Chapter 77: Riverside Mansion Isn’t That Far

Early the next morning, Bei Wei went to the store ahead of schedule.

Zhang Yang had slept very well the night before. Waking up in the empty room, still faintly scented, he felt momentarily disoriented, unsure where he was or what night it was.

Slowly, he remembered.

Right, this was Bei Wei’s room. He vaguely recalled that she had held him through the night. That sleep had been incredibly comfortable, as if he had dreamed all the way to eternity.

He got up and stepped out, immediately noticing breakfast laid out on the table-steamed buns, soup dumplings, soy milk, and more.

A short while later, Zhang Yang had finished washing up and sat at the table, leisurely eating.

“These dumplings, clearly Bei Wei bought them,” he said, nibbling on the thin-skinned, meaty buns, glancing toward Gu Jiani’s closed room.

The door was shut, no movement-he had no idea whether she was home.

After breakfast, Zhang Yang had just headed downstairs when hurried footsteps sounded behind him.

“Zhang Yang, can you give me a ride?”

He turned to see Gu Jiani in a stylish, commanding outfit, rushing down the stairs. At the last step, she bent briefly to adjust her high heels.

“Where are you going?” Zhang Yang stopped and asked casually.

“To school. Is that okay? Please,” Gu Jiani said, hands clasped in a pleading gesture.

“All right, get in. I’ll give you a ride,” Zhang Yang nodded and walked toward his Bentley.

A moment later, he sped the Bentley to Donghua University, dropping Gu Jiani off on the roadside not far from the main gate.

“Watch behind you when you open the door.”

“Got it, thanks so much, Zhang Yang. By the way, was breakfast okay?”

“Ah? You bought breakfast again today?” Zhang Yang was genuinely surprised this time.

Her transformation was remarkable. He had originally thought her rigid, short-tempered, and spoiled by her family. Now… she was practically fawning.

“They say I have a bad temper, right?” Gu Jiani smiled faintly. “I’m not stupid. Why would I start a conflict with a rich guy like you? I’ve got better things to do.”

Zhang Yang thought about it. Indeed, Gu Jiani was fairly clear-headed.

She opened the car door and got out directly. The school gate was busy, and many students watched her exit the Bentley. Some whispered quietly among themselves.

“Gu Jiani, who’s that? Didn’t you say you were single?” a voice came from nearby.

Zhang Yang glanced out the window to see a handsome young man pointing at him in disbelief.

This wasn’t the guy he had seen downstairs before-another suitor, apparently.

“Mind your own business! Get lost!” Gu Jiani snapped, her aura unyielding.

The boy’s face turned pale, fingers flailing in the air, his expression changing wildly.

“W-wait, you…” he stammered.

“Point your hand again!” Gu Jiani said, annoyed.

Zhang Yang sat in the car, watching the back-and-forth with amusement, with no intention of interfering.

Seeing Gu Jiani walk straight into the campus ignoring the boy, Zhang Yang found the scene slightly funny-the guy seemed torn, not knowing whether to follow or not.

“Let’s go,” Zhang Yang shook his head and drove off in the Bentley.

Skyview Business Plaza, street-level shops.

Bei Wei was in the store, having just finished a call with a job applicant.

After days of effort, though a few people had come and left, the candidate she had just spoken with seemed genuinely interested.

As soon as the call ended, the applicant said she’d come by to learn more.

“You should have Zhang Yang come too,” Bei Jiajia reminded her.

“I know. I called him, but I’ll meet her first myself. I refuse to believe I can’t hire someone on my own,” Bei Wei encouraged herself.

“All right, remember this time. Act with confidence. Don’t make it seem like you’re begging for someone to come,” Bei Jiajia emphasized.

“Just think of yourself as the boss. Please-your boyfriend is rich, why no confidence at all?”

Bei Wei nodded quietly and waited for the applicant.

Soon, a young man and woman appeared outside, peeking in. Both looked quite young.

“Sister, is this the store hiring?” one girl approached Bei Wei directly.

“Yes, come in,” Bei Wei greeted with a smile. “The store’s under renovation, a bit messy, please sit here.”

The girl hesitated slightly but followed and sat nearby.

The accompanying boy frowned, looking around, seeming dissatisfied.

Bei Wei explained the usual details.

“We have four days off per month, two shifts per day, salary is 4,500 per month,” Bei Wei said patiently, outlining responsibilities.

“That’s basically it for the pay,” she added.

