WRA CH35

Chapter 35: Zhou Sicheng’s Customer Service Everyday

Listening to the surrounding parents’ discussions, Xiang Zhen realized that placing 300th in the district meant their ancestral graves were smoking in triumph.

First in the district basically guaranteed admission to Tsinghua or Peking University.

Just how outstanding must his husband be?

With his golden hair, he stood out remarkably here. Under the sunlight, the sunflower diamond hair clip reflected light so brilliantly that the people around him could barely keep their eyes open.

Beside him, a mother wearing a qipao, cradling a bouquet of sunflowers and carrying a zongzi-shaped bag, couldn’t help but ask: “Where did you buy this supportive hair clip?”

Xiang Zhen took it off: “My hubby bought it. You can take a picture and reverse-image search it.”

The lady in the qipao took out her phone and snapped a photo. She couldn’t find the exact same one, but Xiao Kui Bao found a similar match for her: Harry Winston’s sunflower ring.

The design and texture clearly originated from the same house.

In the gilded summer light, she spotted the delicate, faint English micro-engraving on the back of Xiang Zhen’s hair clip: H.W.

The lady gasped softly, “Your husband bought you a designer brand!”

Xiang Zhen put it back on shyly: “It’s a bootleg, it only cost thirty yuan.”

The lady: “I definitely wouldn’t misjudge it. Sir, your outfit isn’t simple either, that’s designer too, right?”

Xiang Zhen: “No, a whole set is only one hundred and fifty.”

His husband hadn’t bought him designer clothes, but his husband was a designer-brand master’s graduate.

Seeing that Xiang Zhen intended to keep a low profile, the lady changed the subject: “Who in your family is taking the Gaokao?”

Xiang Zhen: “My hubby.”

The lady racked her brains: “…You guys must have been betrothed as children.”

Arranged childhood marriages seemed quite popular among wealthy families.

Xiang Zhen: “We met on a blind date.”

The bell signaling the collection of the Gaokao language exam rang, and the parents began to stir. Xiang Zhen quickly slipped away before the students came pouring out.

He hadn’t been out for long when Fan Hao called him to ask where he had gone.

Xiang Zhen: “The examination center. I’m heading back right now.”

Fan Hao fussed over him like an anxious mother: “I won’t be in at noon. Remember to eat at the cafeteria, swipe my card, and eat plenty. I have more meal allowance on my card than I can use.”

Xiang Zhen: “Thank you, Manager.”

Fan Hao: “Don’t mention it.”

It really was safest standing behind the Madam. He heard that all the executives who shared a building with Zhou Sicheng were currently writing self-criticisms.

Because he was the one who had egged on his colleagues to place orders, he had received a dozen furious phone calls cursing him out that morning.

Fan Hao felt no shame; rather, he felt a sense of pride.

On his way back to the bank, as Xiang Zhen passed by a men’s leather goods store, his phone chimed. His severance pay from the old company had just arrived—an additional month’s salary as compensation.

This had to be an arrangement from the heavens!

Ever since getting married, Xiang Zhen had saved up a lot of money. Zhou Sicheng truly was the sun, and the sun brought great prosperity to sunflowers.

Xiang Zhen had scrolled past many short videos of snobby sales associates judging people based on their appearance. Since he was so poor, would he be mocked as a country bumpkin who couldn’t afford anything?

For the sake of his husband, he bravely stepped into the luxury boutique.

He could make do with high-quality knockoffs, but his husband was a prestigious master’s graduate and absolutely must use a designer wallet.

To his surprise, the sales associate who greeted him was elegant, intellectual, and gentle. She patiently inquired about his needs and budget, recommending a genuine leather wallet for 2,800 yuan.

Xiang Zhen felt a bit of heartache when paying.

But his husband worked at Zhoufu Headquarters, where everyone was extremely high-end, exuding the scent of money with every gesture. He couldn’t let his husband lose out too much.

The sales associate asked in a sweet voice if he would like to apply for a membership card.

Xiang Zhen hurriedly said no, he wouldn’t be coming back again.

Politely, the sales associate escorted him out the door, all the way to the edge of the street.

Swinging the shopping bag with a cheerful mood, Xiang Zhen headed straight to the bank’s cafeteria for lunch.

He was a little worried that his colleagues might think he was too spendthrift, but they didn’t look the least bit surprised by the shopping bag in his hand.

Yu Yueyue walked over carrying her tray of food: “You really can’t hide a steamed bun in a doghouse. The second you get a little money, you just want to spend it on your husband.”

Xiang Zhen: “Do you think my husband will like this style?”

Yu Yueyue: “He’ll absolutely love it. He’ll use it every day, and from now on he’ll be eager to pay for meals.”

Xiang Zhen’s appetite soared, and he grabbed three extra zongzi: “Then that’s good.”

After work, Zhou Sicheng came to pick up Xiang Zhen.

His first reaction upon seeing the bag in Xiang Zhen’s hand was that a romantic rival had given Xiang Zhen a gift.

