The first thing I did was to find out

Chapter 597 Promise (Part 11)

Wang Gensheng's poor acting skills could not possibly fool Xu Nuo. Xu Nuo sized up Wang Gensheng and ultimately chose to pretend nothing had happened, asking, "Are you really alright?"

"No...it's nothing." Wang Gensheng's eyes darted away.

His acting was still terrible.

Xu Nuo didn't press further, but instead changed the subject: "Have you managed to borrow the money for your dad's surgery?"

Hearing Xu Nuo mention this, Wang Gensheng's mood became even more depressed, and he said in a dull voice, "No."

"I'm still short... a little over 300 yuan."

"The doctor said that if my dad's leg is to be cured without any sequelae, he must have surgery at a major hospital. The round-trip travel expenses, surgery fees, hospitalization fees, and nutrition fees will add up to nearly 500 yuan. If we try to save money and treat it conservatively, the best outcome will be that he will be lame. My family only has a few dozen yuan in savings. We have borrowed from relatives and friends during this period, plus what I borrowed from my colleagues at the cotton mill, and we have only managed to scrape together a little over 190 yuan."

"My dad's leg... might need to wait a while longer."

“I have inquired about advances of salary, but given my current situation, I can only get an advance of three months’ salary at most, which is not enough.”

"Why are you sighing? I'm trying to help you." Xu Nuo patted Wang Gensheng on the shoulder, signaling him not to be so dejected. "A few years ago, I could have lent you a mere 300 yuan all by myself. Unfortunately, I've spent too much money these past two years. After the last time I bought a house, my parents stopped giving me money. Plus, they want to teach me a lesson about my lazy lifestyle... I might not even be able to steal 300 yuan from home. The factory hasn't been doing well these past few years, and I know my dad has secretly put in a lot of money."

Wang Gensheng was taken aback by Xu Nuo's words and subconsciously asked, "Did Factory Director Xu advance a lot of money?"

"I'll tell you this in secret, but don't tell anyone else. Don't be fooled by how well the factory is doing. In recent years, many factories have been struggling. They've sent out goods and payments but haven't been able to collect the money. Our cotton mill may seem prosperous, but it's really just a facade."

“Many times when we give out benefits to the factory, where do those things come from? My dad pays out of his own pocket, buys things, gives gifts, and pulls strings to get them. You know my dad’s personality. Back then, he got 12 big yellow croakers for nothing and he just donated them. My family is just not destined to get rich.”

"I still think that my parents' restrictions on spending weren't meant to control me, but because my family really didn't have any money for me to spend."

Wang Gensheng: ...

Wang Gensheng thought for a moment, then asked somewhat cautiously, "Director Xu... have you ever suspected that there's a problem with the factory?"

"What problem? Business problems? I don't work at the cotton mill, how would I know about my dad's work?"

Wang Gensheng didn't speak again. After a long silence, he said, "Xu Nuo, you've already helped me a lot. You not only lent me 20 yuan yourself, but you also helped me borrow 30 yuan from Xu Mo. I'll find a way to raise the rest myself."

"What kind of plan can you come up with? You can't even cheat or swindle, how can you conjure money from the sky?" Xu Nuo said.

Wang Gensheng: ?

"I came to see you today to tell you this good news: don't worry about your dad's medical expenses, I've taken care of it for you."

Wang Gensheng wasn't surprised, just a little flustered. He glanced cautiously to the side, making sure it was dark outside and no one was around, then lowered his voice and whispered, "You went to cheat and swindle?"

"This is illegal, Xu Nuo! You can't make money this way! You'll go to jail! You need to return the money you've earned right now!"

Xu Nuo: "...Am I that kind of person? I did think about speculation, but after messing around outside for a month, all I got in return was a painting, which I can't even sell."

"I almost got caught a couple of days ago."

Under Wang Gensheng's shocked gaze, Xu Nuo took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and stuffed it into Wang Gensheng's hand.

"This...this is?" Wang Gensheng took the paper, slowly unfolded it, and found that it was covered with writing.

"The recipe for double crab buns is the one I bought a few years ago when I was most famous for my extravagant spending."

"Although I was a little embarrassed, I still asked Master Jing for it back and told him that we couldn't make and sell double crab buns anymore, because this recipe was meant to be sold."

"I spent a full 780 yuan when I bought it, and my dad almost beat me to death. You know, my dad was a soldier before, right? Before he was in the army, he was a steelworker. He was strong, and he even broke the rattan cane he used on me. It's a loss that he has to sell the recipe for these buns after only two years."

"But there's nothing we can do. Your dad's leg is important. That leg is worth more than a steamed bun."

“If I resell it now, I estimate I can get a maximum of four or five hundred yuan. If I’m in a hurry to sell it, it could even be as low as 300 yuan. You can decide how to sell it. Just make sure it’s enough for your dad’s medical expenses. I was originally planning to sell it myself and give you the money, but I just can’t bear to part with it.”

"The thought of having to sell this recipe, which I bought for 780 yuan, for a mere 300 or 400 yuan makes my heart bleed. You should go and sell it, and don't tell me how much you get for it."

Wang Gensheng was completely stunned.

