Making a living in Dongguan, her fiery red lips offer me tenderness.

Chapter 10: On the verge of starving.

"Sister Tang, isn't your motorcycle totaled? Why don't you sell it to me? I'll get it repaired, and I'll pay you back when I make some money."

"Xiao Yang, it's just a piece of scrap metal anyway. If you want to fix it, then go ahead and fix it. You don't have to pay it back. It's just that the license plate has been expired for a long time, and there's no insurance. It has nothing. If the traffic police catch it, they might confiscate it."

Ding Yang said, "So what if they confiscate it? It's not worth much anyway. Let them keep operating for as long as they can."

"Working hard in a factory all day only earns you thirty or forty yuan, and you have to work overtime. You can make thirty or forty yuan a day by driving a motorcycle taxi, right? Plus, you have more freedom."

"That's true, but you're not familiar with Fenggang."

"It doesn't matter. I'll just buy a map and get the motorcycle fixed tomorrow. I can just wander around by myself. How far can a motorcycle go with passengers? Besides, I have one advantage: I'm really good at finding my way around. I usually don't forget a place after I've been there once."

"Alright, go ahead and give it a try!"

After soaking my feet for a while and having them massaged by Tang Li, I felt much better.

"Sister Tang, could you press it for me one more time? Consider it an extra hour for you."

"Ugh, do you think I'm a technician? My hands are getting sore, just do it yourself."

"Sister Tang, I've been working overtime for a few hours and I'm a little hungry. I'm going to buy some late-night snacks. Could you help me make up my bedding?"

"You rest first, I'll buy you a box of fried noodles."

"No need, I can manage by myself. Do you want some?"

"No, I don't need to. I usually don't eat late-night snacks because I'm afraid of gaining weight."

Ding Yang went to a night market stall and bought a plate of fried rice noodles for 3 yuan, leaving him with only 4 yuan in his pocket.

I checked my pockets and found only two cigarettes left.

Arriving at the convenience store, the proprietress asked, "How much is a bottle of water?"

"5.5 yuan."

"Do you have any cigarettes for 2.5 yuan?"

"Yes, Guangzhou!"

"Give me a pack!"

I bought a bottle of water and a pack of "Yangcheng" cigarettes, spent my last four yuan, and had no money left.

Good heavens, this is going to starve me to death, make me poor to death! If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have bought that bucket at noon. It was a waste of five yuan. It's true that the less rice there is, the more it sticks to the pot.

Ding Yang carried a box of fried rice noodles and a bottle of water back home.

As I passed the alleyway, I encountered two heavily made-up women standing there smoking. They were quite attractive, but the makeup was so thick that their true faces were barely visible.

"Hey handsome, wanna have some fun?"

Curious, Ding Yang walked over. "We're both in the same boat, why should we need to know each other before?"

"Hey handsome, wanna have some fun?"

"How much?"

"40, fast food!"

"Little sister, it's not that I'm not romantic, it's just that I'm short on cash. I don't have any money on me, but if I did, I would definitely support you."

Another woman sized up Ding Yang.

"Hey handsome, you must have at least 20 yuan, right?"

Holy crap, this is so damn cheap.

Ding Yang took out a Temex cigarette and handed one to each of the two young women. To his surprise, the two women didn't mind the strong smell of the cigarette and lit it for them.

There were no cigarettes left in the Temes pack, so Ding Yang had to throw it away. He took out the Yangcheng cigarettes he had just bought from his pocket, tore open the pack, and lit one for himself.

"Hey handsome, why are you smoking Yangcheng cigarettes? This stuff is choking!"

Ding Yang took a puff, and the sensation of the smoke filling his lungs was so strong that he almost coughed. "Why is this cigarette so old?"

"Sigh, if I had money, I'd smoke Furongwang cigarettes. Who smokes this stuff? Isn't that just being poor?"

"Handsome, I've never seen you before. Are you new here?"

"Yes, I just arrived in Fenggang yesterday, intending to find a job here. But today I went to a factory and worked for free all day without earning a single penny. I'm exhausted."

"With your looks, why are you working in a factory? Find a rich woman to take care of you, that's much better than working a manual labor job."

"Hehe, I haven't met one yet. How about you introduce me to one, sis?"

"Go away, I don't have that kind of connection. I'm looking for a sugar daddy."

"Handsome, judging from your accent, you're from Hunan, right?"

"Yes, we're from Shonan City. What about you?"

"We're from Huaihua!"

"Then we're from the same hometown! They say when people from the same hometown meet, their eyes well up with tears. I feel like I've found family."

"Handsome, you have such a sweet tongue."

"Oh no, how about we kiss? But I don't have any money to pay for it."

"Hate!"

Unexpectedly, even this "wild chicken" blushed after he flirted with her.

"Handsome, speaking of job hunting, I just remembered something. Konka Electronics Factory is hiring. Why don't you give it a try?"

"How's the compensation?"

