Chapter Forty-Two: Men and Women Working Together Make Light Work

After returning to his new home at Tianxin Square, Zhang Can threw himself onto the bed, sinking comfortably into the soft mattress. His gloomy mood lifted considerably. After a while, he raised his head and gazed out the large, bright floor-to-ceiling windows, shaking his head to cast aside all thoughts of Zhou Nan. That girl never truly belonged in his world—so why torment himself over her?

After a good sleep, he woke up feeling invigorated. He decided to practice the perspective abilities of his Black-and-White Eyes. Compared to when he first acquired them, their power and duration had increased, and he could now use them much more frequently. Though repeated use left him fatigued, he no longer fainted after only a few seconds as he had at first.

The next morning, Zhang Can got up, feeling energetic. After washing up and having breakfast, he headed out to Lao Shi Zhai. Now that he lived nearby, there was no need to take a bus—it took only a few minutes to reach Old Zhu’s shop.

Old Su, as always, had arrived early, but when he saw Zhang Can, his expression was somber. Su Xiu, too, was openly unfriendly. Of the three assistants—Zhang Qiang, Liu Xin, and Chen Yu—none had yet figured out the situation, so they remained neutral, though in their hearts they leaned slightly toward Old Su.

After all, Old Su had been the authority in this shop for many years. From the moment the three assistants joined, Old Su had been in charge; Boss Zhu Senlin seldom intervened, leaving the shop entirely in Old Su’s hands. So, they felt that with Old Su’s years of experience, and his undeniable skill, the young Zhang Can might have enjoyed a lucky streak, but could hardly be expected to last. In the long run, sticking with Old Su seemed the wiser choice.

Su Xiu, Old Su’s niece, naturally took his side. She and the assistants were unaware of the true story; all they saw was that Zhang Can had stolen Old Su’s thunder in the shop and won that Yu Ji painting. On that basis alone, Zhang Can had earned Zhu Senlin’s favor, but they doubted it would last. Thus, Su Xiu made no effort to hide her hostility toward Zhang Can.

Only Old Su understood in his heart that his era had truly passed. For reasons unknown, Zhang Can’s eye for antiques was now keener than his own. Where had he learned such skills?

If Zhang Can had been pretending all along, it made no sense—he and Old Su had no personal feud, and in fact, Old Su had helped him, teaching him over the years and offering fair prices for his finds. By rights, Zhang Can would never have set him up. And no fool would knowingly walk into a trap. If Zhang Can had always been as capable as he now seemed, Old Su would never have fallen for any scheme or ended up in debt. Whatever the case, Old Su was sure that Zhang Can hadn’t been targeting him; he was simply lucky, and had struck it rich.

At nine o’clock, work began. Old Su took his usual seat of authority, and Zhang Can made no move to challenge him. Instead, he brewed himself a pot of tea. Su Xiu turned on her computer and started working on the accounts. The three assistants—Zhang Qiang, Liu Xin, and Chen Yu—inspected a shipment in the storeroom, checking for moisture and ensuring the packaging was intact, all part of their daily routine.

Only Old Su and Zhang Can were at leisure. Old Su maintained the outward appearance of authority, as the assistants and his niece remained unaware of the real situation between him and Zhang Can. It seemed Zhang Can had no intention of making it public either. From this, Old Su surmised that Zhang Can wouldn’t openly challenge him, out of respect for their past as teacher and student.

At half past ten, Zhang Can grinned and asked, “Old Su, how about lunch from Little Fat Cow? I’ll order delivery—my treat!”

Old Su almost refused outright, but seeing the assistants’ interest, he thought to himself that Zhang Can, flush with sudden wealth, certainly had the means to spend freely. Was he trying to win them over?

After a moment’s thought, Old Su nodded, “All right, go ahead and order. But you don’t need to pay—lunch is on me.”

He figured that in this situation, he should learn from Zhang Can and try to buy some goodwill. If someone was going to do it, better himself than Zhang Can. He spoke loudly enough for all the assistants to hear.

They certainly heard him and were pleased, but also a little surprised. In all their years working there, Old Su had never treated them to so much as a boxed lunch. Now, when Zhang Can offered to order food, Old Su insisted on paying. Clearly, rivalry had its perks—while the gods fought, mere mortals enjoyed the spoils!

Zhang Can smiled, dialed the delivery number from the card, and after confirming they delivered to the area, began to order. Flipping the card over, he read the menu aloud, “Hmm… all boxed lunches? Any other options?... Oh, set meals? One at 180, 280, 380… All right, give me the 380 set. Lao Shi Zhai at the Antique Market. Please be quick!”

When the assistants heard Zhang Can order the 380 set, they could barely contain their laughter, secretly admiring his cunning. Old Su had tried to show generosity, thinking five boxed lunches would only cost seventy or eighty yuan. But Zhang Can, seeing Old Su offer to pay, ordered the most expensive meal. If that wasn’t a sly move, what was?

Old Su frowned deeply, unused to being outmaneuvered. Su Xiu muttered, “Spending other people’s money so freely—shameless!”

