Chapter 31

 

Another day ended in disappointment.

Cai Ni had been in Haigang, this great metropolis, for a week. Every morning she set out in high spirits, and every evening she came back with sighs.

Haigang truly was a great city, with a throng of people, cars, and opportunities. On every street corner, she saw white-collar elites and rich young bosses, all dressed smartly in suits, walking with calm confidence and indifferent eyes.

The job market here, however, was more like a bustling vegetable market, where everyone had a clear price tag, waiting to be picked up or bargained down.

Young, uneducated, out-of-towners were like bean sprouts piled at the bottom of the stalls, grabbed by the handful and ridiculously cheap. Worse still, no one would even take them if they were given away for free.

She had to admit — compared to Yicheng, Haigang was far more ruthless. Staying here would be harder than she had ever imagined.

Ming Xi had been repeating the same thing to her these past few days: “Everything is difficult at the beginning.”

In other words, don’t be anxious.

But how could Cai Ni not be anxious?

She was burning with it inside, but once back at the dorm, she feigned a relaxed air in front of her best friend.

Ming Xi was already tired enough from work; Cai Ni didn’t want her to worry more.

On her way back that evening, Cai Ni called home and told a few little lies to her parents. After hanging up, she quietly wiped away a few tears on the bus. A line from a Stephen Chow movie drifted into her mind: “I’ve drifted all my life, like a lone boat on the vast sea, having long since put life and death aside.”

Cai Ni was soft-hearted and a little poetic by nature. Watching the darkening sky and the neon lights flickering on, she felt a growing sense of loneliness of being adrift in a foreign land.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Ming Xi’s text: “Come back early today. I’m taking you out for something delicious.”

Waaah! Cai Ni instantly burst into tears. She covered her eyes with both hands, the tears streaming faster than she could wipe them away. Fine then, she thought, even if life and death mean nothing, at least I should eat well.

She wasn’t a lone boat after all.

She had Ming Xi and Dezi here… and Han Junjun, too.

The timing felt right; Ming Xi decided to take Cai Ni to meet Manager Li the next day.

After a week, the moment was just ripe — Cai Ni had gotten a taste of what job-hunting was like, and Manager Li had waited long enough. Whether helping Cai Ni find work or recommending her to Li, Ming Xi was acting as a go-between — like a matchmaker spinning silk threads — and timing was everything.

That evening, Ming Xi took Cai Ni to a well-known Western restaurant near Longmao —

Jia Lu Xi Bistro.

Besides Cai Ni, she also invited Ding Xiao along, taking the opportunity to formally introduce Ding Xiao to Cai Ni.

Like her, Cai Ni needed friends in Longmao.

Ding Xiao had always liked pretty girls, so the pretty Cai Ni naturally caught her eye.

Tonight, Ming Xi planned to splurge a little, though as a working woman, she still glanced at the menu with caution.

Sitting in the elegant, tastefully lit restaurant, even the usually carefree Cai Ni was unusually careful while ordering.

Finally, under Ming Xi’s efficient arrangement, the three of them ordered the restaurant’s famous fried pork cutlet, one piece each, along with their signature pasta, pineapple rice, Portuguese egg tarts, and three special drinks.

The drinks were sour and sweet, making it hard to tell whether they were mixed drinks or fruit wine.

They’d wanted to try the filet steak too, but it was too expensive, and after Cai Ni’s firm protest, it was struck from the order.

“Next time, next time!” Cai Ni pressed both hands on the menu as if it were a hot potato, hastily handing it back to the uniformed waiter.

“If I’d known it’d be this expensive, we should’ve gone for some dumplings instead,” she muttered.

Ding Xiao cut in cheerfully, “Relax — your sister here won’t go broke feeding you.”

Ding Xiao took quite a liking to Cai Ni, but the feeling wasn’t mutual. Cai Ni thought Ding Xiao was generous when eating at others’ expense but miserly when it came to her own.

It was likely Ding Xiao who recommended this restaurant to Ming Xi, so why didn’t Ding Xiao pay?

After the three of them had their fill, they came out of Jia Lu Xi. Ding Xiao suggested they go for a walk by the river for some breeze.

Of course — everything Ding Xiao suggested always happened to be free!

Cai Ni had a straightforward personality, and her likes and dislikes were all visible on her face. Her lips unintentionally pout high, and even when they reached the river beach, the surging river wind couldn’t blow the corners of her mouth down.

