Chapter 29: Flipping the Pot Is Also a Skill

Feng Shu did not get a clear reply from Shen Zhi, so he went to work with trepidation.

They were both busy with their own work.

Zhou Chang and Liu Tuchuan used the traffic of "Dark Spicy Strips" to conduct transparent live broadcasts in spicy strip production and processing factories to prove the quality and safety of Qiaojia Spicy Strips.

Many people also followed Fang Yinyin's live broadcast room to check in and exercise. Fang Yinyin also launched an activity where if you check in for one hour every day for 30 days, you will get free snail noodle spicy strips or durian spicy strips.

Fang Yinyin's original intention was to clear out the inventory, so it was just a gimmick.

The audience in the live broadcast room also treated this activity as fun, until they actually received Qiaojia's spicy noodle gift packs. Others urged the lucky goose who received the gifts to make unboxing videos and do taste tests.

Shen Zhi looked at the unboxing video that Tao Siyu brought. It was a girl. She first lamented that she used to eat Qiaojia often when she was a child, but now she has not eaten it for a long time since she grew up. When she opened the express delivery, the girl was first surprised.

The whole box was filled to the brim, and the quantity was more than enough.

Shen Zhi continued to read on, and the girl recognized that the spicy strips packaging were all cartoons she had watched in her childhood. She then reminisced and counted the cartoon characters she recognized one by one with her fans, which made her feel nostalgic.

"In addition to the animated characters on the packaging, other characters also communicated with us and expressed their desire to cooperate," said Tao Siyu.

Shen Zhi said "hmm", and the video had already entered the taste test. The girl was a well-known food blogger, and she would often post weight loss videos because she ate too much. The exercise movements in Fang Yinyin's live broadcast room were simple and scientific, and the girl unknowingly met the conditions for being given away.

When the girl opened the package, she was hit by the strong pungent smell and showed an indescribable expression. It seemed that she remembered that she was recording a video. She tried hard to control her expression and the barrage of comments was filled with laughter.

Finally, the girl prepared herself mentally and put a mouthful of food into her mouth with a sly look on her face. Her hesitant expression gradually turned into shock. After a while, she said, "It tastes a bit strange, but not bad. It's a bit intoxicating."

Shen Zhi turned off the video.

Tao Siyu said at the right time: "It was this video that suddenly became popular. Many people were curious and bought the new flavor of spicy noodles that Minister Zhou and his team had just developed. Some people said it was delicious, but many people found it hard to accept."

As expected, Shen Zhi was not too surprised. Instead, he was a little surprised at the part that tasted good.

What made Shen Zhi even more confused was what happened next. Tao Siyu said, "Also, the chocolate brand is planning to collaborate with Qiaojia to make chocolate spicy bars."

Now Qiaojia has a new trend of developing towards traffic, and cooperation with various brands is inevitable. Shen Zhi nodded and said, "Let Zhou Chang be in charge of the connection. If the cooperation is successful, it will also be beneficial to expand the popularity."

"You have good abilities. You have been following up on the spicy strips business from the beginning. Please take care of the future work," Shen Zhi instructed.

Shen Zhi's words gave Tao Siyu a bad feeling.

"Mr. Shen, what about you?" Tao Siyu asked hesitantly.

Shen Zhi frowned slightly. The sales director and the financial director had both resigned. Once Qiaojia Spicy Noodles became stable, Shen Zhi could take the opportunity to reshuffle the board of directors. By then, the task assigned to him by Feng Xinyou would be almost completed, and it would be time for him to return the power to Feng Shu.

"I will not always be in charge of Qiaojia. Feng Shu is Qiaojia's future master."

Tao Siyu felt inexplicably sad. Why did Mr. Shen have to give up the project that he had worked so hard on and make a wedding dress for others? He had paid so much but did not get the proper reward.

"Boss Shen, if you go to another company, can you take me with you?" Tao Siyu asked anxiously, "I will work very hard and will not hold you back. You gave me this job in the first place, and I am very grateful."

It turns out that no matter how dumb a person is, one day he or she will finally say everything he or she wants to say.

Tao Siyu's nervous expression was exposed in Shen Zhi's sight. The usually introverted and dull assistant blushed and mustered up great courage, fearing that he would be rejected.

"You are good enough, no need to thank me."

It was a compliment, which suddenly chilled Tao Siyu's heart. Tao Siyu's face instantly lost color. It meant rejection, and Tao Siyu understood it.

Tao Siyu never fought for anything. He never resisted his father's alcoholism and gambling. When his mother was seriously ill, he quietly worked part-time to save money. He endured all the hardships that life gave him.

