He could tell that Emily Clark wasn’t in the mood to take a part-time job outside because her parents had just passed away.

“So how are you planning to spend these two-plus months of summer vacation? You can’t possibly stay home reading every day.” William Clark softened his tone, glancing upstairs. “A friend told me this morning that the presence of death around us should make us realize how miraculous and incredible life is, so we cherish every day we’re alive even more. I think that makes a lot of sense.”

Emily Clark was silent for a moment before saying, “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll go to the gym, go hiking, travel. Just mind your own business. If you can’t manage yourself, I can help you, but don’t try to manage me.”

“Alright.” William Clark finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Actually, I just can’t find a cashier for the front desk right now, and I can’t handle everything alone, so I wanted to ask if you could help out so I can get a break.”

“……” Emily Clark was speechless. “Did you really have to beat around the bush?”

“Will you consider it?”

Emily Clark didn’t nod right away but looked up at him.

This guy had deep dark circles under his eyes, his skin looked sallow and dry, and what was once a pretty good-looking face now looked exhausted, making him seem completely worn out.

Ever since that accident, it seemed like he hadn’t had a proper rest. After dealing with the funeral, there was compensation to handle, then all the paperwork for the inheritance transfer. Preparing for the hotel’s opening wasn’t easy either—he had to schedule meetings with the website’s regional manager, sign agreements, search everywhere for a laundry service that was both affordable and good, make himself breakfast in the morning before heading out, and come back to cook for himself at lunch and dinner…

William Clark never talked about these things, but Emily Clark knew all of it.

And she wasn’t sure if he, like her, suffered from insomnia every night and often dreamed of their parents.

“Fine, you do look pretty pitiful with that overindulged face. If your attitude improves a bit, I might consider helping.” Emily Clark composed herself and said coldly, “Forget about the salary. Once you find a cashier, I’m done.”

William Clark was stunned for a moment, then forced a smile so fake even he found it disgusting, and called out, “Then I’ll leave it to you, little sister~~”

Emily Clark’s face instantly darkened. “Gross!”

“……”

“Alright, I can consider helping you at the front desk, but you have to make sure the meals are good every day. Whatever I want to eat, you can’t skimp!” Emily Clark demanded firmly.

“Huh? Front desk??”

“……” Emily Clark’s expression turned cold. “Besides that, I want sixty yuan a day!”

William Clark was taken aback: “Didn’t you just say you didn’t want a salary?”

“That’s because you said I’d be at the front desk!”

“You’re being unreasonable! You’re the one who said it!”

“Eighty.”

“You… you’re raising the price now!” William Clark was exasperated. “If I hired a cute, delicate, pretty JK girl for a summer part-time job, it’d be at most fifteen hundred a month. It’s not even hard work—most of the time you’ll just be sitting here reading or playing on your phone.”

“JK?”

“High school girl,” William Clark explained, sizing her up. “You used to be one too, but you just expired.”

“Then go find your JK!” Emily Clark’s delicate face seemed to be covered with a thin layer of frost. She put down her chopsticks. “I’m done eating. I’m leaving.”

“Alright, alright, eighty!” William Clark sighed. “Just think of it as your pocket money.”

Emily Clark’s face darkened again. Hearing that tone made her want to rush over and bite him, but seeing the exhaustion on his face, she held back.

William Clark spent about ten minutes teaching Emily Clark how to use the front desk equipment and the website backend. He wanted her to do a practice run, but she impatiently waved him off.

“Enough, do you think I’m as dumb as you? Go to sleep, room 203!” Emily Clark frowned. “With all those bloodshot eyes, stop wandering in front of me—it’s like watching a horror movie!”

“……”

William Clark took out the trash before heading upstairs.

He had planned to go to sleep—he was exhausted—but he was afraid of another sleepless night, so he walked to room 202 across the hall and knocked on Old King’s door.

Inside, Old King’s aged voice quickly responded, “Come in.”

“……” William Clark took out the master key card, swiped open the door, and pushed it open. “Master Mage, the hotel’s smart lock can’t be opened from the outside without a room card…”

He stopped mid-sentence, stunned. “Master, what are you doing?”

Old King was sitting by the window, bathed in the light of dusk streaming through the glass. On his knees was his tattered robe, and in his hands, he held a needle and thread, carefully pushing the needle through one end of the robe and pulling it out the other…

“Hmm?” Old King looked up at him, a bit puzzled—don’t Earthlings know how to mend clothes?

“Do you need me to get you a pair of reading glasses or something?” William Clark asked, forcing a smile, showing concern.