When she practiced martial arts in the past, she had never joined any provincial or national teams, nor had she competed in major official tournaments.
In her era, even those who participated in national martial arts competitions could only earn a few thousand yuan in prize money.
Teaching martial arts classes at training schools provided a modest income.
Moreover, she lived in a traditional small town with very few job opportunities for martial arts talents.
She had never realized that the salary for a bodyguard could be this high.
Later, as her family wished, she got married and had children.
She became busy raising her eldest daughter and gradually neglected her career as a martial arts instructor.
The martial arts school she worked at also declined in popularity over the years.
By the time she became pregnant with her younger daughter, her husband spent all his time teaching martial arts.
The physical toll was significant, and they worried about potential health risks for their unborn child.
So, she quit her job.
“Boss…”
Her initial expectation was to find a job that provided food and accommodation, allowing her to save some money for an apartment in the city while persuading her mother to help take care of the younger child.
But she never expected that her first job opportunity would completely cover all her expenses.
And that Gu Zhaoping was even willing to help transfer her daughter to Haishi…
No
The more Mao Xinci thought about it, the more shocked she became.
She held the contract and did quick calculations in her mind.
For the first time, her brain worked rapidly, running various financial scenarios.
If she brought her daughter to Haishi, her salary would be enough to rent an apartment and hire a nanny to help take care of the younger one.
She had nothing to worry about anymore!
Mao Xinci was in disbelief.
She had previously explored the bodyguard market, but male bodyguards were in higher demand.
It was hard for her to find a job.
Being a bodyguard required time flexibility, frequent travel, and significant pressure.
As a mother of two, she couldn’t afford to travel around the country.
This time, she only made the decision to apply because she saw her daughter’s tear-streaked face.
“Do you have any other questions?” Gu Zhaoping asked.
Mao Xinci quickly wiped her eyes.
For a brief moment, she felt as if her fate had already changed.
“I just feel like… isn’t this salary a bit too high?”
Gu Zhaoping chuckled.
Who asks such things?
If you admit you think you’re overpaid, you’re just giving people a reason to lower your salary.
This woman was simple too simple.
But Gu Zhaoping liked that about her.
She had no tricks up her sleeve.
Her mind was straightforward.
She could perform well in a focused, single-threaded job like martial arts.
“Don’t ask such questions.
No matter who your future employer is, always believe that you’re worth it.”
Gu Zhaoping continued, “I saw Coach Gao’s records.
You were a national champion.
You have a commercial driver’s license and 20 years of driving experience.
At 39, you are in your prime.
You’ll be traveling everywhere with me, so this salary is standard.
You just never knew the real market value before.”
Huh?
Thirty-nine years old… still considered prime?
Mao Xinci was stunned.
She had been looking for a local job, but martial arts coaching required long hours.
In a small town with limited opportunities, whenever she applied for jobs, people would say she was too old.
She had never been exposed to the demand for female bodyguards.
Only in recent years had the market for female bodyguards emerged.
But during those years, she was deeply entrenched in her family life and had no chance to work or learn about it.
Sometimes, solutions are right in front of us.
But until the time is right, it feels like a foggy barrier prevents us from seeing them.
Without firsthand experience, we assume the costs are too high.
Only by actually taking the step forward can we see that challenges are surmountable, barriers are breakable, and costs are manageable.
Everything becomes clearer once you move forward.
A former national martial arts champion, still retaining great muscle mass and combat ability even after years away from competition…
If Mao Xinci had better self-awareness, she would have recognized her own value and immense potential.
But when life is in decline, confidence disappears.
She just wanted to have a job to start over again.
That was already considered lucky.
In her first step of job searching, she met Gu Zhaoping, who had the ability to evaluate.
Otherwise, Gu Zhaoping, observing her state, would think she was very likely to seek jobs that were far below her actual value, relying on more physical labor and longer hours in exchange for income.
That was what she thought she deserved.
Mao Xinci clenched the contract with her somewhat rough hands, wrinkling the paper slightly as if exerting great force.
Looking at the words, she was almost on the verge of tears.
“Alright, if you have nothing else to say, transfer your daughter’s school registration documents to my assistant, Xiao Zhao, as soon as possible.