Ming Xi held Cai Ni’s hand, eyes bright as she tilted her head with a gentle smile, saying nothing.

In her heart, she naturally knew what Cai Ni was unhappy about.

At night, the Minghuai River looked like a flowing ribbon of black silk. The neon lights of the high-rises on both banks reflected on its rippling surface, shimmering in dazzling colors, as though the entire city of Haigang were mirrored there, pulsing forward with the rhythmic current.

Ding Xiao leaned against the railing, clear-eyed and spirited. Suddenly, as if thinking of someone, she threw her head back and shouted toward the wind-swept river: “Ahhhhh—!”

Crazy!

Cai Ni brushed her hair behind her ear, and like a little girl, she leaned her head softly on Ming Xi’s shoulder. Whatever. Ming Xi and I are the closest anyway.

After a few cathartic shouts, Ding Xiao turned around, raised an eyebrow, and asked Cai Ni, “Cai Ni, what’s your name?”

Cai Ni also raised her eyebrows in response: “Cai Ni ah—”

Ding Xiao laughed, enunciating each word: “I mean, what’s your surname? Ming Xi’s surname is Ming — don’t tell me yours is Cai? Does that even exist?”

Oh, so that’s what she meant.

Cai Ni still moved her eyebrows indifferently. “You know what? I’m not sure myself. Maybe the author just forgot.”

Ding Xiao: …

After a moment, Cai Ni rolled her neck, brushed her hair from her face, and with a proud sparkle in her eyes, said, “It’s Jiang. Jiang Cai Ni.”

—

“Jiang Cai Ni—is that right?”

Inside the Longmao manager’s office, Manager Li flipped through a printed résumé, glanced up at the girl standing before his desk, and then, leaning forward on his elbows, called out her full name.

“Yes, hello, Manager Li.” Cai Ni’s face bloomed with a polite, ingratiating smile.

Pretty girls always drew a few extra looks. Manager Li lowered his eyes for a moment, then couldn’t help but look up again.

However, there’s no shortage of pretty girls out there. Longmao was a proper high-end department store — while appearance mattered, skill was what truly counted. For someone like the girl in front of him, without any impressive education, she’d have to be like Ming Xi — not only good-looking, but clever and savvy as well.

Manager Li asked a few questions, and to his surprise, Jiang Cai Ni answered them all fluently. He had already decided in his mind to hire her, but outwardly he kept up a show of formality.

Before he could put on airs, however, Ming Xi — who had come along — spoke up first, perfectly composed.

“Manager Li, actually my friend already found another job. It’s only because I work at Longmao that I dragged her over for an interview. But really, she didn’t come here for me — she came for you, Manager Li.”

“What do you mean… Why did she come here for me?” Manager Li smiled and asked with interest.

Ming Xi said generously, “I always praise you in front of Cai Ni. Over time, she remembered everything I said about how wonderful you are — so of course she wanted to come work here under your guidance.”

Her voice was clear and lively, her tone perfectly earnest — sweet talk delivered with disarming charm.

Manager Li couldn’t help laughing, shaking his head again and again — but secretly, he was rather pleased.

Then he looked at Jiang Cai Ni, who was nodding along beside Ming Xi as if she’d been trained to do so… Li Jian felt something was amiss, as if the scene had been rehearsed.

Indeed, Ming Xi and Cai Ni had practiced the entire interview in advance. Ming Xi had even predicted most of the questions Manager Li might ask and had helped Cai Ni memorize the ideal answers word-for-word.

What she hadn’t accounted for, though, was the need for some quick improvisation.

Cai Ni licked her lips unconsciously, thinking how hypocritical people in big cities were. Still, Ming Xi was right — the more hypocritical they were, the more they loved hearing flattery.

When it came to Ming Xi, Manager Li could never quite stay on guard.

Taking advantage of Manager Li’s momentary lapse in attention, Ming Xi’s eyes flickered, and she asked in an easy, natural tone, “Would the third floor — the electronics department — be all right?”

Li Jian’s mind froze. He had been about to sip his tea, but at the words electronics department, the water in his cup nearly sloshed over the rim.

What?! The electronics department?

Picking the best right off the bat! Did she think this was a meat market — and she could just grab the top-quality ribs right off the counter?

“No, absolutely not,” Li Jian refused.

