Chapter 83: Short on Money?

Su Yang smiled. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask any of my other colleagues.” Shaking his head, he too walked toward the laboratory.

At lunchtime, as Lu Yan and Su Yang had just sat down at the table, several aluminum lunch boxes were placed in front of them. Lu Yan looked up to see Wang Sisi once again.

Before Lu Yan could speak, Wang Sisi smiled and said, “Since you’re so busy, I brought some for you to try.” She opened the lunch boxes—inside were braised pork, spicy chicken, a whole fish, and stir-fried lettuce.

Lu Yan looked away. “I don’t like these.” He then opened his own lunch box and began to eat.

He suddenly found the situation bothersome and regretted having asked his wife for approval about this. He was usually so busy that he had no energy to ponder Wang Sisi’s motives for doing such things.

Wang Sisi felt awkward at his words, her face flushing with embarrassment. “Sorry, I should have asked what you like to eat first.”

“Comrade Wang Sisi, since this is all in service of the people, it’s only right to help when there’s time. There’s no need for special thanks,” Lu Yan replied.

Wang Sisi pushed the food toward Su Yang. “If he won’t eat, you have some!”

Su Yang grinned. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony!”

Lu Yan ignored the awkwardness of others, quickly finished his meal, and returned to the lab. Su Yang only took a couple of bites before standing up. “Thank you for your hospitality, Comrade Wang Sisi. I’ll go help out too, but I have something to do now, so I’ll be off.” He hurried after Lu Yan.

“Do you have something against Comrade Wang Sisi?” Su Yang asked him.

“No,” Lu Yan frowned slightly. “It’s just troublesome. I need to stay focused during work, and I prefer to keep my relationships simple. If a mistake happens, it could mean wasted work for many people and wasted resources. Before the weekend, find a way to keep her from looking for me. If there’s anything, you handle it with her directly.”

Su Yang, knowing Lu Yan’s meticulous work ethic, nodded and followed him. As expected, when they entered the lab, there was a stack of calculation manuscripts on the table, three computers running at once, and two other staff members conducting experiments based on Lu Yan’s data.

Lu Yan relieved him, “Go eat.”

He was relieved not to be in Lu Yan’s group; otherwise, he’d be the one only able to eat at this hour.

Lu Yan handed him a stack of documents. “Reverse-calculate this experimental data. If the results are correct, proceed with the experiment. Record the results and send them here.”

Su Yang took the documents and glanced through them. “Lu Yan, are you crazy? Isn’t this tomorrow’s work? Did you stay up late again last night?”

“I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t sleep,” Lu Yan explained.

Su Yang was speechless. He knew this would happen.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Lu Yan gave a harsh cough. Su Yang stopped sharply. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just a sore throat.”

“Drink more water,” he advised, and with a grimace, went back to work.

At dinner time, to avoid further trouble, Su Yang personally brought Lu Yan’s meal to his office. After eating, Lu Yan worked until ten before returning to the dormitory to wash up and sleep.

No sooner had he lain down than his throat felt dry and itchy, and he couldn’t help but cough twice. He thought how nice it would be to have a slice of watermelon.

At the thought of watermelon, he couldn’t help but think of his wife. What was she doing? By now, was she already done listening to music and tucking An’an into bed?

Shen Qingyi was at her wits’ end with An’an’s endless questions, her eyes drooping with exhaustion. “From now on, you’re to sleep at ten sharp. No more strange questions.”

Obediently, An’an closed his eyes.

The next morning, when Shen Qingyi woke, she found someone cooking breakfast in the kitchen. She frowned and walked over. “Caiqing, your hand healed so quickly?”

Lu Caiqing turned around and met Shen Qingyi’s mildly reproachful gaze. “It’s much better. Cooking is no problem, and I can look after An’an too. After breakfast, I’ll go find Xia Xiyue.”

Shen Qingyi sighed. Lu Caiqing really was impulsive. “All right, then.”

After breakfast, Shen Qingyi went out. Since Cheng Youqing was working today, she couldn’t ask her boyfriend about Xia Xiyue’s situation, so she decided to try her luck at his family’s courtyard.

She took a cab straight to the courtyard where Xia Xiyue was staying in the capital.

Housekeeper Aunt Liu greeted her warmly. “Here to see Miss or Young Master?”

“Either is fine.” Xia Xiyun was always busy and likely wouldn’t bother with such a trivial matter, at most assigning a subordinate to help, which was fine too.

Aunt Liu looked relieved. “That’s good, Miss is still in Pengcheng and hasn’t returned, but Young Master is here.”

She welcomed Shen Qingyi inside and went to call Xia Xiyue.

When Xia Xiyue saw Shen Qingyi, a flash of delight appeared in his eyes before he quickly masked it, coming to sit beside her. “Have you finished the new drafts for the bags?”

Shen Qingyi smiled apologetically. “It’s been hectic these days, but I haven’t delayed the clothing designs.”

Xia Xiyue ordered someone to bring her tea. “You never visit for no reason. Out with it.”

Caught out, Shen Qingyi was a bit embarrassed. “There is something. I want to go to Yangcheng to buy a batch of goods and set up a stall, do a little business.”

Xia Xiyue nodded. “Short on money?”

“Yes,” Shen Qingyi answered honestly.

“How much do you need?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Shen Qingyi considered. “Forty or fifty thousand, perhaps.”

“What for?”

She hesitated. “I want to buy a place of my own.”

Hearing this, Xia Xiyue’s mood visibly improved. He sat up straighter. “I’ll give it to you.”

“What?” Shen Qingyi thought she’d misheard.

“I said, I’ll give it to you!” Xia Xiyue repeated, raising his voice, then added, “You’re managing An’an, manning a stall, and still drawing—it's inconvenient.”

“Don’t joke. Running a business won’t delay my design work.” This fifty thousand wasn’t easily accepted from Xia Xiyue. Despite his age, he was shrewd.

Xia Xiyue grew serious. “I’m not joking. For outstanding employees, I don’t mind giving a generous bonus.”

If she wanted to buy her own home, that meant she wasn’t planning to live with Lu Yan long-term.

“My sister-in-law will run the stall. I’m just providing the capital. Besides, I’m already paid. This sudden bonus feels unearned,” Shen Qingyi replied politely.

“Qingyi,” Xia Xiyue suddenly called her by name.

“Yes?”

“How have I treated you these years?”

Shen Qingyi replied with gratitude, “I owe so much to you and Sister Xiyun. I don’t need any rewards; I’ll always do my best for you.”

Xia Xiyue hesitated, then said quietly, “I’m very fond of An’an too.”

Shen Qingyi nodded. “I know. He likes you as well.”

“That’s not what I want,” Xia Xiyue said, his gaze burning into her.

He didn’t want to be someone who destroyed families, but after waiting and giving so much for so many years, he simply couldn’t let go. He didn’t care that she’d been married, or had another man’s child.

From the first time he heard her singing with a smile at Master Fan’s, the first time he saw her sketching, demonstrating her extraordinary talent, the first time he watched her glance at someone and design perfectly fitting clothes—he’d been hopelessly in love. He met her first, loved her first. So why did Lu Yan get to have her?

“Young Master, there’s a call from Pengcheng,” Aunt Liu came to remind him.