"No way. Gaming is an industry now. Some people make money from it. Leveling up an account to a high level and selling it can net you thousands of RMB in just a month! Others resell in-game weapons and clothes, earning several thousand RMB a month. A single gold bar in the game can sell for 100 RMB! Unbelievable, right? People will die for money, birds will die for food. If this problem isn't resolved properly, our company will be destroyed by game players. The company gives us five days to resolve this; if we can't, we're all packing our bags and going home."
"So, have you solved it?"
"I came back early today because my part is finished. All that's left is to provide technical support for the service department. I estimate I'll be done by next week. It seems the boss is quite satisfied. Today, the department head hinted that this department is going to split into a sub-department, and I might have to start my own business."
"Wouldn't that put even more pressure on me? I'm not going."
"What do you know? With the leadership system in place now, a promotion means a double salary. Why don't you go?"
"Wow! Brain Engineer! So your salary will be over ten thousand?! That's such a huge change! It seems like it's worth considering!"
"There are always trade-offs for every gain. Do you think this 10,000 is easy to earn? Besides technical skills, you also have to manage people, which more than doubles your workload. Overtime like this will definitely be a regular occurrence in the future."
"Then don't go. For a little money, you'll lose your leisure time. The money won't change anything fundamentally; instead, it will buy you happiness."
"You said that? When the leader asked me, I didn't go and gave it to the new guy, Xiao Zhang."
"However, this is also an opportunity for you. You're at the age where you should be taking on responsibilities. If you don't get promoted and just keep doing technical work, you might not be able to find a position after a while. Haven't you heard that working in the computer industry is similar to working in the sex industry? They're both jobs that rely on youth?"
“I knew you wouldn’t spend the money. Don’t worry, if I have the chance, I will seize it. I’m willing to risk everything for this family.”
"Don't talk about money. Money is only a part of life, not everything. Of course, anyone can say that, followed by a whole string of high-sounding words. In reality, money is the core of life. Without money, do you have a house? A car? A wife? A higher career? No. Don't accuse me of being a money-grubber like my mom. In this society, everyone is money-grubber, it's just that my mom is more open about it and dares to admit it. Compared to my mom, I feel ashamed. I clearly love money, but I hide it. Doesn't your mom love money? In her eyes, every number is associated with money, and every comma is a thousandths. Don't pout, I don't mean to belittle your mom. What's wrong with being money-grubber? Being money-grubber isn't a bad thing. Look how devoutly people worship Buddha. Anyone with faith will fight for it their whole life. As long as it's earned through hard work and honesty, there's nothing shameful about it."
“I think differently from you. I’m not materialistic. Money is just a means to an end, not the ultimate goal. With money, I can do what I want, and I won’t become a slave to money.”
"Pah, this is what I mean by hiding things. In the end, will you be able to distinguish the relationship between the two? In the end, you will find that money is the ultimate goal, and the ultimate goal is money. No matter what your purpose is, you have to use money to buy it."
“Wrong. Family ties can’t be bought with money. Money can’t buy my love for you.” Yaping hugged Lijuan and kissed her hair.
“Yes, a sweet word can’t be bought with money. I like to hear it. I like it even if it’s fake,” Lijuan replied, then hugged Yaping and kissed him wildly, her heart filled with joy.
"No, the curtains aren't drawn." Yaping broke free.
"It's the middle of the night, and nobody's watching."
"No, I didn't wash my face or brush my teeth."
"I don't mind."
"No, really no!" Yaping struggled to break free. "It hasn't even been a month yet! You've forgotten what the doctor said again."
"It's nothing! More than half a month has passed, and I don't feel anything anymore."
"No. I can't let you have your way anymore. I don't want to ruin you for a moment of pleasure. Listen to me, I'm going to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow." Yaping pushed Lijuan away resolutely and strode upstairs.
Lijuan lay sweetly on the bed, and after Yaping lay down, she held onto his arm and fell asleep peacefully.
Yaping is a good husband.