She will check if there are any suitable schools in Haishi for the transfer.
However, transferring schools in Haishi is difficult.
For a better environment and resources, you may have to give up some things, so you need to be mentally prepared, okay?”
Gu Zhaoping glanced at her.
“It is also possible that the tuition fees will be expensive, requiring you to spend most of your salary to support her studies.
She might also struggle to keep up with the academic progress, or her classmates might not be friendly.
But in any case, I usually support a young girl moving forward.”
She looked at the schedule.
“In a few days, I have a program to shoot, and I need to stay in a manor for filming.
Before that, you must start working.
You have three days to handle everything.”
The arrangements were made efficiently, leaving no room for hesitation.
If it worked, it worked.
If it didn’t, someone else would be chosen.
Mao Xinci nodded firmly and raised her head with determination.
“Okay!”
She had just arrived in Haishi at noon, and by the evening, she had to go back.
She bought the earliest return ticket and ate a meal at KFC while waiting at the high-speed rail station.
She knew her eldest daughter loved it, but the girl rarely bought it for herself, thinking it wasn’t worth the cost.
She only ate it occasionally on weekends.
Her eldest daughter was very understanding and knew that supporting the family wasn’t easy.
Mao Xinci ate a burger, a pair of chicken wings, and a box of fries.
She also packed a bucket of wings and a burger for her daughter to take home.
On the high-speed train, the night scenery outside flew past rapidly.
The skyline of a first-tier city passed through her life.
Around her, people were chatting loudly.
She held the bucket of wings tightly on her lap.
Her phone screen lit up with an incoming call from her husband.
“Where have you been today?
Why haven’t you come back to cook?
Do I have to handle my own meal?”
“Your daughter is throwing some kind of tantrum.
She locked her door and didn’t say a word.
I’m not bothering with her anymore.
You can make her food yourself when you get back.”
“Alright.”
For the first time, Mao Xinci felt that her voice was so calm and indifferent.
She held the bucket of wings, which still seemed slightly warm.
“Do whatever you want.
Don’t worry about her.
Don’t worry about me.”
By the time the train arrived, it was already past midnight.
She got off and walked to the parking lot, unlocking her electric scooter.
In the night wind, the now-cold chicken wings still seemed to warm her stomach.
The wide road was empty.
As she rode through the wind, she felt an indescribable sense of freedom.
When she got home, the living room lights were off.
Feeling her way in the dark, she saw the table was a mess barbecue leftovers, cigarette ash, and beer bottles scattered everywhere, with no one cleaning up.
From the master bedroom came the sound of snoring mixed with the smell of alcohol.
A faint light seeped from under the door of the small bedroom next door.
The kitchen light flickered on for a moment.
The microwave hummed for two minutes.
Mao Xinci knocked on the door.
Her daughter let her in.
The girl sat at her desk with her back turned, studying under the glow of a desk lamp.
Her practice books and textbooks filled the entire table.
She had her hair tied in a ponytail, her thin back straightened, and was wearing a pink short-sleeved shirt.
When she heard her mother return, the girl paused for a moment, slightly tilting her head but not looking back.
She reached for a correction tape from the shelf and forcefully drew a line on her worksheet.
Suddenly, she smelled something and froze.
She sniffed the air, then quickly turned around.
Mao Xinci placed a bucket of wings and an already heated, unwrapped burger on a piece of paper in front of her.
The girl’s pupils shrank.
“We are leaving tomorrow.”
Mao Xinci said, “Tomorrow, we are moving to my boss’s place.”
The girl was stunned, her gaze quickly shifting from the burger to her mother.
“What boss?”
Her heart pounded.
The word “boss” had too many negative connotations in news and social issues.
Considering her mother’s age and situation, countless bad thoughts flooded her mind in an instant.
On one hand, she feared her mother had made some kind of sacrifice.
On the other, she was afraid she had been tricked into some scam.
Was it because of what she said yesterday?
A deep fear gripped her.
But Mao Xinci only placed a firm hand on her head.
The scent lingering between them in the night was not the heavy stench of smoke and alcohol.
It was the warm, salty aroma of freshly heated chicken wings.
“It’s Boss Gu.
A very good female boss.”