Thanks, Auntie

When Jiang Fan arrived at the company at 11 am, he skipped the clock-in process and headed straight for the elevator. Jiang Fan scratched his head curiously as he looked at the empty lobby. Why was it so quiet today? Where had everyone gone who was usually bustling about?

His confusion was cleared up when he reached the Integrated Department.

Smack!

A loud slap echoed as he smacked himself on the forehead. Damn it, it was Saturday.

With all the hustle and bustle of the past week, he had forgotten what day it was. No wonder Tang Wan had muttered about not wanting to go to work when they got off the car.

Sigh!

As he turned to leave, the door to Yang Jin's office opened, revealing half of her body. She leaned out, cocking her head in confusion.

"Jiang Fan? Why are you here on a Saturday?"

Just as she finished speaking, Beibei also poked her head out from the door crack. Jiang Fan covered his face in embarrassment.

"...I forgot it was Saturday."

"You just got here? It's already 11 am. If this were a weekday, you'd be late again. Since you're here, why don't you stay and help me look after Beibei? I have some things to attend to."

Yang Jin pushed Beibei out of the office and promptly closed the door. Jiang Fan looked down at Beibei, who looked up at him. The two of them, one big and one small, sighed simultaneously.

The Rongyao lobby was quiet on Saturdays, but the departments were still relatively busy with staff members coming in to work overtime. Jiang Fan took Beibei to the supermarket again, where Beibei's backpack was once again filled to the brim. Beibei held a lollipop as big as Jiang Fan's palm, while Jiang Fan chewed on a candy cane.

The lollipop cost eight yuan, while the candy cane was just fifty cents.

When the little bully from the Integrated Department appeared at the door of the Marketing Department, the manager, who was busy preparing for the furniture mall, paused briefly and said softly, "Jiang Fan from the Integrated Department?"

Jiang Fan smiled and nodded, "Do you need any help?"

"No, no, we're managing fine. Actually, the Business Department is quite busy. Everyone's working overtime."

The Marketing Department manager was a short, chubby old man with a kind face, but unfortunately, he was on Gao Luxing's side. Jiang Fan had just received a cold shoulder and turned to leave, holding Beibei's hand. Just as they stood in front of the elevator waiting, Beibei suddenly sat down on the ground, hung her head, and sighed.

"I can't walk anymore, Uncle Jiang. You bought me too many snacks."

Jiang Fan chuckled at the mischievous Beibei sitting on the ground, "Here, give me your backpack."

"Uncle Jiang, can you carry me instead? I'll carry the backpack."

Then, the entire Business Department saw a man holding a little girl at the door, offering to help. Helping with a child in tow? This had to be causing more chaos than assistance. The Business Department manager, however, warmly welcomed Jiang Fan into his private office and offered him a glass of water.

Jiang Fan's reputation in the company was growing, and it was best to indulge him, not because of his talent but because of his temper. Jiang Fan thanked the manager for the water, took the lollipop from Beibei, wrapped it up, and handed her a bottle of yogurt with a straw from her backpack.

Seeing this, the Business Department's Qin Manager chuckled, "That must be Yang Minister's precious daughter. I've heard so much about her but never met her. They say she's very shy around strangers."

Jiang Fan smiled in response, "Yeah, she only opens up to people she's close to. Hey, Qin Brother, I don't even know how to address the heads of the different departments. Are they managers or ministers?"

Qin Xue chuckled, "Outside, they're managers, but inside the company, we call them ministers. It's just a title, really. By the way, Jiang Fan, I was just about to look for you. This morning, I had my staff call companies like Mona Lisa and Sophia. Guess what? They told us that many people from our region have already contacted them about becoming agents and even mentioned our Rongyao Home Furnishing Mall. You were right on the money."

"Hehe," Jiang Fan chuckled before Qin Xue continued, "Actually, things are going well on my end. We're making progress and haven't encountered any major issues. But this morning at the meeting, Director Ji from the Operations Department ran into some trouble. The Risk Management Department, Ms. Su, and Mr. Gao all asked her about unified training for merchants if they joined. If they didn't, it could turn into a chaotic bazaar. Director Ji didn't seem to have considered this, and she was put on the spot at the meeting. I have enough hands here, so why don't you go check on the Operations Department?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fan chuckled again and said, "Qin Brother, it feels like you're shooing me away. Alright, I won't disturb you here. Let me know if you need anything, and I'll come lend a hand from the Integrated Department. I might not have much else, but I've got strength. I can carry books or run errands for you."

"Oh, General Jiang, stop being modest. I'm swamped here, so I can't entertain you. Feel free to do as you please."

Being shooed away again?

To be honest, Jiang Fan really didn't want to go to the Operations Department to see Ji Jing. He didn't know why, but he decided to get some KFC in the lobby instead of fast food. Initially, he had wanted to order a boxed lunch, but when Beibei heard about the KFC, her chubby little hand tightly gripped Jiang Fan's pinkie, and she sighed, "I wonder what KFC tastes like. Mom hasn't taken me there in ages. Do you know, Uncle Jiang?"