Zhang Can pretended not to hear and sipped his tea. The Little Fat Cow delivery arrived in just half an hour. The setup was not as he’d imagined—no battered basket on the back of a scooter, but a square box specially designed for dishes, with several layers. Each dish was sealed in plastic wrap.

Old Su gritted his teeth in secret; the food looked delicious, but at 380 yuan, he’d been outwitted. Reluctantly reaching for his wallet, he was beaten to it as Zhang Can handed the deliveryman 400 yuan with a flourish, “Keep the change—buy yourself a drink, you must be tired!”

The deliveryman bowed in thanks, “Thank you, boss!”

As soon as the deliveryman left, Zhang Can set the dishes on the table and cheerfully called everyone, “Old Su, Miss Su, Zhang, Liu, Chen—come eat before it gets cold!”

Su Xiu replied coldly, “I’m not eating.”

Old Su hesitated. If he refused, it would only make the conflict obvious. The assistants didn’t understand, but he did—at this point, it would be hard to regain favor with Zhu Senlin. No matter what, Zhang Can had made nearly ten million for Zhu in a short time—an achievement Old Su could never match. More importantly, Zhang Can himself had earned just as much in the process.

As the saying goes, wealth brings confidence and authority. Zhang Can’s fortune now surpassed even that of Old Su, the master who’d toiled for decades. Though he resented it, he was helpless—money isn’t simply gotten by wishing for it.

The assistants, however, had no qualms. They could watch for signs in people’s behavior, but when it came to food, they didn’t hesitate. If someone offered, they accepted—it would be a waste not to. Su Xiu’s salary was much higher than theirs; she could afford to skip a meal or two. Besides, could Zhang Can eat all that food by himself?

Zhang Qiang and the others grinned awkwardly, ignoring Su Xiu’s sour expression, and headed for the table. Just then, Zhang Can’s phone rang—it was Boss Zhu Senlin.

“Old Zhu, what’s up? We’re just about to eat at the shop!” Zhang Can chuckled.

Zhu Senlin boomed, “Eat? Don’t bother with that—I’ll take you somewhere better soon. Come out, I’m waiting at the corner!” He hung up without giving Zhang Can a chance to ask more.

Pocketing his phone, Zhang Can said sheepishly, “You all go ahead and eat. The boss is calling me—I have to go.”

Old Su’s face darkened further. Zhu Senlin now ignored him completely; he spent all his time taking Zhang Can out for food and entertainment. Old Su was both envious and frustrated, but whom could he complain to? Zhang Can was personally summoned by the boss—there was no one else to turn to.

As soon as Zhang Can left, Zhang Qiang invited Old Su and Su Xiu, “Old Su, Miss Su, please eat—there’s too much for just us three!”

“Eat? Why not!” Su Xiu scoffed. Now that Zhang Can had left, refusing really would be a waste. There was no need to do him any favors—whether she ate or not made no difference.

When Zhang Can reached the corner, he saw a white BMW 5 parked by the roadside—the very car Old Su had given him. He hurried over, opened the door, and sat inside, only to find a woman in the driver’s seat. He was startled, quickly apologizing, “Sorry, wrong car!”

As he prepared to get out, the passenger seat occupant called out, “Wrong? No, you’re right—I’m here!”

It was Boss Zhu Senlin himself, turning to him with a grin. Zhang Can, momentarily stunned, settled back in his seat and asked, “Old Zhu, what’s the deal?”

Zhu Senlin beamed, “Nothing big. I’ve hired you a professional driving coach. Let me introduce you: this is Chen Ying—she’s a specialist in teaching people to drive. Eighty an hour, a hundred if you use her car. You’ll learn in your own car, but I’ve still paid her a hundred to make sure she teaches you well.”

Chen Ying turned and smiled at Zhang Can. She was about twenty-four or twenty-five, with a ponytail—not exactly a beauty, but clear-skinned and neat, with a certain charm.

“Hello, I’m Zhang Can. Please look after me from now on,” Zhang Can introduced himself politely.

Zhu Senlin had already paid Chen Ying ten thousand yuan in advance, on the condition that she personally ensure Zhang Can learned properly. Chen Ying had no reason to refuse; typically, she earned about ten thousand a month, and it wasn’t as if there were students to teach every day. In the driving school, a student might only get twenty minutes of actual driving per day, so even after two months, their hands-on experience would be less than what Chen Ying could provide in a single day of one-on-one instruction. With a dedicated car and instructor, a student could learn in a day, master it in three, and be truly proficient in a week. Of course, most students who hired her for private lessons only needed three or four days, since the fees were so high—once they’d learned, that was enough.

Chen Ying figured that with the ten thousand from Zhu Senlin, even if she spent a whole week teaching Zhang Can, or stretched it to ten days, it was still a great income, and she’d have the rest of the month free.

For Zhu Senlin, it was a small price to pay to win Zhang Can over.

“Brother, I’ve got you a beautiful coach! As the saying goes, a man and woman working together never tire—so study hard! You two practice driving, I’ll head to the dealership to order your car, then call you for lunch at the restaurant!”

Chen Ying giggled, “Boss Zhu, you really are a joker!”