As soon as she finished speaking, the car sped away, leaving Chen Shasha standing there alone, her face ashen and filled with embarrassment.
Following behind were colleagues who were leaving get off work. At first, they just wanted to watch the show, but they didn't expect Zhou Zuizui to be so assertive and domineering in her response.
Actually, after spending this time together, everyone has noticed some minor issues. Some colleagues do tend to be quite boastful, especially the young women who are just starting out in the workforce and don't know much yet. They might be little princesses at home and love to compare themselves to others. Although everyone dislikes this, they don't say much about it.
However, Chen Shasha's actions today were indeed very annoying.
This type of person is hard to talk to, yet very unpleasant.
Zhou Zuizui happens to be someone who can't control her temper. It was fine at first, but after it happened again and again, she really got bored.
In an instant, everyone's eyes fell on Chen Shasha, some mocking, some scrutinizing, making her feel utterly ashamed.
She gritted her teeth, stomped her foot hard at the gate, glared fiercely at the car's taillights that had disappeared in the distance, and then left angrily.
...
On the other side, after getting into the car, Zhou Zuizui let out a soft breath and rubbed her temples.
Ai Zeyang raised an eyebrow, glanced at the person to the side, and chuckled, "What, did your colleague offend you?"
He hadn't seen Zhou Zuizui speak so bluntly in a long time.
This person can be tolerant, but can also be confrontational.
Zhou Zuizui rolled her eyes at him, opened the chewing gum on the side, threw a piece into her mouth and chewed it, only then did she feel her anger subside a lot.
After a while, she said, "A young girl who went in for an internship at the same time as me."
"And then?" Ai Zeyang thought about the conversation they had just had: "Want to personally drive you to and from get off work?"
Zhou Zuizui chuckled and fiddled with her phone, saying, "She probably wants to show off her new car and her family background, right?" She said speechlessly, "I don't know what she's showing off. I don't mind once or twice, but doesn't she feel embarrassed after doing it so many times?"
Upon hearing this, Ai Zeyang couldn't help but laugh. Zhou Zuizui's words were indeed very direct and blunt.
He asked, utterly astonished, "Showing off my new car? What new car?"
"I haven't asked yet."
Ai Zeyang raised an eyebrow and smiled: "How about you drive a sports car to work from my garage tomorrow?"
Zhou Zuizui paused, then slowly glanced at him: "Am I stupid? Why would I drive a sports car to work for you?" She choked up and said helplessly, "I probably couldn't afford one of your sports cars even if I worked for ten years."
Ai Zeyang: "..."
That makes some sense.
He chuckled and said, "But you can afford it; you're not poor."
Back in college, the three of them got together, each with their own ideas. Xia Wen and Zhou Zuizui were only responsible for providing suggestions and money, while Ai Zeyang handled everything else. The two of them had shares in several companies under his name, so Zhou Zuizui was absolutely right about what he just said. When it comes to things, she only cares whether she wants to buy them or not, not whether she can afford them.
Moreover, even if she can't afford it, someone is willing to lend it to her or give it to her.
Zhou Zuizui chuckled softly: "Actually, saying those things to her today would have been embarrassing, but I didn't want to be bothered by her anymore."
She needs a quieter work environment.
Ai Zeyang understood: "Alright, don't be angry. I'll take you to get something to eat."
"What do you want from me?" The two then got to the point.
Ai Zeyang had made the appointment with her in the morning. Zhou Zuizui thought that Shen Nan had gone to training and Xia Wen was not there either, so she agreed.
"Let's talk after we finish eating."
"oh."
The dining environment is very elegant; Aizeyang is good at everything from eating and drinking to having fun and making money.
It has to be said that every time he brought Zhou Zuizui and the others to a place that was relatively unique and had good food.
As soon as she entered, Zhou Zuizui raised her eyebrows at the fence-like structure. Further inside was a small courtyard filled with flowers and plants, many of which were in full bloom. Her eyes darted around, and as she looked further in, she heard the sound of a guzheng being played.
She chuckled and looked at the people to the side: "A new place?"
“That’s right,” Ai Zeyang said. “The music is quite nice; you should like it.”
Zhou Zuizui smiled and didn't ask any more questions.
The restaurant's design is also quite unique, with a distinctly antique feel, yet also a touch of modernity, which is quite interesting.
