How to pronounce "缩水"
Transcript
[Footprints of Change]
[Episode 28]
Mr. Zhong.
I heard the housing allocation for the apartment building has been announced.
They rejected me.
They gave it to Xiang Beichuan.
Why?
This is so unfair.
Everyone knows
I've been married for years
and finally expecting a child.
I desperately need that apartment now.
Why give it to him?
He's not even married
and hasn't taught for over a semester.
Is it just because
he gave you all those shirts?
Fine.
I'm returning this to you now.
You said it was good quality.
It shrank after one wash
and doesn't even fit anymore.
Mr. Guo.
Silk shirts do shrink after washing.
Don't try to fool me.
You think I've never worn silk before?
Mr. Guo, wait.
How did you know the apartment was assigned to me?
I don't even know about it myself.
That's right.
The housing list goes through several rounds of selection.
The first round hasn't even started yet.
Who told you this?
Zhang from the boiler room
at our faculty's public bathhouse.
How could you believe Zhang?
He's just a boiler operator after all.
What's wrong with being a boiler operator?
He's been operating boilers at our school for over 20 years.
This Zhang...
Anyway,
if I'm not on the list for the apartment allocation,
no one else will get it either.
Mr. Guo.
Where are you going?
I'm going to ask Zhang for clarification.
Who is it?
Who's there?
Huajing.
Why are you here?
Huajing, I heard you weren't feeling well.
I came to check on you.
Come in, please.
Have a seat.
How did you know where I live
and that I was sick?
Yan Jun told me.
I thought so.
Not many people know about my place.
Why would he tell you about this?
Huajing.
Do you have a cold
or a fever?
Is it serious?
It's not serious, just a minor cold.
I'm fine now.
Perfect.
I brought you some fruit.
Eating more fruit while you're sick
helps supplement your vitamins.
Thank you.
Good.
Have some water.
You're here
because you need something, right?
I don't need anything.
The other day I went to the mall
and saw a beautiful necklace.
I thought
it would suit you perfectly.
So I bought it right away.
It's for you.
Is it expensive?
Not expensive.
It looks beautiful.
[Amber necklace 1388]
And you say it's not expensive?
Do you want something from me?
I don't want anything from you.
I just think this necklace
looks especially beautiful on you.
Don't worry, Huajing.
Please accept it.
I really don't want anything from you.
All right.
Then I'll accept it.
I really like it.
Thank you.
Stay for dinner.
I'll skip dinner.
I have some work at the company.
I need to go back.
That's fine.
I won't keep you then.
You know where I live now.
Come visit anytime.
No problem.
I'll definitely come visit you often.
Huajing, eat more fruit.
Drink more water.
And get plenty of rest.
Sure thing.
Okay, I won't disturb you anymore.
I'll head back now.
Okay.
You don't need to see me out.
I can find my way.
I won't see you out then.
Take care of yourself.
Take care.
Do you even act like a boss?
You're goofy
and out of it all the time.
You just took off in your little plane,
leaving me and Ye Xining behind.
A boss who doesn't act like one.
Now we're the ones acting like bosses,
cleaning up your mess all day.
Do you know how we sold that merchandise?
Piece by piece at Qipu Road,
selling day and night without rest.
If only I'd known you were running off.
We were worried something happened to you.
I was afraid you'd died somewhere out there.
Not even a single phone call.
Thankfully, there was Mr. Yan.
That's the only reason you can see us today.
Otherwise, we'd still be stuck at Qipu Road.
But you know what?
That Mr. Yan
took half our merchandise.
You know why?
He's got a thing for Ye.
Otherwise, who would take half our goods?
Why would he be so nice to us, right?
The way he looks at Ye,
it's kind of...
You know what I mean.
Don't you get it?
What are you laughing at?
So flippant.
I'm telling you, this is serious.
You're really something...
Mr. Lu?
Ye.
I'm sorry.
Did you also think I ran away?
I did kind of think that way.
He didn't run away.
In fact, he
brought back a big order from Eastern Europe.
What's this big order about?
Well, in Europe they have this thing called...
Halloween.
Halloween.
Yes, Halloween.
It's basically like
the Chinese Ghost Festival.
You understand?
It's that Western thing.
On that day, they dress up
in all kinds of strange costumes,
wear tall hats,
put on masks,
wear capes,
and clothes with skeleton patterns.
Then they go out and
run around in groups.
But making these costumes over there
is very expensive.
We can make them cheaper here.
So Mr. Lu secured this order
to make these costumes back home.
After they're made, we'll ship them back.
That's the whole thing, right?
What's it called?
OEM production.
Yes, OEM.
So these goods
are specifically for the European Halloween.
That's right.
If we miss the Halloween deadline,
our losses will be enormous.
So,
in this matter,
the key is to win over Shan Huajing.
As long as customs clears us
without delay, everything will be fine.
Xining,
how's your relationship with Ms. Shan now?
Ms. Shan treats me very well
and has introduced me to many connections.
She can help me with small matters,
but with something this big...
I'm not sure
if she'll help me.
So you're saying
this matter still has some risk.
Can we do it or not?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Let's do it.
We'll
trust you one last time.
Lu Guoyao,
if you mess things up again...
Yan Jun is waiting for us.
We can start working right now.
It's your call.
Alright.
Beichuan.
What's the matter, Mr. Guo?
Professor Xiang.
I've confirmed with
Zhang from the boiler room.
The apartment will be assigned to you.
I believe what he said.
I just wanted to ask you
if you would consider giving it to me instead.
Why should I give it to you?
Let me be honest with you.
My wife and I
have been assigned
to our school since graduation.
All these years of marriage,
we've been living in separate dormitories.
You know our salaries,
just that little money each month.
We simply can't afford to buy commercial housing.
You're different.
You're not married yet.
You're an excellent young teacher
with many opportunities in the future
and many possibilities ahead.
