Don't Turn from Summer Chapter 13

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Chapter 13

He Jing nods, “Oh.”

“Second,” Mu Hanxia lowers her voice a little, “You think it’s the merchandise with the best quality and lowest price that get into our store? Not necessarily. If the suppliers want to get their products into the store, they need to pay entrance fees and spend money on difference people and things. Sometimes, it’s not the best that gets in, but the one that has spent the most money on people and things...”

He Jing has long heard rumors about this rule, but has only heard it so clearly stated from Mu Hanxia just now. So she says with widened eyes, “You mean, that’s why our apparels section is not as good as Yong Zheng?”

Mu Hanxia nods, and remembering the phone call she heard outside Meng Gang’s office, she says, “Not just apparels section. Think about how many years we have been in business, and some suppliers have been our partners for about seven or eight years. Some of them have complicated relations with Manager Meng and other managers. It won’t be easy to make any move.”

He Jing gasps to herself at these words and doesn’t dare to talk deeper. She just sighs, “According to what you said, because of these suppliers and those complicated relations, wouldn’t it be impossible to win Yong Zheng?”

But Mu Hanxia replies, “I think this is only second important. The most important thing is...”

“What?”

“Is stance.”

He Jing is somewhat at loss, “What is that? I say, Xia, you’ve gone to the sales department for only a month, and the way you talk is more and more pretentious.”

“Don’t speak nonsense!” Mu Hanxia says lightly, “Wasn’t I pretentious before?”

He Jing titters. Mu Hanxia smiles too, and says seriously, “At first I thought the grand promotion launched by Manager Meng is super great, super powerful, forcing the opponent into a tough position with a price war. And our supermarket and other supermarkets have always done like this.

I have also thought Lin Mochen... the current leader of Yong Zheng, is a very crafty, cunning guy. But now the way he sells the apparels actually have touched me greatly. I think he’s different from everybody else.

Other people either follow traditional rules, defend their earned interest closely, or scheme about trapping the opponent. Even Manager Meng. He is very experienced, is a seasoned veteran. Still he is such a person.

But Lin Mochen is different. He employs a newer, better and more sincere strategy for the supermarket apparel section. It feels like...we are striving to stand above our opponent while he is already at the top of the whole business from the very beginning. This is his stance. Therefore, once he makes a move, we all feel unprecedented pressure.”

--------

However, the following two weeks makes Mu Hanxia realize that her “prejudice” toward Lin Mochen at the very beginning wasn’t wrong after all... He is the one who stands at the top of the business, and he is also a crafty and cunning guy.

The second week after Yong Zheng’s opening, all cooked food is 50% off, with a promise: within this week, if the customers are not satisfied with the taste, they can return the food without any condition. If there is any problem with the quality, each case of complaint will result in a fine of 1000 Yuan. They also invite the experienced old workers from the cooked food factories to demonstrate how cooked food is made, full of the air of cultural gourmet masters, attracting a great amount of residents over to watch...

In the meantime, the apparels get from 50% off to 20% off with a sign saying that this price will only last a week and the following week it will go back to its full regular price. Buy quickly if you need them. As a result, the sales of apparels drops a little but is still quite high.

This week, the daily sales of Yong Zheng exceeds three million Yuang, and Le Ya drops to between 1.2 and 1.5 million Yuan.

The third week, all beddings go 50% off at Yong Zheng. The cooked food goes up to 20% off.

......

Where Lin Mochen is cunning about is that the several categories he chooses are all the weak points of Le Ya. Apparels, weak in the whole business including Le ya; cooked food has always been very diverse in brands which Le Ya is not particularly good at; bedding, at the time of switching from spring to summer, is what Le Ya keep conservative at and hasn’t paid much attention to...

Also, he changes his target very fast. The promotion of every category only lasts one week, and the next week it’s a different target. This is what makes Meng Gang and even the whole Le Ya too slow to react. Before you even come up with some countermeasures about the cooked food, he has already turned toward the beddings...The whole plan must have been laid out in advance, for it is impossible to get enough inventory the last minute. Mu Hanxia can almost imagine the picture of Lin Mochen sitting in his office, holding a cup of coffee in his hand, and calmly overseeing the battle with squinting eyes. Wherever his finger points at, the people at Yong Zheng will give a stab...

