Chapter 50 Wei Yong'an looks at Guan Lixin and winks...
Guan Lixin winked at Mingxi.
Mingxi rolled her eyes, but then again, she was still curious about the sure-fire business Guan Lixin was talking about. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's this business you're talking about? You haven't been scammed, have you?"
"No way!" Guan Lixin patted his chest. "You don't even know who I am. I'm so clever. The person who can fool me hasn't been born yet."
Mingxi: "Keep bragging!"
Guan Lixin chuckled twice, moved closer to Mingxi, rubbed his hands together, and said, "No, Mingxi, I'm telling you, this time I'm not just bragging."
Mingxi pursed her lips: "Then you should explain clearly, what kind of business of yours can guarantee a profit without any risk?"
She glanced at Guan Lixin: "You're not still selling underwear, are you?"
"Hey, you're underestimating me, aren't you? Selling underwear? Do you think I, Guan Lixin, can only sell underwear?" Guan Lixin spat and said, "This time, I'm selling sailor shirts!"
Mingxi: "..."
It's not that much different, is it?
However, upon hearing Guan Lixin mention sailor shirts, Mingxi became interested: "You can get your hands on sailor shirts?"
The sailor shirt, also known as the navy shirt, is actually a blue and white striped shirt. It got its name from being the underwear required for sailors and navies of various countries.
Because it is said to be a naval uniform, it has always been highly sought after and is currently the most popular fashion element, especially in the summer. Almost every young person walking on the street has a sailor shirt.
This has led to a constant shortage of Breton striped shirts in department stores. To buy one, you either have to queue outside early in the morning on the day of restocking or have an acquaintance inside the department store.
Mingxi looked at Guan Lixin with a probing gaze: "I didn't expect that. You're quite capable; you even managed to get your hands on a sailor shirt?"
Guan Lixin touched his nose and said with a forced smile, "We can get them, but they'll be defective."
He explained, "On my trip to Guangzhou, I rescued a man who was having a heart attack on the road and took him to the hospital. Later, when he woke up, I learned that he was the owner of a clothing factory. His factory had originally received an order from a Hong Kong customer to make a batch of sailor shirts, but the production line had a problem. The Hong Kong customer had high standards and thought that his batch of goods was substandard, so they didn't want them at all. Not only did the Hong Kong customer not want his goods, but he also demanded compensation for breach of contract. He got emotional and had a heart attack, which is why he fainted on the street."
Mingxi: "So, you want to buy a batch of his sailor shirts?"
Guan Lixin nodded with an air of "you understand me": "That's exactly what I think!"
“You have no idea how low that guy’s price was for me. He said that this batch of sailor shirts was defective to begin with, and he wasn’t even trying to break even, he was just trying to lose as little as possible, so that’s the price he offered.” Guan Lixin held up his hand and showed a number.
Mingxi opened her mouth wide: "Four pieces?"
In the department store, a sailor shirt costs fifteen yuan.
That's more than three times the price quoted by Guan Lixin!
Guan Lixin: "Isn't it cheap enough?"
He said, "I've thought about it. If I buy this batch of goods at a purchase price of four yuan per piece, and then sell them at a lower price of twelve yuan, even if they are defective, we won't have trouble selling them!"
Mingxi thought it was feasible.
Buy at four yuan and sell at twelve yuan. By simply buying and selling, you can make eight yuan.
One item costs eight yuan, ten items cost eighty yuan, one hundred items cost eight hundred yuan...
Even after deducting transportation costs and miscellaneous labor expenses, the profits are still considerable!
However, Mingxi was still a little uneasy. She asked, "Are you sure this is true? Is that guy you mentioned a conman trying to scam you? Also, have you seen what the goods look like? What kind of flaws are there? Are they obvious?"
Guan Lixin: "I'm sure it's true. That guy really does have heart disease. When I took him to the hospital, he had a heart attack and needed emergency treatment. After he was discharged, I went with him to the factory. He does have a factory, and it's not small. The goods were in the warehouse, and I went to check them out. That batch of goods had some loose threads in the armpits or sleeves. It wasn't obvious; you couldn't see the problem unless you looked closely."
Mingxi nodded. If Guan Lixin said so, then this business deal was indeed worthwhile.