But Shen Zhi was different. It was Shen Zhi who asked to keep him, gave him a well-paid job, took him under his wing and taught him. He would stand up for him when things got tough, and made him feel protected.

Over time, this relationship deteriorated.

Tao Siyu had seen the swollen and eroded kiss marks on Shen Zhi's neck. Ji Jing's dry and emaciated heart was beating wildly uncontrollably at that time. Tao Siyu wondered if he would also have a chance to get close to Mr. Shen.

Now the only thing Tao Siyu fought for was easily shattered, and he had exhausted all his courage. Fortunately, he only fought for it this once, and would only be rejected this time, and would only be sad this time, Tao Siyu comforted himself.

"I probably won't join any company in the future," Shen Zhi explained to the disappointed Tao Siyu with rare patience, "You are capable, Qiaojia will get better and better in the future, and your future at Qiaojia will also be better."

Tao Siyu stared at Shen Zhi in a daze. He was not rejected because he was disliked.

Shen Zhi had no idea what Tao Siyu was thinking. He had other things to do, so he left work early.

Shen Zhi didn't go anywhere but to the hospital, where his father was currently staying. As a son, he actually got the news from an outsider like Qiao, while his parents kept it a secret from him.

It is a hospital in this city. It is not too far away and can be reached in about half an hour.

Shen Zhi had a dull relationship with his parents. He started attending various tutoring classes in kindergarten and lived in a boarding house since elementary school. After graduating from university, he moved into Qiaojia at the request of his parents and began living alone.

There was almost no communication between them in daily life. During the holidays, Shen's father and mother would tell him to work hard and not worry about the family, as if as long as Shen Zhi was successful, they could endure any grievances.

Arriving at the hospital entrance, Shen Zhi paused for a moment before walking in.

After asking the nurse, Shen Zhi successfully found the ward where Shen's father was staying. It was not a single room, and there were two other families living in it. Since they were all heart disease patients, the family members who accompanied him moved very quietly, but it was inevitable to be noisy.

As Shen's father and mother were talking, Shen Zhi had always known that his parents had a good relationship. When his father failed in investment, his mother never left and did not complain, but chose to jointly bear the huge debt of over tens of millions.

Mother Shen is very young, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes are filled with happiness. Being with her lover is what makes her happy.

Mother Shen noticed the voice and turned around. The tenderness in her eyes gradually disappeared. "Why are you here?"

Shen Zhi walked over and said solemnly to the person on the bed with an electrocardiogram, "Look at my dad."

Shen Changyi showed no joy on his face, and just asked, "Are you working?"

"Yes, Xiaozhi, why don't you work? Your dad is fine here and you don't have to worry about him. You have to work hard to be recognized and promoted. Only then can you stand out and make your parents feel at ease and proud," Lin Junyi advised gently.

"The work project has come to an end and someone else is in charge," Shen Zhi explained.

Shen Changyi held the pulse oximeter between his fingers, and the rope connected to the electrocardiogram swayed in front of Shen Zhi's eyes. The chaotic flying rope drew gray and white traces in the air. "Then you should start other work projects now. Are you going to do nothing in this idle time? Shen Zhi, you were not so lax in your studies before. You slack off after you have a job. Are you worthy of me and your mother for raising you?"

Shen Changyi spoke more and more excitedly, and Lin Junyi hurriedly stroked his chest to calm him down.

"Xiao Zhi, I'm worried about you too. Don't get angry, it will only hurt your body," Lin Junyi said worriedly.

Lin Junyi still spoke softly, "Xiao Zhi, if you have nothing to do, go to work."

Shen Zhi knew that this was Lin Junyi's intention to drive him away.

"Okay, if you need money, tell me," Shen Zhi listened to their scolding obediently in silence. He was used to such conversations. When he was a child, it was studying, and now it is working, which always requires hard work and seriousness.

Shen Zhi also knew that Shen Changyi and Lin Junyi would not ask him for a penny, and he didn't need to worry about the tens of millions of debts. Except in name only, they seemed to be two families, living their own lives in every sense.

Lin Junyi waved her hands, "You don't need to do that." Suddenly, Lin Junyi remembered something, "Xiaozhi, what do you think of Qiao? You probably don't know that she was your neighbor when she was a child."

Lin Junyi applied a hot towel to Shen Changyi's hands and carefully asked him if he wanted to drink some water. Shen Changyi shook his head tiredly. Lin Junyi tucked him in and let him close his eyes and rest.

Shen Zhi felt powerless. He didn't know what life would be like if he followed his parents' arrangements. Shen Zhi couldn't feel his parents' love for him, but they were indeed very good to him and fulfilled their responsibilities as parents.

Shen Zhi didn't know what else he wanted. It was obvious that his parents had already given enough.

"Not bad," Shen Zhi closed his eyes.

