Just after leaving the restaurant, Sun Dasheng felt a pang of regret. His words had been too harsh; he had burned all his bridges. He had already resigned, so it didn't affect him, but his little apprentice was still at the company. How was she supposed to continue her work now?
Seeing Sun Dasheng's apologetic expression, Ouyang Jiani quickly comforted him, "Master, you were amazing! I completely admire you. You were my mouthpiece just now, and you told them off brilliantly. If I weren't so slow-witted, I would have loved to have gotten a few more jabs in myself."
"It's alright, Master. They won't do anything to a little girl like me. The company still needs me to work like a horse, after all. At worst, I'll be marginalized and have no hope for promotion, just like you," she said.
Seeing Ouyang Jiani still able to joke and laugh, Sun Dasheng gave a self-deprecating smile. It seemed his post-'90s mentality really couldn't compare to her post-2000s one.
Ouyang Jiani was born in 2000. She started college at seventeen, began interning at the company during the last semester of her senior year at twenty-one, and was hired full-time right after graduation. She was considered a powerhouse among women. In the workplace, capable and beautiful women are like a trump card—they get promoted fast, but they also hit the glass ceiling just as quickly.
Women like her are like toads in a glass jar: their future looks bright, but there's no way out. That is, unless you're willing to pay a different kind of price, which needs no elaboration. She was well aware of this, so regardless of today's incident, climbing any higher would have been difficult for her. That's why she wasn't angry that her master had stood up for her; in fact, she was delighted.
"Alright then! You still live in the same place, right? It's getting late; I'll take you home," Sun Dasheng said with a smile, looking at the cheerful girl from the capital.
He hailed a rideshare to take her home. When the car stopped in the underground garage of Ouyang Jiani's residential complex, he was still a bit worried about the day's events.
Ouyang Jiani, however, seemed to think nothing of it, laughing as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Got it, Master. Be safe on your way back."
"Bye-bye!"
After ensuring she got home safely, Sun Dasheng started for his own home. On the way, the more he thought about the situation, the angrier he became. So, he hailed a different rideshare.
That son of a bitch, Xiang Yunsheng. If you won't let me be happy, I won't let you be happy either.
***
In the He Pingli Residential Complex.
At home, wearing a sensual lace and silk nightgown, Xiang Yiren had just finished a relaxing facial mask and was about to go to bed when she heard a knock at the door. Peeking through the peephole, she saw who it was and felt a flicker of confusion. Why was he here so late?
The moment she opened the door, her visitor charged in like a bull in heat. Without a word, he swept her into his arms and carried her straight to the bedroom. The passionate sounds from the bedroom continued for over an hour before finally ceasing.
Exhausted and panting, Xiang Yiren lay atop the man, a seductive look on her face.
"What happened today? You seem to be in a bad mood," she said.
After venting his frustrations, Sun Dasheng lit a cigarette. He had calmed down considerably and now felt a wave of regret for taking out the anger he felt toward Xiang Yunsheng on a woman. He gave himself a mental demerit.
He got dressed, went to the living room to retrieve the gift bag he had tossed on the sofa, and brought it back into the bedroom.
"Here. I saw this bag on my way over and thought it was beautiful, so I bought it for you."
He took the purse out of the shopping bag and handed it to Xiang Yiren on the bed.
"I don't know if you'll like it. If you don't..."
"I love it! I love it!"
"MUAH! Thank you, darling!"
The moment she saw the purse, Xiang Yiren shot up from the bed and excitedly planted several kisses on Sun Dasheng's face. She caressed the red Chanel bag as if it were a newborn baby. It was the new limited edition. She had spotted it while browsing luxury boutiques online and had instantly fallen in love, but its price tag of over 20,000 euros was far beyond her means.
Giving herself to him had been a calculated move, with the implicit understanding that she hoped to be kept. He was so much more handsome than those other wealthy, greasy old men. She just couldn't stomach those types. Quite a few men had wanted to sponsor her, but she had never agreed.
She'd learned that dealing with rich, older men wasn't like angling for a younger guy. You couldn't slowly reel them in; that would just scare the fish away and leave you with an empty basket. They were the impatient type. You had to see your moment and go all-in with a big bet. It was either a total loss or hitting the absolute jackpot.
Seeing Xiang Yiren's happy face eased his guilt slightly.
"You should get some rest. I'm going to head back now."
