Chinese → English transcript

Do not get too close with anyone in service jobs. Do not chat idly with them,

like technicians,

couriers, food delivery workers, and so on.

Let me share a real case from the last couple of days. You all know I live alone,

I live in Shanghai.

Actually, I live pretty comfortably on my own.

My impression of Shanghai is that everyone is very indifferent to each other.

My neighbor across the hall and I are both from Shandong,

from the same city but different districts.

But we are still very distant with each other.

We have not even added each other on WeChat.

I have known my landlord for two or three years, and we have never had a chat.

In this city, everyone is just busy making money.

I thought that once I got out of that backward, remote place of mine,

I would be safe. I kept saying,“ This is Shanghai, who would dare rip me off?”

But then I got a harsh reality check.

You all know I am the type who enjoys life and never shortchanges myself.

In September, I went to a foot spa place.

It was a place where you could get a spa and a foot bath. At the time,

I thought the place seemed quite professional, and the environment was decent.

So I topped up 3,000 yuan.

Because I still had a prepaid card at Zheng Yuanyuan,

I was using this card more slowly. After two or three months,

there was still about 1,000 yuan left on it.

When I had nothing to do, I would even chat a bit with the technician.

I am usually pretty careless and straightforward,

the kind with a kind- hearted personality. I am just a more outgoing type.

After I got familiar with that technician, and while I still had money on the card…

One day I went for a massage again,

and the technician’s service was especially thorough.

After the massage, he said,“ Why don’t you top up some more?

I have not met my performance target.” I thought, that sounds fine.

I was going to come here regularly for massages anyway, and it is close to my home.

So I transferred another 3,000 yuan to him.

You can guess what happened, right? In just a few days… The technician went

back to his hometown and said he would not be back for four months.

Then the shop changed its name, and later when I asked,

they said it had changed owners. I tried going there a few more times.

The technicians they recommended were honestly beyond words.

It was not even as comfortable as rubbing my own feet.

Look, I am a woman living alone,

I really cannot just go to his shop by myself to demand a refund.

Besides, the shop has already changed owners.

That technician knew very well that the shop was about to close.

He deliberately got me to top up,

just so he could take the commission.

Do not take the initiative to show kindness,

and do not make small talk with people who serve you.

In real life, you must learn to keep a straight face and state your demands. Why?

I’m the one paying, we’re in a buyer- seller relationship.

Providing the service is exactly what you’re supposed to do.

No small talk is needed, and no need to be overly polite.

Remember, you don’t need to come across as too easygoing and friendly.

As long as you come across as polite and friendly…

the more you chat and get familiar with them,

the more perfunctory they’ll become with you.

Even if they are not outright scamming you, they’ll feel you’re easy to fool.

Even if you’re just getting a haircut,

a foot massage, or going to a karaoke club, it’s all the same.

Honestly, this realization really turned my worldview upside down.

My parents kept reminding me every day to get along well with people outside.

But in reality that is wrong, truly wrong, it will end up hurting you.

If you’re too easygoing, they lose sight of their proper place.

Then they start cutting corners in their work.

If I had set up an image of being someone who is not easy to deal with from the

start, with 1,000 yuan still left in my account, why would I have topped up more?

I could have avoided all those traps that came later.

Because a bit later I would have seen that the name on his storefront

had already changed. Let this be a warning.