Chapter 139 A Popular Boyfriend

In order to expand his network, Lin Yu began to actively participate in various salons and dinners introduced by his old clients.

However, she lacked social skills and often had to rely on her former colleagues in business and the two salespersons assigned to her by General Manager Zhang to help her navigate situations.

With both online and offline businesses operating simultaneously, she couldn't handle it all by herself, so she hired a recent graduate to handle trade shows and connect with partner companies.

By November, the recorded courses on the platform had received a good response, and the offline efforts finally yielded positive results. Regardless of Mr. Zhang's resources, more and more companies were actively seeking Lin Yu to optimize their solutions.

Seeing that the business volume was growing, Lin Yu contacted two former colleagues who had left the company around the same time and invited them to come to the company as part-time lecturers.

To make their consulting services more comprehensive and professional, they hired experts from Shanghai Jiao Tong University for support. They also commissioned the creation of a company website, showcasing their main business and core solutions for easy access by potential clients.

During this period, Lin Yu and Lin Jianguo communicated more frequently as they worked on refining the details of the plan. Although he hadn't been involved in technical work for many years, Lin Jianguo's ideas still provided Lin Yu with a lot of inspiration.

The father talked to his daughter about his recent situation and admitted that he had not touched alcohol for more than half a year.

Two months ago, I had intestinal polyps removed during a physical examination. Now I eat a light diet and have a regular schedule, and my physical condition has improved a lot. I no longer need to avoid raw, cold, and spicy foods that I used to avoid.

Lin Yu laughed and joked that he should rehire him as the company's CTO so that he could continue to shine.

As the team grew, even though most of the staff were part-time, Qi Sheng's office space gradually became cramped.

With the payments from Mr. Zhang and several long-term clients, Lin Yu had some start-up capital and was thinking that it was time to rent a larger venue.

The need for money gradually increased. Upon learning of the situation, Lin Min and Lin Jianguo both offered to transfer some money to Lin Yu for emergency use.

Lin Yu knew that it was her parents' dowry, and after several attempts to refuse, she accepted it and simply considered the money as her parents' investment in her company.

Jiang Chuan also offered to invest capital, but Lin Yu flatly refused. She knew very well that without his help, there would be no opportunity to cooperate with President Zhang.

But she still wanted to see if, after obtaining this precious "ticket," she could still navigate the storms and carve out a wider world without relying on his protection.

Yao Fangfang also encountered an unexpected turning point. After Lin Kang completed the valuation of her collection, she contacted Lin Jing and, through his connections, finalized the time for an offline exhibition and sale with the gallery.

Lin Jing was connected with a private gallery run by a college classmate, which usually exhibited avant-garde paintings by young artists. Yao Fangfang's collection did not match the style, so the initial sales results were not ideal.

After the exhibition and sale, Lin Jing suggested that Yao Fangfang should use the gallery's live streaming to promote her collection, since online promotion is obviously more acceptable to the public during the current pandemic.

With a try-it-out mentality, Yao Fangfang used the gallery owner's Douyin account to start her first live-streaming sales event.

The account already had a certain number of fans, and coupled with Yao Fangfang's outstanding appearance and awkward performance, a live stream that was not initially expected to be very successful unexpectedly became a hit, garnering far more orders and attention than anticipated.

It is often said that being poor but beautiful often invites the heaviest malice from life, and this has been proven true in Yao Fangfang's life over the past twenty years.

Even so, she remained resilient and always held the same enthusiasm for life as Lin Yu. After experiencing various hardships, life finally showed her its gentler side.

After several wildly popular live streams, Yao Fangfang's consigned collection was quickly sold out.

After discussing it with Zhang Yunzhou, she decided to hand over most of the sales proceeds in the hope of getting a reduction in Zhang Yunzhou's father's sentence.

With his father pleading guilty and accepting punishment, the court ultimately sentenced him to three years in prison, a significant reduction from the initially expected sentence.

