Shu Yuwei asked a few more locals.
This place was extremely remote, and it would take at least a week to repair the bridge.
The signal here also cut out whenever the weather turned bad.
It would take at least a week for it to be fully restored.
With both travel and communication disrupted, they were completely stranded and would have to stay here for several more days.
After hearing the news, Shu Yuwei had no choice but to return to the guesthouse for the time being.
The sky was dark and heavy, and the wind had picked up again. It looked as if another storm was on its way.
The road was covered in water, broken branches and fallen leaves, glass, and all kinds of discarded bottles, cans, and other debris blown in from who knew where.
Shu Yuwei kept her eyes fixed on the road and walked very slowly.
Fu Rongzheng stayed one or two steps behind her, following closely and steadying her from time to time.
They finally made it back inside, and the downpour began moments later.
After thinking it over, Shu Yuwei still decided to ask Fu Rongzheng.
“Boss, if you’re delayed for several days and can’t get back, and the people at the company can’t reach you, could something happen?”
“With Secretary Zhao there, and the people at headquarters keeping things under control, nothing major will happen to the Group.”
Fu Rongzheng showed no sign of anxiety or panic.
Shu Yuwei looked at him. “What about you, Boss?”
“The senior executives who’ve already made a scene at headquarters and have been unhappy with you for a long time—could they use this opportunity to make trouble and do something against you?”
“They could. They’d probably be delighted if I were dead.”
Fu Rongzheng gave a quiet snort.
Shu Yuwei sighed.
After two months as Fu Rongzheng’s assistant, she wasn’t completely clueless.
They were stranded here, so far from the company, and there was nothing they could do.
But the senior executives who wanted to bring Boss down had plenty of underhanded tricks at their disposal.
“Boss, it looks like we’re playing from behind here.”
“Funny you should say that. I’m best at playing from behind.”
Fu Rongzheng spoke, then suddenly smiled. “In the nearly thirty years I’ve been alive, I’ve never shied away from a crisis, a challenge, or a change.”
“Every time I’ve turned things around, it’s been in the middle of a crisis or a period of change.”
“It’s still too early to say who’ll win.”
Fu Rongzheng’s gaze was firm.
He stood steady, still calm and composed, confident and sure of victory.
Shu Yuwei couldn’t help watching him for a long while.
She’d always thought the air of authority Fu Rongzheng carried, and his ability to stay calm in any situation, were simply inborn.
Now she saw that wasn’t the case.
He’d developed those qualities through years of honing himself and weathering one test after another.
He hadn’t gotten the power and position he held now through his background and status alone.
Somehow, Shu Yuwei felt her confidence rise along with his.
A boss like Fu Rongzheng was someone she could safely put her faith in!
Maybe if she worked under him for ten or twenty years, he’d help her soar, too.
She could go from an ordinary sparrow to a golden phoenix and achieve financial freedom!
Shu Yuwei’s mind was full of money, and the corners of her mouth kept rising.
To Fu Rongzheng, it looked as if she were staring at him and smiling.
He turned his head away, uncomfortable. “What are you thinking about? Why are you smiling so happily?”
“Can’t say. It’s a secret.”
Shu Yuwei replied with mock solemnity.
How could she let the big boss know she was a money-minded little miser?
Leaders usually didn’t like subordinates who had money in their eyes.
Fortunately, Boss didn’t press her.
The downpour eased after a while.
Shu Yuwei went to Auntie Lan to extend their stay. “Auntie Lan, the road out of the village is impassable, so we’ll need to stay a few more days.”
She took out some cash. “This is for the room for the next few days. Could you count it…”
“Oh, you don’t need to pay that much. The accommodations here are very basic.”
“Besides, your husband helped me repair the roof. I already feel bad enough…”
Auntie Lan accepted half the money and refused to take any more.
Shu Yuwei went back and forth with her for a while, but in the end, they settled on half the amount.
When Shu Yuwei returned to the room, Fu Rongzheng had carried the ladder inside and patched the ceiling again.
She went over to take a look, too. “Boss, is it not leaking anymore?”
“Not for now. Once the weather clears, I’ll have to patch it again.”
Fu Rongzheng put the ladder away.
Shu Yuwei nodded.
She took a piece of chocolate out of her bag and held it out to him. “Here, Boss. Have this to get some energy back.”
The wrapper was hard to open.
Fu Rongzheng tore it open for her and handed it back. “You eat it.”
Shu Yuwei sighed. They really were in this little fishing village together, sharing the hardships.
They were even passing a single piece of chocolate back and forth.
She simply broke it in half and gave him one piece.
“Boss, have some first. You’ve been working all morning and haven’t eaten anything. You might get dizzy and faint from low blood sugar.”
Shu Yuwei held half the chocolate out to him, bringing it close to his mouth.
