Chapter 27 — After you finish work, wait for me.

Someone was sent to notify He Xiu the moment Xu Ying arrived. The site manager saw Xu Ying head directly to Fantasy Wardrobe and personally went up to receive her. "Good afternoon, Miss Xu. May I ask what I can help you with?"

Xu Ying removed her sungla.s.ses and sized her up. "Call that sales a.s.sistant of yours over there to come and take care of me." She raised her right hand and pointed a slender finger at Jian Yan.

Everyone"s gazes followed her finger and landed on Jian Yan. Jian Yan smiled at Xu Ying and walked up to ask, "Miss Xu, which style do you wish to shop for?"

Xu Ying swept a glance around the store and said, "Formal attire. Do you have that here?"

"Yes, this way." Jian Yan led Xu Ying to the formal wardrobe section and introduced, "These are the latest formal wear pieces from Maggie and Bunny. What occasion is Miss Xu dressing for?"

"Engagement reception." After Xu Ying spoke, she looked at her in dissatisfaction. "Must you wear such tall heels? Do you want to make clients look up at you?"

Jian Yan smiled at her good-naturedly. "The heels I"m wearing are only seven centimeters. They"re not as high as the heels you are wearing." Xu Ying puckered her brows, nearly on the verge of bursting with rage. Jian Yan continued, "But if it makes Miss Xu feel uncomfortable, I can switch to flat shoes tomorrow."

Xu Ying"s fiery anger had even reached her throat when she had to swallow it down and restrain her temper. She could only release this anger elsewhere. "You have the nerve to introduce these types of formal wear to me? Do you know how many celebrities are attending this engagement reception? Are you deliberately trying to make me lose face?"

Jian Yan kept smiling. "These evening gowns range from a hundred thousand to two hundred thousand yuan. If Miss Xu believes these are too common, then I propose that you directly purchase custom-made dresses from the brands themselves. Our store"s Maggie and Bunny sales counter can book reservations. Would you like me to help you with it?" 1

"You don"t need to trouble yourself. Miss Xu has a distinguished ident.i.ty; all her formal wear is haute couture." He Xiu walked up to them, smiling faintly at Xu Ying. "The clothes here, I"m afraid, don"t suit you."

Seeing him, Xu Ying laughed with a slightly mocking tone. "Head He is very busy, appearing so promptly every time."

He Xiu"s face didn"t change expression as he said, "Miss Xu is a n.o.ble client of ours. If you come, I naturally will personally come to greet you."

Xu Ying sighed and took out a delicate invitation from her handbag. She gave it to He Xiu. "The 16th of next month is my engagement reception with He Chen."

He Xiu accepted the invitation and smiled at her. "I have inconvenienced Miss Xu into personally delivering this. Rest a.s.sured; I will definitely attend your engagement reception."

Xu Ying humphed, her high heels clacking as she walked away. He Xiu turned towards the nearby staff who were watching the lively scene and said, "Alright, return to your duties."

The staff immediately scattered in all directions. He Xiu glanced at Jian Yan and said, "You should go work too."

"Okay." Jian Yan nodded. He Xiu left the store.

A colleague stealthily moved closer and asked Jian Yan softly, "Say, what do you think Xu Ying came over for?"

Jian Yan shrugged and didn"t reply. Her colleague continued, "I got it. She is definitely secretly in love with our Director He. I even thought of the story. Xu Ying grew up alongside the two brothers from the He Family. Although she has always liked the older brother in her heart, the older brother has never looked at her. She has no better option but to agree to marry the younger brother. In her heart, however, she is not willing to give up, so she came here today specifically to flamboyantly deliver the invitation."

Jian Yan tilted her head to look at her. "Have you ever thought of writing a novel?"

"How did you know that I am secretly writing a novel?" her colleague asked in shock.

Jian Yan: "&h.e.l.lip;"

She patted her shoulder and encouragingly said, "Jia you."

