Chapter 36

Zhou Sujin got busy with his laptop in the car. He had to catch up on two hours of work that he missed due to the wedding and seeing off his family at the airport. The backlog from the engagement party yesterday was still there.

After replying to his assistant Yang Ze’s email, he took the opportunity while drinking water to call Zhou Jiaye. He intended to convene an emergency board meeting before the Chinese New Year to decide on reducing their stake in Xinming Semiconductor and increasing investment in Jiang’an Group.

“Aren’t you getting married today? Why are you still working?” Zhou Jiaye asked.

“Is there a conflict between getting married and working?” Zhou Sujin quickly returned to the topic, “Arrange the meeting for this Thursday or Friday if possible. Notify everyone now.”

Today was Monday, and his younger brother and Wei Lai had just gotten married. It was reasonable to give him a few more days off.

Zhou Jiaye asked, “Aren’t you going to stay in Jiangcheng for a few more days? The meeting isn’t urgent; it can wait until next Monday.”

“No need,” Zhou Sujin said. He put his water glass back into the cup holder. “I’m busy.”

Zhou Jiaye wanted to say a few more words, but the call was already hung up.

As soon as he landed in Beijing, he and his mother took a business car back to the city.

Ning Rujiang knew a little about Xinming Semiconductor. It was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Xinming Group, and Xinming Group had considerable strength in Jiangcheng, second only to Wen Changyun, the richest man in the city.

She shared her thoughts with her eldest nephew, “Whether it’s reducing our stake or canceling the investment plan, we need to be cautious. We’ve invested so much money, and it may not come back.”

“You don’t understand him. If the money makes him uncomfortable, he won’t make any profit,” Ning Rujiang said.

Ning Ruzhen didn’t know who controlled Xinming Semiconductor, but Ning Rujiang didn’t make it clear either. She took out her phone and checked. When she saw that the chairman’s surname was Zhang, she suddenly realized.

Wei Lai’s ex-boyfriend was named Zhang Yanxin and almost became the owner of the watch. The chairman should be Zhang Yanxin’s father.

She closed the search page. “Jiaye, doesn’t your brother have a new watch? Is it worth collecting? I see him wearing it often.”

“Where’s the collectible value?”

Ning Ruzhen smiled and didn’t ask any further.

She glanced at her sister, indicating that there was no collectible value.

Ning Rujiang sent a message to her sister: [Sujin is dignified and generous. By continuing to wear this watch, he wants to tell Wei Lai that although the watch was given to him by his ex-boyfriend, he doesn’t mind.]

Ning Ruzhen: “…”

Meanwhile, in Jiangcheng.

Zhang Yanxin took the day off today and was waiting for a call from Secretary Liu in his study.

He couldn’t suppress the strong desire to know. An hour ago, he asked Secretary Liu to find out what kind of watch Wei Lai gave him and who currently had it. According to Wei Lai’s personality, she wouldn’t keep the watch after breaking up, so he wanted to buy it back.

He heard that she got married today.

Suddenly, the phone on the table vibrated, and Zhang Yanxin quickly picked it up.

[Zhang, that watch has been on the waiting list for seven months, and a new batch has just arrived.]

Secretary Liu continued cautiously, [It’s currently in Zhou Sujin’s hands.]

He opened the picture of the watch, and it was the one Zhou Sujin often wore.

Zhang Yanxin held the phone, unable to recover for a long time.

Back at the office, Wei Lai sat down in front of her computer and got busy. When she looked up again, it was already two hours later.

As her mother passed by her door, she realized something and turned back.

“Wei Lai, why did you come to the office? You silly child.”

When Cheng Minzhi entered, she couldn’t help but scold her daughter a few words.

“It’s just getting a certificate. Tonight, I’ll have dinner with Zhou Sujin to celebrate.” Wei Lai kept staring at the computer screen, feeling her eyes getting tired. She tilted her head back and dropped a few eye drops into her eyes.

With the management team currently short-staffed, everyone was working overtime. She couldn’t go out for dinner and drinks at a time like this.

“Mom, how’s the recruitment on your end going? Have you found anyone suitable?”

“There are two candidates, and one of them has an impressive resume. His name is Chen Qi.”

Wei Lai remembered the name Chen Qi and closed the bottle of eye drops, quickly wiping away the eye drops that had dripped onto her face with a tissue.

“Have you notified them of the interview?”

“It’s scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at 2:30.”

“I’ll be there too.”

Wei Lai’s desk was piled high with various reports, and her computer keyboard was also covered. She pulled her phone out from under a stack of documents.

“I’m going to have dinner with Zhou Sujin.”

She stood up and grabbed her coat from the back of the chair as she walked.

Cheng Minzhi looked at her daughter’s desk. The computer wasn’t turned off, and all the reports and documents on the desk weren’t organized. She didn’t even bring her bag, just her phone.

“Did you have dinner and still come back to work overtime?”

“Yes, there are things to deal with tomorrow.”

