On Friday afternoon, Jian Hang woke up from her nap and asked Lawyer Xing for Mrs. Gao’s phone number.
Lawyer Xing was worried, “Has Liao Yongmei gone to pick a fight with you again?”
“No, I’m looking for her for work matters. Thank you, Lawyer Xing for your concern.”
Jian Hang exchanged a few more pleasantries with Lawyer Xing, then hung up the phone and called Liao Yongmei directly.
… …
Jian Hang didn’t save Liao Yongmei’s phone number before, but Liao Yongmei had her number.
When Liao Yongmei saw a name that had never appeared before on her phone screen, her heart skipped a beat. She used a few seconds to calm down before answering the phone.
“Hello, Ms. Jian. Is there anything wrong with the previous incident?”
She thought that Jian Hang would now want her to apologize publicly on WeChat Moments.
“Isn’t that matter already over?” Jian Hang got straight to the point. “I want to talk to you about work. I have a job opening here in the human resources department. I wonder if you are interested. If you are free, let’s meet and talk.”
After ending the call, Liao Yongmei sat on the sofa in a daze for a few minutes.
Having been a full-time housewife for six years, she was unwilling to admit that she sometimes did not dare to face the workplace anymore. Every now and then, she also tried to find a challenging job but she ended up scared again and again.
Liao Yongmei let out a long sigh and went to the cloakroom to find some appropriate clothes.
She took off all the expensive jewelry on her body, leaving only a necklace, which was a gift from her son on Mother’s Day. It was not expensive, only two thousand yuan, but her son bought it with his scholarship money.
She looked at her ring finger. The diamond ring was a gift from Gao Yu on their wedding anniversary the year she resigned from her job; it was to express his gratitude for her sacrifices for their family and son.
Even though she had a fight with him a few months ago, she was reluctant to take it off.
Liao Yongmei took a deep breath, took off the diamond ring and threw it into the jewelry box.
After putting on some light makeup and tying her hair up, Liao Yongmei looked at herself in the mirror again and again. The person in the mirror seemed both strange and familiar.
… …
When she arrived at the agreed coffee shop, Liao Yongmei saw her inside through the French window. Jian Hang was wearing a long, white dress and reading a book.
Although Liao Yongmei was never as stunning as Jian Hang, when she was young she was also so confident and strong and also very radiant. At that time, how could she have imagined that six years later she would be hysterical and tear apart the ‘mistress’.
Jian Hang was reading the book on patent litigation. She had only borrowed the book cover before, but today she was reading the cases in it seriously. She had returned the book cover she had borrowed. The book on love skills was also in her bag. She planned to take it back to her parent’s home when she goes there for dinner. It was not safe to leave it in the apartment in case Qin Moling sees it.
Seeing Liao Yongmei, she put away the book and said, “Sit down. What would you like to drink?”
Liao Yongmei didn’t hesitate and ordered a cup in her favorite flavor.
Jian Hang has a habit of not beating around the bush when talking about things. “I changed jobs.”
Liao Yongmei was surprised, and then she felt indescribably guilty, “Because of me?”
“It has nothing to do with you.” Jian Hang smiled, “You don’t have the charm to make me quit my job for you. I’m not in good health, so I chose to change my job.
“Well, I went to Lemeng’s Fourth Division.”
Liao Yongmei suddenly wasn’t that surprised anymore, “I know of the Fourth Division.”
The Fourth Division was a mess, and she was surprised that Jian Hang—an outsider—dared to take over this mess.
Jian Hang didn’t hide it from her. “I’m heading the Fourth Division. I need to reorganize the team, and personnel adjustments are inevitable. The people currently in Lemeng’s Fourth Division won’t cooperate with me. You’ve worked in a listed company1 before and you have outstanding abilities. I thought of you first.”
Liao Yongmei was grateful, “Thank you.”
It has been a long time since anyone has told her that she was capable. Her only halo now was ‘Mrs. Gao’, and many people couldn’t even remember her name2.
Liao Yongmei felt uneasy. She didn’t want to find a job just because others were looking for Gao Yu, or because Gao Yu owed her a favor. These days, Gao Yu didn’t mention divorce anymore. He did housework when he came home, but he basically didn’t talk to her.
It was hard to say that he has become a better person.
But she couldn’t find any fault with him. It was just that she had had enough of this cold life and didn’t want to rely on him for everything anymore.
Liao Yongmei wanted to confirm one thing, “Ms. Jian, I’m sorry, forgive my stupidity, but you asked me to go to Lemeng because you want to give Gao Yu face?”
Jian Hang said, “When I set up a team, I won’t even give Qin Moling face, let alone others. I’m looking for Liao Yongmei—not Mrs. Gao. I asked Lawyer Xing for your number.”
Liao Yongmei breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you.”
She was worried, “After all, I’ve been out of the workplace for six years, and I don’t have the confidence in myself.”
Jian Hang didn’t say any nonsense or talk about moral principles to comfort her. She just said, “With me here, you have nothing to be afraid of. I’ll take care of you no matter what happens.”
Liao Yongmei now finally understood why it was widely rumored in the venture capital circle that every man who had worked with Jian Hang was attracted to her.
It was deeply reassuring to work with such a courageous person like her.
Jian Hang added, “The Fourth Division is my chance to change careers, and it is also your chance to return to the workplace. Please consider it.”
