spring bite mark

Chapter 209 Private Talk at the Mahjong Table

When Huo Yungui and Yan Changye returned home, there was a mahjong table set up.

Jiang Manman, Huo Mingcai, Wang Ying, and Grandpa each occupied one side. Except for Jiang Manman, who was inexperienced, the other three sides were very intense.

Wang Ying unceremoniously took one of Jiang Manman's cards, and then started talking about her troubles:

"I went to ask my department head for leave today, planning to stay in Beijing for ten days or half a month. Who knew that the usually easy-going leader would be so sarcastic and refuse to approve it no matter what. I resigned in a fit of anger and will just find another job later. Anyway, I've been doing this job for more than ten years and I'm already tired of it."

Huo Mingcai was very pleased: "It's good that you quit. You only earned four thousand yuan a month and did the work of three people. You should have been a good supermarket owner and kept an eye on your silly son who always tries to take advantage of the company. If you had just stopped bringing your friends to shop around for a couple of times, you could have saved four thousand yuan."

“No way. Yun Gui is on your household registration, so you can manage her yourself.” Wang Ying remained unmoved. “Work is the best preservative for a woman. I’ve already scheduled several interviews, and I should be able to start working once I get back from the capital. It’s just that the boss of the company I just left is really annoying. Now it seems like he regrets it and keeps harassing me every few days. Next time he calls, you answer the phone.”

"Alright, alright, I'll take it—two of bamboo, little one, do you want it?" Huo Mingcai casually fed Jiang Manman a card, then couldn't help but ask his daughter, "Little one, are you being mistreated at that design company in the capital? If you really can't stand it, we'll quit and come back to inherit Dad's supermarket. Isn't that better than earning a few thousand yuan a month?"

Wang Ying interrupted, "Nonsense! In the capital, where our youngest son is so talented, how could he only earn a few thousand yuan a month? The basic rate there is around 20,000 yuan. Someone like our youngest son, a graduate of a prestigious university with excellent skills, should earn at least 30,000 yuan or more!"

Jiang Manman tried hard to recall the rules of Chongqing Mahjong for a while, then couldn't help but glance at the rule cheat sheet beside her. She tossed out a card and then answered softly:
"Mu Chan, I am the founder."

There was a brief silence on the mahjong table.

Then came Grandpa's pleased smile: "Wow, our Manman is really amazing, much better than your brother!"

Grandpa didn't understand the true value of Mu Chan; he only thought that his granddaughter's ability to start her own business was already remarkable. But Huo Mingcai and Wang Ying, one an entrepreneur and the other a senior designer, saw things on a deeper level.

"My dear son, how many employees does your company have?" Huo Mingcai asked with great concern. "Designing is very expensive, and the salaries are high in the capital. If you don't have enough money, just tell your father."

“Three stores and one studio. There are about forty employees in total, and the monthly salary expenditure is about 100 million.” Jiang Manman said softly and calmly, “Mu Chan has recently gained some fame and has a lot of high-end orders. In previous years, it was losing money, but this year, the profit is quite considerable, probably slightly better than your supermarket, Dad.”

Huo Mingcai was half relieved: "It's not easy for a young girl like you. You have to manage a lot of employees, raise two children, and your son-in-law looks like he's going to cost a fortune..."

Before Jiang Manman could speak, a soft laugh came from the doorway.

Then came Yan Changye's slightly raised eyebrows and slightly mocking voice as he entered:

"Dad, you just said last night that you were going to pamper me these next few days, and today you're complaining that I'm wasting money?"

"Don't you know whether it's a waste of money or not?" Huo Mingcai glanced at him. "I saw you doing a face mask this morning, it costs several thousand yuan a sheet. How can a grown man like you be more concerned about skincare than a woman?"

“I think it’s a good thing that my son-in-law takes care of himself.” Wang Ying glanced at Huo Mingcai. “What woman doesn’t want her husband to last longer? Just looking at him makes me feel refreshed and happy.”

Huo Mingcai subconsciously touched his slight beer belly and changed the subject: "Son-in-law, do you know how to play Chongqing mahjong? Come and play with me."

"Hey, why didn't you call me? I want to come too." Huo Yungui took over his grandfather's seat. His grandfather was old and a little tired, so he made himself a cup of goji berry tea and sat down next to his grandson as an observer.

Yan Changye then took Jiang Manman's place.

With the help of a cheat sheet of rules, Jiang Manman explained the rules to Yan Changye, albeit haltingly.

Yan Changye was a seasoned mahjong player, and he understood immediately: "This is quite simple, not as complicated as the mahjong in the capital."

After two rounds, he had mastered the essence of Chongqing Mahjong. From a draw to three consecutive self-draws, and finally, he could even roughly tell what cards the other players were going to win just by counting the cards. He even fed his parents-in-law several cards, which made his parents-in-law, who were also experienced Mahjong enthusiasts, look at him deeply.

Huo Yungui hadn't won a single hand, so he tried to find fault with the conversation:
"Mom and Dad, and sister, let me tell you, I was awesome today! I've heard that a lot of rich kids from other cities are coming to Chongqing, and I ran into them all today!"

"Oh, did you see it online or just glance at it from thousands of meters away?" Wang Ying said dismissively.

Huo Yungui said smugly, "Is that something to brag about? I not only shared a room with them, but I also added each of them on WeChat and even had two meals with them."

Huo Mingcai's face darkened: "You're just bragging."

“Really, Dad!” Huo Yungui pointed to Yan Changye. “My brother-in-law is here too, and I’m sitting with him. The Shanghai prince is incredibly wealthy; he even gave me a whole set of ridiculously expensive game skins during dinner. The Chongqing prince personally poured me a drink. The Shenzhen prince is the most handsome among them, the Tianjin prince is exceptionally elegant and classy, ​​and the Hangzhou prince is a business genius; his discussions on proposals were the most brilliant…”

He went on and on, finally summarizing with a sigh: "In my mind, which of those wealthy families doesn't wear gold and silver, and carry all sorts of luxury brands? But actually, that's not the case! The clothes they wear look incredibly high-end, but they don't have brand labels, and they're not dressed in suits and ties; they prioritize comfort. Everyone says that wealthy families breed spoiled brats, but they aren't like that at all. They're all full of passion for their work, and the things they say are incredibly professional..."

Wang Ying still didn't believe it: "So, someone as outstanding as him, how could he possibly associate with a scoundrel like you?"

"Well, my brother-in-law is the host of the meeting!" Huo Yungui exclaimed. "Those rich kids even joined my brother-in-law in calling me 'brother-in-law,' making me feel like I was floating on air..."

Jiang Manman chimed in, "Then brother had a pretty fulfilling and exciting day."

"There are regrets too." Huo Yungui couldn't help but open the contact cards of the group of young masters on his phone again. "The ultimate boss of the Beijing circle that I most wanted to meet, I didn't get to meet."

Jiang Manman couldn't help but glance at Yan Changye.

Yan Changye's peach blossom eyes held a helpless smile, his lips slightly curved as he remained silent.

Jiang Manman looked at her brother, and for some reason, the phrase "nephew is like uncle" popped into her mind, leaving her with mixed feelings.

"Brother, you've already seen it."

(End of this chapter)