Chapter 29 Ginger, Scallion, and Brown Sugar Water
In the photo Zhang Ni opened, Gao Wen was wearing an ivory white top and black pants, her hair tied up, casually sitting on a yoga mat, smiling slightly at the camera, her eyebrows and eyes curving into a crescent shape, looking charming and lovely.
At just one glance, Fang Han's heart was pounding.
Having been through so many blind dates, Zhang Ni knew exactly what he was up to the moment she tried to find out if he had a girlfriend.
During this period, Zhang Ni kept talking about "Teacher Wenwen." Fang Han had a premonition, and his premonition was indeed correct.
Fang Han only glanced at it before Zhang Ni's phone was snatched away by Gu Shujie, who said logically, "Don't cause trouble. Fang Han just resigned and is preparing to make a big splash. He's in the rising phase of his career. Don't let romance distract you."
Fang Han just started working at their company this month, and Gu Shujie was excited for several nights because of it, afraid of being stood up.
Work is more important right now, who cares about dating?
Fang Han silently looked at Gu Shujie.
If Gu Shujie looked closely, he could see Fang Han's slightly furrowed brows, which was the first time he had felt a little dissatisfied with his senior brother.
“So what if you’re in the prime of your career? Does that mean you can’t be in a relationship? When we were dating, it didn’t hinder your career, did it? You even said I was a stimulant for your career advancement!” Zhang Ni retorted loudly.
Everyone in the office burst into laughter.
Gu Shujie awkwardly touched his nose and waved his hand, "Never mind, whatever makes you happy."
Zhang Ni muttered a few words and looked at Fang Han again: "I just think that you're at the age where you should be thinking about marriage. You're twenty-six now. If you meet someone for half a year, date for two or three years, and get married when you're almost thirty, isn't that just right?"
"That young lady is outstanding and independent. She graduated from A University just like you. She's enthusiastic, ambitious, and kind. What's wrong with her? Right?"
"At your age, you should make more friends. Even if you don't end up in a relationship, you'll still have more social connections. Especially for people in your profession who work overtime every day, where will you meet so many new friends without introductions? How will you even start dating? You need to be brave and take that step!"
...
To be honest, Zhang Ni was thinking more about Gao Wen.
Fang Han and Gu Shujie had known each other for many years, so she knew Fang Han's character quite well. He was humble and polite, neither arrogant nor servile, and kind-hearted. Plus, he was a local, so his family seemed to be well-off, since he owned a house in the area and was able to move out of his family home.
Fang Han is handsome, well-educated, capable, and sincere—a promising catch with a solid foundation. Men like him, without any weaknesses in any aspect, are extremely rare. If Zhang Ni were to analyze it rationally, Gu Shujie's qualifications are still somewhat lacking compared to Fang Han's.
You have to win over this kind of man as soon as possible, otherwise, once you've reached a higher level in your career, he'll inevitably become somewhat opportunistic.
Whoever marries him will surely have a good life.
Zhang Ni spoke earnestly for a while, trying her best to introduce Gao Wen's advantages and good personality. She finally "convinced" Fang Han. He pondered for a moment and slowly nodded: "Sister-in-law is right, I understand."
"So you agree?" Zhang Ni smiled broadly. "I'll go ask Wenwen what she thinks. If it's okay, I'll have your senior brother organize a gathering, invite the office staff for a meal or something, otherwise I'm afraid it will be awkward for you."
Her words carried a confident thoughtfulness, showing that she was very considerate of both of them.
After Zhang Ni left, Fang Han threw himself back into his work. He stared blankly at the screen, trying to control his nervousness, his heart pounding wildly.
Gu Shujie watched Fang Han working diligently and lowered his voice to Zhang Ni, saying, "You're playing matchmaker again. Fang Han doesn't really respond. You're just setting up couples haphazardly. I know him; he doesn't like these things."
Fang Han, with his sharp ears, heard Gu Shujie's words and paused in clicking the mouse, his thin lips pressed tightly together, looking somewhat uneasy and flustered.
