Zhu Xia had a bad feeling. "What is it?"
Jiang Nan said, "He's a man."
Zhu Xia raised an eyebrow. "Beta or Omega?"
Jiang Nan said, "Beta."
Zhu Xia let out a breath of relief. "As long as you don't spring an Alpha-Alpha romance on me, I'll thank heaven and earth."
Jiang Nan immediately chimed in, "Thank heaven, thank earth, thank Xie Guangkun."
Zhu Xia: "..."
They went through the boarding gate. After boarding the plane, Jiang Nan asked the question that had been on his mind. "When will my appearance fee be transferred to me?"
Zhu Xia took out a heated eye mask, ready to sleep, and said casually, "It won't."
Jiang Nan was shocked. "Why not?"
Just as he was getting ready to call 12345, Zhu Xia answered calmly, "Because you owe the company two hundred thousand."
Jiang Nan nearly stopped breathing. "Since when?"
Zhu Xia opened the notes on her phone.
"August fifteenth, 2041. Purchased the latest suit, one hundred thousand yuan. The company paid for you."
"September seventeenth, 2041. Hired an online water army and bought trending searches. Total cost: fifty thousand yuan."
"October eleventh, 2041. Bought a gift for Director Mo Cixuan. Total cost: fifty thousand yuan."
Under Jiang Nan's sorrowful gaze, Zhu Xia paused, then added heartlessly, "You signed IOUs for all of these. They're with the company's finance department."
Jiang Nan slumped in his airplane seat, leaning expressionlessly against the backrest, and told 771, [Send me back.]
Between carrying a debt of two hundred thousand yuan and dying of a brain hemorrhage, he would rather die of a brain hemorrhage.
771 covered his ears. [Can't hear you, can't hear you!]
Jiang Nan opened WeChat on his phone and checked his balance.
One lonely yuan.
He sank into boundless sorrow.
By the time they got off the plane, it was already midnight.
The imperial capital was always ablaze with lights at night. Endless streetlights illuminated the most developed city in the country, its towering buildings making human figures seem extraordinarily small.
Pulling his suitcase, Jiang Nan let out a breath as he left the airport.
He now faced an embarrassing predicament.
-He had no money for a taxi.
Zhu Xia found the taxi she had booked in advance. Just as she opened the rear door, a figure suddenly darted over.
The young man wore a black baseball cap, a little pink hair peeking out. He wore a mask, but his face was full of smiles. "Sister Xia, I suddenly remembered something I wanted to discuss with you."
His attitude was exceptionally pleasant, even though he had looked utterly done with life on the plane.
Zhu Xia's right eyelid twitched involuntarily.
Unsolicited favors always came with an ulterior motive.
With that thought, she asked shrewdly, "Are you trying to hitch a ride?"
Jiang Nan wore a solemn, serious expression. "How could you say that about me? I really have something to tell you."
He looked so earnest and openhearted that Zhu Xia seemed petty for suspecting him.
Zhu Xia paused, then said, "Get in."
"Sure thing." Jiang Nan immediately put his suitcase in the trunk.
He got into the car at lightning speed.
The taxi headed toward Jinghe Garden.
Zhu Xia looked sleepy. "What exactly did you want to say?"
Jiang Nan said, "Let me think."
Despite saying he needed to "think," he simply sat there without moving, perfectly composed.
The corner of Zhu Xia's mouth twitched. "If you don't start talking, I'll have the driver turn around."
Jiang Nan said, "I just... wanted to ask whether there's any interest on that two hundred thousand."
Zhu Xia said, "No. The company still has a little conscience."
Jiang Nan started grasping for conversation again. "Any news about my next job?"
"We'll have to see what public opinion is like in a few days." Zhu Xia thought for a moment. "There's an acting class on the second floor of the company tomorrow afternoon. You can go learn a little. Acting skills are indispensable if you want to go further and do better in the entertainment industry these days."
"Besides, acting pays the most."
Hearing that, Jiang Nan immediately perked up. "I'll go."
By the time they finished talking, they had arrived at Jinghe Garden.
Jiang Nan happily got out.
Building Six was already completely dark.
He knocked tentatively on the door, and someone soon came to let him in.
Jiang Nan was a little surprised. He hadn't expected anyone to still be awake this late at night.
The door opened from inside. Only one crystal chandelier was on in the living room, leaving the entryway somewhat dim.
The dim light traced part of the man's outline. His black hair fell smoothly over his forehead, his profile sharply defined, making the red tear mole stand out all the more.
Jiang Nan froze. "You're still awake?"
Fu Jingzhou glanced at him and wheeled himself back a little. "Come in."
After changing his shoes, Jiang Nan went to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of warm water.
The warm water slid down his throat. He cleared his throat and asked again, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Fu Jingzhou had already changed into pajamas. He said, "I haven't finished dealing with the documents."
"Oh." Jiang Nan nodded, opened his suitcase, and took out the tie he had bought for Fu Jingzhou.
Holding the dark blue cardboard box, the young man said, "Here."
For once, Fu Jingzhou was taken aback. "This is..."
Jiang Nan said, "A gift for you."
The man accepted the box and opened it to find a silver-gray tie with a faint shimmer.
Fu Jingzhou instinctively analyzed Jiang Nan's actions according to his own logic. "Is there something you need help with?"
"No, nothing." Jiang Nan licked his lips, thought for a moment, then answered, "But if you're willing, you could help me with something."
Fu Jingzhou regained his usual unruffled composure. "What do you want?"
His tone was calm, and he even casually set the tie on the table beside him.
The young man was a little embarrassed. The tips of his ears were bright red, as were his cheeks, the rosy flush particularly conspicuous against his fair skin.
They looked like two red persimmons in the snow.
Fu Jingzhou's Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly. He turned his head away, no longer looking at Jiang Nan.
The Jiang Family's business had been going smoothly lately. If he wasn't asking him for help with the Jiang Family's affairs...
Then it had to be something about his work...
Recalling last night's variety show, Fu Jingzhou's fingertips paused.
"If you can, could you lend me a little money?" The young man's voice was a little hoarse, perhaps from talking too much.
After saying that, Jiang Nan looked at Fu Jingzhou in embarrassment.
He could say all sorts of sweet nothings without blushing or his heart skipping a beat, but he felt embarrassed asking to borrow money.
Especially borrowing money from his own wife.
He pressed his lips together as he waited for Fu Jingzhou. The man looked up at him, seeming somewhat surprised.
Jiang Nan asked quietly, "What's wrong?"
For the sake of that tie, Fu Jingzhou shook his head to indicate it was nothing, then asked expressionlessly, "One million or ten million?"
Jiang Nan answered bashfully, "One thousand yuan. Would that be okay?"
Fu Jingzhou froze completely.
As though he hadn't heard clearly, he asked again, "How much did you say?"
Jiang Nan thought, The big shot has probably never heard of such a small amount.
Whenever an overbearing CEO casually hands out money, it starts at seven figures.
So he obediently repeated, "One thousand yuan. A one followed by three zeros."