Guan Lixin: "The problem now is that I don't have enough money to buy this batch of goods."
He said, "This batch of goods consists of 5,000 pieces. It would cost 20,000 yuan to buy them all. I have 5,000 yuan on hand, and my friend and his parents can raise a total of 8,000 yuan. I also borrowed 5,000 yuan from my parents. Now I'm still short 2,000 yuan."
Mingxi pondered for a moment, then nodded under Guan Lixin's intense gaze.
"Okay, I'll take the two thousand yuan!"
Guan Lixin slapped his thigh excitedly: "No wonder you're my childhood friend, you're so loyal! Okay, Mingxi, don't worry, I'll remember this favor. In the future, if you ever need anything, just ask me, and I promise I won't refuse."
Mingxi: "Ha, so you're saying you won't help me if I need anything if I don't contribute financially?"
Guan Lixin chuckled and said, "Of course not, we've been childhood sweethearts for so many years..."
Mingxi raised her hand: "Stop. Let me make this clear first: childhood friendship is one thing, but business is another."
Guan Lixin, ever the astute one, replied, "I understand. Business is business, and even brothers should keep clear accounts. I'll consider your two thousand yuan as an investment, a share for you. When we make money, we'll split the profits proportionally."
He said, "If we lose money, it's not yours, it's mine. If we really lose money and don't make back our investment, then consider this two thousand yuan a loan from you, and I'll sell everything I own to pay you back. How does that sound?"
Mingxi: "No need. We agreed to do business, and we'll do it properly. I trust you to invest with me, and I'll accept it even if we lose money."
Guan Lixin was moved.
Despite his usual carefree attitude and seemingly nonchalant demeanor, his eyes welled up with tears upon hearing Mingxi's words.
Ever since he started doing business, his old friends and buddies have kept their distance. He knows they're afraid he'll get arrested for speculation and that it will implicate them. He understands their concerns and wisely cuts ties with them.
He didn't go to those people this time because he was short of money.
Guan Lixin originally thought that if Mingxi was willing to invest money, he would take the goods; if Mingxi was unwilling to invest, then so be it.
He can simply refuse this batch of goods.
It's certainly a good thing if he can take on this batch of goods. If he can't, he can always continue selling underwear. Isn't it profitable to sell anything?
Unexpectedly, Mingxi was not only willing to pay money, but also trusted him so much that she was willing to share the risks with him.
Guan Lixin rubbed his eyes and stubbornly made an excuse: "The weather was fine, but the wind was so strong that it blew sand into my eyes."
We're indoors, there's no wind, no sand.
Mingxi understood, but she didn't expose Guan Lixin's stubbornness.
She said, "But the money is all in the bank, I can't give it to you now. Wait until tomorrow, I'll go to the bank to withdraw the money and then bring it to you."
Guan Lixin: "Okay, I'll go to the train station now to buy a train ticket. You can give me the money tomorrow, and I'll take the evening train to Guangzhou."
The sooner he goes to pay, the sooner he can get the goods back and start selling them.
Guan Lixin said goodbye to Mingxi and hurriedly got up to leave. He had to hurry to the train station to see if there were any train tickets available for tomorrow.
After Guan Lixin left, Mingxi shifted her position and snuggled up to Zhao Sulan, hugging her arm and blinking her eyes ingratiatingly.
"Mom, you heard what Guan Lixin and I said, right?"
Zhao Sulan said indifferently, "I heard it, of course I heard it. I heard you telling Guan Lixin to pay two thousand yuan."
She glanced at Mingxi helplessly and said, "Are you really sure you want to invest in Guan Lixin's business?"
Mingxi nodded: "Mom, I think Guan Lixin's business is really feasible."
Zhao Sulan: "Okay, if you think it's feasible, then let's do it. I'll go get the money tomorrow."
Mingxi thought Zhao Sulan would be unhappy and would have objections, feeling that it was wrong of her to agree to Guan Lixin's request without even discussing it with Zhao Sulan. Unexpectedly, Zhao Sulan nodded in agreement without saying anything.
Her nose tingled and her eyes welled up with tears. She couldn't help but throw herself into Zhao Sulan's arms, hugging Zhao Sulan's waist and acting coquettishly.
"Mom, you're so good to me."
Zhao Sulan gently patted Mingxi's head.
