Overwhelmed by Favor

After breakfast, Zhang Yang drove Li Xiaoxuan to the shop.

After the first day of the Lunar New Year, the streets were bustling with people, all out shopping during the holiday. It would be a waste if the shop didn't open, so Li Xiaoxuan decided to open it on the second day of the Lunar New Year.

Two aunties are temporarily staying at the shop to help out; during the Chinese New Year, giving out red envelopes is a must.

"Alright." Li Xiaoxuan put the two red envelopes into her bag and patted it.

"It's the Lunar New Year, why not take a few days off and go out with Tongtong? Why bother opening a shop?" Zhang Yang chuckled. "A few more days won't make a difference, will it? Or should I buy your monthly revenue?"

"Can what Mr. Zhang gives me be the same as what I earn?" Li Xiaoxuan smiled and kissed Zhang Yang's lips. "A woman should be self-reliant."

Seeing how determined this hot new mom was to become a strong woman, Zhang Yang chuckled, yet seemed lost in thought.

So, is this hot new mom trying to prove her worth in front of me?

"Oh right, I was so busy yesterday... I forgot to ask you." Li Xiaoxuan hooked her arms around Zhang Yang's neck, her eyes suddenly filled with curiosity. "You said you'd arrange a job for my dad at the Four Seasons Hotel. The Four Seasons Hotel is so big, you can just arrange it like that? Do you own the hotel?"

"Guess," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

Li Xiaoxuan blinked, recalling how, since she met Zhang Yang, the wealth he occasionally revealed seemed endless. She looked at his handsome face so close to hers, and her heart suddenly pounded. An unbelievable thought instantly rose in her mind.

"I guess... I guess that must also be one of Mr. Zhang's businesses, right?" she asked tentatively.

"Come stay at my place next time," Zhang Yang said with a smile, pinching Li Xiaoxuan's fair chin.

Li Xiaoxuan's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but rest her head on Zhang Yang's shoulder.

··

In Star City World Commercial Street, a few shops have started to open, mostly milk tea shops and dessert shops, with not many full-service restaurants.

Zhang Yang sat in the car for a long time, watching the young mother walk towards her own store, and couldn't help but smile slightly.

The year that belonged to Li Xiaoxuan has passed, and she is now on her own path.

For Zhang Yang, however, the year was just beginning.

"I'm off." He turned the steering wheel and drove straight home.

Meanwhile, at Li Xiaoxuan's home, Li's father hesitated for a long time before deciding to go to the Four Seasons Hotel to take a look.

After all, a monthly salary of 20,000 yuan was simply beyond his imagination.

He's not a truck driver, earning 20,000 a month? He'd never even considered it.

"Go ahead, what are you hesitating for?" Mrs. Li said with a smile. "Mr. Zhang already said he's put in a good word. Just go and take a look. If it's suitable, you can do it; if not, you can just not do it. If all else fails, I'll go with you."

"No, I'll go myself," Father Li said decisively.

A moment later, Mr. Li drove alone to the Four Seasons Hotel in Yinghai.

Standing downstairs at the Four Seasons Hotel, he looked up at the more than 200-meter-high Yinghai landmark, felt a surge of emotions, and then mustered his courage to walk towards the hotel lobby.

Holding the phone number in his hand, he took a slight breath and dialed the number.

The call was answered shortly after.

"Hello, where is this?" A gentle, deep male voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Hello, hello, um... I was introduced by Mr. Zhang. He told me to come over and call this number directly." Mr. Li introduced himself.

The voice on the other end of the phone suddenly became enthusiastic.

"Okay, okay, please wait a moment, I'll be right down."

Mr. Li put down his phone in a daze and stood there waiting.

"Sir, how can I help you?" A female employee in a hotel uniform approached and greeted him politely.

"No need, no need, thank you, we're waiting for someone." Father Li quickly waved his hand gently.

As he was talking, he saw a figure walk out of the elevator, who looked very different.

Along the way, he heard many people greeting him.

"Hello, Mr. An." A female employee standing next to him also greeted him.

Father Li was taken aback.

Wow, he really is a "general manager"! I wonder, between this "general manager" and "General Manager Zhang," who's more senior?

He glanced at the nameplate on the newcomer's chest and was immediately taken aback.

"General manager?"

"You must be Mr. Li, I'm Anderson," Anderson said warmly from the side. "This way, please."

Mr. Li, burdened with a bellyful of questions, followed Mr. An into the elevator.

Throughout the journey, Anderson words of comfort and kept finding topics to chat about.

This made Mr. Li feel quite flattered.