The girl nodded along, visibly interested.

“Seems good. Is the work hard? I… I don’t mind effort, just worried it’s too complicated,” she said.

“Not hard, not hard,” Bei Wei smiled gently. “It’s just serving dishes-simple tasks.”

“Then I… then I…” the girl began.

“Zhou Shan, I think forget it. Small shops like this don’t last. It’s common for them to open one month, close the next. Let’s find something more stable,” the boy interjected.

“Also, pay is low. Might as well work at a milk tea shop-clean, decent pay.”

The boy seemed to be her boyfriend. Hearing him, the girl wavered, showing little initiative.

Bei Wei frowned slightly but said nothing.

Pay? Their store’s wages were above average for Shanghai servers. Workload? Overall manageable. Long-term viability? Explaining wouldn’t help; people would just ignore it.

“I’ll think about it, thanks for being so patient,” the girl said apologetically.

“Wait, our boss will be here soon. If not, wait until he arrives and talk then,” Bei Wei tried one last effort.

Otherwise, Zhang Yang would have come all the way for nothing.

“Come on, what use is the boss? Haven’t you said everything you needed? Can he raise the salary?” the boy said, shaking his head, pulling the girl away.

The girl stood and apologized quietly, following him outside.

“No problem,” Bei Wei said, masking her slight frustration.

She walked a few steps further and saw Zhang Yang’s Bentley Continental GT arriving, heart immediately relieved. “Perfect timing-our boss is here.”

“Boss?” the boy muttered, staring at the Bentley.

The girl stopped, seeing a tall, handsome man descend from the car, like a character out of a novel, unable to move.

“Who’s here to apply?” Zhang Yang asked, closing the car door, glancing at the two young people Bei Wei had guided.

“This young lady,” Bei Wei said, linking her arm with Zhang Yang’s.

“How did it go?” Zhang Yang asked.

“She… said she wants to think it over,” Bei Wei replied.

“No problem, then let her think,” Zhang Yang didn’t mind. There were plenty of candidates. No need to pressure anyone.

“Wait!” the girl, staring at the young, rich, handsome boss, blurted out without thinking. “I’ve decided. I want to stay.”

“Ah?” The boy’s eyes widened.

“Huh?” Bei Wei was also surprised.

“Already decided?” Zhang Yang asked, puzzled but accepting. “Good, then it’s settled. Leave your contact info and wait for our notice.”

“No, Zhou Shan, you… don’t want to reconsider?” the boy stammered, suddenly panicked.

What? She wasn’t leaving just because a rich, handsome boss arrived? She actually liked him?

“No reconsideration. I want to stay here. Convenient from where I live. Honestly, I was leaning toward this place anyway,” Zhou Shan said confidently.

“Then… I also want to stay, is that okay?” the boy asked Zhang Yang, anxious.

“You? You two are a couple, right? Sorry, no,” Zhang Yang shook his head.

He wasn’t hiring a couple to flirt at work. That would disrupt everyone, including single colleagues.

As for him, well… double standards applied. He was resigned. Besides, he had already left the company-no effect.

“Zhou Shan, this store is so strict, and you still stay?” the boy asked, incredulous, expecting her to side with him.

“Liu Peng, I’ve said it before: stop imposing your thoughts on me. I have my own decisions. I’m independent. Now leave,” Zhou Shan said firmly, pushing him out.

Everyone watched the boy stand outside, defeated, as if his girlfriend had been taken.

“Um… boss, time to leave a WeChat,” Zhou Shan said expectantly.

Zhang Yang nodded, exchanged WeChat, gave a few instructions, then stayed in the store to meet more applicants with Bei Wei.

All the candidates were young and appeared reliable.

By evening, besides Zhou Shan, two kitchen staff had been confirmed. At this pace, the store would be fully staffed in a day or two.

“Zhang Yang, looks like we need you to step in again,” Bei Wei said happily, holding his arm.

“Doesn’t concern me much. Young people are picky-if they refuse, just pass. Impulsive types aren’t suited for our store anyway,” Zhang Yang shook his head.

It was time to hire some dependable, easygoing staff.

Zhang Yang wasn’t stingy. Though the wages were set, he didn’t mind giving extra rewards for good performance or diligence, boosting motivation when deserved.

Bei Wei nodded, half understanding.

“All right, that’s a wrap. Bei Wei, Bei Jiajia, come on, I’m taking you two sisters out for a big meal,” Zhang Yang said with a wave of his hand.