The two found a secluded corner to sit down. After ordering, Zhou Zuizui looked around. The restaurant wasn't too crowded, which was quite comfortable. At least it didn't have the noisy feeling of other restaurants, and the tables and chairs were relatively far apart.
After staring at it for a while, she looked at Ai Zeyang and said, "You brought me to a place like this for more than just a meal, right?"
Ai Zeyang snapped his fingers and looked at her approvingly: "Smart."
Zhou Zuizui looked up at the design of the roof beams, thought for a moment and asked, "Are you... thinking of discussing with me about opening a branch of the tavern in the ancient town here?"
Ai Zeyang stared at her with wide eyes, and after a moment of surprise, said, "Not bad, Chuichui. Over the years, you're still the one who understands me best."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zuizui gave him a disdainful look: "Don't you even think about how many times you've brought this up with me?"
Ever since Ai Zeyang tasted the drinks at Zhou Zuizui's tavern, this guy has been urging her to open a branch, constantly asking if she could act as a distributor, etc. He feels that Zhou Zuizui's tavern is being wasted by only being located in the ancient town. In today's world, it's rare to find such pure and mellow wines. Just one sip and you can feel the unique flavor—it's a truly handcrafted experience. In short, even someone like Ai Zeyang, who has tasted fine wines all over the world, felt that the drinks at Zuizui's Tavern were exceptional.
As long as Zhou Zuizui is willing to share it and use it for development, he is sure that word-of-mouth will emerge instantly.
Even though it's now only open in the ancient town, the "Drunk with You" tavern has become a popular tourist attraction. Everyone who goes there will stop by for a drink. The drinks there are famous and unique.
Zhou Zuizui never bought any advertising; it was all the customers who voluntarily advertised for her tavern. Ai Zeyang himself had heard people mention more than once that the wine at Zhou Zuizui's tavern was delicious, and that it had a long and rich history.
...
Ai Zeyang coughed, smiled sheepishly, and said, "I've taken over this shop."
He succinctly explained, "The owner has high standards and likes this kind of dining environment, but unfortunately, the business isn't well-known, and you know how high the rent is here, so it's a bit difficult to keep going."
Zhou Zuizui understood perfectly. The location was good, and the restaurant was quite large. She had a good idea of how high the rent would be.
"Are you so sure... my tavern will make money if it opens here?" She looked at Ai Zeyang with amusement.
“Of course,” Aizeyang said. “I have confidence in the wine you brew.”
Zhou Zuizui paused, thought for a moment, and said, "I probably won't agree to your offer." She looked at Ai Zeyang and said, "You were just saying that casually today, right? Your real purpose today isn't to convince me to open the tavern here."
Ai Zeyang: "..."
There's absolutely no new way to deal with a friend who's too smart.
He choked for a moment, then nodded frankly: "That's true. I only had a one percent chance that you would agree to this."
Zhou Zuizui: "...Oh." She lifted her eyelids and looked at Ai Zeyang coldly: "Then tell me, what exactly do you want to do?"
Ai Zeyang pointed and said, "I want you to invest in this restaurant. I want you to redesign it. I like your designs for taverns and inns."
She did all of that herself.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zuizui instantly understood. She looked around for a while before rubbing her temples and asking, "Are you sure?"
“Hmm.” Ai Zeyang said, “I’d like to turn this place into a more private space. Your tavern won’t be open, but could you help provide some drinks? Not much, just a limited amount.”
He persuaded Zhou Zuizui, saying, "It's not necessary to have a wide variety of products. The main thing is that your wines sell really well, but have you ever thought about expanding a bit?"
Zhou Zuizui was silent for a moment, then looked at him: "You need to let me think about this. I can't manage it if I don't open it here. I don't trust others with those things. Lin Mu and Lin Ping wouldn't want to come either; they prefer the ancient town. Besides, this place... is too chaotic. It's not a good place for wine tasting."
Ai Zeyang laughed: "Okay, think about it before you answer me."
"Um."
She lowered her head to eat, and after a while Ai Zeyang handed her something: "The point of today isn't about these things, but about this..."
He tapped the table, looked at Zhou Zuizui, and said softly, "The matter you asked me to investigate before has been resolved."
"Really?" Zhou Zuizui put down her chopsticks and looked at him with surprise: "Have you found the person?"
