Chapter 7: The Blind Date
Lying in bed scrolling on her phone, a WeChat group notification popped up. She tapped into the group chat—it was a video Jiang Wei had sent.
Song Yushu frowned the instant she opened it. A row of male models dancing in a nightclub, with Jiang Wei down below, yelling and interacting with them.
Li Xinyan: Holy shit... you've completely let yourself go?
Jiang Wei: So what? I'm single now! You guys coming or not?
Li Xinyan: I have a boyfriend, you know~
Jiang Wei: @Song Yushu What about you? Come get a look at some men.
Song Yushu: Not interested. I'm getting my beauty sleep.
Then she exited WeChat, set her phone on the nightstand, turned off the bedside lamp, and went to sleep.
By the faint sliver of moonlight slipping through the gap in the curtains, Song Yushu stared at the ceiling and, without meaning to, started letting her thoughts wander again.
Zhou Yancheng's expression as he left surfaced in her mind. How should she describe that look? Exasperation? Or disgust...
Then she thought of the message he'd sent tonight, and only belatedly realized she'd been taken off his WeChat blacklist.
Thinking and thinking, she drifted off to sleep...
-
At nine in the morning, she was woken by her phone ringing.
Still bleary-eyed, Song Yushu fumbled for her phone on the nightstand and held it to her ear, her voice soft and listless: "Hello..."
"What time do you call this and you're still not up? And you want to get into the company like this?"
The moment she heard her father's voice, she snapped fully awake: "No, I've been up for ages."
"Come home for lunch. We need to talk."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Song Yushu got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash up.
If she guessed right, he was going to arrange a job for her.
Around eleven, Song Yushu changed clothes and got ready to head out—she wanted to beat the rush-hour traffic.
She was standing in the entryway changing shoes when Li Xinyan called.
"Jiaojiao, you got plans tonight?"
"Nope."
"Perfect. I had my little Anzi set up dinner with that designer."
Song Yushu paused mid-shoe, a gentle smile spreading across her face: "Why does this feel like a blind date."
"Dress pretty tonight, okay? That's all—hanging up now."
"Sure."
Song Yushu looked at the call-ended screen, tucked her phone into her bag, pushed open the door, and left.
-
Morning rush hour—the elevator bank in the group's office tower was packed with employees waiting.
Zhou Yancheng and Xie Yian stepped into the CEO's private elevator, and the secretary pressed the floor button on the side.
The moment the doors slid shut, Xie Yian glanced at the man beside him: "Heads up—I'm not working late tonight. I've got something."
Zhou Yancheng looked at Xie Yian expressionlessly, a threat seemingly lurking in that gaze.
Xie Yian understood instantly and smiled helplessly: "I really do have something. Li Xinyan wants to introduce Song Yushu to someone, and I'm going along as support."
Even the secretary standing in front couldn't help sneaking a glance back, rather curious whether President Zhou would let him off—after all, the project was about to launch and there were meetings every day.
Zhou Yancheng frowned slightly, his tone cold: "What's it got to do with you?"
"Because the guy they're introducing is Chen Xinghan—the supercar designer your dad poached from overseas. I'm the one making the connection."
He was silent for a few seconds, then withdrew his gaze and looked at the closed elevator doors: "Mm."
With a ding, the doors slid open. Zhou Yancheng stepped out, the secretary and Xie Yian following behind, heading toward the conference hall.
-
It was just past noon when she got back to the villa on the outskirts of the capital. Song Yushu washed her hands and went to the dining room to eat.
But she found Song Lei and her stepmother Zhang Susu already seated there, and Zhang Susu greeted her with a beaming smile: "Jiaojiao's back! Come sit down and eat with us."
"Dad. Aunt Zhang."
She walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
Song Lei said as he helped himself to food: "I've thought about it. You can join the company, but you have to start from the bottom."
Before Song Yushu could ask what position exactly, Zhang Susu spoke up: "Honey, Jiaojiao's a girl—don't give her anything too tiring. Just let her work the front desk for a while."
Front desk...
She really wanted to laugh.
Song Yushu raised her eyes: "Dad, what positions do Aunt Zhang's two sons hold in the company?"
The moment those words left her mouth, the smile vanished from Zhang Susu's face, replaced by a somewhat hurt expression.
Song Lei set down his bowl and chopsticks and snapped in a harsh tone: "What's that supposed to mean? You think I treat those two step-sons better than my own daughter, is that it?"
Unruffled, she quietly watched her father, waiting for his answer.
"Aunt Zhang's two kids are running sales at the offline stores—they both started from the bottom!"
Song Lei was so angry he didn't even want to eat. He stood up to leave.
Zhang Susu pulled him back down: "Why are you getting worked up with your own daughter? Sit down and talk properly."
Maybe it was her prejudice against Zhang Susu, but seeing the two of them so lovey-dovey made her uncomfortable.
The lunch was not a happy one, but in the end Song Yushu still decided to take the front desk job—get into the company first and figure things out later.
-
Back home, Song Yushu took a shower and, while wearing a face mask, picked out what to wear for dinner tonight.
She was twenty-three already—time to seriously date someone.
A WeChat notification popped up. Standing in her walk-in closet, she opened the "Steel Sisterhood" group chat.
Jiang Wei: @Li Xinyan @Song Yushu Hot springs tonight. Coming?
Li Xinyan: I'm taking Jiaojiao to meet that designer tonight.
Jiang Wei: So soon? Introduce me to someone too—I want to date as well.
Li Xinyan: Your ex is Zhou Yancheng. Where am I supposed to find another one of those?
She watched the two of them chat up a storm and didn't reply. She walked out of the closet to peel off her mask and wash her face.
A glance at the time—past five in the afternoon. Song Yushu sat down at the vanity, planning to do a nice, polished makeup look. First impressions mattered.
-
Around six, Song Yushu and Li Xinyan arrived first at the restaurant they'd booked—a members-only private kitchen.
The waiter led them into the private room. Along one whole wall by the dining table were floor-to-ceiling windows, and outside was an evergreen bamboo grove—cozy and serene.
"His name is Chen Xinghan. He's been overseas all these years. His family runs an international hotel chain."
"That's nice."
Li Xinyan looked her up and down—tonight's outfit and makeup: "Tsk... gorgeous. Older men love your pure, innocent type."
Song Yushu: "He's only thirty-two. Doesn't really count as an older man."
"Oho ho, nothing's even started yet and you're already taking his side."
"I'm not..."
Suddenly the private room door was pushed open, and the waiter led Xie Yian and Chen Xinghan inside.
"Sorry to keep you ladies waiting." Xie Yian said with a smile.
At the sound, Song Yushu turned to look, and saw the man behind Xie Yian—same flair as in the photos, with a very refined air about him.
Xie Yian and Chen Xinghan took their seats across the table. Xie Yian spoke first: "Let me introduce—this is my senior schoolmate Chen Xinghan. He's just joined Hengxing as chief designer for the automotive project."
"This is my best friend Song Yushu. She's just joined her father's company—Song's Home Furnishings, you've probably heard of it."
Song's Home Furnishings ranked in the top three of the domestic furniture industry, specializing in high-end furniture.
Chen Xinghan: "Of course. My parents love this brand's furniture."
With that, Chen Xinghan extended his hand toward her: "Hello, Chen Xinghan."
She smiled and gave his hand a light shake: "Song Yushu."
"You two seem to hit it off already—even your names match nicely." Li Xinyan chimed in to lighten the mood, and it did ease a fair bit of the awkwardness.