When a man spends money, he naturally wants his full money’s worth; some indulge in perversities respectable women can scarcely imagine.

There was no profession more degrading in the world.

Yan Xixi had never sympathized with women in this industry. In her eyes, every pitiable person had a detestable side. If you chose to earn a certain kind of money, you had to accept the harsh realities that came with it; making a living was never easy.

That was why, no matter how desperate she had once been, even on the brink of starvation, she had refused to step into this line of work. In her most difficult times, wicked thoughts had even surfaced. She had thought to herself, "Steal? Rob? Even commit arson or murder? I would do any of that before stooping to this utterly demeaning profession!" Luckily, Heaven had shown some mercy; she had only sunk to the level of a low-life grifter, a wine and tea shill, before she managed to stop.

In a male-dominated society, women lacked that spark of audacity, that sudden wicked impulse. That is why even the most despicable man had a chance to rise again, but once a woman debased herself, there was no turning back.

"Ms. Yan, please give me a chance. I promise I won’t slack off..."

Yan Xixi let out a long sigh. "When can you start?"

Zhenzhen’s eyes lit up. "Can I start tomorrow?"

"No. First, you need to rest properly for a week until the wounds on your face are completely healed; otherwise, you’ll scare off customers. How about this: you can move into our staff dormitory tomorrow. Each person gets a small single room."

Zhenzhen almost jumped for joy. "That’s fantastic!"

"Don’t get too excited yet. Working isn’t all fun and games. We have two shifts. Some are nine-to-five, but the latest we close is ten p.m., so there are no overnight shifts. Compensation is by the book, with all nationally mandated benefits provided. Each year, there’s also an opportunity to buy three basic-model handbags at a discount. Like all our staff, you must clock in and aim for promotions. You will advance step by step; there are no special privileges or preferential treatment. Understood?"

"Ms. Yan, I understand. I absolutely will not cause trouble or act out."

"Good. Go home, pack your things, and then come for training as soon as possible."

Zhenzhen bowed deeply to her, beaming. Then, catching Yan Xixi off guard, she suddenly reached out, hugged her, and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Ms. Yan, I’m so incredibly happy! The crackdowns have been fierce lately. A lot of the girls can’t go home and can’t find work; they’re all panicking. The good-for-nothing men they used to support saw things were going bad and deserted them. Now, these women don’t even dare rent a slightly better place. If these crackdowns continue, it will be a wonder if they don’t starve. But now, I don’t have to worry anymore! I can be a white-collar worker! If they knew, they would be green with envy..."

Yan Xixi chuckled but quickly grabbed her arm. "Zhenzhen, you absolutely must not tell those people you’re working here."

"Why not?"

Xu Xiaoya interjected, her tone exasperated, "If they found out, they’d come flocking here in twos and threes, pretending to visit you but really just to make you miserable. Could you handle that?"

Zhenzhen immediately understood, quickly thanked them, and left in high spirits.

Once Zhenzhen was far away, Yan Xixi turned to see Xu Xiaoya leaning on the table, her hands pressed flat. Her voice was low. "Xixi, looking back... it’s like a nightmare..."

"I almost ended up just like Zhenzhen."

One wrong step can lead to a lifetime of mistakes.

Just a hair’s breadth away. It could have been even worse.

That is why she reminded herself every day: when good fortune comes, cherish it. Once missed, it is a lifetime stuck in the mire.

Yan Xixi patted her hand and smiled. "Tonight, I’m treating Li Zhen to dinner. You should come with me."