But who has ever acted like this in the whole supermarket business? Who else can be this ruthless and this fierce? This is more a battle to conquer a city rather than a store opening, and the targets are all the weak points of the opponents, with combined fists, lightning fists, and shadowless fists...

During this period of time, Meng Gang has also organized several defenses, taking advantages of the stronger categories of Le Ya, such as rice, cooking oil, and fruit, for very competitive promotions, and has regained some in sales. But Lin Mochen’s attacks are too wide-ranged and well-planned to be defeated. In contrast, Meng Gand has just spent three million, and is entangled in complicated relations. Even though he is shrew and sophisticated, he can hardly turn the table over with Lin Mochen getting ahead in almost every aspect.

The opening battle of Yong Zheng is a complete triumph. Now among the customers in this area, who doesn’t know Yong Zheng supermarket means low price and good quality? Not a bit less so than Le Ya, and even...a little better.

--------

To say that Meng Gang is not angry or depressed, that’s not true. In the business world, relations, money, women...these things are not problems. The worst fear is to have this kind of difficult opponent who won’t play his cards based on common sense. He breaks the established explicit and implicit rules of the market, breaks the habits and interests of many people, and makes you distinctly feel great threats.

But it is not bad enough to cause Meng Gang to lose his coolness. After all, he has been in this business for so many years, and is stably rooted in Le Ya as well as in Jiang Cheng. Even if this store temporarily loses its edge, it won’t cause fundamental damages on him.

Just move on. When the chance comes along, he can fight back again.

The promotion in the store goes on, and the battle against Yong Zheng also keeps going. The employees need to be scolded and encouraged as usual to keep them from losing cohesion or spirit. Social dining is more frequent than before, as Meng Gang needs more relations and more exchange of interests now.

One late afternoon, the sky is getting dark. Meng Gang is in his office, just changing into a casual outfit from his shirt, when his assistant Xiao Chen knocks on the door, “Manager Meng, for the dinner with Director Xie [Note by the translator: some leader from a government bureau.] tomorrow evening, who are you going to take with you from the sales department?”

Meng Gang ponders a little and says, “Just as you see fit.”

Xia Chen says, “OK. The subordinates of Director Xie are all guys, I think it’s better to take a girl with you, so as to animate the atmosphere, and to avoid being forced to drink too much. How about Mu Hanxia?”

Meng Gang turns to glance at him, and is quiet for a few seconds before replying, “Fine.”

--------

When Mu hanxia receives the call from the sales department manager, she is standing at the entrance of Yong Zheng superarket.

These days Le Ya’s performance is low, but she has no importance and can’t really be useful in any way, which actually causes her to have more free time. So today she plans to take a good look at Yong Zhen and see how they are doing it. Knowing one’s opponent as well as oneself should be helpful somehow.

The phone call from the manager is hurried and only mentions a dinner which needs her to join. It is not mentioned that Meng Gang is the one she is to accompany, so Mu Hanxia agrees to attend without any hesitation.

After she ends the call, she slightly disguises herself by putting on a cap and letting down her long hair, and then strolls into the Yong Zheng supermarket in an unhurried manner.

Don't Turn from Summer Chapter 12

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Chapter 12

Meng Gang hasn’t done it with much strength. But Mu Hanxia pushes him away with almost all her might.

She stumbles backwards a little. He is still seated, and she is standing. For a while, neither of them speaks.

“Mu Hanxia,” he just gently calls her name. With her eyes looking at the ground, Mu Hanxia pretends to smile light-heartedly, “Manager Meng, thank you for considering it for me, really. In my situation like now, your help is like a pie dropping from the sky. If I’m not thankful, I would be heartless. But...about going to college, even though I want it, I still don’t want to quit my job right now. I think I will wait until later to try for it when the time is right.” She pauses for a moment, and looks up at him, “For now, I just don’t want to draw a circle to limit my life yet.”

Meng Gang says nothing for a moment. If his eye was a little turbulent just now, it has returned deep and calm now. He takes out a cigarette and lights it up. Giving it a couple sucks, he says in a very plain tone, “As long as you’ve thought it through.”

--------

The next few days, the grand promotion continues. The whole Le Ya is busy like crazy.

