Sweetie, don't look at him, kiss me.

Lin Qingmian was amused by Jiang Yao and was about to say something when Jiang Yao's phone rang.

It was a call from the hospital.

As Jiang Yao answered the phone, the smile on her face gradually disappeared until she was completely pale.

"Mianmian."

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Yao took off her apron and looked at Lin Qingmian with a troubled expression: "Something happened to my mom again. Could you help me tonight...?"

Lin Qingmian understood and immediately took the apron from her hand: "Covering up, right? I happen to have time tonight."

"it is good."

Jiang Yao pursed her lips and glanced at her: "This restaurant is a bit more upscale than the last one, so that kind of thing shouldn't happen here..."

"But if you really encounter one, run for your life. Don't fight them head-on, understand?"

Lin Qingmian smiled and said, "Don't worry, go ahead."

Jiang Yao was about to say something when her phone rang again.

She breathed a sigh of relief and quickly turned to leave.

Half an hour later, it was time for the shift change. Lin Qingmian went to the hotel's head waiter to collect her work for the day, and then went to her post as required.

Jiang Yao's workplace tonight is one of the top five-star hotels in Rongcheng. Both the decor and the quality are much better than the previous restaurant.

The guests' behavior has also improved significantly.

Lin Qingmian stood at the front desk with a smile, greeting each guest who entered with a smile.

Occasionally, I can still run into a few former socialite friends from high society.

Regardless of whether people looked at her with pity or disdain, Lin Qingmian always served them with a smile, her attentiveness and enthusiasm leaving them unable to utter a single harsh word.

At 8 p.m., the hotel doors were pushed open.

Lin Qingmian smiled and looked up as always: "Welcome, may I ask...?"

"Sleep!?"

Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by a familiar female voice filled with surprise.

Lin Qingmian paused for a moment, then subconsciously looked up.

A group of women were pushing open the door and entering the restaurant.

The two people surrounded by the crowd were Ji Xingye's grandmother, the old lady of the Ji family, and Su Tingwan, whose photo she had seen just a few days ago.

Su Tingwan affectionately linked arms with Old Madam Ji, the two of them behaving as intimately as mother and daughter.

The group accompanying them were all women from the Ji family.

At the very front was Ji Xingye's cousin, Ji Xingqing, who was the one who took the initiative to greet him.

"Qingmian, it really is you!"

Before Lin Qingmian could react, Ji Xingqing had already rushed forward and warmly grabbed her hand: "Long time no see!"

"I've tried to visit you a few times, but your parents said you got married and went to a very far place."

"I thought it was true, and I was heartbroken for a long time!"

Ji Xingqing is three years younger than Lin Qingmian and Ji Xingye. She was pampered by the Ji family since childhood and has an innocent and carefree nature.

After Lin Qingmian and Ji Xingye broke up abruptly, Ji Xingqing was also asked by her family to cut off all contact with her.

Now that they've met again, Ji Xingqing is still as enthusiastic as before, but Lin Qingmian's state of mind is completely different.

Moreover, their current status is different.

One is a guest, and the other is a waiter.

Lin Qingmian smiled politely at Ji Xingqing, "Long time no see. How many of you are there, guests?"

Her aloof and polite attitude made Ji Xingqing frown unconsciously: "Why are you talking to me like that? I'm your friend, not an ordinary guest."

After saying that, as if she had just remembered something, she turned her head and waved to the lobby manager beside her: "Hello!"

The lobby manager recognized the second young lady of the Ji family and immediately greeted her with a smile: "Miss Ji, what can I do for you?"

Ji Xingqing pointed at Lin Qingmian: "This is my friend. We're going to a private room for dinner tonight. Can we specifically request her to serve us? I'd like to give her all the tips and commission from our private room!"

Lin Qingmian instinctively wanted to refuse: "This is against the rules, I'm just a receptionist..."

There are no rules or regulations.

The lobby manager glared at Lin Qingmian, then smiled obsequiously at Ji Xingqing: "You are a customer, and it is entirely your right to want her to serve you."

After saying that, she even walked over to Lin Qingmian and shooed her away from her post at the front desk: "Hurry up and go!"

At this moment, the other women of the Ji family also came in.

Upon seeing Lin Qingmian, everyone's expression turned sour.

This former second young lady of the Lin family and Ji Xingye were childhood sweethearts, entangled for nearly twenty years, and there was no one in the Ji family who didn't know her.

Ji Xingye's mother, Chen Qiu, even turned her head away with a cold face and sneered, "What bad luck."

Grandma Ji was joking with Su Tingwan about wanting Su Tingwan to give her a grandson, but when she saw Lin Qingmian, her smile instantly froze.

Su Tingwan keenly sensed that something was amiss.

She looked up in the direction of Ji Xingqing.

The girl was exceptionally beautiful, with delicate features, yet her expression was detached, like a crescent moon hanging in the sky, pure and aloof.

She smiled, thinking she was being very considerate in easing the tension: "Xingqing, is this your friend?"

Ji Xingqing quickly stepped forward and took Lin Qingmian's arm, laughing carefree, "Yes, she works here. I want her to serve our private room, so she can earn all the tips and commission from our drinks and food orders!"

After saying that, she glanced at Old Madam Ji again: "Grandma, is this alright?"

Madam Ji frowned but remained silent.

"I think it's a good idea."

Su Tingwan smiled and said, "Xingqing is willing to help friends from disadvantaged backgrounds in her own way, and we should support her."

She turned to look at Grandma Ji: "Auntie, what do you think?"

Grandma Ji patted Su Tingwan's hand kindly: "You're just too kind."

After saying that, she turned to look at Lin Qingmian, her eyes and voice suddenly turning cold: "Come with us. It's all the same who earns the money. Consider it an opportunity to help you out since we've known you for a while."

The old man looked at Lin Qingmian with disdain and contempt.

It was exactly the same as when I saw her kneeling outside the Ji family's gate on that rainy night two years ago.

Lin Qingmian frowned and clenched her fists at her sides.

Just as she was about to refuse, the lobby manager's deliberately drawn-out voice rang in her ears: "Xiao Lin, you better do a good job. You need to provide excellent service to our big clients and not upset them."

"Your friend will continue to work here in the future. If you do well, your friend will also get a raise."

Lin Qingmian paused for a moment, but ultimately swallowed back the words of refusal that were on the tip of her tongue.

Although she got pocket money after marrying Ji Linzhou, she still barely made ends meet each month. She had to add the money from her own artwork to cover the high-interest loan.

She couldn't help Jiang Yao financially, nor could she hold her back in this kind of situation.

Taking a deep breath, she took the reservation slips for the Ji family from the lobby manager and forced a stiff smile at everyone: "Everyone, your private rooms are on the second floor, please follow me."

Seeing her skillful and enthusiastic demeanor, Chen Qiu scoffed lightly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes: "This job is quite suitable for you."

"Remember your place. You are only here to serve us. Don't even think about trying to climb up to people you're not good enough for."