The next day, as I was leaving get off work, I received another call from Yaping, who said he would be providing technical support to the customer service department that evening and would be back later.
After getting off work, Lijuan had nowhere to go. Her house was cold and empty, and there was nothing to eat when she got home.
Lijuan decided to stroll around and find some food. When she arrived at the City God Temple, she remembered that Yaping loved Nanxiang steamed buns, so she decided to join the long queue for more than an hour and take a taxi to deliver them to the hardworking Yaping as a treat.
An hour and forty minutes later, Lijuan, holding a delicate, piping hot steamed bun, hailed a car and hit the road. "Three baskets of buns for only 24 yuan, but a taxi would cost 50 yuan! Yaping! What a thoughtful gesture!" Lijuan couldn't resist inhaling the aroma wafting around her; she really wanted to try one, but was afraid the fragrance would escape once she opened the box. She held her tongue.
Yaping sat in front of the computer in the customer service room. The clerk would answer a question and relay it to Yaping without stopping for a minute. Before he knew it, it was dark.
"Lunch is served! Lunch is served!" Xiao Wu brought up ten boxes of lunch and placed them in front of Ya Ping. "Company lunch boxes, no picky, everyone gets the same."
Yaping opened the lunchbox, her eyes still glued to the screen, while she broke apart disposable chopsticks.
"Mr. Li, I have too much food to finish. I'll share half with you; I'm afraid you won't have enough." Xiao Wu ran over again a moment later, carrying a lunchbox. "I haven't touched my chopsticks! Please don't mind. I'm really sorry to have troubled you these past few days, always asking you to work overtime for us."
"It's nothing, it's nothing. It's company business, it's what I should do." Li Yaping didn't refuse, mainly because the boxed lunch was indeed not enough for a grown man who had worked all day.
"Engineer Li! I don't eat beef, especially spicy beef! Do you want some?" Xiao Wu asked, frowning.
"I don't care! If you don't want to eat it, give it to me. But this meal is mostly beef and vegetables, with beef making up the majority. If you don't eat it, there won't be any vegetables left, right?"
"Then you can give me half of the food," Xiao Wu said with a charming smile.
The two people were huddled together, dividing the food.
The door opened.
Lijuan kicked the door open and came in carrying a small steamed bun. "Yaping! Your security guard is terrible! He almost wouldn't let me in! Luckily, Manager Wang saw me when he went out and brought me in!" As soon as Lijuan entered, she saw Xiao Wu picking through Yaping's lunchbox.
Lijuan's sudden appearance startled Xiao Wu, who trembled all over. After a moment of hesitation, he smiled and said, "Is she Engineer Li's wife? You're even bringing him lunch! The company provides boxed lunches."
"Oh! I passed by the City God Temple today and bought some steamed buns to bring back." Despite her doubts, Lijuan maintained her smile without changing her expression.
"Oh! This is convenient?! Everyone knows that you have to stand in line for two hours just to get a taste of Nanxiang's steamed buns! These are definitely love-filled buns! Can I try some?"
"Try it, try it!" Yaping hurriedly opened the box, and immediately it was steaming hot.
"It's still hot! Engineer Li is so lucky! I'll just have one! I won't bother you anymore! Bye-bye!" Xiao Wu tossed her braid, grabbed the steamed bun, and left with her lunchbox.
Lijuan ignored Yaping, rummaging through the tables until she finally found a computer magazine. She casually found a chair, sat down, and began to read. Lijuan wasn't interested in anything in the book; the prices of accessories, the introductions to new products—to her, they were just words, not reading material. But Lijuan maintained a faint smile, pretending to be interested as she turned the pages, then heard Yaping exclaim exaggeratedly, "So delicious! Having a wife is great!"
"Juan, you have one!"
"I'm not hungry."
"Even if you're not hungry, have one!" Yaping picked one up and stuffed it into Lijuan's mouth.
Lijuan turned her head away, not even glancing at Yaping, and said with a smile, "Why be so polite between husband and wife? I'll eat it if I want to."