Chapter 13: Picking Up a New Watch
Today was payday. Throughout the entire day, everyone in the company carried a faint sense of anticipation, waiting for the arrival of the salary deposit messages.
After all, the whole month depended on this one day.
Around three in the afternoon, salary deposit notifications began arriving one after another. Inside the previously quiet company, soft buzzing discussions could be heard everywhere from near and far.
Zhang Yang naturally received his message as well. He glanced at the amount, and his heart felt no waves at all.
He was already earning 600,000 a month. How could he possibly feel anything over this mere ten thousand yuan salary?
Other people's ten thousand yuan was a month of exhausting work.
His ten thousand yuan? Oh, half a day's income.
"Zhang Yang, Zhang Yang!" Xiang Youde across from him lowered his voice. "How much did you get?"
The company didn't implement a confidential salary system, and the overall atmosphere was quite relaxed. People didn't mind employees sharing salary information with each other, so asking about it on payday had become common.
Zhang Yang didn't hide anything and casually reported a number.
"About the same as me. Too bad though-before the money even gets warm in my hands, I have to use part of it to pay the mortgage." Xiang Youde smacked his lips and started transferring money to his repayment account on his phone.
He had taken a loan years ago to buy an apartment in his hometown, and he had to repay more than 3,000 yuan every month, which could be considered heavy debt. Although the pressure was high, housing prices had been rising, which gave him some small comfort amid his hard work.
Zhang Yang's family only had one house in their hometown, but it wasn't a big issue. With his current level of earning 20,000 a day, it would be easy for him to save up and buy another house before returning home next time.
In the entire company, aside from the sales department where salaries fluctuated greatly, the rest didn't vary much. Especially in the planning department, the differences between colleagues weren't big.
On payday, overtime was rarely arranged, so everyone chatted and laughed as they got off work.
"Zhang Yang, want to grab a bite after work?" Xiang Youde's weight-loss plan seemed to have been killed in the cradle before it even began. Zhang Yang saw that he had ordered low-fat meals for about two days before completely giving up. In fact, he had even rebounded harder in his eating habits, constantly eating junk food.
"Not today, I'm busy." Zhang Yang waved his hand.
After work he planned to stop by the Vacheron Constantin boutique on West Nanjing Road to pick up his watch.
"Don't get it. You don't even have a girlfriend, what could you possibly be busy with after work?" Xiang Youde muttered before leaving first.
In the lobby on the first floor of the office building, Zhang Yang walked out of the elevator and was about to head for the subway.
"Brother Zhang!" Bei Wei jogged over from behind.
"What's up?" Zhang Yang stopped.
"We got paid today. Let me treat you to dinner." Bei Wei lightly waved her phone in front of Zhang Yang. "Perfect time to have a good meal."
"No need, right?" Zhang Yang shook his head. "It's not easy to earn money."
"Come on, Brother Zhang. Anyway I spend everything I earn." Bei Wei gently tugged at him. "If you wait a few more days, I won't even be able to treat you anymore."
Zhang Yang believed her.
This girl really did spend a lot. A cup of Starbucks morning and evening. It was said that the place she rented in Shanghai wasn't cheap either. Cosmetics, skincare products, and clothes were all fixed monthly expenses. It was indeed hard for her to save money.
That made Zhang Yang even more reluctant to let her pay.
"How about I treat you instead?" Zhang Yang looked at Bei Wei standing in front of him in her Chanel-style skirt. "If you're not in a hurry, you can accompany me to West Nanjing Road first. I need to take care of something."
"Sure, I'll go with you, but I'm still the one paying!" Bei Wei insisted strongly. "Brother Zhang, just give me this chance. Otherwise I'll keep thinking about it and feel bad. The Japanese meal last time was so expensive…"
"Fine." Zhang Yang smiled helplessly. "Do whatever you want."
Hearing this, Bei Wei immediately smiled brightly.
On the subway, it was rush hour after work, with crowds coming and going.
Standing among the flowing crowd, Zhang Yang saw that Bei Wei wasn't steady on her feet and casually wrapped an arm around her slender shoulders.
He did it casually, but Bei Wei froze. Her body instantly tensed up. She didn't say anything and only lowered her head slightly, letting Zhang Yang hold her.
"We're here." Zhang Yang naturally released his hand.
"Mm." Bei Wei's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz as she followed Zhang Yang off the subway, her cheeks slightly red.
After exiting the subway station, the two walked toward West Nanjing Road.
Just a few hundred meters from the station exit-
"The omelet shop up ahead seems pretty busy. Treat me to that." Zhang Yang pointed to a shop not far away. The place looked popular, with a small line in front.
"Huh? Just that?" Bei Wei had originally prepared to spend a lot tonight, so she felt embarrassed when she saw this.
Eating this wouldn't cost much at all.
"Let's go. I happen to want some." Zhang Yang walked closer and could already smell the familiar fragrance.
Luxury single-person set: 20 yuan per person.
Two people: 40 yuan.
Bei Wei awkwardly took out her phone to scan the code to pay, mumbling that she would treat Zhang Yang to another meal next time.
A moment later, each of them held a fragrant soft-skin egg pancake, eating while walking. The surrounding crowd surged, and luxury brands filled the streets. Top-tier businesses gathered everywhere. It truly deserved its title as the number one commercial street in China.
"Brother Zhang, how did things go with that girl yesterday? Did it go well?"
"It went okay." Zhang Yang ate the egg pancake. The taste reminded him strongly of his hometown, making him momentarily feel as if he were back there. But the bustling crowds and extreme prosperity around him repeatedly reminded him that this was Shanghai-the starting point and ending point of dreams.
"Next time I'll help you take a look. If you buy clothes or need styling advice, just ask me. I guarantee I'll help upgrade your look even more." Bei Wei patted the small buns on her chest confidently.
Zhang Yang glanced subconsciously before shifting his gaze away.
To be fair, Bei Wei's sense of fashion and taste in clothing were absolutely excellent. Did all pretty girls naturally have this skill?
Passing by a trendy clothing shop on the street, Bei Wei suddenly became interested and actually dragged Zhang Yang inside to try some clothes.
Shirts, T-shirts, retro styles, minimalist styles…
Bei Wei handled all kinds of styles with ease. Her eye was indeed excellent.
Originally Zhang Yang had just intended to try things casually, but to his surprise, several outfits really matched his taste perfectly.
"Brother Zhang, handsome!" Bei Wei gave him a thumbs-up beside him.
With Bei Wei constantly cheering him on and Zhang Yang also feeling the outfits looked good, he simply bought them all. After all, they didn't cost much.
However, Bei Wei still seemed to be enjoying it endlessly, so Zhang Yang had to stop her in time.
"Bei Wei, I still have something to take care of…"
"Ah, sorry, I almost forgot…" Bei Wei still looked a bit reluctant to stop. "By the way, Brother Zhang, where are you going?"
"I bought a watch earlier but haven't picked it up yet. I came today to get it." Zhang Yang looked around his field of vision and soon saw the iconic Maltese cross logo of Vacheron Constantin ahead by the roadside.
"Congratulations, Brother Zhang, on your new watch!" Bei Wei softly congratulated him.
Although girls weren't particularly enthusiastic about watches, she still knew how important a watch was to a man.