Chapter 31 Part 1
From as far back as he could remember, Shi Xu never had a normal childhood, nor a normal adolescence.
Although Shi Yan allowed him to attend school, his days were filled with relentless training, leaving little time for anything else.
He longed for an ordinary life.
He had enough savings to last a lifetime, yet after resigning, he immediately sought a new job.
He wanted to experience normalcy.
He wasn’t picky about work. As long as it paid, anything would do.
Many found it ridiculous that a former captain of the Anomaly Management Bureau would become a security guard, but Shi Xu didn’t.
He had always wanted a simple, nine-to-five job. A friend, hearing of his situation, offered him this opportunity.
Xiao Liu wasn’t wrong. He did have connections.
Unlike Xiao Liu and Cheng Fan, Shi Xu worked from nine to five, with a one-hour lunch break, benefits, meal allowance, and a monthly salary of 20,000 yuan. Most importantly, no overtime.
The last point was the most appealing.
He completed the onboarding process, ready to start the next day.
Gu Sui, assuming Shi Xu would stay home with him after resigning, was disappointed when Shi Xu announced his new job.
Even a pollutant found this strange.
Didn’t humans hate working?
Why was his Wife so eager?
His Wife must be abnormal!
“Can… you… not… go?” Gu Sui offered him another pile of gems. “I… have… lots of money. I… can… support… Wife.”
Shi Xu ignored the glittering stones, rejecting his plea. “No.”
“Why?” Gu Sui said sadly. “Is… work… better… than me?”
Shi Xu: “…”
Honestly, yes!
Gu Sui’s earnest expression and innocent eyes, despite his suggestive words, were more amusing than annoying.
But no matter how much Gu Sui pleaded, Shi Xu still went to work.
He pacified Gu Sui with a few words. “How can I earn money if I don’t work? Without money, how can I support you and our child?”
Shi Xu realized Gu Sui was influencing him. He wouldn’t have uttered such cheesy words before, yet he said them naturally, as if they were a married couple, him being the responsible husband providing for his family.
Gu Sui immediately stopped his whining, rushing to Shi Xu excitedly. “Really?”
Shi Xu, in a tone one would use with a child, said, “Really.”
Gu Sui beamed, his cheeks flushing. “Then… Wife… go to work. I… and baby… will wait…”
Shi Xu: “Yes.”
Gu Sui had another question. “Wife, will… you… come home… for lunch?”
Shi Xu: “No.”
His lunch break was only an hour, and the commute would take 40 minutes. Too rushed.
Gu Sui: “Does… your workplace… have a… cafeteria?”
Shi Xu: “No.”
Jinzhu Bay had a staff cafeteria before the pollutant attacks, but now, with only two security guards and two cleaners, finding a chef willing to work there was impossible. The cafeteria was abandoned.
Gu Sui: “Then… can I… bring you… lunch?”
Those loving eyes would melt anyone’s heart, even Shi Xu’s.
He didn’t refuse outright. “Not every day. Just when I want you to.”
Gu Sui: “When… does Wife… want to eat?”
Shi Xu smiled. “Not today.”
“…” Gu Sui’s face fell. He stared at Shi Xu pleadingly, but Shi Xu left without looking back.
Cheng Fan had the night shift, so he didn’t need to come in early. After handing over his duties, he went back to his dorm to sleep, usually not waking up until the afternoon. Today, he set multiple alarms, determined to be at the security room before 9 am.
Ten minutes before nine, Xiao Liu was surprised to see Cheng Fan. He immediately understood why—
Today was the new guy’s first day. Cheng Fan, like him, wanted to see who this person with connections was.
They hoped it was someone easily intimidated.
After five minutes, with no one appearing, Cheng Fan grew impatient. “What’s his deal? First day of work, doesn’t he know to arrive early?”
Xiao Liu patted his shoulder, agreeing. “Exactly. We need to put him in his place.”
They grumbled for a while longer. Five seconds before nine, they saw a figure approaching.
At exactly 9 am, Shi Xu appeared at the entrance.
No longer in his usual Anomaly Management Bureau uniform, he wore a black security uniform, somehow making it look runway-ready.
A faint smile softened his usually cold features, radiating a gentle aura, a stark contrast to his ruthless image as captain.
Many people didn’t know the director of the Anomaly Management Bureau, or the names of famous celebrities, but everyone knew Shi Xu.
His face was unforgettable, his achievements legendary.
Cheng Fan and Xiao Liu stared at him, stunned, their earlier anger dissipating.
They exchanged a look, assuming he was there to see someone.
Too shocked to notice his uniform, they didn’t realize he was their new colleague.
Shi Xu spoke first. “Hello, I’m Shi Xu. First day on the job. Please take care of me.”
Cheng Fan & Xiao Liu: “…”
Was this a joke?!
They pinched each other’s legs, confirming they weren’t dreaming.
It wasn’t someone with the same name. Their new colleague was the legendary captain.
Realization dawned, followed by a new wave of confusion: Why was Shi Xu working here? Was he that desperate for money? He could easily find a better job. With his family background, he could live comfortably without working. Was he insane?
Cheng Fan, now wide awake, sat on the cot in the corner, observing them.
