Chapter 15: Giving Xia Nanxi a Day Off

Zhan Chengyan: “I said Xia Nanxi should have a day off, not the rest of the company. Everyone else should be here, rain or shine.”

Wang Dong: “?”

Wang Dong: “If it’s unsafe for Xia Nanxi to work in the rain, is it safe for the rest of us? Are we not in the same world as her? Who would believe that the CEO isn’t related to Xia Nanxi?”

Zhan Chengyan: “Also, have the driver pick me up at Gu Chen Yi Pin.”

Wang Dong: “Oh, alright, CEO!”

Zhan Chengyan had just finished getting dressed when he heard Xia Nanxi happily say in the living room, “I have to say, our CEO is so considerate of his employees. He even lets us have a day off in the rain. This kind of conscientious company is one of a kind in the world! Wahahaha… Zhan Chengyan, you go to work, I’m going back to sleep.”

Then he heard the sound of Xia Nanxi closing the door to her room.

After Zhan Chengyan arrived at the company, during his free time, he asked Wang Dong, “What kind of gifts do men usually buy when they visit their future mother-in-law for the first time?”

Wang Dong didn’t think much of it, just taking it as casual conversation. “It depends on the customs of the area and the mother-in-law’s social status.”

Zhan Chengyan thought for a moment, “A village on the outskirts of the city, running a dumpling shop.”

“A village on the outskirts of the city, that’s still a village. If you follow village customs, a son-in-law would bring a lot of gifts on his first visit to his future mother-in-law.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Half a pig, a sheep, 20 boxes of wine, 20 cartons of cigarettes, 20 boxes of milk, 20 boxes of fruit… plus a phone you can take a bite out of, and 200,000 yuan in dowry.”

Zhan Chengyan pressed his tongue against his cheek, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk. “There are quite a few things, but none of them are valuable.”

Then he wrote a note and handed it to Wang Dong. “Have someone prepare these things. Saturday morning at ten o’clock, deliver them to this address.”

Wang Dong held the note, deeply puzzled. His CEO’s behavior was becoming increasingly strange.

He said timidly, “CEO, can I ask who you’re sending these gifts to?”

Zhan Chengyan raised his eyes, his gaze cold. “Mind your own business. Don’t ask what you shouldn’t.”

“Yes, I’ll get right on it!”

…

Saturday.

It was Old Master Xia’s 80th birthday, so the Xia family dressed up formally.

Her father and three brothers all wore suits, and she and her mother wore red dresses.

Grandpa’s house was only two hundred meters away from their house, so the family arrived early to help with the reception.

Her eldest uncle, Xia Changwen, and his family of four were also dressed up in fine attire.

Especially her cousin, Xia Zilin, was wearing a pink and white dress with pearls embedded around the neckline and waist. She also had a dazzling emerald necklace around her neck, making her look very elegant.

The first guests to arrive were old friends who often played with Old Master Xia, and they all praised him for having a large family and being blessed.

Around nine o’clock, the sound of a car engine came from outside the gate.

Xia Zilin exclaimed, “It must be Jianzhou!”

Then she quickly ran out.

Everyone then saw a BMW Z4 parked at the gate.

Wang Jianzhou, wearing a gray suit and a floral shirt, stepped out of the car with sunglasses on.

He was carrying two bottles of wine.

Cai Guixiang rushed to greet him. “Oh, Jianzhou, why did you bring such expensive things? Moutai, a bottle costs over 3,000 yuan!”

Wang Jianzhou took off his sunglasses and smiled arrogantly. “It’s Grandpa’s 80th birthday today, and my mother specifically told me to bring two bottles of good wine to liven up the occasion. Grandpa, I wish you a long life and good fortune!”

Old Master Xia nodded with a forced smile. “Good, thank you, Jianzhou. Come in and sit down.”

The nosy neighbors and guests around started gossiping.

“Our little Yangchang Lake has produced a golden phoenix. Guixiang’s daughter is blessed, her boyfriend is handsome, and her in-laws are rich and considerate.”

“Nanxi is so pitiful, she found a country bumpkin, and she hasn’t seen him in half a year.”

“I say, it’s all because of this stubborn old man, he’s hurting his granddaughter.”

…

Wang Jianzhou listened to the compliments, his back straightening even more.

He looked at Xia Nanxi and said with a sense of superiority, “Cousin, I’m not saying, but it’s Grandpa’s birthday, such an important occasion, why didn’t you call your husband to come?”