The days were spent working overtime, overtime, and more overtime, until the staff was finally able to welcome the 25th. Today, Jian Yan was on the evening shift, but the site manager had specifically instructed them to arrive an hour in advance. Jian Yan knew that today would be very busy, so she deliberately instructed Lin Zhen to take a look at her Weibo when she had the time. After 《 Satisfactory 》"s first audiobook episode was released, she was to help her reblog.

Lin Zhen was also very busy today, however, as she was meeting Tang Zheng"s family for the second time.

Once again standing at the doorstep of Tang Mansion, she was like a warrior going to the battlefield. These past few days, she had been spending almost all her time with Tang Zheng to "develop affection." Others wouldn"t dare to say this, but their mutual understanding was definitely better than last time. They definitely had to successfully persuade Tang Zheng"s parents and older sister this time.

On this special Christmas day, Tang Zheng"s family had prepared an especially grand dinner. They even had a genuine roasted turkey. The older sister saw that Lin Zhen was once again visiting and smiled at Tang Zheng. "You really are unwilling to give up."

Tang Zheng righteously refuted her words. "What "unwilling to give up?" She has always been my girlfriend!"

The smile on the older sister"s face became brighter. "Oh, please. If you had said that she was He Xiu"s girlfriend, I could believe that. Ai, just why can"t I have a younger brother like He Xiu?"

Tang Zheng didn"t know how many times she had said these words already. He scoffed and said, "You want someone else as a younger brother? This one doesn"t even want you as an older sister!" 2

While the Tang Family ate their dinner with a "joyous and harmonious" air, Jian Yan was awfully busy at Starlight General Merchandise. She fervently believed that half the people celebrating Christmas in A City had come to Starlight Plaza.

Starlight General Merchandise had set up a gigantic Christmas tree outside, attracting numerous couples. There were also small Christmas trees everywhere inside the department store and a playlist of Christmas music that had played from morning to night without pause.

In order to conform with the Christmas ambiance, Jian Yan wore a red wool sweater and a long white muslin skirt. The site manager gave each of the staff deer headbands and had them put it on. These headbands matched comparatively well with Jian Yan"s outfit and seemed to increase her cuteness factor.

Just as she sent off a client, a young female student ran up to her and asked, "I saw that there were people carrying a limited Christmas edition shopping bag. Does this place still have any left?

The shopping bag she was speaking of was the same one Jian Yan had drawn for Starlight General Merchandise. Last night, they had arranged the interior of the store and also set it up so that only clients shopping today would receive a complimentary bag.

But this girl had arrived too late. Unfortunately, there were no more shopping bags left. "I apologize, but the shopping bags had all been distributed this morning."

"Oh, so it"s like this&h.e.l.lip;"

The female student was slightly disappointed. Jian Yan looked at her and said, "If your purchases total up to ¥799, however, I can give you a manicure voucher to the manicure salon on the first floor. Today, there"s also a Christmas-only design. I can also give you a Christmas hat." Jian Yan picked up a red hat and presented it to her. "Very cute, right?"

"Mhmm, I want to buy a coat."

"A coat? How about this one? It"s the latest fashion from pinky uni. The floral print is exquisite&h.e.l.lip;" Jian Yan began another wave of marketing.

At 10:00PM, He Xiu came to the store for a look. There were still many clients within the store, and the plaza outside was also bustling with even more noise and excitement. He entered Fantasy Wardrobe and said to the site manager, "Although the people out in the plaza might continue celebrating all night, our store will only stay open until 11:00PM. At 10:40PM, begin announcing that the store is closing."

"Understood."

"Everyone has worked hard, keep on persevering."

A colleague heard his words. With heavy sighs and an aggrieved tone, she said, "Director He, working overtime isn"t the greatest suffering. The greatest suffering is working overtime and still eating dog food! On a day such as this, single dogs shouldn"t go out, and yet I"m here wildly eating dog food. I feel sorry for myself."