The next day, Zhao Sulan took half a day off to go to the bank to withdraw money for Mingxi. That evening, after work, Mingxi handed the two thousand yuan to Guan Lixin, who then boarded a train heading south with the money.
Beicheng is always busy, and nothing has changed since Guan Lixin left. It has become accustomed to people leaving and returning to the city every day.
Sure enough, just two days after Guan Lixin left, Wei Yong'an returned.
When Mingxi came home from get off work that day, he opened the door and saw Wei Yong'an, dressed in a suit and tie, sitting on his sofa.
She was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and stepped forward: "Comrade Wei, you're back from your business trip? How was it? Did it go well?"
Wei Yong'an: "It went quite smoothly. By the way, congratulations, Comrade Ming! I only found out today that you were recruited to work at the Women's Federation. I've had a few dealings with Director Shen from your unit; she's truly an amazing iron lady!"
Mingxi smiled and nodded.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Mingxi steered the conversation to business: "Comrade Wei, after you left last time, I spoke with Comrade Ma Meixia. She's quite interested in you and would like to meet you. She said she's available anytime, it just depends on when is convenient for you."
"As for me..." Wei Yong'an thought for a moment and said, "I'm free tomorrow. I just got back from a business trip, and my supervisor gave me a day off so I can meet with Comrade Ma."
"Tomorrow, right?" Mingxi: "How about tomorrow night?"
She has to go to work tomorrow, but she can leave work a little earlier in the evening.
Wei Yong'an nodded: "Okay."
Mingxi: "Okay, then let's meet tomorrow night. Where shall we meet?"
Wei Yong'an: "It's a state-run restaurant near our factory. I'll write down the address for you in a bit."
Mingxi had no objection, and she nodded, "Okay."
After finalizing the meeting, Mingxi suddenly remembered that Ma Meixia had asked her for a favor. She covered her lips with her hand, coughed lightly twice, and said, "Oh right, I forgot to ask last time, Comrade Wei, how much is your monthly salary?"
Fearing a misunderstanding, she quickly added, "When men are looking for partners, salary is an important factor for women to consider. I've made a note of it so that even if this meeting with Ma Meixia doesn't work out, I can tell the other person next time I introduce them to someone else."
Wei Yong'an was taken aback for a moment, but quickly smiled and said, "I see."
"My current monthly salary is 120 yuan."
Mingxi wrote it down: "Okay, okay, I've written it down."
After seeing Wei Yong'an off, Mingxi greeted Zhao Sulan and then headed to Ma Meixia's house to inform her about the matchmaking the next day. Ma Meixia had no objections.
Her main concern was how much Wei Yong'an earned in a month. When she learned that Wei Yong'an earned 120 yuan a month, she was delighted.
-
The next day, Mingxi made a point of telling Director Shen that she would leave work a little early so she could go to the Ma family home to pick up Ma Meixia.
As soon as Ma Meixia saw Mingxi, she circled around in front of him and said, "Little Mingxi, matchmaker, do you think I look pretty today?"
Upon closer inspection, Mingxi realized that Ma Meixia was wearing makeup today.
Without the slightest hesitation, she nodded immediately: "Beautiful! Absolutely gorgeous!"
Mingxi was not lying.
Ma Meixia was naturally beautiful, with striking features and a pair of narrow, fox-like eyes that seemed to draw people's souls into their gaze. She was the most beautiful of the women Mingxi introduced to potential partners.
However, the current aesthetic for lesbians is a round, full face and a dignified appearance. Lesbians with striking looks like Ma Meixia are often criticized for being too pretty and not looking like honest, family-oriented women.
Ma Meixia's makeup wasn't heavy; she just applied a light base, subtly outlined her eyebrows, and put on some lipstick. However, she was already beautiful, so the makeup made her even more radiant.
Hearing Mingxi's answer, Ma Meixia proudly raised her head and puffed out her chest. Today she was wearing a white V-neck dress, the neckline not too low, revealing her slender neck and delicate collarbone. The hem of the dress was slightly above the knee, and the waist-cinching design made her figure even more slender.
This dress would be quite ordinary in later generations; there are many people on the street who wear much bolder clothes. But in today's world, Ma Meixia's outfit is considered quite daring.