Fu Rongzheng paused, then took it and bit down.
“I’m going out to get some hot water.”
“Sure. Then we can have instant noodles together in a bit.”
Fu Rongzheng went out.
Shu Yuwei turned and opened two cups of instant noodles.
The guesthouse didn’t provide meals. The wontons they’d had last night had been Auntie Lan’s treat.
They would be staying here for several more days.
Shu Yuwei had originally planned to cook for herself, buying some eggs and noodles to boil.
The little guesthouse room had a pot, an induction cooker, and everything else they needed.
But when she passed the small shop in the village, she remembered the power was out, so she wouldn’t be able to cook.
Luckily, the village had distributed emergency supplies like instant noodles.
They also had emergency hot water, heated over firewood.
When Fu Rongzheng came back with the hot water, Shu Yuwei poured it into the noodle cups.
“Boss, are you used to eating instant noodles?”
They sat at the two narrow little tables again, looking out at the rain.
Shu Yuwei asked curiously.
She’d never seen Boss eat instant noodles.
At the office or when they traveled for work, his meals were either specially prepared by the company cafeteria or provided by fine restaurants.
The ingredients were flown in—high-end and expensive.
She really couldn’t picture a CEO eating instant noodles.
But Fu Rongzheng didn’t look at all put off by them.
“I ate them a few times when I was studying abroad. They’re all right—better than some of the food Westerners eat.”
“They’re ready.”
Fu Rongzheng handed her the prepared noodles.
“Oh, okay.”
Shu Yuwei opened the lid and stirred them a couple of times with her fork.
The instant-noodle aroma rose up around her.
After a few bites, her stomach immediately began to churn with discomfort.
For the past few years, instant noodles had been what she ate most often.
In college, she had no living allowance and earned her own money by working part-time.
Later, when she had to start an internship and no longer had time for a part-time job, she could only save money by eating instant noodles that cost two or three yuan a pack.
After graduating, rent in a first-tier city was expensive.
To scrape together the rent, she ate instant noodles for a long, long time—several meals a day—until she became malnourished and ended up in the hospital.
Thankfully, she started getting paid after that and made it through the hardest period.
Shu Yuwei had thought that since she hadn’t eaten instant noodles for several months, they wouldn’t bother her.
But now, after only a few bites, she couldn’t stop the nausea rising in her throat.
“What’s wrong?”
Fu Rongzheng looked at her.
Shu Yuwei shook her head. “Nothing.”
Not wanting to waste food, she forced herself to finish them.
Fu Rongzheng poured her a glass of water and brought it over.
Shu Yuwei took several gulps, trying to settle her stomach.
“Are you all right?”
Fu Rongzheng watched her.
Her complexion quickly returned to normal. “I’m fine!”
“I loved instant noodles when I was little!”
Shu Yuwei pulled up the corners of her mouth and smiled.
Fu Rongzheng said nothing more.
The rain grew heavier.
There was no electricity or internet in the room, and nothing to do. Shu Yuwei was so bored she could barely keep her eyes open.
“Boss, are you going to take a nap?”
“No. You sleep.”
Fu Rongzheng tidied the table, picked up an umbrella, and headed for the door.
“It’s pouring. Where are you going?”
Shu Yuwei couldn’t help asking.
“To buy a few things. Do you need anything?”
Shu Yuwei thought for a moment. “Actually, yes. Some shampoo and laundry detergent…”
They would be staying here for several more days, so they did need a few everyday essentials.
Shu Yuwei thought of a few more things.
“Oh, right. Boss, do you have any cash?”
Fu Rongzheng stopped.
Shu Yuwei nearly burst out laughing.
Even if the CEO had tens or hundreds of millions in his account, he’d still be helpless in this remote fishing village without cash.
Luckily, she’d brought some. It wasn’t much, but it would be enough.
Shu Yuwei pulled out a hundred yuan and flourished it in front of Fu Rongzheng. “Here you go, Boss!”
“Go on, spend it! Spend whatever you like! I’ve got plenty of money!”
She raised her chin proudly.
Fu Rongzheng: “…”
Fu Rongzheng looked over at her.
Shu Yuwei instantly wilted.
“Haha… Well, Boss, I was just kidding. I was only messing around… Don’t take it seriously.”
“Mm.”
Fu Rongzheng took the hundred yuan and went out.
The rain was heavy. He held his umbrella, and there was a faint smile in his dark eyes.
Shu Yuwei didn’t see it. Only after he’d gone some distance did she press herself against the door and let out a breath of relief.
Ahhh, she really was getting too bold and full of herself. She’d actually dared to tease her cool, aloof boss to his face!
Next time, she’d have to rein herself in!
But it really was great being a powerful boss!
Shu Yuwei hated that she wasn’t one herself!