Ai Zeyang chuckled and said softly, "We haven't found her yet, but we have some clues. I told you this so you could calm down first. Your sister went missing back then, and it seems she was taken in by someone." He whispered, "The clues aren't complete, but we've started searching along the route where your parents' enemies took her. We're starting to get a general direction."
He flipped through the files he had found and said, "Back then, that group of people took your sister away and said that if your dad didn't do that, they would kill her or sell her to the mountains. Later, the police investigated, and then they left, right? Then everyone thought your sister was gone..." Ai Zeyang spoke these words very quickly because he knew Zhou Zuizui didn't like to hear them. He quickly skipped over them and then said, "Actually, no. It seems they abandoned her at the gate of an orphanage. We don't know what happened after that. We are now planning to investigate each orphanage one by one."
He patted Zhou Zuizui's trembling body to steady her and said, "Don't worry, you've believed she's not dead all these years, so she definitely isn't dead. You sisters have a telepathic connection."
Zhou Zuizui pursed her lips and remained silent.
After a long pause, she asked in a hoarse voice, "Have you asked the people around you?"
“We’ve asked everyone who came in and out during that time. That place is too remote, and so many years have passed that we can’t find anything on the surveillance footage,” he said. “We can only rely on door-to-door inquiries, and now we can only rely on the people at the orphanage.”
Zhou Zuizui nodded, lowered her head and stared at the documents for a long time before blinking and looking at Ai Zeyang, her eyes red: "Thank you."
Some help cannot be expressed in just two words, but besides saying this, Zhou Zuizui really didn't know what else she should do.
Ai Zeyang scoffed and gave her a disdainful look: "What are you being so polite about?" He joked on purpose: "If you really want to thank me, divorce your husband and marry me."
Zhou Zuizui glanced at him, took a sip of tea, and said, "You're just joking, aren't you?"
Ai Zeyang chuckled and curled his lips into a smile, saying, "Don't worry, I'll contact you if I get any leads. Here's that person's phone number; you can tell him anything." He paused and asked, "By the way, do you have any clearer photos of your sister?"
Zhou Zuizui was slightly taken aback, and after a moment of silence, she said, "I have some at home, I can get it when I go home."
Ai Zeyang stared at her for a while, then said in a low voice, "Don't start a conflict."
"Won't."
After dinner, Ai Zeyang took Zhou Zuizui home first.
She spent the whole night looking at the investigation materials. The enemies who had grudges against Zhou's father back then could no longer be found. The only one who wasn't too involved was someone she managed to get in touch with. He only said that he had abandoned the child at an orphanage back then, but he didn't know which orphanage it was.
Because he wasn't involved in the incident; he only heard about it later.
Therefore, the investigation can only begin with the orphanages in those places at that time, but the scope is too large, and it will take some time to find them.
After thinking for a moment, Zhou Zuizui picked up her phone to call Shen Nan, but then suddenly remembered that he was at training camp and couldn't bring his phone. She lowered her eyes, stared at her phone for a while, and then sent a short message, telling him about having dinner with Ai Zeyang that evening, before turning off her phone.
The next day at work, Chen Shasha indeed stopped talking to Zhou Zuizui. When she occasionally saw her, she treated her like air. Zhou Zuizui was quite happy about this.
Lin looked at her again and chuckled, "In a good mood?"
Zhou Zuizui nodded: "It's alright, I have something big to do tonight."
"What important matter?"
Zhou Zuizui raised her eyebrows, smiled, and said, "It's a secret for now."
Lin chuckled and patted her shoulder: "We can go tonight, but we'll have to stake out the place tomorrow night."
She laughed and said, "This time we won't drive. We'll just go across the street, get a room, and stay there. We're not worried about any major problems."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zuizui chuckled and nodded, "Okay."
After getting off work, Zhou Zuizui drove away quickly. Considering that she needed to go home, she had made a point of driving when she left home in the morning.
Zhou Zuizui lived in a villa area halfway up the mountain. Normally, no taxis came and went; only various private cars were allowed. She looked at the houses appearing in the distance, took a deep breath, and then stepped on the gas to continue driving.
After parking the car, Zhou Zuizui looked at the iron gate in front of her, knocked on it, and after a while someone asked, "Who is it?"
