Chapter Seventeen

  Su Lan went up to the rooftop and unexpectedly ran into Mi Ai.

  It's just like when Mei Ai saw her and thought it was strange that they would meet someone in a place like this.

  She was on the phone, Su Lan didn't hear clearly either, but Mei Ai still looked spirited and confident as usual.

  When Su Lan saw him, she picked up the phone, was stunned for a moment, and still said: "How are you here?"

  "I came here to work."

  Mei Ai smiled and thought of something, laughing: "This building is just one company, don't say you're the boss's wife."

  Mi Ai saw Su Lan's hesitant expression and didn't dare to admit it, so she just nodded and didn't wait for Su Lan's response. She walked over again, enthusiastically saying: "Look at you, what's there to be embarrassed about? You really told me accurately, it's true!"

  Su Lan smiled.

  Mei Ai said, "You're really low-key, I've never seen the boss's wife show her face before! Last time I was afraid you'd be at a disadvantage, so I went over to help, but it turns out I'm still working for you, isn't that a joke?"

  Su Lan said, "What's so funny about that? You're doing great." In fact, she was a bit hesitant and found it strange that Mei Ai would be working here. Wasn't her husband quite wealthy? She didn't look like someone who worked at all with the way she was dressed up neatly.

  Mei Ai seemed to have figured it out and said, "Do you think I don't look like a working person? Ah..." She let out a sigh: "I also can't idle around all day, that's not interesting either. At least make some contributions to society."

  Su Lan said: "Your awareness is quite high."

  Mi Ai wrapped around this topic again and said: "The number I remembered last time, is that your work number?"

  "No," Su Lan said, "my work and life are on the same number, there aren't many people, so I just use one phone."

  Mi Ai smiled and said: "That's good, I'm also a number, let's keep in touch later, but now I have to go back, I've been absent from work for too long, I'll be scolded soon. Are you leaving or not?"

  Su Lan waved her hand: "I'll go down in a bit."

  "See you again."

  Mei Ai finished speaking and went down.

  Su Lan looked at the fiery Mei Ai, and inexplicably felt a twinge of envy in her heart. She really had her old husband wrapped around her finger, so she could live however she wanted. She lowered her head to gaze at the lines on her own palm, wishing she had that kind of ability too.

  In the afternoon, after a while, Gu Cheng left first because he had a case.

  Jingxiang still hasn't rested, and Su Lan has taken on a big responsibility. He asks this and that, trying to find loopholes in the law wherever possible. Su Lan doesn't understand some things and answers vaguely, but he is lectured again.

  Some people came in to serve tea and pour water, and saw the people inside busy with work, completely undisturbed. Going out to spread the news about Su Lan was even more exaggerated, some said that she had grasped the boss's weakness, others said that her temperament had instantly killed a group of colorful flags, no wonder she sat firmly in the position of Jing Taotai without moving.

  The young girls sneered: "If my husband dares to be unfaithful, I will divorce him immediately. No matter how handsome or rich he is, I don't care."

  "Some people say: 'It's not what you say, it's how handsome and rich you are. If I had as much money as the boss, I could still tolerate him, but what's disgusting is a man who doesn't have money to spend on his mistress.'"

  "Yes, I agree with you. People who know how to seize the opportunity are outstanding individuals. In today's society, love is just an utopia. It's better to marry a rich man, at least you won't lose out on yourself."

  "Look who's worshiping money!"

  A girl said: "What's wrong with being materialistic, it's not against the law. Do you know how female animals choose their mates? They look for those who are capable, so that when they give birth to their cubs and are weak, they can rely on the males to protect them. Females are originally weaker, if they don't find someone strong, then there's something wrong with their brains or they're not fully developed. What's the difference between humans and beasts? What's wrong with finding someone rich? Poor couples have a hundred worries, I'd rather be materialistic."

  "Never mind, you've never been in love before, so you don't understand."

  "Women are emotional, men are rational. God created Adam first and then Eve, so women are destined to have a hard time. It's better to be a man. However, I make my stance clear: I won't tolerate spiritual or physical infidelity, I'd rather starve than maintain a fake relationship. So, career comes first, family second."

  "You're just young, wait till you get married and you'll understand. Where's the idea of divorcing just because you say so? Couples face each other every day, when are they not fed up with each other? Men cheat, but it's not always on women, who doesn't have problems? If you think it's okay to divorce just like that, this world has no rules. Marriage is not just about love, it's also about wisdom. Divorcing is nothing impressive, being able to maintain your own marriage is the real deal."

  "Never mind, Fu Jie, your husband is a good man, standing and talking without feeling tired. Women are afraid of meeting someone who can't be helped, at that time, they would think about divorce with their eyes closed, regardless of family responsibilities. If you meet a playboy, at least there's some excitement."