Yao Fangfang accompanied Zhang Yunzhou to visit his father, who was serving his sentence, at the detention center. Zhang Binghua seemed to have fully accepted the verdict.

Although his face looked much older than before, his expression was unusually peaceful, and he even told them to take good care of their health.

Upon learning that Yao Fangfang had been working tirelessly for his case, Zhang Binghua expressed his heartfelt gratitude for her dedication to the family for the first time.

Although they maintained a superficial harmony with Yao Fangfang in the past, they always viewed the marriage with prejudice due to the difference in their social status.

But now, despite the huge upheaval in their family, Yao Fangfang still chose to stay, and her unwavering support deeply touched Zhang Binghua.

He finally realized his past arrogance and felt deeply ashamed and repented for his former superior attitude.

Yao Fangfang never sought her in-laws' approval, but when she witnessed her father-in-law's change in attitude, she couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth in her heart.

After being released from the detention center, having experienced dramatic changes in their lives and a reversal of their identities, the two were finally able to set aside all their prejudices and have a proper talk on an equal footing.

Zhang Yunzhou confided his struggles and anxieties to Yao Fangfang. He regretted choosing to run away out of fear of losing her, and felt even more guilty for not standing up for her and protecting their family when they faced hardship.

Yao Fangfang listened quietly, her gaze fixed on him. "Yunzhou, all I've ever wanted is someone who will always leave a light on for me at home."

This family tragedy served as a touchstone, completely overturning Zhang Yunzhou's previous narrow-minded assumptions about Yao Fangfang.

This finally made him realize that his wife's pursuit of independence was not to escape the marriage. And her love for him had never wavered despite the change in their circumstances; on the contrary, it became even more genuine and precious in adversity.

Only now did Zhang Yunzhou realize that he had never noticed Yao Fangfang's selfless sacrifices for her family.

He felt guilty for his past selfishness, caring only about his own peace of mind, without considering how much repression and grievance his wife had endured in the relationship.

At that moment, he secretly vowed to do everything in his power to make up for Yao Fangfang and to repay her unwavering love with all his heart.

Perhaps the stability of a marriage does not depend on a fixed division of labor or one party's dependence on the other, but on the mutual support and shared growth of the two people.

After figuring all this out, Zhang Yunzhou could no longer contain his emotions. He hugged Yao Fangfang tightly outside the detention center and burst into tears.

This time, perhaps he is finally ready.

They needed to protect Yao Fangfang's dreams while also working together to find a compatible way to get along. This would allow their marriage to grow stronger as they faced hardships together and pursued their goals.

The results of the registration exam were released ahead of schedule at the end of January.

Lin Yu finally shook off the bad luck of the previous two years and passed the exam by a narrow margin. This was a decent reward for her years of intermittent review and the hair she lost from staying up all night to prepare for the exam.

That evening, she took Jiang Chuan and met up with Cheng Shi, who had just weaned his child, and they went to a bar to celebrate.

I wanted to invite Qi Sheng, but he's been so busy lately that I don't know if he's busy with the newly opened firm or secretly dating.

With Cheng Yuan looking after the children, Cheng Shi finally gained a moment of freedom.

As they reminisced about the past, she smiled and recounted the first time she met Jiang Chuan. At that time, she had just been betrayed by Lao Zhao and, despite feeling wronged, still had to maintain a facade of dignity.

Now, when these things are mentioned again, the embarrassment and resentment of the past are long gone, replaced by a sense of calm in the face of time.

After becoming a mother, Cheng Shi gradually shed her obsession with needing a man to protect her. Not only did she do better and better in her career, but she also gained more confidence in her life than before.

Halfway through his drink, Jiang Chuan's phone suddenly vibrated. He glanced at the screen; it was an unfamiliar number. He casually pressed the answer button.

"Hello." A young girl's voice came from the other end of the phone. Although Lin Yu didn't know the specifics of the conversation, her tone was very anxious. "Okay, no problem, I'm nearby, I'll be right there."

