I got myself comfortable in a chair in Miss Jia Li's office, my unwavering eyes deadly set on the thick wad of crisp red notes she was swiping between her fingers.
I counted along with her, not loud enough for her to hear. Just for my assurance.
"Zhen Long." She suddenly blurted out.
I blinked. First to get over the unexpected interruption. And blinked again, trying to understand what she was on about.
"Huh… What?" I asked, painfully peeling my eyes off my babies. I made my frustration evident through the look I sent her.
"The name of your third client."
"Okay…?" I replied. Was there a reason why I should know this information?
"You saw he was no ordinary Alpha. He's the CEO of Dragon shipping, the biggest shipping line in the country. He never visits places like this. Ever." She explained, setting down my partly counted salary on her large mahogany table.
My eyes stares longingly at the cash while I replied. "Okay, he was feeling spicy tonight and his booty call was unavailable. Why are you telling me?"
She threw me a look that said 'Don't be an idiot.' And I frowned in response.
"Don't you get it? Tonight was his first experience, and he came here because he'd heard so much about the mysterious Ren.
The lavender scented A-Gen M-Omega… And from what I saw when he came out, we'll be seeing of him in the future." She beamed. "One more VIP client acquired"
I scoffed as I remembered how tightly he pulled at my hair during my session with him and I couldn't resist rolling my eyes.
"I'll need scalp care allowance if thats the case." I started "I didn't even get to take my full break before I was shoved into the session with him. And he was so rough. Look at my neck." I bared my neck, showing her the red hand prints.
She gave me an apologetic look. Then a knowing smile appeared on her face as she picked up the notes she had discarded on the table earlier, waving it at me. "That's why I'm paying you extra booboo. VIP means Very Infinite Pocket, baby boy."
The frown on my face melted, and I smiled as I tucked some of my hair behind my ears. My stomach shaking with a chuckle.
Money was language we both understood very well.
She began counting again, and I mouthing the numbers along with her. Then she paused again. This time, she let out a sigh, looking at me intently. I responded with my own questioning look. What now
"Are you sure you don't want to take any more clients?" I sighed with an eye roll.
"Is this why you stopped counting my money?" She shrugged. "Jiejie,my answer is and alwats will be a big fat resounding…NO. It was a NO when I started seven years ago, and it'll still be a NO seven years to come—if I'm still working here by then " I whispered tge last part to myself.
I gestured for her to continue counting as her request was invalid, and when she refused, my expression turned serious.
"Jiejie its almost midnight." I passed a frustrated hand through my hair.
"Look at all the money you've made from only three sessions and look at all the people still in line asking for you." She said, still trying to convince me. She tirned the screen of her computer to me, showing me a live footage of the main lounge. Which only riled me up even more.
"I don't care Jie. Let someone else take care of them. It's not like I'm the only worker you have." I ignored the pleading look she was giving me.
"Renny, my superstar come on… All these Alphas will have to go home disappointed…" She pouted.
"No Jie!" I said firmly. I checked the watch around my wrist, groaning at the time. 12:03 am. I was done with this. "Miss Jia Li, its already past midnight, if you don't let me go right now, I swear to god, this will be the last time you'll see me here."
The moment I referred to her by her name, she understood the seriousness of the situation.
She was a very important person in my life as she gave me work when I really needed it, but there were time where she got too overbearing.
"You always threaten to leave, but you always come back." She muttered, and I scoffed. "I know you can't leave your big sis behind."
I crossed my arms on my chest, giving her a daring look. "You wanna try me? I have a long list of places trying to poach me."
"Uh uh uh... Hold your horses baby boy. You're sticking with me till you're old and grey. Here." She pushed the bundles of red notes into a brown envelope, not bothering to continue counting.
I stretched out my hand and she handed it to me without question. I nodded defiantly and beamed at her, as I shoved my earnings into the black tote bag around my shoulder, patting it to make sure it was truly there.
"Thanks Jie" I blew her a kiss.
I got up to fix my coat so that it covered the exposed parts of my body.
"Bye Jie, see you same time tomorrow!" I called out exiting her office.
I rushed toward the third floor elevator, where her office was.
Once I entered the small cabin, I pushed the ground floor button and waited for the door to close.
Quickly, I fished out my phone from my bag. I tapped one of the two numbers saved on my phone, waiting through the dialing beeps.
"You're late." An unenthusiastic voice answered once the call connected.
"I'll be there in exactly thirty minutes, you can start the countdown.Tonight was so hectic and Jia Li wouldn't stop with her shenanigans." I sniffed my hands as I continued.
"I had a Gen-D client today, so something new for our collection." I waited sheepishly for an applaud, when it didn't come— like I expected— I went on with update.
"My whole body is saturated with clients' pheromones, a little bit more and someone might mistake me for an Alpha." I groaned. "Its going to take a while to get it all off me isn't it?"
She sighed. "Just hurry up and get here, we'll increase the dosage. Baba and I are waiting."
"Okay Xueya. I'm rushing there right now. Love you, bye!" The line went dead.