Zhou Zuizui's eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "Aunt Zhao, it's me. Zuizui."
A moment after she finished speaking, someone rushed in to open the door. Upon seeing Zhou Zuizui standing before her, Aunt Zhao's eyes widened in disbelief: "Young Miss??? It really is you!!!"
Aunt Zhao looked her up and down and said, "How long has it been since you came back?"
Zhou Zuizui chuckled softly and reached out to hug Aunt Zhao: "Right? Did you miss me?"
"I want to." Aunt Zhao glanced at her car parked outside. "Aren't you going to drive it in?"
"No, it's not open." Zhou Zuizui asked softly, "Are they home?"
"He's not here." Aunt Zhao knew who she was referring to and said softly, "Did you come back for something?"
Zhou Zuizui nodded: "I'm looking for something. When will they be back?"
From childhood to adulthood, Zhou Zuizui received warmth from her grandparents and Aunt Zhao. However, Aunt Zhao couldn't be too good to her, since she was just a maid in the family. If she relaxed a little with Zhou Zuizui, she would be scolded by Zhou's parents.
"Your dad has a banquet tonight, and your mom is also having dinner out with some people," Aunt Zhao said. "You really don't plan to tell them?"
“Okay.” Zhou Zuizui said without hesitation, “Then Aunt Zhao, could you keep an eye on things for me? I’m going upstairs.”
"Go ahead, go ahead," Aunt Zhao said. "Shall I cook you something to eat?"
"No need. I'll leave in a bit." After saying that, Zhou Zuizui didn't dare to hesitate at all and quickly walked upstairs.
Going back to her own home felt like being a thief; she was probably the only one who would do that. But if she didn't do it this way… Zhou Zuizui wouldn't be able to get the photos at all.
After getting the study key from Aunt Zhao, Zhou Zuizui was alone in the study, fighting her battle. Since her sister's accident, most of the family's photos had been burned, and the only few that remained were ones she had desperately salvaged from the fire, only to have them taken away again. If she remembered correctly, they had been locked in a safe.
When she was little, she was too small to reach the safe or open it.
But things are different now. Zhou Zuizui looked at the safe not far away, narrowed her eyes, and entered the password.
Incorrect password.
She frowned and entered the three people's birthday passwords, but it was still wrong.
Zhou Zuizui paused for a moment, looked at the last two chances, took a deep breath, entered her sister's birthday, and with a beep, the app opened.
She quickly found the photos, took pictures, and then took out a very clear front-facing photo. When she put everything back, Zhou Zuizui inadvertently saw a document. She stared at the document for a moment, took a picture of it without hesitation, and then put everything back in its place, locked it, and left.
Aunt Zhao looked at Zhou Zuizui who was rushing down the street and asked, "Zuizui, what did you take?"
Zhou Zuizui, holding a photo album, said, "Ah, I found a photo album in the study. My husband said he wanted to see what I looked like when I was a child."
Aunt Zhao nodded, reached out and patted her head, smiling as she said, "Our Zui Zui is a married young woman now, she should be happier."
"Okay." Zhou Zuizui looked at Aunt Zhao in front of her, reached out and hugged her, and whispered, "Thank you."
"Of course."
Zhou Zuizui seized the time and quickly left home.
As they were descending the mountain... a black sedan approached from the opposite direction with its window half-open. Zhou Zuizui glanced at the license plate, pursed her lips, and without the slightest hesitation, stepped on the gas and passed by the car.
The distance between the two cars grew further and further, just like the distance between them.
Sitting in the car, Zhou's mother paused, then suddenly looked back, narrowed her eyes, and asked, "Was the person in that car just now a man or a woman?"
The driver paused, thought for a moment, and said, "Why do I feel like... that person looks a bit like a rich young lady?"
Zhou's mother was startled. When she turned around to look again, the car was gone.
After handing the photos and other materials over to Ai Zeyang, Zhou Zuizui focused on her work.
I went back to the ancient town with Xia Wen over the weekend, and then came back.
Her life was uneventful, without much change, while Shen Nan's was somewhat different; his life was more exciting.
They slept no more than six hours a day, were constantly under threat of enemy attacks, marched dozens of kilometers daily, and had to overcome all obstacles. Their training was kept completely secret and conducted in separate teams. Initially, they had to reach a certain location before the two teams would engage in combat.
