Volume 1: The Golden Years Chapter 053: Zhang Anren's Thunderstorm
As time passed, the afterglow of the setting sun shone into Songjiang Hotel, and the shadows of people were long and slanted.
Seeing Yuan Xudong sitting on a plastic blanket and resting for an entire afternoon, still playing with his phone and laughing, Jiang Nansun couldn't help but get angry and said:
"Yuan Xudong, can you do something?"
Hearing Jiang Nansun's voice, Yuan Xudong put away his phone, stood up and patted the non-existent dust on his butt, then walked towards Jiang Nansun and said with a smile:
"Overseer Jiang, what do you want?"
Seeing Yuan Xudong's happy face, Jiang Nansun couldn't help but ask curiously:
"Yuan Xudong, why are you so happy?"
Hearing this, Yuan Xudong hesitated for a moment, then told the truth:
"Just like yesterday, today's stock market ended with a big drop. My net worth has increased a lot. According to my estimate, in the next three to five months, I will be able to earn more money than I can spend in my lifetime. Of course I am happy!"
Hearing Yuan Xudong say this, Jiang Nansun's face was slightly stunned. If the stock market plummeted, Yuan Xudong would make money, but on the contrary, her father would lose a lot of money, adding a heavy debt to the Jiang family.
Thinking of this, she glared at Yuan Xudong, who was full of joy, and said unhappily:
"Can you lay out these plastic blankets while I count the returned paint?"
"sure!"
Yuan Xudong took the plastic carpet from Jiang Nansun and spread it out, saying:
"Leave this to me. Go and count the returned paint."
Seeing that Yuan Xudong was doing a good job, Jiang Nansun felt relieved. She picked up the purchase list from the tool table not far away and began to count the paint that needed to be returned.
After a while, Jiang Nansun frowned slightly, and she found Wang Yongzheng and asked:
"Isn't this the paint we purchased yesterday?"
After taking a look at the shopping list, Wang Yongzheng explained calmly:
"There is a slight difference in the paint under the sunlight. I changed to another batch!"
After that, he pointed to a dozen barrels of paint not far away and said:
"They are all there, just go and count them!"
Following the direction pointed by Wang Yongzheng, Jiang Nansun glanced at the dozen or so buckets of paint placed not far away and frowned slightly.
"This brand is not on the required purchase list. This could be a big or small problem. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I am sure!"
Wang Yongzheng nodded slightly and said:
" Just record it, I'll report it to the hotel!"
After that, without waiting for Jiang Nansun's response, he glanced at the busy construction site, then looked at Jiang Nansun and smiled:
"There's nothing to do here. You and Yuan Xudong can keep an eye on it. Have a nice dinner . I'm going to take care of my aunt's house first. Call me if you have anything. See you tomorrow!"
Knowing that Wang Yongzheng didn't want to have dinner with Lao Wei and the others to avoid an awkward atmosphere, Jiang Nansun understood:
"Don't worry, I and Yuan Xudong will take care of this place. You can go first, and we'll see you tomorrow!"
Wang Yongzheng nodded slightly, said goodbye to Yuan Xudong who was bending over to lay a plastic mat not far away, then left the construction site alone and went to the homestay that Aunt Jiang Nansun had given him to decorate.
Seeing Wang Yongzheng leaving the hotel, Jiang Nansun marked the brand of paint on the purchase list, recorded the date and reason for the change, and then counted the amount of paint that Wang Yongzheng had purchased privately and recorded them one by one.
…
"Nansun, Nansun!"
Hearing Zhang Anren's voice, Jiang Nansun, who was counting the number of paints, turned around quickly and saw him coming over with two cups of coffee and snacks. She said with surprise:
"Zhang Anren, why are you here?"
Seeing Jiang Nansun's happy face, Zhang Anren waved the coffee and snacks in his hand to her and said gently:
"You're working so hard at the construction site. I'll bring you some coffee and snacks."
Handing a cup of coffee to Jiang Nansun, Zhang Anren looked around. He didn't see Wang Yongzheng, but unexpectedly found Yuan Xudong working not far away. He frowned and said:
"Nansun, why is Yuan Xudong working here?"
Following Zhang Anren's gaze, Jiang Nansun glanced at Yuan Xudong, who was laying the plastic carpet not far away according to her instructions, and couldn't help laughing:
"Don't worry about him, he's just a bystander. I'll find something for him to do so he doesn't get bored!"
Seeing Jiang Nansun looking at Yuan Xudong with a happy face, Zhang Anren felt a little depressed, but he calmly changed the subject and said:
"Where did Wang Yongzheng go? Why didn't I see him?"