Xiao Liu was a fan of Shi Xu. Half an hour later, he was still starstruck, his voice trembling with admiration.
“Captain Shi, w-why are you working here?”
The security room only had wooden chairs, uncomfortable to sit on. Shi Xu shifted slightly. “It’s a relaxing job.”
Xiao Liu, completely focused on his idol, echoed, “It is quite relaxing.”
One patrol a day, the rest of the time spent in the security room. The residential area rarely had visitors, and the residents didn’t order takeout. They barely saw any strangers. The job was incredibly easy. He sometimes skipped patrols without getting caught.
He could do whatever he wanted in the security room: play games, browse the internet, watch TV. No one supervised them, and the salary was high. It was a dream job. No wonder Shi Xu chose to work here.
A thought occurred to him, remembering the online rumors about Shi Xu leaving the bureau due to unbearable pressure.
He cautiously asked, “Captain Shi, why did you leave the Anomaly Management Bureau?”
Shi Xu didn’t avoid the question, unconcerned about potential repercussions. “I’m getting married. I need to provide a safe environment for my partner and child.”
Xiao Liu: “???”
Xiao Liu: “!!!”
He had just stumbled upon a huge scoop!
“C-Captain Shi, don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone…” he stammered.
Shi Xu, for the first time, looked closely at his colleague. An ordinary face, unremarkable, but his flustered expression was amusing.
Shi Xu smiled. “No need to keep it a secret. It’s not a secret.”
Shi Xu spent the morning in the security room, enjoying the unfamiliar feeling of having nothing to do.
At the Anomaly Management Bureau, even without missions, he was always busy, training his subordinates, handling paperwork, constantly on the move. Now, with free time, he felt lost.
After chatting with Shi Xu for a while, Xiao Liu retreated to the corner, sitting beside Cheng Fan.
Cheng Fan hadn’t returned to his dorm, pretending to sleep on the cot. Xiao Liu played mobile games.
Shi Xu, imitating Xiao Liu, played a shooting game on his phone, quickly losing interest. Messaging Gu Sui was more entertaining.
When his lunch break arrived, he went to find food, not inviting his colleagues. He wasn’t interested in such formalities.
As soon as he left, Cheng Fan opened his eyes. He had woken up after an hour, pretending to sleep for the rest of the time.
He sat up, staring at Shi Xu’s retreating figure, scoffing. “So what if he was the captain? He has no manners. I didn’t expect him to call us ‘seniors,’ but on his first day, he didn’t even bring us a gift, let alone offer to buy us lunch. Tsk…”
Xiao Liu, unlike before, didn’t agree, frowning. “We’re colleagues, there’s no seniority here. Besides, that’s Captain Shi! I wouldn’t dare call him ‘junior’.”
Cheng Fan’s face darkened, his anger flaring. “He’s not the captain anymore! He’s just an ordinary person now! Why are you sucking up to him?!”
Xiao Liu was startled, sensing Cheng Fan’s unusual hostility. “Brother Fan, what’s wrong?”
Cheng Fan: “Look at his arrogant attitude, still acting like he’s the captain. What, does he think he can boss us around here? They say he left the bureau because he felt wronged. I think he was just too difficult to work with, couldn’t get along with his subordinates. Everyone’s saying he’s so pitiful, but he seems to be doing just fine. Playing the victim card, is he trying to become a celebrity? Some people are just born lucky, with a pretty face…”
Cheng Fan had worked there for seven years, 14 years older than Xiao Liu. Xiao Liu usually respected him, treating him as a senior.
He avoided conflicts, striving to maintain a peaceful work environment, tolerating Cheng Fan’s harsh words, even offering occasional compliments.
But this was different. Cheng Fan was insulting his idol. That was unacceptable.
For the first time, Xiao Liu stood up to him. “You don’t know anything, so stop talking nonsense!”
Cheng Fan was stunned, then retorted, “Why are you shouting?! I wasn’t talking about you! Why are you so worked up?!”
“You’re insulting my idol, which means you’re insulting me! Do you even know Captain Shi?! You’re just making assumptions!”
Cheng Fan sneered. “You know him better than I do? Am I wrong? You’ve been sucking up to him since he arrived, and has he even acknowledged you?”
Xiao Liu: “When was he ever rude to me?”
Cheng Fan: “You’re just pathetic, always kissing ass!”
Xiao Liu’s eyes reddened, his fists clenching. Cheng Fan laughed. “What, are you going to hit me? Do you have the guts?”
…
Shi Xu, unaware of the argument, found a fast food restaurant nearby.
He wasn’t a picky eater, food being a mere necessity.
The food was decent, even considered good by his previous standards.
But now, he had no appetite, putting down his chopsticks halfway through.
He realized something was different, quickly identifying the cause: Gu Sui’s cooking was too good. He had been spoiled.
Gu Sui’s message made him uneasy.
He had a premonition that at this rate, he would be completely consumed by Gu Sui, his life filled with traces of him.
[Gu Sui: Wife, what… did you… eat for lunch? I stayed home… and made… little buns… with baby~ [photo]]
“With baby” meant having the golden egg sit on the kitchen island.
The photo showed the egg and miniature buns shaped like it.
