After Breaking Up With The Wealthy Heiress - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Fang Yu didn’t have much of a concept for holidays. At most, eating a zongzi for the Dragon Boat Festival or a mooncake for the Mid-Autumn Festival counted as a celebration. For her, holidays mostly meant opportunities for part-time work.

The most recent “holiday” was the fan-made “520” (a Chinese Internet Valentine’s Day due to its homophone to “I love you”). Since this year’s May 20th happened to fall on a Sunday, her habitual mindset told her she’d be doing herself a disservice if she didn’t pick up a shift.

As for “celebrating,” she hadn’t given it a thought. Or rather, thinking about it was useless; she and Tan Yunshu weren’t in a dating relationship. Furthermore, she didn’t even know if Tan Yunshu had returned to Liucheng.

Since that phone call the other night, she had sent a “Goodnight” message once late at night, but it had vanished into the void without a response. She hadn’t sent anything since. She figured Tan Yunshu must be busier than her, likely with unavoidable social engagements after all, why else would someone who protected their voice so fiercely be drinking?

Once she rationalized it, she stopped feeling sad about it. Graduation was approaching, and it was better to focus on her work.

This latest job was an invitation from Sister Jiao: a booth event for a skincare brand on May 19th and 20th. Sister Jiao told her to look over the brochures and just show up. The pay was the same as before, but the commission was even higher than the previous makeup brand.

When Sister Jiao finalized the headcount and created a group chat, Fang Yu saw Cheng Meng among the members. The person who had snatched her order last time didn’t reappear. Seconds later, she received a private message from Cheng Meng: Xiao Yu! See you tomorrow! accompanied by a “dragon roar” emoji. She seemed very excited.

Lately, since Fang Yu hadn’t been working late, the two of them hadn’t chatted much, but their conversation wasn’t as stiff as with others. Fang Yu caught the infectious energy, smiled, and replied: See you tomorrow.

Cheng Meng added with a sigh: But thinking about it, we’re so pitiful. No dates for 520, just manual labor.

Fang Yu didn’t chime in on the “pitiful” sentiment. She felt working was good; having an income meant easing her mother’s burden. She replied: Others spend money, we earn money. It’s great.

Cheng Meng: Hahaha, true!

They didn’t chat much longer as Sister Jiao started posting reminders. Not everyone in the group was an experienced hand, so they went through the standard procedures—handling emergencies and customer scripts.

“520” was a popular modern folk holiday. Long before May 20th, shops both online and offline were warming up with advertisements, launching various couple packages and activities. By the time Sunday arrived, it felt as though there was no room for single people on the streets; it was as if being single were a crime, with couples holding hands in every corner of the mall.

On this day, people would pay ten times the usual price for a single rose. However, most brands took the chance to run promotions. The skincare brand Fang Yu was working for was a well-known domestic brand that had recently gained market traction. Their “520” discounts were generous.

Consequently, Fang Yu was incredibly busy at the booth. Today was even more hectic than yesterday. Most customers were couples. Although she was only pulling people in, her face was stiff from smiling.

As Cheng Meng put it, they were like NPCs in a game; as long as someone got close, they triggered the keywords: “Hello, Ma’am…” “Sir, would you like to get something for your loved one…”

Her break was only ten minutes, and this time she and Cheng Meng were on different shifts, so there was no time for idle chatter. This suited her; she preferred being alone.

The mall was the same new one on the west side. The bustle exceeded that of the May Day holiday. Every floor was packed. In one corner, a drama was unfolding where a man had been caught cheating, drawing a large crowd of onlookers.

Fang Yu sat motionless on a sofa, uninterested in the drama, quietly drinking her bottled water. Just as she finished a bottle, several people carrying cameras pointed their lenses at her. She didn’t hide; Sister Jiao had warned them that the mall’s photography team would be filming a new promotional video. The holiday crowd provided the perfect backdrop for an investment promotion clip.

The camera accurately captured her faint smile, showcasing a professional working spirit. A nearby staff member gave her a thumbs-up, looking very satisfied. The camera then slowly panned away to the busy crowd behind her.

When will that promotional video be visible? Fang Yu wondered for a second before letting it go. It had nothing to do with her; she wasn’t even a permanent employee. She stood up, tossed the empty bottle in the trash, and headed back down with a practiced smile.

The first draft of the promotional video reached Shen Yingzhi’s hands that afternoon. It wasn’t finely edited yet, meant mainly to check the rhythm and direction.

