4: Chapter 4 Zhang Tao's Gratitude

Zhao Jian arrived early at the office building of Tianxuan Animation Company.

The beautiful clerk from yesterday had also arrived early.

"I know what your investors like to eat."

A single sentence made the beautiful woman willingly give him five thousand yuan.

Carrying a beautifully packaged box, Taoer saw Zhao Jian put away the money and couldn't help but ask:

"Little brother, are you sure our investor will eat this?"

"I'm not certain, but there's a good chance." Zhao Jian put his hands in his pockets, his voice steady.

Hearing this, Zhang Tao sighed and pouted, saying:

"Let me be honest with you, this meal is very important to me. If it succeeds, it's a career; if it fails, it's unemployment."

It was clear she was very nervous.

Zhao Jian stepped forward to straighten her collar: "Don't be afraid. My friend is an old acquaintance of President Li, so you definitely won't be unemployed."

As the title 'President Li' left his lips, Zhang Tao felt her heart settle.

She hadn't revealed the investor's name yesterday.

...

After exchanging phone numbers, the two went their separate ways, and Zhao Jian tried applying to a few more companies.

But the result was always to go home and wait for news.

Until noon, when he received a call from his college class monitor.

It was to notify him of the location for the class reunion: Joyful Sea World.

After graduation, everyone went their separate ways, but being in the same city, people always tended to huddle together with those they were familiar with for support.

But Zhao Jian didn't want to attend.

He didn't like watching others show off their cars, houses, and jobs, and he didn't like the class monitor either.

But he couldn't withstand the class monitor's constant pestering.

"Our Counselor is coming too. Surely you won't deny them that much face, right?"

The Counselor had taken good care of him during college, so he had to give them face.

Three in the afternoon.

He walked to Joyful Sea World at the agreed-upon time.

The six-story building couldn't be considered tall, but the prices were very high.

As soon as he entered, the greeters shouted in unison: "Welcome!"

A head waiter stepped forward to speak to him.

Zhao Jian said directly that he was here for a class reunion.

"Are you referring to President Wang? But, they have already arrived."

"Why don't you give President Wang a call and have your classmate come down to get you."

More trouble.

Zhao Jian dialed the class monitor's number.

"Yes, I'm here. Come down and get me." He hung up immediately after speaking.

How would a head waiter know if everyone for a class reunion had arrived or not?

Someone must have instructed them to do so.

As the organizer, and having had friction with him during college over pursuing the same woman,

Zhao Jian suspected that the class monitor, Wang Peng, was behind this.

Before long, a fair-skinned, beautiful woman with long legs came running over in high heels.

As soon as the woman saw Zhao Jian, she grabbed his hand.

"Didn't you say you weren't coming? We didn't wait for you, everyone has already started eating."

"Come with me quickly."

Zhao Jian was pulled up to the fourth floor by her, and only when they reached the door of the private room did he think to push her away.

He had truly forgotten for a moment.

"Su Wanyin, why are you here?"

The woman was Zhao Jian's ex-girlfriend.

Upon graduation, she swore she would buy a house and settle down in Kyoto at any cost, and that she would make a name for herself.

At that time, Zhao Jian was that cost.

"I regret it, Zhao Jian. Do you believe me if I say I regret breaking up with you?"

Her eyes were red.

Zhao Jian didn't know her very well, but his overall assessment could be summed up in two words: good actress.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have dated him for four years only to suddenly propose a breakup upon graduation.

Those four years she pretended to be a lover so convincingly.

"I don't believe you."

He pushed the door open and entered.

There weren't many people in the private room: the class monitor, the Counselor, and two female classmates he didn't recognize.

Plus Zhao Jian and Su Wanyin, there were six people in total.

"Oh, our great talent has arrived. You said on the phone you were busy looking for work, so I thought you weren't coming and didn't wait for you." The class monitor acted very enthusiastically.

He poured a glass of wine for Zhao Jian and handed it over: "You don't blame me, do you?"

