The investment matters were gradually getting on track. Yan Cheng began a busy life of early mornings and late returns. He was truly a newcomer in this industry, so it was inevitable that he would encounter situations where he felt like a blind man touching an elephant. He gave up his leisurely lifestyle, treating the bar owner position as a side job, and spent most of his time learning from Chai Yue.
Chai Yue did his best to objectively and fairly analyze the pros and cons of various investment projects in the market for Yan Cheng, offering his own views like setting up a signpost for direction. However, the final decision was still left to Yan Cheng.
“The market changes rapidly. This business carries huge risks,” Chai Yue took a sip of tea, pondered for a moment, and continued, “Of course, there are low-risk investments too, but they bring in money more slowly.”
In the end, it was all a gamble.
“Whether to seek stability or profit depends on your choice.” This conversation was basically about getting Yan Cheng to invest money.
Yan Cheng puffed his cheeks, narrowed his eyes, and pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. Although he already had ideas in mind, he was still dissatisfied with Chai Yue’s ambiguous attitude that essentially said nothing. “You’re just stating the obvious.”
Chai Yue: “…”
This was a habit given to Chai Yue by the nature of his work. When investments actually failed, it could minimize his responsibility as much as possible.
The atmosphere suddenly fell into silence.
Yan Cheng rested his elbow on his knee, his palm against his forehead. After rubbing it a few times, his personality determined that he was a risk-taker. Though usually lazy and accustomed to being laid-back, when it came time to make decisions, he was quite manly and decisive: “I’ll invest two million first, in Zhiyuan Technology.”
Chai Yue was stunned: “You can also split the investment to spread the risk.”
Everyone understands the principle of not putting all your eggs in one basket.
Yan Cheng frowned, thought for a moment, then agreed to Chai Yue’s suggestion. However, the proportions still differed quite a bit – one and a half million went to Zhiyuan Technology, while the remaining five hundred thousand was invested in low-risk projects.
After settling this matter, Chai Yue quickly received Yan Cheng’s two-million check. It was said that the subsequent procedures would be entirely handled by Chai Yue, though not without compensation – once the investment showed returns, Chai Yue would get a commission.
Being brothers, Chai Yue didn’t intend to profit from Yan Cheng, just saying, “What needs watching still needs watching. Besides, you’re not busy with anything during the day anyway.”
“I trust you,” Yan Cheng lowered his eyelashes and said flatly.
“…” This wasn’t just about trust.
Yan Cheng: “I won’t be in the capital for a few days anyway, just help me keep an eye on things.” After a pause, he smiled, “Besides, this is your actual job.”
This wasn’t wrong, of course. But for someone wanting to make investment a long-term side job, personally learning about the industry would be much more reliable than this kind of proxy approach. Though it couldn’t be said that entirely entrusting it to him was unsafe.
Chai Yue was silent for a while, not arguing about this trivial matter anymore. His focus had shifted slightly, “Where are you going?”
“Shanghai,” Yan Cheng carelessly looked back, glancing at him sideways, his tone mysteriously becoming smug: “Going on vacation.”
Chai Yue was surprised, “You’re in the mood for this? That’s not like you?”
“Mm.” Yan Cheng neither confirmed nor denied, his eyebrows moving, “Going with Jin Yao.”
“…” Chai Yue could hardly stand to look at the current Yan Cheng. Chen Jin Yao was too terrifying, turning his playboy brother into a faithful dog.
However, thinking again, he felt his thoughts weren’t quite right.
Chai Yue: “Does sister-in-law know about your investment?”
“Not yet,” Yan Cheng shook his head.
When he made money, he planned to give Chen Jin Yao a surprise. Of course, he was also prepared for the worst outcome. If things went badly and he lost money, let him suffer alone.
Chai Yue didn’t know these considerations in Yan Cheng’s mind. He looked at this married man with a complex expression, pursed his lips, then carefully asked: “So, Young Master Yan, is this two million your secret stash?”
Hearing this, Yan Cheng was completely stunned, looking bewildered: “????”
To be honest, Yan Cheng had no concept of secret savings. More accurately, he and Chen Jin Yao each controlled their own income, both financially independent, not interfering with each other in this area. Apart from this point, they couldn’t really be considered traditionally splitting bills either. How to put it – it was a bit contradictory, not completely separated, yet seemed separated. Like with eating expenses and daily necessities, sometimes he would pay, sometimes she would pay, and they wouldn’t keep track of who paid more often…
“What secret stash?” Yan Cheng frowned.
Chai Yue wore an expression of “you can’t be serious” disbelief, almost as if he’d seen a ghost. After a good while, he slowly realized that Yan Cheng wasn’t joking. This result was beyond Chai Yue’s expectations, making him feel mixed emotions: “Looks like sister-in-law truly loves you, not kicking you out even like this.”
These words were quite harsh. Yan Cheng’s face was expressionless as he ground his teeth, his tone unfriendly: “What do you mean?”
