Gilded Rust - YiZhan

Chapter 10 - Empty Spaces

Returning to the counter, Yibo searched for a compost bin but couldn't find one. Still, he balked at the idea of throwing food in the trash. Then, a thought struck him. Mr. Xiao hadn't mentioned what he wanted for breakfast, but maybe he could cook the fish and serve it the next morning with congee.

For the next hour, Yibo explored the kitchen to find various condiments to create a marinade for the leftover fish which he salvaged from the sushi. He had no exact recipe, but he had a good command of flavours and knew that if not delicious, the food would at least be edible. If Mr. Xiao didn't like it, Yibo would eat it himself. As for the rice, he made a quick fried rice with it, using eggs and greens he found in the fridge. This would be his lunch. Satisfied with his work, he tidied up and located the ingredients he would need the following morning. When he checked his watch, it was already 9.

After searching for the light switch, he turned off the kitchen lights and went to the second floor to see if Mr. Xiao needed anything; he hadn't eaten much. However, the closed office door deterred Yibo from disturbing him. More importantly, he didn't want to rekindle the awkward dinner conversation. At the thought, he couldn't help but glance down the corridor at the angled door that led to Mr. Xiao's wife/brother's room. The man had been desperate to unburden himself, and Yibo felt a tinge of guilt. Should he have listened? He chased the question away. What the hell was he thinking? Other people's businesses always landed him in trouble. He should stay out of it. With this resolve, Yibo turned around and went to his room.

This time, he found the white cat perched on his desk. It blinked slowly at him when he entered the room but didn't move otherwise. Yibo went straight to her and petted her. She purred loudly.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, scratching under her chin. "Shouldn't you be with your master?"

The cat responded by rubbing her head against his arm. After a few more pets, the cat stretched, yawned, and jumped off the desk before trotting out of the room like she owned the place. Yibo smiled, warmth spreading across his chest. If the entire job went to shit as Manager Xi had predicted, at least he'd have Xiao Shuang to ease the torment.

With this thought in mind, he closed the door partially, leaving enough space for the cat to slip back inside. Then, he set out to put away his clothes. As he went through his belongings, he took the time to examine the gifts Mrs. Kim had given him. The sweaters looked warm and comfortable, and he had a hard time believing the t-shirts weren't brand new. The socks pleased him the most, as many of his old ones had been darned several times. When he opened the wardrobe to hang his suit jacket and trousers, Yibo found a bag of clothes at the bottom. Thinking that it had been left by the previous occupant, he took it out to set aside, but in the light, the fabric and pattern felt familiar. As he studied it closely, a wave of shame crashed over him. Yibo took out the sweater and stared at it. There was no mistaking it; he'd taken this from the lost and found and left it behind. A quick rummage through the bag confirmed that everything else inside had come from the hotel. How had Manager Xi found out? And how had these clothes ended up in Mr. Xiao's house?

Yibo flushed with shame. What had Manager Xi told Mr. Xiao? That he needed charity? Was this also why he'd hired him? Rich people liked virtue signalling by doing good deeds, so was Yibo his latest display of generosity?

Hands trembling, Yibo returned the sweater to the bag and sat on the bed, resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. His stomach churning, he took the ring out of his clothes and pressed its smooth, hard surface against his lips.

What the fuck is going on?

For the third time in one day, he'd lost control. Was this going to be the new normal? How could he function like this?