When we got married,
my mother-in-law didn't approve of her marrying me.
She thought I had no money, no house,
that her daughter would suffer by marrying me.
Our baby is due soon.
If I can't get this apartment,
I'll lose all face with her family.
So please, Professor Xiang,
could you help me?
When our school assigns housing again,
I'll do everything to help you get one.
I may not be able to get that apartment.
Why?
Didn't you say you're the most experienced
and they'll definitely give it to you?
I gave it to someone else.
Who did you give it to?
I gave it to Guo Xiaoxu.
How could you be such a jerk?
Don't be angry.
I was wrong.
It's a big deal.
Before you make a decision,
you didn't even ask my opinion?
From now on, no matter what I do,
I won't discuss anything with you.
Tomorrow I'll take another man
to go shopping for clothes.
I know I was wrong.
I'm sorry.
Of course you should be sorry.
Just hurry up and eat your food.
Don't smack your lips.
Here, Section Chief Shan.
Let me toast to you.
I'd like to formally introduce her.
This is my dear sister, Miss Ye.
This is Director Liu from the leather factory.
80% of leather jackets on the market
come from his factory.
If you need anything in this area,
just ask Mr. Liu.
Guaranteed quality at great prices.
Section Chief Shan's sister is like my own sister.
Miss Ye,
whenever you need to stock up,
come directly to me.
We can negotiate a good price.
Come, cheers!
Sure, Sir.
Come.
Ms. Shan.
Where is Mr. Yan?
He said his stomach was bothering him.
He's avoiding drinks on the balcony.
I'll go check on him.
Okay.
Sir, I'm stepping out for a moment.
You all continue drinking.
Okay.
Mr. Yan,
is your stomach feeling better?
It's nothing.
I've just
been drinking too much lately.
You should drink more hot water then.
You've changed a lot.
What do you mean?
Back then, whenever you came to occasions like this,
you would just sit there alone
without moving.
But now look at you,
chatting everywhere you go
and talking to everyone.
Not bad now.
I know Beichuan very well.
Back in college, the two of us
were best friends.
As for me,
I was quite poor back then.
When I went to the cafeteria,
I could only afford two vegetable dishes
and didn't dare order any meat.
Every time,
Beichuan would lend me his meal tickets.
What I'm trying to say is,
you've changed so much,
but Beichuan
has stayed exactly the same.
So,
doesn't this affect
your relationship?
It doesn't affect us at all.
I went to a bookstore the other day.
I read a book there
and it said
that in relationships,
objective circumstances
affect subjective feelings.
What does that mean?
It means
when one person changes
and the other doesn't,
it's very problematic.
This change refers to
when one person progresses
and the other doesn't.
Then these two people
are probably destined to break up sooner or later.
I didn't expect you to visit bookstores, Mr. Yan.
I don't buy into that theory.
I believe
that human emotions
are guided by subjective consciousness.
And my view on relationships
is idealistic.
Maybe.
Beichuan is idealistic too.
But from what I've observed,
among my friends,
once they get money, they change.
And once they change, relationships fall apart.
Of course,
you and Beichuan
might be the exception.
I wish you both happiness.
Thank you, Mr. Yan.
Beichuan!
Xiang Beichuan.
Mr. Lu.
Long time no see.
It's been a while.
Have you eaten? Sit down and join me.
No, I haven't.
I just came down to order.
They'll send the food up later.
It's been so long.
Indeed, long time no see.
You've been doing well lately?
Very good.
How are you? Busy, I imagine?
Yes, busy.
I've been busy all day.
Finally got a moment to grab a bite.
That's tough.
How are things
with Ye?
We're doing great.
Good.
Ye is
quite a remarkable girl.
She did well when she was
working for the SOE.
And now in our private company,
she's like a fish in water.
She has this drive about her.
It's that kind of
fearless determination.
How do they say it in trendy terms?
She's someone
who can keep up with the tide of the times.
Thank you for your help, Mr. Lu.
Not at all.
It's your girlfriend,
Ye, who has been helping us.
Mr. Lu.
Is Ye still frequently going to customs?
Yes, she is.
Let me tell you.
Shan Huajing is such a difficult woman.
But now Ye has developed an excellent relationship with her.
All of our customs-related business
is handled by Ye.
You're one lucky guy.
In the future,
you can just teach at the school
and work on your research.
All external matters can be entrusted to Ye
without any concern.
Make sure you don't miss out
on such a good girl.
Would you like some water?
No, thanks.
Mr. Lu, please enjoy your meal.
I have some matters to attend to. I'll be going now.
Alright.
Enjoy your meal.
Let me see you off.
No, no, no.
Go back to your meal.
Goodbye.
See you.
Goodbye.
Everyone's busy?
Busy.
Look at this.
Is it nice?
This hat looks good.
Nice.
This thing. Come on, try it on.
What is this?
I would look like Zorro with it on.
It works. Keep it on.
It looks better on than off, right, Xining?
Wearing this blocks my eyes.
That's exactly why it looks good on you.
Ye.
Our containers are all ready.
How's it going? Did you sort things out with customs?
Not yet.
I haven't talked to Ms. Shan about it.
Why haven't you talked to her yet?
Aren't you two getting along well now?
Calling each other sister and all.
Go talk to her.
It's not that simple.
I get it.
She keeps business and personal matters separate.
Life is life, work is work.
How about this?
I'll give you two boxes of eggs.
Take them to visit her.
She doesn't need that.
She's been to all the fancy restaurants in Shanghai.
Exactly.
She's a section chief, a big shot.
She's eaten at every restaurant in Shanghai.
As if she'd want your eggs.
Well, my eggs are special.
They're the kind women eat during postpartum recovery.
Is Section Chief Shan in postpartum recovery?
They're free-range eggs!
You've eaten too many eggs yourself.
Alright, alright. Both of you, stop.
I'll go see her in the next couple of days.