As Mingxi and Ma Meixia walked down the street, passersby kept casting curious glances at them.
Ma Meixia wasn't shy at all; instead, she straightened her back even more.
She's so beautiful, isn't it normal for people to be unable to resist looking at her?
Mingxi and Ma Meixia arrived at the state-run restaurant with a high rate of people turning their heads to look at them. From a distance, Mingxi saw Wei Yong'an standing at the entrance.
She waved to Wei Yong'an, who came forward and, before Mingxi could introduce them, extended his hand to Ma Meixia: "This must be Comrade Ma Meixia, right? Hello, I am Wei Yong'an."
Ma Meixia reached out and briefly shook hands with Wei Yong'an, saying, "Comrade Wei, hello."
Wei Yong'an: "I just booked a private room, shall we go in and talk?"
Ma Meixia nodded slightly.
Mingxi nodded as well.
Wei Yong'an led the two women into the private room. After they entered, he gentlemanly pulled out chairs for the two women, Mingxi and Ma Meixia, and they sat down.
The private room wasn't very big. Inside, there was a square table for four people. Mingxi chose to sit on the outermost side, near the door, while Ma Meixia sat on the inner side of Mingxi's side.
After the two were seated, Wei Yong'an sat down opposite Ma Meixia.
Mingxi began, "Ahem, although you've already greeted each other and gotten to know each other, I'll still go through the formalities a bit and introduce you."
"This is Comrade Wei Yong'an, the director of the propaganda department of our textile factory. He has a mother and two younger siblings who are adults but do not live together."
"This is Comrade Ma Meixia. Comrade Ma's family situation is relatively simple. Besides her father and mother, she only has one older brother. Both her father and brother work in the steel rolling mill."
Mingxi: "Now that I've introduced the basic information, do either of you have anything you're interested in about the other, or anything you'd like to ask?"
Wei Yong'an nodded, seemingly wanting to say something, but Mingxi shut up at the right moment, giving Wei Yong'an a chance to speak.
Wei Yong'an: "Comrade Ma, Comrade Ming should have told you about my previous marriage, right?"
Ma Meixia: "I've said it before, I don't care if you're divorced. To be honest, if you weren't divorced, I'm afraid you wouldn't even consider me given your circumstances."
She was frighteningly blunt.
Wei Yong'an wasn't intimidated; instead, he gave a knowing smile: "Then you should know why I got divorced?"
Ma Meixia: "I know. Because you have a troublesome stepmother."
At this point, she took a deep breath and said, "I have a bad temper, at least not as good as your ex-wife. If your stepmother still causes trouble at home after we get married, I won't let her off easily. Can you accept that?"
Her eyes were fixed on Wei Yong'an.
Although Wei Yong'an was a good catch, she was indeed very tempted.
But if Wei Yong'an is the kind of person who is willing to be a dutiful son to his troublesome stepmother, then she still has to think it over.
Instead of answering Ma Meixia's question directly, Wei Yong'an asked, "I'm a little curious, how will you not let her off easily?"
Ma Meixia: "What else can I do but argue with her? If I can't win the argument, I'll resort to physical violence. Anyway, she's not my mother-in-law. Even if my own mother-in-law were to act like this, I might not be able to tolerate her, let alone someone who came later."
Wei Yong'an: "Aren't you afraid people will say you're unfilial?"
Ma Meixia shrugged indifferently: "Let her say what she wants. I'm her daughter-in-law, not her son. It's her son's job to be filial to her. Why should I take care of it?"
At this point, Ma Meixia tilted her head and asked curiously, "Speaking of which, doesn't your stepmother have a biological son? Why doesn't she live with him?"
Hearing this, Mingxi also looked at Wei Yong'an with curiosity, she was curious too.
Wei Yong'an gave a mocking laugh: "If she lived with her biological son, how could she squeeze money out of me to subsidize him?"
In fact, Bai Shuzhen was not short of money. Before her father, Old Man Wei, died, he left all the family's assets and the house to Bai Shuzhen.
Bai Shuzhen was greedy and, while living with him, she would ask him for money under various pretexts, such as living expenses, money for groceries, and pocket money.
If Wei Yong'an refuses to pay, Bai Shuzhen will play the victim and complain about her grievances. For the sake of his reputation, Wei Yong'an will have no choice but to pay up.