The third-floor electronics section was Longmao’s most profitable department, with the most stable sales and the highest commissions. As home appliances grew increasingly popular, especially in Haigang, premium electronics were fast becoming household essentials.

Ming Xi hadn’t been at Longmao long, yet she already understood the layout of every department — and dared to go straight for the best spot. Bold indeed! Not a trace of polite hesitation.

“The electronic appliances section is tied to the partner suppliers, and they arrange their own sales staff,” Li Jian said, making an excuse. He actually wanted to assign Jiang Cai Ni to the after-sales center, where they were shorthanded.

Ming Xi still refused to give up: “Is it really impossible?”

Li Jian said sourly: “Sure — unless you can get someone from Shuangyang to agree to it!”

As soon as he said it, he regretted it. He saw the gleam in Ming Xi’s eyes brighten — almost glowing with sudden hope. For most people, that would’ve been an impossible condition. But Ming Xi… she might actually pull it off.

Li Jian wanted to slap himself in the face, blaming his mouth for moving faster than his brain.

The person in front of him was not a subordinate at all, clearly an ancestor!

As for reaching out to Shuangyang Electronic — Ming Xi already knew exactly who to turn to. Not Liang Jiancheng, nor Gu Shuangyang, but Yang Minwen.

She’d thought he was just a marketing manager, but it turned out he was also Gu Shuangyang’s current husband. And besides — he was Dezi’s relative.

Dezi’s relative meant Cai Ni’s relative too!

That gave Ming Xi about seventy percent confidence that if she showed up with Cai Ni and asked nicely, Yang Minwen would likely lend a hand.

But the problem was, how to bring it up? Ming Xi’s mind moved, and she remembered the pile of local specialties Cai Ni brought, including two unopened cans of wild pecans.

…

In the afternoon, Ming Xi called Yang Minwen, who quickly answered and even greeted her by name: “Hello, Ming Xi.”

“Mr. Yang… hello! Do you have my number saved?” Ming Xi replied with a pleasant surprise.

“You sent me New Year’s greetings over the Lunar New Year, so I figured it was you, so I saved it,” Yang Minwen explained.

“Heh… heh.” Ming Xi gave two awkward little laughs, then got straight to the point. “Mr. Yang, I was wondering if you might have some time. I’d like to bring a friend to meet you — she’s from Yicheng as well.”

Her words hinted at a request for help.

Ming Xi didn’t want to lure him out under false pretenses and then spring a favor request on him. If he was willing to meet, he’d help even if she explained it over the phone.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t even give her the chance to meet.

“Would today work? I happen to be at Longmao on some business. I’ll be free a bit later.”

“Yes, of course!”

To avoid an awkward meeting and to give Yang Minwen some time to consider, Ming Xi drafted a message explaining why she wanted to meet, including a short introduction of Cai Ni.

Yang Minwen didn’t immediately reply with a yes or no.

“Let’s talk about it when we meet,” he replied.

Putting down his phone, Ming Xi gave Cai Ni an OK sign.

Cai Ni clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes beaming with joy. She asked incredulously, “Is this Mr. Yang really Yang Kangde’s relative who hooked up with a rich woman?”

Ming Xi hummed and admonished Cai Ni, “When we meet, just pretend you don’t know and don’t show any unusual reaction.”

Cai Ni nodded like a pecking chick, though her face still shifted between awe, disbelief, and curiosity. She caught Ming Xi’s sleeve. “Then why didn’t you say anything the day we met Dezi?”

Ming Xi gave her a look that said think about it yourself. When Cai Ni clearly couldn’t, she spelled it out plainly: “If I had spoken up at that time, Dezhi would have contacted him. Then he would have known that we knew about his relationship with Gu Shuangyang. He may be open and straightforward, but he can’t avoid suspecting that we talk about him behind his back. Dezi and he are inevitably relatives; if he wants to get in touch, he definitely can. There was no need for me to play middleman.”

Cai Ni understood and truly how Ming Xi could have so many twists and turns in her mind.

No, not “twisty,” she corrected herself — meticulous. Thoughtful and thorough!

Ming Xi sighed. She didn’t enjoy having to think so carefully about every move, but in Haigang, useful connections were few and fragile — one had to tend them like rare plants. When the time came, a single helping hand from the right person could save her from running around like a headless fly.

Ming Xi found a nice bag, packed the two cans of pecans from Yicheng, and handed them back to Cai Ni.

