Lin Wan asked a couple more questions and only then learned that Lin Guofu had been angered by her. That day when he went home, he told his wife Chen Qiuhong about the matter, especially mentioning Lin Wan’s domineering words—If Fu Xiuhuai listens to anyone, he only listens to me. Even if you go to him a hundred times, it is useless!
Today these words were brought as a complaint by Lin Guofu and Chen Qiuhong to Fu Xiuhuai. The couple found their way to Kaihua Construction Company and exaggeratedly told the son-in-law they believed him to be that he must properly discipline his wife, absolutely not be controlled by a woman. A man must have a man’s aura, the aura of the head of the household. They also said Lin Wan was certainly putting on a bluff. How could a big boss with Fu Xiuhuai’s family wealth listen to her in everything?
Even though Lin Wan already knew the two did not care about her, hearing these words still made her heart grow cold. But she did not show it on her face and only said with some guilt: “I have caused you trouble. I warned them not to go looking for you…”
Setting aside the other muddled relationships, Lin Wan was quite bothered that her biological parents repeatedly disturbed Fu Xiuhuai.
Fu Xiuhuai did not pick up that thread, but instead asked: “Do you know how I answered them?”
“How did you answer?” Lin Wan raised her eyes. Her apricot eyes were lustrous and clear, directly crashing into the man’s deep eyes.
“I said everything you said was right.” Fu Xiuhuai’s usual gentle, refined smile was faint. At this moment, with the slight upward curve of his thin lips, it actually carried a trace of wickedness, making Lin Wan stare blankly. Then she heard the man’s voice holding laughter: “Since my wife does not agree, I had no choice but to invite them out.”
Hearing the words “my wife,” Lin Wan’s ears burned. She carefully examined the man’s expression. The wickedness from a moment ago seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye. Everything had been her illusion.
……
Lin Wan and Fu Xiuhuai did not stay in the garden for a few minutes before hurriedly leaving. The crowded, lively living room was more comfortable.
In a short while, however, guests came to the house, and they were Lin Wan’s acquaintances.
Fu Zhiyong’s cousin’s family came to visit, and among them was Feng Tianjiao, the director of the factory office where Lin Wan worked.
Jiang Yueying again had Lin Wan follow her in greeting people. She did not forget to remind Feng Tianjiao: “Tianjiao, our Wanwan is at the garment factory, just in the same office as you. It is fate. Wanwan usually says too that you have always taken care of her.”
Lin Wan had naturally never said such a thing, but her mother-in-law was helping her build goodwill. Of course she could not undermine it, so she obediently stood to the side with a smile.
Feng Tianjiao had naturally never taken care of Lin Wan, and even… But now that an elder said this, her face stiffened as she likewise smiled, inevitably becoming high-sounding: “Auntie, your daughter-in-law is quite capable. Where would I need to take care of anything? A university student has prospects.”
Jiang Yueying smiled and said a few modest words, also not stinting praise: “Wanwan has a good education and is clever and quick. Otherwise how could she keep our second son so obedient?”
Hearing this, Feng Tianjiao was even more surprised. Fu Xiuhuai could actually be kept obedient?
Originally, among the relatives, only Fu Xiuhuai, this big boss, was elegant and capable, truly a prize. Half a year ago, Feng Tianjiao had planned to introduce her niece to Fu Xiuhuai. Marrying over would mean enjoying life as a wealthy businessman’s wife. Who would have thought that just as she started to bring it up, Feng Tianjiao heard Fu Xiuhuai was getting married, and to a newly graduated female university student.
Having a good thing snatched away, Feng Tianjiao was inevitably somewhat helpless and inexplicably aggrieved. When she further learned that Fu Xiuhuai’s newlywed wife was assigned to the factory office she managed, Feng Tianjiao lamented what ill fate this was.
In Feng Tianjiao’s view, marrying a big boss like Fu Xiuhuai should mean a comfortable life, but one should not expect such a big boss to be very attentive to you. After all, men were like sugarcane. How could both ends be sweet?
Being able to earn money and support the family, and being obedient and considerate to you—being able to have one of the two was already Amitabha.
But now it seemed, with the auntie saying this, Lin Wan actually looked shy and did not speak, while Fu Xiuhuai beside her did not refute either, making Feng Tianjiao even more surprised.
Seeing this, she became even more calculating in her heart, complaining that she had been one step slow and did not have her niece Feng Yan secure such a good match.
The next day at the garment factory, when Feng Tianjiao’s gaze swept over Lin Wan and Feng Yan, who were several seats apart, she could not help sizing them up.