I'll talk to her properly about this matter.
Ye.
You need to hurry.
I know.
Mr. Yan.
Have a seat.
I heard you've returned to teach at school.
Congratulations.
I came today to resign.
This is the 60,000 yuan you advanced for me before.
Where did you get the money?
The commission you gave me before,
plus the writing fees I saved up,
it's exactly enough.
Professor Xiang, you're really impressive,
making so much money from writing.
Xiang Beichuan.
Don't you think you're being
a bit ungrateful?
When you were down and out,
I gave you a job,
provided food and housing,
and even paid you a salary.
While you were here,
despite not accomplishing anything,
I even gave you commission.
Now that you have a new job,
you're just walking away without a care.
Is that right?
To me, at most,
what we have is
simply a case of incompatible values.
Let's part ways peacefully.
Incompatible values?
That's true.
You, Professor Xiang, are
a scholar,
destined to become a writer.
While I'm just
a lousy boss.
A country bumpkin.
I'm not even worthy of comparison with you.
Mr. Yan.
In the days to come,
I wish you and your company
smooth sailing
and great success.
Then I also wish you
a bright future
and great achievements.
Goodbye.
I quit my job at Yan Jun's.
You should have quit long ago.
Focus on your creative work.
I'll support you.
No need.
I started a company with my senior.
We plan to work on cultural projects.
Will it make money?
Definitely not as much as you do.
Actually, for us,
making money isn't the most important thing.
What we value more is
the influence of cultural projects.
Cultural projects don't need investment?
No costs?
Without money, what kind of projects can you do?
Where will your influence come from?
Let's take it one step at a time.
When I make big money, I'll invest in you.
You're not good at business,
but it doesn't matter if you lose money.
Just be happy.
Ma'am, check please.
Okay, coming.
Why are you paying?
I'll pay. How much?
15 in total.
The amount is just right.
What are you doing?
Take it.
Let's go.
Your dishes are ready.
Oh, thank you.
Whose car is this?
It's so nice.
Do you know what brand this is?
It's a Mercedes, right?
This isn't just any Mercedes.
It's rare even in all of Shanghai.
It's the best model.
Do you know how much this car costs?
I don't know.
How come you don't know anything?
This is what I'm working toward.
Ms. Shan?
Ye.
What a coincidence!
Out for a walk with your boyfriend?
Yes, we just finished dinner.
That's nice.
What about you?
I just borrowed a car from a friend
for some errands these days.
So this is your friend's car?
Just a casual friend.
Alright.
I won't interrupt your romantic time.
Bring Xiang over to my place sometime.
Sure.
Great, I'm off then.
Take care, Huajing.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Look at Ms. Shan.
Even her ordinary friend drives such a nice car,
and you still want me to stay away from her?
I just think there's something wrong with this person.
You should keep your distance from her.
Xiang Beichuan.
From now on, I won't tell you
anything about my work anymore.
I've calculated that
if we ship now, we'll just make it in time.
Ye,
I'll need you to make a trip
to customs this afternoon.
If we don't ship now,
we'll miss Halloween.
I'll go see Ms. Shan soon.
She invited me to her home.
That's great!
As long as this shipment goes out smoothly,
the company will have money to pay everyone's salary
and bonuses.
Xining,
I'm counting on you for this bonus.
That's why everyone says Xining's so capable.
When this young talent steps up, she's worth two.
She'll go out there and nail everything down, right?
Right.
Being invited to her home
means you two have a good relationship.
Not everyone gets invited to someone's home.
Don't worry.
I'll have a good talk with her
and try to seal the deal.
Good.
Ms. Shan.
This is our company's customs declaration form.
I saw you with Xiang the other day.
You two are still together?
You're really a good girl,
finding yourself such a decent, reliable guy.
To be honest,
girls like you are
rare these days.
Thank you, Huajing.
Our company's shipment
has been stuck at customs.
I've asked around
and everyone says you're in charge of this.
So I wanted to ask for your help
to see if you could resolve this issue for me.
Is that so?
I'll look into it tomorrow.
Actually,
I'm not in charge of specific matters anymore.
If I intervene too much, my subordinates will complain.
Does your company have some paperwork
that's incomplete?
Customs is undergoing reforms now
and inspections are very strict.
Ms. Shan,
our company is small
and all our funds
are tied up in this shipment.
Plus there's a time constraint.
It must reach Europe before Halloween.
If it doesn't arrive in time,
all the money for this shipment
will go down the drain.
That would be the end of our company.
So,
Huajing,
could you please help me
and our company?
What you're saying is
that your company's financial pressure
is all on my shoulders now?
No,
that's not what I meant.
I'm not good with words.
I didn't mean that at all.
I just wanted to say,
Huajing, could you help me
just follow up on this a little?
Alright, I understand.
You can go now.
I won't bother you anymore.
I'll head back now, Huajing.
Huajing, you should rest.
I'll be going now.
Okay.
Who is it?
Mr. Yan.
Come in. Come in.
Have you eaten yet?
Not yet.
Please sit down. Let's eat together.
The bowl and chopsticks are clean.
Thank you.
Let me serve you some rice.
That's enough.
Try this.
Mr. Yan.
I'm here to ask you about Shan Huajing.
What about Shan Huajing?
We have an important shipment
that's stuck at customs.
Ms. Shan won't approve it.
You know, Ms. Shan has always been nice to me.
She treats me like a real sister.
But suddenly she won't help with this matter.
I thought since you have a good relationship with her,
could you ask her
if I did something wrong
or made some mistake?
Is this dish too salty for you?
Let me get you some water.
Or would you prefer a drink?
No need. It's perfect, not salty at all.
It's not that you did anything wrong.
Shan Huajing doesn't have anything against you either.
It's just that many things
aren't what they appear to be.
Appearances can be deceiving.
People like Shan Huajing
don't work for free.
No pay, no service.