“He didn’t object, so don’t worry about it!” Zhang Ni glared at Gu Shujie.
Gu Shujie remained silent.
Fang Han's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, slowly calmed down, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of his lips.
All day long, Fang Han was somewhat absent-minded, glancing at the door every now and then, as if hoping for something.
Unfortunately, Zhang Ni has yet to appear.
That evening, when Fang Han got off work, he ran into Gao Wen at the door.
Gao Wen was holding several packages, making it difficult for her to free up one hand to swipe her access card.
Fang Han quickly stepped forward, swiped his card, took the package from her arms, and said with a smile, "Let me help you carry it."
Gao Wen didn't refuse. Looking at Fang Han's bright smile, she couldn't help but curl her lips and ask, "It seems you're adapting well to the new company. You're smiling so happily."
She knew he had resigned and gone to work for his senior's startup, which was said to be doing well and had a promising future.
Fang Han's actions were unexpected for her, but how could one person fully understand another?
“I’ve always done part-time jobs before, so I’m quite familiar with it and have adapted very well,” Fang Han said, pressing the elevator button as he looked at her.
He wondered if Zhang Ni had mentioned introducing him to someone.
Will she agree?
"That's great! We can cook a big meal to celebrate this weekend and invite Sister Xu Fei along." Gao Wen said a little shyly, "Actually, we wanted to eat barbecue. I bought a grill pan online and picked it up."
As Gao Wen spoke, she pointed to the largest package in Fang Han's arms.
She and Xu Fei had made an appointment a few days ago, but she hadn't had a chance to tell Fang Han yet.
Fang Han used to cook, and the two of them would eat there. Of course, they had to invite him to their get-together, especially since both of them were terrible cooks.
“Okay, I’ll buy some hot pot base later. Just let me know what you want to eat, and I’ll go to the supermarket to buy it,” Fang Han said immediately.
Gao Wen: "No, it's our gathering, so of course we should buy it. I've already arranged with Sister Xu Fei to leave work early and go to the supermarket together, so we'll just do the shopping."
Fang Han didn't say anything more after hearing that they had already made plans.
When they got back, Gao Wen and Xu Fei discussed it for a while in the living room.
Xu Fei had been on a diet recently, while Gao Wen was eating low-fat meals every day. This weekend, they were going to have hot pot and barbecue, which required a lot of planning. This was a big deal for them.
Fang Han took out the dragon fruit he had bought that day, cut one for them, and listened attentively without interrupting.
When Gao Wen occasionally picks up her phone to check messages, Fang Han's heart leaps into his throat, fearing it might be a message from Zhang Ni, yet also hoping it might be from Zhang Ni.
A whole day has passed, and you still haven't said anything?
Gao Wen put down her phone without changing her expression and continued chatting with Xu Fei with a smile.
It seemed that it wasn't Zhang Ni who sent the message. Fang Han was somewhat disappointed, but he had to try his best to hide it.
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
Fang Han has had a tough few days.
Zhang Ni visited the company several times, but she never mentioned trying to matchmake the two of them.
After waiting and waiting, still not knowing what was going on, Fang Han became unusually anxious and suffered from insomnia.
Friday afternoon.
Zhang Ni is here again.
Every time she comes, the people in the office get excited because she brings them hamburgers, fries, coffee, and cola.
This time, Zhang Ni brought even more things. In addition to those, there was also durian pizza, mille-feuille cake, various pastries and snacks, and freshly squeezed juice, filling several large bags.
"Thank you, sister-in-law."
"Sister-in-law, you are so kind."
"Sister-in-law, this durian pizza is delicious."
......
The office was filled with a delicious aroma. Gu Shujie was munching on a large hamburger and began to lavish praise on his wife.
Zhang Ni walked towards Fang Han's workstation.
As she approached, Fang Han's palms, which were gripping the keyboard, began to sweat.
"Fang Gong," Zhang Ni called out to Fang Han, placing a slice of mousse cake and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in front of him, and said with a smile, "Your senior brother said you don't like hamburgers and coffee, so you can have this."
