C9 The Task of Raising the Family

As Jiang Yan stepped out of Dahua Real Estate Group, the receptionist's eyes followed him with sheer incredulity.

She wondered to herself, 'Just one phone call and the General Manager Han Fujiang comes running. Who is this guy?'

Next time Jiang Yan showed up, she vowed not to underestimate him again.

Jiang Yan headed straight home after leaving the office, confident that Han Fujiang wouldn't dare defy his commands, knowing full well he could manipulate Han Fujiang like a puppeteer with his marionette.

Upon arriving home, he found his mother-in-law tidying up the dishes, apparently just after a meal. Without a word about whether Jiang Yan had eaten, she dumped the leftover food into the trash.

"Jiang Yan, perfect timing. Wash the dishes!"

Zhou Hui made her way to the living room, flicked on the TV, and began cracking open sunflower seeds.

Jiang Yan glanced towards his bedroom. The door was closed; he chose not to disturb Xu Fengqiu.

He figured Xu Fengqiu probably wanted to keep this matter from the family, especially from him.

Jiang Yan cleaned the kitchenware first, then stepped out for a walk and grabbed a bite to eat.

He had barely started on his bowl of noodles when his mother-in-law's call interrupted him.

"Hey, Jiang Yan, where on earth have you vanished to?"

"Mom, what's up? I'm out having some noodles."

"All you do is eat. Get back here now! Fengjiao brought Zhao Yu over, and he's got a job opportunity for you."

Zhou Hui hung up before Jiang Yan could respond.

Looking down at his bowl, Jiang Yan knew finishing his meal would only earn him another earful from his mother-in-law. He decided to have the noodles packed up to take home.

Arriving back, he found Zhao Yu at the center of attention in the living room, with Zhou Hui, Xu Fengjiao, and Xu Fengqiu gathered around.

Catching sight of Jiang Yan, Zhou Hui frowned and chided, "Didn't I say to hurry back? You've kept Zhao Yu waiting. What's that you're holding?"

"I didn't finish my noodles, so I packed them up to take home."

"Don't you think to get Zhao Yu some fruit? You're a grown man and still don't grasp the simplest social niceties."

Zhao Yu chuckled with feigned magnanimity. "Auntie, it's no trouble. We're practically family already. It's not that Jiang Yan didn't want to buy me anything; he just couldn't afford it."

Xu Fengqiu quickly stepped forward to relieve Jiang Yan of his noodles.

"Honey, I heard about the job Zhao Yu told you about. Sounds pretty good. You should go thank him."

Jiang Yan looked puzzled. "What job?"

Xu Fengjiao interjected, "Obviously, it's a great job. For someone with no qualifications or skills like you, landing such a position is like striking gold. If I hadn't asked Zhao Yu for a favor, you'd never have found such an opportunity in your life."

Zhao Yu beamed with self-satisfaction. "Well, it's really no big deal. A classmate of mine returned from studying abroad. His dad gave him some seed money, and he's launched his own advertising design firm. They're looking for salespeople and offer a generous package. I put in a word for you, so you can start there tomorrow morning."

Xu Fengqiu said earnestly, "Zhao Yu, we can't thank you enough. Jiang Yan and I will take you out for dinner tomorrow night to show our appreciation."

Xu Fengjiao scoffed, "What's so special about dinner? Zhao Yu's family runs a hotel; he's had his fill of fine dining. Sister, he only agreed to help because I begged him. If anyone deserves thanks, it's me. I'll be the one to thank him."

Xu Fengqiu gave a resigned smile.

"Alright, then thank you, sister."

"Thanks are just words, aren't they?"

"What would you prefer? How about I buy you an Estée Lauder makeup set?"

Xu Fengjiao's eyes suddenly fixed on Xu Fengqiu's wrist, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, sis, when did you get that watch? It's beautiful. Give it to me as a thank-you present, and we'll call it even on the makeup."

"Ah?"

Xu Fengqiu's face creased with discomfort. On her wrist was the Patek Philippe watch Jiang Yan had given her just yesterday.

"This watch was a gift from your brother-in-law yesterday. It wouldn't be right for me to pass it on to you. Why don't you ask for something else?"

Zhou Hui scoffed and cut in, "What kind of decent watch could Jiang Yan possibly afford? It's probably just some cheap knockoff worth a few bucks. You're the only one who thinks it's a treasure."

Xu Fengjiao's interest evaporated, and she said scornfully, "If it's from Jiang Yan, then I definitely don't want it. Wearing it would be embarrassing."

Zhao Yu chimed in promptly, "Jiao, if you're fond of watches, I'll accompany you to pick out one later."

Xu Fengjiao beamed, "Zhao Yu, you're so kind, but let's not. You've already done enough by helping Jiang Yan find a job. Our family is indebted to you; I can't accept more gifts. If anything, I should be the one giving you a gift."

"There's no need for such formalities between us; we're getting engaged soon. Trust me, I won't be gifting you some cheap street vendor watch."

It wasn't just Xu Fengjiao, a recent college graduate, who couldn't resist Zhao Yu's charm; even seasoned female professionals found his affluent allure hard to ignore.

Xu Fengjiao's quick engagement to Zhao Yu was significantly influenced by his willingness to spend generously on her.

Money can be blinding, even to the point of losing oneself.

Jiang Yan had once reveled in a lavish lifestyle, but now, he saw money as no more valuable than dirt.

He cherished the quiet, sweet companionship he shared with Xu Fengqiu over the past three years.

The next morning, Xu Fengqiu woke Jiang Yan early and dug out the suit they had worn on their wedding day, urging him to put it on.

It was Jiang Yan's only suit.

"Honey, just wear this suit for now. I'll go out and buy you a new one today."

"Do I need to dress so formally?"

"For your first day, it's best to make a strong impression. You may have gotten the job through Zhao Yu's recommendation, but now that you're starting, you need to put in the effort. The base salary for a sales position isn't much, but the commissions are high. You might be the one supporting us before long."

Jiang Yan picked up on the underlying message in Xu Fengqiu's words and chuckled, "Weren't we both set on working hard together to save up for a house?"

Xu Fengqiu offered a smile, though it seemed somewhat forced.

"Honey, I'm thinking about switching jobs, which means I might need to spend some time at home."

"Why are you thinking of changing jobs?"

"Oh, it's nothing major. I've just been at it for so long, it's become a bit monotonous. I'm looking to try something new."

Jiang Yan gave a nod, choosing not to press Xu Fengqiu on the real reason behind her job switch.

"So, are you heading to work today?"

"Today, I'm going to submit my resignation letter. We can leave together—you can drop me off at the company's entrance."

"Sure thing!"

Jiang Yan hopped onto the small electric scooter, and Xu Fengqiu snuggled up against his back, wrapping her arms around his waist. Together, they set off for the Dahua Real Estate sales center.