To be fair, Lin Wan was charming and pure, clearly a beauty from birth. Standing in a crowd, the first one seen was basically her. But her own niece was not bad either, a clever and pretty grown girl. She would surely find a man even better than Fu Xiuhuai…
Aiyo, but where else in Jiangcheng was there a man with such family wealth, handsome, and not too old?
While Feng Yan came to report materials to her, Feng Tianjiao explained the work to her niece and mentioned a few private matters: “Yan’er, Auntie will help you look for a good match again. Rest assured, definitely…”
“Auntie, no need.” Feng Yan’s cheeks flushed red and she decisively refused her aunt. “Don’t busy yourself for me. Right now I want to study English well at New Western.”
“Aiyo…” Feng Tianjiao saw her niece acting strange. Before she could figure it out, she saw the girl leave with small quick steps, and then Lin Wan came into the office to report work.
Lin Wan did not much care about the aunt and niece’s affairs. It was just that Feng Yan had hurriedly left just now, her face wearing the shy demeanor of a young girl. Lin Wan idly guessed whether the aunt and niece were discussing her marriage. Hadn’t it been said earlier that Feng Tianjiao wanted to introduce Feng Yan to Fu Xiuhuai?
Unfortunately, it did not work out.
“Director Feng, this is the sales situation for all clothing produced by the factory last month.”
“Mm.” Feng Tianjiao carefully reviewed the report Lin Wan submitted, picked out several data points and asked about them, and finally did not forget to care about the Hong Kong businessman investment situation. “How has that Hong Kong businessman been lately?”
Because of her excellent performance in front of the foreign investor last time, Lin Wan had thoroughly shown her face before the leaders. This time she was also the one organizing and summarizing the reimbursement for hosting the Hong Kong businessman.
Mentioning the Hong Kong businessman, Lin Wan had just received bills from Jiangcheng’s four-star hotel and various food and drink expenses: “Hong Kong businessman Mr. Wang Yuanzhong spent another six hundred eighty-four yuan these past few days.”
“—What?!” Feng Tianjiao was startled into raising her voice. When she realized her appearance was too unable to keep calm, she immediately coughed twice. “Cough cough, didn’t he spend more than eight hundred just last week? He is treating money as if it is not money. Spending like this?”
Like other garment factory workers, Feng Tianjiao had a strong sense of collective honor. Likewise, although it was not her own money, she also felt pain for the factory’s money.
Lin Wan reported Wang Yuanzhong’s latest spending records: “Eating and drinking at a nightclub for one night cost three hundred twenty yuan. In addition, there was accommodation, meals at the grand hotel, and…”
“Even hosting a boss at a nightclub, I have never heard of spending more than three hundred in one night!” Feng Tianjiao’s temple throbbed with pain. “This person would not be drinking alcohol like water, would he?”
Wang Yuanzhong’s crazy spending indeed caused incomprehension among those at the garment factory who knew. Not only the factory office people, but even Deputy Factory Director Wang Zhilin, responsible for attracting investment, had bitterness he could not voice.
“It has only been a little over a week, and he has already spent more than a thousand.” Deputy Factory Director Wang’s brows were tightly furrowed. He could only comfort himself. “Forget it. He is a big boss from Hong Kong City. Spending lavishly may also be normal for him, a habit. As long as the investment can be secured, spending a few thousand yuan to host him is worth it!”
Lin Wan was only worried about whether this investment could actually be obtained.
But the Wang Yuanzhong in Yang Minghui’s account was greatly different from the Wang Yuanzhong hosted by the garment factory. Without concrete evidence, the garment factory leaders naturally still preferred to believe in the Hong Kong businessman introduced to them through Jiangcheng government officials.
Especially a few days later, when Wang Yuanzhong, who had been on the mainland for ten days, directly reimbursed the two thousand yuan in personal expenses hosted by the garment factory, instantly dispelling the garment factory’s concerns.
At that time Lin Wan was still busy in the factory office when she heard first-hand news brought by Sister Yang: “My husband went to the factory director’s office to report work and saw that Hong Kong businessman being especially generous. He directly took out two thousand yuan to give to Deputy Factory Director Wang, saying he was used to spending lavishly and could not add trouble to the garment factory. He would pay this money himself.”
Qin Fang’s eyes lit up hearing this: “It seems that Hong Kong businessman knows how to handle things, and is quite generous. Logically, hosting him is our duty, but he is unwilling to take advantage.”
