Previously mentioned to everyone in Qiqi, after the May Day holiday, I was ready to go back to work. I chose to deliver takeout as a last resort.

Actually, before making this choice, I asked my family in advance. Even though my parents call me lazy when I'm not moving at home and criticize me for being clumsy when helping out, I am still their own flesh and blood. Today, my mom suddenly changed her mind and said she doesn't agree with me delivering takeout. After all, in Foshan, although the level of development is not as high as in Guangzhou or Shenzhen, the traffic during rush hours is still heavy.

Whether it's "Don't call mom when you're hungry" or "Yellow Kangaroo," any delivery platform's rider sees time as money, even as life itself. Because a single bad review can ruin the day's performance, a rider receiving a bad review might be due to the merchant being unhappy with their attitude, or the buyer not receiving their goods because the rider was delayed. Therefore, during the delivery, riders can't afford to think too much, braving the sun and rain, battling strong winds, riding their small electric bicycles, weaving through streets and alleys.

Sometimes, they encounter slow-reacting pedestrians or drivers with severe road rage; one careless moment could lead to hitting the former or being hit by the latter. This is what worries my mother.

My boyfriend once mentioned that his grandmother was hit by a delivery rider on the road. Since the elderly lady was walking slowly, she fell to the ground. Fortunately, the rider kindly took her to the hospital and treated her head injury, and the family did not pursue responsibility out of understanding for the rider's difficult life. If it were the latter case, the fear would be that the driver might flee the scene. My parents probably wouldn't want me to become a "Little Yueyue." Even if I received support, if help didn't arrive in time, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Because of the situation mentioned at the beginning of the article, over time, I would feel suppressed. At first, I thought about setting up a stall to sell some simple and delicious drinks.

When my boyfriend and I first met, I often shared things happening around me with him. Sometimes I would also tell him about my worries and difficulties. He could indeed provide me with emotional support. So, my boyfriend shared with me how to purchase raw materials, how to store and handle them, what size cups to prepare, what length and size straws to buy, and how to collect payments. This is why we could come together; even though he doesn't follow Korean and Thai idol stars, and I don't watch martial arts films or pay much attention to current affairs, we still find common ground.

However, my mother believes that this won't make money, so that idea was shelved. I actually hope to run a business with my boyfriend in the future, as he has the skills and experience, and his insights and understanding of the products are particularly valuable. After all, he has a full-time bachelor's degree, and compared to an average beverage shop worker, he has a better understanding and higher knowledge level, so we share the same thoughts.

The reason I listen to my mother is that I have no other choice. Without the living expenses my mother gives me, I wouldn't have spare money to buy a drink while shopping or to indulge in some snacks. Later, due to anemia and gastritis, I, being small and weak, chose to deliver takeout. After all, my experience over the years has shown me that these are the only job options available to me.

Now that my mother has changed her mind and doesn't want me to deliver takeout, I can only sigh in helplessness; the palm is flesh, and the back of the hand is also flesh.