Even with Fan Hao blocking the way, someone had actually managed to find an opportunity to strike.

And Xiang Zhen was actually carrying it like a precious treasure. His wife got off work empty-handed every day; this was the first time he had ever carried something so heavy.

Zhou Sicheng suppressed his jealousy: “Wifey, did you have a happy day at work today?”

The corners of Xiang Zhen’s mouth curled up. Staring straight at Zhou Sicheng, he only felt that his prestigious university husband was blindingly dazzling: “Happy.”

Zhou Sicheng wasn’t very happy.

After getting home, he noticed that Xiang Zhen had brought back two zongzi from the cafeteria.

Belatedly, he realized the Dragon Boat Festival was right around the corner.

According to traditional customs, once a relationship was established, the son-in-law absolutely had to visit the family with holiday gifts.

For the first time, Zhou Sicheng felt there were still many unresolved issues between him and Xiang Zhen.

They hadn’t briefed either set of parents at all.

His parents had passed away years ago, but Xiang Zhen still had a mother in the countryside.

Taking advantage of Xiang Zhen taking a shower, Zhou Sicheng stepped outside to call his butler.

“Help me prepare a formal set of Dragon Boat Festival gifts.”

The butler read him some catalogs. Business interactions never lacked for gift-giving, and Zhou Sicheng had never cared about what was sent to whom before. But this time, he discussed the options verbally with his butler for twenty minutes, weighing every detail carefully, hoping his mother-in-law would see his sincerity.

Hanging up the phone, he turned the doorknob, saw Xiang Zhen emerging from the bathroom, and subconsciously shut the door tight.

A qipao. Why… is there an encore?

Hadn’t Xiang Zhen cried last time and sworn he’d never wear it again?

Covering his snow-white thighs on both sides with his palms, Xiang Zhen looked both green and proactive: “Hubby, I learned a lot of human customs today.”

Zhou Sicheng tightened his grip on his phone: “What customs?”

Please don’t let it be that he learned more feudal dregs from short videos, even if those dregs benefit me.

He still hoped his wife would learn some good things so he could feel a bit more at ease with him working outside.

He would handle the coaxing in bed himself.

Xiang Zhen pointed to the qipao: “Flag unfurled, victory won.” (T/N: “Qi kai de sheng”, a pun on “Qi” for Qipao)

He pointed to the three zongzi: “Winning three degrees in a row.” (T/N: “Lian zhong san yuan”, a pun on “Zhong” for Zongzi)

Then he unpacked the wallet from the shopping bag: “Guaranteed to pass your exams.” (T/N: “Bao ni kao shang”, a pun on “Bao” for Bag/Wallet)

Xiang Zhen: “Hubby, I only found out today that you went to a top-2 university. High school must have been incredibly hard for you.”

Although he had no formal education himself, he had audited classes and knew that humans woke up early and stayed up late from elementary school onward, writing and memorizing endlessly, and still weren’t guaranteed admission. Zhou Sicheng must have been the most hardworking student.

For an ordinary person like Zhou Sicheng, the Gaokao was a chance to change his destiny.

He had heard parents chatting outside the exam center earlier; one said her daughter was under so much pressure she got diarrhea, bombed the test, and had to repeat a year.

Xiang Zhen said regretfully, “You must have been under a lot of pressure during the Gaokao. It’s a pity we didn’t meet earlier, otherwise I could have waited for you outside the exam center.”

If it had rained that day, Xiang Zhen would have begged the sun to show its face.

Hooking a finger through the zongzi string with his left hand and holding the wallet in his right, Xiang Zhen said: “This is to make up for it. This is your reward.”

Zhou Sicheng stared at Xiang Zhen intently.

He only learned tonight that coming in first on an exam warranted a reward. Zhou Qingyun had always viewed him simply as the heir—he enjoyed the best educational resources, so who cared if it was hard work? His grades were an absolute expectation.

He could barely remember the details of the Gaokao anymore, forgetting how he walked in or out. That day had felt just like any other day, taking a test and effortlessly securing the required score.

Accompanying someone to their Gaokao exam really was a wonderful civilization.

Zhou Sicheng hugged Xiang Zhen, actually feeling a stinging ache in the bridge of his nose: “If you had waited for me outside dressed like this, I’m afraid I would have just wanted to turn my paper in early.”

Xiang Zhen was startled: “Then I won’t wear it.”

Zhou Sicheng: “Why are you nervous? I’m not eighteen.”

If the eighteen-year-old Zhou Sicheng, trapped in that elite education model, had looked up, would he even have noticed Xiang Zhen in the coffee shop?

So, their meeting wasn’t too late.

Xiang Zhen offered a bashful smile: “Hubby, the gifts have been delivered. I’ll go change my clothes first.”

“Ah—”

Xiang Zhen’s feet left the ground as he was swept up into the air. By the time he regained his senses, he was straddling Zhou Sicheng’s waist. The high-slit qipao made it easy for him to spread his legs, and his palms pressed against Zhou Sicheng’s chest in lingering shock.