"Thank you, sister-in-law." Fang Han put down his work, inserted a straw, opened the cake, and took a bite.
He doesn't like sweets, but today's cake was good; it had a smooth texture and a rich milky flavor.
"Let me tell you—"
As soon as Zhang Ni spoke, Fang Han tightened his grip on the spoon slightly, but still pretended to be nonchalant, saying, "Sister-in-law, please speak."
“I asked Teacher Wenwen, and she has no plans to date. She’s focused entirely on her career and is really busy. Let’s just let this matter go, so you don’t feel guilty.” Zhang Ni said with a smile, “That’s good too, so your senior brother won’t nag me all day long about me making things difficult for you.”
"Don't worry about it. Right now, your career is more important. Maybe you'll naturally meet someone you like in the future. Go ahead and work. I won't bother you anymore."
Zhang Ni said a lot more, but Fang Han didn't hear a word of it, and his long-awaited heart slowly sank.
The cake in his mouth suddenly lost its flavor, and he slowly put it aside.
Logically speaking, Gao Wen's refusal to meet a stranger should be a good thing, Fang Han comforted himself.
But she doesn't plan to date? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Fang Han looked at the code on the computer and adjusted his breathing.
never mind.
He quickly finished his work because he had to go back for a dinner party later. They had agreed to make hot pot and barbecue, and he wanted to buy some wild shrimp that Gao Wen liked to make boiled shrimp.
The phone placed to the side lit up.
Fang Han saw that the message was from Gao Wen and quickly picked it up to read.
Upon seeing the message, Fang Han could hardly contain his disappointment.
Gao Wen: [Senior, I'm sorry, tonight's dinner gathering has to be canceled. After work, I'm going out to dinner with the curator to discuss future collaborations. Sister Xu Fei said she has to work overtime, so it'll have to be another time.]
Fang Han sighed silently and replied to her message: "It's okay, I'm busy with work anyway."
Gao Wen: [Okay, I'll definitely make it next time!]
Fang Han: [Mhm.]
Fang Han: [Image]
To avoid making Gao Wen feel guilty, Fang Han even sent an emoji.
After ending the conversation, Fang Han looked at the computer, his work efficiency slowed down, and he even became a bit mechanical, which made him feel rather unhappy.
*
Yuhe Yoga Studio.
Besides Gao Wen, Zhang Ni and Lin Siyue were also quite excited.
This dinner was indeed a sudden invitation from Xu Mei, and it wasn't for everyone. She only privately invited Gao Wen, Zhang Ni, and Lin Siyue to have dinner together to discuss some equity issues related to future cooperation.
Xu Mei is a smart woman. She's a veteran in the yoga industry with experience and connections, but she understands very well that we live in an era of online traffic. This yoga studio's current popularity is largely due to its online presence.
The immense value and monetization potential of traffic exceeded Xu Mei's expectations, even shocking her and making her realize she was falling behind the times.
This surge in traffic is entirely thanks to Gao Wen; it wouldn't have worked with anyone else. It's directly tied to her personal image.
Now that the pie has grown bigger, Xu Mei knows she doesn't have the ability to make the pie herself, so she has to share the results. She shouldn't expect to retain people by offering higher hourly rates or a small commission.
One wrong move and you lose everything.
The main purpose of this dinner was to discuss cooperation, so Xu Mei found a nearby restaurant with private rooms for convenience.
Inside the private room, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xu Mei took out three contracts and gave one each to Gao Wen, Zhang Ni, and Lin Siyue. She made it very clear that the three shares were different.
Gao Wen had a slightly higher percentage, followed by Zhang Ni, and then Lin Siyue.
Meanwhile, Gao Wen's personal video account with a million followers belongs to her and has nothing to do with Yuhe Yoga Studio; she can manage it herself.
If it were just relying on Xu Mei, Yuhe Yoga Studio would at best be an ordinary yoga studio, targeting the high-end market, generating revenue, but nothing special. But now it's a popular yoga studio with a great reputation, and it's constantly attracting excellent teachers. It might even open a branch next year.