Mu Hanxia is also very busy, but she no longer goes to the athletic field. Sometimes she may get lost in her own thoughts. Once a lunch, He Jing asks, “Got something on mind lately?”

Mu Hanxia doesn’t want to lie, but she doesn’t want to bring the thing up either. So she replies, “Not really. Just that I was hit by a huge pie the other day but I didn’t take it.”

She is very vague at it, and He Jing blinks, “Why didn’t you?”

“What if the price is to be trapped in it? Stay there obediently. Whenever the master wants a bite, just let him take a bit.” Mu Hanxia says, “I simply don’t want that kind of life.”

--------

Before one realizes it, the opening day of Yong Zheng is almost here.

The employees of Le Ya are still thrilled about their brilliant performance of the one-week grand promotion, whereas Yong Zheng across the street is still all quiet with no sign of any move, which makes people believe that they are defeated and can’t come up with any countermeasures. Therefore, there is no need to worry about them any more.

However, when Mu Hanxia thinks of that face of Lin Mochen’s, she is still nervous. The feeling is somewhat like the calmness before the thunderstorm, while you can’t tell what this guy is scheming behind that face of his.

--------

Nobody ever imagined that Yong Zheng’s attack arrives in such a violent, unusual, and even frantic manner.

First week, all apparels are 50% off.

Mentioning apparels section, maybe everyone will be surprised. As everybody knows that apparels in supermarket are rather old-fashioned and the quality is not super good. Only elderly people would buy them from supermarkets, and not before they compare the prices with those beside the farmer’s market. So traditionally, people seldom see supermarkets make a fuss over apparels.

But Yong Zheng, they just play their cards against the common sense. Or you can even say that they’ve undermined all the usual approaches a supermarket has for apparels.

On the opening day, when the customers come into the store, what they see first are the very prominently displayed huge posters of apparel promotion with all kinds of promotional catchwords, catching the full attention of everybody.

Then, when they get to the apparel section, they go: wow, no bad at all! The layout of shelves are already different from the wholesale style in other supermarkets. Instead, it’s more like a open fashion store, with soft lighting, comfortable arrangement, simple but elegant styles, and fairly good quality.

Next, when they look at the prices -- 50% off! Almost as low as the price on Taobao, but with texture and quality that one can see and touch.

What’s more, in the center of the apparel section, there are two super big neatly arranged stacks of classic style T-shirts for both men and women, with colors of solid black, white, blue, gray and red and fabric very soft. But the man-size price tag standing next says, “Only 9.9 Yuan!”

Next to it is another sign that writes, “All the apparels are on special sales due to our grand opening. At the present price only when the stock lasts. Don’t hesitate if you are interested.”

How can those elderly folks wait any longer at the sight of this? Immediately, they grab the carts and start shopping like crazy! Once they get started, the impulses and emotions will spread in the crowd and then everybody start to shop crazy. As long the the price and style is not too bad, they will be grabbed and thrown into the carts. So, in almost every shopping cart, there are a few pieces of clothes, some even a half cart of them, for the whole family. Especially the classic style T-shirts, they are sold out as soon as they are brought out from the warehouse.

Stimulated by apparels, Yong Zheng quickly sees a increase of customers as the word quick spread. People also notice that other merchandise here are not more expensive than those in Le Ya, and the shopping environment is very comfortable -- clean, spacious, fashionable, and more upscale than Le Ya who has existed for many years. Walking in the store, one’s spirit rises. The store assistants are also kinder and warmer, very considerate, making people feel even better. What’s more, they also find out that some merchandise here look even better than those in Le Ya, such as cooked food or river food and meat.

As a result all merchandise sell increasingly better.

The first week after Yong Zheng’s opening, their sales exceeds two million on a daily average. On the second and third day, the sales even get as high as three million, tie with the regular sales of Le Ya. In the same week, Le Ya gets badly impacted, sales dropping from three million at peak during grand promotion to two million.

This week, almost everybody in Le Ya is in shock. The atmosphere in the office turns from the earlier happy and light to solemn and quiet.

One day, Mu Haxia goes upstairs to deliver documents. When she passes Meng Gang’s office, she vaguely hears his serious voice, “What? You can’t do 50% off? I put you in the Le Ya system and let you stay comfortably for so many years...You must do it...”

