Xun Xun later learned that her first day at Yao Kai coincided with the quarterly expense reporting day for managers from various provinces and cities – the busiest time for the finance department. Strictly speaking, Yao Kai’s South Five Provinces Office wasn’t established after Chi Cheng parachuted in. Previously, each provincial head operated independently, but later the headquarters implemented a new policy, dividing the domestic market into five major regions for unified marketing management. As a member of the crown prince faction, Chi Cheng was directly appointed as the head of the South Five Provinces region, reorganizing the forces under his command to establish the new office.
In most employees’ eyes, the South Five Provinces region was a cushy position, with annual sales accounting for a huge portion of the company’s total volume. However, Chi Cheng privately told Xun Xun that he was being exiled to the frontier. As a well-known domestic pharmaceutical manufacturer, Yao Kai’s key products have always maintained strong and stable demand in these provinces. Their only worthy competitor was the local pharmaceutical company Jiu An Tang, yet awkwardly, some of their products were similar.
Though Jiu An Tang started later than Yao Kai and had shallower roots, it benefited from geographical advantages. In recent years, it has shown aggressive development, poised to rival the well-known outside enterprise. Although there were recent rumors of internal personnel turmoil, it was later confirmed that the Fu family had acquired it. The wealthy and powerful Fu family meant that the newly invigorated Jiu An Tang couldn’t be underestimated by Yao Kai, and an inevitable fierce battle for market share loomed between the two companies. According to Chi Cheng, if Yao Kai lost ground to Jiu An Tang under his watch, the upper management would certainly deem him incompetent. If Yao Kai won, it would be credited to their previous market development efforts. Either way, he couldn’t come out ahead.
Xun Xun asked him then why he still came, given that he knew this. With his status and usual craftiness, he surely had other options.
Chi Cheng responded flippantly, “If I hadn’t come, how would I have met you?”
His words were always half-truth and half-fiction, and Xun Xun naturally knew they couldn’t be trusted. His mother was a local, making this his half-homeland – an explanation far more plausible than coming for her, and less frightening too. But regardless of why he came, whether deliberately or by coincidence, Xun Xun couldn’t help thinking that if he hadn’t appeared here, would she still be at home as a housewife ironing clothes for Xie Ping Ning, day after day, with her biggest worry being unable to dry bedsheets on rainy days? Yet such a plain life until old age might not necessarily lead to regrets when looking back.
In the month since Xun Xun started working at Yao Kai, she had overcome her initial unfamiliarity and confusion, integrating quite well into the new circle. By nature, she was like a drop of water – formless and colorless, easily seeping in, dissolving, and evaporating quietly, making people forget why she came or when she appeared, only feeling that she belonged there all along. Colleagues gradually grew accustomed to this gentle, quiet new accountant who spoke little but worked meticulously. When needed, she was reliable; most other times, she was invisible. Even Chen Zhou, the straightforward and sharp-tongued female head of the finance department, softened her attitude after learning that Xun Xun was a divorced woman making her way in life. Ironically, only the secretly persistent Chi Cheng treated her coldly in public, claiming it was to make her more comfortable.
The finance department consisted of only three people: Department Head Chen Zhou, Accountant Xun Xun, and Cashier Old Wang. Chen Zhou looked slightly older than her actual age but was only three years older than Xun Xun, being thirty-one this year and still unmarried. Though not exactly easy to get along with, she wasn’t a bad person. Like all women her age who had achieved some career success but remained single, she was full of disdain and criticism for contemporary male marriage preferences.
Though both single women, Chen Zhou was quite different from Zeng Yu. While Zeng Yu was single, her life was rich and colorful, never lacking suitors, able to both pursue and defend. Her issue lay in the contradiction between high expectations and reality. Chen Zhou was different – she was energetic at work but maintained the characteristic restraint of finance professionals when facing the outside world. Combined with her average appearance and unwavering mate selection standards, she had awkwardly preserved her single status until now. Her motto was: “Let the stinking men go to hell… and take me with them.”