Who is this guy in front of you? The general manager of the Four Seasons Hotel! He was just introduced to this job, but he received this kind of treatment the whole time. How do you think he feels?

"Excuse me, excuse me, it's my daughter on the phone." Just as Mr. Li stepped out of the elevator, his phone rang.

"Please make yourself at home," Anderson said with a smile.

Mr. Li quickly answered the phone.

"Hey, Xiaoxuan."

"Yes, yes, I'm here. Don't worry, don't worry, Mr. Zhang has already made all the arrangements for me."

Anderson, with a smile on his face, was actually listening intently.

After Mr. Li hung up the phone, Anderson's enthusiasm made him even more overwhelmed.

The two walked directly to the general manager's office.

"Come, Mr. Li, please have some tea." Anderson poured the tea himself.

"You... Mr. An, you must have made a mistake. I'm here to apply for a job, not as a client..." Mr. Li said cautiously.

"I know, I know, don't worry. Since Mr. Zhang has given the instructions, I will definitely arrange everything perfectly for you." Anderson quickly reassured him, then got straight to the point, "Here's the thing, the job I've arranged for you is in our concierge department. You'll mainly be responsible for driving the hotel's limousine to pick up important clients. It's not much work, and it's easy."

"That's all?" Father Li asked, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"If you have any other requests, please feel free to mention them, and I will try my best to accommodate you," Anderson said with a smile.

"No, no, I have no other requests." Mr. Li quickly waved his hand. "Then... about compensation..."

"The monthly salary remains at 20,000, and these are the basic benefits and allowances, plus year-end bonuses." Anderson explained the basic benefits to Mr. Li in great detail, making Mr. Li feel as if he were in a dream, as if it were unreal.

"That's so good, do other people... get the same treatment?"

"The others in the protocol department?" Anderson smiled but didn't answer.

In an instant, Mr. Li understood.

This is a special treatment prepared just for me; it's unique and unparalleled.

Recalling last night's dinner, the tone of Mr. Zhang's casual offer to help me arrange work, combined with what I saw before me, and the fact that even Mr. An, the general manager of the Four Seasons Hotel, treated me with such courtesy.

He wasn't stupid; he immediately guessed the possibility.

But he didn't ask, because asking would make him seem shallow.

Accompanied by Anderson, he planned to go to his job to get used to it. While walking, he unexpectedly came across an office with its doors tightly closed, but which looked exceptionally grand.

He glanced at it: Chairman's office.

"This is Mr. Zhang's office," Anderson mentioned on the way. "However, Mr. Zhang doesn't come here often. If you need anything in the future, you can call me directly."

Confirming his suspicions, Mr. Li's head buzzed and his legs went weak.

··

The entire first month of the lunar calendar was spent attending banquets every day.

Every household is holding a Spring Festival celebration.

We eat lunch, then dinner; we eat today, then more tomorrow... After one meal, we play cards or mahjong, then go to a club for a bath.

This is the typical Chinese New Year celebration for most people.

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Yang received a call from Meng Baoliang, the biological father of Teacher Meng. During the call, Meng Baoliang repeatedly and sincerely invited him to attend their family's Spring Festival celebration.

Since his own father personally called to invite him, we naturally have to give him face.

Therefore, Zhang Yang naturally agreed.

No sooner had Meng Baoliang hung up than Teacher Meng called.

"Little Zhang, when are you arriving?" Teacher Meng's voice on the phone was cheerful and lively, with a slightly noisy background, suggesting there were quite a few people at home. "Come over early to play!"

"Sure, I need to prepare in advance," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

When visiting someone's home during the Chinese New Year period, you can't go empty-handed.

Fortunately, he's currently at the Four Seasons Hotel, so he can simply have the hotel prepare everything for him since he's too lazy to make any preparations himself.

So he casually made a phone call and asked his subordinates to make some preparations.

It's nothing more than cigarettes and alcohol; there's no need for anything creative.

"Oh, right, prepare some red envelopes for me, 1,000 yuan each, prepare a lot." Zhang Yang seemed to remember something and added another sentence.

Last time I went to Teacher Meng's house, it was her parents and elders who were there.

None of the younger generation showed up.

Today's wedding banquet will surely be attended by all of their extended family members, so bring some red envelopes just in case.

A moment later, Zhang Yang received a message saying that everything was ready.

Looking at the time, it's a little past nine in the morning.

That's about it.

Zhang Yang walked straight into the elevator, intending to go to Teacher Meng's house.

Outside the hotel lobby, cigarettes and alcohol were delivered to the Cullinan by trolley, with Anderson personally waiting beside them.