The money had barely entered Bai Shuzhen's pocket when she immediately stuffed it into her two acquaintances' younger siblings' hands.
Ma Meixia: "Aren't your younger brother and sister all adults?"
As Mingxi just mentioned, Wei Yong'an's younger brother and sister are all adults.
Wei Yong'an nodded: "Yes, they are both working."
Ma Meixia: "So your stepmother still asks you for money to subsidize them? How dare they accept money? They're shameless!"
Upon hearing this, Wei Yong'an smiled.
“That was a long time ago. Ever since I divorced my ex-wife, everyone knows that my stepmother is all sweet on the outside but ruthless on the inside. No one believes her when she tries to play the victim anymore. So I haven’t given her any money since.”
Mingxi keenly sensed the cunning in Wei Yong'an's eyes: !!
She said!
She said that Wei Yong'an wasn't as simple and honest as he seemed on the surface!
Ma Meixia: "That's alright. Even if she is your stepmother, just looking at what she's done, you shouldn't give her any money, not a single penny."
She said, "The more money you give her, the more spoiled she becomes. Anyway, she's not your biological mother, why should you act like a dutiful son to her? Just live a normal life. If it really doesn't work out, find her an old man and marry her off, so she won't be bored and cause trouble every day."
"Pfft—"
Mingxi and Wei Yong'an couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Ma Meixia really dared to dream big; she even married Bai Shuzhen off.
If Old Man Wei, who lives underground, knew this, he'd probably be so angry he'd come back to life.
To be honest, Wei Yong'an was genuinely tempted.
Anyway, his father has been dead for many years, and Bai Shuzhen is still single. If we can find her a new partner and marry her off, it will save him a lot of trouble.
However, this thought only existed in Wei Yong'an's mind for a second before he quickly rejected it.
He did want Bai Shuzhen to get married, but Bai Shuzhen definitely wouldn't want to!
Bai Shuzhen wasn't stupid. At her age, she could only marry an old man of the same age.
That's not getting married and living a normal life; it's becoming someone else's nanny.
She might end up working as a nanny for someone else's family.
Second-marriage couples often have mediocre relationships. Even if she works as a nanny, her partner might not treat her genuinely well and might even be wary of her behind her back.
Then why did she go through all that trouble?
It would be better to stay as I am now, a domineering old lord in Wei Yong'an's household.
Wei Yong'an knew that Bai Shuzhen was shrewd and would definitely be able to figure out the costs, so he had to give up the idea.
Ah, what a pity...
I wish Bai Shuzhen could really remarry.
Seeing that the two had been chatting for a long time, with the conversation revolving around Bai Shuzhen, Mingxi stepped forward and steered the conversation back to the two of them.
"Ahem, we've been talking about Comrade Wei's family for a while now, Comrade Ma, let's talk about Comrade Wei himself. Is there anything you'd like to know about him?"
Ma Meixia thought for a moment and realized she did have a question. She said, "I heard that your requirement for a partner is that he be educated, at least a junior high school graduate. I only graduated from junior high school and didn't go to high school. Will you look down on me for not being educated?"
"Won't."
Wei Yong'an shrugged: "I'm not a college student myself, just a high school graduate. I don't think you're uneducated just because you only graduated from junior high school. I require my partner to have graduated from junior high school, mainly for the sake of our future children. I'm busy with work, and after we have children, I probably won't have much time to keep an eye on their grades. So I hope my partner has at least graduated from junior high school, so that she can tutor our children when they are in elementary and junior high school."
Ma Meixia: "From what you're saying, you're saying that after you get married, you're going to hand over all the household affairs to your wife?"
Wei Yong'an nodded.
Ma Meixia: What if your wife's work is also very busy?
Wei Yong'an replied instinctively, "Aren't you unemployed?"
Upon hearing this, Ma Meixia blushed deeply.
Wei Yong'an's words were tantamount to a direct hint that he wanted to marry her.
Mingxi raised an eyebrow. Although the two of them were talking back and forth like they were doing business, rather than going on a blind date, strangely, they got along very well. Their thought processes were on the same line, and they could agree on anything they said.
Moreover, judging from Wei Yong'an's words, he seems to be considering developing a relationship with Ma Meixia.
Wei Yong'an realized what he had said, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his usually composed face.