The coffee was served, and Liao Yongmei tore open the sugar and milk packets and put them in. She used to drink coffee without sugar, but she didn’t know when she started to hate the bitter taste.
Jian Hang took out a piece of paper and a business card from her bag and pushed it across the table to Liao Yongmei, “I’d like to recommend a few books to you.”
Liao Yongmei picked up the list of books, all of which were about the fast-moving consumer goods industry3.
There was also a business card attached to the book list; it contained the name of Lemeng’s Senior Secretary.
Jian Hang said, “If you decide to go, please contact Secretary Gao directly to apply for employment. Your position will be Deputy Director of Human Resources, specializing in the personnel management of the Fourth Division. This one of my conditions to take over, so you can skip the interview and start working directly.”
She opened the book on patented technology and continued reading the cases.
After finishing a cup of coffee, Jian Hang paid the bill.
She put the book away and put it in her bag. “I have something else to do. Excuse me.”
They didn’t need to talk much. Jian Hang could have made matters clear over the phone, but she still met Liao Yongmei in person out of respect.
After the chat, she would naturally leave.
Liao Yongmei was surprised. Was it over just like that? She turned around and watched Jian Hang leave. She didn’t turn back until she could no longer see Jian Hang.
On the way here, she had prepared herself mentally. She thought Jian Hang would ask, ‘How are you and Gao Yu doing recently? Are you planning to divorce? Men are unreliable, don’t you plan to think more about yourself? Are you willing to be a housewife forever?’
She didn’t want to talk about Gao Yu with others at all. That was her scar, and she didn’t want to reveal it to outsiders.
But if Jian Hang asked, she would still say a few words even if she didn’t want to in her heart. After all, Jian Hang thought highly of her and thought of her first when there was a job opening.
On the way to the cafe, she thought of dozens of questions that Jian Hang might ask her about her relationship with Gao Yu. She also thought of hundreds of maxims that Jian Hang would use to persuade her to return to the workplace.
As a result, Jian Hang didn’t ask any questions and didn’t give any advice.
She just laid out the conditions she could offer without saying a single extra word.
… … translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com
After coming out of the cafe, Jian Hang went back to her parents’ house. Jiang Shenghe was coming over for dinner tonight, so she wanted to go over early to help.
She passed by a flower shop and bought a bouquet of flowers for her mother.
At home, Chen Yu was very busy.
The steamed shrimp dumplings that Jiang Shenghe wanted to eat were quite difficult to make, especially since it was her first time making them. That day, Jiang Shenghe called her and said he would come to her house on Friday and stay for dinner.
She asked Jiang Shenghe what he wanted to eat so she could prepare it in advance.
Jiang Shenghe didn’t hesitate and said he wanted to eat steamed shrimp dumplings.
Jian Hang arrived and opened the door herself, “Mom, I’m back.”
Chen Yu was in the kitchen. “Didn’t I tell you to wait until the sun goes down before coming back? It’s so hot.”
“It’s okay. I have nothing to do at home, so I came over to help you.” Jian Hang put the flowers on the coffee table and went to the kitchen.
Chen Yu made a menu and had almost prepared all the necessary ingredients. “You don’t have to help, just eat some fruit.” She handed the washed fruit to her daughter.
Chen Yu glanced at her daughter and said, “Not bad, it seems that the exercise is effective.”
It was only the fifth day and her daughter’s face began to show some color.
Chen Yu chatted, “Do you plan to take a walk every day now?”
“Well, my legs don’t hurt anymore. I’ll continue with running next week.”
Chen Yu knew that her daughter was going to Lemeng. She never interfered with her daughter’s career decisions, but there were still some things she had to say so that her daughter would keep it in mind. “When a couple works in the same company, they are bound to quarrel. Think this matter through.”
Jian Hang assured her mother, “Mom, Qin Moling will give in to me.”
Chen Yu said, “Is it okay to just listen to a man’s words? Before we got married, your father also said he wouldn’t quarrel with me. Do you think he quarreled with me any less?”
Jian Hang smiled. She was open-minded, “It’s normal to quarrel. After the quarrel, you can apologize and that’s it.”
Chen Yu said no more, “As long as you think it’s okay. It’s okay to have a fight. Just come home and talk to mom about it. Don’t keep it to yourself.”
Marriage First, Love Later translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com
T/N: I noticed late that Secretary Gao had the same surname as Mr. Gao, otherwise I would have fudged one name a bit so that the characters would be easier to keep track off. Oh well. They won’t appear together in the same chapter much anyway, and Mrs. Gao would be Liao Yongmei from hereon. Let’s all just remember well 😅
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Chapter 48.2 — Exchanging Photos
Chapter 49.1 — Weekend Trip
Chapter 49.2 — Weekend Trip
- A listed company is one that is listed on the stock exchange and offers its shares for sale on the market, as opposed to companies that are fully owned by fixed individuals or families. They would be very big industries and are accountable to shareholders so they have higher transparency requirements as well as employee qualifications. ↩︎
- Chinese women generally don’t change their surnames when they get married, but since she’s ‘not important’, it’s enough for people to just call her ‘Mr. Gao’s wife’. ↩︎
- Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), are products that are sold quickly and at low cost. They are typically non-durable goods used for everyday consumption — food, beverages, toiletries, etc. Due to their high demand and short lifespan, FMCG products require efficient distribution networks and a readily available market.
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