Chapter 20

Fu Dongyun modified the rules the former Team Leader set one by one, and the Proofreading Department finally returned to a work atmosphere similar to other departments. Breakfast could be eaten at the office, and no one monitored normal conversations and interactions between colleagues.

Within a day or two, the atmosphere in the office became lively.

Fu Dongyun made it a point to have lunch and conversations with her employees, and that day, it was Zheng Xiaorou’s turn.

She knew this beautiful girl had attracted quite a bit of attention since she arrived. After spending a few days interacting with her, Fu Dongyun realized that many of the past rumors were exaggerated; Zheng Xiaorou was indeed beautiful but not arrogant, clever but not conceited.

Perhaps because she also had a daughter of a similar age, Fu Dongyun was especially kind to Zheng Xiaorou. “Actually, our promotions were announced on the same day, but everyone has focused too much on me and didn’t congratulate you.”

“Thank you, Team Leader.” For the first two days, Zheng Xiaorou couldn’t believe the news. Her first instinct was that the Lu family had intervened to help her.

She secretly tested Lu Yongzhang and, finding that he knew nothing about it, asked Tian Xiao’e to help inquire about the unit’s position. She then learned that her early promotion was based on the “Young People’s Program” issued by the higher authorities. The vacancy in the proofreading group had been prioritized for their department, and she was the only one who met the age and service length requirements.

“It’s all something you deserve. I’ve reviewed your proofreading logs and randomly checked your work; it’s all excellent.” Her expression softened as she radiated kindness. “If only my daughter were as sensible as you.”

She winked at the young girl. “From now on, let’s support each other in our work.”

Fu Dongyun was no longer a fresh graduate just entering the workforce; she didn’t believe such unexpected good fortune would fall into her lap.

The fact that the unit only announced her promotion while concealing Zheng Xiaorou’s confirmation made her sense something unusual.

Promoting Zheng Xiaorou ahead of time was indeed a break from convention; why put her in the spotlight to attract attention?

There was only one reason: to protect Zheng Xiaorou.

For her, ensuring that Zheng Xiaorou could work comfortably and happily was the best remedy she could think of for her own situation.

“Thank you, Team Leader. I will definitely work hard.” Zheng Xiaorou’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

—o—o—o—

What made her even happier was that, at noon, Xiao Rujuan came to find her and told her that she had secured a job opportunity.

“Xiaorou, guess where the street office has notified me to go?” Xiao Rujuan was practically glowing with excitement.

“How would I know? Don’t leave me hanging!”

Xiao Rujuan’s eyes sparkled with joy, unable to hide her excitement. “I’ll tell you, they notified me that I’m going to Shuntai Cinema!”

Shuntai Cinema made Zheng Xiaorou feel somewhat uncomfortable, but she was still happy for her friend’s new job.

Seeing Zheng Xiaorou’s expression visibly change, Xiao Rujuan playfully pinched her cheeks. “Do you want to hear another piece of good news? When I went to submit my application today, I saw Cheng Qian’s resignation form. So, you won’t have to worry about running into him when you come looking for me.”

Cheng Qian had resigned?

“Yes, I heard it’s part of an internal rectification action. They’ve investigated his family for improper dealings with overseas parties. I don’t know the details yet, but the charges are serious. Not just him; both his mom and dad are involved. Tsk, tsk, tsk, they didn’t even manage to keep their apartment in the waxed steel windows. Now, the whole family has moved into the old shanty house left by his grandfather. So, you really don’t have to worry about him bothering you anymore!”

No wonder Cheng Qian hadn’t shown up lately.

A strange feeling surged in Zheng Xiaorou’s heart, as if… a series of fortunate events beneficial to her had all converged in a short period, and everything felt too coincidental.

She returned home with conflicting feelings and was somewhat distracted while studying with Zheng Tianlei that evening.

Even Zheng Tianlei, who was usually oblivious, noticed something was off. He reached over and grabbed the problem she had been working on for nearly half an hour. “Sis, you’ve been stuck on this question for almost half an hour. If it’s too hard, just move on to the next one. Hey, why can’t you do this one? You got a similar one right yesterday!”

“…I forgot a bit,” Zheng Xiaorou replied, her gaze evasive.

