Wang Xiaoliang stared at the line on his phone screen, momentarily bewildered.
Expenses?
What expenses had there been today?
Lunch had been a staff meal delivered by Hongbin Tower. He hadn't spent money on anything else!
He typed back, "There weren't any expenses today."
The reply came almost instantly.
"Drinks."
It was a perfectly ordinary noun, but Wang Xiaoliang felt a sense of pressure.
Only then did he realize.
"Those were my treat for everyone. They didn't cost much," he explained.
Another message popped up from Kong Xiuyun. "That won't do. Personal and business expenses need to be kept separate."
"There'll be plenty of things like this in the future. Are you going to pay every time?"
"When Mr. Zhou eats at Hongbin Tower, even if it's just a bowl of noodles, he pays cash every time."
The string of messages left Wang Xiaoliang somewhat speechless.
He thought Kong Xiuyun was making a mountain out of a molehill. It was just a few bottles of drinks. Was all this necessary?
But on second thought, ever since reading the Book of Fate, he had developed a heartfelt appreciation for people who took their work seriously and were meticulous.
Though Kong Xiuyun's approach felt impersonal, it was indeed correct.
A clear separation between business and personal matters.
That was a professional attitude.
He stopped arguing, carefully recalled the details, and sent her an exact account of the number of drinks and their unit prices.
Kong Xiuyun went quiet for a moment.
Then another message arrived.
"Let's make a habit of this from now on."
"Once the supermarkets open, I'll come to the stores every evening to check the accounts and collect all the day's takings."
"Then I'll leave a reserve fund for the next day's stock purchases and operating needs."
"If you