Mu Haxia doesn’t dare to listen more and walks quickly downstairs.

Since that morning, she hasn’t seen Meng Gang much. But apparently, the all-new first move by Lin Mochen has shaken even a seasoned veteran in supermarket business like Meng Gang.

One night after work, Mu Hanxia and He Jing are enjoying bbq night snack as usual.

The moonlight is clear and the city serene. The two of them sit in front of the food stand and eat away, but all they’ve eaten is no more than 32.5 Yuan. Each holding a can of Fanta in her hand, it’s as if the days are as care-free as before. But, even as unimportant as them, they can still sense the shake brought by Yong Zheng’s opening.

He Jing mutters, “You say why Yong Zheng’s apparels sell so well? Why can’t we do like them, bringing in some prettier clothes with better quality, rearranging the display and packing, and then doing some promotion? Then we won’t suffer so much customer loss during the last few days.”

Mu Haxia has come in contact with a lot of inside business in the sales department these days. She lowers her head and give a bite of the chicken wing, and replies, “How can it be that easy? To begin with, this move of Lin Mo...Yong Zheng, has great risks. Apparels are different from other merchandise, they are more personalized and they change quickly in styles, which makes it easy for them to get overstocked. Yong Zheng got it going pretty well this time. If they didn’t, the whole inventory would have backfired for them. That’s why our supermarket usually just gets clothes of some regular styles and is satisfied at it maintaining a normal sale. Look at other supermarkets, who dare to take such a big risk to attack the apparel section?” After a pause, she continues, “I guess based on Manager Meng’s personality, he won’t do it either.”

Don't Turn from Summer Chapter 11

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Chapter 11

Mu Hanxia pauses. Lin Mochen also looks up at Chen Weiwei.

“I used to be at the Sixth High.” Mu Hanxia replies.

Chen Weiwei gives a sweet smile, “I was at the same grade as you, but not in the same class.”

Mu Hanxia answers with an “Oh” and smiles, “Glad to meet you.” Her feelings are a little complicated at meeting a former schoolmate, but basically feels warm, remembering the people and life that is long gone. But she searches for Miss. Chen in her mind and can’t find any memory.

Then Chen Weiwei says smilingly, “You were a famous figure at that time. You don’t recognize me, but I know you.”

Mu Hanxia suspends a little, noticing Lin Mochen’s eye rests on her. But she just smiles frankly with a wave of her hand, “Schoolmate, a hero is silent about his past glories.”

Chen Weiwei tittered, “You are still so funny. Right now...where do you work?”

Mu Hanxia answers, “I’m at Le Ya.”

They exchange a few more words, and Mu Hanxia gets up to leave, remembering to take along her two bags of drinks. Chen Weiwei looks up at the slim back of Mu Hanxia that appears a little burdened, and asks after a long moment, “Jason, why are you with her?”

Lin Mochen also glances at Mu Hanxia’s back, and replies briefly, “The one who called the ambulance to send us to the hospital that night, is her.”

“Ah,” Chen Weiwei says, showing some remorse in the eye, “Why didn’t you say it earlier! I should have thanked her for it!” 

 Lin Mochen says lightly, “No need, I’ve already thanked her.”

“Oh, that’ good.” Chen Weiwei automatically interprets his thank as having given a check, so she shows an expression of relief. But after a little thought, she hesitates, “Some thing’s wrong. Didn’t you say the one who helped us was an unimportant store assistant?”

“She basically is an unimportant store assistant.”

Chen Weiwei’s expression turns into a big surprise. She is quiet for a moment, and then sighs, “I didn’t expect she would turn out like this now. At that time, she was really famous, always getting first place at our grade in exams, being class captain and vice president of student government, having a lot of followers, and a lot of boys ran after her. At that time everybody thought she would go to Peking or Tsinghua University.”

 Lin Mochen looks at her, his eye sharp and bright, “And so?”

But Chen Weiwei studies him with a few glances, “Why are you interested in her story? I’ve never seen you care about an irrelevant person. Have you not possibly fallen for her?”

“Is that possible?” He smiles carelessly.

How can he possibly fall for a girl like her?

Probably Chen Weiwei also thinks so. She smiles a little and says, “Later she did very badly at the College Entrance Exams, and couldn’t even get into a college. So she quit school all together.”