Cheng Minzhi walked out of the office with her daughter in front and behind, feeling very helpless. “It’s your wedding day today.”

“Zhou Sujin is also working overtime.”

“…”

Wei Lai turned her head and hugged her mother with a smile. “Mom, I’ll go down first.”

Cheng Minzhi locked the office door for her daughter, then turned around. With her daughter’s hands in the coat pockets, she had already reached the stairs in three quick steps, quickly blocked by the wall, and couldn’t be seen.

Then she heard the rapid sound of footsteps going down the stairs.

Zhou Sujin was in the car attending a video meeting. He welcomed Wei Lai to join the chat, talking about various topics related to novels and gossip. He went to stroll inside the supermarket. The supermarket kept playing joyful songs related to the New Year on loop. At his age, he loved listening to these songs.

Wei Lai walked to the back seat of the Bentley by herself, bending down to look through the window. She could vaguely see the silhouette of the person inside. She lightly tapped the car window with her fingers.

Hearing the sound, Zhou Sujin suddenly turned his head. She was smiling at the car, her eyelashes seeming to be wet and sparkling. She was still wearing the camel-colored wool coat, but she had changed her clothes inside. In the morning, she wore a white shirt for the registration, and in the office, she changed into a caramel-colored turtleneck sweater that matched her coat.

He muted the microphone and rolled down the car window. “I’m in a meeting.”

Wei Lai pointed to the supermarket. “Then I’ll go in and browse. Call me when you’re done.”

These days, she was too busy to patrol the store, so now she would consider it as store patrolling.

Before she even stepped into the supermarket, she heard the lively sound of gongs and drums from the speakers.

Wei Lai walked from the bakery area to the snack area and met Uncle Yan.

Uncle Yan had been wandering around the supermarket for almost two hours, with nothing to do, looking at each shelf one by one. He was holding a bag of new snacks from Leyemeng, looking at the ingredient list.

“Uncle Yan.”

Uncle Yan turned around and smiled, mentioning the snack in his hand. “I haven’t seen this snack in other supermarkets yet. Your supermarket stocked it early.”

In other chain supermarkets in Jiangcheng, he wandered around when he had nothing to do, just to know the market better.

Wei Lai had been busy with engagement and registration these two days and didn’t have time for the supermarket. It turned out that the new Lemon snacks had already arrived in the warehouse.

She replied to Uncle Yan, “Yes, the manufacturer arranged an order for our supermarket first.”

Fumanyuan might have to wait another three or four days. With this time difference, they could attract many customers to their supermarket to buy New Year goods.

The order being arranged first was thanks to the help of Qi Linsheng, the Lemon regional manager.

[Mr. Qi, do you have time to visit the market in Jiangcheng recently?]

Qi Linsheng had just finished a meeting and was on his way back to the hotel. [It’s almost New Year, I’ve been in Beijing before the New Year.]

Wei Lai planned to invite him to dinner in Beijing. [Then I’ll go to Beijing in a few days to discuss some things with you in person. I look forward to deeper cooperation next year.]

This time, she wasn’t just going to Beijing, but also to visit the bosses of two other factories.

These two factories are now well-known listed FMCG companies, but they were relatively unknown back then. The bosses personally took their salesmen around the country’s markets.

At that time, her mother’s supermarket had just started, and there were difficulties in capital turnover. They provided a lot of support. Every Chinese New Year afterward, her mother would make a special trip to visit them.

Now that the supermarket was under her full responsibility, she would visit them this year.

In addition to visiting Qi Linsheng, she would go to three cities. It was difficult to buy tickets before the New Year, so she planned to drive herself. After visiting these places, she would return to Jiangcheng, which would be close to New Year’s Eve.

“Uncle Yan, I’ll treat you to the newly launched snacks.”

She smiled and took a New Year’s gift package from the shelf.

Uncle Yan laughed, “You and Mr. Zhou can have them. I’m too old for snacks.”

As they chatted, they walked towards the checkout counter. All the checkout lanes, including the self-checkout lanes, were lined with long queues. Looking at his watch, Uncle Yan said to her, “I’ll wait outside as instructed by Mr. Zhou.”

Wei Lai waved her hand and stood at the end of the long queue.

The cashier was used to her frequent trips downstairs to buy snacks, smiling and asking if she needed a shopping bag.

“No need.”

After paying, Wei Lai tore open the outer packaging directly. There were three bags inside. The coat’s pockets were large, so she put one bag in each pocket. She opened a bag of seaweed cheese flavor to taste.

Eating snacks was part of her job. While eating, she would give feedback to her mother on the taste and flavor of new products, suggesting, “Mom, add more orders for the seaweed cheese flavor. It will definitely sell out before the New Year.”

Cheng Minzhi also had this intention. She had already tasted all the new flavors and was most optimistic about the seaweed cheese flavor. “I’ll have the finance department place an order tomorrow. Aren’t you going to dinner?”

“Zhou Sujin is in a meeting, and I’m just browsing the supermarket.”