Zheng Tianlei was as dense as a rope: “Hey, Sis, why haven’t we seen Brother Lu in the past few days? I got up in the middle of the night last night, and I heard his door lock click. Is he really busy? Is he working late? I wonder if they get overtime pay for working so much…”

Zheng Tianlei’s rapid-fire questions caused her brow to furrow.

Since the last time he confessed to her while walking her home, she had only seen him on two mornings. He didn’t just drop her off at the corner anymore; he would walk her to her workplace, watch her go inside, and chat with the doorman for a bit, leaving behind a pack of cigarettes.

But apart from that, they hadn’t had time to talk.

Lu Yongzhang had told her he was busy with something and that after he finished, he could take a break and help her with her English.

She responded to Zheng Tianlei, “He’s busy.”

The quiet conversation between the siblings drew the displeasure of Father Zheng inside the house. “You two, hurry up and go upstairs. Do you think lighting the lamp doesn’t cost anything?”

“Got it, Dad!” Zheng Tianlei exclaimed, feeling as if he had received a reprieve, and quickly packed up his books. “Sister, you hurry up too!”

After he finished tidying up, he rushed upstairs with heavy footsteps. Zheng Xiaorou lagged behind, walking to the front door. She peeked through the crack of the door and saw that it was already half past eight; Lu Yongzhang’s window was still dark.

Two hours earlier, Lu Yongzhang had accompanied Lu Boshi to a birthday banquet in Lianjiang, where they met Huo Xingyuan, who had come to offer his congratulations.

The Yu family preferred to keep a low profile, hosting the banquet at the Songhua Tower state-owned restaurant on Jianguo Road. Although the spacious private room was not as dazzling as it had been in its prime, it remained grand and impressive.

The Yu and Lu families had been close friends for generations. Now, as they returned to their posts, they exchanged smiles, lamenting the ruthless passage of time while marveling at the resilience of life.

When Huo Xingyuan arrived, he immediately noticed a young man scratching his head and trying to get close to him. This young man was playing chess with Yu Lianjiang, who was celebrating his birthday, while familiar faces surrounded them, each eagerly commenting on the game.

“Old Yu, Lu’s grandson, is just letting you win!” one of them joked.

“Who says I’m letting him win? Huh? It’s clearly an even match; pfft—”

“Grandpa Yu’s chess skills are profound. I’m just relying on my youth and reckless courage to play with him, tugging at a tiger’s whiskers. Who knows, next time I might find myself surrounded by Grandpa Yu.”

Lu Yongzhang’s appearance was strikingly superior, standing out effortlessly from the crowd. It was hard not to notice him.

Huo Xingyuan observed this scene.

He paused at the entrance for a few seconds before stepping inside. Along the way, many people engaged him in conversation, and while he responded, he kept his eyes on the young man, beginning to ponder whether there had been any inappropriate remarks in their earlier conversation on Beishen Road.

To his surprise, before he could say anything, Lu Yongzhang lifted his handsome face and smiled, saying, “Director Huo, nice to see you again.”

The word “again” candidly acknowledged that their previous interaction had been intentional.

Lu Boshi, watching the two, interjected, “When did you two get to know each other?”

Given that Lu Boshi had a much more senior standing and experience, Huo Xingyuan approached respectfully to greet him. Then he turned to Lu Yongzhang and smiled, “I didn’t expect the young friend here to be Lu Bo’s son.”

Lu Yongzhang seamlessly took over the conversation, saying, “Then I’ll shamelessly call you Brother Huo. Brother Huo, I must say, today has been fortuitous in every way.”

As he spoke, he fiddled with his fingers, an action that held a deeper meaning only Huo Xingyuan understood.

The birthday banquet for Yu Lianjiang followed the traditional practice of directly starting the meal, allowing guests to catch up and exchange gifts at the dining table.

When it was Huo Xingyuan’s turn, he glanced at Lu Yongzhang sitting diagonally across from him. He picked up a beautifully wrapped box and handed it to the birthday celebrant with both hands, saying, “Uncle Yu, this is a lacquer box I’ve brought for you; please keep it and enjoy.”

Yu Lianjiang’s ancestors were scholars with a deep academic lineage. He had originally taken up arms due to the war, but his foundation in knowledge remained strong, and the Yu family did not produce any boorish individuals.

