Chapter 97: Job Offer

Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Job Offer

His Adam’s apple bobbed, but he didn’t reply, just watched her.

"Hey, hey, don’t pull so hard!"

She frowned, raising a hand to push at his wrist.

"What’s the hurry? Got a fire under your ass?"

"Hey, why aren’t you saying anything?"

"Hey, hey..."

BANG!

The doorframe vibrated with a hum.

"You..."

BANG!

The bathroom door slammed shut, and the room instantly grew darker.

"I..."

She was suddenly spun around, her face pressed against the door panel. Only then did she realize: ’This is bad!’

"Um..."

Before she could get the word out, Li Hanchen was already pressing against her from behind, his entire body flush with her back.

"Is this okay?"

His Adam’s apple bobbed behind her ear, and a wave of heat crawled down her skin.

Her face flushed crimson, and a ringing filled her ears.

’Doing this kind of business in broad daylight... it’s so embarrassing.’

Embarrassed as she was, she still nodded twice.

But then...

The doorknob suddenly turned.

"Huh? Hey! What do you think you’re doing?"

Shen Songyao shouted as she pounded on the door.

The moment she finished nodding, he had lifted her by the small of her back and pushed her right out the door.

"Explain yourself!"

"Cat got your tongue?"

Shen Songyao pressed her ear tight against the door panel, only to hear the sound of heavy panting from inside.

She couldn’t help but wonder.

’What is he doing in there right now?’

By the time she had put the noodles in the pot and cooked them until they were soft, Li Hanchen finally ambled out of the bathroom.

The moment he appeared, the way he looked at Shen Songyao was completely different.

...

Shen Songyao was still selling her wares at a streetside stall.

One day, as she was hawking her goods until her throat was raw, an old man in a gray tunic suit strolled up to her stall.

Shen Songyao glanced over, and her heart immediately sank.

’It’s over. Someone from the department store is here to chase me off again!’

She opened her mouth to say.

"Oh, I’ll leave right now, I’ll pack up immediately!"

Before she could get the words out, the old man had already crouched down, picked up one of Shen Songyao’s handmade butterfly hair clips, and was turning it over and over, examining it.

Shen Songyao saw how intently he was looking and thought, ’He’s probably not here to cause trouble.’

She quickly broke into a grin.

"Sir, how about buying one? It looks really cute when you wear it!"

"Get it for your granddaughter. Kids love these sparkly little things."

The old man stopped what he was doing and looked up to ask.

"Young lady, this butterfly hair clip, did you make it yourself?"

"Of course! I made it with my own hands! From drawing the design, cutting the pieces, bending the wires, to soldering, polishing, and enameling, I did it all by myself."

"You really made this?"

The old man’s eyes lit up, and he pointed a finger at the pair of wings.

"This butterfly, you shaped it? Without a mold, without a machine press, just purely by hand, bit by bit?"

Shen Songyao patted her chest.

"Guaranteed! I even filled in the scale patterns on the wings strand by strand. There are no empty spaces."

The old man looked her up and down.

"You look so young..."

"Heh, the craft was passed down in my family. My hands have been callused for a long time!"

"Then... what about more difficult work? For example, jewelry with gemstones, can you handle that?"

"I can! Absolutely! It’s an ancestral gem-setting technique. My dad taught me seven types of setting, and I know them all!"

Shen Songyao rubbed two fingers together, lowered her voice, and said with a grin.

"As long as we can agree on the price, I could even replicate a phoenix crown for you. I guarantee it would stun everyone the moment you put it on!"

When the old man heard this, he immediately pulled a small red booklet from his pocket, opened it, and handed it over.

"See this? I’m the director of the city museum. My surname is Han!"

The smile vanished from Shen Songyao’s face. She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and solemnly extended one.

"Director Han, hello! It’s an honor! I honestly thought you were here to find fault with me!"

The two shook hands, and Director Han said kindly.