Hooking a finger under the fabric beneath, Zhou Sicheng commanded: “Lift your legs.”

Xiang Zhen: “Hubby.”

Zhou Sicheng: “Don’t tell me you want to wash underwear again this time?”

Xiang Zhen shook his head: “I don’t.”

…

Zhou Sicheng reverted to being eighteen years old.

…

Climbing down from his husband, Xiang Zhen vaguely felt a slight aching pressure in his lower abdomen. Just as he was about to focus on the sensation, in the messy aftermath, his gaze swept over Zhou Sicheng’s abs, which seemed coated in a layer of sheen.

Zhou Sicheng looked down as well. It looked as if a bodybuilder had coated his muscles in a layer of gloss-enhancing oil—like natural olive oil.

Had Xiang Zhen secretly used lubricant in the bathroom?

He wiped a finger across it and sniffed. No scent, but it definitely felt like cooking oil.

Taste it?

“Hubby!” Xiang Zhen lunged forward and grabbed his hand. It was all his fault for sitting on his husband’s abs for too long. The scent of sunflower seed oil was very faint, but there was more oil than water today, he was about to be exposed. He used his cheek to furiously rub Zhou Sicheng’s hand clean.

“…”

Zhou Sicheng: “Did you use cooking oil?”

Guilty, Xiang Zhen stammered, “No, no, no…”

Zhou Sicheng massaged his temples: “…”

His wife truly came up with the wildest whims. This definitely wasn’t something Xiao Kui Bao taught him.

“Go take a shower.”

Zhou Sicheng couldn’t help but lecture him while washing him.

Xiang Zhen hung his head. How could this be? Was he getting too much nutrition lately?

…

When a sunflower nurtures seeds, its body begins to store oils.

…

The next day, Xiang Zhen made a decision.

He was going to add a delivery fee to every cup of coffee.

Because his husband worked very hard delivering them, and he was a prestigious university graduate.

No customer dared to object.

Every day, Zhou Sicheng hauled a carload of coffee to work and left it in the pantry for those who wanted it to pick it up themselves.

Standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows in the pantry, he swept his gaze down toward the Sunflower Plaza in front of the building. “Why are there so many people down there?”

An employee who happened to be getting free coffee replied, “President Zhou, it’s because our company has become an internet-famous photo spot.”

As everyone knew, once a place became associated with the phrase “highly photogenic,” it would never know peace again.

An influencer had posted a photo set taken in front of the sunflowers outside the Zhoufu Building, and it had blown up online.

The sunflowers in the plaza were completely different from the ones Zhou Sicheng kept at home; they were an artistic flowerbed maintained by top-tier horticulturists.

The cluster of golden-yellow sunflowers in the center had their flower heads angled and leveled with near-perfect consistency. The edges were bordered by layers of sunflowers in other colors—the nearly white “White Moonlight” variety and the pale green “Heart of the Forest” variety—layer upon layer, resembling the cream piping on a sunflower cake.

The most beautiful and newest varieties in the world could be found here; they required a massive financial investment every year.

Zhou Sicheng instructed, “Assign a few more security guards to maintain order, provide drinking water stations, and clear the area during high-temperature weather.”

Having people faint from heatstroke in front of his building would be a terrible look.

“Understood, President Zhou.”

At noon.

With a long lunch break and plenty of energy to spare, the sun-loving sunflower Yao strolled over leisurely to check in at the spot.

“So beautiful!” Xiang Zhen looked at the sea of gold. The boss here had excellent taste.

Wait, there are white and green sunflower petals?!

With his hands on his hips, Xiang Zhen stared at the outer ring of sunflowers. You white-haired and green-haired delinquents of the sunflower world!

You desperately need to be educated.

Xiang Zhen pulled out his phone.

[Hubby, what do you think if I dyed my hair green?]

He didn’t actually need to dye it; he could just borrow the color from these sunflowers.

[Zhou Sicheng: No. Green jinxes me.]

Xiang Zhen gave an “Oh.” When did Zhou Sicheng start trading stocks?

There was a very long line at the best photo spot.

Figuring he was already here anyway, Xiang Zhen joined the back of the line.

“Wow, it really is beautiful,” the people around him said, holding up their phones to take pictures. “The closer it gets to noon, the prettier they look. And it feels like the flower heads suddenly perked up.”

“Sunflowers just love the sun, right? Didn’t you notice the sun suddenly feels stronger too?”

Xiang Zhen nodded. It really was so hot today. Everyone else had brought umbrellas, he was the only one who hadn’t.

The line inched forward slowly. Who knew how many photos the person at the front was taking; they had been stuck there for a long time.

Sweating profusely from his forehead, Xiang Zhen was starting to consider bailing when the security guards began handing out water.

“Thank you.”

Xiang Zhen took a bottle and drank half of it. Alright, then he’d wait in line a little longer.