Stronger by Paying Salaries and I Have 1 Billion Employees

Chapter 50: Chapter 49: Shidu Hot Spring Trip, Zhu Xiaopeng’s Request

As night fell over the Xucheng Bus Station, it remained as bustling and noisy as ever.

”Chen Yansen, I’m over here!”

Meng Jie, a backpack slung over her shoulders, stood in the crowd, waving and calling out to Chen Yansen not far away.

For their meeting, she had put on light makeup and was wearing a long, indigo dress with a short jacket. Her smile was radiant, and her eyes were filled with a joy like that of a long-thirsty traveler suddenly spotting an oasis.

”Tsk, tsk. Is this Squad Leader Meng’s first time in a dress? We have to commemorate this! Come on, look at the camera and give me a smile.”

Chen Yansen smiled faintly, pulled out his phone, and wrapped an arm around Meng Jie’s shoulder.

”How does it look? It’s not *all* for you, you know. As the squad leader, I signed up to perform at the School of Business’s welcome party next week.”

Meng Jie said with a giggle, though her words belied her true feelings.

The smile hadn’t left her lips since she’d laid eyes on Chen Yansen. They had only been apart for four or five days, but she couldn’t stand being at home any longer. Her mind was filled with nothing but images of him.

”Then I’ll definitely have to come and watch.”

Chen Yansen took her small hand and held it tightly in his palm. ’A girl like Meng Jie, who’s never been in a relationship, is so easy to handle,’ he thought. ’Just a slightly intimate gesture is enough to make her heart race for ages.’

They hailed a taxi by the roadside. After getting in, Chen Yansen said to the driver, ”To the Shidu Hot Spring Hotel.”

Meng Jie, sitting beside him, didn’t notice at all.

The driver grinned. ’A big fare,’ he thought. ’The trip is over sixty kilometers. Charging 100 yuan shouldn’t be too much.’

Some ten minutes passed. As the street views outside the window grew increasingly unfamiliar, Meng Jie frowned and asked, ”Driver, did you take a wrong turn?”

”No wrong turns! Aren’t you going to the Shidu Hot Spring Hotel?”

The driver paused for a moment, glanced at a road sign to confirm he hadn’t made a mistake, and then replied.

”I’ve been so tired lately and have been wanting to rest for a couple of days. A new hot spring hotel just opened in the neighboring city of Shidu, so I thought I’d take you there to relax.”

Chen Yansen squeezed her soft little hand, explaining with a serious expression.

’A hot spring hotel? Go relax... together?’

Meng Jie’s cheeks flushed red as she said softly, ”My dad was right. You’re a bad boy, always trying to take advantage of me.”

”Well, should I ask the driver to turn around and go back to school then?”

Chen Yansen teased her with a smile.

”Fine. I brought some pre-packaged beef broth in my bag. We can go back to Room 418, and I’ll cook it for you.”

Meng Jie knew full well that going to a hotel with Chen Yansen was like a lamb walking into the tiger’s den. She genuinely liked him, but she didn’t want their relationship to progress too quickly. At least, not yet. She wasn’t mentally prepared.

”It’s fine, the hotel has a communal kitchen. We can make the beef broth there,” Chen Yansen said, patting her hand reassuringly.

’Is that what I’m worried about?’

Both annoyed and amused, Meng Jie shot Chen Yansen a reproachful glance. ’I’m worried you’re going to try something!’ she thought.

But after that, she didn’t object further. It was as if she had forgotten all about it. Her gaze drifted as she quietly listened to the beating of her own heart.

The hour-and-a-half drive passed in a flash.

Chen Yansen checked them in. The room was a loft-style suite. The first floor had a bathroom, a tatami seating area, and a three-meter-square pool. The second floor held two single beds and a desk.

”I’ll go start the water. It’ll probably take about half an hour to fill.”

Chen Yansen tossed his phone and the keycard aside and began to unbutton his shirt.

”Could you... not take your clothes off? I’m scared!” Meng Jie asked timidly, her eyes downcast.

Her tone made her sound like a completely different person from her usual self.

