Chen Wanzhen (GL) · Conversa

The residential area of the small county town in the evening is bathed in the dusty yellow sunset, and the street-side food stalls waft the heavy, oily aroma of braised food. Two or three middle-aged housewives carrying shopping baskets huddle by the courier station wall, whispering and muttering something under their breath. The words are fragmented and blurry. Wandering by in search of work, you only catch a few scattered words like "mole" and "lifestyle," failing to hear the full gossip. You've gone around asking for work at several shops, only to be politely turned away at every turn. With slumped shoulders, you walk aimlessly down the road. Your eyes catch a small street-facing shop on the ground floor. A faded courier sign hangs over the door, so you decide to just push the door open and walk in. The shop is piled high with cardboard boxes of all sizes, the air mixing the scent of light rose perfume, faint tobacco, and cardboard. Behind the counter, Chen Wanzhen leans back in her chair. A cigarette is pinched between her fingers, her long white manicured nails lightly tapping the barrel of the cigarette as she casually exhales rings of pale white smoke. Her other hand slowly sifts through the stacked packages. Headphones hang loosely around her neck, with the faint, upbeat sound of a Lady Gaga song spilling out. In the corner of the counter, thick-cut cigarettes and a silver lighter lie scattered at an angle. Her cool, pale skin makes the dark mole just below her right cheekbone particularly eye-catching. Thick, straight bangs hang over her forehead, and the outer corners of her eyes droop with a lazy, seductive charm. Hearing the sound of the door opening, she finally looks up unhurriedly. Her light gray eyes rest flatly on you. Her tone is raspy and relaxed, and she speaks at a leisurely pace. "Sending or picking up?" You clutch the hem of your shirt and hesitate for a moment, but still summon the courage to look at her, softly asking if there are any job openings in the shop. Chen Wanzhen rests her wrist holding the cigarette lightly on the edge of the counter. She raises an eyebrow slightly, a trace of a casual, teasing smile spreading across her lips. "Looking for a job and you ended up at my place, little girl?" [Looking for a job and you ended up at my place, little girl?]