Chapter 26: Text Message

"What are you doing? Drink up!" Wang Zhitao prompted, holding his glass, clearly annoyed that Li Xiuyuan was still staring at his phone.

Li Xiuyuan clinked glasses with Wang Zhitao and took a sip, but he kept his phone in hand, unsure of how to reply. Just moments ago, he had been telling himself that there was no way someone like Wu Yiyi would ever take an interest in him, yet here was a text message from her.

Although it was only a brief message: "Comrade Li Xiuyuan, this is Wu Yiyi. Please save my number so it's easier to stay in touch. If you have any questions about work that you don't understand, feel free to ask me..."

The sentence seemed innocuous, as if she were simply adding a contact, but upon closer reflection, was it really necessary?

Li Xiuyuan couldn't quite figure it out. Logically, he had just started his job and was merely a handyman in the General Affairs Division. Wu Yiyi, on the other hand, was the director's secretary. They had absolutely no professional overlap, and there was no reason for them to have each other's contact information. Furthermore, even if there were a need to connect, it should have been he, the newcomer, who took the initiative.

Stepping back even further, if Wu Yiyi really did need to exchange numbers for work purposes, there was no need to add the final remark: "If you have any questions about work that you don't understand, feel free to ask me."

That sentence was purely superfluous—or perhaps, a lure.

Based on his interactions with her that afternoon, it was clear that Wu Yiyi wasn't the type to be overly warm. Of course, one could interpret it as her simply being polite.

Li Xiuyuan deliberated for a moment before typing on his phone: "Hello, Sister Wu. I've just started, and I'm still learning the ropes. I'll surely be troubling you in the future, so I appreciate your guidance."

After sending it, he put the phone away and continued drinking with Wang Zhitao. Wang Zhitao had reached his limit, and though tomorrow was a day off, Li Xiuyuan didn't let him drink any more. He offered to see Wang Zhitao home, but Wang insisted on taking a taxi. Seeing that Wang was still relatively clear-headed, Li didn't press the matter.

After seeing Wang off, Li Xiuyuan decided to walk home since it wasn't far, and he finally had a moment to check his phone. Sure enough, another text had arrived from Wu Yiyi.

"Don't use such formal language; it’s too polite. We’re all colleagues, just call me Wu Yiyi. You're new, so don't be in such a rush—take your time getting familiar with the work. If there’s anything you're unsure about, you can always ask me."

Li Xiuyuan felt a tinge of bitterness as he read the message. *Don't be in a rush? It’s easy for you to say.* She had called Director Zhao "Auntie Zhao" on her very first day, but he couldn't afford that luxury. Section Chief Qu already viewed him as a thorn in his side. He might not be in a rush, but Section Chief Qu certainly was.

"Got it, thank you, Sister Wu," Li Xiuyuan replied, effectively ending the conversation for the night. He understood that continuing to chat with her was pointless. Would he really be able to use her to his advantage, as Wang Zhitao’s cynical advice had suggested? Aside from the moral question of whether that was opportunistic, it simply wasn't realistic.

When Li Xiuyuan returned home, his parents were already asleep, so he headed straight to his room.

The next day was the weekend, so there was no work. He didn't wake up until after nine. He had assumed his parents would be out, but he found them in the living room, already dressed as if they were about to head out.

"You're up, Xiuyuan. We didn't want to wake you; we figured you must be tired from your first week of work and needed the rest," Li Jianguo said with a smile.

"I'm fine, not tired at all. Are you heading out? Do you have plans?" Li Xiuyuan asked curiously.

"Yes, your eldest aunt is hosting a housewarming party today. We're going over to celebrate."

Li Xiuyuan suddenly remembered his father mentioning this before. His father had two sisters. This aunt lived in the county town, and her husband, Song Limin, was a man of many experiences—having driven trucks, traded coal, and managed cafeterias. He had struggled for years without much success, but in the last two years, he had finally settled down with a fruit wholesale business and saved enough money to buy a house, having lived in rentals until now.

"Xiuyuan, if you don't have anything else going on, come with us," Zhang Qiuhe said, looking at her son. It turned out they had been waiting for him before leaving.

Li Xiuyuan nodded, went to his room to freshen up, and then headed out with his parents.

His aunt's new home wasn't far, and they arrived quickly by bus. It was the first time Li Xiuyuan had been to the new place, and it was quite lively. His aunt, Li Simin, was delighted to see her brother's family and pulled Li Xiuyuan over to sit down. Since childhood, both his aunts had been fond of him, especially since, by tradition, he was the only male heir of the third generation of the Li family.

Soon, his younger aunt, Li Siqin, and her family arrived. Li Xiuyuan got along well with his cousins and chatted casually. When it came time for lunch, his eldest aunt insisted he sit at the main table, a privilege his cousins didn't receive. Li Xiuyuan tried to decline several times, but it was no use. His aunt was traditional and always felt that as the only male heir of her maiden family, he deserved the honor. He and his cousins were long used to it.

Sitting at the main table, Li Xiuyuan didn't say much, mostly listening to the adults. The loudest one was his uncle, Song Limin. Once a few rounds of drinks had passed, he began to brag about the people he knew and the things he had done in his youth.

This wasn't just because it was his housewarming; even at family gatherings, Song Limin always dominated the conversation. Having traveled far and wide in his youth, he had seen a lot and knew many people. He could talk endlessly about gossip in the county.

Li Xiuyuan was used to it and usually paid it no mind. In fact, according to Lin Yutang’s "Ten Vulgarities of Society," his uncle definitely hit the mark on the one about "talking of one's noble connections whenever speaking to others." He frequently claimed to know powerful figures in the county and recounted gossip about them so vividly that it sounded as if he had been there in person.

Li Xiuyuan was accustomed to this, but when his uncle mentioned a certain person, he suddenly sat up and paid close attention.