Chapter 36. I Quit
Those who are completely selfless, who don’t even love themselves, and who give up on themselves will not be respected in society.
Ruan Tang found the business card Zhang Wei gave her and looked up his company information online. She saw a shareholder named Zhang Yuan who only held 3% of the shares.
She searched the company's name plus Zhang Yuan on Baidu, and sure enough, she found a Weibo post: Afternoon tea organized by the beautiful director of Universal Capital, such a happy gathering with sisters @Alice张媛), and the accompanying picture was a photo that was photoshopped to perfection in every aspect.
After enlarging the photo several times, she finally managed to recognize her sister-in-law's face after some effort in the group photo with highly consistent photo editing aesthetics.
Ruan Tang clicked on her homepage. It had tens of thousands of followers, and the style of her Weibo account resembled promotional photos from the TV series "Tiny Times," a dazzling display of colors that seemed almost dazzling.
She sent a private message to Zhang Yuan, inviting her to come to the coffee shop.
Compared with the last time's aggressiveness, Zhang Yuan's attitude this time was much better, but she still revealed a condescending look from time to time.
Ruan Tang brought her a few cups of new coffee and asked her to try them. She sat up straight and glanced at the coffee cups one by one. She sniffed and said: I'm sorry, I have high requirements for the quality of coffee beans. I can't get used to your kind of sugary syrup.
"Huh?" Ruan Tang feigned defeat, picked up one of the cups, brought it close to her nose, and sniffed, saying, "I specially asked someone to get these authentic Geisha Estate coffee beans. Could it be that my coffee skills are too poor..."
Zhang Yuan was proud. She picked up one of the cups and took a sip, then taunted: The raw materials are indeed good, but the mixing ratio of the three kinds of green beans in this cup, the roasting time, and the final screening are all controlled by top baristas. Wild boars can't eat fine bran, so how can you make fine bran?
After she had laid out her entire repertoire, Ruan Tang rested her chin on her hand and said slowly, "Oh, by the way, I just remembered that we used ordinary Yunnan coffee beans today, and you actually tasted like Geisha Estate coffee?" It seems I'll have to stick with them next time.
She smiled, appreciating Zhang Yuan's embarrassment, and asked, "It actually tastes pretty good, right?" Let's put aside the theoretical knowledge.
Zhang Yuan put on her socialite airs again, as if she was wearing an invulnerable soft armor, and asked her what she wanted to do.
"Of course we can collaborate. I noticed on Weibo that you often organize afternoon teas for celebrities. You can choose this venue. I can also provide exclusive custom coffee. I can satisfy any beans, roasting level, and taste requirements."
Zhang Yuan looked at Ruan Tang with a look that said, "Are you kidding me?" and scoffed, "Miss, in our circle, we usually have afternoon tea at places like the Bulgari Hotel."
Although she didn't say it, Ruan Tang read the words "you deserve it" from her eyes.
Ruan Tang smiled, looked up at the furnishings in the store, and said: But such city alleys are also interesting in their own way. You have to differentiate yourself from the group-buying celebrities, right?
Finally, she added a reason that could not be refused: Your old lady has entrusted you with the important task of protecting the family business. You probably don't want me to call you aunt, right?
Zhang Yuan's expression was stern and she asked: So Xiaoyu has been acting mysteriously with you recently?
Ruan Tang pulled the chair closer to her, took her arm affectionately, and said: Actually, I think you are a very sophisticated person. Although we had some misunderstandings last time, we still know each other better after a fight.
"Sense of layers?" This was probably the first time Zhang Yuan heard someone say this about her.
Ruan Tang nodded. "Yes, you're beautiful and smart, no wonder the old lady values you so much. I think you chose this venue so I could have more opportunities to interact with you. Maybe we could become friends after a while. Then I can ask Zhang Haoyu to recognize me as his aunt or godmother, how about that?"
Zhang Yuan pushed her hand away, picked up the coffee cup and took a sip, and said sarcastically: In idol dramas, the hero's family takes five million and throws it in the heroine's face to let her go, but you come to us yourself and sell our Xiaoyu's kindness with just a few deals.
"I'm not a teenager, so you don't need to give me examples from idol dramas. Do we have a deal?" Ruan Tang smiled and stretched out her hand to her. Zhang Yuan gracefully shook her fingertips, looked around and said: The display of your store needs improvement.
Ruan Tang saw Zhang Haoyu again at an outdoor live-action script-killing event organized by Jiang Li. In order to ease the relationship between Wu Jiahao and her uncle, she instigated a large group of people to go camping in the suburbs.
He looked like he was worried about something, and he looked at Ruan Tang several times as if he wanted to say something, but was frequently interrupted by Jiang Li. Ruan Tang pretended not to notice and took selfies while sitting on a folding chair nearby.
Seeing this, Feng Xue and Jia Yingjun set up the tent and the canopy together.
After the preparations were almost complete, Jiang Li contacted the DM. It was a dark-skinned young man who recognized Xu Wei immediately and said that his girlfriend was her loyal fan.
Xu Wei leaned close to Ruan Tang and whispered: They must be treating my Weibo as a story.
