"Okay, I'll take these five thousand yuan, thank you, boss." I took the red envelope with both hands and bowed to Chen Decheng.
Chen Decheng, with a gloomy face, returned my bow twice.
I guessed if I bowed again, he would return it twice more.
The boss must think of me as a benefactor.
I was about to get to work. Chapters first released on n̷o̷v̷e̷l̷f̷i̷r̷e̷.net
Chen Decheng pulled me to sit down, "No rush, there's something I want to discuss with you."
"Oh." I obediently complied.
He ordered a plate of peanuts.
Then he went to open two bottles of drinks.
"Shufen mentioned that your craft has been passed down through generations?"
Chen Decheng asked me.
I replied, "Yes, the ancestral Life and Death Embroidery, specialized in solving complex cases."
"I want to introduce a business to you, one of my childhood friends who wishes to find his biological parents." Chen Decheng cracked open his can of beer, took two gulps, seeming to empathize with his friend's ordeal. "After all these years, he hasn't found them; he's also a man of misfortune."
Seeing my restraint, he twisted open my bottle of orange juice with pulp.
I nodded, took a sip of juice, "If it's about finding someone, it's not difficult."
"My childhood friend is quite a successful businessman; if the matter is accomplished, he definitely won't shortchange you."
Chen Decheng patted my shoulder, looking very optimistic about me, "He is currently in Spring Wind Town, I'll arrange a meeting for you two this afternoon."
That afternoon, in a private room at the restaurant.
Chen Decheng came in, arm around a young man's shoulder, "This is my brother, Wei Yao. Handsome, isn't he?"
"Handsome." I smiled awkwardly, "Hello, Mr. Wei."
I had initially thought it would be a portly middle-aged businessman.
To my surprise, he was quite young and had a refined appearance.
Chen Decheng said, "You two chat, I'll step out."
"Chen Yuanyuan?" As soon as Chen Decheng left, Wei Yao's aura turned arrogant, "Big Brother Chen told you I am looking for someone?"
"Over the years, I've spent millions and hired many capable people, but none have found them." Wei Yao's cynically scrutinizing eyes measured me up.
"I can help you find them, but I need half an hour to prepare," I said directly to Wei Yao.
Wei Yao sneered mockingly, "Did you understand what I said? I've consulted more skilled experts before, and none could find them. Even if some charlatans claim they did, they were all impostors."
"I understand, you think I'm a swindler?" Then why did you agree to meet me?" I asked Wei Yao suspiciously.
Wei Yao put his feet up on the table, spinning a fidget spinner, "Out of respect for Big Brother Chen, who kept promoting your abilities, claiming you cured his cancer and helped his wife with infertility. That sounds like the work of a charlatan to me?"
"I'm sorry to have wasted your time." I didn't want to explain further and stood up to leave.
Mysticism is only real to those who believe; to the nonbelievers, it is false.
Wei Yao chuckled coldly behind me, "Tsk, I heard you conned Big Brother Chen out of five thousand yuan. Should I call the police or just call the police?"
"I... will return the five thousand yuan to the boss, please show some mercy." I've been battered by life enough to know when to back down.
I'm just a small fry; someone as distinguished and successful as Wei Yao could easily send me to Hell with a flick of his finger.
Wei Yao, speaking into WeChat, said, "The female swindler has admitted to her actions, Big Brother Chen, come in, she has agreed to return the five thousand yuan to you."
Less than half a minute later, Chen Decheng rushed in, frantic.
Without even glancing at Wei Yao, he lifted his WeChat and started screaming at me, "Fuck, how dare you transfer the money back? Am I not your boss anymore? Even if those weren't your accomplishments, you are my employee. I gave you a five thousand bonus; how dare you refuse it??"