He touched his nose, coughed twice, and said, "I hope my wife doesn't work and can focus on taking care of things at home. Of course, I won't let her sacrifice so much for the family in vain. I will hand over all my salary and only keep five yuan a month for my own pocket money. Of the salary I give her, forty yuan a month will be her pocket money, and the rest will be used to maintain our family expenses."
Mingxi was somewhat surprised, not expecting Wei Yong'an to have considered things so thoroughly.
Ma Meixia was even more surprised. She was initially unhappy when Wei Yong'an said he didn't want his wife to go out to work, but after hearing about the forty yuan allowance, she no longer had any complaints.
Ma Meixia: "Comrade Wei, let's get straight to the point. I'm quite interested in you, and I can meet the conditions you mentioned. So, what's your impression of me?"
Wei Yong'an: "Comrade Ma, I'm quite interested in you too."
Ma Meixia waved her hand: "Since things have come to this, please stop calling me 'Comrade Ma' all the time. It's too formal. Just call me by my name. I'll call you Wei Yong'an too."
Wei Yong'an nodded readily: "Okay, Ma Meixia."
Ma Meixia: "By the way, have you ordered anything? I'm getting hungry after chatting for so long."
Wei Yong'an: "I've already ordered, but I was worried that it wouldn't be convenient to chat when the food arrived, so I specifically asked the kitchen to serve the food a little later. If you're hungry, I can go and urge them now?"
Mingxi stood up decisively: "Leave this kind of work to me. I'll go and urge them on. You guys chat."
Mingxi opened the door and stood in the corridor outside the private room, looking bewildered. This was her first time at this restaurant. When she came in, Wei Yong'an had led her, so she hadn't had time to observe the layout of the restaurant. Now that she was out, she didn't know where the kitchen was.
Hearing the voices and laughter coming from inside the house, Mingxi didn't feel comfortable going in to ask.
She glanced around and randomly chose one side, figuring she could just ask someone when she saw them.
She walked down the corridor to the end, but unfortunately, she didn't see anyone along the way, and the doors to the other private rooms were all closed.
Having finally reached the end of the corridor, Mingxi didn't notice the steps, twisted her ankle, lost her balance, and fell heavily forward.
Just when Mingxi thought she was destined to fall to the ground and closed her eyes, she suddenly felt herself hit a warm, breathing wall of flesh, and at the same time, she heard a muffled groan in her ear.
Realizing she might have hit someone, Mingxi quickly opened her eyes.
Then she saw Wei Ning, pale-faced, whom she had bumped into against the opposite wall.
Mingxi: We're doomed!
Why did I have to run into this sickly guy again!
If the sickly child has any problems, she'll have to pay for the medical expenses!
Guan Lixin took all the money in the house, so where would she get the money to pay for medical expenses!
Thinking of this, Mingxi looked at Weining with concern: "Are you alright? Does your heart hurt? Do you feel like you can't breathe? And is there anything else on your body that feels uncomfortable? I bumped into your arm just now, right? Does your arm hurt?"
Seeing Mingxi's nervous expression, Wei Ning found it amusing.
He has a heart condition, but he's not a fragile person. Why does Mingxi look like she's worried he'll break?
Seeing that Wei Ning remained silent, Mingxi grew anxious: "Tell me, is there anything wrong?"
Wei Ning snapped out of his daze, shook his head, and said with a smile, "No, I don't feel unwell anywhere. My heart doesn't hurt, and my arm doesn't hurt either."
Mingxi breathed a sigh of relief. She widened her eyes, looked at Wei Ning, and said seriously, "You said it yourself, you said it's okay!"
If you need to contact her again later, she won't acknowledge it!
Mingxi did not deliberately hide her emotions, so Weining could clearly see her inner thoughts.
Wei Ning: "..."
Does he really look like someone who would stage an accident to extort money? I remember the last time Mingxi bumped into him at the alley entrance, she looked like she was trying to avoid him at all costs.
Wei Ning's wicked sense of humor kicked in, and the more Mingxi wanted to leave, the less he let her go.
He made conversation by asking, "What brings you here today?"
This state-run restaurant is quite far from the steel rolling mill area; if it were just for a meal, they probably wouldn't have gone that far.