Sister Yang nodded: “Exactly. The two pushed the two thousand yuan back and forth. In the end Deputy Factory Director Wang firmly refused to accept it and, after much persuasion, stuffed the money back. Our factory is, after all, a state-owned factory of several decades. How could we let a guest pay this money himself? If it got out, it would be shameful.”
Just this act of proactively taking out two thousand yuan immediately made Deputy Factory Director Wang and other leaders, as well as Feng Tianjiao, lose any suspicious thoughts. Deputy Factory Director Wang arranged for everyone to hurry and discuss investment details with the Hong Kong businessman, insisting the investment must be secured.
Among everyone, only Lin Wan muttered inwardly, yet could not be certain.
Even at work her mind was still analyzing. As soon as five o’clock arrived, Lin Wan picked up her bag and left without delaying at all.
Nearly five months pregnant, Lin Wan more and more clearly felt the existence of the fetus in her belly, and likewise the existence of the child’s father.
Recently Fu Xiuhuai had finalized construction details with Yang Minghui. This Hong Kong businessman representative looked amiable, but was meticulous in doing things, verifying every aspect thoroughly before preparing to leave.
And Jiangcheng’s upcoming tallest building was also preparing to break ground.
For this, Fu Xiuhuai had been busy for quite a while. Five or six days out of a week, he came home late at night.
At ten at night, autumn rain came to Jiangcheng again. Lying in bed, Lin Wan felt the shivering cold. As she pulled the quilt up to draw warmth, she also felt somewhat hungry.
Lin Wan had not eaten much tonight. A small bowl of pumpkin porridge with side dishes went down, but she found the pork greasy and did not eat much. She, who originally never was picky, had actually become delicate. Lin Wan was somewhat surprised.
The consequences of being picky arrived: in the deep quiet of night, she was hungry alone.
She got out of bed, found corn soft candy and biscuits in the drawer to cushion her hunger, but still did not dissolve that feeling of hunger. Lin Wan could not help it and prepared to go downstairs to cook a bowl of noodles.
The Fu home at deep night was very quiet. Everyone had long entered dreamland. Lin Wan tiptoed on the stairs, one hand on the railing as she went down, but ran head-on into a dark figure.
“Ah—” Her body reacted faster than her mind. Lin Wan had just let out half a cry when she guessed who the man before her was. She quickly stopped, covered her mouth, and prevented waking the others.
“Want to go to the kitchen to find something to eat?”
Fu Xiuhuai, returning home under the stars and moon, seemed always able to read her heart. Lin Wan could not say what it felt like and could only nod in the darkness.
She had originally planned to go downstairs herself to “steal food,” but unexpectedly it turned into sitting at the dining table waiting for it to be ready.
In the kitchen ahead, bright incandescent light lit up. Amid floating light and shadow, the tall man’s figure busied about, putting noodles into the pot.
Lin Wan was hungry for a late-night meal. Fu Xiuhuai took the initiative to take on the task of cooking noodles. Two bowls of steaming noodles came to the table. Auntie Wang’s handmade noodles were always kept ready, supple and chewy. Paired with vegetable leaves and chopped scallions, it made one’s appetite surge.
Already ravenous, Lin Wan took a chopstickful of noodles. Her eyes brightened. She could not help sizing up the man across from her eating noodles in big mouthfuls. She had not expected his craftsmanship to be good, especially the soup seasoning, which was especially fragrant.
Full and warm made thinking easy. Eating noodles, Lin Wan thought of what she had heard at the garment factory in the afternoon and urgently needed to discuss it with someone. Thinking it over, Fu Xiuhuai was the best choice.
“Has Mr. Yang returned to Hong Kong City?” Lin Wan had heard two days ago that their matters were all settled and he should be preparing to return.
Fu Xiuhuai finished his last chopstickful and nodded hearing this: “Tomorrow he takes the train south to Yue City. I heard he still has matters to handle there and will return to Hong Kong City after they are done.”
“Oh. The matter about Wang Yuanzhong he mentioned last time might be a misunderstanding.”
“Mm? What happened?” Fu Xiuhuai became interested. His slight forward lean pleased Lin Wan.
Lin Wan hurriedly brought up that Wang Yuanzhong had proactively reimbursed the two thousand yuan the garment factory spent hosting him: “Now it is fine. The people in the factory who originally had some doubts all firmly believe now, feeling this is the style of a big boss. How could he be a swindler? A swindler could not spend so lavishly and still proactively take out two thousand yuan.”
“Then what do you think?” Fu Xiuhuai took in Lin Wan’s words, but did not care about the garment factory’s other people’s views. “You should still have some doubts.”