Jiang Fan tapped Beibei, who was sitting on the counter as a mascot, and teased, "What's on your mind, little one? If you want to eat there again, just tell Uncle Jiang. We'll get a Family Bucket, just the two of us, okay?"

"A Family Bucket without Mom?"

"No way! You'll eat two portions."

"Yes!"

Beibei then sat at the highest stool at the reception counter in the lobby, eagerly watching the entrance. Sitting there, she looked like a mascot indeed. However, instead of the delivery guy, Su Qing arrived. When Su Qing entered, she didn't notice Beibei at the counter but saw Jiang Fan in his new sportswear, pointing at him and scolding sternly, "What have you put there? Throw it away!"

Startled, Beibei leaned back and fell into Jiang Fan's arms, hiding her face in his chest, her forehead pressed against his, hands clutching his shirt. Jiang Fan comforted the little girl in his arms, and only then did Su Qing notice the little girl.

Jiang Fan looked at Su Qing helplessly, tilting his head and saying, "If I throw her away, Yang Jin will have me beheaded. Don't ask me why I'm here at the company. If you must know, I'm crazy. You go upstairs. I'm waiting for a delivery."

Su Qing approached and poked at the 'meatball' in Jiang Fan's arms, whispering, "Don't tell me Yang Jin sent you here to babysit. Isn't Yang Xuan on vacation?"

Beibei hugged Jiang Fan tighter, and he sat down with her in his arms, bitterly smiling. "Yang Xuan is still young. She's on vacation; she needs to go out and play. She's an aunt, not a nanny. I heard you came in this morning to address the executives. Were you busy just now?"

Su Qing didn't seem in a hurry anymore and replied softly, standing by the counter, "I went out with Finance to transfer four million to Tu Xiao. I'll transfer another four million when construction starts. I told Guan Dagou that the intervals won't exceed a week. You miser, what did you order? Boxed lunches again? Don't you get tired of them?"

"They're economical. Unfortunately, Beibei wanted KFC, so I ordered a Family Bucket."

"I want some too. I haven't had it in ages."

"Call me Uncle?"

Jiang Fan turned around with the child in his arms as Su Qing grabbed a stapler from the desk. Soon, KFC arrived, and Beibei, spoiled by Jiang Fan, sat on the table, hugging the bucket and eating fried chicken.

Jiang Fan and Su Qing each had a hamburger and two cups of coke, while Beibei had yogurt. Before opening his hamburger, Jiang Fan squeezed it hard, making it much smaller. Taking a bite, he mumbled, "This thing costs twelve yuan? It's just two slices of bread with some chicken and lettuce. I don't like this salad dressing; it's a bit sour."

"Jiang Fan, you're so vulgar. If you think like that, why not just wear a sackcloth and carry a stick? Why smoke at all? Why not just smoke corn stalks?"

"Aren't you just arguing for the sake of it? Can corn stalks and cigarettes taste the same?"

"You started it."

They looked at each other, both proudly turning their heads away. By then, Beibei had finished eating, clumsily wiping her mouth with a tissue and handing the yogurt to Jiang Fan to open for her. With his left hand full of coke and his right hand holding a hamburger, Jiang Fan couldn't help, so Su Qing took it and opened the lid for Beibei. Then, Beibei looked at Su Qing intently and said sweetly, "Thank you, Auntie."

"What did you say?"

Su Qing didn't understand, and Jiang Fan carelessly replied, "She said thank you, Auntie. Hey, Beibei, don't call her that randomly; call her Aunt!"

If this got out at the company, it would be disastrous. Beibei obediently said "oh," but Jiang Fan wasn't sure if she understood. Worried, he carefully explained the relationship to Beibei, only to be stumped by her question.

"Why are we eating a Family Bucket if we're not a family?"

How could he explain this to a four or five-year-old? Jiang Fan didn't bother and squeezed Beibei's cheek, telling her again not to call people randomly. Shortly after, Yang Jin came down from upstairs. Her expression changed when she saw Beibei sitting on the table, and Beibei sensed danger, jumping into Jiang Fan's arms and shouting that he had let her sit there.

Beibei escaped punishment, and Yang Jin ate the leftover fried chicken, whispering to Su Qing, "It wasn't right to scold Ji Jing so harshly this morning. I know you want her to get more exposure at executive meetings to increase her presence, but this morning was a bit...sigh."

Just as Su Qing was about to speak, Jiang Fan instinctively wiped the salad dressing off Su Qing's lips, then continued playing with Beibei as if nothing had happened. This agitated Su Qing, and with Yang Jin's gossip-filled gaze, Su Qing slapped Jiang Fan on the back of his head, embarrassed and angry, "What are you doing?"

Jiang Fan turned around, frowning at Su Qing, confused. "There's salad dressing on your lip."

"I know!"

"Then why didn't you wipe it off? It looks uncomfortable."

Su Qing was almost furious at Jiang Fan's insensitivity. She then handed Beibei back to Yang Jin. "Yang Jin, I'm going to check on the Operations Department. Qin Xue from the Business Department told me about the morning's incident."