Xu Mei made significant concessions, but she didn't lose out.
Zhang Ni and Lin Siyue were well aware of their own limitations; they hadn't expected this surge in traffic, and everyone was very satisfied with the arrangement.
"Let's eat first. There's no rush to sign the contract. Take it back and review it carefully. We can discuss anything else later. If you have any questions, you can consult a lawyer," Xu Mei said.
The group enjoyed a pleasant meal.
Lin Siyue was the most excited, chattering away nonstop.
After the meal.
Xu Mei left first; she was busy, especially in the evening, with another dinner appointment. Zhang Ni was picked up by her husband; she held the contract, unable to contain her excitement, and said goodbye to the two of them before leaving.
Lin Siyue wanted to ask Gao Wen to come with her, "My brother is coming to pick me up, I have to go out and wait for him. Sister Gao Wen, do you want to come with me?"
Gao Wen was on a call with a member and said in a low voice, "You go first, I'll just walk back from the next intersection."
"Okay, bye-bye."
"Bye-Bye."
...
After Gao Wen finished her phone call with her client, she went to the restroom and then walked out again.
She walked slowly along the road, casually flipping through the contract in her hand.
To be honest, she herself didn't expect that she would get results so quickly in this industry.
Xu Mei offered very generous terms, and during the meal just now, she mentioned the previous cyberbullying incident. The director of Fanying Yoga Studio was taken away for investigation and reportedly confessed. The matter escalated, and she is likely to face imprisonment.
Xu Mei hired a lawyer and demanded more than three million yuan in compensation, but she won't actually get that much. It's estimated to be around one million. After deducting lawyer fees and related expenses, the remaining money will go to Gao Wen, since she did bear the brunt of the burden.
Compared to her previous life, the online bullying was nothing. To be honest, Gao Wen felt it was alright. The compensation, however, felt like a huge sum of money, plus the commission Xu Mei gave her. Given her work frequency, her income was quite considerable.
Is it possible to go from being poor to becoming rich overnight?
Gao Wen looked up at the brightly lit neighborhood in the distance. Things that she used to think were out of reach, she realized that she might actually be able to achieve through her own efforts.
Thinking of this, Gao Wen's eyes lit up with a smile, and her steps became lighter.
Just wait!
In a few years, she will live in a spacious and bright house with large floor-to-ceiling windows, and through her own efforts, she will be able to truly settle down in this city!
Before Gao Wen could continue planning her bright future...
It's raining.
First, a few drops of rain fell. Gao Wen opened her schoolbag to get her umbrella, but couldn't find it.
She walked quickly forward, hoping to get home before the rain intensified.
The rain is getting heavier.
Gao Wen was forced to take shelter under the eaves of a shop. While trying to avoid the rain, she wanted to use her bag to shield her head, but since the bag contained notes and contracts, she could only hold it in her arms.
In early autumn, it rains, the wind blows, and the temperature drops sharply.
Gao Wen held her phone, anxiously trying to book a ride-hailing service, but couldn't get one; it showed she was in the queue.
When the phone rang, Gao Wen was pleasantly surprised, thinking it was the ride-hailing driver, but it turned out to be Fang Han.
Fang Han stood by the window, watching the rain pouring down, and asked with concern, "It's raining, do you have an umbrella?"
“I think I left my umbrella at the yoga studio,” Gao Wen said.
"The umbrella is at home, on the dining table." Fang Han only called her in a hurry after seeing this umbrella.
"I probably forgot as soon as I left the house, my brain is so bad." Gao Wen said, then sneezed. She was speechless. "I was outside, and it was really windy. I should have come back sooner; I'd be home by now."
"Where are you? I'll come pick you up." Fang Han said, preparing to leave.
"No need, I've booked a ride-hailing service. The driver is on his way and will be there soon." Gao Wen said, then sneezed again. "I'm not going to say anything more. The driver has arrived. I'll hang up now."
After hanging up the phone, Fang Han's brows furrowed even more.