You take a hand, you show respect with your mouth.

As a hands-off manager relying on Bei Jiajia to help with training staff, he naturally needed to treat his guests well.

“Zhang, you’re so generous!” Bei Jiajia cheered, jumping on the spot when she heard about the big meal.

A big meal from Zhang Yang? That definitely meant Michelin-level.

And that was exactly what Zhang Yang had in mind. Driving the Bentley with the two sisters, he went straight to the Bund and booked the best terrace spot at a long-established Michelin restaurant, facing Lujiazui. The iconic trio of towers came into view, and the dazzling nightscape of Pudong stretched before them.

The evening breeze swept across the terrace.

After a full day in the store, Bei Wei and Bei Jiajia looked relaxed, dressed in cool summer dresses, staring at the brilliant lights of Lujiazui under a night sky almost like daylight.

“So beautiful… this is a real skyline, this is what a night view should be,” Bei Jiajia murmured, resting her chin on her hand.

Neither sister bothered to order, so Zhang Yang took over, flipping through the menu while glancing at Bei Jiajia with amusement.

“Mesmerizing… this is what they call lost in pleasure,” Bei Jiajia said, busily taking photos and vividly quoting the idiom.

“All right, take a look at the dishes I’ve ordered. If it’s fine, we’ll go with it,” Zhang Yang said, showing the choices to the sisters.

“Looks great, you didn’t need to show us… wait, several thousand?” Bei Jiajia’s eyes widened at the prices on the menu.

“How much can we even eat? Let’s not worry about trivial details,” Zhang Yang said.

“But… I’d feel bad spending so much. I feel like I haven’t contributed enough,” Bei Jiajia said, embarrassed. “Don’t worry, Zhang Yang. For the staff training and everything after the opening, I’ll stay in the store and handle it. You won’t have to worry.”

As she spoke, she lifted her chin and patted her chest, promising earnestly.

Bei Wei quietly chuckled beside her.

Her younger sister really did speak in grand, almost dramatic terms at the drop of a hat. But with Bei Jiajia helping, Bei Wei felt much more at ease.

“All right, I’ll leave it to you,” Zhang Yang said openly, stating his purpose without hiding it.

Soon, an array of sumptuous dishes arrived: oil-sealed truffle lamb racks, foie gras chocolate tart, Spanish red prawns, Marseille fish soup…

Zhang Yang didn’t touch anything immediately, smiling as the sisters pulled out their phones to snap photos. No doubt, in a short while, their friends on social media would see their curated posts.

“All set?” Zhang Yang asked.

“Yes, let’s eat,” Bei Jiajia said, putting her phone away.

“Me too,” Bei Wei said, setting her phone down.

The three ate, chatting leisurely on the terrace, enjoying the relaxed pace of Shanghai’s nightlife.

Before paying, Zhang Yang inquired about the store’s prepaid membership promotion and quickly loaded fifty thousand.

For a place with per-person spending often over a thousand, a single fifty-thousand recharge was reasonable. He had enjoyed the meal, so adding the credit felt natural.

“Zhang, you’re so extravagant. One meal and you recharge fifty thousand?” Bei Jiajia joked.

“You think I’m extravagant? I just liked the recharge promotion,” Zhang Yang said with a smile. “Money is always good-who doesn’t like having more?”

“Zhang, your money and ours aren’t the same,” Bei Jiajia laughed. “Buying a mansion in Shanghai might stretch you, but for me, buying a bag and needing to ask my dad for money is already a problem.”

The three laughed as they strolled along the crowded Bund, feeling the river breeze, enjoying the night.

“So, Mr. Zhang, when are you buying a place across in Lujiazui so we can visit and see it?” Bei Jiajia asked, standing at the railing and holding Bei Wei’s hand, looking at Zhang Yang.

“Across, huh!” Zhang Yang glanced at the opposite bank, smiling. “Not quite yet.”

There wasn’t a conveniently priced hundred-million-yuan mansion ready for a coupon-anything could easily overshoot ten or twenty million. He’d be in trouble.

After all, he was still far from truly wealthy.

But when that day came…

Zhang Yang gazed at the hundred-million-yuan flats across the river, heart quietly racing.

Living in such a mansion, standing on a grand balcony overlooking the Huangpu River and the Bund… what a state of mind that would be!

He couldn’t help but look up at the brightly lit mansion, heart filled with infinite longing.

Soon! He would have the chance to live there.