Come and Eat, Shan Shan

(translated by peanuts and edited by lidge)

The news that Xue Shan Shan returns to 22nd floor for lunch spread speedily and widely from top to bottom in Feng Teng, resulting in all the staff being very surprised. With the gossip flaming and burning wildly, surprisingly the work efficiency improved a lot. Of course, it is inevitable that there are various versions of the rumor, such as the old love rekindle version ah, oo xx version ah …… however, the thing that is of most interest to them is not how they got back together again but —— what is Xue Shan Shan doing in the President’s office for such a long time at noon every day?!

Numerous eyewitnesses have seen Xue Shan Shan going up every day, full of vitality and spirit but coming down looking dispirited, eyes tired and even appears to have difficulty walking. Aiya, this is really too obvious, right?

Alas, having a boss who has such abundant energy is really a blessing for the staff ah. All the staff feel that if the investors are aware of this inside information, Feng Teng conglomerate’s stock will also rise sharply.

Yet, what is the truth?

The truth is —— Xue Shan Shan is in the President’s office every day to study for the CPA exam.

T T

Although Xue Shan Shan is a little slack, once she is determined to do something, naturally she will always want to get it done. Since she said she wants to take the CPA exam, she immediately enrolls in a CPA preparatory class. Every weekend, there are classes for two days from eight o’clock in the morning until six o‘clock in the evening. This is simply more exhausting than going to work.

A few days later, Feng Jue comes to get the shoes and has dinner with Feng Teng. She finds out about this and thinks it is simply incomprehensible, “Big brother, you go so far as to let Shan Shan take the CPA exam, which is so exhausting. What does she want that certificate for?”

Feng Teng’s expression is relaxed, “There is no harm in learning more. In the future, it will benefit our family.”

Feng Yue is speechless. Indeed, their family has many things involving property and investment matters to deal with. However, big brother, during Lunar New Year, you just said you will not consider getting married. Then how come you are thinking of letting Shan Shan manages the household now?

Feng Yue feels that the men in the world change too fast!

However, Feng Teng soon regrets giving his support.

Because he discovers that he actually ranks behind the CPA exam. Before, when Xue Shan Shan was studying in his office, her expression was so in pain as to not want to live, but now after finishing lunch she immediately takes out the books and begins to study. She is so engrossed until she even looks gratefully at him and says: “Thank you for helping me to buy the comprehensive reading materials!”

Feng Teng feels he is shooting himself in the foot.

Occasionally, during lunch time when Xue Shan Shan talks to him, it is also to ask him some questions related to the CPA exam. Even if one graduated from a famous Ivy League college, one does not necessarily is able to fully understand China’s registered accountant exam, okay? Therefore, after answering a few questions, in order to prevent being stumped with a question, Feng Teng very quickly arranges a staff who has CPA, CIA, ACCA and other N- certificates to coach her.

Anyway, Feng Teng conglomerate has never lacked talent. Regarding the exploitation of people’s surplus value, a capitalist will never think twice.

In the end, a few days later Shan Shan flashes a worship look in her eyes, says to Feng Teng: “So and so is very awesome. Whatever the questions, he also knows the answers.”

Feng Teng clenches his teeth. Consequently, that talented person is let go. President Feng, who is completely lacked of ethics, goes into battle again. Anyway, even if he occasionally teaches wrongly, Xue Shan Shan will not know.

Oh, there is still that damned two days a week preparatory class.

After only half a month, Feng Teng already says: “Don’t go to class. You stay at home and self-study la.”

Shan Shan immediately opposes: “How can I since the CPA exam is very difficult to pass? Those teachers have more experience ah.” She says firmly and clenches her fist, “Big Boss, do not worry! I’m not afraid of hardship! In order to match you a little better, I must become a registered accountant soon!”

As a result, at night on a certain weekend, Feng Teng appears at the doorway of the preparatory class, saying he is there to take her to dinner with friends.

“Who are they?” Shan Shan asks curiously.

“Friends.”

The eating place is a private villa, and it is said a certain dish is famous there. However, Shan Shan does not feel there is anything special except the environment is really good.

Feng Teng’s friends are also a couple. The man is introduced as Boss’s family long-time friend, surname Bai, whose family is also in business whereas the woman is his subordinate. It is said that they also got to know each other through work. Then, they started to have special feelings for each other and end up getting married.

That woman looks delicate and pretty, is resourceful, active and can converse well.