I understand.
How much should I offer?
Is the shipment you mentioned
the Halloween merchandise
you're sending to Europe?
That's quite a large shipment.
I think
you'll need to prepare at least 100,000.
That much?
I'll need to call Mr. Lu
to discuss this with him.
About delivering the money,
will you do it
or will Lu do it?
I'll do it.
I've always been the one dealing with Ms. Shan.
If you're going to deliver it,
be careful.
Also,
if your company has any financial issues,
come to me. I can help.
Don't worry about it.
Once you've sold this shipment
and made a profit,
you can pay me back then.
Thank you, Mr. Yan.
Don't worry about it now. Let's eat.
After dinner,
you can still call Mr. Lu.
Besides, I think
this matter
won't be a big problem.
Eat up.
That's what Yan Jun said?
This woman is really greedy.
But there's only 50,000 yuan left in the company account.
For the remaining 50,000,
I'll figure something out quickly.
Mr. Lu,
it's already too late.
Let's do this.
I'll take care of
the remaining 50,000.
Good.
I'll pay you back as soon as possible.
I don't know anything.
I didn't hear anything. Don't tell me about it.
I'm going to Qipu Road to sell pants.
You guys talk. I know nothing.
I'll hurry to the bank and withdraw the money for you.
Here, take this, girl.
Here's your change.
All right.
Come back if you need anything else.
Don't pass by without stopping!
Export-quality jeans and shirts!
Export-quality jeans and shirts here!
These are all premium goods for export.
Foreign merchandise!
You can't find these anywhere else.
Jiuling.
What brings you here, Beichuan?
I'm here with my students for field research.
Are any of them like that girl from the other day
who bought everything in sight...
No, no.
Not anymore.
I heard from Xining that you're becoming a writer.
Are you writing novels?
So you're going to be a famous author.
Don't forget about me, okay?
How could I?
You might just walk by someday,
pretending you don't know me anymore.
-No way. -And then even spit on me.
Jiuling.
You would never?
When you all become successful,
don't forget about me.
What success are you talking about?
Right now we're hanging by a thread.
Mr. Lu had a good plan.
He planned to finish this batch of goods
and ship them abroad before
the European Halloween.
But now
they're stuck at customs.
You know that woman,
Shan Huajing, is so difficult to deal with.
I thought
that my two boxes of farm eggs
would be enough as a small gift.
But then Ye and Mr. Lu
gave me a hard time about it.
I didn't understand why.
Now I finally get it.
Come, take a look!
She looks down on our little gifts.
When I heard what those two
were planning to give today, I was shocked.
What are they giving?
Money, of course.
They're giving her money?
How much?
No, I can't tell you.
If I tell you, aren't we accomplices?
We're not accomplices.
Tell me quickly, Jiuling. How much?
I'm already upset about it.
I might as well tell you.
Hurry up.
100,000 yuan.
100,000.
Well.
Don't tell anyone I told you.
Don't miss out, everyone!
What's wrong?
What's in your bag?
A few books for my friend.
Some books?
Let me check them for you.
No need.
I just picked up some novels.
I need to go now.
Wait.
You're going to see Shan Huajing, right?
It's illegal to bribe a public servant.
Didn't you help Yan Jun do the same thing before?
I didn't know about it then.
Then you can pretend not to know now too.
Ye Xining,
please calm down.
Be clear-headed, okay?
I am perfectly clear-headed.
It's because I am clear-headed
that I don't want the factory to close down.
Right now, Shan Huajing is blocking this shipment
from leaving customs.
What am I supposed to do?
If the goods can't be shipped, the factory will close.
All the employees will lose their jobs.
Can you take that responsibility?
But you can't use illegal means
to solve this problem.
Think about it carefully.
There must be legal and compliant ways.
I've already thought of every possible solution.
You think I want to do this?
You're in your ivory tower. You don't understand.
You have no idea
how complicated the business is.
Yes.
I don't know what business is like,
but I know the principles of being a decent person.
Enough!
I really hate that arrogant teacherly attitude of yours!
Always standing on your moral high ground,
lecturing me on how to behave and what to do.
Would you stop it?
Aren't you being hypocritical?
I'm hypocritical?
Ye Xining.
Aren't you being hypocritical?
Ask yourself honestly.
You usually act
so close with Shan Huajing,
but is there really pure friendship
between you two?
Are you two really like close sisters?
She asks you for 100,000 yuan today, and you give it to her.
What if she asks for 100 million tomorrow?
Would you give it to her?
What's it to you, Xiang Beichuan?
If she asks for a billion, I'll give it to her too.
Whatever she wants, I'll give it to her.
You're just a university teacher.
Your mouth is full of morality talk. It's disgusting.
How much money have you earned for us?
Have you earned enough for a car?
Or enough for a house?
Ye Xining.
I want you to look at yourself right now.
You said you hated Director Jin before.
You hated Yan Jun.
But what about now?
You've become just like them.
Where is your conscience? Your principles?
Have you thrown them away?
Are you crazy?
You can't go!
What are you doing?
I have to go!
Leave me alone!
Why are you here?
Ms. Shan.
I came to see you.
Alright, let's go upstairs and sit for a while.
Come in.
No need to change your shoes.
Have a seat.
Did you come today
because customs is holding back
that shipment from your company?
No.
I wanted to treat you to dinner.
What would you like to eat? We can go out.
I'm on a diet recently.
I don't eat dinner.
You have such a great figure.
You don't need to diet.
Let's go out to eat.
Why do we need to go out?
Ye.
You're not as straightforward as you used to be.
Ye.
You've been talking to me for so long,
and I still don't understand
what you're trying to say.
If you don't have anything else,
you should go now.
I have a meeting tomorrow morning.
Huajing.
Actually, I came today
to bring you
some books.
They're some classic novels.
Who is it?
I'll get it.
Section Chief Shan.