Jiang Nansun retracted her gaze, drank her coffee and ate the snack in Zhang Anren's hand, and responded casually:
"There's nothing going on here. He went to renovate my aunt's B&B."
Hearing that Wang Yongzheng was not at the construction site, Zhang Anren looked slightly happy. He handed Jiang Nansun a brochure of the Shanghai Architecture College's anniversary exhibition, looked at her and smiled:
"I have two very good news to tell you. The first good news is that the design of the school anniversary exhibition that I was responsible for was well received by the department head. This is the school anniversary exhibition schedule booklet that I bound.
If you open it, you will find an introduction to the author, an interpretation of each work, the author's information, the author's professional evaluation and outlook, as well as a review of previous sessions, the preparation process for this session and the care of the leaders!"
While listening to Zhang Anren's introduction, Jiang Nansun flipped through the school anniversary exhibition schedule booklet in his hand. After a rough glance, he frowned and said:
“Why haven’t I seen your work?”
Hearing Jiang Nansun say this, Zhang Anren said with a little pride:
"The new department head doesn't like people who are too showy. He likes steady, hard-working subordinates. What's more, the school anniversary exhibition schedule you brought is my work. It doesn't matter whether others can see my work, as long as the leaders can see it!"
Jiang Nansun was surprised to hear Zhang Anren say this. Then she returned the school anniversary exhibition schedule to Zhang Anren and said with a normal look:
"Zhang Anren, I want to tell you something. My father speculates in stocks..."
While Jiang Nansun was speaking, Zhang Anren also spoke:
"Nan Sun, do you think my school anniversary exhibition schedule booklet is good-looking..."
Hearing each other's voice, they both stopped talking at the same time, then looked at each other and said:
"You speak first!"
"You speak first!"
After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Nansun was the first to laugh:
"You go ahead and tell me, isn't there another piece of good news? I want to hear some good news right now, to make me happy!"
Hearing Jiang Nansun's laughter, Zhang Anren nodded slightly and said with a smile:
"Nansun, do you think my school anniversary exhibition schedule booklet is good looking?"
Hearing this, Jiang Nansun thought for a while, then shook her head slightly and told the truth:
"They are all professional works, with so much textual introduction and leadership care. I don't think they look good, but they are very practical. The leaders in the department will definitely like them, so don't worry!"
Hearing the similar comments from Jiang Nansun and Lillian, Zhang Anren felt a little depressed. This was indeed the fact. He wanted to produce a work that his leaders would like, so naturally he could not take into account ordinary students like Jiang Nansun and Lillian.
The only difference between her and Lillian is that Jiang Nansun will not say that her work is good just because she likes her. Thinking of this, Zhang Anren calmed down a little, looked at Jiang Nansun and smiled:
"You're right. Good looks are useless. The key is to be practical. I have another very good news for you. This morning, I ran into Lillian in the teaching assistant's office. I told her that she will convince Professor Dong to write your name in the brochure of Songjiang Boutique Hotel!"
Unexpectedly, Zhang Anren would tell such good news. Jiang Nansun was stunned, her eyes flickered and she hesitated:
"I didn't do anything."
Thinking that Jiang Nansun's dazed expression was due to being too surprised, Zhang Anren pretended to be humble and said:
"Since you are involved, your name should of course appear in the hotel's brochure. I tried my best to get it for you. What's more, this is the first important project you are involved in!"
"You came all the way to Songjiang just to tell me this news?"
Looking at the unfamiliar Zhang Anren, without waiting for his response, Jiang Nansun forced a smile and said:
"Just make a phone call!"
Not noticing Jiang Nansun's abnormality, Zhang Anren was still there and said softly:
"This is of course important news to you. After the hotel brochure is finished, you can ask Lillian or Professor Dong for a few more copies. Keep them as a souvenir for yourself. You can also include a copy in your resume in the future!"
After taking a look at Zhang Anren's gentle face, Jiang Nansun didn't say much. She just turned around and took a brochure of Songjiang Boutique Hotel from the tool table not far away and handed it to Zhang Anren.
After receiving the hotel's brochure, Zhang Anren looked stunned and forced a smile:
"You've got it?"
Jiang Nansun nodded slightly, looked aside and said:
"A soft furnishing designer came from school, and Lillian asked him to bring a copy to Wang Yongzheng, who then passed it to me."
Zhang Anren looked down at the hotel brochure in his hand and said hesitantly:
"Then Wang Yongzheng...didn't tell you anything?"
"Nothing, just asked me to keep it as a souvenir."
Seeing Jiang Nansun's lonely and disappointed look, Zhang Anren knew that she had seen through his lies, but just didn't say it clearly. He swallowed his saliva and reluctantly explained:
"Nansun, I just want to try to behave better and better in front of you every time. I hope I can be worthy of you, that's all!"
"Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore!"
Jiang Nansun shook her head slightly, took a piece of dessert from Zhang Anren's hand and said with a smile:
"Eat something, I'm hungry!"
Seeing Jiang Nansun's smile return, Zhang Anren quickly handed the snack in his hand to her and said with a smile:
"Nansun, these are your favorite snacks. Eat more when you are hungry. The construction site is so hard and the food is poor. Just tell me what you want to eat and I will deliver food to you every day!"
Jiang Nansun ate the snacks handed over by Zhang Anren, shook her head slightly and smiled:
"No, you should just go and take care of your own business. Now is the critical period for you and Wang Yongzheng to compete for the place to stay in school. I can't delay your work. Don't worry, from now on, the spoiled Princess Jiang will slowly adapt to the self-reliant Cinderella!"
Hearing Jiang Nansun say this, Zhang Anren was slightly stunned, then he smiled again to express his loyalty:
"Nansun, no matter you are the pampered Princess Jiang or the self-reliant Cinderella, I will always be the knight who stays by your side to take care of you and protect you!"
After that, without waiting for Jiang Nansun to respond, Zhang Anren looked at her and asked:
"Nansun, what did you want to tell me before?"
Hearing this, Jiang Nansun looked up at Zhang Anren and said:
"Nothing, it's just about my dad's stock trading. He lost a lot of money and wants to borrow some from you. Are you willing to lend it to him?"
Unexpectedly, Jiang Nansun would ask to borrow money from him. Zhang Anren blurted out:
"Nansun, you know that I only get a small salary every month. After deducting the mortgage and basic living expenses, I have to keep some emergency funds. I don't have any money. Can't you just ask your uncle to buy fewer stocks?"
Seeing Zhang Anren rejecting her directly, Jiang Nansun continued to test her:
"Zhang Anren, don't you have some money in your bank card? Or, can you take some money out from home and help my dad first? I will pay you back later!"
Looking at Jiang Nansun who was asking for money from him for the first time, Zhang Anren frowned slightly and said:
"Nansun, the money in my bank card cannot be used unless it is absolutely necessary. If my uncle is sick or something, I can lend it to him, but he lost money in stock trading, so I can't use that money.
Besides, my parents are old and they rely on the pension to live. As their son, I don’t give them much money, let alone take money from them!”
After that, he looked at Jiang Nansun, who had a calm expression, and said:
"Nansun, don't worry about it. Uncle will solve it himself. He has been speculating in stocks for so many years, he must have his own way. You and I can't help him. We are willing but unable to do so!"
Looking at Zhang Anren who was trying to persuade her to let it go, Jiang Nansun suddenly laughed:
"I'm just kidding. My family still has some savings, and the house is still there. If my father was really in debt, he wouldn't ask you to borrow money. How much money can you have?
However, I am not satisfied with your performance today. I personally asked you to borrow money. I know your financial situation. What I need is not how much money you can lend me, but your willingness to protect me from the wind and rain. When I need your help, I hope you can do your best to help me instead of telling me how difficult your situation is. "
It was the first time that Zhang Anren heard Jiang Nansun was dissatisfied with him. Although she said it in a joking tone, he still explained nervously:
"Nansun, I thought it was your father who asked me to borrow money. If it was you, I would definitely go all out to help you. Not to mention the money in the bank card, even if it meant losing everything, I would still help you and protect you!"
Listening to Zhang Anren's solemn promise, Jiang Nansun rolled her eyes and joked while eating snacks and drinking coffee:
"You, Zhang Anren, are allowed to be a good son who is filial to his parents, but I, Jiang Nansun, am a rebellious and bad daughter? I am the only daughter of the Jiang family. If you want to marry me, my father, mother, and grandmother will all be your family. In the future, they may even have to rely on you to take care of them in their old age!"
After that, she looked at Zhang Anren, who looked slightly stunned, and said seriously:
"There are four of us in our family, and we have always lived a life of luxury. We have many bad habits. If the Jiang family goes bankrupt or even gets heavily in debt, all of this may fall on your shoulders, making you breathless for the rest of your life. If that's the case, Zhang Anren, are you still willing to marry me?"
Thinking that Jiang Nansun was joking with him, Zhang Anren had never considered the problem of the Jiang family going bankrupt, let alone being heavily in debt. Now that he had the opportunity to show his loyalty, Zhang Anren immediately pointed to the sky and swore:
"Nan Sun, I, Zhang Anren, will keep my word. Since I have decided to marry you, your parents are my parents, and your grandmother is my grandmother. I will definitely treat them well and provide for them until the end of their lives!"
Looking at Zhang Anren's confident words, Jiang Nansun lacked confidence for the first time:
"hope so!"
