I Can Turn into a Fish

With the list of online orders piling higher and higher every day, Chu Xian needed an assistant. He headed over to the print shop nearby and print out an ad: Looking for a young, female assistant. 4000 RMB per month, meals provided.

The hours every day would be from 9 am to 11 pm. It was a big time commitment, but all she needed to to do was take money from customers, so the salary was already pretty high considering her duties.

After posting the ad outside his shop door, Chu Xian also posted an ad online. With all that finished, he checked his Weibo and saw he had over 500,000 followers.

“In just half a day I’ve already gotten so much attention. No wonder people like this hype sh*t,” Chu Xian thought, casually flipping through the comments.

Night fell and the store was still packed. After seven, Xiao Ying and the girls from her dorm came over and asked about everything that happened online.

This time Chu Xian’s hype tactics were too successful – the entire country’s netizens had heard about his store, and the nearby students and locals wandered over curiously. Xiao Ying and the others came to see what was happening, but left shortly after.

Around 9 pm, the crowd thinned out, and Chu Xian stood up and yawned. It had been a busy and tiring day.

“I’m closing up,” Chu Xian said to the last two customers apologetically, showing them the way out.

When he closed the door and turned around, the appearance of two silhouettes stopped him in his tracks.

“Are you two here for the store? I’m sorry, I’ve already closed up for the day,” Chu Xian said, looking inquisitively at the old man and the little girl.

“Boss, are you hiring employees?” the old man asked after a moment of hesitation. The cute girl beside the old man wore a school uniform and grasped his sleeves nervously.

Chu Xian looked over the old man and his plain clothes and shook his head apologetically. “Sorry uncle, I only hire women.”

“No, no. Not me.” The old man waved his calloused hands hurriedly. “My granddaughter is looking for a job. I don’t know if you’re willing to hire her?”

At his words, Chu Xian was stunned and looked from his awkward and nervous expression to the little girl next to him. The girl was barely 160 cm, wasn’t very tall, had pink cheeks and had her hair tied back in a double pony tail. She was a very cute child.

“Eh. Uncle, you say your granddaughter is looking for work?” Chu Xian asked, turning away from the girl. “Isn’t she too young? Isn’t she a little unsuitable?”

“Not too young. Pupu is already sixteen this year, and has already graduated from high school,” the old man hurriedly explained.

“Yes, big brother. I’m not young. Although I’m not very strong, there are still many things I can do. I can be an attendant, or I can be a cashier, and I can also learn a lot of other skills!” Pupu said firmly, looking up at Chu Xian with clear eyes.

Chu Xian looked at the little girl with some surprise. Sixteen? She looked like a twelve or thirteen year old child. Was this some legendary loli?

Shaking off his random thoughts, Chu Xian frowned lightly and wrinkled his forehead. “But you still look too young, and anyway, you’re still a minor. You still count as a child worker.”

The old man looked away in disappointment, pulling the little girl’s hands and saying in a small voice: “Pupu, let’s go.”

“Brother! I’m a hard worker! I can say I’m your relative then there’ll be no problem. The last place I worked, my boss told other people the same thing. And I’m not asking for a very high salary,” the girl said, turning around after being dragged a few steps away by her grandfather. She turned to Chu Xian, hopeful and expectant.

The girl’s words touched Chu Xian’s heart, and he hesitated. Finally, with a last glance at their plain clothes, he agreed. “Okay. Your salary will be what I posted on the door – 4000 RMB a month. You’ll get four days off, and I’ll give you money for food every day. Housing not provided.”

“Thank you brother! Thank you!” the girl said, bowing emotionally. The old man beside her also bowed his head in grateful happiness.

“You don’t need to bow. Just be here tomorrow at nine. The work is very straightforward. Oh right, little sis, what’s your name?” Chu Xian said to young woman.

“Feng Pupu. Big brother, you can just call me Pupu!” Feng Pupu said happily. Her smile revealed a pair of cute dimples, and her big eyes narrowed cutely.

‘En. Okay, Pupu. I’ll be taking off first and I’ll see you tomorrow!” Chu Xian said, nodding.

Feng Pupu and the old man waved goodbye, and Chu Xian walked a short distance away before covering his face. “Ay. I’m only helping the girl out of sympathy, I have no other intentions. I just need someone to watch the store and take money. Although she’s young, Pupu looks smart. She shouldn’t have any trouble at the store.”

Chu Xian drove home happily, but he didn’t know whether he was happy because he hired a loli assistant or because of the number of online orders. Of course, he should be happier because of the latter.

The next morning, Chu Xian arrived at the store at 8 am without having eaten breakfast.

Because it was Pupu’s first day, Chu Xian wanted to arrive a little earlier and take his new assistant to look around the neighborhood. He could recommend some good restaurants to her, and tell her which shop had the best prices for meat buns. As a boss, he wanted to be a good boss respected by his workers, even if he only had one employee.

When he arrived, a small figure was standing by the door, wearing the same uniform she did yesterday, looking like a middle schooler.

“Why did you come so early?” Chu Xian asked, walking over.

“Boss,” Feng Pupu greeted. “My grandpa goes to work early so I get up early too. I didn’t really have anything to do, so I headed over.”

Chu looked at her shy expression and chuckled. “You don’t have to come so early in the future. We open at 9 AM. By the way, have you eaten yet? I can take you to grab some breakfast!”

“I’ve eaten already!” Feng Pupu nodded, but followed him hurriedly anyway.

“En. In the future, I’ll take care of all your meals. I’ll give you a forty RMB meal stipend a day. Right, let me tell you, the breakfast here is pretty nice. They have some buns, some spicy soup and soft tofu. You can eat your fill for only seven or eight RMB. The lunch specials at that noodle shop are pretty good too, and that store makes some pretty good covered-rice meals.”

Chu Xian introduced the shops as he walked. He stopped at a breakfast store and ordered some food.

After they finished, Chu Xian glanced at her clothes and put his hand to his forehead. “Right. I’ll take you out to buy some work clothes and a credit card machine. Do you have a cell phone?”