Sweet Gardenia - Chapter 19.2

In the afternoon, Fu Cheng had specially arranged a group photo session.

“It’s been so long, and we still haven’t taken a family portrait,” the old man said, beaming with rare joy as he carried two foxes out of the car. “You two, each hold one. Come on.”

Lu Zhi whispered to Fu Yanshang, “Hurry up and take it too?”

“Mm, it’s being kept upstairs,” he said. “For a family portrait, of course everyone has to be present.”

Fu Cheng: “What are you two whispering about again! Did you hear what I said?”

“You say everything seven times.  Which specific instance are you referring to?”

“…”

Lu Zhi lowered her head and looked at the fox in her arms for a while. Its fur was reddish-brown with an iridescent sheen, and it was male. She was just about to say, “Doesn’t it look like Nick Wilde?” when the fox in her arms was swapped out, and a pure white one was shoved into her arms.

Lu Zhi: “…”

The photoshoot process was actually quite tedious, and they had to change into many different themed outfits. Fortunately, Grandpa was full of energy and would occasionally glance back at Fu Yanshang: “Are you smiling or not? This is my anniversary birthday photo, not a funeral portrait!”

Fu Yanshang: “…”

It was the first time Lu Zhi had seen a look of resignation on his face. The man lowered his eyes and said, “I am smiling.”

“Can’t you smile as sweetly as Xiao Zhi here?”

“If I could smile as sweetly as her, you’d have to call the police.”

The old man snorted.

Finally, it was time for the last set of photos, reminiscing about youth. The elderly man changed into the long gown and mandarin jacket he wore when he was studying, picked out a school uniform skirt for her, and Fu Yanshang also wore a pure black tracksuit. The collar hung loosely around his neck, giving him an indescribably casual vibe.

Other CEOs looked tense enough to attend a UN meeting at any moment, but he looked like he was ready to skip school at a moment’s notice.

Lu Zhi took out her phone and, before she knew it, had stealthily pressed record while aiming it at him. The next moment, the person in the viewfinder turned his head and caught her red-handed. Lu Zhi, trying to cover up her actions, shifted her gaze away and quietly turned her phone around.

Fu Yanshang: “Come here.”

As she walked over, Lu Zhi quickly racked her brain for an explanation that she hadn’t been doing anything. But after sitting down, he asked, “Which high school did you go to?”

“Shouldn’t you know all about my background?” she grumbled, dissatisfied. “Suda High School.”

“Mm,” he didn’t seem surprised, as if he had just thought of something. “I’m seven years older than you?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Call me ‘senior.’ I’m trying to get into the mood.”

Lu Zhi opened her mouth, about to scold him for being an old man who didn’t know his place, when it suddenly dawned on her: “You went to Suda High too?”

“Mm, for my first year.”

Slowly, memories began to surface. She said, “Were you the one… who gave a study-sharing speech in the morning and then climbed over the fence in the afternoon to go watch a documentary?”

Just as Fu Yanshang was about to speak, she straightened up abruptly: “I hated you for that! Do you know they reinforced that fence because of you? I used to sneak out during PE class to eat fried chicken strips!”

“Is that so?” he said. “Then for dinner tonight…”

“But then I thought again, fried chicken strips are really unhealthy. Thank you, senior, for giving me such a healthy body,” she fawned obsequiously. “Eating too much fried food is bad for you. You must have thought of that. You were so considerate of us. I’m so touched.”

“Senior, after your study-sharing, you used to sit in the first row, third seat, right? I’ve sat there too. No wonder every time I sat there, I felt a spiritual connection with some sage, as if I’d been bathed in some kind of wisdom.”

“I’ll sit in the third row.”

Lu Zhi said, “I’ve sat in every seat before.”

He lowered his gaze and chuckled softly.

Lu Zhi’s makeup artist came over to touch up her makeup. While adjusting her eyeshadow, the artist began promoting: “Our studio is currently running a promotion.  If you book three sets of couple photoshoots, we’ll give you two round-trip tickets to Bali. Would you like to participate?”

“Our photoshoot packages are really cost-effective, and the results are especially beautiful. Even if you don’t book a photoshoot, you can still take part. You can recharge a membership card. For every 20,000 yuan recharged, you’ll get 3,000 yuan back… If you don’t want to recharge, that’s fine too…”

Lu Zhi was busy replying to messages on her phone and waved her hand dismissively, emphasizing her sincerity: “No need. We’re in a marriage of convenience.”

Makeup artist: ?

–

After the photoshoot, the trip ended early the following evening.

To ensure a better experience this time or next, Fu Yanshang had already installed an air conditioner in the room. It was only when she was leaving that she realized he had been measuring for it that day.

They arrived home at 11 p.m. With her long-lost sleep finally within reach, Lu Zhi sank into the soft mattress, her heart softening along with it.

She called Li Siyi to reconfirm the work tasks starting the next day. The second round of internal testing was about to finalize participant slots, after which the product would enter public testing and be launched on app stores.

After hearing her plans, Li Siyi chimed in: “If you’re planning so many activities in the early stages… you’ll really need to invest a lot. Can’t Fu Yanshang help with funding?”

She was a planner with a genuine reliance on financial power, hiring the best illustrators, the best music teams, every aspect required money.

Li Siyi said, “I’ve thought of a great plan to avoid the financial pain.”

“What is it?”

“You haven’t even signed a contract with your husband yet. Why not revise it and propose a 20-80 split with him?”

“Are you crazy? How could he possibly agree to a 20-80 split with me?” Lu Zhi said. “Does he have some kind of leverage in my hands?”

“Come on, just ask. Asking won’t cost you anything.  It’s just a few words. What if it works? If our annual revenue hits 100 million, an extra 10% split would mean 10 million more for us, darling.”

“You’re overthinking it. There’s no way he’d agree to a 20-80 split with me.”

But when Fu Yanshang emerged from his shower, Lu Zhi had to admit.  Perhaps the soft steam had diminished his usual aggressiveness, before her brain could fully process the thought, her mouth had already recklessly spoken: “Can we do a 20-80 split?”

Fu Yanshang: ?

He paused mid-step, then after a moment said, “Reason?”

“What reason?” She played the family card. “We’re family. Cutting me some slack, isn’t that just human nature?”

“Is that so?” He lowered his gaze, a drop of water rolling down his throat, then leaned down calmly to look at her. “But why did I hear you tell someone that we’re in a marriage of convenience?”