He was about to leave, but after thinking about it, he turned back and went into the kitchen.
A moment later, a noise came from the kitchen.
Gao Wen was almost home; the car had only driven a few hundred meters further when she arrived.
She opened the door, and Fang Han immediately came out of the kitchen. He saw that Gao Wen's hair was half wet, her nose and eyes were a little red, and she kept breathing heavily. He quickly said, "I made some ginger, scallion and brown sugar water. Drink some so you don't catch a cold."
Before Gao Wen could speak, she sneezed several times. She waved her hand and walked towards the room, saying, "I'm going to take a shower first. I feel so uncomfortable."
"Turn the temperature up a bit," Fang Han said worriedly from behind her.
Gao Wen wanted to reply, but then sneezed several more times, tears welling up in her eyes. She was annoyed: "How annoying! Waaah—"
Fang Han stared at the closed door, and could still hear her sneezing from time to time. He went back to the kitchen, poured out the cooked sugar water, and put it in the living room to cool. He also closed the windows of the small balcony and the kitchen to prevent drafts.
Gao Wen came out half an hour later.
She looked somewhat haggard, and dragged herself into thick winter pajamas.
"Put on your socks to keep warm, otherwise you might catch a cold," Fang Han said.
Gao Wen went back to her room again, and when she came out, she had put on socks.
She sat at the dining table, her anger barely contained: "I'm furious! Those ride-hailing platforms are outrageous! When I booked a ride, it clearly showed only a few people ahead of me, but I couldn't get a ride for ages. They kept asking for more money, and it took them two extra attempts to finally assign me a ride!"
"That's definitely going too far," Fang Han said, frowning.
"Complain! Complain! That driver complained that I was too close and his attitude was bad!" Gao Wen said, clenching her fists. The next second after Fang Han spoke, she added, "Forget it, I'm too lazy to argue with him. He said he was under a lot of pressure, probably because he felt that after waiting so long, this fare wouldn't be very profitable."
"It's raining so hard, I just saw a delivery guy slip and fall at the entrance of the community."
Gao Wen said softly, "You said last time that I have a lot of classes. I was just thinking that it's already very good to be able to do a job that I like without being exposed to the wind and sun, and to have a stable and considerable income."
Her tone was filled with pity for the weak. Fang Han replied, "You can't deny your hard work. You've worked very hard, and all the rewards are what you deserve."
He finished speaking softly, got up, heated the cooled sugar water again, and brought it out to her: "Drink some, and you'll feel better after sweating it out."
Gao Wen thought it was brown sugar water, took a sip, and her face immediately scrunched up: "What does this taste like?"
Fang Han: "Drink plenty of ginger, scallion, and brown sugar water to prevent catching a cold."
Gao Wen held the bowl and took another small sip.
She really couldn't stand the taste, so she put down the bowl and said, "I feel fine, I don't feel cold or have a headache, so I probably don't need to drink it?"
“You’ve only just caught a chill. If you don’t get rid of it soon, what if you catch a cold tomorrow? It will take several days to get better,” Fang Han glanced at the sugar water in front of Gao Wen. “Drink it slowly. You have to finish at least this bowl.”
After a long period of mental preparation, Gao Wen picked up the bowl and took two more sips.
To drink less, she took out the contract and shared it with Fang Han: "Our director called us to talk about equity today. I'm not a full-time teacher anymore, so wouldn't you say I'm a partner?"
Fang Han took the contract and looked at it. He was surprised by her progress and sincerely congratulated her, saying, "Of course it counts. You have achieved great success in your career and have a bright future. You will definitely do better and better on this path and climb higher and higher."
When Fang Han praised someone, he always did so with sincerity. Gao Wen was delighted by his words and her eyes crinkled with laughter.
"Is it cold?" Fang Han noticed that she hadn't drunk it yet, so he reached out and touched the bowl, picked it up and walked towards the kitchen. "It won't taste good if it's cold. I'll heat it up."
Fang Han's so-called heating was simply adding a little more water to the bowl, which immediately made it warm.