Jiang Chuan hung up the phone, smiled at Lin Yu, and leaned over to squeeze her hand on the table. "The car got scratched. I'm going out to deal with it. I'll be right back."

"Do you need a hand?" Cheng Shi asked politely from the side.

"It's nothing, it should be quick." Jiang Chuan said, nodding to her in thanks, grabbing his coat from the back of the chair, and turning to walk towards the door.

Their booth was right next to the bar's floor-to-ceiling windows, and Jiang Chuan's car was parked across the street. From where Lin Yu was sitting, one could take in everything outside the window by turning their head slightly.

Her gaze was involuntarily fixed on Jiang Chuan's tall and straight back. She watched him stride across the street, putting on his coat as he went, shaking out the hem, and casually turning up the collar that was tucked behind his neck.

A black sedan was parked on the side of the road, and a tall, stylish young woman stood at the rear of the car. She was leaning slightly forward, one hand on her chest and the other reaching towards the car body, inspecting the scratches on the front.

Jiang Chuan approached, and the girl straightened up upon hearing his voice. The moment she looked up and saw his face clearly, a hint of amazement flashed in her eyes, and then she became very warm.

Lin Yu noticed that during the break when Jiang Chuan was taking photos for evidence, the girl deliberately went behind him, unlocked her phone, and quietly pressed the shutter button on his back.

She watched everything unfold before her, her eyes slightly narrowed, a faint smile playing on her lips. After a moment, she picked up her wine glass, tilted her head back, and downed the remaining half-glass in one gulp.

"Have a seat." Lin Yu stood up and casually grabbed the coat draped beside him. "I'm going out to take a look."

Cheng Shi glanced in the direction she had been looking, immediately understood, and nodded with a smile. "Alright, this is going to be interesting."

Lin Yu pushed open the heavy wooden door of the bar, and the evening breeze, carrying the chill of the winter night, blew in his face.

"...Handsome, can we add each other on WeChat? We can talk anytime, anytime, if you have any questions." The girl's voice was filled with a sweet, cloying laugh.

The implication couldn't be clearer, but Jiang Chuan remained calm, his hands obediently in his coat pockets, showing no intention of taking out his phone. "You should report this to the quick settlement and claims process first; an insurance company will then contact me."

The girl's interest seemed to be piqued by his indifference; her gaze lingered directly on his face, and her smile became even sweeter. "Can't I even just be friends?"

Jiang Chuan didn't reply, but slowly pulled his left hand out of his pocket and waved it in front of her. On his well-defined fingers, a plain platinum ring gleamed.

"I'm sorry, my girlfriend has a bad temper." His voice wasn't loud, but it left no room for doubt.

The girl noticed the ring on his middle finger and spoke with a playful, dismissive tone, "So what if we know each other? We're not married yet, so we're single. That means we still have a chance, right?"

Jiang Chuan had his back to the bar entrance, so Lin Yu couldn't see his expression. She walked up to him without making a sound, and a mischievous thought suddenly popped into her head.

Without thinking, her hands naturally wrapped around Jiang Chuan's arm, her soft body pressing against him. She tilted her head back, speaking in a tone that was both coquettish and reproachful:

"Brother-in-law, are you done yet? My sister is working overtime tonight, and I want to go home with you early. It's so boring here."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for the person on the other end to hear. For a moment, the three of them stood there, stunned, and no one spoke.

A rare look of astonishment flashed across Jiang Chuan's face, so fleeting it was almost imperceptible, before being replaced by a half-smile.

He seemed to be enjoying the occasional display of his claws by Lin Yu.

The girl's smile vanished instantly upon hearing the words "brother-in-law." Her gaze fell on the two men's meaningful expressions and tightly linked arms, her initial astonishment gradually turning into undisguised disdain.

The girl exchanged a glance with Lin Yu, said nothing, curled her lip in disdain, turned around, opened the car door, got into the driver's seat, and sped away from the scene.

