"Come eat quickly, the noodles will get mushy soon." Su Qing smiled faintly.
Chen Yang then went over and sat down.
The noodles were topped with golden sunny-side-up eggs, which Chen Yang found delicious and complimented. They were truly tasty.
Seeing Chen Yang's enjoyment of the eggs, Su Qing even gave him her portion.
Chen Yang chuckled, feeling immense sweetness.
He quickly finished the noodles and eggs but still craved more. Noticing his delight, Su Qing felt satisfied and shared some noodles from her bowl.
After breakfast, Su Qing cleaned up the dishes.
Chen Yang idled, wanting to help but Su Qing wouldn't let him.
"Perhaps settling down with a family wouldn't be so bad?" Chen Yang pondered but quickly dismissed the idea. He was accustomed to solitude; extended confinement might drive him insane.
Once done, Su Qing returned to the room, smiling at Chen Yang. "Wait outside, I'll change clothes."
Chen Yang nodded and exited.
Five minutes later, Su Qing emerged in a plain white dress with her hair tied back - still gorgeous.
Chen Yang then opened the car door for her.
Su Qing got in, and Chen Yang started the engine.
Their destination was Su Qing's store, where the female manager had fired her yesterday. Chen Yang had said he would collect her wages. Su Qing had long endured that manager's mistreatment, harboring resentment. With Chen Yang intervening, she relished the feeling.
Even the strongest women desire the support of a sturdy embrace when needed.
Within twenty minutes, Chen Yang and Su Qing arrived at the Guangbutun mobile store.
The store's facade was sizable, already open with employees cleaning the windows outside.
Few customers visited so early.
As Chen Yang and Su Qing approached with her arm linked through his, tensing him unexpectedly, a cold voice greeted them. "Su Qing, you're fired. What are you doing here?"
Chen Yang eyed the speaker - a stout woman with a mole, dressed unflatteringly in an oversized black suit. This was the store manager, Han Yumei, who had long resented Su Qing's beauty and meekness, outlets for her pettiness and insecurity.
Su Qing calmly replied, "Manager Han, I've come for my wages and deposit."
"The fired get no wages. And since you didn't resign properly, no deposit refund either," Han Yumei scoffed, glancing disdainfully at Chen Yang. "What, found yourself a pretty boy to back you up, vixen? This is my territory - leave before you regret it."
Though not meek, Su Qing retorted, "First, Manager Han, I've worked diligently for six months without leave until yesterday's brief absence, which hardly merits termination. But I don't wish to stay, so the firing is moot. However, precisely because you fired me, I couldn't resign properly to receive my deposit. You're illiterate if you think terminating an employee without grave misconduct or harm to the company is permitted. At most, you could've dismissed me with wages and severance pay, which I'm willing to forego for just my outstanding wages."
Many staff disliked Han Yumei and watched the confrontation unfold.
Her authority challenged and refuted, Han Yumei barked angrily, "Shut your vixen mouth! I run this place - I fired you, so get lost before I get unpleasant! You think that pretty boy grants you impunity?"
At that, Chen Yang swiftly slapped Han Yumei's face, instantly swelling one cheek as she spat out teeth and shrieked like a stuck pig.
"Murder! Murder!"
Another slap crashed into her other cheek, dazing her.
Everyone froze except Chen Yang, who sneered, "This piggy's territory? I'll run wild as I please - what can you do about it?"
Enraged, Han Yumei charged with flailing claws. "I'll get you for this!"
But Chen Yang tripped her, and she hit the floor hard.
Though humiliated, not one colleague helped or sympathized with the loathed Han Yumei. Some even cheered and applauded Chen Yang's actions.
Raising his hand for silence, Chen Yang squatted by the risen Han Yumei and smiled. "I warned you yesterday, but you didn't listen. Now, can we settle the wages?"
Despite her hatred, Han Yumei saw Chen Yang's chilling gaze and nodded meekly, "Okay."
Chen Yang chuckled, removing her ID badge to examine. Leaning in, he murmured, "Good, Han Yumei, I'll remember you. But if you report this, I'll kill your whole family. Oh, I should mention - I'm already a dead man walking."
Han Yumei shuddered, the murderous intent freezing her hatred into sheer terror. As an ordinary person, she was no match for the likes of Chen Yang.
Afterward, Su Qing collected 3,200 yuan in wages.
As they left the store, Su Qing worried, "Won't hitting Manager Han cause trouble?"
Chen Yang smiled coolly. "Don't worry, it won't."
Reassured by his nonchalance, Su Qing asked, "What did you whisper to her?"
Chen Yang deflected with a laugh, unwilling to reveal the threat. Su Qing didn't press further.
Once driving, Chen Yang inquired, "Qing-jie, what are your plans now?"
"Find a new job, I suppose. What other options are there?" She replied simply.
Chen Yang inwardly agreed, regretting his strained relationship with Lin Qingxue prevented recommending Su Qing at Yade Corporation. Moreover, he contemplated distancing himself from Su Qing.
Then he recalled Mu Jing and immediately called her.
"Jing-jie, I need a favor," Chen Yang began once connected.
"What is it?" She replied directly.
"Qing-jie lost her job. Can you find her a good position?"
"Why not work as a manager at my tea house?" Mu Jing suggested after a pause.
Surprised, Chen Yang confirmed, "Really?"
"You think I'd joke about that?" She replied.
Chuckling, Chen Yang asked the salary.
"20,000 yuan per month, plus bonuses, benefits, and year-end dividends," Mu Jing stated.
"Great, I'll bring her over right away," Chen Yang agreed before conveying the offer to Su Qing, adding hesitantly, "Qing-jie, you're not upset I took the liberty?"
Smiling, Su Qing dismissed his concern. "Not at all, this is an incredible opportunity I couldn't dream of. But since she's your friend, I worry about disappointing her."
"Mu Jing is an excellent judge of character. She doesn't make rash decisions," Chen Yang assured her.
After delivering Su Qing to Mu Jing, Chen Yang drove to Yade Corporation, arriving at 11 AM under the scorching sun.
As soon as he exited the car, the security team led by Old Xia swarmed him excitedly.
"Damn, Chen Yang, where'd you get this car?"
"Did you buy this car, Chen Yang?"
Amused by their friendly curiosity, Chen Yang grinned, "Of course I bought it."
"Badass, rolling in a ride now!" One guard laughed. "We're all security, yet the gap between us is that wide?"
Another pleaded, "Chen Yang, I have a license but no car. Let me take it for a spin?"
To their delight, Chen Yang tossed the keys over. "Sure, just be safe. I don't care if the car gets wrecked."
The guard happily agreed.