Gao Wen's smile vanished instantly when she saw the increased amount of unpalatable water. She lowered her head and sipped it slowly with a spoon, as if she was starting to have a problem with him.
Fang Han looked at her and asked, "Do you need me to find a lawyer to take a look at the contract?"
In his view, Gao Wen was just a student who hadn't graduated yet, and he didn't understand this area; he should find a professional to take a look.
Gao Wen looked up, nodded frantically, and took a big gulp of brown sugar water: "I need someone like that!"
Fang Han smiled and said, "My high school deskmate happens to be a lawyer. We're quite close. He has a law master's degree from B University and works at a large law firm. I can ask him to take a look at your case."
"Mmm! Thank you, senior."
"You're welcome." Fang Han smiled and got up. He went into the room and came out quickly. As Gao Wen finished the last sip of the unpleasant water, he opened a bottle of rainbow candy and held the bottle upside down in front of her.
Gao Wen extended her fair and delicate palm.
Fang Han's hand trembled twice, and a red candy fell into her hand. She quickly put it in her mouth.
The sweetness instantly washed away the fiery spiciness in her mouth, and Gao Wen's eyes lit up with a joyful smile.
*
late at night.
After Lin Heng took Lin Siyue home, he then took Jiang Shuyan home.
Along the way, the two of them listened to Lin Siyue excitedly talk about it the whole way. She even kissed the contract several times, saying that she was now a partner in the yoga studio. Although she didn't own many shares, her salary was high, she had all five social insurances, and she could also receive dividends.
She now has her own career, thanks to Gao Wen, who helped her find a powerful patron.
Lin Heng and Jiang Shuyan had completely different feelings. Lin Heng was happy for Lin Siyue and was constantly surprised by Gao Wen's rapid growth. As for Jiang Shuyan, Lin Siyue already had her own career, so what was she? She was so much older than Lin Siyue and had accomplished nothing.
Now, Lin Siyue calls her "Sister Wenwen" so affectionately and praises her to Lin Heng, which makes Lin Siyue feel very uncomfortable.
Jiang Shuyan couldn't bring herself to say anything complimentary, remaining silent throughout and even secretly clenching her fists.
Lin Heng escorted Jiang Shuyan downstairs. She couldn't wait to get out of the car, afraid that something would happen and she would be noticed.
"Wait a moment," Lin Heng said.
Jiang Shuyan withdrew her hand from the door handle.
Lin Heng opened his phone, tapped it several times, and looked up at Jiang Shuyan, saying, "I transferred 200,000 yuan to you. Take it and use it first. If you have any difficulties, just let me know."
"No need, I have money." Jiang Shuyan refused repeatedly, even raising her voice, "Why would you give me money? I don't need it!"
She was most afraid that Lin Heng would see her embarrassment, which was not what she wanted, nor was it the image she had always maintained.
Lin Heng's expression remained unchanged: "Take it."
Jiang Shuyan disposed of so many luxury goods, and her recent attire has become very simple; she doesn't even have a designer bag anymore. How could Lin Heng not have heard the news?
She was short of money, but he didn't know exactly why.
The two families are old friends and have a good relationship. Jiang Shuyan has spent a lot of money and effort on the Lin family elders and Lin Siyue. Lin Heng can't pretend he didn't see it, so he's helping her out.
Jiang Shuyan held her phone, ready to return the money, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.
She's short of money, really short of money.
I'm frantically selling products online but not making much money, and I'm getting criticized. I've taken out a lot of online loans and I'm almost unable to pay them back. I'm so anxious that I can't sleep every day.
"Go back and get some sleep," Lin Heng said.
After getting out of the car, Jiang Shuyan didn't close the door and made a request to Lin Heng: "Heng, Siyue has gone to work, and I'm very free. How about I go work at your company? I can gain experience and enrich my life."
These are not the goals. What has happened during this period has made Jiang Shuyan very anxious.
She couldn't lose Lin Heng; she had to hold onto him no matter what!
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