Wang Xiaoliang hung up, and the atmosphere in the car instantly felt a little different.
He still held his phone, but something seemed to have stirred inside him, leaving him with a jumble of feelings.
In just a few brisk, decisive exchanges with Old Ma, Wei Zijin had sorted out the money perfectly.
Was this still the Wei Zijin who had disdained playing the social game?
"Honey, you're... using money to smooth the way. Is that appropriate at your workplace? Isn't it a little risky?"
Wei Zijin watched the traffic ahead, her foot light and steady on the accelerator.
"I used to think it wasn't, that it was a corrupt practice." Her voice was level, betraying no emotion. "Now I understand that I was naive. This is how the industry works. They're used to getting paid. If you don't pay, you're the one who doesn't know how things work. Who'll put in the effort for you next time? Besides, this money is what everyone earned through their work. What's wrong with that?"
Wang Xiaoliang fell silent.
He understood the reasoning, but hearing it from his own wife still felt as though something had been turned upside down.
"It's actually not that complicated." As if she knew what he was thinking, Wei Zijin turned the wheel slightly and merged into another lane. "There are only two kinds of people who give me red envelopes."
"One is people like President Xiao. He's counting on me to make the videos good. If they go viral, he can get more advertising deals and followers. That money is an advance investment, a small outlay for a big return. He's shrewd. Of course, his fame has brought me more benefits too."
"The other is when I host events or make appearances for companies, and they're happy