“Why?”

Gazing at Lin Mochen’s dark eyes, Chen Weiwei feels a flash in her mind. She waits a moment before answering, “I’m not very sure. I was not in the same class with her. Someone said she fell in love. People may have their impulse for wrong things when they are young, right? Later she didn’t come to school for many days in a row. I heard that she moved out of school.”

--------

Carrying the drinks, Mu Hanxia returns to the office. After distributing among the colleagues, the remaining ones are for Meng Gang and his assistant.

Mu hanxia takes the two cups of drink upstairs. Xiao Chen, the assistant, is sitting right outside Meng Gang’s office. He smiles at seeing her, “Thank you, Hanxia.” He takes over the drink for him, but not the one for Meng Gang. Instead, he smiles, “Manager Meng is inside. Take it in to him. I’m going to the bathroom.” At these words, he gets up and leaves.

Mu Hanxia has no other way than going over to knock on the door, heart beating a little faster.

“Come in.”

She pushes open the door and sees Meng Gang sitting behind the desk, reviewing documents. He raises his eye and gives her a glance.

Mu Hanxia quickly lowers her eye, sends the drink over to the desk: “Manager Meng, here’s your coffee.”

“Mhm.”

As Mu Hanxia turns to leave, he says, “Have a seat. Wait until I finish these few pages of document.”

Mu Hanxia freezes for a second, but can only sit down.

It’s very quiet in the office. There is sound of the wind blowing the curtains, and the sound of his pen moving on the paper. Mu Hanxia’s fingers touched a little coffee, and its sweet fragrance lingers.

After a while, he raises his head and gazes at her, smiles flowing out of his eyes. Mu Hanxia smiles back politely, afraid of showing any sign of intimacy.

He says nothing. After gazing at her for a few seconds, he pulls out a drawer, takes out a binder and puts it in front of her: “Take a look.”

Mu Hanxia opens it up and is stunned.

This is...

The information of the several key universities in Jiang Cheng, including profiles of colleges, faculty backgrounds, introduction to programs, the cut-off scores of the past and so on. Mu Hanxia flips through a few pages and raises her head, “Manager Meng, this is...”

Meng Gang picks up the coffee she bought, takes a few small sips, and put it gently down by his hand: “These universities in Jiang Chen are among the top in the whole nation. Take a look and choose which one you want to go to. Next week I’ll drive you over for a look. How long do you need to prepare for the College Entrance Exams? You don’t need to worry about money, like tuition, living expense, and other expenses, during this period. Even if you didn’t make it, it doesn’t matter. I have some relations in Jiang Cheng, and we can spend some money to straighten things out so you can get admitted. What do you think?”

Mu Hanxia is dumbfounded. Holding the documents in her hand, she is speechless. Meng Gang’s calm and restrained face is right in front of her, but she only feels her temples jump, as if she’s heading into a vast, deserted abyss, trying to look around for directions but findig herself totally lost.

“Thump, thump,” someone’s knocking on the door, breaking the silence.

Meng Gang is still smiling in his eye, “Take it back and read slowly.”

--------

The same night, Mu Hanxia lies in bed, with the documents by her hand.

The night in early summer is still on the cool side. She lies there for a while, then grabs the quilt to wrap herself in, staring at the pitch-dark sky outside the window.

She remembers that morning when Meng Gang held his hand. His fingers were hard and long, with aged thin callus. She remembers the looks he had on her each time, smilingly calling her “little girl” in a low voice.

He is divorced. It’s said that his first wife was a store assistant as him in those early years. It’s unknown where she is right now. She also heard that he had two girlfriends in the past few years, but neither lasted long and they separated in the end.

She turns to look at the documents again.

He puts her dream into her hand. As long as she holds it tight, she will get it.

--------

Early morning.

Mu Hanxia got up even earlier this morning and jogs to the athletic field very early, all sweaty when she arrives. But out of her expecation, Meng Gang is even earlier. In the dim twilight, he is still wearing the gray T-shirt and back shorts, working on the equipment.

Mu Hanxia stops and stands for a moment before walking over, “Manager Meng.”

He seems to have guessed that she would come this early and that she would have a sleepless night. Wiping his sweat with a towel, he replies mildly, “Morning.”

