The Aloof Therapy Master
“Uh... is there something on my face? Why are you staring at me like that?”
“No, I just realized you're actually pretty cute when you're asleep!”
“So you're saying I'm not cute the rest of the time?”
“You jerk!” Jiang Ning stuck out her tongue, but then suddenly leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Chu Fei's lips.
A little later, they got out of bed, checked out, and Chu Fei drove her to grab some breakfast before dropping her off at home. Once he'd parted ways with Jiang Ning, he called Zhang Lin to talk about Li Xin's proposal, but she had a packed schedule and wouldn't be free until the afternoon. So he dialed Xie Qin instead, not really expecting her to have time—but sure enough, she was sipping coffee somewhere and completely free at the moment.
Chu Fei hopped in the car and rushed over right away. When he arrived, Xie Qin was chatting with a woman in her early twenties.
“Come here, Chu Fei. Let me introduce you—this is the Master Duan Lin I told you about.”
“She's the therapy master?” Chu Fei blurted out in surprise. She was so young!
“Haha, don't let her looks fool you. Master Duan Lin is only two years younger than me.”
“Hello, Master!”
Chu Fei gave her a polite bow. Since she was a woman, he didn't offer a handshake—and good thing, too, because Duan Lin didn't seem to give him the time of day. She glanced at him once, then turned her head away without saying a word.
“Heh...” Xie Qin noticed Duan Lin's attitude but wasn't fazed. She knew Duan Lin was always like this—her clients were all women, and she had a natural aversion to men. She never paid them any mind; it was common knowledge, so no one batted an eye. Xie Qin just kept talking to her. “This kid here's my nephew. I'd like him to shadow you and learn a bit for a while. What do you say, Master Duan Lin?”
“I don't talk to men, and my secret formulas are never shared!” Duan Lin took a cool sip of her tea, clearly uninterested.
“I get it. I'm not asking you to take him as a disciple or anything. I'm planning to invest in a beauty salon soon, so I just want him to pick up some basics—enough to pass as an expert. He'll be managing the place for me later on.”
“No teaching!”
“You don't have to teach him a thing. Just let him watch from the sidelines. Have him observe you for a month, and that'll cancel out that favor you owed me last time.”
“Half a month, max.”
“Deal!”
Xie Qin clapped her hands decisively. “It's settled then. I'll have him get ready, and in a couple days, I'll send him your way.”
“Fine.”
Duan Lin stood up and left without another word. Aside from that initial glance, she hadn't looked at Chu Fei again. Once she was out of sight, Chu Fei sat down across from Xie Qin with an awkward chuckle. “Sis Qin, what's her deal? So haughty!”
“Don't worry about her. Just observe and learn as much as you can over the next half month...” Xie Qin shook her head with a wry smile. “Oh, right—I saw you pull up in a Jeep. You buy it?”
“Nah, a friend gave it to me...”
Chu Fei explained Li Xin's interest in buying shares, emphasizing her sharp analysis of the shop's potential issues.
“Mm, with me around, none of those problems she mentioned would ever happen. But she's got a good head on her shoulders—thinking ahead like that shows she's cut out for business. Now I'm a little curious to meet her... You've got friends like that?”
“She's actually my college classmate's older sister.” Chu Fei scratched his head. “Her little sister's... uh, really close to me.”
“I get it... You don't need to run this by Xiao Lin—I'll greenlight it for her. Besides, you're the majority shareholder; it's your shares on the line. We wouldn't dream of objecting... Buying out the shop will save a ton of hassle, so yeah, let's do it.”
“Awesome!”
“Mm. Xiao Lin mentioned you only just got to Shenzhen not long ago, and now you're cruising around in a flashy ride like that... You got your license already?”
“Nope, planning to hit up a driving school these next couple days...”
“You're driving without a license?” Xie Qin's eyes went wide. “You little punk, you really don't fear death! Whatever—I'll have someone sort one out for you this afternoon. Gimme your ID!”
“Oh... okay.”
Xie Qin's efficiency was no joke. Around three or four in the afternoon, while Chu Fei was in the shop chatting with Zhang Lin and the designers she'd brought along, someone knocked and came in with his ID—and a brand-new driver's license. Delighted but baffled, Chu Fei couldn't help wondering just what kind of pull Xie Qin had.
The designers Zhang Lin brought were all veterans with over a decade of experience. Their expertise made Chu Fei, a total newbie, feel utterly ashamed—these pros were on another level. He was too intimidated even to admit he dabbled in design himself. But since he had a bit of know-how on renovations, when they discussed the shop's layout and design, they actually praised his ideas as pretty solid!
Well then! Chu Fei broke out in a cold sweat...