"Mr. Zhang, this is what you asked me to prepare." He handed over the bag.

"Hmm, not bad." Zhang Yang nodded and casually opened the trunk.

Meanwhile, Anderson and several hotel staff members hurriedly bent down to put the items inside.

Zhang Yang was standing to the side when he suddenly saw a hotel limousine slowly pull up in front of the lobby.

"Huh? Uncle Li?"

Zhang Yang stepped forward with a smile.

This was Li Xiaoxuan's father, whom he had arranged to work in the hotel concierge department.

"Uncle Li, you went back to work during the Spring Festival, didn't you get a couple more days of rest at home?" Zhang Yang asked with a smile. "Who arranged that?"

"Mr. Zhang." Mr. Li got out of the car, his expression immediately becoming serious as he approached respectfully. "I requested to come myself. Anyway, there's nothing much to do during the Spring Festival, so I thought I might as well come over early to familiarize myself with the work."

"Uncle, as long as you're comfortable working here, that's all that matters. You can take time off whenever you're tired, it's no problem," Zhang Yang said with a smile, offering a cigarette.

The person his boss assigned was blatantly offering special treatment and discriminating against him; who would dare object?

Uncle Li was deeply moved and accepted the cigarette with a sense of being flattered.

This scene, unwittingly, caught the attention of many people.

Everyone saw it and remembered it.

A short while later, Zhang Yang got into the car and headed straight for Teacher Meng's house.

Mr. Li was still somewhat dazed, his whole being immersed in an indescribable feeling.

"Old Li, come on, have a cigarette, mine's good."

"Take mine! Take mine!"

Inside the concierge department, a group of staff members suddenly surrounded him, their faces beaming with smiles, their enthusiasm as if they were seeing their own father.

Surrounded, Li's father suddenly felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

It's hot and cozy.

··

The villa at Teacher Meng's house was quite lively.

Meng Baihan's extended family, including his aunts, uncles, peers, and children, all gathered at his home as guests.

In the living room, a group of people sat around, eating sunflower seeds and chatting and joking.

"Hey, Meng Baihan, I heard you found a super amazing boyfriend. Are you coming today?" Meng Baihan's cousin, Meng Wen, curiously chimed in with gossip. "My ears have been bombarded by my parents lately, they keep urging me to make you my role model."

"Then good luck," Meng Baihan said with a smile.

Nearby, several brothers of the same generation whispered among themselves.

"Really? He's that good? He should have come today so we brothers could see him." Meng Baihan, Meng Jian, was still a little unconvinced. "Meng Mingzhou, as his brother-in-law, what do you think of your brother-in-law? Give us your opinion?"

Meng Mingzhou, standing to the side, paused for a moment, then quickly waved his hand, "Are you kidding me? Let me warn you, it's fine to make jokes now, but you'd better tone it down later."

"What's going on? You, the brother-in-law, are afraid of your brother-in-law?" everyone joked.

Meng Mingzhou covered his face, not knowing what to say.

That's just a load of crap from my brother-in-law.

He wouldn't dare to claim that identity.

Although Zhang Yang's relationship with his sister is definitely not just a casual fling, it's likely that his sister is at most one of Zhang Yang's many girlfriends.

Let alone him, even his father, if you asked him to acknowledge himself as his father-in-law, he probably wouldn't dare.

At the dinner table, didn't they keep calling him "General Manager Zhang"?

Suddenly, the sound of a car came from outside the villa.

"They're here! They're here!"

"Mr. Zhang has really arrived?"

The elders all stood up.

Meng Baoliang quickly stuffed the good cigarettes on the table into his pocket, preparing to go out to greet them. Several of his other uncles of the same generation also followed closely behind.

"Such a big show?" Meng Wen's eyes widened in disbelief.

Several of his older and younger brothers watched in disbelief as their parents and elders were so solemnly welcomed out.

What... what's going on here?

It's just Meng Baihan's boyfriend arriving, does it really require so many people to go out and greet him?

With that thought in mind, everyone stepped forward, wanting to go out and see what was going on.

Outside the villa, a group of people greeted the Cullinan parked at the front door.

As soon as the car door opened and Zhang Yang's tall and handsome figure stepped out, he was immediately surrounded by Meng Baihan's relatives.

"Happy New Year, Mr. Zhang."

"Mr. Zhang, please have a cigarette."

"Take mine."

A group of people approached with smiles on their faces to exchange pleasantries.

"Welcome, Mr. Zhang." Meng Baoliang took the lead, greeting Zhang Yang with a smile, and warmly invited Zhang Yang into his home.