It was cold outside, so Wei Lai sat in the free bookstore of the supermarket, waiting for Zhou Sujin to finish the meeting.

After waiting for twenty minutes, Zhou Sujin finally called her.

Wei Lai planned to go to a nearby buffet restaurant to celebrate their registration and asked for Zhou Sujin’s opinion.

“I don’t mind.”

He got out of the car with his coat.

Wei Lai’s pockets were bulging with snacks, so she took out the snacks and temporarily put them in the car.

Zhou Sujin looked at the two bags of snacks. Most of the things in his car were work-related, with at most a few bottles of soda in the car fridge.

Wei Lai respected his habits and wouldn’t eat snacks in his car. “I’ll take them with me later.”

Zhou Sujin didn’t respond, just nodded faintly.

The two of them walked to the buffet restaurant, with Wei Lai’s hands in her coat pockets, walking side by side with him.

She asked him when he was going back.

“Tomorrow noon or evening.”

Wei Lai nodded, fitting his style.

After working for more than two hours, both Wei Lai and Zhou Sujin gradually calmed down from the excitement of the past few days.

Zhou Sujin looked at her. “Do you have time to go to Beijing with me before the New Year?”

“No, the supermarket is open until six o’clock on New Year’s Eve, and I’ll probably be busy until then.” They wouldn’t see each other again until after the New Year.

The buffet restaurant was just across the street from the supermarket.

They arrived early, and most of the tables were empty. Wei Lai chose a table by the window, took off her coat and draped it over the chair, casually tying up her long hair.

“Husband, could you help me get some food later? Thank you.”

Zhou Sujin was taking off his coat, and his movements paused slightly as he looked up at her.

Wei Lai didn’t look at him. It took all her courage to say “husband” just now. It was difficult to say it for the first time.

But at least she said it.

Not only did she have to get used to it herself, but she also had to let him get used to it.

After that, neither of them spoke.

Zhou Sujin withdrew his gaze and took out his phone, opening the PPT she had sent him before. It contained her preferences, including eight pages about food, with illustrations.

He picked two dishes for her, all of which she liked.

While eating, Wei Lai told him that she had to continue working overtime when she returned to the office. The work had been piling up for three days and was becoming overwhelming.

Zhou Sujin said, “I’ll head back to the office. Call me when you’re almost done.”

Wei Lai didn’t stand on ceremony with him. “Okay.”

Kunchen Group’s branch office in Jiangcheng was not far from the supermarket. It took only about fifteen minutes to drive there when there was no traffic at night.

After eating at the buffet, Wei Lai went back to work, busy until almost eleven o’clock.

When shutting down her computer, her mind was full of reports and data about the need to exchange goods between various stores. At this moment, she suddenly felt the exhaustion her mother must have felt in the past.

The supermarket had already closed, and the headlights of the Bentley were on.

Seeing her coming out, Zhou Sujin said to Uncle Yan, “Drive her Cullinan.”

Driving Cullinan back would be convenient for her to go to work tomorrow morning. Both he and Wei Lai had drunk a little wine at night, and the Bentley was driven by the bodyguard.

Cullinan came out of the supermarket parking lot and drove towards Wei Lai’s apartment.

Wei Lai leaned back in the chair, exhausted, but fortunately, there was a starry sky ceiling to relieve some of her fatigue.

Zhou Sujin received a call from his aunt at night. His aunt suddenly remembered that they hadn’t taken wedding photos yet, so she asked him to ask Wei Lai where she wanted to take them. She thought it would be good to take the wedding photos during the New Year holiday.

“Do you want to take wedding photos?” he asked Wei Lai.

Wei Lai was still looking at the stars, shaking her head.

Influenced by her parents, she had no interest in family photos or the like.

When her parents divorced, several thick and heavy wedding photo albums were left behind. Her mother wanted to throw them away, but she asked her mother in a low voice if she could keep them. That day, her mother cried for a long time holding her.

There was silence for a few seconds. “Let’s talk about taking wedding photos later.”

She was tired and closed her eyes to rest.

The car’s heating was comfortable, and she fell asleep quickly.

Suddenly, she woke up while sleeping, leaning on the shoulder of the person beside her. With a start, she sat upright, her mind clearing a bit as she remembered that she and he had already registered today.

Zhou Sujin looked at her. “What’s wrong? Remembered there’s work left unfinished?”

“…No, it’s not.”

How did he come up with that reason?

Wei Lai locked eyes with him. In the dimly lit car, neither could see into the depths of the other’s eyes.

“I’ll sleep for a while, wake me up when we arrive.” This time, she openly leaned on his shoulder.

For several nights in a row, she hadn’t slept well due to inexplicable excitement. Soon, she fell asleep again.

With Wei Lai asleep, all her weight rested against him. Her hand unconsciously gripped the shirt at his waist tightly, clutching it.

Zhou Sujin glanced down at her. Seeing her grip so tightly, he guessed she might be dreaming about him again, but not in a pleasant way.

He lifted his head and said to Uncle Yan, “Go back to Jiang’an Yunchen.”