Mu Hanxia does not speak.

He turns to look at her, and asks with a smile, “Have you decided on the college?”

“No.” She answers.

He sits down and pats on the step beside, motioning her to sit as well. But Mu Hanxia does not move. He glances at her, silent for a moment, and speak slowly, “In my opinion, just try Jiang Cheng University, the best one here. After undergraduate studies, you can continue with graduate if you like. I have a house near Jiang Cheng University, you can live there in the future. But forget about going abroad. It’s too far from me. If you want to go take a look, which country do you want to go? I can arrange time and take you with me.”

Mu Hanxia keeps her silence as he talks. Then she suddenly asks, “Manager Meng, are you arranging my life?”

Meng Gang stares at her silently. Mu Hanxia doesn’t speak either. After a while, he suddenly reaches out and pulls her over. Mu Hanxia is taken aback, and has been confined between his legs before she can react. He looks at her, tiny crow’s feet at the corner of his black and deep eyes.

Don't Turn from Summer Chapter 10

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)
Chapter 10

“Hanxia? Hanxia?”

“Huh?” She jerks awake and raises her head in front of the computer. Sis. [1] Zhang, her colleague in the department, is standing by the desk, watching her with a smile.

[1: Sis. here literally means older sister. When it is followed by a last name (In Chinese, following a last name), it is a respectful way to address a women older than oneself.]

“What are you looking at? So engrossed.” Sis. Zhang asks.

“Oh, I’m working on some data.” Mu Hanxia pats her head bashfully. Actually she was in blank just now. “Sis. Zhang, what’s the matter?”

Sis. Zhang is smiling very amiably and points behind herself. Now, Mu Hanxia sees Meng Gang and the department manager standing at the door of sales department, discussing something. Mu Hanxia shudders as if being electrified. She tries to smile and asks in a voice low: “Why Manager Meng is here?”

Sis Zhang replies, “The performance is so great the last few days. Manager Meng says he will treat the whole sales department with drinks. See, money is here already. Go get the drinks.”

“OK.” Mu Hanxia quickly takes the money and stands up. As she passes the door, she greets with her head low, “Hi Manager Meng! Hi Manager!”

The manager beams, “Go buy the drinks. Be quick!”

Meng Gang just responds with a soft “hmm”, which sounds especially deep and casual to Mu Hanxia. He doesn’t look at her either.

Mu Hanxia races downstairs.

There is a nice coffee shop across the street. Mu Hanxia seldom comes here because it’s quite expensive. But its taste is really delicate and tantalizing.

It’s mid-afternoon. The lucid sunlight of May spreads over the street. There aren’t many people in the shop. Music is soft in the background and the fragrance is thick. Mu Hanxia stands in front of the counter and orders over ten drinks in one breath. No need to pay out of her own pocket gives her some sense of luxury, and the stressful confusion in her mind seems to have lifted a little.

She bends to survey those delicate cakes, thinking to herself, “Give myself a reward.”

“Do you have nut cakes?” She asks.

The salesperson replies apologetically, “I’m sorry, they are just sold out. The new ones need a ten-minute’s wait. Would you mind?”

Mu Hanxia thinks for a second and says, “That’s OK.” She has always liked food with a nut flavor and has spent her hard-earned money for the nut cakes here a couple of time. The taste is really her greatest love of all.

Finally, with the salesperson’s recommendation, she picks a Tiramisu cake, which she pays with her own money, orders a glass of juice, and sits down in a quiet corner to enjoy a few minutes’ leisure while the salesperson packs the drinks for her.

Remembering what happened last morning, Mu Hanxia is still boiling inside and can hardly calm down. Lowering her head, she looks at her hands. The hands are still fair and slim, but there is already thin callous in the palms. Meng Gang just held them like that. What was he thinking about her? Where is he going to place her?

While she is lost in thoughts, there is a ringing at the door--someone comes in.

She lifts her head and sees Lin Mochen in a black suit and shirt walk in with a face of little expression.

Mu Hanxia stares at him.

He also sees her, but acts as if he doesn't, and walks straight to the counter to order food.

Mu Hanxia doesn’t budge either. She calmly lowers her head again and goes back to her juice and cake.

Footsteps approach, and black suit flashes by. Holding the tray in his hand, he sits down opposite her at the table, a mere half-a-meter’s distance between them.