Seeing Ruan Tang's confusion, she explained: Generally speaking, if a woman goes to consult a relationship blogger, she will most likely not let the other party know. No one wants to accidentally see themselves exposed in front of everyone in the submission, right?
Ruan Tang sneered: This material library is already numb.
DM asked the seven of them to divide into three groups. Jiang Li subconsciously took Wu Jiahao's arm and wanted to be in the same group with him, but was stopped by Jia Yingjun.
"In order to break up a couple, he can even put love aside. Tsk tsk, do you think such a man is reliable or unreliable?" Ruan Tang asked in Xu Wei's ear.
Seeing Xu Wei's sullen face, she quickly showed her humanitarian spirit and put her arm around her shoulder: "Are you unhappy? Oh, how about we be in the same group?"
Xu Wei shook her head and said: When it comes to Jiang Li, I really think he has a strong dad vibe. She is already in her twenties. Doesn’t she have the freedom to decide who she wants to be with?
Ruan Tang couldn't help laughing: But you two really seem like a couple with inconsistent educational philosophies.
"I'll be in a group with Jiang Li. You should focus on solving your own problems." Xu Wei looked back at Zhang Haoyu and Feng Xue who were standing on either side, and walked straight towards Jiang Li.
Zhang Haoyu scratched his head, deliberately telling a joke to liven up the awkward atmosphere. He looked at the DM and asked, "What about the three of us? How about picking one and dividing it into three equal parts and giving them to each group?"
The only result was a roll of the eyes from Ruan Tang.
"How about this, I'll withdraw and guard the camp here, and you guys go and have fun." Feng Xue suggested.
Hearing him say this, Ruan Tang couldn't help but feel sullen. Generosity is not always a virtue.
Ruan Tang said: Then we will form a group of three. To be fair, our group will take fewer clue cards.
After the DM distributed the identity cards, he explained the rules of the game, and the three groups set out to search for evidence.
Zhang Haoyu kept protecting Ruan Tang behind him as if he was addicted to acting. Ruan Tang smiled helplessly and said: Our roles are brother and sister, not bodyguard and eldest lady.
Feng Xue seemed to be intentionally distancing himself from the two of them, searching the woods alone with the clue card.
"But as your brother, I should protect you."
"If you have to call me brother, it has to be Feng Xue. Just follow us, little brother."
After Ruan Tang finished speaking, she looked down at the clue card and compared the surrounding environment, not noticing that Zhang Haoyu's face turned red.
Zhang Haoyu caught up with Ruan Tang and asked in a low voice: Have you met my aunt?
Ruan Tang nodded: Yes, she also promised me that she would bring her sisters to my shop for afternoon tea every week.
Zhang Haoyu blushed: So what she said, that you want to be my aunt or godmother, is also true?
"If it's possible, I'm not opposed to it at all." Ruan Tang gave a loving smile. "Didn't Jiang Li say that your hard drive has abundant resources? Why do you blush so easily?"
"It's because I'm sincere to you! When I express my true feelings, I tend to have some physiological reactions." Zhang Haoyu noticed that her eyes were moving downwards and quickly added: "It's not that kind of physiological reaction!"
He thought for a moment and added: Actually, I know you think I am a rich second-generation and young and have no perseverance, but I really have never loved someone as seriously as I love you. Even though I know that you actually like money, I am still willing to give you that kind of love.
Ruan Tang suddenly stopped, put away the mischievous smile on her face, looked at him, and said: I was watching a drama a few days ago, and the heroine said something that I think is particularly true. People don’t like someone just because they want to be happy. I believe that what you said will be good to me, and I also saw what you did, but since we are talking about feelings, we should still believe in our feelings, right?
After she finished speaking, she suddenly felt very relieved and decided to turn around gracefully. However, she accidentally stepped on a stone next to her and fell to the side before she could even scream.
Zhang Haoyu came back to his senses from his loss and saw Ruan Tang lying on the ground. He hurried forward to help her up and let her sit down.
"Why are you still wearing dad shoes when you knew we were going to the wild? And the insoles are so thick?" Zhang Haoyu took off her shoes to check her ankles, pinching her insoles and scolding her.
Ruan Tang snatched it and put it in her sweatshirt pocket, warning: "Be quiet, are you afraid others won't hear it?!"
While the two were talking, Feng Xue suddenly appeared from somewhere, looked her up, took out a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao from her bag, and squatted in front of her.
Ruan Tang suspected that he had heard their conversation just now, but then she thought, he shouldn't be the kind of person who would intentionally eavesdrop.
After applying the medicine, he asked: "Why don't we go down the mountain and rest in the camp first?" He looked up at Zhang Haoyu and added: "I mean, you two go back and rest first, and I'll go do the task by myself."
Ruan Tang put on her shoes, smiled at Feng Xue and said: No need, you two stay and continue. I just sprained my leg, not broke it. I can get down by myself.
After she finished speaking, she left the two of them and limped towards the camp.
Looking at her back, Feng Xue suddenly remembered something Xu Wei had said when they'd met in the woods earlier, searching for the same clue: Adam Smith proposed in The Wealth of Nations that people are selfish. Those who are completely unselfish, who don't even love themselves, who abandon themselves, are not respected in society. Your study of economics should give you a more thorough understanding of this statement than I do.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
