Chapter 91: I’ll Cry for You to See

When Qin Yiren discussed the meteor shower package with her colleagues, her hidden agenda was to invite Shen Yanming on a group outing, hoping to spend more time with him. 

As she extended the invitation to Shen Yanming, she deliberately overlooked the presence of Bi Qiao’an, assuming he would make the decision independently.

To her surprise and disappointment, Shen Yanming turned to Bi Qiao’an, seeking her input before responding. 

Sensing Qin Yiren’s expectant gaze, Shen Yanming quickly addressed her, “Qin Yiren, thank you for telling us about this. However, we previously made plans with a few friends to go on a trip. I’d like to consult them first to see if they’d like to go to Qingli Mountain. If you don’t mind, perhaps we can all go together.”

Masking her disappointment behind a graceful smile, Qin Yiren replied, “Of course, that’s not a problem at all. The more, the merrier! If your friends decide to join, I’d be happy to assist with their registration.”

Shen Yanming nodded and promptly sent a message to the small WeChat group he had created with Zhang Heping, Ji Kangyong, and Li Zhaozhao to gauge their interest.

Meanwhile, Qin Yiren turned her attention back to her other colleagues, extending the invitation to anyone else who might be interested in the trip.

As Shen Yanming was engrossed in his messaging, Director Zhu Shiliang entered the office to retrieve some documents from him.

Noticing the lively atmosphere, Zhu Shiliang greeted everyone with a warm smile. “What’s got you all so animated? It seems like an exciting discussion!”

Unfazed by the presence of the leadership figure, Qin Yiren eagerly shared the topic with Zhu Shiliang. “Director, we’re in the midst of planning a fun getaway for the National Day holiday. Qingli Mountain has launched an enticing meteor shower package, and we think it’s an excellent opportunity. I’m currently compiling a list of interested participants.”

“A meteor shower package? How intriguing! It sounds quite novel!” Zhu Shiliang remarked, initially mistaking it for a culinary experience featuring star-shaped delicacies.

Seizing the opportunity, Qin Yiren passionately promoted the wonders of Qingli Mountain and the anticipated Taurids meteor shower to Zhu Shiliang. Without hesitation, the director requested Qin Yiren to reserve five spots for him and his family.

Wei Qin playfully teased Zhu Shiliang, “Director, I didn’t expect you to join these youngsters in the fun.”

Zhu Shiliang laughed off the comment, retorting with a grin, “Are you implying that I’m not young? I’ll have you know that I’m only thirty-five, the epitome of a young man!”

Despite his confident declaration, Zhu Shiliang felt a tinge of embarrassment. While he was indeed still young, there was no denying the age gap between himself and the twenty-something colleagues like Qin Yiren. Nonetheless, he justified his decision, stating, “A meteor shower is a rare occurrence, and I want to seize this chance to witness it with my family.”

Chen Qing, noticing that Qin Yiren had omitted the crucial detail of the package’s cost, quickly interjected, “Director, just to clarify, the price per person is 20,000 yuan.”

Cui Xian, a senior colleague in the management bureau, said with a laugh, “Don’t worry about it. The Director has money!”

Zhu Shiliang’s eyebrows raised in surprise upon hearing the price. “That’s certainly not cheap!”

Qin Yiren rubbed her nose sheepishly, explaining, “Well, the scenic spot has a limited capacity of 10,000 visitors, so there’s no crowding. You can explore however you like!”

Recalling the suffocating crowds during previous National Day holidays, Zhu Shiliang shuddered at the thought. “Alright, 20,000 it is. Could you please inquire if they charge for a four year old child and if registration is required? My family consists of four adults and one child.”

“Sure!” Qin Yiren replied with a smile, settling down to privately message the Weibo administrator of Qingli Mountain for further details.

The older staff members in the management bureau, well-acquainted with Director Zhu’s financial standing, couldn’t resist teasing him.

“Director, you’re casually spending a year’s worth of income in a single week!”

“Director, I suddenly discovered a tycoon. Is it too late for me to start currying favor?”

