✓𝐀𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 『𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑘𝑒𝑦 𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑔』

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 3

Burdens of Choices

"𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎"
-𝑮𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒘

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Ying Xiu takes a deep breath, steeling herself against the barrage of complaints. She knows she needs to handle this professionally, even if the customer on the other end seems determined to make it difficult.

"Sir, I understand your frustration, and I apologize for any inconvenience you've experienced. Let me assist you with your concern right away," she says, cutting through the tirade with calm determination.

The day had barely begun, yet Ying Xiu was already inundated with irate callers. Despite the barrage of calls, she refrains from responding with sass as she eagerly anticipates the delivery of noodles from Pigsy's. It had become her guilty pleasure, offering a welcome escape from the stress of her job. But now, with her wallet feeling lighter than air, she wonders if she should reconsider her spending habits.

"An order for miss Ying!" MK arrives from the elevator, shouting at the top of his lungs. Again, all burning eyes are on her. Ying Xiu ducked down to avoid any more of it, but raises an arm so that the delivery boy would notice where she is. He pulls off his headset and saunters over with the piping hot container of her choice of treat. "Here you go. One wàhn tān mihn with a side of spicy dumplings." She accepts with a grateful nod, trying to ignore the prying eyes of everyone around her.

"Thanks, MK," she says, her voice a quiet oasis amidst the cacophony of ringing phones and frustrated customers.

"Hello? HELLO?! WHY AREN'T YOU £€>^\*@$ ANSWERING?! Is this how customer service works for you %><%^\>=£€_<#%]£*!!!!!?! ¥€€]?%%£]*]*>?!!!!!!!"

MK's expression pales as he stares at the phone on the table, overwhelmed by the torrent of insults spewing from the caller on the other end. "That's... pretty harsh," was all he could say for her.

"It's just an every day thing. Don't mind it," Ying Xiu's smile wavers as her team leader approaches, but she quickly regains her composure, determined not to let her frustration show. "On the other hand, I'm sure you're pretty tight scheduled yourself, so why don't you rush off now. Oh and compliments to the chef!"

"Right, I should get going. Thanks for ordering Pigsy's Noodles," MK says their trademark quote after sensing her urgency as he too noticed the scowl that the man directs towards them. "I'll pass along your message to Pigsy. Let me know if you need more orders."

"Will do," Ying Xiu nods gratefully as MK heads off, her attention swiftly returning to the persistent caller on the line. With practiced efficiency, she addresses the customer's concerns while simultaneously bracing herself for the inevitable backlash.

MK flashes her a sympathetic smile before heading back to the elevator, leaving Ying Xiu to savor the brief moment of respite.

As her team leader approaches, the woman straightens up, ready to face whatever criticism may come her way. She knows she's doing her best under difficult circumstances, and she refuses to let anyone shake her confidence.

As Ying Xiu stepped through the threshold, she was met with a familiar meow from her feline companion. Despite her weary demeanor, a glimmer of affection sparked in her eyes as she acknowledged him, gently closing the door behind her. "Hey, Wonton."

Wonton sat regally at the entrance, his gaze fixed on Ying Xiu with an air of curiosity and anticipation. Slowly, she slipped off her heels, savoring the simple ritual of returning home.

In her arms, she carried an assortment of ready-to-eat packages, their contents spilling out of messily arranged plastic bags. "How come you only come home when I have new food around here? It's like you're leeching off of my joy," Although she knew he couldn't understand her words, the playful banter brought a sense of lightness to the moment. "Oh well, since you're here, we're having movie night!" Setting down the groceries, Ying Xiu scooped up Wonton, cradling him close to her chest with a tender smile.

He squirmed in discomfort, his silent protests evident in his body language. Despite his attempts to wriggle free, Ying Xiu's arms tightened around him like a cradled infant, leaving the reluctant cat feeling trapped.

"It definitely wasn't easy, but I finally got my paycheck. And just in time for the good deals from the market too," Ying Xiu remarked as she set the bags on the counter before retreating to her room. Placing Wonton on the dresser, she began to search for comfortable clothing. When she started getting undressed, the woman met with the unexpected sight of her feline companion bristling with fur, hissing at her before darting out of the bedroom.

Ying Xiu stared at her reflection in the mirror, puzzled by Wonton's reaction. "Am I that dreadful to look at?" she mused aloud, her brow furrowing in confusion. Emerging from the bedroom in a large hoodie and baggy sweatpants, she glared at him in an unhappy demeanor, "Happy now?"

The guilty cat responded with a small meow, his tense figure softened at a pang of guilt stirring at his insensitivity.

Ying Xiu's heart raced as she watched the intense scene unfold on the screen. Her favorite action genre never failed to captivate her, and she couldn't help but imagine herself in the shoes of the fearless protagonist facing down danger.

But as the tension reached its peak and the antagonist threatened the protagonist's wife, the woman felt a surge of anxiety knotting in her stomach. The adrenaline rush of a fight was one thing, but the thought of real danger and the consequences it carried made her a little queasy in the end.

"Daquan! This is the last straw, drop your weapon!" the authoritative voice of the protagonist echoed through the room.

Caught in the moment, Ying Xiu couldn't help but gasp as she watched the enemy use the protagonist's loved one as leverage.

"You left me no choice, Daquan. Surrender, or this woman will be beheaded right here, right now."

"You coward. You're going to use her against me. Have you no shame?!" the protagonist's voice rang out with righteous indignation.

The tension in the room was palpable as the standoff unfolded, leaving Ying Xiu on the edge of her seat, her mind racing with anticipation of what would happen next.

On the other hand, Wonton's restless energy led him outside the apartment, seeking solace in the cool night air.

As he gazed at the starless sky above, Sun Wukong wrestled with his inner turmoil, torn between the desire to protect and the fear of causing harm. He lay down on the rooftop above, wondering if the best course of action was to vanish entirely, sparing himself from the pain of their tangled destinies. The orange cat hopped up towards him and sat down, awaiting patiently for his orders. The simian sighs and turns away, his claws dug into the concrete as he grappled with the weight of his decisions, uncertain of the path that lay ahead.

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