How Can a Construction Foreman Be the Public Girlfriend of a Top Celebrity? - Chapter 16
Chapter 16
“Mom, Ms. Shu, dinner’s ready!” Zheng Ling brought the last dish to the table just as her dad walked in from outside.
The whole family sat down together. Zheng Ling had cooked many homestyle dishes and even prepared steamed seafood especially for Shu Xuan so she wouldn’t gain weight.
“Come on, Xiao Xuan, have a drink with Auntie.” Zheng’s mom lifted a bowl and filled it halfway with baijiu.
Zheng Ling immediately stopped her, while Zheng’s dad stayed silent on the side.
“Mom, what are you doing? Ms. Shu doesn’t drink that stuff.” Zheng Ling snatched the bowl in front of Shu Xuan and poured her a glass of champagne instead.
Zheng’s dad quickly agreed, “Yeah, not everyone’s like you.”
Zheng’s mom gave him a hard punch in the arm. “When women are talking, what gives you the right to butt in?”
Zheng’s dad immediately quieted down.
“Here, Ms. Shu, drink this.” Zheng Ling slid the champagne over to Shu Xuan.
“Xiao Xuan, don’t take offense,” Zheng’s mom couldn’t hold her act any longer. “This is just how we are. Don’t look down on us. Your dad and I may not be educated, but Zheng Ling graduated from a proper university.”
Shu Xuan smiled and shook her head. “Mom, what are you saying?”
“We’ve lived like this for so long, we’re used to it. People always say we’re nouveau riche and uneducated, but I think we’re still better than those scheming types.” Zheng’s mom raised her bowl mid-air. “Come on, Xiao Xuan, let’s drink one.”
Zheng Ling forced a smile as she watched her mom clink glasses with Shu Xuan, praying her mom wouldn’t blurt out all her childhood embarrassments.
After finishing one glass of champagne, Shu Xuan leaned over and whispered to Zheng Ling, “Now I know exactly whose genes you inherited.”
Zheng Ling nudged Shu Xuan’s heel with the tip of her toe.
“Come on, you too! It’s rare that we’re all together. Drink till you drop!” Zheng’s mom filled another bowl with baijiu.
“Xiao Xuan, if you can’t drink, just drink orange juice like Dad. And you, Xiao Ling, holding your glass like you’re raising fish in it?”
Zheng Ling: “…”
But Shu Xuan actually enjoyed the lively atmosphere—it made her feel relaxed.
Halfway through the meal, Zheng’s mom suddenly remembered something: “Oh right! That gold bar I gave you—you should get it made into something like gold underwear or a gold bra.”
“Huh?” Shu Xuan’s face was flushed after two glasses of champagne. She’d dropped her usual cool demeanor and looked like a soft, cuddly kitten.
“Mom! What are you doing?” Zheng Ling rushed over to stop her mom before she said anything too outrageous.
Zheng’s mom pushed her aside and staggered into the bedroom, emerging moments later with a gold bra in one hand and gold underwear in the other.
“Nice, huh?” she said proudly, showing them off to Shu Xuan.
Zheng Ling covered her face in shame, while her dad wished he could crawl under the table.
But Shu Xuan looked at her with admiration and even gave a big thumbs-up. “Mom, you really know how to put on a show!”
Zheng’s mom beamed as she displayed her golden wardrobe, the shiny gold blinding to the eyes. Shu Xuan definitely learned something new that day.
“…”
That night, Zheng Ling brought Shu Xuan back to her own room. She didn’t want her parents to get suspicious seeing them in separate rooms.
Zheng Ling handed her a set of pajamas—ones she wore back in high school. They were plain silk with no patterns.
“Here, wear this. I had to dig around for ages to find the kind you like.” As she spoke, Shu Xuan was standing by the bookshelf looking at one of the framed photos.
She picked up the frame. “Is this you?”
The photo showed a little girl with two braided pigtails, the pigtails tucked into a curly wig, and an emperor’s hat on her head. An adult beside her was trying to dress her in a princess gown, but the girl clearly wanted to wear the emperor outfit instead.
Zheng Ling rushed over, “Ugh, so ugly—don’t look!”
“I think it’s pretty cute.” Shu Xuan poked the photo. “Though… I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
“No way, really?” Zheng Ling placed the clothes down.
“Did you live here when you were little?” Shu Xuan asked.
“No, I grew up in Shuhua Town.” Zheng Ling sat on the edge of the bed, propping herself up with her hands. Shu Xuan was now standing above her, looking down.
“Shuhua Town?” Shu Xuan had just started thinking this might be some fateful connection—but nope. “I’ve never been there.”
Zheng Ling smiled. “Ms. Shu, it’s getting late. Want to go to bed?”
Shu Xuan put the photo down and picked up the pajamas. “I’m going to shower.”
“Okay.” Zheng Ling started making the bed, pulling out two separate blankets and even placing an extra pillow in the middle to act as a divider.
“…”
They stayed in Jiangcheng for a few days before packing up and heading back to Nancheng.
Shu Xuan needed to begin preparations for her studio, and Zheng Ling had to look for new projects. Once home, they both got busy.
A-Liao had just been discharged from the hospital and messaged Zheng Ling asking to go out for spicy crawfish.
