen Xiao toward Building 5.

Chen Xiao followed behind her and realized her waist was incredibly slender, leading into a rather striking silhouette. Combining the two, he couldn't help but conjure up some rather inappropriate imagery.

When they arrived at Building 5, they discovered they were heading to the same floor.

"Who are you looking for?" Bai Lu asked curiously.

"I'm looking for your Assistant Bai."

"Hmm? You wouldn't happen to be Chen Xiao from Dr. Feng's Robotics, would you?"

*No way, what a coincidence.* Chen Xiao nodded in confirmation and asked, "Are you her?"

"Yes, I am Bai Lu."

*Oh no,* Chen Xiao thought. He’d been mocking her the whole time, and women usually held grudges.

They walked in silence until they reached her office. She gestured for Chen Xiao to sit. She had intended to be petty and throw a few jabs back at him, but when she saw the scratches on his hands, the words died in her throat. She didn't realize that Chen Xiao was deliberately pulling his sleeves up to keep the wounds on full display.

"Mr. Chen, please state your business," Bai Lu said, removing her glasses and returning to her professional persona.

Chen Xiao took a look—she had a beautiful face, far better than when she was wearing those sunglasses.

He gave a concise introduction, briefly explaining Dr. Feng's robotics products, and added, "Knowing that the testing units under your design institute have annual equipment procurement needs, I wanted to see if there were any opportunities for collaboration."

Bai Lu let out an "oh," took his product brochure, and flipped through it. After a long pause, she said, "These are all standard technologies on the market. A few products have some unique features, but there's no strong competitive edge."

Chen Xiao knew he couldn't fool her. He was new to the industry, while she had clearly been in it for years—though he wasn't entirely sure, given how young she looked.

But since Bai Lu only critiqued his products and didn't say that this year's procurement was already finished, there was still a chance.

Chen Xiao stroked his injured arm back and forth, wincing theatrically as he did so.

Bai Lu couldn't help but twitch her lips. *What a bizarre salesman.*

"How about this, Mr. Chen? I’ll keep the materials, we'll discuss them, and I'll contact you by phone later."

Chen Xiao looked at her with a resentful expression. She was dismissing him already. *How irresponsible. If you don't give me a real answer, does this count as a hit-and-run?*

Bai Lu, unaware of his wild internal monologue, explained, "I have an appointment with a friend for a beauty treatment in a bit, so today..."

Chen Xiao couldn't help but raise his voice slightly: "During 'brick-laying' hours—no, during work hours—you’re going for a beauty treatment?"

Bai Lu rolled her eyes, forgetting he was a "brick-laying" fanatic. "We have flexible working hours!"

Chen Xiao glanced at her chest and recalled the view he’d had behind her earlier; it was indeed quite "flexible."

"Flexible hours means the schedule is flexible, not that you go for beauty treatments when you should be 'laying bricks'!"

Chen Xiao held his injured hand against his chest, as if to say, *Look at this. How can you have the heart to go get a beauty treatment and put my business aside?*

Bai Lu was incredibly annoyed. Why had she used that excuse to brush him off? She could have just said she had a meeting. *Sigh, first time I’ve ever met such a rare specimen.*

"Alright, alright! Mr. Chen, let's continue discussing the business."

Only then was Chen Xiao satisfied. "See? Once the thought of 'laying bricks' arises, the world suddenly opens up!"

Bai Lu felt a headache coming on. She practically begged, "Big brother, can we please stop talking about laying bricks? These two words make it impossible for me to feel any joy in my work!"

Chen Xiao corrected her solemnly, "Assistant Bai, you have to be fully invested to find pleasure. There’s a world of difference between doing something passively versus actively!"

Bai Lu suspected he was making a double entendre, but his face was so serious and righteous that she felt like she might be misjudging him.

"I make this little bit of money every month, buried in work every day. I can't go shopping, I can't go for beauty treatments, I can't... am I happy?"

"Assistant Bai’s income shouldn't be low. With your position and capabilities, it’s impossible for you to be underpaid."

Bai Lu rolled her eyes. "20,000 a month. What can you even do with that?"

Chen Xiao nodded. "That’s not very high. Barely enough to get by."

Bai Lu asked curiously, "What’s your base salary?"

"8,000!"

Bai Lu nearly bit her tongue. She rubbed her eyes, trying to see if he was joking, but Chen Xiao’s expression didn't look fake at all. *How can you be so confident saying my 20,000 income isn't high when you're only making 8,000?*

If she weren't young, she would have thought she was suffering from tinnitus and misheard him. The way he carried himself, one would think his 8,000 salary was more like 80,000.