Chai Yue coughed lightly and said seriously: “When my sister was teaching my brother-in-law how to be a husband, she dragged me along to listen too. She said that part of a woman’s sense of security in marriage comes from her husband handing over his salary card. In today’s marriages, the divorce rate is too high, proving that relationships and feelings maintained by marriage certificates can change with the trivial daily life of oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea, and the passage of time. Intangible things are hard to grasp, the only thing that can be firmly held in hand is material things.”
It seemed that Chai Yue’s sister had given this lesson more than once, with such a complete set of principles that Chai Yue could recite them backwards and forwards.
“My sister said that when a man hands over his salary card, letting his wife manage the accounts, he’s entrusting his back to the other person – it’s a form of trust.”
“Good men are very conscious about this.”
The completely unconscious Yan Cheng felt like his knee had been hit by an arrow: “…”
Any theory that works logically can be reasonable. But this “reasonable” depends on which angle you’re looking from. After all, different couples have different life philosophies. Compared to these rigid principles, what’s “suitable” is actually most important.
Chai Yue smiled: “I thought you were also the type to hand over your salary card.”
“…” Yan Cheng narrowed his eyes, lazily leaning back in his chair. He caught the key words in that long speech, and after a while, raised an eyebrow and asked back, “She’ll feel secure if I hand over my salary card?”
“I guess so.” Chai Yue wasn’t too sure either, his eyes wandering, “After all, there’s a saying…”
Yan Cheng: “Hmm?”
Chai Yue closed his eyes and sighed: “Men become unreliable when they have money.”
Yan Cheng: “…”
Regarding the class reunion, Chen Jin Yao discovered that Yan Cheng was more enthusiastic than her. But his enthusiasm seemed to have priorities reversed. The class reunion had become secondary.
Yan Cheng named this southern journey their “second honeymoon,” making a detailed itinerary that circled all the tourist spots near Shanghai.
“Why did you draw a red line around Mount Putuo?” Chen Jin Yao quickly scanned the table he made, her mouth twitching. Seeing his marked priorities, she pondered for a moment, raised her eyes, and looked at him thoughtfully.
He was quite straightforward, “Mount Putuo has Guanyin, if we go we can pray for a child while we’re there.”
Chen Jin Yao gasped: “…”
She almost threw the notebook in his face: No propriety at all.
On June 10th, two days before the class reunion, the class monitor contacted Chen Jin Yao again. After most people had confirmed their attendance, the organized activities needed to include full service, arranging hotel accommodations and room assignments.
Chen Jin Yao thought for a moment but still declined politely, “I’ve already booked my own hotel.”
Class Monitor: “If we book here together, everyone can gather in one place, it’ll be more convenient for meeting up later.”
After a moment of silence, Chen Jin Yao glanced at Yan Cheng, who was busy with something, “Just tell me which hotel it is. My husband also wants to come see my alma mater, so it’s more convenient to book ourselves.”
During their last conversation, the class monitor had already sensed that someone might have lost their chance, but didn’t expect, “You’re married?”
“Yes, almost a year now.”
The class monitor laughed dryly: “Never heard the news.”
Chen Jin Yao had nothing to explain, “Afraid of dying from showing off our love too much.”
“…”
Having said this much, there wasn’t much point in continuing to bother her. The class monitor sighed deeply, made up a few more things to say, told her the hotel name, then hung up.
At the same time, Yan Cheng seemed to have finished whatever he was working on. He was different from usual. Holding something hidden behind his back, standing three meters away from Chen Jin Yao, no longer showing his usual casual demeanor, instead acting shy like a young lady, probably still organizing his thoughts.
Chen Jin Yao glanced at him but didn’t pay him attention, throwing her phone on the bed and continuing to organize the clothes she needed to bring, folding them one by one into the suitcase.
Yan Cheng wasn’t annoyed, quietly swaying behind her. He really wasn’t in a hurry, seeming to have enough patience to wait her out.
“…” Chen Jin Yao couldn’t stand the burning gaze on her back. She half-squatted, turned her head to look up at Yan Cheng, narrowed her eyes, and asked softly: “Something wrong?”
What followed was several tens of seconds of eye contact. Yan Cheng’s expression was particularly serious. He lowered his eyes, his eyelashes trembling slightly, hiding a few traces of awkward discomfort in his black pupils, then nodded, “Mm.”
Chen Jin Yao raised her hand to scratch her hair, “What is it?”
After pausing for two seconds, she added, “You hemming and hawing like this makes me nervous.”
The atmosphere had become strange. It felt like some bad news was about to be announced.
“…” Yan Cheng was silent.
And her suddenly slightly nervous expression made him want to laugh.
The hand behind his back was gripping tightly, his palm sweating. Yan Cheng suppressed his constantly rising lips, took a deep breath, walked forward a few steps, stood in front of Chen Jin Yao, squatted down, then, with excellent acting skills, presented the card in his hand to Chen Jin Yao with a casual expression.
Chen Jin Yao: “?”
Like a sudden attack, she was a bit dazed.
Yan Cheng raised his chin, winked at her, “Take it.”
“… What?” She frowned slightly, lowered her eyes to look at what he was holding, still confused.
Yan Cheng reached out to mess up her hair, slowly curved his lips, then opened his mouth and drawled lazily, with hints of laughter: “My salary card, boss.”
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