"Okay, bye! It's so late, be careful on your way," she said, hugging him at the door and kissing him soundly several more times before reluctantly letting him go.
Watching Sun Dasheng's retreating figure, she knew he was likely a family man. Someone so handsome and wealthy—how could he possibly be single? But she didn't care, and she didn't ask. She had no intention of breaking up his family. She just wanted to be a canary in a gilded cage. Forget freedom—wasn't the money hers to spend as she pleased?
Looking at the 200K red envelope transfer that had just arrived on WeChat, her eyes crinkled with joy.
***
It was already eleven o'clock at night, but the streets of Shanghai City were still bustling with people and traffic. Sitting in the passenger seat, Sun Dasheng suddenly noticed a familiar figure standing under a streetlight. He asked the driver to pull over slowly, then rolled down the window and leaned out.
"Li Sili! What are you doing out here in the dark?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the small figure under the streetlight ran over joyfully. As she got closer, her girlish face became clear.
"Wow! I must be the luckiest person alive! I was just silently praying for a savior, and then you appeared, Uncle!"
"What are you rambling on about?"
Her nonsensical answer left him feeling a bit helpless; there was definitely a clear generation gap. He opened the car door, inviting Li Sili to get in.
"Uncle, wait a second! My two classmates are still over there," Li Sili said, pointing toward two figures lurking in the shadows. In her excitement, she had completely forgotten about them. She stuck her tongue out at Sun Dasheng playfully before running excitedly toward her friends.
"Si Han, Yu Qing, we're saved!"
Sun Dasheng was struck silent by her quirky personality, though he supposed youth had its advantages; adults tended to be more forgiving. Ugh... if a middle-aged woman had stuck her tongue out at him like that, the very thought would have made his skin crawl.
Before long, she returned with her two classmates, who were dragging several suitcases behind them.
"What's going on with you three? Are you refugees? What's with all the luggage?" Sun Dasheng asked in surprise, though he was already helping them load the suitcases into the trunk.
"Uncle, our school locked the dorms for winter break, so we have nowhere to stay," Li Sili explained after everyone was settled in the car.
"The school locked the dorms? Didn't your teachers tell you in advance?"
"They did. We all knew."
"If you knew, then why are you stranded on the street in the middle of the night?"
"We're not idiots, Uncle! We found a place ahead of time, but the landlord stood us up. He said his apartment wasn't for rent anymore. He's such a jerk!" As she spoke, the young girl's cheeks puffed out with anger.
Sun Dasheng understood. The landlord had probably seen them as students looking for a short-term rental, and when an offer from a long-term tenant came along, he'd simply bailed on them. Since no contract was signed, there was nothing they could do. He passed each of them a piece of candy from the restaurant. "So why not get a hotel?"
"We thought staying in a hotel would be a waste of money. We figured we could go back and beg the dorm supervisor to let us stay one more night. That way we could find a new place tomorrow and save some cash," Li Sili explained, outlining her careful calculations.
"So, the dorm supervisor didn't agree?"
The girl's face fell. "The dorm supervisor already went home for the holidays. The main gate is locked, so we can't get in."
So... this is their school? Sun Dasheng glanced at his phone's map. They were indeed near the campus. With the school on holiday, the whole area was pitch-black and impossible to see clearly.
"Have you guys eaten yet?" he asked, turning to the two girls who had been sitting quietly in the back.
Sun Dasheng wasn't a complete stranger to them, as they had all eaten together before. So, they didn't stand on ceremony. "We've been dealing with this housing mess since the afternoon, so we haven't eaten yet."
"Alright. There's a McDonald's downstairs from my place, so you can grab a bite there. What's the plan for tonight? Should I find you a hotel, or can you manage for one night at my place?"
The two girls remained silent, both looking at Li Sili, since she was the one who knew the handsome uncle better.
"Uncle, is your place big enough? Can it fit all of us?" Li Sili asked, showing no sign of modesty.
"Don't worry about how big it is. It's more than enough room for you," Sun Dasheng replied irritably.
After a trip to McDonald's, he took the three girls home. He opened the door, switched on the lights and the heating, and pulled out three new pairs of cotton slippers.
"Change your shoes, and remember to close the door behind you."
Without waiting for them, he made a beeline for the master bathroom. Did that McDonald's give me food poisoning or something?
After changing her shoes, Li Sili stepped into the living room and was immediately awestruck by the sheer luxury of the place. She exclaimed, "Uncle, your home is huge!"