Qin Huai felt that from the moment the section chief confronted him, Wang Gensheng was in a state of daze, shock, and then daze and shock again.

According to the performance system, his acting style is very simple, but based on what happened to Wang Gensheng today, his reaction is very real.

It seems difficult to make any expression other than blankness and shock.

Seeing that Wang Gensheng didn't react, Xu Nuo deliberately made a big fuss: "No way, our top student from the cotton mill, the most promising accountant in the entire finance department, Wang can only do bookkeeping, and doesn't even know how to sell a house?"

“Let me tell you, selling a property is very simple. You just shout that you want to resell it. My recipe is so famous, buyers will definitely come uninvited.”

Wang Gensheng was still in a daze.

Xu Nuo waved her hand in front of him, and seeing that he didn't react, she patted his face, then his shoulder, and then pushed him, causing Wang Gensheng to stumble.

"You're not really working overtime to earn bonuses because you're short of money, are you? Have you gone crazy from working overtime? How long has it been since you ate? I've heard that people become stupid if they don't eat for a long time. You're just eating rice soaked in hot water with pickled vegetables every day, which is no different from not eating at all."

“I…” Wang Gensheng held the prescription in his hand, overwhelmed with mixed feelings. Qin Huai didn’t need to read his mind to sense that there were more than one little person fighting inside him, a battle that was hard to win.

"I can't have it."

“Xu Nuo, this is your prescription. It’s too valuable. You bought it for 780 yuan. You can’t… you can’t sell it off so cheaply just because I’m short of money.”

"I might not be able to pay off this much money in 5 or 10 years."

Wang Gensheng was well aware of his own financial situation and also knew why his family couldn't borrow money—it was because they were poor.

Their family was unable to repay the money. Almost everyone who borrowed money did so in small amounts, such as 5 or 10 yuan, without expecting the Wang family to repay it.

“Then you can pay me back for 5 or 10 years. I have my parents to support me, and my older brother. I won’t starve to death because you don’t pay me back.” Xu Nuo waved his hand and turned to leave. “Remember to eat. Don’t work overtime at the office until so late every day. My dad won’t give you a penny more for overtime.”

“Xu Nuo…” Wang Gensheng wanted to say something, but Xu Nuo ignored him and left gracefully.

Wang Gensheng was left alone in the office again. The doctor held the prescription and stared at it in a daze.

Qin Huai was a little worried that Wang Gensheng would just sit in the office in a daze until dawn, and then go straight to work the next morning without even going back to the dormitory.

Of course, Wang Gensheng did not do that. After looking at the prescription for about five or six minutes, he carefully folded it up, put it into a small pocket that was specially sewn into his shirt, turned off the office light, and went home.

In those days, there were basically no streetlights, so walking outside was all about feeling your way in the dark. Wang Gensheng was clearly very used to walking in the dark, and he walked back to his dormitory in a daze without bumping into trees, falling, or getting lost.

After returning to his dormitory, Wang Gensheng didn't fetch water to wash up or change his clothes. He simply lay down on his bed, stared at the ceiling, and eventually fell asleep. For the next few days, Wang Gensheng remained like this, living like a zombie. Every colleague who came to work in his office noticed it, even the cafeteria worker noticed.

Qin Huai could tell that the section chief was a little smug. Perhaps in the section chief's eyes, Wang Gensheng's current state was influenced by his words that day, and soon their embezzlement team would gain a new general.

A naive, stubborn, and talented young man, whose worldview was shattered by a devastating blow from life, decides to join the villainous camp. As the villainous camp's hidden mentor, the section chief is clearly a little smug.

Qin Huai saw the section chief pretending to read the newspaper when he came to work more than once, and occasionally glancing at Wang Gensheng with a slightly smug look in his eyes. That look seemed to say, "Look, even such a fair, just, and righteous young man has to bow to reality. We are not the same kind of people."

Others, unaware of the truth, held a different view. The general consensus was that Wang Gensheng's father's condition had worsened, his legs were now too weak to be dragged, and the Wang family couldn't afford the medical expenses, forcing them to abandon treatment and leave their elderly father disabled. The loss of a able-bodied man had compounded the family's already dire poverty.

In those days, Wang Gensheng's father retired due to illness, which allowed his older brother to take over the job and become a permanent employee instead of a temporary worker. However, the cost was that his seniority would be reset to zero, and his brother would have to start from the lowest wage. Wang Gensheng's father was already the main breadwinner for the family, and now that he was ill, the family's income was drastically reduced.

This was not just the last straw that broke the Wang family's back, it was the final heavy weight that brought them down.

Many people looked at Wang Gensheng with sympathy, feeling sorry for such a promising college student who had such a family that was dragging him down.

One of Wang Gensheng's married colleagues even secretly slipped him a dollar, telling him it was his hidden stash of money, which was certainly not enough for medical expenses, but it was the last thing he could do to help.

During these past few days, Wang Gensheng did not sell his property. He went to work like a walking corpse, filling out forms, using a calculator, and scribbling on draft paper that no one could understand.

The section chief gave Wang Gensheng five days, but Wang Gensheng did not go to see the section chief after five days, and the section chief did not come to see him alone.