Only after the taillights completely disappeared into the night did Jiang Chuan sigh with a smile. Turning his head, a hint of helpless affection in his eyes, he gently flicked Lin Yu's forehead.

"You dare to make such a joke? Ms. Lin, you've got some nerve!"

Jiang Chuan's pronunciation of the retroflex endings improved rapidly under Lin Yu's encouragement, and her mood seemed to improve a little. She let go of his hand, took a half step back, crossed her arms, and squinted at him.

"What, are you blaming me for ruining your plans?" She raised an eyebrow. "Looks like they really do have a good chance."

Jiang Chuan smiled wryly and reached out to pull her, but she nimbly dodged him.

"I swear to God." He held out his hand, palm facing inward, and pointed to the ring on his finger towards Lin Yu. His tone was aggrieved, his expression sly. "I've presented all the evidence."

Lin Yu snorted and made a move to walk towards the bar, his tone sour. "What evidence? You're free now."

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Chuan had already caught up in a few steps, his fingertips slipping between hers and locking them together. With a gentle pull on her wrist, she turned around with his help, her head protected by him, and she was gently pressed against the car door, trapped between him and the car body.

The distance closed instantly, so close that Lin Yu could count his trembling eyelashes and feel his warm breath.

The crisp scent of white pine enveloped her, and the world around her fell silent for a moment, leaving only the thunderous beating of her heart, each beat deafening.

Jiang Chuan leaned down, his gaze tracing the instant blush on her cheeks. A triumphant smile flickered in his eyes as he whispered in her ear, "Still running?"

"Hey? What are you doing? Are you being a pervert?" Lin Yu struggled symbolically in his arms, but couldn't help but smile.

Jiang Chuan ignored her feigned resistance and let her struggle in his arms until she had made enough noise and calmed down completely before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Jealous?" His voice was deep, with a hint of amusement.

"No, no!"

Lin Yu's heart softened instantly at his kiss. Looking up at him, she couldn't help but tease, "I'm so happy my boyfriend is so popular. What does that mean? It means you're a hot commodity."

"If the economy ever goes bad, I'll sell you to a rich woman for some pocket money."

"You're willing to do that?" Jiang Chuan lowered his head, his nose gently brushing against hers, their warm breaths mingling.

Lin Yu turned her head away, answering crisply, "What's there to be reluctant about?"

She wasn't really angry; she just thought it was fun to make a fuss like this every now and then.

Since getting together with Jiang Chuan, Lin Yu has found herself particularly drawn to seeing him get nervous for her, explain things to her, and break his own rules for her, which makes her feel a sweet sense of being cherished.

Jiang Chuan could easily see through her little scheme. Coincidentally, he didn't have any grand ambitions or pursuits; he simply wanted to be an ordinary man who could always indulge the one he loved.

"What you said makes me so scared." He gently pressed his forehead against hers and chuckled softly, "It seems... we need to think of a way to completely block this opportunity."

Lin Yu pretended not to understand, but her cheeks involuntarily flushed.

She tilted her head back and looked into Jiang Chuan's eager eyes. She didn't rush to pull away, letting the person in front of her stand by the roadside amidst the bustling traffic and flashing neon lights. He lowered his head and kissed her amidst the clamor of voices and the flowing light and shadow.

The kiss was gentle and lingering, carrying the aftertaste of whiskey and the chill of a winter night, yet it stirred a restless energy within her.

Cheng Shi appeared out of nowhere and yelled at them from across the street, "Hey, you two, that's enough!"

"Did you two plan to skip out on the bill?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu couldn't help but bury her face in Jiang Chuan's arms and chuckle softly. When she looked up again, she met his deep black eyes, which held a tenderness that flowed only for her.

The evening breeze grew even more tender and lingering as their gazes intertwined. Leaning against him, she suddenly felt that all the setbacks and hardships in her life had only served as a prelude to this moment.

And in the future, there will surely be countless moments like this, worth savoring and remembering again and again.