Chen Zhou disliked women who were younger and better-looking than her. As she aged, this dislike gradually expanded until she ended up disapproving of most women around her, which, given her narrow social circle, materialized as a dislike for every female colleague in the company. She thought the receptionist was shallow, the logistics girl was boy-crazy, and the few female sales managers were “medicine girls” who would do anything for sales targets. Whatever she thought usually showed directly in her actions, so she often offended people. However, her position was special – she was both the office’s “God of Wealth” and a senior veteran directly appointed by headquarters to “assist” Chi Cheng. According to her, even Chi Cheng had to call her “Sister Zhou” in private, so most people had no choice but to put up with her.
The suddenly appearing Xun Xun was initially Chen Zhou’s number one enemy, especially awkward as she worked under her, and suffered many silent grievances when first arriving. But in terms of endurance, Xun Xun was an expert. Having lived with the fierce Sister Yan Li for so many years and weathered various adversities, she had developed an immunity to all poisons and the ability to laugh things off. Someone like her only feared opponents with deeper thoughts and greater tenacity than herself; everything else was manageable. Being more respectful in attitude, more appropriate in speech, more low-key in handling matters, more proactive in work… compliments and goodwill were best delivered imperceptibly and appropriately – no one was immune, especially someone like Chen Zhou who was harsh outside but weak inside.
Soon, Chen Zhou discovered that Zhao Xun Xun wasn’t as dislikeable as imagined. Though pretty, her qualities were restrained and proper, giving no sense of aggression. She wasn’t an office ornament but rather like a decorative painting whose color matched the wallpaper, complete with a clock that perfectly demonstrated its utility before blending into the environment.
In the end, Xun Xun became one of the few people Chen Zhou could talk to at the company. Xun Xun felt relieved about this, only feeling an indescribable pressure when Chen Zhou would rail against men and include her among fellow sufferers, often referring to themselves as “women who are easily hurt.”
Unlike the company’s female colleagues and even female clients, Chen Zhou showed little interest in men like Chi Cheng. Having worked beside Chi Cheng’s father for many years, she considered herself almost a generation older and viewed him as a “kid who hadn’t even grown his whiskers.” Moreover, she sincerely pitied Chi Cheng’s women, believing that handsome men were like peacocks – their brilliant side belonged to the public, while the bare posterior behind was exclusively for that poor woman to enjoy.
All of Chen Zhou’s ID signatures bore the same phrase: “A thousand sails pass by the sunken boat.” She never explained its meaning, but shortly after joining the company, Xun Xun quickly discovered her “biggest secret.” The “sunken boat” naturally referred to herself, while the “sail” was the original regional manager and Chi Cheng’s current deputy, Sun Yi Fan – the same person who had picked up Xun Xun’s dropped items on her first day. This explained why Chen Zhou had been so explosive in criticizing her after witnessing that scene – it was a woman’s instinct.
Even more intriguingly, Sun Yi Fan, two years older than Chen Zhou and also unmarried, was Yao Kai’s former master – belonging to Chi Cheng’s stepmother’s family line, a veteran of the company’s core faction. The southern market had been painstakingly developed under his leadership. Later, when Chi Cheng’s stepmother found her ideal husband and willingly returned to family life, focusing on being a wife and mother, the company’s power center quietly shifted, and he became Chi Cheng’s deputy in his territory. Though working for anyone was essentially the same, among their original group of old subordinates, there was considerable disdain for the rise of Chi Cheng’s father’s faction.
Chen Zhou secretly loved Sun Yi Fan, possibly even willingly leaving her familiar city for him. But in Sun Yi Fan’s mind, Chen Zhou was more like a chess piece sent by the company’s new master to seize financial power. He was polite to her but kept his distance.
Chi Cheng nominally controlled everything, while Sun Yi Fan mainly handled specific marketing work with sales managers and business personnel, inevitably dealing frequently with finance. Chen Zhou loved in her heart but couldn’t speak it – whenever Sun Yi Fan asked her to process expenses or advance funds for sales personnel, she would complain loudly but never failed to make an exception. As for Xun Xun, although Sun Yi Fan was quite friendly to her, often defending her when Chen Zhou scolded or complained about her, she always carefully maintained her distance, mindful of Chen Zhou’s feelings and thoughts.
On another Friday afternoon, Xun Xun was busy with month-end reports in the office. Near closing time, someone knocked on their open office door. She looked up from the pile of data to see Sun Yi Fan smiling in the doorway.
