After rushing to consolidate the five thousand pounds of stock, Li Sangyue packed everything onto a cold-chain truck and accompanied the delivery herself.
She had added the client on WeChat that night. After chatting quite a bit, she felt they shared a great connection. Given that the client had ordered five thousand pounds of cherries all at once and lived so nearby, it was only right for her to express her gratitude in person.
The delivery address was an office building in the city center. Li Sangyue had never been there before, but no one in Taining was a stranger to the place. The building bore a prominent corporate logo belonging to one of the top three companies in S Province.
She recalled her grandmother mentioning that a relative from her eldest aunt’s side, who was Li Ninghuai’s partner, once wanted to join this company. When the relative failed the interview, they begged the eldest great-aunt to use her connections to secure a position, but even that failed, leaving the eldest great-aunt feeling quite humiliated.
The driver was also visiting such a place for the first time. Looking up at the towering skyscraper, the reflections from the glass were nearly blinding.
“If I had studied harder back then, maybe I would be sitting in an office enjoying the air conditioning right now,” the driver lamented.
Hearing the driver’s sigh, Li Sangyue felt a similar pang of empathy. However, her own situation was far more complex than that of the driver, and it was not something that could be explained in a few words.
Besides, things were already as they were. Regret was useless. Time could not flow backward, so she could only look ahead and focus on living her life well. Her current situation was not too bad. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, as it had given her such an adorable daughter like Taiyang.
Parking was not allowed here. Just as she was about to negotiate with the security guard, she saw Qin Nian emerge from behind the revolving doors. She was wearing a light brown casual shirt tucked into white trousers, paired with matching square-toe shoes. Her shoulder-length hair was meticulously styled, smooth and lustrous, with the ends slightly flared out. She looked clean and sharp yet sophisticated. The high-end office building behind her seemed to pale in comparison.
As she approached, Li Sangyue caught a faint, fresh scent. This must be Qin Nian’s pheromones. She had smelled it once before, a subtle fragrance somewhere between lime and orange. It was a scent that felt gentle and calming.
It felt strangely familiar, as if this fragrance had appeared in her dreams many times. She felt as though she had caught a whiff of it during that late night seven years ago. It was so strange. Why was this happening? She had felt suspicious the last time, but the thought had quickly slipped her mind. Now, it resurfaced.
It must be because her heat was approaching. Whenever she saw a pleasant-looking Alpha, she started overthinking. She told herself that she must stop thinking about it, or there would be trouble. She was already feeling uncomfortable enough. Even using three suppressants had not helped much. Her pheromones were growing stronger, and her glands, which bore a previous bite mark, had begun to redden. She had to wear a patch sprayed with suppressants whenever she went out.
She steadied her breathing, cleared the messy thoughts from her mind, and greeted her with a smile. “I was just about to message you, and here you are. All five thousand pounds of Yellow Honey cherries are here. You can inspect the goods.”
Although she had filmed the picking and packing process, she could have simply shown the videos to Qin Nian. However, it was better to inspect them in person so any quality issues could be resolved immediately. Nevertheless, she could guarantee that every cherry was of top quality, with absolutely no issues.
The driver opened the rear doors, revealing boxes upon boxes of neatly packed cherries.
The Yellow Honey variety had a long history of cultivation in Taining. They appeared yellow with a hint of red, looking crystal clear like gems. The skin was very thin, and the sweetness rivaled that of imported cherries.
However, this local variety was not well-known, and it was rarely seen in Southern markets. Since wholesalers usually preferred imported cherries, the local ones often faced stagnant sales. It was only through the internet in recent years that they had returned to the public eye.
Li Sangyue grew Yellow Honey cherries herself, but hers came from new saplings. With proper care, they bore fruit by the second year. The cherries were large and sweet, with most reaching the 3J size grade, so she never worried about sales after they ripened.
The villagers’ trees, however, were of an old variety. The cherries they produced were uneven in size. Many were small and their sweetness was not guaranteed. Wholesalers either refused to buy them or offered very low prices. The villagers were worried. Selling them resulted in a loss, but not selling them was an even greater loss.
She opened a box for Qin Nian to inspect. Once confirmed there were no issues, they prepared to unload. She and the driver were old acquaintances. He never charged her extra for helping with the unloading. In return, she would usually give him two boxes of fruit or two large bottles of her family’s homemade peanut oil. The peanut oil had been sold in her livestream before. It had great sales and many repeat customers. She planned to sell it again once this year’s peanut harvest was in.
“I will call someone over to move them.”
Qin Nian gently grasped her slender arm. As her thumb rested on the delicate skin, a wave of heat surged through. A sweet fragrance of mango continuously wafted into Qin Nian’s nose, colliding with the floral scent and creating a mysterious chemical reaction.
While feeling comfortable, Qin Nian also felt an intense sense of possessiveness and a desire to protect Li Sangyue. This was the instinct an Alpha felt toward an Omega they had marked. Moreover, she keenly sensed something unusual from Li Sangyue’s pheromones: her heat was coming.
At the moment of contact, Li Sangyue’s body trembled slightly. She inconspicuously withdrew her arm. “That would be wonderful.”
She loved wealthy and efficient clients like this.
Qin Nian looked down, the warmth of the other woman’s skin still lingering on her fingertips, along with that unforgettable, delicate sensation.
It was hot outside, so she invited Li Sangyue to wait inside.
This entire building was owned by the group. The first floor was a reception area, while the floors from the second upward were mostly office spaces. A large portion was used by Fan Rou’s company, and some parts were leased to other firms.
