Over the past two days, Sheng Yan had interviewed with several different companies.
The responses she received from almost every interviewer were the same.
“Go home and wait for our notification.”
And after that, there was nothing.
That evening, after putting her daughter to bed, she lay in her bedroom scrolling through her phone.
She discovered that many users on a certain platform had managed to build sizable followings simply by sharing videos about raising pets, cooking, or outfit styling.
Some people had even gained tens of thousands of followers just by posting videos of themselves washing dishes, and their storefront sales were surprisingly good.
Out of curiosity, she searched for information about these content creators’ incomes.
She had no idea until she looked it up, and the results genuinely surprised her.
One creator shared his experience, saying that although he had only a little over one hundred thousand followers, he was already earning tens of thousands every month through advertising and product promotions in his storefront.
More importantly, he had complete freedom over his schedule.
Sheng Yan found herself tempted.
Finding a regular job now was proving difficult. Employers demanded all kinds of requirements, and the working hours offered little flexibility.
If she could consistently share photos, articles, or videos in a particular niche, perhaps she could gradually build an audience and eventually earn money from the traffic.
If that were possible, it would be the perfect choice for her current situation.
The schedule would be flexible, she could take care of her daughter without sacrificing work, she would not have to deal with difficult bosses, and she could still make a living.
With that idea in mind, she continued browsing on her phone, learning everything she could about content creation.
Aside from her professional skills, cooking was something she was particularly good at, and her daughter loved everything she made.
Becoming a food content creator seemed like a promising option.
After making up her mind, she opened a shopping app and spent a few dozen yuan on a phone stand to make filming easier.
There was no need to buy professional equipment.
Cameras were too expensive.
A smartphone would be more than enough.
She had previously worked in design, so her photo editing skills were excellent.
With a smartphone camera and her own editing skills, she should be able to produce very good results.
It was already past nine o’clock, and it had long since grown dark.
She had not been sleeping well lately.
Just as Sheng Yan put down her phone and prepared to rest, a message suddenly arrived.
It was from Shen Xiaofei.
【These past couple of days, have you had any free time? I’d like to meet up with you.】
That was exactly what Sheng Yan had been hoping for.
She still had not asked anyone to examine the bowl Jiang Hongyan had sent her.
Shen Xiaofei was an archaeology lecturer at XX University and knew many experts in the field.
Perhaps she could offer some help.
Sheng Yan immediately accepted the invitation.
【Alright, you decide the time.】
【Shen Xiaofei: How about tomorrow evening? I happen to be free. Let’s sit down together and have a cup of coffee.】
【Sheng Yan: No problem.】
…
When they met, Shen Xiaofei immediately noticed that Sheng Yan was not in good condition.
Her face had noticeably grown thinner, she looked exhausted, and there were dark circles beneath her eyes.
“How have you been feeling lately?”
“I’m doing alright. You don’t need to worry.”
“How can I not worry? Just look at you. You’ve lost weight, and you’ve got dark circles under your eyes. You haven’t been sleeping well, have you?”
“That’s true. I’ve been suffering from insomnia quite often.”
“Yanyan, you have to look forward. The dead can’t come back to life. The people who are still alive have to keep living. I’m sure Jiang Hongyan would want to see you continue living well instead of remaining trapped in your grief.”
“I know…”
She really had been suffering during this period.
However, after learning that Jiang Hongyan was still alive, her emotional state had gradually begun to improve.
Of course, she had no way of telling anyone about his journey through time.
“Xiaofei, there’s something I’d like to ask you to help me with.”
Shen Xiaofei smiled happily when she heard that.
“Just tell me. As long as it’s something I can help with, I definitely will.”
There was nothing she could do about Jiang Hongyan’s accident.
But hearing Sheng Yan ask for help made her feel that her friend was finally beginning to move forward.
At the very least, she had regained the hope to keep living.
Sheng Yan took the box she had brought from her bag and placed it in front of her.
Shen Xiaofei opened it.
“This is…?”
“When his parents passed away, we went back to his hometown to sort through their belongings. They had always kept this and said it was some kind of antique. I don’t know much about these things, so I thought you might. I wanted you to see if it could be sold for a good price. I’ve lost my job now, and even after sending out countless résumés, I still haven’t found suitable work. The moment employers hear that I have a child to take care of, they refuse to hire me. I still have a mortgage, a car loan, and a child to support, so I really need money right now.”
Shen Xiaofei frowned, immediately took out a bank card, and handed it to her.
“Why didn’t you tell me you lost your job? I’m single and don’t have a family to support. The money I earn doesn’t really have much use for me anyway. Just take it.”
Sheng Yan refused and gently pushed the bank card back.
“I can’t take your money.”
“Aren’t we good friends anymore?”
“Of course we are. Precisely because we’re good friends, I can’t accept your money. I’m an adult, and I’m also a mother. I have to support this family for my daughter. Living off a friend’s money just isn’t right. I want our friendship to be one of equals, not something tied to money.”
Shen Xiaofei sighed helplessly.
“I seriously don’t know what to do with you. You’re still keeping score over something like this with me.”
“I have two hands and two feet. Not finding a job is only temporary. Sooner or later, I’ll earn my own living. I can’t depend on other people. I have to set a good example for my daughter. Otherwise, Yaoyao will definitely look down on me in the future. Just help me take a look at this bowl. If it can be sold, then I’ll sell it.”
“Alright.”
Shen Xiaofei carefully examined the bowl inside the box.
The longer she looked, the more serious her expression became.
“Yanyan, there’s something strange about this.”
“Strange how?”
“To be honest, I’m quite familiar with every dynasty in recorded history. Normally, when an artifact is placed in front of me, I can immediately identify which dynasty it came from. But this bowl… I actually can’t tell. Judging from the craftsmanship alone, though, I can roughly determine that it’s at least three thousand years old…”
Sheng Yan naturally could not tell her that it came from the nonexistent Great Sheng Dynasty.
She could only try to guide her indirectly.
“Could it have come from a dynasty that was never recorded in history?”
“That’s certainly possible. I can tell with confidence that this definitely wasn’t made in modern times, but I’m not sure which dynasty it came from for the time being. Don’t worry, though. There are plenty of people in my department who know more than I do. I’ll take it back and have everyone study it together. We’ll definitely be able to identify it.”
“Thank you for going to the trouble.”
“Why are you still being so polite with me? If you ever have any problems in the future, just tell me. We’re friends. It’s not possible that I can’t help you at all. You’re raising your daughter alone now, and it isn’t easy. Isn’t this exactly what friends are for?”
“I know! If I run into difficulties in the future, I’ll definitely come to you.”
“Don’t just say that. I know you too well. You’ll promise me now, but later, no matter what happens, you still won’t come to me because you’ll worry about troubling me.”
Sheng Yan smiled.
“If I can solve something myself, then of course I will. I don’t want to rely on other people for everything. If you keep depending on others, sooner or later you’ll become useless.”
“I don’t think that’s the right way to look at it. Aren’t friends supposed to help each other? If I ever run into difficulties someday, I’ll ask you for help too.”
“You’re right, I will.”