Sun Yi Fan told Xun Xun that with year-end approaching and considering how much trouble they’d caused the finance department, the provincial managers who were all present decided to treat the finance department colleagues to dinner as a gesture of thanks. This counted as inter-departmental socializing, and Xun Xun had no reason to refuse as she had nothing else planned. However, their department had only three people – Cashier Old Wang always went to the bank early on Fridays for deposits and transfers, then left to pick up his wife and son for dinner. Chen Zhou had gone to the tax bureau for tax filing and wouldn’t be back anytime soon. Though nominally inviting the whole finance department to dinner, in reality, only Xun Xun could attend.
Before Xun Xun could answer, she saw the meaningful smiles on the faces of several sales managers waiting outside through the open door. Women are sensitive to such situations, especially someone like Xun Xun who had more concerns than most. Though Sun Yi Fan hadn’t explicitly expressed anything, Xun Xun could sense some unusual thoughts from his greetings whenever he came to their office or handed her things. He had favorable feelings toward her – a fact that troubled the self-preserving Xun Xun and which she tried desperately to avoid.
“What, won’t you honor us with your presence?” Sun Yi Fan asked with a smile.
Just as Xun Xun was about to pretend to be busy and politely decline due to work, he preempted her: “The reports aren’t urgent. Work is work, leisure is leisure. Come on, everyone’s waiting.”
“Um… alright, it’s more lively with more people. Let me call Sister Zhou – she should be finishing up soon, and she can come directly to the restaurant,” Xun Xun said, reaching for the phone.
Sun Yi Fan gently pressed the receiver back down and said calmly, “I’ve already called Chen Zhou. She said we should start without her, and she’ll join if she can make it.”
With him saying this, Xun Xun couldn’t very well call Chen Zhou to verify in front of him. If Chen Zhou didn’t show up, it would be because she was “tied up with something,” and only Heaven knew whether he had contacted her. How could Xun Xun later bring up such an awkward topic with Chen Zhou?
While she was still troubled by this dilemma, Chi Cheng’s office door opened. He walked out holding his jacket, glanced in their direction, and called out to Sun Yi Fan, “Yi Fan, it’s time to clock out. Want to play ball with me?”
“I have something on today, next time, Director Chi.” Sun Yi Fan turned to reply.
Xun Xun thought Chi Cheng would have another move, but he just smiled, waved to the others, and left the office without looking back.
“I’ll wait for you to pack up,” Sun Yi Fan’s gaze returned to Xun Xun.
Just as Xun Xun was about to speak, a vibration in her bag saved her. She pulled out her phone and saw it was Sister Yan Li.
Sister Yan Li wanted her daughter to accompany her for dinner and shopping after work – the first time since Professor Zeng’s death. Returning to past hobbies and leaving the house, did this mean Sister Yan Li’s mood was improving? Xun Xun felt somewhat relieved. Shopping could always quickly soothe Sister Yan Li’s emotional wounds. Moreover, this call completely rescued her from her current predicament.
“I’m sorry, Manager Sun, my mother needs me for something. Since not everyone’s here today anyway, thank you all for your kind intentions. We can get together another time when Sister Zhou and Uncle Wang are here too.”
Disappointment showed in Sun Yi Fan’s eyes, but he couldn’t insist. Graciously, he asked where she was meeting her mother, offering to give her a ride. Xun Xun politely declined.
When she arrived at the restaurant Sister Yan Li had specified, her mother was already waiting at the table, several delicate dim sum dishes laid out before her. As soon as Xun Xun sat down, she surveyed her surroundings, mentally calculating if she had brought enough cash. This was a high-end Hong Kong-style restaurant in the basement of an upscale shopping mall, known for its exquisite dishes and steep prices. Though Sister Yan Li always said she would treat, when the bill came she often just picked her teeth, and Xun Xun had grown used to this.
“I casually ordered some dim sum for you. Look at the menu yourself – it’s the weekend, you should treat yourself well,” Sister Yan Li elegantly pushed the menu toward Xun Xun.
Xun Xun flipped through the menu once and closed it. “I’m not very hungry, what you ordered is enough.”
“How can that be? I said I’d treat you to a feast today.” Sister Yan Li’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. Her makeup was carefully done today, clearly having put in considerable effort. She took a sip of lemon water, suddenly switched to a smile, and waved enthusiastically toward the entrance.
Xun Xun turned around to see the man who was supposed to be playing ball walking toward them – apparently, he had been playing a different kind of game.