Upon opening the box and seeing the lacquerware, his eyes lit up. “This, this is a fine piece! It’s made of rhinoceros hide lacquer, isn’t it? I can’t believe it’s been preserved so well!”

“I don’t really know much about lacquer,” Huo Xingyuan replied, “I just bought it at a shop. I thought it was a replica; the auspicious patterns on the box are nice, so you can treat it as a replica to enjoy.”

Seeing that Yu Lianjiang recognized the value of the item, Huo Xingyuan felt a sense of relief wash over him. He couldn’t help but glance at Lu Yongzhang, thinking, “You really know your stuff.”

It seemed that he knew who he was and understood why he had been on Beishen Road.

Recalling his desire to seek guidance from Lu Yongzhang about the Six Lines method, Huo Xingyuan felt a flush of embarrassment.

He observed the guests; everyone present held significant status, and while there were gifts that cost more than his, his rhinoceros hide lacquer box was undoubtedly the most unique.

Yu Lianjiang fondled the box for a while, lost in thought, before glancing at Huo Xingyuan and signaling everyone to eat and drink.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became quite raucous. Yu Lianjiang exchanged glances with Huo Xingyuan, and they both stepped out of the private room and into the garden in front of the restaurant.

“Little Huo,” Yu Lianjiang said, “there are too many people here today for me to say much. Not only do you know this is rhinoceros hide lacquer, but you also know it’s the real deal. Asking me to accept this would be making me commit a mistake!”

“Uncle Yu! What I just said is true; I really bought it at a stall, and it wasn’t expensive—only a few dozen. If you don’t believe me, ask Lu Bo’s son; he was there at the time.”

Without hesitation, Yu Lianjiang turned and called over Lu Yongzhang, cutting straight to the point. “What’s the real story behind this item? Speak!”

Lu Yongzhang squinted slightly, observing Huo Xingyuan’s embarrassed expression, and understood the situation clearly. “It was just a small stall with both genuine and fake items. I bought a pair of cups there, and Brother Huo picked this one. Is it really the genuine article?”

This response suggested that neither of them knew the truth about the lacquer box, making it seem like the good fortune was not exclusive to just one of them.

“Let me see the cups you bought,” Yu Lianjiang said, not easily deceived.

However, Lu Yongzhang remained unfazed. “I gave them to my girlfriend; they’re a token of our commitment. Whether they’re real or fake doesn’t matter as long as my girlfriend believes they are genuine.”

This level of shamelessness left Yu Lianjiang speechless. Ultimately, he accepted the lacquer box. After sending Lu Yongzhang away, he maintained a composed demeanor and said, “Now, speak up. What do you need from me?”

Huo Xingyuan couldn’t hide his astonishment.

“What’s this? You little rascal think I can’t see through you? Didn’t you come to me last time because you wanted something?”

Huo Xingyuan mentally reviewed the entire routine that Lu Yongzhang had used to handle Yu Lianjiang. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the young man was inscrutable.

Lu Yongzhang had discerned their standoff with just one glance, responding perfectly without even a single exchange of looks, and he appeared completely at ease.

Considering Lu Yongzhang’s approximate age, Huo Xingyuan believed that apart from the abilities granted to him by the Six Lines method, he couldn’t fathom any other explanation for such poise.

He realized he could never replicate Lu Yongzhang’s casual eloquence. Instead, in front of Yu Lianjiang, he chose to be forthright: “Last time, our team was given a topic—the Coca-Cola project from Country A. Should we compete alongside the capital city? I’d like to hear your thoughts, Uncle Yu.”

Yu Lianjiang studied him for a long time before calmly asking, “What do you think?”

Huo Xingyuan tightly held a small plastic token engraved with the character “fragrance” in his hand. He gathered his courage and replied, “I think we should compete.”

He believed they should strive to secure the domestic production and sales rights for Coca-Cola from Country A in Xiangjiang.

That token was what Lu Yongzhang had left behind when they shook hands before he departed.

Author’s Note: Here’s a fun fact: Coca-Cola entered the Chinese market in 1927 but withdrew in 1948. It made a comeback in the late 1970s, with the first batch of products arriving in Beijing and Guangzhou through Hong Kong. In 1979, Coca-Cola established its production line in Beijing.