After a pleasant dinner and on the way home in the car, Feng Teng suddenly says: “Mrs. Bai graduated from Stanford University and reportedly has many certificates.”

= =

Big Boss, what do you mean……? Are you looking down on me? Shan Shan feebly says: “I will take the CPA exam first and after finishing, I will also sit for other exams to get more certificates later T T”

Feng Teng looks askance at her, “In the end, she is staying home to look after the children now.”

“Ah?” Shan Shan rolls her eyes, ” What do you really want to say?”

“Thus, what is the use of you taking so many exams when you will end up staying at home to look after the children?”

“……You do not understand la! The thing about certificates is that you only care to have them once before, but you do not care how long they can be of use la. She graduated from Stanford University and was the Director of Marketing before her marriage…… Everyone thinks she is awesome and is worthy of your friend, right? Hence, I also must have them. I do not want people to say we do not match = =”

Feng Teng fails to convince her and is annoyed, “Xue Shan Shan, why do you link me and certificates together? You think you’re applying for a job?”

Shan Shan quickly pacifies him, “It is not like that la. Actually, I am making an analogy that Big Boss is just like the Big Boss in the computer game Duplicate Love. In order to get him, I certainly need to hone my skills first.”

Silence.

Feng Teng says in an ominous tone: “Xue Shan Shan, you have no time to accompany me to go out but has time to play computer game?” 𝐟𝓇ℯ𝐞𝚠𝚎𝒃𝑛𝒐ѵe𝚕.co𝚖

“No, no.” Shan Shan clarifies her innocence again, “I’m only casually comparing.”

Feng Teng’s face darkens, “……..Well, which level are you at now?”

“Ah?”

“Duplicate Love.”

Shan Shan: “Oh…….Just at the beginning entering the sect?”

Feng Teng muses: “Quicker, I am waiting very impatiently.”

“…….” Shan Shan, “Oh, I will try = =”

“The Boss does not go out on his own?” Feng Teng enquires.

“……..That would be considered a bug……”

“Ah, in that case I want to get a little payment in advance as reward for advancing to the next level.”

This weird and wonderful dialogue is temporary suspended. He takes advantage of a red light and moves his body sideways to give her a kiss.

Shan Shan thinks she has successfully persuaded Big Boss. Who know after two days, Big Boss takes her to dinner again.

This time it is still a couple. The man is still Boss’s long-time family friend from a rich and powerful family, elegant demeanor and graceful but a little short whereas the woman, wow!

Shan Shan tries to maintain a restrained appearance, but the heart is already shouting madly: She is XXX! XXX!

Big celebrity!

Then like before after finishing dinner, they have a conversation in the car on their way home.

Feng Teng: “Did you see? This time no Stanford, not the director of Marketing and no certificate at all.”

“She is a big celebrity ah, a big star!!!” Shan Shan becomes frantic. Why would the woman need certificates for? That face is the certificate, okay?

Feng Teng snorts: “What does a big celebrity has more than you?”

Although Shan Shan thinks his remark is too brazen, her heart inevitably feels delighted, but she still has to be careful with her words, “At least she is prettier than me la.”

Feng Teng hears what she said and turns to examine her side profile, “Yes, you are right.”

Shan Shan immediately becomes angry.

How hateful! Whatever is the truth should be left up to her to say. As her boyfriend, he goes so far as to say something out of bounds. Shan Shan turns away, “I just do not know how to apply makeup only!! Let us both not put on makeup and compare!”

Feng Teng is provoked to laughter by her. He parks the car by the roadside and bites Shan Shan’s cute, white face, “Come, let me check if you truly did not put on makeup.”

After a few days when there is another dinner, Shan Shan is already calm and collected. This time, Big Boss definitely finds a couple with great disparity between them to come and convince her. Maybe this time the woman will not have any certificate or the face of a celebrity = =

However, Big Boss actually does all these things to comfort or personal attack her ah? Shan Shan’s heart is filled with tears. Unexpectedly, this time the woman turns out to be of “superb quality”!

A “superb quality” that works very hard!

Firstly, she does not put on makeup yet is still very beautiful. Secondly, her family’s background is astonishing. Also, she graduated from a famous university. In addition, she is still working in the family business in a very high position.

If Shan Shan can be described as a torch burning robustly when she enters the restaurant, when she goes out after eating dinner she becomes a flickering flame on a matchstick. She feels her self-confidence is just like a dying candle in the wind. A slight wind comes through and she is extinguished completely.

