The voluptuous and beautiful nanny, Technician Shen fell for her.

In mid-November, the wind in Jiang City turned completely cold and hard.

The clothing manufacturing factory then experienced its first surge in orders.

The department store in the provincial capital had just put up that batch of winter clothes, and in less than three days, they were all sold out.

Today, Su Nianhe wore an extremely fitted black turtleneck sweater, paired with khaki thick wool trousers.

She sat at the desk in the factory manager's office, holding a red and blue pencil in her hand, looking at the thick stack of additional orders on the table.

Zhu Yuanyuan walked in carrying a large aluminum lunchbox, chewing on half a fried dough stick.

"Nianhe, the provincial capital is pressing us again." Zhu Yuanyuan slammed an urgent telegram on the table, swallowed what was in her mouth, and said, "They want to order another two thousand of those padded-shoulder coats. But our four production lines are already running 24/7, with the female workers working in two shifts. The sewing machine pedals are practically smoking from all the work. We just can't handle this order."

Su Nianhe looked at the numbers on the telegram and felt a pang of heartache.

"What's the difference between not being able to make money and cutting my flesh with a knife?" she muttered, throwing her pencil on the table.

"That's what they call 'the bold get rich, the timid starve.' Our factory is just starting out, so it's normal that our production capacity can't keep up." Zhu Yuanyuan pulled out a chair and sat down. "We have to cancel this order; we can't just try to fool people with substandard products."

Su Nianhe nodded and was about to put the telegram away when a flurry of footsteps came from outside the door.

Li Lianhua pushed open the door and strode in.

Today she was wearing a brand-new wool coat from the factory and a pair of brand-new black leather shoes. Her hair was permed into slight curls, and she looked fashionable and energetic, completely shedding the rustic look she had when she was in Liuhe Village.

"Nianhe, are you busy?" Li Lianhua walked to the table, poured herself a cup of hot water and held it in her hands to warm them.

"I'm heartbroken about the money." Su Nianhe pointed to the telegram on the table. "We can't keep up with the orders, and we can only watch the money fly away."

Li Lianhua leaned over for a look and immediately laughed.

"What's the provincial capital? If we can't handle Jiang City and the provincial capital, we'll sell to even more distant places." Li Lianhua pulled up a chair and sat down, lowering her voice with undisguised ambition. "I've discussed it with Tie Jun. He'll take leave next week to come with me to Beijing."

Su Nianhe was stunned for a moment.

"Why go so far?"

"I'm buying the 'three turns and one sound' for the wedding," Li Lianhua said, taking a sip of hot water. "The big department stores in Beijing have everything. But that's just a pretext. My main purpose is to take the catalog you drew and a few sample garments from our factory to the state-run department stores over there to explore the options, like renting a counter or something."

Zhu Yuanyuan, who was listening nearby, gave a thumbs up.

"Lotus, you've got some nerve. Going straight to Beijing to become a cross-provincial smuggler?"

"So what?" Li Lianhua raised her chin, exuding a triumphant air. "Don't those old ladies in the compound secretly look down on me for not having a formal job? If I can get the Huai Nian clothing brand into the big department stores in Beijing this time, I'll come back and slap them in the face with a 100-yuan bill, and let them know what it means to earn money on your own."

Upon hearing this, Su Nianhe's initial distress over the money vanished, and her almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents.

"That's a great idea. People in the capital are rich and can afford these new styles." Su Nianhe immediately stood up and walked to the sample rack next to her. "I'll pick out ten of the best sample garments for you right now, and I'll pack them all up with fabric samples. The travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the factory; it'll be considered your business trip."

Li Lianhua didn't stand on ceremony with her and nodded in agreement.

"Okay, leave this to me. I guarantee I'll get you a few big orders. Once our production capacity is up and running, we'll have our clothes all over the country."

The three girls were working enthusiastically in the office, planning how to expand their business.

Evening, No. 103 Nanqiao Road.

A coal stove was burning in the main room, making it extremely hot.

After taking a shower, Su Nianhe sat cross-legged on the bed sheet with big red peony flowers.

She held the brass abacus in her hand, her fingers deftly manipulating the beads, producing a crisp "crackling" sound.

She was calculating how many orders Li Lianhua could bring in this time, her mind filled with the numbers of income.

The door hinges made a slight noise.

Shen Huai pushed open the wooden door and walked in.

He was wearing a long black overcoat over a crisp grey shirt. The dry, cold air outside clung to his shoulders.