Lin Junyi was very happy to hear this. She glanced at the sleeping Shen Changyi and said in a soft voice, "Then get married as soon as possible. Your father and I are still waiting to have a grandson."

Shen Zhi's heart tightened and he could only breathe out thin air.

He wanted to say that he didn't like Joe and didn't want to get married, and he wanted to tell them that he didn't like the job either.

"Xiao Zhi, please go. Your father needs to rest," Lin Junyi said to Shen Zhi who was standing on the bed without raising her head.

All the words were stuck in his throat again, making him feel painful and itchy. "Okay," Shen Zhi nodded and left the ward.

At the door of the ward, Shen Zhi heard the envious voices of other family members, "Is this your son? He is handsome and seems to be successful in his career. You are so lucky."

Lin Junyi laughed softly, "Yes, his father and I did our best to train him. We didn't dare to spend too much money on him. We spent every penny we earned on him. We didn't dare to relax in our free time and urged him all the time. That's why he has become successful."

"You and your spouse are such great parents, role models worth learning from," the family praised.

Shen Zhi's fingers twitched uncontrollably, he blinked slowly, and then walked away.

There was a small garden downstairs in the hospital, with smooth marble surrounding clusters of flowers. Shen Zhi's head was aching again, and his breathing was slowing down. Shen Zhi sat down on the dusty stone slab to adjust his rapid heart rate.

The cell phone vibrated at an inopportune moment, and Shen Zhi turned on the phone.

It was Feng Shu. Feng Shu had been sending him messages consistently these days, but Shen Zhi had never replied.

This time, Feng Shu sent a photo. He was wearing sunglasses and his upper body was naked. His bronze skin was stained with sea water and revealed a healthy hue under the sunlight. He had a bright smile and a mouthful of big white teeth, which made him look a little silly. In his hand, he was holding some transparent marine life.

"I caught this sea urchin from the sea. Do you think it looks nice? But I am longer and thicker than it. Flirting eyesjpg."

Shen Zhi's lips curled silently, his mind moved slightly.

"Where are you?"

There had been no messages on Shen Zhi's phone for a long time. Shen Zhi suppressed his smile, withdrew the ambiguous message, and turned off the phone.

Feng Shu was in another city, and he had told Shen Zhi about it, and Shen Zhi still remembered it.

Shen Zhi had rested enough, and his neat clothes had some wrinkles. Shen Zhi neither smoothed them out nor brushed away the fine dust.

After returning home, Shen Zhi opened a bottle of wine. The dimly lit room was filled with the aroma of wine. Shen Zhi leaned on the bed. A sad and touching love story was playing on the big screen. The weeping melody filled the room, but it did not bring any softness or comfort.

Alcohol paralyzed his nerves, and his head was groggy as he entered another world, a blur of confusion. Shen Zhi's cold white skin was intoxicated, and his delicate clavicle was exposed to the air, like a lifeless jade carving.

"Ding Dong", the bell outside the door rang.

Shen Zhi tried hard to collect his thoughts and slowly get his alcohol-blocked brain working. Who could it be?

It seemed to be Tao Siyu. He was the one who sent a message asking Tao Siyu to deliver Chenxiang to his home, but Shen Zhi waited for a long time and finally chose wine, which could quickly relax his nerves.

Shen Zhi stood up and opened the door.

"Shen Zhi, can't you even wait two minutes? It's great that you can withdraw, but I've seen it all. There's no use withdrawing," the man outside the door had a ferocious voice and looked a bit wolfish with sweat all over his brow.

Shen Zhi was stunned for a moment, then slowly found his voice again, "Why is it you?"

Feng Shu wiped his sweat, "Who do you think it is? I told you not to look for a man, but you ignored me, right?"

Feng Shu was panting, but his dark brown eyes were particularly bright at this moment. His heart stopped when he received the message, and his hands were stiff and he couldn't reply. When he came to his senses, Shen Zhi's message had been withdrawn.

Fuck, Feng Shu cursed silently.

"If you miss me, just tell me. A five-hour journey is nothing. I can even fly back from half the world," Feng Shu laughed.

After Feng Shu finished cursing, he went to book a train ticket. There were no tickets available for that day, so Feng Shu rented a car and drove back for more than five hours. He just wanted to see Shen Zhi.

What if Shen Zhi really missed him at that time? As soon as this thought came into Feng Shu's mind, his heart couldn't help beating wildly.

It would be wonderful if it were true, but Feng Shu knew it couldn't be true, and he still retreated because of that impossible thought.

Feng Shu's hands were covered with sticky sweat, and he secretly rubbed them on his trouser legs. He should take a shower before coming here, as Mr. Shen had a germaphobia.