Feng Teng: “Did you see?”

Shan Shan dispiritedly says: “Ling Ling is so good-looking and awesome, how can she not match with him?”

Feng Teng is silent for a moment, “I am talking about her boyfriend.”

Huh?

Shan Shan begins to remember Ling Ling’s boyfriend who she seems to have forgotten what he looks like. He is like an invisible person, and his life experience also seems very ordinary.

Thus, the point of reference Big Boss gives her this time is a man ordinary like a leaf…… ah no, more like dirt!

The tiny flame on Shan Shan’s dying candle is completely extinguished.

When Big Boss wants to bring her to meet his friends for the fourth time, Shan Shan categorically refused. She even says she has an appointment with Feng Yue to go shopping as an excuse. What a joke, if she continues to eat like this, she will have indigestion, okay.

After rejecting Boss, Shan Shan quickly calls Feng Yue to ask her to have dinner together.

During dinner, Shan Shan cannot help but complain and talk about Feng Teng’s bad deeds with some exaggeration to Feng Yue. As a result, Feng Yue is shaken until she has forgotten she is supposed to be on a diet and ends up eating a few mouthfuls of simmer fried pork meat.

During bedtime at night, Feng Yue tells Yan Qing about this incident and can’t help sighing.

“As it turns out, I do not understand my brother well.”

“Why you said this?”

“I discovered my big brother is still childish.” Feng Yue adjusts her pillow and recalls, “When we were children, he already loved to bring me along to prank and tease people. Moreover, he was very good at pretending. After bullying people, he can still appeared deadly earnest so nobody would suspect him. My cousins got blamed many times for what he had done. Later when grandfather was disappointed with father, he began to train big brother. When he was still very young, he took him to business negotiations resulting in big brother becoming a serious person.”

“I actually forgot all these. Yan Qing, do you think I am not a very good sister?”

Yan Qing comforts her by saying: “You cannot be blamed for this. If you did not tell me, I would not have known big brother is like that as a child.”

“Yes ah.” Feng Yue says, “Hence, it is justifiable for big brother to be together with Shan Shan. Look at the way he relishes and takes pleasure in teasing Shan Shan. I cannot imagine big brother teasing Yuan Li Shu in the same way.”

She buries her head into Yang Qing’s arm, “I am slightly jealous. Yan Qing, before this, big brother’s girlfriends have never given me such feelings. I always feel he is still my big brother. Currently, I feel that my big brother completely does not belong to me anymore.”

Yan Qing pretends to frown, “Feng Yue, previously I did not notice that you also have a love-big-brother complex.”

“I do not!” Feng Yue playfully beats him once with her fist.

Yan Qing says: “Don’t think too much. We should be happy that they have such good love relationship.”

“I am very happy la.” Just a little jealous …… Since childhood, she has loved and cherished her big brother, but now he truly and thoroughly belongs to someone else.

“Last time, big brother said he is picky. I thought to myself, Shan Shan is very ordinary ah. Since he is picky, why would he choose Shan Shan? I finally understand now.”

Big brother wants a big white rabbit who can make him feel comfortable and happy. Those phoenixes and peacocks, no matter how beautiful or grandeur they look, they are useless because they are not a big white rabbit.

“Ah, for marriage, you should choose the most appropriate person, not choose the best one. Look, I’m not the best yet you have chosen me.”

Feng Yue laughs, “What about me? Am I appropriate or the best?”

Yan Qing says: “You are the best as well as the most appropriate.”

In the end, the CPA preparatory class matter is resolved like this.

On a particular day, on the way home from work, Shan Shan tells Big Boss a gossip: “Today, I read an online post. A man strove hard for the future, but the girlfriend complained that he did not have time to accompany her so broke up with him. People who replied to that forum post said his girlfriend is inconsiderate.”

“Feng Teng immediately enters boss mode, “You went online during work hours?”

= =

Shan Shan ignores him and continues to clarify her point: “Likewise, when a girlfriend strives hard for the future, but the boyfriend keeps on complaining that she does not keep him company is very inconsiderate ah.”

Feng Teng: “…… For our future?”

Shan Shan nods her head.

“……” Feng Teng, “Then continue to go to classes, for our future.”

Shan Shan clasps her hands, “Thank you for understanding!”

Feng Teng sighs slowly, “I never thought there will be a day that my future will be in the hands of a preparatory class’s teacher.”