Zhao Yinian's face looked like she'd just eaten something foul.
She was stunned, angry, indignant, and demanded of Song Xinya, "Why would anyone pay ten times the going rate to hire you as a tutor?"
Song Xinya: "That must be because I'm worth that much."
Zhao Yinian: "Here I am, a gold-tier instructor, and no one's willing to pay that kind of money to hire me as a tutor."
Chen Siyan: "Look, look, President Zhao, why are you airing your own dirty laundry? A gold-tier instructor landing smaller deals than an A-tier instructor like Teacher Song? You're not owning up to anything — you're just showing how watered-down that gold-tier title of yours really is."
Zhao Yinian slapped the documents on the table with a loud smack. "President Qin was one of the judges when I was named gold-tier instructor. If you question the validity of my gold-tier status, go ask President Qin."
The implication was clear: doubting her gold-tier qualification was the same as doubting President Qin.
Song Xinya: "Fine then. I talk to President Qin on the phone every day, so asking him is just one sentence away. I'll ask him today."
Chen Siyan: "Oh dear, right, what a terrible memory I've got — like a goldfish, only seven seconds. I almost forgot — Teacher Song is President Qin's girlfriend. They're so close, chatting sweetly on the phone every day, and every night it's hugs and kisses and being carried off to bed."
Zhao Yinian's mouth twisted with fury.
She'd moved the weekly meeting up an hour early, hoping to walk in with her head held high, but instead she walked out fuming like a boiling pot.
Dong Dongdong, on the other hand, knew how to take a loss gracefully. He'd walked in feeling invincible after signing three clients in six days, ready to crush Song Xinya and Chen Siyan in the running for gold-tier instructor, but now that hope was dead. He turned to Song Xinya and said, "Congratulations, Teacher Song."
Song Xinya: "Same to you — congrats on another deal."
Dong Dongdong: "I still can't match your abilities, Teacher Song."
Chen Siyan: "Good that you know it. Keep that in mind — just be yourself, because that's all you're good at anyway."
Dong Dongdong: "...Fine."
Chen Siyan turned to Song Xinya, grinning. "Teacher Song, double celebration today — we've got to go out for a meal tonight."
Song Xinya: "What double celebration?"
Chen Siyan, all sly smiles: "One, you landed a huge deal. Two, you get to treat me to dinner."
Song Xinya: "Spending money to feed you is supposed to be my honor?"
Chen Siyan: "Of course. Most people would kill for the chance to have dinner with me, and I don't give just anyone that privilege."
Song Xinya: "...Thanks, I guess. Really, thank you."
But it was a big deal worth celebrating, so Song Xinya called out to everyone in the meeting room: "Dinner together tonight, everyone!"
Zhao Yinian rolled her eyes. "Who wants your dinner?"
Song Xinya didn't even look at her. "Wasn't planning to include you. Don't flatter yourself."
The room erupted in muffled laughter.
Everyone in this company was a different kind of beast — the sales champion who clashed with her daily, and the girlfriend of President Qin who was untouchable. Just thinking about it gave Zhao Yinian a headache.
She stood up, kicked the chair hard with her foot, and let out a long, screeching drag of metal against the floor.
"Meeting adjourned."
Chen Siyan: "Bye-bye."
Zhao Yinian shot him a dagger glare as she passed him.
Chen Siyan clutched his chest. "Ohhhh, easy there, President Zhao — glare a little gentler, would you? I've got a weak heart. You'll give me a cardiac arrest."
Zhao Yinian: "If you dropped dead, the world would be a better place — one less menace."
Chen Siyan: "President Zhao, save yourself the trouble of wishing me dead. Haven't you heard the saying? Wicked men live forever. I won't die, I won't die — even on the day they lower you into the ground, I'll still be around for another thousand years."
Zhao Yinian: "You despicable mutt!"
Chen Siyan: "President Zhao, if you really can't stand the sight of me, just fire me. As it happens, a company approached me yesterday to head over as their general manager. You can me today, and I'll seamlessly slide into my next job tomorrow."
Zhao Yinian withdrew her glare — no way was she letting this sales champion walk out the door.
Since Song Xinya had to go teach Sheng Tianjun at six in the evening, the group used their personal leave to take half the day off and headed out for barbecue.
It was three in the afternoon.
Song Xinya called Tiantianquan: "Babe, come out for afternoon tea."