Zheng Ling declined: I’m a married woman now.
A-Liao rolled her eyes and immediately called: “Boss Zheng, I’ve got a good project here. You in or not?”
“What project?” Zheng Ling asked.
“Roadwork. Ever done that kind of job before?” A-Liao was painting her toenails red as she talked, the color contrasting with her pale skin.
“Nope,” Zheng Ling admitted honestly. All the projects she had taken over the years were large-scale like dams, nothing like small roadwork jobs.
A-Liao clicked her tongue. “Then forget it. By the way, you haven’t started a labor company yet, have you?”
“No, not yet.” Back when she worked on the dam project, it wasn’t required. But she had heard recently that contractors needed to have official companies to take on such jobs.
“Better go register one ASAP. You’ll need it going forward.” A-Liao added, “The road project’s from my dad’s engineering side. If you can’t take it, I’ll pass it along.”
Zheng Ling wasn’t too keen on roadwork anyway, but she appreciated that A-Liao always thought of her.
“Thanks. Let me treat you to a meal sometime.”
A-Liao immediately declined, “No thanks. You’ve got a family now.”
“Jealous?” Zheng Ling teased.
“As if! I just got out of the hospital and already gave my exes a good scare. Sent them all running.” A-Liao rambled on, “Our company’s going on a team-building trip to the UK soon. Even if you want to see me, you can’t.”
Zheng Ling was stunned she was traveling abroad so soon. “The borders are tight lately—be careful.”
“I’ve been at this company for three years. You think I’d fall for a scam?” A-Liao scoffed. “Only the brave enjoy life. Ciao~”
After hanging up, Shu Xuan happened to come home.
“You’re back,” Zheng Ling rushed to the door and pulled out slippers from the shoe cabinet.
While Zheng Ling bent over, Shu Xuan held her shoulder for balance as she slipped on the slippers. “Thanks.”
“How was it?” Zheng Ling asked, catching her gaze as she stood up.
“Pretty good. Da Tou and Xiao Ying are working with me, and even the brands I endorsed while at Xinghe are willing to renew with my new studio.”
“When are you filming again?” Zheng Ling asked cautiously.
Shu Xuan playfully replied, “Why? Didn’t you say you’d support me forever? Giving up so soon?”
“I’ll support you, I’ll support you!” Zheng Ling followed her like a little puppy. “I’m planning to set up a labor company—makes project work more legit.”
Shu Xuan didn’t know much about her industry. “You didn’t have one before?”
“No, I used to work under Nancheng Group. Basically just a hired hand.” Zheng Ling said.
“Then good luck, Boss Zheng!” Shu Xuan lightly patted her arm.
“Let’s work hard together!” Zheng Ling suddenly gave her a big hug. Before Shu Xuan could react, she darted into the bedroom and hid.
Zheng Ling was a woman of action. The next day, she posted in the workers’ group chat, calling in old team leads she’d worked with before.
Within a few days, she had the company bylaws and equity structure laid out. First step: register with the business bureau—then a bunch of paperwork to follow.
When Zheng’s mom found out she was opening a company, she immediately wired a big sum over.
Seeing the amount, Zheng Ling called. “Mom, what are you doing?”
“Giving you money to open a company.” Zheng’s mom was getting a foot massage at a spa, happily tipping the male masseur 1,000 yuan.
“I’ve got savings, this is my own thing,” Zheng Ling said. Back in college, her mom had given her enough money that she saved a bunch and even had fixed deposits ready to withdraw.
Zheng’s mom chomped on a watermelon slice. “Your tiny savings? You think I’m worried about you? It’s because Xiao Xuan’s with you. You better not be spending her money—you should be making enough to support her. Do you even know who she is? You better treat her right.”
Zheng Ling started to doubt if she was even her mom’s biological child. “Of course I’ll treat my wife well. Shu Xuan has her own career. We don’t rely on each other.”
“Think of it as me buying a stake in your company.” Her mom got annoyed by all the back and forth and wired another five million. “If it’s not enough, I’ll send more. Back when your dad and I started our business, we didn’t get this kind of head start.”
Zheng Ling said no. “You buying shares messes up my equity setup. I’d have to rework everything.”
“Treat it like pocket money. No fuss.” Her mom had been hearing about the water reservoir project in Nancheng through her business circles and believed Zheng Ling could do something big. She wanted to support her daughter no matter what.
“Fine, but don’t regret it.” Zheng Ling looked at the new incoming transfer—only a fool would refuse that much money.
Back at the spa, Zheng’s mom smiled at the masseur. “Young man, come on, my waist hurts. Give me a rub there.”
“Ma’am, I only do feet,” the nervous young man said.
Zheng’s mom threw a wad of cash on the table. “Where do you want me to hurt?”
“Anywhere you say, ma’am.” The guy immediately started massaging her back.
Meanwhile, Zheng Ling had everything ready except for the company name.
Shu Xuan had recently taken on some magazine shoots and was in talks with a few luxury brands, but still came home on time every night.
That night, Zheng Ling crept to Shu Xuan’s room and leaned on the door.
“Ms. Shu, could I borrow your Tsinghua brain to help me think of a name?”