Chapter 127 Creating Surprises He Ming, seemingly understanding but not quite, followed suit...
Having been absent all morning, Zhu Liushuang inevitably received a barrage of questions from her colleagues upon arriving at the company. As soon as she reached the finance office door, Zhuang Xiaoqian grabbed her and bombarded her with questions.
"Liu Shuang, why didn't you come to work this morning? Oh... you don't look well, are you sick?"
Zhu Liuliang replied as he walked into the room: "Something came up at home, so I just took half a day off."
The office air conditioning was on high, making her feel stuffy and hot, so she took off her warm clothes one by one. Once her coat was off, the cuffs of her cashmere sweater, which had bunched up half an inch, were brazenly revealed.
"Isn't this Mingsheng's new bracelet? It's been selling like hotcakes lately..." Zhuang Xiaoqian, with her sharp eyes, immediately grabbed Zhu Liushuang's wrist and lifted it into the air. "I was shopping with my husband the day before yesterday, and I wanted to buy one too, but the price was a bit too high. This pearl and diamond chain was priced at over nine thousand... and it's not even pure gold. My husband and I discussed it and felt it wasn't worth it, so we didn't buy it in the end..."
Mingsheng is a well-known jewelry brand; Zhu Liushuang had never bought from them but had heard of them. When she woke up this morning, the bracelet was already on her wrist. There was no box or price tag in the room, so she had no idea how much it cost. Hearing Zhuang Xiaoqian mention it now, she couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement: It's so expensive!
A rose gold bracelet costs over nine thousand yuan, which is equivalent to two months' salary for her. If it were made of gold of equal value, it might have a lot of room for appreciation in the future. But it's just rose gold, mixed with copper, so it depreciates quickly. Just as Zhuang Xiaoqian said, the design is beautiful, but the price-performance ratio is not high.
"Liu Shuang, you actually spent so much money to buy this? Is your dessert business booming lately and you've made a lot of money?" Zhuang Xiaoqian's hand was still on her wrist, looking at the chain from side to side. "Your wrist is so slender and white, it looks really good on you."
Zhu Liushuang initially wanted to avoid questioning by saying it was a cheap imitation she found online, but then she reconsidered. Given Zhuang Xiaoqian's expertise in jewelry, she would surely be able to tell if it was a fake. Aside from their colleague relationship, Zhuang Xiaoqian had always been very kind to her; if she kept things to herself and gave her excuses, it would definitely upset Zhuang Xiaoqian.
So Zhu Liushuang told the truth: "Sister Zhuang, the bracelet was a gift from someone... I didn't know it was so expensive."
As she spoke, her eyes glanced unnaturally towards the windowsill.
"Your boyfriend gave it to you?" Zhuang Xiaoqian asked in a low voice.
Since He Ming had said he didn't mind their relationship being made public, Zhu Liushuang readily admitted, "Yes."
Thinking of He Ming, her cheeks suddenly felt hot.
Upon receiving a positive answer, Zhuang Xiaoqian revealed a knowing expression: "I knew it, you've been acting strange lately. People, once they're in love, easily become distracted... By the way, today downstairs at work, I saw you get out of a black SUV..."
Sure enough, nothing escaped Zhuang Xiaoqian's eyes.
Zhu Liushuang nodded helplessly: "Yes, he happened to be free, so he drove me to work."
Zhuang Xiaoqian let go of his hand and said in a tone of someone with experience, "Liu Shuang, your boyfriend is pretty good. He's generous and even picks you up from get off work... But men in the throes of new love are all very attentive. My husband was like that when he was pursuing me; he would even cross the entire city of Gucheng in the middle of the night to queue up for soup dumplings for me... Now that we're married, he's started to slack off. You'd better keep your eyes wide open and do a good job of investigating him..."
"Yes, thank you for reminding me, Sister Zhuang." Zhu Liushuang smiled as she sat down at her workstation, turned on her computer, and prepared to catch up on the work she had missed that morning.
Zhuang Xiaoqian wasn't about to let her off the hook. With an enthusiastic expression, she continued, "Liu Shuang, what company does your boyfriend work for? That car he drives looks so familiar..."