In addition to leading Gao Zhuo and Xiao Tong's team, Shen Nan also brought along a group of newly selected newcomers.
The training of soldiers is far more arduous and exhausting than imagined. The daily exposure to the scorching sun can cause skin peeling, and many people cannot persevere. But they have no choice; they have faith, and it is faith that enables them to persevere.
Shen Nan is the team leader. In addition to the same basic training as everyone else, he also has to encourage people and use all kinds of passionate words to motivate them to move forward.
"Captain," Gao Zhuo wiped the sweat from his forehead, his voice a little hoarse, "we should arrive in about a day."
Shen Nan hummed in agreement and replied in a deep voice, "After we arrive, we'll need to assign tasks. Did you remind them of everything I told you last night?"
"some."
Shen Nan nodded and continued forward.
After walking for a while, Gao Zhuo was really exhausted and couldn't help but chat with Shen Nan in a joking manner: "Captain, after this training camp, you should introduce us to your wives, right?"
Shen Nan chuckled and glanced at him: "Win first, then we'll talk."
Gao Zhuo: "...It is said that my sister-in-law is as beautiful as a flower."
"Absolutely." Thinking of Zhou Zuizui, Shen Nan's eyes softened considerably: "Five more days."
The little boy on the side chuckled: "The captain misses his wife."
Upon hearing this, Shen Nan did not deny it.
"What's wrong with wanting a wife? It's not shameful." He glanced at the group with disdain and sneered, "You can all be envious! I have a wife."
"Damn it!" Gao Zhu cursed, "That's too much! I want to find a partner too."
He looked at Shen Nan expectantly: "Sister-in-law, do you have any sisters or anything like that? Could you introduce us to some?"
Shen Nan raised an eyebrow, thought for a moment, and said, "No."
Gao Zhuo: "…………"
The group chatted and laughed, which made them feel less tired.
When they were tired, they slept on the ground and continued on their way after a short rest. Only by strengthening their physical strength and willpower could they better carry the burden forward.
...
While Shen Nan was undergoing rigorous training, Zhou Zuizui was managing things quite well back home.
She went back to the ancient town and even brought back a lot of wine. Because of the design issues in their house, Zhou Zuizui simply installed a wine cabinet in the living room to store various famous wines that she had researched.
That day, she was off work as usual and was about to take the subway home.
Lin then asked her, "Want to have dinner together?"
Zhou Zuizui hesitated for a moment, pondering whether to agree: "What do you want to eat?"
Two colleagues followed behind: "Want to come together? There's a new barbecue restaurant that just opened recently and it's pretty good."
The four of them were discussing something when they overheard two girls across the street giggling and saying, "Wow, that man at the door is so manly."
"Yeah, and that car is really cool!"
"Who is it?" a colleague asked curiously from behind.
The man pointed and said, "There's a G-Class parked right in front of our company. It's so cool, and the guy there is so tall and manly. Someone just went up to ask for his phone number, but he refused."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zuizui's heart skipped a beat for some reason.
Before she could even process what was happening, her colleague exclaimed excitedly, "Wow, let's go check it out! It's a G-Class! It's my favorite car, it must be so cool!"
Zhou Zuizui: "..."
She followed her colleague to the door, and as soon as she arrived, she saw a man surrounded by women. He seemed a bit darker-skinned and more mature, with a cold expression, and he didn't seem particularly pleased with the throng of women approaching him.
A voice came from not far away: "Handsome, could you give me your contact information?"
"Who are you waiting for? Should we call out to them for you?"
...
Shen Nan was getting a headache from the noise. Just as he was about to speak, he met the eyes of someone not far away.
He suddenly smiled, captivating the women in the room, who were momentarily distracted. He smiled gently, beckoned to Zhou Zuizui, and whispered, "Aren't you coming over?"
Zhou Zuizui was still in a daze.
Shen Nan smiled faintly at everyone, walked straight up to her, reached out and affectionately ruffled her hair, asking, "What, don't you recognize your husband?"
Author's Note: Double update tonight!! Over 6,000 words! Please leave lots of comments, my darlings, and I'll try to do a separate double update tomorrow! Love you all!!
Happy April Fool's Day everyone! I'm sending out 100 red envelopes (this isn't an April Fool's joke, it's for real!).
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