She was now too tired to be surprised by these “coincidences” anymore, and just asked Sister Yan Li sitting across from her in a low voice, “If we’re just shopping, why did you invite him too?”
Sister Yan Li covered the lower half of her face with the menu and whispered, “Are you stupid? What’s wrong with inviting someone to pay the bill? The food here is very expensive!”
Before Chi Cheng got close, she added mysteriously and proudly to her daughter, “Don’t worry, I ordered all the most expensive dishes.”
Just as Xun Xun rolled her eyes, Chi Cheng sat down beside her and asked eagerly, “What are you discussing so intently?”
Sister Yan Li replied lovingly, “I was telling Xun Xun that young people like you work hard and should eat some nourishing foods.”
Xun Xun followed up, “Yes, nothing’s more nourishing than a few fat geese!”
Chi Cheng called over a waiter and said with a smile, “I don’t know much about nourishment, but I like this place’s honey thick toast and fire and ice Australian prawns. If you haven’t tried them, I suggest ordering extra portions to taste… Auntie, your hair looks beautiful today, it matches well with your earrings.”
Sister Yan Li beamed at the compliment. “Our Xun Xun, I thought she had found some good job after all that bustle, but it turns out she went to work at your company. Indeed, birds of a feather flock together!”
“I’ve told her that if she’s willing, she doesn’t need to work so hard,” Chi Cheng said, giving Xun Xun beside him a meaningful look.
“We’re not outsiders, no need to talk about working hard or not.” Sister Yan Li truly didn’t stand at a ceremony at all.
Xun Xun snickered. She had figured it out – whenever Chi Cheng and Sister Yan Li got together, she might as well consider herself on a space tour. Zeng Yu’s words were right – normal people can’t argue with crazy people, they’ll drive you crazy too, and then defeat you with experience.
She pressed down Chi Cheng’s hand as he was about to drink from a water glass, calmly reminding him, “Yours is still with the waiter, this is mine.”
“Oh!” Chi Cheng acted as if suddenly enlightened, then turned to Sister Yan Li and said, “But having Xun Xun at the company, though it’s more work for her, has been a great help to me.”
“Director Chi, you’re too kind.”
“I’m speaking from the heart. You must see that Chen Zhou is my father’s person, Sun Yi Fan is my father’s wife’s person, only you are my person.”
The phrase “my person” was particularly ambiguous in pronunciation, and Xun Xun knew he was being deliberate. This rogue – even gaining a small verbal advantage could make him so gleeful. Xun Xun now deeply felt the aptness of Chen Zhou’s words – though she wasn’t his woman, this broken peacock had now grown accustomed to pointing his bare posterior in her direction.
“I don’t understand your factional struggles, I only know accounts,” Xun Xun clarified her position.
Chi Cheng smiled slightly, “You knowing to reject Sun Yi Fan is enough.”
“Ah!” Sister Yan Li’s sudden long sigh successfully drew the attention of the other two.
“Seeing you two reminds me of things from the past with Xun Xun’s dead father. Though he’s turned to ashes now, when he was young he was a bit like you – tall nose, black eyebrows. He wasn’t as capable as you, but he was also a year or two younger than me, and always liked to argue with me… Chi Cheng, if only you were born a few years earlier. Women age quickly, it’s always worrying to be with someone younger.”
“Mom, why are you bringing this up?”
Chi Cheng also grew alert, slightly narrowing his eyes, waiting for Sister Yan Li’s next words. But Sister Yan Li seemed to have finished her sudden bout of nostalgia, touching the huge earrings on her ears, “These earrings you gave me are nice, but they hurt a bit hanging on my ears.”
Xun Xun wanted to say that such heavy “weapons” would hurt hanging anywhere.
Chi Cheng immediately understood and said, “That’s not good, there must be a problem with the craftsmanship. The receipt is in the box. How about this – I’ll have someone come over, accompany you home to get the box, then go to the counter to exchange them. If that doesn’t work, we can pick something else. It’s my fault for not choosing more carefully.”
Though Sister Yan Li said, “Oh my, that’s too much trouble for you,” everyone could see her delight.
“I knew you were thoughtful in everything you do. How could Xun Xun’s father compare to you?”
“Not at all.”