In the section chief's view, Wang Gensheng wasn't approaching him because the young man wanted to maintain his last bit of pride; youthful arrogance and a desire to save face were normal. Once they reached an agreement, offered Wang Gensheng a sufficient sum to rescue him from his predicament and bring him into their camp, the previous minor conflicts and grudges would vanish. Wang Gensheng would still be a promising young man, and also one of their own; when it came to promotions and advancement, they could include Wang Gensheng, maintaining a good superior-subordinate relationship.

Wang Gensheng did indeed appear to have given in.

Five days later, he was still working overtime as usual, eating rice soaked in hot water with salted vegetables every day, and occasionally having a simple stir-fried cabbage. During this time, Xu Nuo didn't come to see Wang Gensheng, but Qin Huai overheard some rumors about Xu Nuo in the cafeteria.

As a notorious spendthrift son of a cotton mill owner, Xu Nuo's every word and action is closely watched.

It is said that Xu Nuo obtained a certificate to sneak out of Suzhou for fun. As for why he sneaked out of Suzhou for fun, everyone assumes that Xu Nuo is having fun as long as he goes out, whether it's going to the countryside or going to other cities. The farther away he goes and the more off-road he travels, the more wasteful he is considered.

Time flies by in these boring days.

Qin Huai was quite used to it; this wasn't the first time he'd spent so much time in his memories. The long, ineffective fragments flowed as fast as watching a movie, and a day would pass by just sitting next to Wang Gensheng in a daze.

Wang Gensheng's life was already dull and monotonous. Apart from going to work, he rested. He was like a machine, tireless. If his daily life were made into a movie, it would definitely be the best hypnotic film.

On the 13th day of Wang Gensheng's monotonous life, an ordinary evening of going to work, working overtime, and not returning to the dormitory until after dark, the extraordinary character Xu Nuo makes a dazzling appearance.

Xu Nuo's debut was dazzling.

Without knocking, he tried to push the door open, only to find that Wang Gensheng had locked it. Startled, he knocked three times, and after Wang Gensheng opened the door, he quickly closed it and asked in a low voice, "What's going on? Did you hide something in your dorm? Your dorm is so poor that even mice wouldn't bother with it, and it's never locked. Why is it locked today?"

Wang Gensheng simply said, "The door still needs to be locked."

“That’s true.” Xu Nuo nodded, took out her right hand that had been hidden behind her back, and held a package wrapped in oil paper, which was obviously food.

"Here, I brought back some good stuff for you."

“This is…” Wang Gensheng looked at the oil paper package.

"Red Silk Cake".

"Red Silk Cake?"

"Imperial pastries, which were given by the emperor in ancient times to reward the newly appointed top scholar. You've been having a lot of bad luck lately, so eat some of these to bring some good fortune."

"Didn't I give you all the money? If you don't have money to buy ingredients, you've been using the ration coupons to exchange for ingredients. You'd better eat it secretly and make sure no one sees you. If they see you, they'll know it's from me, and if my mom finds out, she'll scold me again."

Wang Gensheng accepted the red silk cake but made no attempt to open it.

Aren't you going to eat now?

"The Mid-Autumn Festival is in two days, and I want to save it to eat during the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"Why don't you just save it for the New Year? You can eat this cake during the New Year too," Xu Nuo said with a smile. "This time we didn't have enough ingredients. In principle, Red Silk Cake should be made with red silk, that is, the cake should be wrapped in red silk to be called Red Silk Cake. But you know how expensive silk is, and it has to be red. Even if I sold it, I couldn't afford it."

"This time, you can have the skimpy version first. Once your dad's leg is healed, you can start paying me back slowly. When I have the money, I'll make you the full version."

"I've been away for a while and haven't heard of anyone selling a recipe for double crab buns. Did you sell this recipe?"

"No," Wang Gensheng replied honestly.

Xu Nuo was shocked: "You really don't want to sell the child, do you?"

"Just announce it to the outside world, say that you have this recipe and you want to sell it, and people will naturally contact you to buy it."

"I'm very busy with work right now and don't have time to sell the house."

Xu Nuo was even more shocked, his face saying, "Dude, have you gone crazy from working so hard? Do you even know what you're working so hard for every day? You've completely got the priorities backwards!"

"you……"

"By the way, Xu Nuo, there's something I want to ask you," Wang Gensheng said earnestly.

"You said."

"How much compensation is normally given to the family of an employee who dies unexpectedly at our factory?"

Promise: ? ? ?
Xu Nuo was stunned. She jumped up, wanting to scream, but in the end, only her tone rose instead of her voice.

"Old Wang! Wang Gensheng!! Accountant Wang!!!"

"You're not really under too much stress, are you? You're going crazy from working overtime every day, aren't you? Don't scare me."

"I've already given you the prescription. Your dad's medical expenses are enough. There's no need for you to work yourself to death to scam this little bit of money. Your life is definitely more valuable than 780 yuan!"

"Old Wang, please don't do anything rash. Now is not the time to go crazy."

"You won't get much compensation for dying like that."

"You say I'm a con artist, but I think you're scarier than me."

(End of this chapter)