I just want to have a quick word with Xining.
[Footprints of Change]
[Episode 28]
Mr. Zhong.
I heard the housing allocation for the apartment building has been announced.
They rejected me.
They gave it to Xiang Beichuan.
Why?
This is so unfair.
Everyone knows
I've been married for years
and finally expecting a child.
I desperately need that apartment now.
Why give it to him?
He's not even married
and hasn't taught for over a semester.
Is it just because
he gave you all those shirts?
Fine.
I'm returning this to you now.
You said it was good quality.
It shrank after one wash
and doesn't even fit anymore.
Mr. Guo.
Silk shirts do shrink after washing.
Don't try to fool me.
You think I've never worn silk before?
Mr. Guo, wait.
How did you know the apartment was assigned to me?
I don't even know about it myself.
That's right.
The housing list goes through several rounds of selection.
The first round hasn't even started yet.
Who told you this?
Zhang from the boiler room
at our faculty's public bathhouse.
How could you believe Zhang?
He's just a boiler operator after all.
What's wrong with being a boiler operator?
He's been operating boilers at our school for over 20 years.
This Zhang...
Anyway,
if I'm not on the list for the apartment allocation,
no one else will get it either.
Mr. Guo.
Where are you going?
I'm going to ask Zhang for clarification.
Who is it?
Who's there?
Huajing.
Why are you here?
Huajing, I heard you weren't feeling well.
I came to check on you.
Come in, please.
Have a seat.
How did you know where I live
and that I was sick?
Yan Jun told me.
I thought so.
Not many people know about my place.
Why would he tell you about this?
Huajing.
Do you have a cold
or a fever?
Is it serious?
It's not serious, just a minor cold.
I'm fine now.
Perfect.
I brought you some fruit.
Eating more fruit while you're sick
helps supplement your vitamins.
Thank you.
Good.
Have some water.
You're here
because you need something, right?
I don't need anything.
The other day I went to the mall
and saw a beautiful necklace.
I thought
it would suit you perfectly.
So I bought it right away.
It's for you.
Is it expensive?
Not expensive.
It looks beautiful.
[Amber necklace 1388]
And you say it's not expensive?
Do you want something from me?
I don't want anything from you.
I just think this necklace
looks especially beautiful on you.
Don't worry, Huajing.
Please accept it.
I really don't want anything from you.
All right.
Then I'll accept it.
I really like it.
Thank you.
Stay for dinner.
I'll skip dinner.
I have some work at the company.
I need to go back.
That's fine.
I won't keep you then.
You know where I live now.
Come visit anytime.
No problem.
I'll definitely come visit you often.
Huajing, eat more fruit.
Drink more water.
And get plenty of rest.
Sure thing.
Okay, I won't disturb you anymore.
I'll head back now.
Okay.
You don't need to see me out.
I can find my way.
I won't see you out then.
Take care of yourself.
Take care.
Do you even act like a boss?
You're goofy
and out of it all the time.
You just took off in your little plane,
leaving me and Ye Xining behind.
A boss who doesn't act like one.
Now we're the ones acting like bosses,
cleaning up your mess all day.
Do you know how we sold that merchandise?
Piece by piece at Qipu Road,
selling day and night without rest.
If only I'd known you were running off.
We were worried something happened to you.
I was afraid you'd died somewhere out there.
Not even a single phone call.
Thankfully, there was Mr. Yan.
That's the only reason you can see us today.
Otherwise, we'd still be stuck at Qipu Road.
But you know what?
That Mr. Yan
took half our merchandise.
You know why?
He's got a thing for Ye.
Otherwise, who would take half our goods?
Why would he be so nice to us, right?
The way he looks at Ye,
it's kind of...
You know what I mean.
Don't you get it?
What are you laughing at?
So flippant.
I'm telling you, this is serious.
You're really something...
Mr. Lu?
Ye.
I'm sorry.
Did you also think I ran away?
I did kind of think that way.
He didn't run away.
In fact, he
brought back a big order from Eastern Europe.
What's this big order about?
Well, in Europe they have this thing called...
Halloween.
Halloween.
Yes, Halloween.
It's basically like
the Chinese Ghost Festival.
You understand?
It's that Western thing.
On that day, they dress up
in all kinds of strange costumes,
wear tall hats,
put on masks,
wear capes,
and clothes with skeleton patterns.
Then they go out and
run around in groups.
But making these costumes over there
is very expensive.
We can make them cheaper here.
So Mr. Lu secured this order
to make these costumes back home.
After they're made, we'll ship them back.
That's the whole thing, right?
What's it called?
OEM production.
Yes, OEM.
So these goods
are specifically for the European Halloween.
That's right.
If we miss the Halloween deadline,
our losses will be enormous.
So,
in this matter,
the key is to win over Shan Huajing.
As long as customs clears us
without delay, everything will be fine.
Xining,
how's your relationship with Ms. Shan now?
Ms. Shan treats me very well
and has introduced me to many connections.
She can help me with small matters,
but with something this big...
I'm not sure
if she'll help me.
So you're saying
this matter still has some risk.
Can we do it or not?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Let's do it.
We'll
trust you one last time.
Lu Guoyao,
if you mess things up again...
Yan Jun is waiting for us.
We can start working right now.
It's your call.
Alright.
Beichuan.
What's the matter, Mr. Guo?
Professor Xiang.
I've confirmed with
Zhang from the boiler room.
The apartment will be assigned to you.
I believe what he said.
I just wanted to ask you
if you would consider giving it to me instead.
Why should I give it to you?
Let me be honest with you.
My wife and I
have been assigned
to our school since graduation.
All these years of marriage,
we've been living in separate dormitories.
You know our salaries,
just that little money each month.
We simply can't afford to buy commercial housing.
You're different.
You're not married yet.
You're an excellent young teacher
with many opportunities in the future
and many possibilities ahead.
