Chapter 29: The Staff Uniform
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 29: The Staff Uniform
I looked at the contract in my hand. The content was concise and seemed straightforward enough—certainly much simpler than a formal labor contract.
Still, I had absolutely no experience with this sort of thing, so I naturally hesitated before signing.
"What’s wrong? Don't trust the contract?" the senior sister asked. "Don't worry, the wording has to pass the Academy's inspection. If we tried to pull any fast ones, we’d be more nervous than you. It’s just a part-time contract; we wouldn't set a trap for you here. Besides, the Shopkeeper would kill me if I did!"
Under her repeated reassurances, I finally signed my name.
As soon as I finished the last stroke, the contract flared up as if by spontaneous combustion. There was a brief flash of light, and then it vanished, leaving not even a trace of ash behind.
I, on the other hand, was left jumping back in surprise.
At the same time, the full contents of the contract appeared in my mind. As long as I focused on the memory, every detail would surface clearly.
"Startled you, didn't it? That’s just how contracts work. You should have the contents memorized now, right?" The two leisurely senior sisters stood beside me, watching as I finished the process.
I had to admit, not a single customer had walked in this entire time. How did they even make money?
Regardless, I was more focused on the contract. This power was truly miraculous!
If I could write difficult study points onto a contract, wouldn't I be able to memorize them instantly? Unfortunately, I knew nothing about the principles behind these contracts, so I didn't know if I could cheat the system like that.
If it were possible, the method would surely be widespread by now. It probably wasn't something I needed to worry about.
"By the way, I saw your signature. Your name is Yang Yuehan, right? Let’s introduce ourselves properly. I’m Ying Shiqian, and she’s Tang Yihan." Ying Shiqian looked at me with a beaming smile, clearly ready to keep chatting, seemingly forgetting she was supposed to be working.
"I'm Tang Yihan. You can just call me Senior Sister Tang," Tang Yihan added from the side.
"Oh, right! You can call me Senior Sister Ying too," Ying Shiqian said. "Yang Yuehan, do you have a nickname that’s easier to say? Little Yang? Yuehan? Or maybe Xiao Han?"
"You can both just call me Xiao Han," I said quickly.
"Alright then, Xiao Han~ Hehe... Now that you're officially on the staff, you’ll need your uniform and a time card. Remember to clock in every time you come. Your pay is calculated based on your hours, so don't forget." Ying Shiqian stood up, appearing ready to go fetch those items for me.
"By the way, are you free right now? If you are, you can clock in and start your first shift today."
"I'm free! Definitely free!"
I nodded immediately. Looking at the state of the shop, there weren't any customers anyway. Of course I wanted to start milking the job as soon as possible. Getting paid to do nothing? Where else could I find such a sweet deal?
Plus, there was another perk to working here that I hadn't considered: employees were allowed to take home bread and cookies that were nearing their expiration dates!
And they provided meals during shifts. Granted, the "meals" had to be items from the shop, but as long as you were thick-skinned enough, you could eat the most expensive stuff—provided you weren't afraid of being caught by the Shopkeeper during a surprise inspection.
This was practically a dream job... What more could I ask for?
Before long, Ying Shiqian finished setting up my ID badge and handed it to me. This was my clock-in tool.
The bakery’s operating hours were from seven in the morning to eight at night. I could come in anytime during that window, though as a part-timer, I was required to hit a certain number of hours each week. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to maintain the appearance of a proper job.
Since I was paid by the hour, there was no base salary or attendance bonus.
"Xiao Han, come over here and pick out a uniform. If we have a size that fits, we won't have to get one custom-made." After handing me the badge, Ying Shiqian got busy again, this time focusing on the clothes.
I looked at the uniforms they were wearing. They were red, short-sleeved tops with a fairly formal cut, paired with a half-apron that looked like a skirt. It was a nice look, and it seemed easy to change into.
I followed Senior Sister Ying to the changing room in the back. The space back here was larger than it appeared from the outside, with neatly folded uniforms stacked in cabinets.
"Senior Sister Ying, why are there so many uniforms?" I asked. I had originally wanted to ask why they had so many sets when there were only two of them, especially since the sizes were all different.
"They were left behind by the juniors who used to work here. They’ve all moved on, leaving these behind," Ying Shiqian replied casually as she rummaged through a cabinet. "I remember a junior whose build was similar to yours. Let me look."
I stood quietly to the side without interrupting. As for wearing a hand-me-down, I didn't mind at all. It wasn't like it was my everyday clothes; it was just for work.
Besides, I wasn't the one losing out. These were clothes previously worn by senior sisters, and so far, I hadn't seen a single "ugly" senior sister in the entire Witch Academy.
"Found it! Xiao Han, try this on."
I took the uniform. It was clean and had no odor, looking very well-preserved. Even though they were just kept in simple cabinets, I could see the flow of transcendent energy through my Spirit Vision. There was likely some spell I didn't know about maintaining them.
"Thank you."
After a brief word of thanks, I prepared to try it on.
"Wait, let me find a few more sets. Take your time. Here, this cabinet will be yours to keep your work clothes in from now on. I’ll head out first~"
Seeing her leave so hurriedly, I couldn't help but smile. Even though the uniform was easy to put on, I still had to take off my shirt.
She probably thought I’d be self-conscious about it.
From that perspective, Senior Sister Ying was actually quite nice—the type who was good at looking after others.
I quickly changed into the outfit. Once I tied the half-apron, I felt a sudden surge of motivation to get to work in the kitchen!
I didn't know how to bake bread yet, but I knew how to stir-fry. Unfortunately, that skill was probably useless in a bakery.
I adjusted my collar. Once I put on the bright red top, I realized the color was actually a bit deeper than it looked—more like a burgundy or wine red.
However, I seemed to be missing a hat. I noticed Senior Sister Tang Yihan was wearing one.
I stepped out of the changing room, my pace a bit hesitant. After all, I had only just met the two senior sisters. Stepping out in a new outfit felt much more awkward than it did around Sister Bai.
"Oh~ Xiao Han looks great in that!"
"Right? I’m the one who picked it out for her!" Ying Shiqian said, sounding like she was bragging.
"Hmph. All the uniforms are the same style; what are you taking credit for?"
"What's wrong with taking credit? Yihan, you should just go back to dealing with your dough~"