Her words surprised a laugh out of Jian Yan. The corners of He Xiu"s mouth also curved up. He walked up to Jian Yan and said, "After you finish work, wait for me."

Jian Yan was slightly stunned. At first, she wanted to ask him why, but He Xiu had already walked far away.

&h.e.l.lip;Eh, this wouldn"t happen to be because she had just laughed, right?

Somewhat nervous yet somewhat antic.i.p.atively waiting until 10:40PM, the department store finally began announcing that the store was on the verge of closing. The originally unhurried clients with their sedate paces within the department store began to unconsciously speed up.

In twenty minutes, the clients slowly began to leave. A bit after 11:00PM, the department store smoothly closed its doors. The staff all sighed in relief. Hui Hui clapped her hands and said to the Fantasy Wardrobe employees, "Today"s business was a grand success. Everyone has worked hard. Now, everyone can open their Christmas gift!"

"G.o.d! I"ve been waiting for this moment!"

"Fortunately, we didn"t breathe our last!"

Everyone was excited. Today, there were many presents piled beneath the Fantasy Wardrobe Christmas tree, all of which they had placed there themselves. After work was over, they could randomly choose one to open.

Like a swarm of bees, everyone rushed forth, wanting to s.n.a.t.c.h the biggest present to open. Jian Yan stood to the side as she didn"t want to fight with them. Only when they had all finished picking did she finally walk up to casually grab a present.

"Your hands" speeds are too fast. I simply can"t compete with you." Qing Qing"s hand held a very small, flat gift box which she opened up angrily. After she opened it, she was stunned. "Heavens! This is the latest fashion silk scarf from Bunny! This must sell for over two thousand yuan!!! Which big shot gave this away!"

This line was like throwing a stone to cause a thousand rippling waves. All the staff members surrounded her, extremely envious.

"I knew it! A big box looks impressive but is worthless. I originally had wanted to grab this one earlier!"

"I also wanted to grab this one! Did the site manager give this?"

"Not me."

Just as she opened her present, Jian Yan raised her head to take a glance. She casually commented, "Oh, that"s my gift. That silk scarf is very beautiful, right? I nearly didn"t gift it."

So she had bought another scarf.

Qing Qing nearly rushed over to call Jian Yan father. "Thank you, boss! Love you! Muah~! Muah~!" After she said this, she realized something that was unendurable. "Boss&h.e.l.lip;the gift in your hand just so happens to be my gift."

Jian Yan raised an eyebrow unexpectedly. "Such a coincidence?"

"Yes&h.e.l.lip;" Qing Qing wanted to weep, but no tears came. "It is only cheap lipstick worth two hundred yuan&h.e.l.lip;"

Normally, lipstick worth two hundred yuan would be considered extravagant to her, but compared with the silk scarf Jian Yan had gifted&h.e.l.lip; she unexpectedly had given such a cheap lipstick to a big shot!

Jian Yan, though, didn"t care. "No, not at all. Your lipstick is also from the brand Maggie."

After everyone had opened their gifts, they left to return home. The partying crowd in Starlight Plaza had yet to scatter, so Jian Yan waited a while in the department store.

He Xiu quickly walked up to her. "I apologize. Have you been waiting for very long?"

Jian Yan shook her head. "No. What did Director He seek me out for?"

He Xiu glanced outside and said to her, "It would be better if we go outside to speak."

Author"s Note:

Can you all guess what Director He is speaking of?!

Expressing thanks to sponsors

Moonclipse"s comment: the sarcasm is so high I cannot see the end of it!!! Unfortunately, english can"t translate the sarcasm well Jian Yan is using the formal version of "you" (sarcasm) to literally ask, "do you need me to help you up there?" <- indirectly saying she is useless 8D insult + sarcasm at its best. ↩ Moonclipse"s comment: cries at the untranslatable banter ↩