Mingxi: "I've brought people over to take a look."
This wasn't something to hide, Mingxi told Weining frankly.
Wei Ning: Oh, I see. I came here today to have dinner with the boss.
Who asked you? Who asked you?
Mingxi was completely confused, not understanding why Wei Ning was telling her this, but she still politely replied, "Oh, I see. So your boss thinks highly of you."
Wei Ning: "It's mainly because I'm good-looking. My leader said I'm the face of our department. When he brought me out, he thought I was pleasing to the eye, unlike the other ugly people who make people lose their appetite just by looking at me."
That was incredibly narcissistic, and even Mingxi didn't know how to respond.
She chuckled dryly, preparing to slip away, but before she did, she needed to figure out where to go.
Mingxi: "Um, Wei Ning, do you know where the kitchen is?"
Wei Ning pointed to the other side of the corridor: "If you're looking for the kitchen, you're going the wrong way. The kitchen is on the other side, and this is the back door. Go along the corridor to the other side, then turn to your left, and then walk straight to the kitchen. The right side leads to the main hall."
Finally knowing the way to the kitchen, Mingxi quickly thanked him, "Thank you, thank you, I know how to get there!"
She took a step back, pointed towards the opposite side of the corridor, and said, "Then I'll be going now, you..."
Wei Ning waved his hand: "Okay, you can go now."
Mingxi waved goodbye to him and then jogged away.
After Mingxi finished urging the kitchen to prepare the dishes, she lingered for a while before returning to the private room. It was unclear what Ma Meixia and Wei Yong'an had talked about during her absence, but they both seemed to be having a good chat with smiles on their faces.
After Mingxi urged them, the kitchen quickly brought the dishes up, and Wei Yong'an skillfully greeted the two of them.
"The chef at this restaurant is quite skilled. This 'Immortal Chicken' is a dish that foreign dignitaries have all tried when they visit. You must try it!"
"And this braised sea cucumber with scallions, this restaurant makes the best Shandong cuisine in the north of the city, the most authentic taste, and the techniques are different from other chefs."
"This braised three whites with fermented rice wine tastes pretty good too. It's an improved version of braised fish fillets with fermented rice wine, but with added fermented rice wine for seasoning. You can try it. If you don't like it, I'll have them take this dish off the menu."
Ma Meixia didn't stand on ceremony with Wei Yong'an. Whenever Wei Yong'an introduced a dish, she would reach out with her chopsticks to pick it up.
After finishing her meal, she commented, "Mmm, this 'Immortal Chicken' is delicious. I never expected that chicken and pig's trotters could taste so good together. No wonder it's called 'Immortal Chicken'."
"So this is what sea cucumber tastes like. This is my first time eating sea cucumber. It's a little strange, but it's quite delicious."
"So this dish is made with rice wine? I can't taste any wine at all."
Ma Meixia is not ashamed; she openly and honestly shows curiosity about things she has never seen before.
Seeing her curiosity, Wei Yong'an explained it to her from the side.
Mingxi smiled and remarked, "You two, one loves to talk and the other loves to listen, you really are a match made in heaven."
Wei Yong'an: "Then we must thank Comrade Ming for introducing us. We'll definitely invite you to our wedding banquet when we get married."
Mingxi: "Then it's settled! I'm looking forward to drinking your wedding wine!"
Wei Yong'an: "Then Comrade Ming can look forward to it; it won't be long."
Ma Meixia did not refute.
Mingxi raised an eyebrow. It seemed that when she went to urge the food preparation, the two of them had already discussed marriage.
They started talking about marriage right from their first meeting.
In today's context, this is not surprising.
Especially when it comes to Wei Yong'an and Ma Meixia, it's not surprising at all.
Wei Yong'an and Ma Meixia both had a clear goal: to get married.
Wei Yong'an wants to find a suitable and virtuous wife who can take good care of the family, while Ma Meixia wants to find a husband with good conditions.
When both parties meet each other's conditions and share the same goal, they can naturally reach a consensus quickly.
After the meal, Mingxi was about to ask the two of them if they had any plans when she saw Ma Meixia and Wei Yong'an stand up.
Ma Meixia: "Comrade Ming, you should go back first. I have an appointment with Comrade Wei to go to the movies."
Mingxi: "Oh, okay! Then you guys go ahead!"
