Shu Yan didn't know what the mother and son were thinking but, even if she did, she would only laugh at their stupidity. Knowing what kind of people that they were, why would she voluntarily offer herself up? She hasn't lost her mind yet.
As the year was about to be over, both the factories over at Lao Zhang's side and the company over on Hu Ruixue's side were about to let out for the employees to go home for the new year.
Shu Yan were never that involved but needed to show her face at year end. She went over to Lao Zhang's place first. They had a meeting in the morning and then they paid their employees and also gave out the New Year goods consisted of two bottles of oil, a bag of rice, and a case of crackers. They were considered very generous in light that many factories couldn't even pay their employees right now.
"Why are you giving me a set too?" Lao Zhang gave Shu Yan two sets and she didn't know what to make of that. "There is not necessary."
"It's nothing fancy; it's something festive for the new year. We will see you next year, Boss Shu." Lao Zhang shoved the items into the trunk and had them sent to Shu Yan's place.
"See you next year. Happy new year to you and your wife. I hope you will be healthy and business will be good in the new year." Shu Yan stopped turning his gifts down.
They had made a lot of money this year. Their share was 1.15 million each. Subtracting the 150,000 yuan that Shu Yan had invested for her 20% ownership, the remaining 1 million yuan had been paid to her.
"Yes, I hope everything goes well for you next year as well, Boss Shu." Lao Zhang laughed as he saw Shu Yan off.
By the time she got to the company, Hu Ruixue had already gotten out of the meeting. Other than their regular pay, bonuses were also given out today. Many people were discussing softly about the year-end bonus and everybody seemed very happy.
"When's Boss Hu starting her vacation?"
"We will be going to dine at a hotel in the afternoon and vacation will start after that. The office will be reopening on the 8th," replied Hu Ruixue's assistant.
Shu Yan nodded. She walked inside of the office and saw Hu Ruixue talking to the HR manager about the agenda for the afternoon.
"There will be events?" Their company was particularly busy during year end. Shu Yan didn't think there were still time to rehearse for events.
"Ah, perfect timing. You need to get on the stage and say something in a little while." When Hu Ruixue saw Shu Yan, she immediately had the HR manager clear a window for Shu Yan.
"What am I suppose to say on stage? Haven't you had the meeting this morning already? I'll pass." Shu Yan's body language clearly resented the idea.
"You are one of the bosses. You need to show your face during the year end party." Hu Ruixue wasn't going to let her off the hook easily. She insisted for Shu Yan to say something on stage.
She was finally pushed onto the stage by Hu Ruixue. Mainly she talked about their success this year and what she looked forward to for the next. She thanked everyone and ended with telling them to have a happy new year.
"See? Wasn't that hard, was it. You even did a better job than me," said Hu Ruixue at Shu Yan with a feigned surprised look.
Shu Yan rolled her eyes at her and carried on eating.
After the company meal was over, Shu Yan went back to her own shop without a break.
They have been having promotional activities in the last few days and business had been great. They were bringing in over 10,000-yuan revenue daily. Today's and yesterday's revenue had been worse. Mainly because most people had already bought what they wanted. Shu Yan didn't care much for businesses in the remaining days so she had Zhang Huaxiu and Yingying cleaned up, closed the shop at 5 PM, and only to return on the 8th of the new year.
"Thank you for all of your hard work this year. Just clean up and take off. Be back on the 8th after the new year. Don't be late." Shu Yan took the opportunity to calculate their pay while they two were cleaning up.
Zhang Huaxiu and Yingying had always been very hard working and diligent. Shu Yan had barely gone over to the shop in the last month or so but the two of them never slacked off and did their jobs well. As such, Shu Yan gave them each a 500-yuan red pocket.
"I am going to say Happy New Year to you now. Hope you will both have a good holiday."
"Thank you, Boss Lady. We shall say Happy New Year to you now as well. We wish you good health and good business," said Yingying to Shu Yan happily as she received her pay and the red pocket.
In addition to the red pockets were the two's pay. Shu Yan placed the pay slip into the envelopes for them as well. Then there were the year-end bonuses. Zhuo Yixuan did a good job so Shu Yan gave her 1,000 yuan and Yingying got 500.
After they were all packed up, they turned off the main power switch, brought down the metal gate, and Zhang Huaxiu pasted a notice written on a red sheet of paper and their holidays started officially.
"Aunty, when does vacation start for your daughter?" Aunty's daughter's school let out on the 18th but Aunty, who had just gotten a new job, couldn't just take off immediately. As such, her daughter looked for a temporary job over the holidays so she could stay in City Nan with her mother.
"Her vacation starts on the 28th, so..." Aunty rubbed her hands together. "I'd like to return home on the 28th. But I will have New Year's meal, sugar cakes, rice cakes, and steam buns ready. I've made quite a bit of them and I will make some more dumplings tomorrow. We can leave them in the refrigerator and you won't need to make any yourself over the new year."
"Ok, got cha." Aunty had only been working there for 10 days so she wouldn't be getting paid just yet. That being said, Shu Yan had also prepared a red pocket for her with 50 yuan inside of it. She also gave her one of the oil and cracker sets that she had gotten from Lao Zhang. "I will be going back to work on the 8thand the kids will be returning to school about the same time. I would like it if you can return a little bit before that."