And in his tray, there is actually a piece of newly baked nut cake.

Now Mu Hanxia forgets all about her entanglement with Meng Gang. Glancing at Ling Mochen, with that elite air all over him, who is starting to sip his coffee, she suddenly remembers the message she sent him yesterday: “So what? You come bite me?”

......

“There are so many empty seats here. Why do you sit here?” She says.

“Why can’t I?” He replies lightly.

Mu Hanxia decides to speak no more.

After a moment, his voice is heard again, “Why help Meng Gang?”

Mu Hanxia pauses and raises her eye at him, feeling ridiculous, “Shouldn’t I? Or should I possibly help you instead?”

He looks squarely at her, the lines on his face distinct from the sunlight, the eyebrows straight and unyielding, and nose also straight and tall.

“Correct.” He answers, “A fine fowl perches only on a fine tree. You should be on my side.”

Mu Hanxia suddenly doesn’t know what to say next. This guy is proud, lofty, and overbearing, and he doesn’t even bother to hide it. It is he who owes her, but why it sounds like she owes him now?

“I’m not a farm bird.” She mutters, “The theories you said, I don’t understand.”

There is some hint of insult in her words.

[2: Bird can be an insulting word when used to address a person, meaning the person is uncivil or even evil, usually paired with beast in use.]

Lin Mochen: “What did you say?”

“Nothing.” Mu Hanxia quickly lowers her head and smiled. She takes the little spoon and digs into the cake.

Music is flowing softly around; the man at the opposite is quiet again. The familiar delicate fragrance filling her mouth, Mu Hanxia eats the cake spoon after spoon, suddenly noticing Lin Mochen gives her another look, a look that’s...very hard to describe.

Mu Hanxia suddenly understands, and stares at the cake she almost finished.

Alas, ate the wrong one. This is his nut cake.

Because the table is so tiny and their cakes are placed so close, plus she was somewhat absent-minded just now, in addition to the fact that nut cake is her favorite, she is eating non-stop...

Mu Hanxia is so embarrassed and quickly puts down the spoon, “Eh...”

“Does it feel especially good to eat from others’ plate?” He says.

Mu Hanxia blushes, gives him a stare, and decidedly calls for the salesperson, “Another nut cake for him, please!”

He says nothing. Mu Hanxia calms down and thinks to herself, since I’ve already started eating, I’d better finish it. After all, it’s 15 Yuan here. But a couple more spoonfuls later, he starts again, “The spoon is also the one I used just now.”

Mu Hanxia, “...” She immediately throws down the spoon, but then hears his even voice, “Things I’ve used, I don’t like them to be used again by others.”

Mu Hanxia has the pulse to smash him in the face with the cake. He apparently has noticed her eat the wrong cake with the wrong spoon, but purposefully waited until now to speak up -- and in two separate times.

A slight smile flashes by in Lin Mochen’s eyes. Mu Hanxia knows that she’s at fault, so she starts to get up, holding back her temper and embarrassment. Then she hears a clear and soft female voice, “Jason, how long have you been here? This is...”

Lin Mochen raises his head. Mu Hanxia also turns to the voice and sees the woman from that night, Chen Weiwei, the board chair’s daughter of Yong Zheng Inc, standing behind them. She wears a casual outfit, but still appears slender and curvy. Her face is still a little pale and is wearing a cast on her right arm, but she has a delicate make-up and is smiling pleasantly.

The moment she sees Mu Hanxia, Chen Weiwei pauses a little, and then nods slightly to her, showing a graceful smile.

Mu Hanxia also nods to her politely, but thinks to herself, the woman is like Lin Mochen, full of this lofty air. She thinks she should go now.

Lin Mochen stands up, pulls out the chair for Chen Weiwei. Mu Hanxia glances at him, thinking, “Hah, now he’s got manners.”

“This is Mu Hanxia.” Lin Mochen briefly introduces them, “Chen Weiwei.”

Mu Hanxia: “Hi.” And she says to Lin Mochen with some politeness, “I got to go now.” Lin Mochen looks at her and nods. But at this point, Chen Weiwei suddenly speaks, “Mu Hanxia? You are the Mu Hanxia from Sixth High (School)?”