When we got married,
my mother-in-law didn't approve of her marrying me.
She thought I had no money, no house,
that her daughter would suffer by marrying me.
Our baby is due soon.
If I can't get this apartment,
I'll lose all face with her family.
So please, Professor Xiang,
could you help me?
When our school assigns housing again,
I'll do everything to help you get one.
I may not be able to get that apartment.
Why?
Didn't you say you're the most experienced
and they'll definitely give it to you?
I gave it to someone else.
Who did you give it to?
I gave it to Guo Xiaoxu.
How could you be such a jerk?
Don't be angry.
I was wrong.
It's a big deal.
Before you make a decision,
you didn't even ask my opinion?
From now on, no matter what I do,
I won't discuss anything with you.
Tomorrow I'll take another man
to go shopping for clothes.
I know I was wrong.
I'm sorry.
Of course you should be sorry.
Just hurry up and eat your food.
Don't smack your lips.
Here, Section Chief Shan.
Let me toast to you.
I'd like to formally introduce her.
This is my dear sister, Miss Ye.
This is Director Liu from the leather factory.
80% of leather jackets on the market
come from his factory.
If you need anything in this area,
just ask Mr. Liu.
Guaranteed quality at great prices.
Section Chief Shan's sister is like my own sister.
Miss Ye,
whenever you need to stock up,
come directly to me.
We can negotiate a good price.
Come, cheers!
Sure, Sir.
Come.
Ms. Shan.
Where is Mr. Yan?
He said his stomach was bothering him.
He's avoiding drinks on the balcony.
I'll go check on him.
Okay.
Sir, I'm stepping out for a moment.
You all continue drinking.
Okay.
Mr. Yan,
is your stomach feeling better?
It's nothing.
I've just
been drinking too much lately.
You should drink more hot water then.
You've changed a lot.
What do you mean?
Back then, whenever you came to occasions like this,
you would just sit there alone
without moving.
But now look at you,
chatting everywhere you go
and talking to everyone.
Not bad now.
I know Beichuan very well.
Back in college, the two of us
were best friends.
As for me,
I was quite poor back then.
When I went to the cafeteria,
I could only afford two vegetable dishes
and didn't dare order any meat.
Every time,
Beichuan would lend me his meal tickets.
What I'm trying to say is,
you've changed so much,
but Beichuan
has stayed exactly the same.
So,
doesn't this affect
your relationship?
It doesn't affect us at all.
I went to a bookstore the other day.
I read a book there
and it said
that in relationships,
objective circumstances
affect subjective feelings.
What does that mean?
It means
when one person changes
and the other doesn't,
it's very problematic.
This change refers to
when one person progresses
and the other doesn't.
Then these two people
are probably destined to break up sooner or later.
I didn't expect you to visit bookstores, Mr. Yan.
I don't buy into that theory.
I believe
that human emotions
are guided by subjective consciousness.
And my view on relationships
is idealistic.
Maybe.
Beichuan is idealistic too.
But from what I've observed,
among my friends,
once they get money, they change.
And once they change, relationships fall apart.
Of course,
you and Beichuan
might be the exception.
I wish you both happiness.
Thank you, Mr. Yan.
Beichuan!
Xiang Beichuan.
Mr. Lu.
Long time no see.
It's been a while.
Have you eaten? Sit down and join me.
No, I haven't.
I just came down to order.
They'll send the food up later.
It's been so long.
Indeed, long time no see.
You've been doing well lately?
Very good.
How are you? Busy, I imagine?
Yes, busy.
I've been busy all day.
Finally got a moment to grab a bite.
That's tough.
How are things
with Ye?
We're doing great.
Good.
Ye is
quite a remarkable girl.
She did well when she was
working for the SOE.
And now in our private company,
she's like a fish in water.
She has this drive about her.
It's that kind of
fearless determination.
How do they say it in trendy terms?
She's someone
who can keep up with the tide of the times.
Thank you for your help, Mr. Lu.
Not at all.
It's your girlfriend,
Ye, who has been helping us.
Mr. Lu.
Is Ye still frequently going to customs?
Yes, she is.
Let me tell you.
Shan Huajing is such a difficult woman.
But now Ye has developed an excellent relationship with her.
All of our customs-related business
is handled by Ye.
You're one lucky guy.
In the future,
you can just teach at the school
and work on your research.
All external matters can be entrusted to Ye
without any concern.
Make sure you don't miss out
on such a good girl.
Would you like some water?
No, thanks.
Mr. Lu, please enjoy your meal.
I have some matters to attend to. I'll be going now.
Alright.
Enjoy your meal.
Let me see you off.
No, no, no.
Go back to your meal.
Goodbye.
See you.
Goodbye.
Everyone's busy?
Busy.
Look at this.
Is it nice?
This hat looks good.
Nice.
This thing. Come on, try it on.
What is this?
I would look like Zorro with it on.
It works. Keep it on.
It looks better on than off, right, Xining?
Wearing this blocks my eyes.
That's exactly why it looks good on you.
Ye.
Our containers are all ready.
How's it going? Did you sort things out with customs?
Not yet.
I haven't talked to Ms. Shan about it.
Why haven't you talked to her yet?
Aren't you two getting along well now?
Calling each other sister and all.
Go talk to her.
It's not that simple.
I get it.
She keeps business and personal matters separate.
Life is life, work is work.
How about this?
I'll give you two boxes of eggs.
Take them to visit her.
She doesn't need that.
She's been to all the fancy restaurants in Shanghai.
Exactly.
She's a section chief, a big shot.
She's eaten at every restaurant in Shanghai.
As if she'd want your eggs.
Well, my eggs are special.
They're the kind women eat during postpartum recovery.
Is Section Chief Shan in postpartum recovery?
They're free-range eggs!
You've eaten too many eggs yourself.
Alright, alright. Both of you, stop.
I'll go see her in the next couple of days.