Hearing this, Chen Yansen stopped what he was doing and looked at Meng Jie seriously. He saw her chin trembling slightly and a glistening teardrop clinging to her eyelashes. She was clearly at her breaking point with nervousness.

”I’ll go change in the bathroom then,” Chen Yansen said suddenly.

Meng Jie couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. The whole way there, she had been worried he would make a move, but she was also worried that rejecting him would make him unhappy.

Before long, Chen Yansen finished rinsing off and came out with a towel wrapped around his waist.

The hot spring pool was nearly half full by now. He placed a small towel behind his head and lay back comfortably.

”Go get washed up. After we soak in the spring, I’ll take you out for dinner,” Chen Yansen said casually to Meng Jie, his eyes closed in enjoyment.

”Um, I’m warning you... no funny business!” Meng Jie cautioned in a small voice, though she didn’t sound very convincing.

”Yes, yes, I know. Now hurry up and go,” Chen Yansen said, waving his hand a little dismissively.

Meng Jie hesitated for a long while before finally picking up her backpack and going into the bathroom.

When she finished her shower and, wrapped in a towel, peeked outside, she found that Chen Yansen seemed to have fallen asleep.

His breathing was steady, his chest rising and falling gently. Fine beads of water clung to his handsome face, and the muscles of his exposed arms were clearly defined.

Chen Yansen always wore button-up shirts, so you could never tell that he had such a well-built physique hidden underneath.

Meng Jie tiptoed lightly to the edge of the pool. She poked his muscle curiously, and when he didn’t react, she realized that he must have been telling the truth when he said he’d been tired lately.

She copied him, lying back comfortably, but her gaze remained fixed on him.

’They had been classmates for three years, and in the past, the most they ever did together was discuss math problems. But in the two months since graduation, he seemed completely transformed. His bearing, his way of speaking, his life experience, and even his ability to make money all far surpassed that of his peers.’

’On top of that, he was witty and charming and knew just how to make a girl happy. Even though her father had repeatedly warned her not to date Chen Yansen, Meng Jie had fallen for him anyway.’

’”Dad, you don’t understand him. Chen Yansen is a really, really good person.”’

Meng Jie thought to herself, her eyes half-closed, as she felt the warm spring water flowing over her fair skin.

A long while later, Chen Yansen’s eyes snapped open. He saw Meng Jie lying across from him, her slender calves resting in the water. Her soaked towel clung tightly to her skin, and in that moment, even the ripples in the water seemed to take on a tangible form.

”Get changed. I’m taking you out to eat.”

Chen Yansen rose abruptly, tossed out the sentence, and headed for the bathroom with his clothes.

Meng Jie turned her head, stealing a glance at him. She mumbled an ”mhm” and waited for him to close the door before slowly getting up, drying herself off, and wrapping a clean towel around her body.

She wasn’t very tall, so the towel reached from below her shoulders all the way to her calves, meaning she didn’t have to worry about accidentally exposing herself.

After they changed, they walked out to a grassy area and found a dozen or so other young guests already there. A chef was busy at a grill, and the tables were laden with barbecue skewers, crayfish, marinated seafood salad, and various drinks.

”It’s a buffet. Grab whatever you want to eat.”

Chen Yansen said to Meng Jie.

”You go save us a seat, I’ll get the food.” Meng Jie gave the scene a quick scan and immediately fell in love with the atmosphere, instructing Chen Yansen.

Chen Yansen nodded with a smile and found an empty table. Next to him sat a young man with an acoustic guitar slung over his back, giving off a very artsy vibe. He was quietly humming Xu Wei’s ”Blue Lotus.”

When the guy finished, Chen Yansen complimented him, ”Hey buddy, a Yamaha F310. Nice taste.”

”Whoa, bro, you’ve got a sharp eye! Wanna try out its tone?” the artsy young man asked readily with a grin.

”In that case, don’t mind if I do! I’m out with my girlfriend... you know how it is.” Chen Yansen took the guitar, giving the other guy a knowing look.

The artsy youth understood perfectly. He picked up a bottle of beer, crossed his legs, and settled in to watch the show.

