Chapter 58. Money Worship is a False Proposition
In the end, Ruan Tang was unable to welcome the new year in her favorite summer.
On the day before New Year's Eve, Tracy frantically called Ruan Tang more than a dozen times, asking her to return to Beijing as soon as possible. She said that her friend had a small single-family house that was in short supply and a tenant had already taken a fancy to it and was ready to pay a deposit, but the tenant had delayed the sale for two days for Ruan Tang's sake.
After getting off the plane, Ruan Tang rushed to the location Tracy had sent her. Surrounded by tall buildings, this small commercial area was dominated by a uniform pattern of two- and three-story Western-style buildings, creating a sense of tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle. Following the map, she spotted several buildings displaying designer brands she'd often seen in fashion magazines, as well as several fashion media outlets. The atmosphere was quite different from the pub's surroundings.
The two of them toured the small house inside and out. Tracy seemed very satisfied. When she told Ruan Tang about the layout plan in her mind, her eyes sparkled, brighter than the diamond earrings in her ears. Ruan Tang had made up her mind at the beach, but when she actually took the step, she couldn't help but hesitate.
It started snowing when they came out of the house. Ruan Tang subconsciously thought of Feng Xue. This was the first snowy day since they met. She wanted to ask his parents what their intention was in giving him this name.
Tracy's expression when she saw the snow was even more excited than when she was planning her business empire just now. She invited her almost in an order: We didn't expect to catch the first snow of this winter. It's a good opportunity for us to go for a walk. Which direction do you want to go?
Ruan Tang was still thinking about Feng Xue, and casually pointed to the east. Tracy nodded with satisfaction and said: It would be nice to take pictures in Chaoyang Park when it snows.
Seeing Ruan Tang's silence, Tracy took out her e-cigarette, took a puff, and asked calmly, "Is it because you're not very motivated? Is it because of the walk or the shop?"
"I just feel it's a bit unreal." Ruan Tang shook her head and withdrew her thoughts from Feng Xue.
Tracy sneered: "A few million scared you? Listening to Wang Hao, I thought you were quite ambitious."
"What did he say about me?"
"That's not important," Tracy said, puffing away in the snow. Her expression was one of indifference, as if she were about to soar into the sky. "I became our newspaper's chief reporter within two years of graduation. Our editor-in-chief said I had a good chance of becoming the company's next youngest editor-in-chief. But one year, a friend who ran an online literature website recommended a few novels to me. Back then, online novel adaptations weren't popular in the film and television industry, so I spent 800,000 yuan to buy the copyright to two novels. Do you know how much I sold them for?"
Ruan Tang thought about it and shook her head. Tracy stretched out three fingers and shook them. Ruan Tang was surprised: Three million?
Tracy curled her lips slightly and said with a smile: You missed a zero.
Ruan Tang actually took a deep breath.
"The reason I'm telling you this is to tell you that opportunities don't come around often. Do you know why I want to invest in you?"
Ruan Tang recalled the common routine in novels and TV dramas where the protagonist suddenly meets his mentor, and asked tentatively: Do you think I look like you when you were young?
Tracy smiled slightly, but the corners of her mouth were full of joking, as if to say "stop kidding". She said: I just think it's fun, and I happen to have the capital to pay for my curiosity. The reason why you find it incredible is because you have too little experience and have never had money.
Ruan Tang moved her lips, wanting to refute, but she was powerless to do so.
"I don't think being materialistic is a bad thing. If you can achieve financial freedom with the help of a man, then that's fine, but men are smart. They are the most materialistic and realistic."
"There's a book by Simone de Beauvoir that left a deep impression on me. It argues that matriarchal societies stem from a worship of reproductive function, and that men voluntarily deify women. Their worship of women stems from fear, not love. In my opinion, selfishness has been ingrained in men's genes since their evolution. So I find it hilarious that you're not shy about saying you're materialistic online. A truly materialistic woman wouldn't engage in this money-losing business with men."
"By the way, I've done some research and I still feel that a private chef doesn't quite fit in with the ethos of a coffee shop. We can only serve simple Western-style meals at best. I've looked at the bistro menu, and it's probably not something your boyfriend would specialize in, right? So I'm afraid you'll have to discuss the separation with him."
Tracy talked to herself, and from time to time she handed her phone to Ruan Tang to help her take a few pictures of her elegant figure walking in the snow.
When parting with Tracy, Ruan Tang asked her if she had any resources to contact a better autism care and intervention agency.
Before getting in the car, Tracy hesitated and asked, "Do you have an autistic child?" Ruan Tang quickly shook her head and said she was asking for a friend. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief and agreed to help her find out.
Tracy's reaction made Ruan Tang feel a little more realistic about her investment intention, but her heart sank a little. She couldn't help but wonder how Feng Xue would react if he knew about the situation of the child his ex-wife had given birth to without telling him.
"Happy New Year." Before closing the car door, Ruan Tang smiled and waved to Tracy.
The other person nodded nonchalantly, saying, "Don't keep me waiting too long." Then he retracted his gaze, sat up straight, and looked forward. Ruan Tang responded by gently closing the car door for her.
On the way back, she kept thinking about how to tell Feng Xue about opening a store. Passing a kindergarten and looking at the children playing in the small playground, she couldn't help but sigh deeply, and her worries added another layer.
At this moment, she suddenly heard the horn of an electric bike behind her. She came to her senses and subconsciously dodged to the side. As a result, she tripped over the curb and fell directly into the bare green belt.
"Don't you know we have to drive slowly in front of the school?!" Ruan Tang shouted at the electric car that was moving away quickly, but the only response she got was the rustling of falling snowflakes.
A snowflake floated into her mouth, instantly chilling her heart.
"Beauty, are you okay?" A soft voice saved her depressed mood.
Ruan Tang thanked him repeatedly as she climbed up from the ground. When she saw the person who had helped her up, she was stunned for a moment, and the other person was obviously the same. She even saw a hint of regret in his eyes, probably regretting that he shouldn't have bothered to help her when she seemed fine.
"We really are destined to meet." Ruan Tang smiled, but couldn't help but sigh in her heart that it was so bloody.
Sun Yihan looked down at her ankle and asked: Does it hurt?
Ruan Tang shook her head and said: I sprained this foot last time when I was climbing a mountain. It’s not as bad as last time.
"If it's convenient, come to my office to get some medicine. If you don't take care of it properly, it will become a habitual sprain." Sun Yihan said sincerely, and Ruan Tang couldn't refuse, so she nodded and said: "Thank you very much."
Sun Yihan helped Ruan Tang to sit in her office. After asking the teacher in the same office to cover for her, she ran to the convenience store to buy an ice cup, sealed it in a plastic bag, wrapped it with a towel and gave it to Ruan Tang for a cold compress. Then she took out the medicine box to help her spray the medicine.
Ruan Tang glanced at her medicine box. Although it was small, it contained a complete range of items. Looking at her skillful handling, Ruan Tang inexplicably recalled the last time Feng Xue handled it for her in the suburbs. She didn't know who influenced whom, but Ruan Tang suddenly understood why two of the three men loved her.
"Miss Ruan, why are you looking at me like that?" Sun Yihan raised her head and met Ruan Tang's somewhat straight gaze, and unconsciously rubbed her face with the back of her hand.
Ruan Tang felt guilty, as if she had been caught. She quickly smiled, looked away, shook her head, and asked, "Thanks to you today. Are you free later? I'll treat you to a meal."
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