I'll talk to her properly about this matter.
Ye.
You need to hurry.
I know.
Mr. Yan.
Have a seat.
I heard you've returned to teach at school.
Congratulations.
I came today to resign.
This is the 60,000 yuan you advanced for me before.
Where did you get the money?
The commission you gave me before,
plus the writing fees I saved up,
it's exactly enough.
Professor Xiang, you're really impressive,
making so much money from writing.
Xiang Beichuan.
Don't you think you're being
a bit ungrateful?
When you were down and out,
I gave you a job,
provided food and housing,
and even paid you a salary.
While you were here,
despite not accomplishing anything,
I even gave you commission.
Now that you have a new job,
you're just walking away without a care.
Is that right?
To me, at most,
what we have is
simply a case of incompatible values.
Let's part ways peacefully.
Incompatible values?
That's true.
You, Professor Xiang, are
a scholar,
destined to become a writer.
While I'm just
a lousy boss.
A country bumpkin.
I'm not even worthy of comparison with you.
Mr. Yan.
In the days to come,
I wish you and your company
smooth sailing
and great success.
Then I also wish you
a bright future
and great achievements.
Goodbye.
I quit my job at Yan Jun's.
You should have quit long ago.
Focus on your creative work.
I'll support you.
No need.
I started a company with my senior.
We plan to work on cultural projects.
Will it make money?
Definitely not as much as you do.
Actually, for us,
making money isn't the most important thing.
What we value more is
the influence of cultural projects.
Cultural projects don't need investment?
No costs?
Without money, what kind of projects can you do?
Where will your influence come from?
Let's take it one step at a time.
When I make big money, I'll invest in you.
You're not good at business,
but it doesn't matter if you lose money.
Just be happy.
Ma'am, check please.
Okay, coming.
Why are you paying?
I'll pay. How much?
15 in total.
The amount is just right.
What are you doing?
Take it.
Let's go.
Your dishes are ready.
Oh, thank you.
Whose car is this?
It's so nice.
Do you know what brand this is?
It's a Mercedes, right?
This isn't just any Mercedes.
It's rare even in all of Shanghai.
It's the best model.
Do you know how much this car costs?
I don't know.
How come you don't know anything?
This is what I'm working toward.
Ms. Shan?
Ye.
What a coincidence!
Out for a walk with your boyfriend?
Yes, we just finished dinner.
That's nice.
What about you?
I just borrowed a car from a friend
for some errands these days.
So this is your friend's car?
Just a casual friend.
Alright.
I won't interrupt your romantic time.
Bring Xiang over to my place sometime.
Sure.
Great, I'm off then.
Take care, Huajing.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Look at Ms. Shan.
Even her ordinary friend drives such a nice car,
and you still want me to stay away from her?
I just think there's something wrong with this person.
You should keep your distance from her.
Xiang Beichuan.
From now on, I won't tell you
anything about my work anymore.
I've calculated that
if we ship now, we'll just make it in time.
Ye,
I'll need you to make a trip
to customs this afternoon.
If we don't ship now,
we'll miss Halloween.
I'll go see Ms. Shan soon.
She invited me to her home.
That's great!
As long as this shipment goes out smoothly,
the company will have money to pay everyone's salary
and bonuses.
Xining,
I'm counting on you for this bonus.
That's why everyone says Xining's so capable.
When this young talent steps up, she's worth two.
She'll go out there and nail everything down, right?
Right.
Being invited to her home
means you two have a good relationship.
Not everyone gets invited to someone's home.
Don't worry.
I'll have a good talk with her
and try to seal the deal.
Good.
Ms. Shan.
This is our company's customs declaration form.
I saw you with Xiang the other day.
You two are still together?
You're really a good girl,
finding yourself such a decent, reliable guy.
To be honest,
girls like you are
rare these days.
Thank you, Huajing.
Our company's shipment
has been stuck at customs.
I've asked around
and everyone says you're in charge of this.
So I wanted to ask for your help
to see if you could resolve this issue for me.
Is that so?
I'll look into it tomorrow.
Actually,
I'm not in charge of specific matters anymore.
If I intervene too much, my subordinates will complain.
Does your company have some paperwork
that's incomplete?
Customs is undergoing reforms now
and inspections are very strict.
Ms. Shan,
our company is small
and all our funds
are tied up in this shipment.
Plus there's a time constraint.
It must reach Europe before Halloween.
If it doesn't arrive in time,
all the money for this shipment
will go down the drain.
That would be the end of our company.
So,
Huajing,
could you please help me
and our company?
What you're saying is
that your company's financial pressure
is all on my shoulders now?
No,
that's not what I meant.
I'm not good with words.
I didn't mean that at all.
I just wanted to say,
Huajing, could you help me
just follow up on this a little?
Alright, I understand.
You can go now.
I won't bother you anymore.
I'll head back now, Huajing.
Huajing, you should rest.
I'll be going now.
Okay.
Who is it?
Mr. Yan.
Come in. Come in.
Have you eaten yet?
Not yet.
Please sit down. Let's eat together.
The bowl and chopsticks are clean.
Thank you.
Let me serve you some rice.
That's enough.
Try this.
Mr. Yan.
I'm here to ask you about Shan Huajing.
What about Shan Huajing?
We have an important shipment
that's stuck at customs.
Ms. Shan won't approve it.
You know, Ms. Shan has always been nice to me.
She treats me like a real sister.
But suddenly she won't help with this matter.
I thought since you have a good relationship with her,
could you ask her
if I did something wrong
or made some mistake?
Is this dish too salty for you?
Let me get you some water.
Or would you prefer a drink?
No need. It's perfect, not salty at all.
It's not that you did anything wrong.
Shan Huajing doesn't have anything against you either.
It's just that many things
aren't what they appear to be.
Appearances can be deceiving.
People like Shan Huajing
don't work for free.
No pay, no service.
I understand.
