The wedding date was finally set. Team Leader Qi went on his wedding leave, fully focused on this major life event and making final preparations. Every colleague in the department received a wedding invitation, eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to relax amid their busy schedules.

“Mr. Chen, if everything’s in order, I’ll have Legal draft the contract. Your legal advisor can follow up throughout the process.” Shen Duoyi spent the afternoon renegotiating with a client and finally closed the deal just before the end of the workday.

He walked the client to the door, giving a final handshake. “Mr. Chen, feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions.”

Mr. Chen smiled. “Thank you. Our new experiential store in Yamenting opens this weekend. Come by if you can — bring a friend or family member. I’ll set you up with a platinum card.”

Shen Duoyi politely declined. “Team Leader Qi’s wedding is this weekend, and we’re all attending. I’m a groomsman — if I skip it, he’ll disown me.”

Mr. Chen laughed. “No problem. You can visit another time. Send my best wishes to him.”

After sending off the client, Shen Duoyi exhaled deeply. Meetings and negotiations didn’t drain him, but the small talk afterward always sapped his energy.

Back in the office, he organized all the relevant documents and prepared a concise explanation. Once everything was ready, he headed to the Legal Department.

The department head noticed him with a folder and said, “Team Leader Shen, we roughly estimated your year-end bonus and commission.”

Shen Duoyi teased, “You must be very free, huh?”

“Look at him — he’s gotten so familiar with us. He was so polite the first few times he came by, and now it’s borderline insulting.” The department head laughed. “You’re the most frequent visitor from the consulting department, aside from the admin. That means you’ve signed the most clients, especially high-value corporate and IPO accounts.”

Shen Duoyi didn’t deny it and joked, “I’m thinking of buying a watch at year-end. Can you estimate how much I can spend?”

Another colleague chimed in, “Judging by your current waterproof watch, 800 should be enough. With a year-end discount, you might get it for 400.”

“400 is too cheap!” Shen Duoyi handed over the folder. “This watch cost 90 bucks and has lasted years. I don’t even take it off when washing my hands.”

The department head surrendered. “Better to spend money than lose it in the stock market.”

Shen Duoyi feigned outrage. “Why bring that up? The documents are here. Get the contract ready quickly.”

The story of his investment loss had spread — no doubt courtesy of Team Leader Qi’s big mouth. Frustrated, Shen Duoyi entered the elevator. As a consulting team leader, losing money on investments wasn’t a good look for his professional image.

With half an hour left before clock-out, he decided to visit the cafeteria. Work had been so busy lately that he hadn’t taken advantage of the afternoon snacks the company provided. Hungry now, he thought he’d grab a bite and rest.

The cafeteria was nearly empty. He got the last basket of sticky rice shrimp dumplings. After just a couple of bites, Annie rushed in with her bag.

“I’ll take all the remaining dim sum. Are there any shrimp dumplings left?”

“The last portion just went to Team Leader Shen.”

Annie turned and saw him. “Are you heading out?”

“Yeah. Your boyfriend?”

“He got into a minor accident. It wasn’t urgent at first, but now I need to rush over. He hit his ex-girlfriend’s car, and I need to keep an eye on things.” Her voice was exasperated and anxious.

Shen Duoyi couldn’t help but smile — relationships seemed entertaining. “Go ahead. I’ll take the food up to Mr. Qi and update him on the client.”

Annie sighed in relief. “Thank you! I owe you one.”

Shen Duoyi took the food boxes to the 30th floor. The office door was open. He saw Qi Shi’an on the phone as he entered. After placing the food on the coffee table, he settled on the sofa just as Qi Shi’an hung up.

Qi Shi’an walked over. “Why are you delivering food?”

“I ran into Annie in the cafeteria. She was in a hurry, so I let her go.” Shen Duoyi opened a box with half the shrimp dumplings. “I took the last portion. If you don’t mind, you can have the rest.”

Qi Shi’an took one without hesitation. “I don’t mind. Thanks for saving me some.”

“You’ve got a lot of food. Are you still having dinner later?”

“This is dinner. Easier to pack it and go.” Qi Shi’an glanced at the clock. “Five minutes left in the workday. How much time did you waste?”

“Half an hour. Why?” Shen Duoyi shrugged. “Dock my pay if you want. My mind’s already at the wedding reception.”

The night before the wedding, everyone had different emotions. The bride and groom were undoubtedly happy. Their parents felt pride and sentimentality. Colleagues were excited — it was like a big dinner party.

Qi Shi’an spent the long night alone at home. His gaming PC was gathering dust. He drank half a bottle of cold water and decided to play a game. He logged in, joined a sniper mission, and focused intensely, his expression mirroring his work demeanor.

The doorbell rang.

He figured it was Zhang Yiming and ignored it. When it finally stopped, his phone rang. Seeing it was his mother, he reluctantly paused the game and opened the door.

“Did you go deaf? I rang for ages. I thought you weren’t home.”

“I was gaming.” Qi Shi’an enjoyed his mother’s lively scolding, a contrast to his father’s composed demeanor. Sure enough, she slapped his back. “Gaming is more important than answering the door?”

They went to the dining room, where she unpacked food. “Did you make this or the housekeeper?”

“I made it. The housekeeper’s busy cooking for Xiao Chuan’s exams.” She stocked the fridge. “Pickled radish for hot weather. Dried fruits and nuts for the office. Don’t work so hard, alright? Play more.”

Qi Shi’an was stunned. “If I don’t work hard now, when should I?”

“Never. Life’s too short.” She sighed. “Your brother’s hopeless, so I’ve given up.”

“I’m swamped. No time to help him.”

His mother warned, “Get some sleep. Don’t stay up all night.”

“Got it. I have a wedding to attend tomorrow.”

Her eyes brightened. “You’re nearly 30. Any prospects?”

He paused. “Actually… yes.”

“Really? Don’t be shy. Go after them!”

Qi Shi’an feigned seriousness. “I’ll try.”

That weekend, Shen Duoyi arrived early at Team Leader Qi’s place. The new apartment was beautifully decorated. After meeting the other groomsmen, he changed clothes and had his hair styled.

At 8 AM sharp, they set off to pick up the bride. Qi Shi’an called, freshly showered. “Where are you now? When should I leave?”

“We’re on our way to pick up the bride. Head to the hall around 10.”

Shen Duoyi instinctively glanced at his wrist, only to remember he’d left his watch at home — it didn’t match his suit. “You can leave by 10:30. Just show up, hand over your gift, and dig in.”

Qi Shi’an said, “Am I here for the food? Civility rules — no mocking your boss.”

As Shen Duoyi drove into the neighborhood, he slowed down. “Then what are you here for?”

Qi Shi’an walked to his wardrobe, preparing to leave early. “If I want to see you as soon as possible, shouldn’t I be getting dressed now?”

The car stopped outside, guests bustling about. Shen Duoyi remained seated for a moment, lingering in the confined space before answering, “Send me a message when you get there. I’ll meet you at the entrance.”

Qi Shi’an hung up and started changing. Shirt, tie, suit, shoes — everything looked ordinary, but he fastened each button with meticulous care.

He arrived at the hall at 10:15. Guests were just getting out of their cars, gathering by the entrance. Qi Shi’an stepped under the shade of a tree, scanning the crowd for Shen Duoyi.

“Duoyi!”