  "I agree with what you said, nowadays it's abnormal if one doesn't have an affair."

  The young girl stared blankly: "I'm not getting married, I'm not getting married. You people are really too scary."

  …………

  One afternoon, Jing Xiang's face remained still, but his eyes occasionally glanced at Su Lan, seeing that she was always calm and collected, even when the bill came out, there was no reaction, and she pretended to be nonchalant as she put it back. Still speechless, she just quietly did her work.

  They were busy for the whole afternoon and didn't realize it was already 8 o'clock. It wasn't until Yueshan came up that they noticed both of them were still there, and he said in surprise: "Director Jing hasn't left yet?"

  Jingxiang let out a sigh of relief, glanced at the watch on his hand, which was already pointing to 8 o'clock, and rubbed his forehead, saying: "Hmm, I'll deal with it right away."

  "Madam is tired," said Yue Fei again.

  Su Lan nodded.

  Yue Fei reported to Jing Yang as usual: "The batch of technicians who came from Germany are adapting well, and the headquarters said they will send over two technical personnel."

  Looking at the file with admiration, he nodded and said: "Then give me some time, and I'll invite him to dinner later." After a pause, he asked again: "Why haven't I seen Qiu Lin?"

  "He went to the bureau, he's no big shot, one person can handle it."

  He slapped his hands on the table, let out a long sigh, pinched his arm and said: "Hey, what are you doing here now?"

  "I was just going to the factory, on the way. I saw the company lights were still on, so I came over to take a look, didn't expect you to be here, can I give you guys a ride home?"

  "No need, we'll go eat first, I'll drive myself back." He stood up, put on his clothes and said to Su Lan: "Let's go."

  Su Lan also received the thing and nodded.

  "Hey, there's a new Japanese restaurant that just opened up over there, it's pretty good, let's go try it out. I remember your wife likes to eat Japanese food."

  "You go back early too."

  "No rush, I'll go to the factory tonight and work overtime. Boss, I'm leaving first."

  They bid each other farewell and Yue Fei left, they also packed up and headed back.

  Jing Yang asked Su Lan what she wanted to eat on the road.

  She was hungry but didn't have much of an appetite, so she said: "Anything is fine."

  "Then let's have seafood."

  I'm not eating.

  "Doesn't everything go?"

  She didn't say a word and suddenly thought of Yue Fei, asking: "Is it very busy at the factory now?"

  "It's so-so, the equipment requirements are high, at first, there were not enough people, so I had to take matters into my own hands."

  "Uh-huh."

  He held the steering wheel with one hand and rummaged through a box in the car with the other, pulling out a tin of candies. "Have two pieces first to stabilize your stomach, or you'll feel dizzy later."

  Su Lan looked at the red and green sugar paper in the jar, shaped like a small boot, and snorted. "Little girl's style," she said, turning her head away. "No need."

  Jingyāng casually tossed the jar onto the back seat of the car: "If you don't eat it, forget it."

  A loud noise came from the back seat.

  Su Lan turned her head and saw that the car was fine, then glared at him again: "With such a big temper, it would be better to smash the car directly. This small bottle is not relieving."

  "You go down, I'll smash you."

  She pouted: "Your car, whatever you want."

  He smiled: "You're still mine, aren't you also at my beck and call."

  "Whatever, dude."

  The two of them ate and went back home. They were originally going to go to Jing's house to see their son, but when they looked at the time it wasn't early anymore, so they made a phone call and said he was already asleep.

  "Then let's go pick him up again tomorrow."

  She was also very tired and agreed.

  The two of them headed back, on the road, Jing Yang received a phone call, but it was unclear what the other person said.

  His face turned black with anger, and he said directly: "Everyone comes to me to talk about personal relationships. Can I still do business like this? No matter who it is, public and private are clearly distinguished, how can we convince the masses?"

  I don't know what he said over there.

  He suddenly smiled: "I paved the way, he made trouble for me, one set on the surface and another behind, how could I be so stupid? Never mind! I'm not the Monkey King in heaven, can't tell apart so many bodies, all pushed away... don't know how to push, what are you eating..."

  He hung up the phone for a while, and then came another call. This time, Jingxiang was very perfunctory, and after a while, he didn't say many words, all of which were just "uh-huh", "uh-huh".

  Su Lan didn't mind these things and leaned back in her chair for a short rest.

  He dragged on for a while, suddenly changed his tone and said: "If you're sick, go to the hospital, why bother me? Unlucky!"

  Su Lan had just fallen into a daze and entered her dream. Suddenly, she was shocked awake, and the words that entered her ears were "bad luck", her heart inexplicably tightened for a moment.