Chapter 196: The Pot Comes From the Sky
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Jin Nian finally came to understand why Gao Qingming always seemed to oppose her.
Although he was now the leader of the makeup team, just a year ago when he was an ordinary employee, he had been reprimanded by his boss, Lin Qianyu, for a minor issue. Lin Qianyu had said, “Look at Jin Nian, then look at yourself. Learn from her!”
Gao Qingming had been unconvinced ever since then. He had developed a strong dislike for Jin Nian and seemed to oppose her at every turn.
On the other hand, Jin Nian hadn’t done anything to provoke him, yet she found herself the object of his inexplicable animosity. It was as if trouble found her even when she was minding her own business.
Lately, Jin Nian had been eating her meals in the cafeteria, which had made Lu An unhappy. Lu An even called her during working hours and asked her to come upstairs.
Annoyed, Jin Nian sent a stern WeChat message, “Don’t disturb my work!”
“Are you making up stories about me in your dreams again?” Lu An felt wronged.
Thinking about the dreams she had been having lately, Jin Nian couldn’t help but feel a bit upset. In her dreams, she frequently witnessed Lu An being affectionate with other women. The dreams felt so vivid that every time she woke up, it felt as if something had torn a piece of her heart away.
Jin Nian warned Lu An, “Don’t call me during office hours! I won’t answer even if you do!”
Lu An heeded Jin Nian’s warning and refrained from calling, opting to send text messages instead.
Throughout the day…
“Honey, I’m waiting for you on the 18th floor.”
“Niannian, are you still jealous?”
“My baby, what do I need to do for you to forgive me?”
“Wifey, wifey, wifey.”
Typically, Jin Nian would ignore these messages. Today was no different. Jin Nian didn’t receive any messages from Lu An, so she ate her lunch alone.
Not long after, Xia Yu sat down in front of Jin Nian, greeting her with a cheerful smile. “What a coincidence!”
Jin Nian liked Xia Yu. Sometimes, during lunch breaks in the cafeteria, Xia Yu would take the initiative to seek her out for face-to-face chats.
Xia Yu also felt that she got along well with Jin Nian, primarily because Jin Nian made her feel very comfortable.
“Sister Nian, you mentioned showing me a photo of your husband last time. Did you take one?” Xia Yu asked suddenly.
“I’m sorry, I forgot,” Jin Nian replied, momentarily distracted.
Xia Yu’s curiosity was piqued. “Your husband seems quite mysterious.”
Jin Nian blushed slightly. “Not really.”
“So, what does he do?” Xia Yu inquired.
Jin Nian pondered for a moment before responding, “His line of work is similar to yours, in the field of animation.”
Xia Yu got excited. “That means I might meet him at work!”
Before she could say more, Gao Qingming approached with a sly smile. “Wow, Jin Nian, you’re married? Is your husband that animation director who was recently exposed for plagiarism?”
Jin Nian furrowed her brow slightly, sensing the sarcasm in Gao Qingming’s tone. “Of course not.”
“Seems like you found a new partner quite quickly. It looks like this new partner might not be up to par,” Gao Qingming commented, eying the small diamond on Jin Nian’s ring. “Isn’t that diamond a bit too small?”
Jin Nian looked at him in disdain, wondering why Gao Qingming was so insistent on causing trouble. It was quite annoying.
Xia Yu, noticing that Gao Qingming was trying to provoke a reaction, took Jin Nian’s side proactively. “Is a large diamond ring a requirement for marriage? Diamonds were originally a product of 20th-century marketing, and their intrinsic value isn’t high.”
“Exactly,” Gao Qingming replied. “One-carat diamonds are practically worthless. If you’re talking about a ten-carat diamond ring, they don’t come cheap.”
“If you like it, feel free to buy one. No one’s stopping you,” Jin Nian retorted.
It sounded easy, but obtaining a ten-carat diamond ring was no simple task.
Gao Qingming’s expression soured as Jin Nian reb.u.t.ted him directly.
Xia Yu, standing by, found the situation quite amusing. Jin Nian usually appeared gentle and approachable, but she didn’t hold back when standing her ground in an argument.
Jin Nian genuinely liked the ring on her finger. It had a simple design suitable for everyday wear, and its moderate weight and size didn’t hinder her daily activities at work.
To preserve the ring’s shine, she would usually take it off when washing her hands or showering.
Coincidentally, Jin Nian had mentioned the ring to Gao Qingming earlier that afternoon and had subsequently lost it by accident. After lunch, while washing her hands with soap, she removed the ring and placed it on the countertop. A call had come in at that moment, and she had hurriedly wiped her hands with a tissue to answer it, inadvertently leaving the ring behind..