"I'll be back on the 6th," said Aunty immediately.
Aunty was truly a diligent one. Not only did she have the entire place cleaned, she had also made a lot of snacks for the new year. There were so many dumplings with all sorts of fillings that they couldn't even all fit into the refrigerator. Some of them had to be left out.
"Mom, everybody else are going home for the new year, are we going back also?" asked Tianbao suddenly.
"Going back for the new year? Where are we going?" Shu Yan was taken aback a little. She felt for sure that Tianbao had already forgotten all about it.
"Back to..." Tianbao gave Shu Yan a cautious look. Little kids are very sensitive. He just knew that Mommy might not be too happy if he brought up Grandma, Grandpa, or Daddy.
"This is our home so we will be home for the new year. Go watch some television. Mommy will make a few dishes from our hometown in the afternoon." Shu Yan did not elaborate on that.
The three of them went to take a nap after lunch and it was almost 3 PM by the time they got up. Shu Yan was dazed for a little bit and suddenly didn't know what she could do.
On the 29th, Shu Yan had the kids put up couplets with her and started preparing New Year's Eve dinner. Her phone rang from time to time. Lao Zhang, Hu Ruixue and others were calling to say Happy New Year. In addition, Feng Zeyu called as well.
"Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year to you too!" Shu Yan didn't think he'd call today.
"You... are you spending the new year in town with your children?"
"Yeah, haven't I mentioned before? I don't have a good relationship with my family so I am not going to go back. What about you? Are you going to spend new year with that grandma?" asked Shu Yan.
"Mmm."
Shu Yan suddenly recalled the excessive quantity of dumplings that she had in her refrigerator and said, "Do you like dumplings for the new year? My aunty made more than what me and the two kids can eat before she took off. Would you like some?"
Feng Zeyu was taken aback a little. His lips parted and, suddenly, he no longer wanted to turn her down. "Grandma is up there in age and I don't know how to cook. I was just worrying about how to make some dumplings for the new year. Thank you so much."
Mao Weiping, standing next to him, suddenly noticed something unusual in the air and insisted on getting into the car with Feng Zeyu and over to the little district where Shu Yan was.
Seeing Feng Zeyu getting out of a small car, Shu Yan just took a look but didn't ask any questions. "I don't know what kind of stuffing you and old grandmother like so I grab a little of each. Inside the red bag are chives and meat ones. Inside the white one are tofu and meat ones. This with a knot on top has a little bit of everything – beef, lamb, seafood, and other miscellaneous ones. Aunty's cooking is amazing." By the time Shu Yan stopped talking, she noticed that Feng Zeyu had been looking at her the entire time. She paused a little and carried on. "The aunty made so much that there is no way the three of us can finish eating them. They won't taste very good if they stay in the refrigerator for too long. If you like them, I can give you more." Having said that, she shoved the bags into his hand then turned and left.
Someone leaned against the car window from inside the car and had been staring at the two of them the entire time. After Shu Yan had left, he opened up the car door, pulled Feng Zeyu inside of the car and asked, "Is that her? Is that her?"
Feng Zeyu pushed his head away and said, "What do you mean 'is that her'? She's already a mother of two."
"Oh darn! Feng-zi, I didn't know you are into something like this – falling for a married woman. Are you aware that this is wrong?" Mao Weiping stared at Feng Zeyu. He trusted his brother's morale but who could say for sure when it came to romance?
"She's divorced."
Mao Weiping swallowed up the rest of his words. "Geez, can you not take a breather between your sentences? Here I thought you are having an affair with some married woman. Divorce is good. Now that she's divorced, you will have a shot at it. Go after her. You are 35 years old already. That's not young by any stretch of imagination." As though something had just occurred to him, Mao Weiping suddenly asked, troubled, "You said she has two children already. Did she have a tubal ligation then? Maybe it's better to have a child of your own."
"What are you talking about?" Feng Zeyu glanced over at him. "There's nothing going on between us. We are just friends."
Just friends? Like heck you are. Thought Mao Weiping to himself.
"Don't mention it after we've gone back. Rumors are bad for her." Looking at the dumplings in his hand, he had Mao Weiping drop him off at home first.
Feng Zeyu had been through too much and seen too many lives and deaths. He didn't care that Shu Yan was a divorcee. Quite the contrary, he was very touched by this strong, confident, and kind single mother.
Granted, partly it was also that a lot of her kind acts had truly touched him. In his 35 years, with the exception of his grandparents, this was the first time he had received kindness from a woman. He would be lying to say he wasn't touched at all.
Except that he had been to prison before and his reputation was awful in this area. If he was a couple with Shu Yan, most likely he would drag her down with him.
"Listen to me, Feng-zi. If you like her then go after her. Don't regret afterward. How do you know that she isn't interested in you? Why else would a divorced woman give you dumplings? I don't see anyone giving me dumplings?" Mao Weiping worried about Feng Zeyu. "You have always been by yourself. It's much better to be with a woman to share your life with."
"Knock it off. I know what I am doing."