“Give them to him when we meet.”

Cai Ni worried, “What if he refuses?”

Ming Xi said confidently, “Since he agreed to meet, there’s hope. It’s just a few boxes of pecans. It’s easier for him to accept than not.”

Cai Ni was completely convinced again. Whatever Ming Xi led her to do, she could always rest easy following her lead.

…

Yang Minwen suggested meeting at a café on the street outside Longmao Parkway.

When Ming Xi and Cai Ni arrived, he was sitting alone at a table by the window, dressed elegantly in a striped blue shirt under a soft cashmere-gray vest, his neatly pressed suit jacket draped over the back of his chair, with a cup of coffee and a plate of sugar cubes in front of him.

He added one cube, stirred with a spoon, took a sip — then added another.

So, Yang Minwen was one of those who couldn’t drink coffee unless it was sweet.

When they approached, he raised his eyes gently, showing a polite and friendly smile, and said simply: “Sit down.”

Ming Xi nudged Cai Ni toward the inner seat and sat on the outside, so Cai Ni would face him directly. Today was about Cai Ni — she was the one who needed to speak.

“Mr… Mr. Yang.” Cai Ni sat down and took the initiative to address him.

Yang Minwen’s memory was not bad. He glanced at Cai Ni twice, smiled and said: “Have you forgotten me? Little Jiang Ni.”

When her childhood nickname was called out, all the feigned timidity and caution she had been putting on instantly disappeared. Cai Ni almost jumped up from the sofa in excitement and blurted out without thinking: “You’re really Brother Minwen — Dezi’s cousin, Brother Minwen!”

Yang Minwen nodded, looking from Cai Ni to Ming Xi.

“That’s great. You’ve all grown up,” he said with emotion.

Ming Xi didn’t know Yang Minwen as a child, but he still included her in his words. Perhaps in his memory, they all blended together as those scruffy Yicheng kids who’d grown up and drifted to Haigang to make a living.

And now… they’d come to use him.

Ming Xi couldn’t quite meet his eyes — partly out of guilt, partly because there was something in his gaze, gentle yet vast, that carried a kind of quiet compassion.

To be able to look someone like him in the eye without flinching, one must be truly strong. And only a strong person could easily rise above him.

Yang Minwen was like water — flowing, clear, endlessly tolerant — surrounding the towering mountain that was Gu Shuangyang—

Water accepts all rivers, but the mountain stood tall and majestic.

Yang Minwen asked the waiter to bring the menu, inviting her and Cai Ni to order something. The cafe had a steak set meal, and Ming Xi and Cai Ni each ordered one.

“I still have dinner at home later, so I won’t be eating with you,” Yang Minwen said, explaining without ordering.

Ming Xi just nodded. Under the table, Cai Ni pinched her thigh. Ming Xi instantly flicked her hand away, recognizing her unspoken thought.

Brother Minwen’s going home to dine with his rich wife, huh?

Really? Now was the time to think about that?

Most people in this world have a strong prejudice against men who live off their wives, even when their success came from genuine ability and charm. Still, if she herself were a rich woman, she’d probably pick someone exactly like Yang Minwen — gentle, well-spoken, and mild.

This thought suddenly brought Professor Liang to her mind. He was clearly a very responsible man, but he always gave people a sarcastic and terrible temper…

No wonder he became an ex-husband!

Ming Xi quickly shook the thought away. What was she even thinking about? It had nothing to do with her — imagining what kind of man she’d pick as a rich woman? Seriously?

And she’d even picked him… She really dared to dream!

“About what you mentioned in your message, no problem, I’ll arrange it.”

Given their relationship, Yang Minwen didn’t mince words, but simply gave a straightforward answer. Unlike Manager Li, who was always trying to put on airs.

“Thank you so much, Brother Minwen!” Cai Ni stood up from her seat and bowed to Yang Minwen, offering a profound salute.

Yang Minwen, ever so calm, quickly stood up and politely helped Cai Ni up.

“Why are you being so polite with me? If I couldn’t help with such a small favor, wouldn’t it be pointless for you to call me Brother Minwen?” Yang Minwen said.

Cai Ni was deeply moved and felt that Yang Minwen was the kind of person who used his fortune to bless his fellow townsfolk.

In her excitement, she blurted out without thinking:

“Brother Minwen, did you know that Dezi’s here in Haigang too?”

…

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