"Wang Peng didn't do it on purpose. Hurry up and drink the wine to apologize to everyone."

"It was your own fault for not making it clear, you can't blame the class monitor."

The two unfamiliar female classmates chimed in one after another.

Zhao Jian didn't take the wine and ignored the two gossips.

He took out his phone and played a recording.

["Three in the afternoon at Joyful Sea World, right? Okay, I'll be there on time."]

The class monitor, Wang, stopped smiling while holding his wine glass, and the two female classmates shut their mouths.

What kind of decent person records calls all the time?

The Counselor smiled and smoothed things over: "Maybe Wang Peng didn't hear clearly. Come, let's penalize him by making him have a drink with you."

The awkwardness of the situation eased.

After sitting down, Zhao Jian was next to the Counselor on one side, with an empty seat on the other.

Unexpectedly, Su Wanyin sat down next to him.

She even enthusiastically picked food for him, acting so attentive it felt like there was some ulterior motive.

"How have you been doing lately?" A piece of fried hairtail was placed onto Zhao Jian's plate.

Sudden concern is often the precursor to asking for money.

Zhao Jian pretended not to hear.

"If you aren't doing well, tell me, or tell the Counselor. Don't try to tough it out."

Tell you so you can be happy?

Not understanding Su Wanyin's goal, Zhao Jian remained unmoved.

Wang Peng glanced over.

He had long noticed Zhao Jian and Su Wanyin engaging in small interactions.

As Su Wanyin's pursuer, he didn't like seeing Zhao Jian having even the slightest connection with his goddess.

This was also the reason why he invited Zhao Jian to the dinner at the Counselor's suggestion, and then, after learning Su Wanyin would also come, instructed the head waiter to brush Zhao Jian off.

He just didn't expect Zhao Jian to be so thick-skinned as to hang around just for a bite to eat.

And he definitely didn't expect him to record the phone call.

"How is our great talent Zhao's job search going? I heard you're still looking?"

Wang Peng shifted the focus to Zhao Jian.

"Yes, I haven't found one yet." Zhao Jian nodded and admitted.

With twelve million graduates every year, it was perfectly normal not to find a job.

But some people didn't think so.

"In my opinion, you should just find a job paying two thousand or so and start working. Young people shouldn't aim too high, and certainly shouldn't think about relying on women. Working steadily is the right path."

"Wanyin, do you think I'm right?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, those who sucked up to Wang Peng chimed in.

Su Wanyin also agreed. She advised Zhao Jian:

"Wang Peng makes sense. You should be able to support yourself first before pursuing your dreams."

After saying that, she sighed.

The Counselor vaguely felt the atmosphere was off and tried to help Zhao Jian out:

"The current job market is like thousands of soldiers crossing a single-log bridge. Many jobs paying two thousand have requirements no lower than those paying six thousand. You are all classmates, you should help each other. Why doesn't President Wang arrange a job with a monthly salary of ten thousand for him?"

When it came to arranging work, Wang Peng went quiet.

His position sounded impressive: Deputy General Manager of Jinpeng Trading Company.

But in reality, it was just a small enterprise with assets of less than a million, and the real power was still in his father's hands.

He could arrange as many unpaid interns as he wanted; all it cost was an internship certificate stamped with the Jinpeng Company seal.

For employees who needed a salary, he needed his father's approval.

Wang Peng wouldn't endure his father's lectures for the sake of Zhao Jian.

If it were Su Wanyin, he might consider it.

The dinner ended.

Wang Peng stared at the bill handed over by the waiter and remained silent.

He had originally said he would treat everyone.

But the 30,000 bill exceeded his budget.

"Let's just split the bill among us guys, the ladies don't have to pay."

In the end, Wang Peng chose 'or' between face and substance.

Guys, aren't there only two?

Zhao Jian thought to himself: You might as well just name me directly.

When Zhao Jian took the bill, he also remained silent for a long time.

Thirty thousand, how could these people eat so much?