Companies capable of renting office space in this building were all major corporations with high standards for their employees. The people walking in and out every day were the elites in the eyes of ordinary people. They were highly educated, high-income, and attractive.
As it was nearing lunchtime, many people were emerging from the elevators, each looking polished and professional.
Li Sangyue looked at the white-collar workers passing by the lounge area, her eyes filled with envy. She would never have such an opportunity.
The driver, uncomfortable in such a setting, sat for a moment before heading back outside to help the security guard move the goods.
“What are you looking at?” Qin Nian had requested two cups of coffee from the front desk and sat down beside Li Sangyue.
Li Sangyue smiled with admiration. “This is my first time inside an office building like this. I have only seen them in TV dramas before. Seeing everyone dressed up so beautifully, wearing high heels to work, it feels so high-end, professional, and impressive.”
Looking down at herself in a worn T-shirt, faded jeans, and a pair of off-brand shoes she had bought at the market for a few dollars, she felt like a drab sparrow that had accidentally wandered into a phoenix’s nest. She felt too out of place and could not help but feel a bit inferior.
Sensing her emotions, Qin Nian did not know how to comfort her. From the information she had gathered earlier, she knew Li Sangyue had excellent grades in high school. If she had been able to take the college entrance exam normally, she would have surely attended a great university and might not be staying in Yangtoubu selling agricultural products today. Since this matter was inextricably linked to her, Qin Nian felt immense guilt and wanted to do her best to make amends.
“Do you want to work here? I can arrange it.” For her, it was just a matter of saying the word.
Li Sangyue was startled and quickly waved her hands. “That is not what I meant. You misunderstood.”
With only a high school diploma, the best she could do in a place like this was cleaning. She had that much self-awareness. Besides, she and Qin Nian were neither relatives nor old friends. It would be improper to ask for a job after meeting only two or three times. She was just reflecting on her life and had no intention of taking advantage of her. She explained hurriedly, fearing Qin Nian might misunderstand.
Qin Nian did not mind the rejection and smiled. “If you ever need anything in the future, you can find me anytime.”
She was returning to Shanghai in a few days. Before leaving, she would have a word with Fan Rou.
This made Li Sangyue feel quite embarrassed. She was already earning a lot from this one large order. She felt bad about troubling her further. However, in business, having more connections was always good, a principle Li Sangyue understood well.
“Then I will thank you in advance.” Whether or not she would actually trouble her was one thing, but she still needed to show her gratitude.
Qin Nian moved a bit closer to her. “You do not need to be so formal with me. Just think of me as a friend.”
The mango sweetness on Li Sangyue smelled so good that it made Qin Nian’s heart ache with longing.
Even when the weather was not hot, Li Sangyue always tied her hair up, revealing her slender neck. The glands on the back of her neck were covered with a patch, but the pheromones of her approaching heat were thick and dispersing. The suppressants could only mask half of it.
She did not notice Qin Nian approaching her, but she suddenly remembered something. There were gift boxes on the truck specifically for Qin Nian.
“Oh, I forgot!” She slapped her leg and stood up abruptly, her knee bumping into Qin Nian’s leg.
Qin Nian immediately reached out to rub her knee, concerned. “Did that hurt?”
Qin Nian’s hands were those of someone who had never performed manual labor. The knuckles were not thick, and the fingers were long and slender. She easily cupped Li Sangyue’s kneecap.
Warmth radiated through the thin fabric of her trousers. The area she was holding felt as if it were burning.
Li Sangyue’s face turned bright red, and she stepped back. “No, no, no.”
She turned and dashed out, bringing back the gift boxes from her car. They contained 3J-grade large cherries, and she had also picked the best peaches and apricots. They were definitely high enough quality to be gifts.
“These are specifically for you. Thank you for your help this time. Five thousand pounds is a truly massive order, and I am very grateful.”
She had not asked what Qin Nian’s job was here. That was private. Since the other woman had not volunteered the information, she was tactful enough not to ask.
Given that she had spent two thousand dollars so easily last time, she was likely not short on money and might not even care for two boxes of fruit. However, giving the gift was her responsibility. Whether or not the recipient liked it was another matter.
Qin Nian had already stood up to take the boxes, fearing she might get tired.
“You do not need to be so polite with me.”
“We have a group-buy price, which is much cheaper, but you refused it that day,” Li Sangyue remembered.
Qin Nian was laughing internally. She asked solemnly, “Is it too late to apply for the group-buy price now?” She also leaned in and whispered to Li Sangyue, “I will report the normal price to the boss, and you give me the group-buy price. We will split the difference, and I will personally give you a big red envelope so you do not lose out. How does that sound?”
Li Sangyue was shocked. She had thought Qin Nian was a person of great integrity. It seemed she had misjudged her.
But since she had brought it up, it felt wrong to refuse her to her face. Besides, there really was a group-buy price. As for how Qin Nian would report the price to her boss, that was none of her business. Taking kickbacks was a very common occurrence.
“Alright then, I will refund you the difference.” In reality, she would be earning less this way, but she did not mind.
Qin Nian stared at her for a few seconds. “I was just teasing you. No need for a refund.”
If she were so naive in business as to give a refund the moment it was mentioned, she would surely suffer losses.
Li Sangyue had already taken out her phone to calculate the total refund, only to be stunned again. “You do not want the group-buy price anymore? It is a significant amount of money. Are you sure?”
“I do not,” Qin Nian said each word very clearly and seriously.
Not only did she not want it, but she intended to buy out everything in Li Sangyue’s livestream in the future as a form of compensation.
“You do not want it? Fine, then I can earn a bit more,” Li Sangyue thought to herself.