Usually, this wouldn’t concern her—the Shen family owned malls all over the country—but she felt a special attachment to this one on the west side of Liucheng. She had participated in its design and watched it grow. So, when the savvy manager asked for her input, she decided to see if it captured the feeling she wanted.

The high-priced photography team lived up to their reputation. Within half a day, the first version looked impressive—grand yet detailed, high-end yet full of life. It was far better than other promotional videos she’d seen.

Shen Yingzhi grew more satisfied as she watched. Not content with watching alone, she shared it in the group chat with Tan Yunshu and Liang Pei.

Liang Pei, the wealthy young heir, replied instantly: So many beauties. I like it. Shen Yingzhi: Get lost. Shen Yingzhi tagged Tan Yunshu: Watch it quickly! Yunshu!

Seconds later, she got a reply: Got it.

Tan Yunshu’s response was lazy. She had just returned to Liucheng from Beijing yesterday. While there was no jet lag, a week of drinking and social gymnastics in Beijing had left her needing a slow recovery.

The floor-to-ceiling window on the first floor of the villa was a favorite spot for her and Ms. Cui Wan. Today the weather was pleasant. Cui Wan and Uncle Chang were in the garden chatting with a new gardener, while she reclined on the sofa. Sunlight slanted in, scattering gold across the floor and into Tan Yunshu’s amber eyes, reflecting the faint mole on the bridge of her nose.

She propped up her head, her gaze falling on her phone screen under thin eyelids. She had just opened the one-minute video. Since Shen Yingzhi insisted, she wasn’t going to be perfunctory.

The background music was grand and upbeat, the angles were good… it looked like a mall perfect for the whole family. But what she didn’t expect was for Fang Yu to appear for two seconds.

Tan Yunshu slowly sat up straight. In the frame, the girl in the red-and-white uniform with her hair tied up showed no fluster when the camera caught her; instead, she offered a smile.

Tan Yunshu rewound to the part where Fang Yu appeared and pressed pause. Her long lashes fluttered, and a faint smile played on her lips.

Shen Yingzhi: Yunshu, where are you? Does one minute take this long to watch?

Tan Yunshu went back to WeChat. Her fingertips hesitated on the screen before she asked: Was this filmed today? Shen Yingzhi: Yeah, filmed this morning by a professional team.

Tan Yunshu stood up. She curled her lips into a smile, typing as she walked: It’s very attractive to me. Shen Yingzhi: Wait for the final cut. Liang Pei: It’s very attractive to me too, honestly. Liang Pei: [Especially the beauty in the red-and-white uniform.

Tan Yunshu’s expression tightened like a cat with its fur ruffled. She sent a single word: Die.

Minutes later, Cui Wan turned around to ask for her daughter’s opinion, only to find the sofa empty. She frowned.

Fang Yu had earned another precious ten-minute break, holding a fresh bottle of water. The warehouse was well-stocked with water, at least. Having spoken too much, her throat was a bit raspy; for these ten minutes, she intended not to say a single word.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, her screen lit up. It was a call from Tan Yunshu.

Fang Yu choked on her water and hurriedly answered. Fortunately, the mall wasn’t as loud as the subway; she didn’t need to hunt for a quiet spot, though people were still passing by. She stood up and headed for the nearest emergency exit.

Tan Yunshu’s gaze was following Fang Yu from across the way. Seeing her move, she followed at an unhurried pace. Over the phone, she asked formally: “Are you busy?”

“Not right now. I’m on a break.” “How long is your break?” “Ten minutes total. Seven minutes left.” Fang Yu pulled open the heavy door and entered the emergency stairwell. It was cool and quiet. “It was a bit noisy out there. Is it clearer now?”

She had no concept of this “holiday,” but she didn’t want to miss a call from Tan Yunshu. Tan Yunshu countered with a question: “Is it a bit noisy on my end too?” “A little.” It was different from the quiet backgrounds of before. Fang Yu could hear it, but couldn’t quite make out the sounds.

Just as she spoke, the door to the stairwell behind her opened. Hearing the movement, she turned her head while still holding the phone.

The voice on the other end of the line synced perfectly with reality: “How about now?”

The stairwell door closed softly. Tan Yunshu ended the call and walked up to her. She watched as Fang Yu blinked, looking like she hadn’t quite processed the situation. Tan Yunshu smiled, reached out, and took Fang Yu’s glasses between her fingertips.

A second later, she repeated the question: “Is it still noisy, Fang Yu?”

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