"Don’t be so formal. I came today because I have some official business I’d like to discuss with you!"

Shen Songyao quickly replied.

"My surname is Shen, and my name is Shen Songyao. Director, you can just call me Xiao Shen!"

"Alright, Comrade Shen, our museum..."

"Boss, how much for this hair tie?"

"Fifty cents each!"

Shen Songyao immediately turned her head to answer.

People were coming and going in front of the stall, and business was booming. Director Han could only smile and ask.

"Xiao Shen, what time do you usually close up shop?"

"Around eleven-thirty in the morning! Once the sun is at an angle, the wind starts blowing from the south end of the alley, and my cloth canopy starts to shake. I have to pack up before the wind picks up."

"Then I’ll wait for you to close!"

"Okay! Director Han, you can sit somewhere and rest..."

Shen Songyao looked around, trying to find a shady spot.

Director Han waved his hand.

"You just do your work. No need to worry about me. I feel more at ease just standing here and watching."

After speaking, he stepped back to stand under the shade of a tree and waited until there were no more customers around Shen Songyao before slowly walking over.

"Comrade Shen..."

Shen Songyao was a little embarrassed.

"Oh, making you wait so long, Director, I feel terrible!"

Director Han waved his hands repeatedly.

"It’s no trouble! It’s a good thing to be driven. What we need now are young people like you who are willing to get their hands dirty and dare to take initiative! I saw those few new pieces at your stall—the lines are even, the filigree is dense. Just by standing here and looking, I can tell they weren’t carelessly thrown together."

"Let’s skip the pleasantries. Let’s get down to business. Director Han, what did you need to see me about?"

"It’s like this: our museum has a few old artifacts with inlaid gold and silver threads, gemstones, and so on. They’re old, so they’ve been bumped and damaged a bit. We need to find a skilled master to fix them up."

"Your craftsmanship is so steady, Xiao Shen. Would you be willing to come and help out?"

Shen Songyao paused and didn’t answer right away.

Director Han quickly added.

"Don’t worry about the pay. We definitely won’t have you make the trip for nothing!"

Shen Songyao chuckled.

"The money really isn’t important. The fact that you thought of me is a great honor; how could I refuse? I’m just curious, how did you know I had this skill?"

Director Han pointed to the filigree butterfly hair clip on her stall and laughed.

"To be honest, my little granddaughter has worn one of these!"

"I could tell at a glance that this wasn’t the work of an ordinary craftsman. When I went home and asked, she said she bought it on this street, from you. So I thought I’d just come see for myself and try my luck."

Shen Songyao glanced down at the butterfly she had made and had a sudden realization.

"Oh, so you tracked me down from my hair clip!"

"Director Han, if you trust me, just leave me the address. I’ll find some time to go over and take a look. If I can do it, I’ll take the job. If I can’t, I won’t force it, so I don’t ruin your museum’s reputation."

Director Han deftly pulled out a small notebook and said as he wrote.

"I have a good eye for people."

Shen Songyao took the slip of paper with a smile.

"Deal! It’s too rushed today. I’ll go home and tell my family, and I’ll be there tomorrow for sure!"

"Then I’ll be waiting for your good news, Comrade Shen!"

With that, Director Han waved and left.

Shen Songyao looked up at the street. The crowds had thinned, and it was getting late, so she started packing up her stall.

A short while later, Li Hanchen arrived.

The moment Shen Songyao saw him, she waved the piece of paper in her hand.

"Guess what’s written on here?"

Li Hanchen truly couldn’t guess and just shook his head.

Shen Songyao’s eyes were sparkling.

"It’s the address, handwritten by the director himself! He’s invited me to go and repair their treasures!"

Li Hanchen was stunned for a moment, then he immediately broke into a smile.

"Really? That’s fantastic!"

He decided right then and there.

"We’re having extra dishes tonight! I’ll stew a pot of ribs—a new recipe I learned—just for you!"