189: Rewards Program

Early the next morning, the morning light shone in through the gaps in the curtains.

Outside the bedroom door came the rustling sounds of her husband, followed by the faint sound of eggs frying in the kitchen.

After a while, the footsteps of Bai Jie’s husband stopped outside the bedroom door, and he knocked gently, "Honey, breakfast is ready. Why don't you get up and have some?"

Inside the bedroom, Bai Jie woke up instantly. Realizing she was still lying on Li Zhan’s bare chest, she was so startled she nearly jumped up.

She responded in a panic, "Oh... okay, I got it. You go ahead and eat..."

She scrambled to get up from Li Zhan, feeling weak and sore all over, especially her legs, which felt like they were filled with lead.

She didn't dare turn around to meet Li Zhan’s gaze. Her face was burning, and with her back to him, she frantically picked up her pajamas scattered on the floor and pulled them on, her movements clumsy from shame and embarrassment.

Li Zhan had also woken up. He sat up lazily, unashamedly exposing his lean, muscular upper body. Watching Bai Jie’s panicked back, a wicked smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

He got out of bed and grabbed Bai Jie from behind just as she was buttoning her pajamas.

Bai Jie stiffened in fright and let out a soft cry. Her elbow instinctively nudged backward against him, and her voice was filled with pleading shame and anxiety, "Stop it... He... he's outside..."

She glanced back at Li Zhan with resentment, her finger nervously pointing toward the bedroom door.

Li Zhan paid no mind. He leaned down and kissed her smooth neck lightly, his hands wandering mischievously across her waist, enjoying her panic and resistance.

Embarrassed and anxious, Bai Jie offered weak resistance while hurrying to put on her clothes. She finally managed to break free from his embrace, scrambled to tidy her pajamas, took a deep breath, and forced herself to remain calm as she opened the bedroom door and walked out.

When she arrived in the living room and saw her husband busy in the kitchen preparing bowls and chopsticks, that sense of ordinary domesticity made the guilt in her heart surge like a tide, making her feel almost ashamed to show her face.

Her husband seemed completely unaware that there was a man hiding in the bedroom. He just looked up at her and said casually, "Come eat. The fried eggs are best while hot..."

He set the simple breakfast on the coffee table in the living room, picked up his briefcase, and said to Bai Jie just like he always did, "I'm off to work."

"Mm, be careful on the way." Bai Jie’s voice was a little shaky.

The door clicked shut, and her husband's footsteps disappeared into the hallway.

Almost at the same moment, the bedroom door was pushed open. Li Zhan had already put on his pants but was still bare-chested. He walked out with a composed expression, as if he were the master of the house.

He even walked over to the coffee table without any hesitation, sat down naturally, picked up a portion of the fried eggs Bai Jie’s husband had made, and began to eat, a smug, wicked smile on his face.

Watching him, Bai Jie felt both angry and helpless. Lingering fear still remained in her heart, and she was in awe of how incredibly bold this man was. She had been scared out of her wits just a moment ago, yet he acted as if nothing had happened.

The two ate breakfast in silence, the atmosphere strange and ambiguous.

After finishing, Li Zhan stood up, ready to leave. When he reached the door, he suddenly turned around, pulled Bai Jie toward him naturally, and leaned down to give her a deep, lingering farewell kiss.

Bai Jie’s mind went blank, but her body reacted before her consciousness could. After the kiss ended, she stared blankly as Li Zhan opened the door and left, his movements fluid and natural.

The door closed again. Bai Jie stood alone in the living room, subconsciously raising her finger to gently touch her lips, which still held the warmth and scent of him. Her eyes were filled with confusion. Everything that had just happened, and that man’s take-it-for-granted attitude, gave her a sense of extreme, dreamlike unreality...

Ten o'clock in the morning, the top-floor office of Phoenix City Nightclub.

Li Zhan walked into the office. He habitually walked over to the massive floor-to-ceiling fish tank, used a small net to scoop up small goldfish from a smaller tank nearby, and leisurely fed them to the three majestic Arowana inside. Watching the fish fight for food, his eyes were calm and profound...

A while later, there was a knock at the office door. Brother Jiang and Chen Ziqiao walked in one after the other.

"Brother Zhan..." the two greeted him respectfully.

"Mm." Li Zhan put down the fish food and sat down behind the desk. "Sit down... How are things going?"

Uncle Jiang spoke first, reporting on the progress of the charity fund. "Brother Zhan, as you instructed, the framework for the fund has been set up, and the registration procedures are underway. We found the most professional team in Shenzhen to handle it, ensuring it is legal, compliant, and has clear accounts." He paused and added, "For now, the name is as you said: 'Zhengyang Mutual Aid Fund'."

"Very good." Li Zhan nodded and turned his gaze to Chen Ziqiao.

Chen Ziqiao immediately handed a document to Li Zhan. "Brother Zhan, this is the list of core personnel who applied for home construction in their hometowns, along with the preliminary budget. Please take a look. As soon as the funds from Brother Jiang are in place, I can start immediately."

Li Zhan took the list and quickly browsed through it; it contained the names of the core members who had been with him the longest and had made contributions. He nodded with satisfaction. "Good... Zi Qiao, pull some people from the real estate company and form a team specifically to handle this. I have only one requirement..." He looked up at Chen Ziqiao. "The construction teams, as well as building materials like cement and bricks, should be sourced locally as much as possible. Prioritize using workers from the employees' own hometowns and pay them well. This can be considered a tangible contribution from the company to the employees' hometowns."

Chen Ziqiao noted it down seriously. "Understood, Brother Zhan. Don't worry, our role is to provide the funds and supervision. The house designs will also fully respect the opinions of the employees and their families, ensuring the money is spent effectively and the houses are built beautifully."

"Mm." Li Zhan handed the list back to Chen Ziqiao. "The New Year is coming soon. Hurry up and get this done. Try to let some of the brothers' families hear this good news during the New Year; it'll be a joyous occasion."

"Yes, I will implement it immediately!" Chen Ziqiao took the list, full of energy.

Li Zhan turned to look at Brother Jiang. "What about the funds?"

Brother Jiang immediately replied, "We have already connected with a portion of the cash exchanged from the underground bank with AZu's side. Just as you said, for expenses like building houses in rural towns, using cash directly is more convenient and cost-effective."

"Good." Li Zhan tapped his fingers on the desk and made his next decision. "The New Year is almost here; let the brothers have a prosperous New Year. Brother Jiang, draft a bonus plan as soon as possible based on rank and their contributions to the company over the past year. The amounts should reflect the differences, so that those who worked hard get tangible benefits." He emphasized, "Use all cash! The kind in bundles! Once it's ready, we'll hold a year-end summary meeting before the New Year and distribute it on the spot!"

Imagining the visual impact and incentive effect of stacks of new banknotes being distributed on the spot, both Brother Jiang and Chen Ziqiao could feel the deeper meaning behind Li Zhan’s move—it was more capable of uniting the team than any verbal promise.

"Understood, Brother Zhan! I will personally oversee this; it will be done grandly, and everyone will have face!" Uncle Jiang promised solemnly.

"Go." Li Zhan waved his hand.

Uncle Jiang and Chen Ziqiao stood up to leave, hurrying away with their tasks. The office returned to silence. Li Zhan’s gaze turned once again to the Arowana swimming leisurely in the tank, but a faint, imperceptible sharpness flashed deep within his eyes—those arrangements concerning the brothers' livelihoods were never just ordinary work; they were the foundation for keeping this great ship sailing forward through the waves.