Tiantianquan had just finished giving a client her double-eyelid procedure and had some free time: "Fine, I love afternoon tea."
Standing next to a sizzling grill, Tiantianquan stared at Song Xinya in disbelief. "Who has barbecue for afternoon tea? What's next — you're going to have me eating scallion pancakes rolled with savory crepes?"
Song Xinya: "Are you eating or not?"
Tiantianquan plopped down, grabbing chopsticks: "When in Rome, I eat."
Since Chen Siyan had already told his coworkers about his plan to pursue Tiantianquan, this table had only the three of them — him, her, and Song Xinya.
The two ladies did the eating; he, like a gentleman, did the grilling.
Australian marbled wagyu, streaked with fat running through the tender meat. Grilled to perfection — crisp on the outside, silky within, glistening beads of oil popping off the surface. One bite, and your mouth was full of savory richness.
Tiantianquan, who'd been so dismissive moments before, plowed through three pounds like it was nothing.
Song Xinya: "Did you skip lunch?"
Tiantianquan: "I ate."
Chen Siyan: "Could've fooled me — I thought you hadn't eaten in eight hundred years."
Tiantianquan: "What, you worried I'm eating too much?"
Chen Siyan glanced at her slender waist: "Not worried about the waistline getting thick?"
Tiantianquan: "You prefer a slim waist?"
Chen Siyan: "Of course I do — what man doesn't like a woman with curves, a tiny waist, and a nice behind?"
Tiantianquan: "Men. Always demanding their wives be beautiful, fit, and emotionally available — never looking at themselves, beer-gutted, balding, greasy losers with nothing going for them. Useless in every department: no looks, no skills, no money. Your own life is a dumpster fire, and you're out here demanding your woman be a trophy. If there's no mirror in the men's room, go take a good long look in the women's — you toads with flowers stuck on your heads, acting like you're something special!"
Chen Siyan got a face full of spit.
He wiped his face with his hand. "Who are you talking about? Who are you insulting with all that, huh? I don't have a beer gut, I'm not balding, and I'm not a greasy little —"
Tiantianquan: "You use the mini size, so don't front like you're big."
Chen Siyan put down the grill tongs, dead serious. "Tiantianquan, I've got to set the record straight — I only use the extra-extra-large."
Tiantianquan: "Nyah nyah nyah nyah! Don't believe you."
Chen Siyan grabbed her thin, smooth wrist and hauled her to her feet: "Enough eating. Let's go."
Tiantianquan, confused: "Where are we going?"
Chen Siyan: "Somewhere private. I'll drop my pants and let you inspect whether it's mini or extra-extra-large."
Tiantianquan squeaked like a baby bird: "You're a pervert! I'm trying to eat here!"
Chen Siyan: "You can eat mine!"
Tiantianquan's face flushed red. She clenched both fists and pounded on Chen Siyan in a flurry of wild, messy punches, letting out an incoherent barrage of noise as she flailed.
Chen Siyan pinched her soft waist.
Tiantianquan yelped and collapsed onto the booth seat.
Chen Siyan took the chance to sit right next to her, pressing up against her.
"There's an empty seat across from us and you won't take it, instead you squeeze onto the same bench as me—you dog, you dog, you shameless little dick boy!"
Tiantianquan flailed her little fists at Chen Siyan again, while he pinched her waist, grabbed her arms, and stroked her little hands.
The two of them tumbled into a playfight, all squeals and groans and yelps.
Song Xinya calmly kept eating her barbecue.
Tsk. What a cozy little family of three.
She was like the mom taking two rowdy kids out for grilled meat.
Since she had to go teach Sheng Tianjun at six o'clock, Song Xinya finished eating and drinking, wiped her mouth, and stood up. Tiantianquan and Chen Siyan were still wrestling.
Chen Siyan used his tall, sturdy build to pin Tiantianquan firmly against the wall.
Their bodies pressed together, flush against each other, not a gap in sight.
Song Xinya glanced over and saw Tiantianquan's full chest squashed flat by Chen Siyan's solid pecs.
She cleared her throat: "Why don't you two just get a room?"
Tiantianquan hissed like an angry kitten: "I'll get him a jail cell!"
Chen Siyan, lazy and loose, grinned with a wicked ripple: "Sweetheart, you wouldn't dare."