Zhu Shiliang took the good-natured ribbing in stride, responding with a philosophical quote, “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying!”^[1]“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying!” is a line from the poem “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by the English poet Robert Herrick. The poem … Continue reading

One colleague playfully challenged him, “Director, I don’t believe that poem is meant to be interpreted in this context.”

Zhu Shiliang chuckled, “No? I think it’s quite fitting, actually. Haven’t you all witnessed the profound changes in Qinghua Country over the past six months?

The recent weather conditions have been the most favorable we’ve experienced in the past year. If we don’t seize this opportunity to venture out and explore, we may not have another chance in the foreseeable future.

Who can predict with certainty when the next drought will strike or what other calamities may lie ahead?

While circumstances are still relatively stable, let’s go out and take a walk. Let the elderly create memories without regrets, and let the children cherish these joyful moments. As for money, it can always be earned again after it’s spent!”

With those parting words, Zhu Shiliang departed, documents in hand, leaving a profound impact on his colleagues.

His words resonated deeply with many of them, prompting introspection. They had been diligently working, earning, and saving money, but what if, in the face of an uncertain future, the value of money diminished?

What’s the most painful thing in the world? The money is still there, but the person is gone.

Ahem, that’s not quite right. The most painful thing is that you’ve saved money for so many years, reluctant to spend it on food or clothing. Just when you think you can finally live a comfortable life, you suddenly discover that money is useless, and you’ve become a penniless wretch again.

Inspired by Director Zhu’s perspective, many colleagues engaged in discussions with their families after work. Many people agreed with Director Zhu’s opinion and decided to go out and relax during the holiday.

Of course, only a few were willing to go to Qingli Mountain.

Upon returning home, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an received calls from Li Zhaozhao and Ji Kangyong, confirming their availability for the trip and requesting Shen Yanming’s assistance with the registration process.

Zhang Heping, on the other hand, directly knocked on Shen Yanming’s door and flopped on the sofa, feeling hopeless. “Why can you all go on a trip?”

Shen Yanming inquired, “What, you can’t?”

“Didn’t we agree earlier to find a nearby scenic spot? Who knew you’d end up going so far? I only requested three days off from my boss. Tell me, how can I go?” Zhang Heping looked at Shen Yanming with a face full of resentment.

“Is work still that busy recently?” 

Zhang Heping sighed. “No, the temperature has dropped in the past two days, and there are fewer people suffering from heatstroke. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t even be able to take those three days off.”

“Go back and work hard. Maybe your boss will grant you the holiday, or discuss with your colleagues to see if someone can cover your shift.” 

“I’ll give it a shot. I hope my boss will approve my leave this time.” Zhang Heping replied, then looked up at Shen Yanming with a hopeful expression. “I heard that the place you’re going has meat and fruit?”

Shen Yanming nodded. “I called the scenic spot, and they said they only supply them to customers who signed up for the meteor shower package.”

Zhang Heping reached out, grasping Shen Yanming’s arm, and gazed at him with a pitiful, teary-eyed expression. “Darling, if I can’t get time off, please take pity on me and bring back some of that delectable meat and fruit. I’m not asking for much, just a mere few hundred pounds. Oppa, promise me?” 

Exasperated by Zhang Heping’s overly dramatic antics, Shen Yanming retorted, “Who are you trying to disgust? Speak like a normal person! I’m not sure about the specific supply situation there. I’ll talk about it when I arrive. If possible, I’ll definitely bring more for you, but don’t even think about a few hundred pounds. I can’t carry that much!”

What Shen Yanming left unsaid was, ‘Your compact fridge at home can’t even hold a few hundred pounds of meat. It would’ve spoiled before you could even finish eating it. That would be a tragic waste of food.’

Zhang Heping pouted and let go of Shen Yanming’s arm. “You don’t care about me anymore. I’m telling you, you have to bring me at least 100 pounds of meat. I’ll also ask Old Ji to bring me 100 pounds, and Zhaozhao to bring me another 100 pounds. If you guys don’t bring it for me, I’ll cry for you to see!”

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