Zhu Liushuang thought, what's meant to happen will happen. The cooperation between Zhonghe and Ruixin wouldn't end anytime soon. He Ming visits Ruixin from time to time, so it wasn't surprising that Zhuang Xiaoqian recognized his car. Last time the two companies had a team-building event, Zhuang Xiaoqian was watching as she got into He Ming's car…
Since it's something that will eventually come to light, it's more sincere for her to tell it herself.
"Sister Zhuang, you know my boyfriend... he is..." She paused suddenly, as if deliberately trying to whet Zhuang Xiaoqian's appetite. Seeing the other woman craning her neck and staring intently at her, she slowly uttered two words, "He Ming."
"What?" Zhuang Xiaoqian's expression was incredibly complex, shifting from shock to confusion to sudden realization in an instant. "It's actually Teacher He! I never would have guessed, Liu Shuang!"
Perhaps in her colleagues' eyes, she and He Ming were completely unrelated, and apart from necessary work interactions, there was absolutely no possibility of them developing any romantic feelings for each other. Yet, these two people, so different from each other, somehow ended up together. Zhu Liushuang smiled faintly at Zhuang Xiaoqian's meaningful gaze, regaining her usual reserved and shy demeanor: "We are high school classmates, so you could say... we have a close relationship."
"Hello fellow alumnus, fellow alumnus knows you inside and out! Professor He's appearance is impeccable. Judging from his daily clothes, demeanor, and mannerisms, his family background must be quite good. The only downsides are that he's a bit cold and a bit boring..." Zhuang Xiaoqian listed He Ming's qualifications on her fingers, "He's also a certified public accountant. His signing fees must be considerable! Zhonghe has been a dominant player in Gucheng for the past few years, and we don't know how many projects they've undertaken... He's the audit team leader, project manager, and with commissions, he must have earned at least that much!"
Zhuang Xiaoqian held up four fingers, which represented four hundred thousand.
Zhu Liushuang had never inquired about He Ming's annual income, but judging from his habit of not looking at prices when buying things and eating at private restaurants, she guessed that his income must be quite high.
Zhuang Xiaoqian's estimate was conservative; He Ming's actual income might be even higher. A person earning 400,000 yuan a year, without the pressure of car and mortgage payments or extravagant spending habits, could indeed live comfortably in Gucheng, a third-tier city.
"Sister Zhuang, you're getting off-topic. His salary has nothing to do with me..." Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but interrupt Zhuang Xiaoqian. In her mind, their incomes were naturally separate, and there was no need for too much involvement. Even though they had been married for half a year, she would let He Ming pay for some of their daily expenses if he wanted, but she would never covet the rest of the money.
"How can it not be related...it's a huge deal!" Zhuang Xiaoqian disagreed vehemently, analyzing the situation for her. "In the short term, Mr. He's salary is high, so you won't have to be stingy with your relationship. In the long term, if you get married, his income will provide financial security, making your financial burden much lighter. Liu Shuang, don't blame me for being blunt, but if a girl's family is struggling financially, she should find someone with better conditions. This is a golden opportunity to change her life..."
Although Zhuang Xiaoqian's words weren't pleasant to hear, every word made sense. She practically had "Hold on tight to He Ming" written all over her face, so how could Zhu Liushuang not understand?
Her smile was somewhat stiff; though she maintained a calm demeanor, her remaining patience was about to run out. After listening to Zhuang Xiaoqian's earnest advice with blank eyes, she didn't forget to put on an "I've learned my lesson" attitude and thank her.
The computer on the table was turned on, and several messages from partners popped up in the DingTalk chat window. Zhu Liushuang made an excuse that she was busy and hastily ended her conversation with Zhuang Xiaoqian.
The finance office fell silent. The clattering of keyboards, amplified by the noise of the air conditioner unit, was even more jarring and disturbed her.
Ultimately, this is nothing more than displaced anger.
What disturbed her peace of mind was not the noise, but Zhuang Xiaoqian's long speech.