Wei Yong'an: "Then we'll leave first. Comrade Ming, you go back alone. Be careful on the road."
Mingxi nodded and waved to the two of them: "Enjoy the movie. If it gets late after the movie, Comrade Wei, you should make sure to take Comrade Ma home safely."
Wei Yong'an nodded in agreement.
Watching the two leave, Mingxi slung her bag over her shoulder and skipped home.
She walked out of the restaurant. It was completely dark outside. The dim streetlights were on, and moths, attracted by the light, fluttered around the lampposts.
Mingxi jumped down the steps and suddenly heard someone calling her name from ahead.
"Mingxi!"
Mingxi looked up and followed the direction of the sound, and saw Wei Ning standing under the streetlight, pushing his bicycle.
Mingxi ran up to him in a few quick steps: "Wei Ning, why haven't you gone back yet?"
Wei Ning: "Our room just dispersed. When I came out, I saw people from your room coming out, so I figured your side had dispersed too. I was thinking that we could go home together after you came out, so you wouldn't be scared."
Dinner parties arranged by superiors never end early.
When Mingxi bumped into him in the corridor just now, he couldn't stand everyone in his room smoking and came out to get some fresh air.
Mingxi let out a long "oh".
However, she glanced at Wei Ning's thin frame and said, "I'm not afraid to go back alone."
Mingxi raised her arm, tensed her muscles, and the muscle lines hidden under her clothes instantly became visible.
She said, "You forgot, I'm strong. Most men can't beat me. Even if we encounter a bad guy, he should be the one who's afraid."
Wei Ning: ...
He had completely forgotten that Mingxi was very strong.
The main reason is that Mingxi is pretty, fair-skinned and delicate, and looks like a harmless little girl, which is very deceptive.
Wei Ning looked at himself, then at Ming Xi, and belatedly realized that even if they encountered bad people, it was Ming Xi who needed protection.
He pursed his lips: "Do you want to come back together? I have a bicycle, you can get on it if we go back together."
Mingxi replied without hesitation, "Yes! Let's go back together."
If they go back together, she can hitch a ride; if she walks by herself, she'll have to walk.
Wei Ning gestured behind him with his chin: "Then get in the car."
Mingxi took two steps forward, then hesitated before asking, "Are you going to take me with you?"
Wei Ning: "What?"
Mingxi: "I'm quite heavy. You're so weak, you probably can't carry me."
Wei Ning was so angry he almost laughed. Just how weak was he in Ming Xi's eyes?
Mingxi: "How about I give you a ride? You know I'm strong and I can ride fast."
Wei Ning: "If you don't get on the car, I'm going to ride away by myself."
Mingxi shut up, decisively stepped onto the back seat.
Although she was still worried about Wei Ning taking her, she was afraid that if she kept nagging him, Wei Ning wouldn't give her a chance to hitch a ride.
Seeing that Mingxi was settled, Wei Ning also got on the bike. He stepped on the pedals, and the bicycle carrying the two of them slowly started moving.
Although Wei Ning was physically weaker than the average person, he could still carry a person on his bicycle without any problem. The bicycle drove towards the courtyard and soon arrived at the gate of No. 68 Jinyu Hutong.
As soon as Wei Ning brought the car to a stop, Ming Xi nimbly jumped out of the back seat: "Thank you, I'm home!"
Wei Ning: "Okay, you can go in now, I'm leaving."
He lifted the foot that was supporting him on the ground and drove into the alley.
Mingxi turned to enter the courtyard when she suddenly heard a voice.
"Xiaoming, who was that who took you home? Is it your girlfriend?"
It was late at night, pitch black, and no one could see anything at the door. Suddenly, a voice rang out, startling Mingxi. She took a step back and then saw that the speaker was Aunt He.
"Ah! Aunt He, it's you! I thought it was someone else, you scared me!"
Mingxi patted her chest, still shaken.
Aunt He: "Hey, look at you, girl, how can you be so timid?"
Mingxi rolled her eyes.
She's just a coward.
If it were someone with a heart condition, that scene would have scared them so badly they would have had a stroke!
The saying "people can scare people to death" is not an exaggeration!
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Author's Note: I noticed Xiao Wei hadn't appeared for a while, so I took him out for a walk.
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