"It's definitely much better than small factories. Konka Electronics has several thousand employees and is probably the largest factory in Fenggang. It mainly produces televisions. They offer high base salaries, free meals and accommodation, and compliant overtime work. Overtime pay is doubled according to national regulations, and it's generally around 2000 yuan a month."

"Really? That's great, thanks!"

"You are welcome!"

"I'm leaving now, let's talk again next time."

Ding Yang left with the fried noodles.

The two pheasants were left behind, still gossiping.

Back at the beauty salon.

"Why does it take so long to buy fried noodles?"

"Oh, I ran into two women soliciting customers at the alley entrance. I chatted with them."

"Oh, what's there to talk about with them? Did you go to a brothel?"

"Nonsense, I'm wondering, who are the main customers for these motorcycle taxis?"

"You don't mean to get these girls to ride in your car, do you?"

"Yeah, after just one day, I've already noticed that the people who ride motorcycles the most are prostitutes. If I had a few regular clients, I wouldn't need to go to the station to compete for customers."

"You're right. The women who get beauty treatments here usually take a motorcycle taxi straight to the hotel after their makeup is done."

"Yes, you can also introduce business to me. This motorcycle doesn't have a license plate, and it's easy to get reported by your competitors if you go to the station to steal business. These competitors are your enemies, and they will definitely report you if they know you don't have a license plate."

"I don't solicit customers at the station; I only have regular customers, which helps me avoid being targeted by my competitors."

"I don't ask for much. A few customers a day and a few dozen yuan in pocket money is enough. It's better than working in a factory and fixing screws."

"Too!"

"But I'm warning you, you're not allowed to go to prostitutes."

"Sister Tang, why do I smell a sour smell?"

Tang Li was a little embarrassed, her face turning slightly red.

"Hmph, I'm not jealous. I'm just worried you'll come back sick and infect my shop."

"Hey sis, if a virgin like me goes to a prostitute, wouldn't I be losing out big time? Don't get the wrong idea, okay? Besides, we didn't even have sex, how could I pass it on to you?"

"Go away, aren't you ashamed!"

Ding Yang opened the box.

"Would you like some?"

"No need, I'm not hungry, you eat."

Ding Yang ignored him and began to wolf down his food, finishing the box of fried rice noodles in less than five minutes.

"Click click click..."

Tang Li pulled down the roller shutter door.

"Xiaoyang, I'm going to take a shower. It's almost 11:30. You should take a shower after you finish eating and go to bed early."

"oh!"

As Ding Yang ate his rice noodles, listening to the rushing water, he felt melancholy, his mind filled with vivid images.

Now he's penniless, his face is emptier than his pockets, what is he going to do? Tang Li clearly likes him a little, otherwise she wouldn't have left a man lying in the shop with her.

How about using my good looks to win her over and get through this difficult time for now?

What else do I have to give besides this physical body?

After finishing his rice noodles, Ding Yang leaned back on the sofa, took out his cigarette case, lit a Yangcheng cigarette, and felt so choked that he almost gagged.

A short while later, Tang Li came out after taking a shower, wearing a long slip dress without even a bra. Her chest was bulging, which was quite unsightly.

"Xiaoyang, go take a shower!"

"Wait a minute, let me finish this cigarette."

"Xiaoyang, from now on, don't pull the roller shutter door when it's down, it's too smoky."

"Oh! I'm sorry,"

Ding Yang immediately stubbed out his cigarette.

Suddenly, Tang Li picked up the cigarette pack from the sofa.

"Xiaoyang, why are you smoking this cigarette? I know it only costs a little over two yuan a pack."

Ding Yang smiled bitterly.

"Because it's cheap!"

Tang Li suddenly wrapped her arms around Ding Yang's neck and pulled him into her embrace.

Ding Yang sat down, while Tang Li stood, her head resting against Ding Yang's chest.

"Sister Tang, what's wrong?"

"Xiaoyang, I feel sorry for you. Please don't smoke this kind of cigarette anymore."

"It's okay, it's just cigarettes, not a brand name."

"Xiaoyang, are you out of money?"

Ding Yang was a little embarrassed.

"Um!"

"Is this your first time coming to Dongguan to work? Didn't your parents give you any travel expenses?"

"My father passed away when I was 5 years old, and my mother disappeared. I was raised by my grandparents."

"You've had it so tough. I opened your bag today, intending to wash your clothes, but I was surprised to find that there wasn't a single decent piece of clothing in it."

"Sister, it's alright. Even Zhu Yuanzhang was a beggar once. What's this? Poverty won't break my will. This is only temporary."

Tang Xue hugged him even tighter.

"Don't worry, I'll buy it for you later."

"Sis, let go, your chest is making it hard for me to breathe."

Tang Li quickly let go.

"Sis, I'm going to take a shower."

"Um!"

Ding Yang went into the restroom, feeling somewhat conflicted.

Tang Li took out a straw mat and a yoga mat and started to make a bed on the floor, but did not open her own sofa bed.

A short while later, Ding Yang came out after taking a shower.

To everyone's surprise, Tang Li was sitting on a yoga mat.

"Sis, why don't you unfold the sofa?"