In high school, Zhu Liushuang and Tian Xingyu were very close friends, becoming inseparable confidantes through their daily companionship. However, others didn't see it that way. Some busybodies, always prone to malicious speculation, secretly said behind her back that she was only friends with Tian Xingyu because Tian Xingyu's family was rich.
Liu Linyue and the others had seen Tian Xingyu buy her food and put extra meat dishes into her bowl. They confidently remarked, "See? Zhu Liushuang even mooches off Tian Xingyu's meals, treating her like a long-term meal ticket! Only Tian Xingyu, this sucker, is actually enjoying it..."
When they said these things, they would always glance at her strangely, then cover their mouths and whisper amongst themselves, as if afraid she wouldn't hear them. But they wouldn't say it in front of Tian Xingyu; they would only say it when she was alone.
Over time, Zhu Liushuang's inferiority complex grew increasingly ingrained. She had distanced herself from Tian Xingyu because of it, but this only emboldened them to gossip. They would lock themselves in the dormitory and loudly discuss her, saying that her true colors had been revealed, that Tian Xingyu had seen through her stinginess and greed, and therefore had broken off all ties with her…
Later, she had a big fight with her roommates who liked to gossip about people, and finally got some peace and quiet.
During that argument, Tian Xingyu realized why she had distanced herself from her. After this incident, Tian Xingyu treated her even better.
Even though she tried to distance herself, Tian Xingyu clung to her and wouldn't leave no matter what she did.
Zhu Liushuang wasn't sure if love and friendship were the same.
Her family was indeed not well-off, but she never wanted to "marry up." She was capable of supporting herself, and she didn't want to be a trumpet vine completely dependent on a man.
She liked He Ming because of him as a person, not because of his money. Even though his family background and job were ordinary, it didn't stop her from liking him.
But Zhuang Xiaoqian's well-intentioned words of advice happened to break down her fragile mental defenses.
Her inferiority complex and the dignity she valued both surfaced and surged forth in these incredibly realistic words. Like a splinter embedded in her fingers, seemingly calm on the surface, yet deeply embedded in her flesh, pricking her every now and then.
————
Zhu Liushuang's gloomy mood lasted for the entire afternoon.
It was 6:30 in the evening, and it was pitch black. The lights in all the other departments of the company were off, except for the finance office, which still had its lights on.
She took a sip of water and continued struggling with the spreadsheet on the screen. Because of something weighing on her mind, her work efficiency was low that day.
Her eyes were blurry, and several numbers on the table didn't match. She frowned and searched again and again. Just as she was at her wit's end, she suddenly heard "tap tap tap" footsteps outside the door.
Zhu Liushuang immediately got goosebumps on her arms.
Who would come to the company at this hour? Judging from the footsteps, it sounds like a man.
She held her breath alertly, quietly got up from her seat, and slipped behind the door.
Although the office building's security was decent, and there was access control at the company entrance, it was getting late, and the finance office door couldn't be locked from the inside, so she had to be careful. Thinking this, Zhu Liushuang gripped the empty glass in her hand tightly, assuming a defensive posture.
The footsteps grew closer and closer, then suddenly stopped at the door of the finance office.
Immediately afterwards, there was a knocking sound on the door.
Three times, three times, and then three more times.
No one spoke from outside the door, so Zhu Liushuang dared not open it. She had mentally rehearsed countless scenarios of fighting with "criminals," but she never expected that the person who came would be He Ming.
The reason is simple: He Ming always acts according to plan and never launches a "surprise attack".
When he got off the bus at noon, he told her to pick him up around 6:50. It's only 6:30 now, so there's still plenty of time. Besides, he said he would wait for her downstairs at the office building. If he were to come up, given his personality, he would definitely call her an hour or two in advance.
Just as I was pondering this, my phone on the table vibrated at an inopportune moment.
Zhu Liushuang glanced at the screen with annoyance; the four large characters "He Ming Calling" were faintly visible on the phone screen.
Without a second thought, she dashed to her desk, grabbed her phone, and crouched down. The call connected, and she whispered, "Hello, senior—"
The unusual sound in her voice startled the person on the other end of the line: "What's wrong with your throat?"
