Chapter 67: Jiang Ran Wants to Become Assistant Manager
Qin Kelian returned to Room 303. She told her sister Qin Yi about their failed attempt. After listening, Qin Yi merely narrowed her eyes while sipping her blood tea laced with sedatives. After pondering for a moment, she said:
"Little sister, it seems we've met our match this time."
Qin Kelian sighed and collapsed onto the sofa, peeling an orange. "Sis, let's not waste our energy on Jiang Ran. Aren't there other lab rats available this time? Several men we can target first!"
Qin Yi replied, "We can shift targets, but we can't give up on Jiang Ran. He's become a thorn in my side that must be removed."
Qin Kelian asked, "But the sedatives don't work on him! Should we try other methods?"
Qin Yi shook her head. "No need. Keep using sedatives and keep developing new formulas. I don't want to change my usual methods for dealing with men."
Qin Kelian curled up. To be honest, neither she nor her sister had ever used methods beyond drugging men first before acting.
Not to mention her sister, even she felt uncomfortable having someone next door who seemed like the natural enemy of their sister duo.
...
After Qin Kelian left, Jiang Ran continued typing on his keyboard until 5 PM. Finally getting some rest time, he went to the balcony to relax his eyes by looking into the distance. After stretching for five minutes, he returned to the sofa, reclining while playing with his phone. He opened WeChat and noticed someone had @mentioned him in the Alice Apartment residents' group chat. Upon checking, he saw it wasn't directed solely at him but @mentioned everyone in the group.
The @mention came from the apartment manager, Xiao Zhang. He had posted a job announcement:
"Notice: Alice Apartment urgently needs an assistant manager.
Job responsibilities: Assist apartment residents with various tasks, available on call.
Salary: 10,000 yuan per month, five-day work week with eight-hour shifts, includes social insurance and housing fund.
Work hours: 8 AM to 4:30 PM.
Requirements: Good health, enjoys labor, no bad habits or criminal record.
Education requirement: High school diploma.
Interested parties may inquire directly."
Jiang Ran read it silently, then his eyes suddenly lit up.
Damn! 10,000 yuan per month? Five days a week, eight hours a day, with benefits?
Currently working as an online store customer service rep, though he could work from home, he worked six days a week, twelve hours a day, for only 3,000-4,000 yuan take-home pay!
Compared to this assistant manager position, his current job was complete trash!
If he could get this job, he could quit the customer service gig immediately!
Excited by the thought, Jiang Ran started waving his arms around as if he'd already gotten the position. Instead of messaging Xiao Zhang, he rushed down to the first floor to inquire in person.
"Mr. Jiang Ran, you're saying you want to be the assistant manager?"
In the management office, Xiao Zhang had been playing with his phone when Jiang Ran burst in, asking if residents could apply for the position.
Jiang Ran: "Yes, can I do it?"
Manager Xiao Zhang: "Of course! I posted in the group specifically to see if any residents were interested, or if they knew someone who might want the job. After all, the early bird catches the worm!"
Jiang Ran: "Really? Am I the only applicant?"
He worried he might have to compete for the position, which would be troublesome.
Manager Xiao Zhang shook his head: "Nope, just you. If you're serious, go for a health check tomorrow. Bring me the report so I can check for any infectious diseases. If everything's clear, I'll process your employment paperwork."
Jiang Ran clapped his hands: "Thank you so much!"
Manager Xiao Zhang: "No problem! Serving residents is our duty as managers!"
Meanwhile, sighs filled the live stream room.
Middle-aged Uncle: [This Jiang Ran... I'm speechless. Wasn't being an online customer service rep good enough? Now he wants to be an assistant manager...]
Ultimate Rich Kid asked: [What's wrong with being an assistant manager?]
Middle-aged Uncle: [What's wrong? This apartment has hired assistant managers before - some were lab rats, others were psychopaths. Their endings all shared one thing in common: death.]
[The assistant manager's job is to handle whatever residents need - changing lightbulbs, fixing toilets, etc. Since this is a high-end apartment, unless requests are completely unreasonable, the assistant manager must fulfill them.]
[Because of this, the assistant manager gets forced into contact with too many residents.]
[Originally, Jiang Ran lived on the third floor. The old man in 301 was beaten into submission, scared of him like a mouse seeing a cat. Room 302 is currently empty. Those demoness sisters in 303 couldn't do anything to him either. Working as an online customer service rep, he stayed home all day with minimal contact with other residents.]
[Less contact means lower chances of getting killed. But now, if he becomes assistant manager and starts interacting with all those psycho residents everywhere, doesn't his death probability skyrocket?]
Ultimate Rich Kid pondered: [That makes sense, but why do you care?]
Middle-aged Uncle: [I bet 5 million on him. What do you think?]
Ultimate Rich Kid: [5 million? Even if you lose it, it's not that painful for you, right?]
Middle-aged Uncle: [True, but when watching livestreams and placing bets, who doesn't want to win? Even if I'd only bet 500,000, I'd still want to come out on top!]
Fairy Sister chimed in: [Jiang Ran has it worst among the lab rats. Others get their 10,000 yuan daily payout directly, but his gets donated as tips to his old comic works. For comics, royalties usually get paid monthly, including tips. So he only gets paid once a month. The key point is - a month is over four weeks! I'm afraid he might not live to collect it! If his daily 10,000 yuan went straight to his account, he probably wouldn't take this assistant manager job.]
Middle-aged Uncle: [No way around it. He didn't sign a contract to join - he got drawn in through some lucky draw. How could we justify sending 10,000 yuan daily directly to his account?]
...
After confirming the job with Manager Xiao Zhang, Jiang Ran happily returned to Room 304 to prepare for tomorrow's health check.
Time passed until 8 PM.
Xiao Q opened his bloodshot, exhausted eyes. He had dreamed of being locked in an ice cellar - so cold, without even Dream Girl from Tian Long Ba Bu to warm him, so he froze awake.
Upon waking, he was stunned. His surroundings completely defied expectations.
"Shouldn't I be lying in a hospital bed right now?!"
Xiao Q lifted his neck, moving his body, only to hear clanking sounds. Looking down, he saw black restraints around his neck, wrists and ankles, all connected by long, sturdy black chains to the wall.
Moreover, he realized he was lying on a cold concrete floor.
The only thing preventing complete panic was seeing Xiao Peng and Ke Bei nearby. Having company was always better than being alone.