The voice of Ouyang Qian on the phone was far from friendly. She knew my number well, so before I could even speak, a torrent of criticism washed over me. "Miss Ouyang, let me state clearly that I wasn't avoiding you. I had urgent business out of town and just got back, so I'm calling you now."

Ouyang Qian scoffed. "Hmph, you finally have the conscience to call. We've searched for you dozens of times, and your phone has been off. We thought you'd vanished from the face of the earth."

Then, Su Xue’s voice broke in from the phone, "Qingqing, who is it? Is that your new boyfriend? Tell him to come eat with us! It’s the first time I’m showing off my cooking skills; someone has to come and support the effort."

Ouyang Qian interjected, "It's Junior Brother Zhao Qian. He finally showed up."

"I'm coming to get you, I'm coming to get you." Su Xue’s footsteps pounded—I could practically hear her bouncing in her haste, her whole body likely shaking. "Junior Brother, Junior Brother, where have you been? We missed you... missed Chenchen so much! You have ten minutes to report back, or Chenchen won't speak to you again."

I said, "Su Xue, could you ask Chenchen to come down for a moment? I have something for her."

"No, no," Su Xue flatly refused. "Where are you? Come straight to our dorm now. We’re treating you to dinner. Hehe, we pooled our money and bought an induction cooker; we're boiling instant noodles right now. Come taste my culinary masterpiece!"

It was rumored that the school had a limited electricity quota, and anything over that limit they had to pay for themselves. Using appliances in the dorm room wasn't restricted, but cooking was generally forbidden because it could easily affect the surrounding environment. Still, something small like boiling a pot of noodles probably wouldn't cause much trouble.

The memory of those two girls' manic energy made me a little nervous. I asked, "Can you let Chenchen take the phone? I really have something important?"

At this point, Xu Chen, who was nearby, couldn't hold back either. I heard her say to Su Xue, "Xue'er, let me take the phone. I need to speak to Big Brother Zhao."

Su Xue snapped, "No way, Chenchen, you have to listen to us this time! He must come up here personally to apologize to you; we won't let him off easy. He's a total rake; you don't need to pity him."

I didn't want to put Xu Chen in a difficult spot, so I said, "I'll come up. Is the food enough? If not, I can sell a bit more."

Su Xue cheered, "Now that sounds like a real man! Fine, since you have money, buy as much beer, ham, and snacks as you want; we won't object. Bye-bye, see you in a bit."

I managed a wry smile and turned to find a shop to buy things. Running into those two always meant trouble; this time, it looked like I’d be bleeding money again. Frankly, what concerned me more was Xu Chen. Her slight frame was certainly linked to malnutrition. Though those two girls were wild, they treated Xu Chen very well; if there was food for them, Xu Chen wouldn't go hungry. If I tried to give Xu Chen things separately, she would definitely refuse. It was better to use this opportunity to buy some good food to help her gain some nutrition.

Across the main gate of Longteng University, shops and supermarkets lined the streets, and a large chain supermarket was a popular spot for locals to shop. Although the students' spending power wasn't high, their frequency of consumption was astonishing—a business opportunity no one would ignore.

I wheeled two fully loaded shopping carts to the checkout counter. The pretty cashier scanned the barcodes and asked in surprise, "Sir, can you manage all that? Shall we send someone to help you carry it to the door?"

I waved my hand. "Please find me a much larger bag so I can fit everything in at once and take it myself."

"Certainly, just a moment, sir." The cashier provided excellent service. She quickly signaled a nearby patrolling security guard, who brought over a massive, heavy-duty plastic bag, four nested together, into which everything was swiftly loaded.

I didn't bother lingering to say thank you again to the cashier, hefted the colossal bag onto my shoulder, and stepped out. The sheer weight made my already slightly sore shoulder protest.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? What are you doing, bumping into our Chairwoman..." A chorus of scolding voices rose up behind me.

I set the bag down and turned back to apologize, "Excuse me, I was in a rush... Jingjing!"

Xu Jing rubbed her forehead. "Big Brother Zhao, I didn't realize it was you. Hehe, what are you doing working as a porter in the field office?"

Injuring my own wife was a sin piled upon a sin. I quickly took Xu Jing's hand to check the injury on her forehead. The intimate gesture made Xu Jing blush, and she chided me, "What are you looking at? It was just a light tap, honestly. You're so annoying; everyone is watching."

Among the crowd following Xu Jing, one gentleman hadn't grasped the situation and was loudly demanding, "How dare you lay hands on our Chairwoman! Security, security!"

Xu Jing's secretary, Xiao Li, shot the man a harsh glare and whispered to him, "Are you blind? Didn't you see he's the Chairwoman's boyfriend?"

Xu Jing’s face instantly turned scarlet. She addressed the people behind her, "That’s all for today's inspection. Everyone can go back and eat."

The crowd dispersed instantly. Everyone knew that the young Chairwoman Xu was quite thin-skinned, and lingering would only make her uncomfortable. Only Secretary Xiao Li remained, standing a respectful distance away.

Xu Jing said to me, "This is great. Now the news that I have a boyfriend will soon spread throughout the company."

I replied, "What’s there to fear? Tomorrow, I’ll marry you, and they won’t be able to say a word."

Xu Jing lowered her head. "I don't dare to hope for that. My older sisters are all more talented and prettier than me. As long as Big Brother Zhao remembers me from time to time, that's enough."

I whispered, "Then I’ll come to your place tonight. Take a bath and wait for me, okay?"

Xu Jing wished she could find a crack in the floor to disappear into. "Big Brother Zhao, don't say such embarrassing things here; so many employees recognize me."

"What’s there to be afraid of? Our relationship is open and above board. Oh, and what about your lunch? I have to rush back to school, so I can't stay with you at noon."

Xu Jing said, "Xiao Li and I will drive back to the company. You go ahead with your business."

I hoisted the giant plastic bag onto my shoulder. "Then I'll head off now. How about I come over tonight for dinner? I brought gifts back from Africa, and I can give them to you all then."

Xu Jing brightened up. "That sounds wonderful! I'll go back early this evening to prepare. Come over early; I’ll wait for you."

After the two parted ways from the supermarket, the other managers emerged from their hiding spots. They gathered to discuss, "Was that young man just now really Chairwoman Xu's boyfriend? We've never heard of her having a boyfriend before."

Another manager chimed in, "Could Secretary Xiao Li’s words be false? Besides, Chairwoman Xu heard what she said and didn't correct it, which means she tacitly agreed. That young man is quite handsome; it's not impossible that the Chairwoman likes him."

A third man countered, "But look at him—he looks like a mere deliveryman. Is that scenario even possible?"

The others ganged up on the last speaker: "Whether it's possible is none of our business. The crucial thing is that right now, he’s the Chairwoman's boyfriend. We'll deal with whatever comes next when the time comes."