TWANG—

Chen Yansen casually strummed a chord to get a feel for the instrument, then immediately launched into the intro of ”Yesterday Once More.” The soothing melody of the guitar filled the air.

Though it was an old song, over fifty years old, Chen Yansen’s rendition was full of charm. His voice had a naturally raspy quality, and the moment he started singing, he painted a vivid picture and told a story.

Meng Jie, carrying her food, heard the music and turned to see Chen Yansen playing the guitar. Her eyes instantly lit up, and she hurried back to the table.

”You can play the guitar? Why didn’t you perform at the high school New Year’s party?”

After the song ended, Chen Yansen handed the guitar back. Meng Jie tugged on his sleeve and asked curiously.

”I only play for girls I like,” Chen Yansen said bluntly, and Meng Jie’s heart couldn’t help but flutter.

It was a line Chen Yansen had used on many girls in similar situations, and it worked wonders every time.

”Then why did you pursue Zhou Keyuan in high school? Why not me first?” Meng Jie asked, furrowing her brow.

”I was young and foolish back then,” Chen Yansen deflected. He could hardly admit that he hadn’t been reborn yet at that point.

Meng Jie felt his answer was a bit of a cop-out, but she didn’t press the issue. She was naturally frank and straightforward, not like other girls who would pester him with questions.

The two ate their skewers, clinking glasses from time to time. The artsy young man across from them saw this and couldn’t help exclaiming that one day he, too, would find a cool, short-haired girl who could sing and drink with him.

Buddies by day, lovers by night.

Full and satisfied, Chen Yansen pulled her over to a moon chair, where they lay back and idly counted the stars in the sky.

Listening to Meng Jie’s cheerful chattering, Chen Yansen smiled. ’Even though I’ve been reborn at eighteen,’ he thought, ’my mindset is no longer that of a young man. I’ve lost that eighteen-year-old immaturity and naivete.’

The night wind grew cooler, and the number of people on the lawn slowly dwindled.

Chen Yansen and Meng Jie returned to their room. They lay in their separate beds, a few dozen centimeters apart, quietly looking at each other.

”Good night, Chen Yansen! Today was unforgettable. Thank you,” Meng Jie said in a soft, gentle voice, tracing patterns on his palm with her finger.

”Good night,” Chen Yansen replied.

The next day, the two had breakfast at the hotel. Afterward, a staff member led them to an outdoor clearing. As far as the eye could see was green grass, flanked by rows of white tents.

Inside the tents were teapots, trays of dried fruits, and fresh fruit.

Chen Yansen drank tea and played cards with Meng Jie, occasionally going out to play some badminton, and sometimes just staying in the tent to read and listen to music.

The day passed quickly. By the time they returned to Xucheng Academy, it was already 6:30 p.m. on the fifth.

After walking Meng Jie back to her dorm, he thought for a moment, then turned and headed into Dormitory Building 8.

”Huh? Brother Sen, you’re back?” Meng Xibo asked, looking up at the sound.

”I didn’t go home. I’ve been busy with FoxTao stuff these past few days of the holiday. Where’s Song Yang? Get him, and let’s all go grab a meal.”

Chen Yansen scanned the room and saw Tang Zhenzhe, Zhu Xiaopeng, and Wang Zhengqiang, but Song Yang was missing.

”Song Yang is still at his family’s home in Jinling. He’ll probably be back tomorrow afternoon. Why don’t we get together then?” Tang Zhenzhe suggested.

”Brother Sen, is your project still looking for people?”

Zhu Xiaopeng put down his phone, sidled over with a grin, and asked with a fawning expression.

FoxTao was now famous. It had gained the attention and support of the academy’s president, and as soon as it launched, it attracted over a hundred thousand users. It was known by practically everyone at Xucheng Academy.

Another eye-catching piece of news was that the salaries Chen Yansen paid his team members in September ranged from 2,000 to 5,000 yuan, and this was just for a part-time job.

Keep in mind, these days, 90% of university students had a monthly living allowance of less than 1,000 yuan.

So, it was only natural for Zhu Xiaopeng to take the initiative and ask.

”Of course we’re short-staffed. Why, are you interested?” Chen Yansen asked noncommittally.