How much should I offer?
Is the shipment you mentioned
the Halloween merchandise
you're sending to Europe?
That's quite a large shipment.
I think
you'll need to prepare at least 100,000.
That much?
I'll need to call Mr. Lu
to discuss this with him.
About delivering the money,
will you do it
or will Lu do it?
I'll do it.
I've always been the one dealing with Ms. Shan.
If you're going to deliver it,
be careful.
Also,
if your company has any financial issues,
come to me. I can help.
Don't worry about it.
Once you've sold this shipment
and made a profit,
you can pay me back then.
Thank you, Mr. Yan.
Don't worry about it now. Let's eat.
After dinner,
you can still call Mr. Lu.
Besides, I think
this matter
won't be a big problem.
Eat up.
That's what Yan Jun said?
This woman is really greedy.
But there's only 50,000 yuan left in the company account.
For the remaining 50,000,
I'll figure something out quickly.
Mr. Lu,
it's already too late.
Let's do this.
I'll take care of
the remaining 50,000.
Good.
I'll pay you back as soon as possible.
I don't know anything.
I didn't hear anything. Don't tell me about it.
I'm going to Qipu Road to sell pants.
You guys talk. I know nothing.
I'll hurry to the bank and withdraw the money for you.
Here, take this, girl.
Here's your change.
All right.
Come back if you need anything else.
Don't pass by without stopping!
Export-quality jeans and shirts!
Export-quality jeans and shirts here!
These are all premium goods for export.
Foreign merchandise!
You can't find these anywhere else.
Jiuling.
What brings you here, Beichuan?
I'm here with my students for field research.
Are any of them like that girl from the other day
who bought everything in sight...
No, no.
Not anymore.
I heard from Xining that you're becoming a writer.
Are you writing novels?
So you're going to be a famous author.
Don't forget about me, okay?
How could I?
You might just walk by someday,
pretending you don't know me anymore.
-No way. -And then even spit on me.
Jiuling.
You would never?
When you all become successful,
don't forget about me.
What success are you talking about?
Right now we're hanging by a thread.
Mr. Lu had a good plan.
He planned to finish this batch of goods
and ship them abroad before
the European Halloween.
But now
they're stuck at customs.
You know that woman,
Shan Huajing, is so difficult to deal with.
I thought
that my two boxes of farm eggs
would be enough as a small gift.
But then Ye and Mr. Lu
gave me a hard time about it.
I didn't understand why.
Now I finally get it.
Come, take a look!
She looks down on our little gifts.
When I heard what those two
were planning to give today, I was shocked.
What are they giving?
Money, of course.
They're giving her money?
How much?
No, I can't tell you.
If I tell you, aren't we accomplices?
We're not accomplices.
Tell me quickly, Jiuling. How much?
I'm already upset about it.
I might as well tell you.
Hurry up.
100,000 yuan.
100,000.
Well.
Don't tell anyone I told you.
Don't miss out, everyone!
What's wrong?
What's in your bag?
A few books for my friend.
Some books?
Let me check them for you.
No need.
I just picked up some novels.
I need to go now.
Wait.
You're going to see Shan Huajing, right?
It's illegal to bribe a public servant.
Didn't you help Yan Jun do the same thing before?
I didn't know about it then.
Then you can pretend not to know now too.
Ye Xining,
please calm down.
Be clear-headed, okay?
I am perfectly clear-headed.
It's because I am clear-headed
that I don't want the factory to close down.
Right now, Shan Huajing is blocking this shipment
from leaving customs.
What am I supposed to do?
If the goods can't be shipped, the factory will close.
All the employees will lose their jobs.
Can you take that responsibility?
But you can't use illegal means
to solve this problem.
Think about it carefully.
There must be legal and compliant ways.
I've already thought of every possible solution.
You think I want to do this?
You're in your ivory tower. You don't understand.
You have no idea
how complicated the business is.
Yes.
I don't know what business is like,
but I know the principles of being a decent person.
Enough!
I really hate that arrogant teacherly attitude of yours!
Always standing on your moral high ground,
lecturing me on how to behave and what to do.
Would you stop it?
Aren't you being hypocritical?
I'm hypocritical?
Ye Xining.
Aren't you being hypocritical?
Ask yourself honestly.
You usually act
so close with Shan Huajing,
but is there really pure friendship
between you two?
Are you two really like close sisters?
She asks you for 100,000 yuan today, and you give it to her.
What if she asks for 100 million tomorrow?
Would you give it to her?
What's it to you, Xiang Beichuan?
If she asks for a billion, I'll give it to her too.
Whatever she wants, I'll give it to her.
You're just a university teacher.
Your mouth is full of morality talk. It's disgusting.
How much money have you earned for us?
Have you earned enough for a car?
Or enough for a house?
Ye Xining.
I want you to look at yourself right now.
You said you hated Director Jin before.
You hated Yan Jun.
But what about now?
You've become just like them.
Where is your conscience? Your principles?
Have you thrown them away?
Are you crazy?
You can't go!
What are you doing?
I have to go!
Leave me alone!
Why are you here?
Ms. Shan.
I came to see you.
Alright, let's go upstairs and sit for a while.
Come in.
No need to change your shoes.
Have a seat.
Did you come today
because customs is holding back
that shipment from your company?
No.
I wanted to treat you to dinner.
What would you like to eat? We can go out.
I'm on a diet recently.
I don't eat dinner.
You have such a great figure.
You don't need to diet.
Let's go out to eat.
Why do we need to go out?
Ye.
You're not as straightforward as you used to be.
Ye.
You've been talking to me for so long,
and I still don't understand
what you're trying to say.
If you don't have anything else,
you should go now.
I have a meeting tomorrow morning.
Huajing.
Actually, I came today
to bring you
some books.
They're some classic novels.
Who is it?
I'll get it.
Section Chief Shan.
I just want to have a quick word with Xining.