Su Ya's words struck Yang Jian to the core.
"Do not preach to others about goodness without experiencing their suffering." What Yang Jian saw as degradation and shame was merely the helplessness of others in the face of life. His perception of Su Ya changed instantly.
"Haven't you considered tutoring or other part-time jobs?" Yang Jian asked, unable to shake his curiosity despite his sympathy.
Su Ya gave a wry smile. "Do you think part-time jobs are that easy to find? Take tutoring, for example. Hancheng is teeming with high schools, with over a million university students. The competition for tutoring positions is fierce. And not everyone is cut out to be a tutor. Without good communication and teaching skills, who would hire you?"
"That's true. Passing university exams doesn't mean you can teach students."
"Furthermore, even if you can teach, people will base your pay on the reputation of your university. We're just a second-tier university. Above us are first-tier institutions, Project 211 universities, and Project 985 elite universities. Students from those schools have a competitive edge as tutors and command higher wages, some reaching two hundred yuan per hour."
"That's so high. What about you?"
"We're lucky if anyone even wants us. Thirty to fifty yuan for two classes is common, and it's not a daily occurrence. That barely covers basic living expenses, but I have to help my family. Tutoring simply can't sustain my life."
Yang Jian handed her two tissues. "How much do you earn in a night at the karaoke bar?"
"Thank you." Su Ya took the tissues and wiped her tears. "Everyone's income varies. Our appearance fee is two hundred yuan per session. That's our base salary; we get it when we appear, not when we don't. For instance, if you hadn't wanted me last night, I wouldn't have earned anything. Of course, if we're lucky, we might have two or three sessions in a night, earning four to six hundred yuan in base salary."
Yang Jian nodded. "That's indeed quite a high salary. We only recently had our pay increased to a hundred yuan a day working on construction sites. So, when your boss paid you mid-way yesterday, that was extra income?"
"Yes. Besides the appearance fee, we also receive tips from customers. Sometimes, when customers are drunk or hallucinating, they'll give us three to five hundred, or even over a thousand. The most I've ever received was two thousand yuan. Do you know what two thousand yuan means to me?"
This question stumped Yang Jian, who didn't know what she was trying to convey.
"My mother works herself to death farming, and her annual income is only four to five thousand yuan. Two thousand yuan is equivalent to almost half a year's income for her. Do you think this society is fair? The wealthy spend money like water, with a single night's consumption costing anywhere from seven to eight thousand, or even forty to fifty thousand. Meanwhile, we rural folk can't earn that much in a year even if we don't eat or drink."
This astonished Yang Jian. "Forty to fifty thousand in one night?"
"Yes, the spending in the clubs is very high. Take your group last night, for example. The private room alone cost eighteen hundred yuan, and that three-liter bottle of foreign liquor was three thousand yuan. A bottle of beer is sixteen yuan, a bottle of soda is twenty yuan, and we female hostesses each get three hundred and eighty yuan."
"Three hundred and eighty? Didn't you say you get two hundred?"
"Customers pay three hundred and eighty, but we only receive two hundred. The rest is divided among the club and intermediaries. However, tips are all ours. So, our primary income comes from tips. Additionally, if we're lucky, there's another source of income: bringing customers in to book rooms for consumption."
"You bring customers in to consume?"
"Yes. While we're entertaining, some customers develop feelings for us and leave their contact information. Frankly, they want to date us. Then, on their second visit, they'll proactively contact us to book rooms. For this, we get a commission on the drinks consumed. This income is very high, usually over a thousand, even tens of thousands. The more the customer spends, the more commission we get."
Only now did Yang Jian understand why so many young girls were seen on Xige Street. Their income was indeed terrifying.
Yang Jian suddenly thought of a sensitive question. "So, do you offer services that involve spending the night with customers?"
To his surprise, Su Ya answered without hesitation. "Yes. During the entertainment, customers often make this request. However, the hostesses cannot agree on their own; it requires coordination with the club or intermediaries. This is to ensure the hostesses' safety and also to control them."
"Control you?"
"Yes. If a customer makes this request, they have to pay the club two thousand yuan, and the hostess only receives eight hundred. Don't look at me with that scornful gaze. I've never done such a thing. Although I desperately need money, I still have a basic bottom line. I will save my most precious possession for my future husband."
Yang Jian felt embarrassed and quickly changed the subject. "I didn't mean it like that. So, you've decided not to work in this industry anymore. How will you manage your living expenses?"
"I have money. I've been in this line of work for half a year and have saved over a hundred thousand yuan, which is enough to support me until I graduate from university."
Yang Jian was startled. "Over a hundred thousand? You saved that much?"
Su Ya remained calm. "Yes, this job really brings in money quickly, but it's very dangerous. As you said, one wrong step and you could become addicted to drugs. Plus, you have to drink every day, which is very damaging to your health. Honestly, it was your appearance that made me decide to quit."
"Me? How is that possible? You didn't even know me before."
"You are the only man I've met in the past six months in this industry who has acted with such integrity. I've encountered countless customers. The vast majority turn into ravenous wolves the moment they enter this place, all lechers, eager to cling to women. There are also some who pretend to be virtuous, appearing upright at first, but after a few drinks or a little temptation, their true colors are revealed, making them even more lustful and shameless than others. You, despite your colleagues' dissuasion and my own temptations, remained true to your principles. You didn't drink, didn't gamble, didn't take 'fruits,' and didn't take advantage of me. Honestly, at that moment, I was a little moved by you and decided that I must marry a man like you and quit this industry."
Yang Jian's face turned red. This was the first time a girl had confessed to him directly.
"Don't misunderstand. I wasn't moved by you as a person, but by your actions. I actually wanted to quit a long time ago because this job is too damaging to my health, and most importantly, it interferes with my studies. Working at night leaves me with no energy for classes during the day. If this continues, I won't be able to graduate."
Yang Jian felt awkward again. "Ahem, I didn't misunderstand. By the way, how did you get into this industry?"
"Through a certain classifieds website. My initial goal was to find a part-time job. Unexpectedly, during the interview, I met an intermediary who was professionally involved in this industry. After some brainwashing, I became his tool for making money. Of course, I received generous returns. This was just part-time for me; I didn't go every day. Those who work full-time earn even more, with many girls earning tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands a month. Many girls buy cars and houses in the city. This is also a significant reason for the increasing number of single men in rural areas."
By this point, Su Ya no longer showed any signs of unease or shame, clearly not regretting her experiences.