"My throat is fine... it's just... all my colleagues have left work, but just now, I heard footsteps outside the finance office. And... and... someone knocked on the door, without saying a word, it gave me the creeps..." Her voice grew softer and softer, and she couldn't help but tremble at the end.
"Heh—" A man's soft chuckle came through the receiver.
Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but pout. At such a tense moment, he actually had time to tease her!
"Liu Shuang, do you want to open the door and see who's standing outside?" The man she had labeled as "gloating" let out a breath and said slowly, "I knocked for ages and no one answered. I thought you weren't in the finance office. Don't worry, there's no bad guy here."
At the same time, the door to the finance office was pushed open from the outside in, and a tall figure appeared in the doorway. The man's gaze locked precisely on the woman squatting on the ground, and with a slight lift of his foot, he strode towards her.
Why are you squatting on the ground?
When He Ming stepped forward to help her up, Zhu Liushuang was still in a daze. Before the phone call was even disconnected, two voices rang out one second apart, like a broken record.
"Why...why didn't you call ahead to let me know you were coming up?" she complained softly.
He Ming had unspeakable suffering.
In matters of the heart, his experience was far less than that of Ye Xingzhi and Gu Xufeng. Therefore, he specifically consulted his two friends, who were known as "relationship experts," on how to win a girl's heart.
After exchanging ideas, the two came up with the same strategy: girls love romance and surprises.
Having only a vague understanding, He Ming followed suit and decided to give Zhu Liushuang a surprise.
And the delightful appetizers always arrive without warning, arriving early to greet her.
But it seems—his surprise was not successful; it almost turned into a shock.
Looking at Zhu Liushuang's pale face, he silently decided to assign Gu Xufeng another field job so that he wouldn't have to rest this weekend or next weekend.
"It was my fault, I'll definitely pay attention next time." He admitted his mistake sincerely, without mentioning at all that he wanted to surprise her. "The institute hired a new batch of interns these past two days, and our group was divided into three. We can help with some of the most basic chores, so I left work early."
Zhu Liushuang processed his words, withdrew her hand, and sat back down at her workstation. He could leave early, but she couldn't. There were still a few incorrect data entries that hadn't been corrected; she needed to spend time verifying them.
"Not finished yet?" The man who had been left standing aside sat down in Zhuang Xiaoqian's chair with ease and asked softly.
Busy checking the documents, Zhu Liushuang nodded absently without even looking up.
He Ming fell silent. He neither looked at his phone nor glanced around, but stared blankly at Zhu Liushuang's lowered chin, as if admiring some beautiful scenery.
He silently observed her every move and noticed that her brows furrowed from time to time, and her expression never relaxed.
"What's wrong?" After sitting for a while, seeing that she still looked helpless, He Ming couldn't help but get up and walk behind her.
The man's figure loomed over the screen like a dark cloud, his face reflected on the computer monitor.
After staring at the screen for a long time, Zhu Liushuang's eyes became sore and painful. She rubbed her temples and said, "There are a few incorrect data points on the table. I've been looking for a long time but I still can't find the error."
Which ones?
The man leaned even lower, and Zhu Liushuang could clearly feel his breath surging against the back of her neck.
"Here, here, and here..." Her neck itched, as if a feather had gently brushed against it, and she composed herself.
As Zhu Liushuang hovered her mouse over several data points on the report, about to continue speaking, a large hand slowly covered hers. He gently cupped the back of her hand and guided her to open the first few tables.
Is this helping her find data or making things worse?
Zhu Liushuang shouted in her heart.
He Ming's sharply defined chin was almost touching her shoulder. Their heads were so close that she could hardly think, and she even forgot to breathe. Besides the pressure on her shoulder, the weight on the back of her hand was also undeniable. Her right hand had lost all control, and he was pushing it up and down.
"Senior... how about you sit in my seat?" Zhu Liushuang said, feigning composure. "Bending over like that is bad for your cervical spine."
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Author's Note: [Shrug] Gu Xufeng's inner monologue: I'm just sitting in the office, and trouble falls from the sky [Clown]
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