Yang Xin barely slept a wink all night, tossing and turning in bed until he finally dozed off around four or five in the morning.
When he woke again, it was nearly noon.
He fumbled for his phone, glanced at the time, and jolted upright in bed with a start.
But the next second, he froze. It suddenly hit him—he had been laid off. There was no longer any need to rush back to the provincial city.
A wave of relief washed over him, yet something else seemed to clog his throat, leaving him with an indescribable feeling.
What struck him as odd, though, was that his wife, Shu Ning, hadn’t woken him up.
She knew today was originally the day he was supposed to return to the provincial city. Normally by this time, she would have already been nagging him to pack his things.
Rubbing his throbbing temples, Yang Xin shuffled out of the bedroom in his wrinkled pajamas, his steps heavy with exhaustion.
The moment he stepped out, the rich aroma of food hit him, making his stomach growl.
Instinctively, he called out toward the kitchen, “Honey, what are you cooking? It smells amazing—”
His words and footsteps halted abruptly.
Because there, sitting on the living room sofa, was a gentle-looking girl dressed in a simple white lace-trimmed dress.
“B-Boss?”
“Darling, really now, you’ve kept your boss waiting for so long.” Shu Ning poked her head out from the kitchen, holding a freshly stir-fried dish, her tone lightly scolding.
She walked to the dining table, set the plate down, wiped her hands on her apron, and continued, “And you didn’t even tell me you changed jobs.”
“I was planning to tell you today.”
Yang Xin stammered, “Boss… why didn’t you wake me up earlier?”
Shu Ning smiled. “Your boss is very considerate—she told me not to disturb your sleep.”
“Also, she said you won’t have to work out of town anymore. Is that true?”
Yang Xin nodded stiffly.
He had been laid off by his former company, so of course, he no longer needed to travel.
Back when his job was in the provincial city, his busy schedule had kept him away from home most of the time. He had always felt guilty for not being able to spend more time with his wife and daughter.
Now, with his new boss starting operations in Wushui County, he wouldn’t have to leave home anymore.
Hearing the confirmation, Shu Ning visibly brightened. After all, no woman wanted to be left alone at home raising a child as a “left-behind” wife.
Earlier, after dropping their daughter off at kindergarten, she had returned to find a strikingly beautiful stranger at her doorstep. Instinctive wariness had flared up inside her.
But as the girl explained her purpose, Shu Ning gradually relaxed.
Still, she couldn’t help feeling a little resentful. Her husband had switched jobs without a word, and his new boss was young and gorgeous—what woman wouldn’t have suspicions?
Yet as they talked, the girl’s gentle demeanor and sincere gaze put Shu Ning at ease.
Before long, the two were chatting like sisters.
Shu Ning had even gone out of her way to prepare a lavish meal for their guest.
As she set the table, she grinned at Yang Xin. “Go freshen up. It’s time to eat.”
Liu Yutong exchanged a brief greeting with Yang Xin before being enthusiastically pulled to the table by Shu Ning.
Despite this being Yang Xin’s home, he was far more awkward than Liu Yutong.
“B-Boss, please sit.”
Once the three of them were seated, the atmosphere gradually warmed.
Shu Ning and Liu Yutong chatted animatedly, jumping from household matters to the latest TV dramas—there was no topic left untouched.
Meanwhile, Yang Xin sat like a forgotten outsider, quietly picking at his food and occasionally glancing up at the two women, unable to get a word in.
His mind was still uneasy.
After the meal, Shu Ning poured Liu Yutong a cup of hot tea and announced, “You two discuss work. I’ll go out and pick up a few things.”
The moment Shu Ning left, the mood in the living room shifted subtly.
Yang Xin sat stiffly on the sofa, tense.
He hadn’t expected Liu Yutong to show up at his house unannounced.
Was this a warning not to even think about backing out?
Liu Yutong seemed to read his thoughts. Taking a sip of tea, she cut straight to the point. “Yang Xin, I came today because I wanted to discuss the supermarket’s development and hear your thoughts.”
“I’m not as knowledgeable as you when it comes to retail, but I hope you’ll be honest with me.”
“Of course, I’ll lead by example.”
She pulled a contract from her bag and slid it toward him.
Yang Xin looked down at the document, his heartbeat quickening.
It was a special incentive agreement—one that granted him annual profit-sharing rights and, after meeting certain tenure and performance milestones, actual equity in the supermarket business.
At his previous company, Yang Xin had earned a handsome salary, certainly a high income for the times, but starting his own venture had still been out of reach.
This agreement, however, changed everything.
This meant he wouldn’t just be working for someone else anymore—it was like starting his own business.
“I imagine you must have a lot of questions right now.”
“Like why I’d take an interest in you when we’ve never met before, or why I’d entrust you with such an important role. Or how I plan to acquire Xinglong Supermarket when I currently have nothing to my name.”
“I don’t like explaining myself. I’d rather show you the results. Because nothing speaks louder than results.”
Liu Yutong’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word was clear, cutting off all the doubts swirling in Yang Xin’s mind.
“Most importantly, I believe in you. It’s as simple as that.”
Yang Xin finally got a taste of the boss lady’s no-nonsense style—direct, decisive, and without any unnecessary fluff.
Just a few words, and she had already won him over.
He wasn’t the type to be swayed by bosses who loved giving long-winded speeches and painting grand visions. Instead, Liu Yutong’s straightforward approach made her seem far more reliable.
Besides, he had his own pride.
Even though he wasn’t some street-smart hustler, he never once doubted his abilities in the retail industry.
After all, no one truly wanted to spend their whole life working for someone else.
Setting aside Liu Yutong’s background, she was an exceptional boss.
The pay was good, and now she was offering equity incentives.
Considering they had never even met before, her level of trust alone was enough to move him.
But still…
“Like I said before, the company I’m building is legitimate, and its future won’t be limited to this small county.”
“You might want to consider buying or renting a place in Bright Pearl City later, so you can move your wife and daughter there. What do you think?”
“I’ll arrange everything for you.”
Both Liu Yutong and Yang Xin were from Wushui County, so she could easily guess what was worrying him.
Seeing how far Liu Yutong had gone to reassure him, if Yang Xin still hesitated or held back, he wouldn’t deserve to call himself a man.
Without further delay, Yang Xin picked up the pen, took a deep breath, and signed his name on the agreement.
Maybe it was Liu Yutong’s sincerity that touched him, but the tension in his heart slowly faded.
And now that he had a stake in the supermarket, his perspective naturally shifted.
If they could really expand the business, his share wouldn’t be small.
Yang Xin drew another deep breath, mustered his courage, and met Liu Yutong’s gaze directly.
“Boss, I need ten million.”
Shocking words—Yang Xin’s idea of honesty was asking for an astronomical sum outright.