The door closed, and the bolt was pushed all the way in.

Shen Huai placed his briefcase on the table and took off his coat, hanging it on the coat rack.

He turned around, his gaze falling directly on Su Nianhe on the bed.

Her black hair cascaded down her fair neck, and the neckline of her nightgown was a little wide, revealing her delicate collarbones. That irresistibly sweet scent wafted straight into his nose.

Shen Huai unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt, strode over, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Su Nianhe was busy calculating accounts and didn't notice his return at all; she was still muttering to herself.

"If we can get an order for a thousand pieces from the capital, with a commission of three yuan per piece, that would be..."

A warm, large hand reached out and pressed directly onto the abacus.

His well-defined knuckles were stuck on the abacus beads, unable to move.

Su Nianhe raised her head.

"What are you doing? I'll finish calculating right away." She tried to pull the abacus back.

Shen Huai didn't let go; with a little force, he snatched the abacus from her hand and casually tossed it onto the bedside table next to her.

"Have you become a genius at calculating? "Sounds low and husky from the cold outside, aren't you?" Shen Huai's voice was hoarse as he pinched her chin with his fingertips. "You have to charge me for just one look at me?"

Su Nianhe's cheeks felt slightly hot from his pinching, and she retorted confidently.

"I'm talking about serious business. Lotus is going to Beijing next week to test the waters, which is a crucial step for our factory to expand."

Shen Huai ignored her grand ambitions.

He leaned forward, pinning her against the headboard. The man's body heat seeped through her shirt, dispelling the last bit of chill she felt.

"She's going to Beijing, and I'm going to the Special Economic Zone." Shen Huai calmly explained his itinerary. "The projects in the Special Economic Zone need to be settled at the end of the year, and the shipments from the South China Steel Mill's agent also need to be reconciled. My train leaves tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing this, Su Nianhe's mental abacus stopped working.

She put her hands on his shoulders.

"Going to the Special Economic Zone again? How long will you be gone?" Her voice softened, tinged with reluctance.

"One month. I'll be back before the New Year." Shen Huai's large hand slid down her back and stopped at her soft waist. "Zhu Yuanyuan is keeping an eye on things at the factory. Don't work non-stop by yourself."

Su Nianhe nodded obediently.

Shen Huai lowered his head, his nose brushing against her neck, and took a deep breath.

The fruity scent mixed with the soapy smell of a fresh shower was so alluring that it made one lose all reason.

"What did you have for dinner? It smells so good." He asked knowingly, grinding his teeth against the soft, white flesh.

Su Nianhe shrank back, her legs feeling weak.

"I ate some braised pork slices..." Her voice trembled, with a heavy nasal tone.

Shen Huai didn't give her a chance to continue speaking and kissed her lips directly.

It was an extremely aggressive kiss, filled with possessiveness born of an impending month-long separation and a fierce hunger born of long-suppressed hunger.

He pried open her teeth and stole all the sweet, fruity scent from her breath.

Su Nianhe was breathless from the kisses, her hands trembling with unease, so she could only clutch at the collar of his gray shirt. The fabric was crumpled into a messy crease.

As their body temperatures rose, the fragrance became increasingly intense.

Shen Huai put one arm around her waist and lifted her up, her toes off the bed.

His long, slender fingers rested on his belt buckle, producing a soft metallic clinking sound.

Su Nianhe's ears burned when she heard the noise.

"Shen Huai, we have to get up early to catch the train tomorrow..." she tried to reason with him.

"It won't make a difference if it takes a little more time." Shen Huai was completely unreasonable and simply pushed the person into the soft quilt.

The coal stove inside the house crackled and popped as it burned.

The next morning, at Jiangshi Railway Station.

Su Nianhe stood on the platform.

She was carrying a net bag containing a few apples and a box of freshly steamed meat buns.

Shen Huai carried the canvas travel bag in one hand and pulled her to his side with the other.

"When you get there, eat on time. Don't get into conflicts with anyone," Su Nianhe said, looking up at her with concern in her eyes.

Shen Huai placed his large hand on the back of her head and lowered his head to kiss her forehead.

"Be good at home. Wait for me to come back."

The train conductor blew his whistle.

Shen Huai stepped onto the train platform and turned to look at her.

The train whistle blew a long blast and slowly started moving forward.

Su Nianhe stood there, watching the tall, upright figure disappear from sight as the train went off.

She adjusted the collar of her coat and turned to walk back.