Chi Cheng lowered his head to drink water, his expression unchanged. Xun Xun almost admired him – in terms of reading situations and playing along, she was no match for him. Chen Zhou and Sun Yi Fan might treat him as a young second-generation heir, just a figurehead in the company, but in the game of the mantis stalking the cicada, who would be the oriole was hard to say.
Chi Cheng made a phone call commanding someone to come immediately. Xun Xun initially thought he was calling the company driver and was wondering if she should leave, but after a while, the person who appeared at their table was actually the company’s HR manager, Zhou Rui Sheng.
Zhou Rui Sheng wiped the sweat from his forehead, his fair face flushed red, presumably having rushed here at top speed. Upon seeing Xun Xun and her mother, he showed no particular surprise, greeted them, and hurriedly asked, “Director Chi, what do you need?”
At the company, Xun Xun didn’t interact much with Zhou Rui Sheng. In her eyes, Zhou Rui Sheng was a shrewd and experienced person, always wearing a smile, pleasant to everyone, sometimes appearing somewhat slick due to his expertise in handling personal relationships. Since he was the only person in the office who might know about Xun Xun’s acquaintance with Chi Cheng, she maintained extra vigilance around him. But in fact, Zhou Rui Sheng had kept this secret very well, only occasionally showing intentional goodwill toward Xun Xun in subtle ways.
Chi Cheng asked him to sit down first and explained the task of escorting Sister Yan Li to exchange the jewelry. Xun Xun felt uncomfortable – his blatant use of company personnel for personal matters seemed highly inappropriate, and Zhou Rui Sheng’s gaze made her uneasy. No doubt in others’ eyes, she was no different from a woman kept by Chi Cheng.
“Mom, I can accompany you to exchange it later, and we can go clothes shopping too. No need to trouble others,” Xun Xun said, desperately trying to signal to Sister Yan Li with her eyes, hoping she would understand the situation and not put her daughter in such an awkward position.
Zhou Rui Sheng repeatedly said, “It’s no trouble, no trouble at all, Xun Xun, you’re being too formal. I never expected your mother to be so young and elegant – it’s my honor to help.”
He then introduced himself to Sister Yan Li, who giggled at his flattery, saying he had a good name.
“Zhou Rui Sheng – it’s like Chow Tai Fook, TSL Jewellery, and Chow Sang Sang combined. Just hearing it sounds lucky!”
Zhou Rui Sheng was momentarily stunned, hurriedly praising Sister Yan Li for being “so humorous.”
Xun Xun was mortified. She secretly glanced at Chi Cheng beside her, who was absently rotating his water glass with his finger, a faint smile playing on his lips, completely detached from the situation.
As the waiters successively brought their ordered dishes, Zhou Rui Sheng quietly observed the three people present and proactively suggested, “The atmosphere here is nice, and since we’re all in good spirits today, why not get some wine to liven things up? I know they have some good vintage wines here.”
Before Xun Xun could refuse, Chi Cheng had already drawled, “What’s so interesting about wine? I find it the most boring thing.”
“…Right, yes! Wine is boring. I remember now, you prefer stronger drinks. I’ll order that for you! Only pretentious people drink wine.”
Zhou Rui Sheng said fawningly.
“Haha,” Chi Cheng laughed. “Let me tell you a secret – my father loves wine the most.”
This statement left the opportunistic Zhou Rui Sheng at a loss for words, awkwardly wiping sweat from his forehead again. Sister Yan Li found it amusing and giggled.
“The Chairman is different, he has true taste. How can pretentious people compare to him?” Zhou Rui Sheng laughed along.
Chi Cheng dismissed this: “What true taste? You’re right – he’s just the most pretentious of all!”
“Well, well… Director Chi, you’re such a joker.”
“Alright, don’t be nervous. I get it – you mean my father drinking wine isn’t pretentious, but others are?”
“Yes, exactly, exactly.” Zhou Rui Sheng sighed in relief.
Chi Cheng was deliberately undermining him, leaning back in his chair. “Then why are you ordering wine for us? Trying to make us pretentious?”
“Oh lord, what do you want from me?” Zhou Rui Sheng was bewildered, slapping his thigh in distress.
“That’s what I should be asking you!”
Even Xun Xun couldn’t stand it anymore. She gave Chi Cheng a side-eye and said, “Are you done? Having fun? How childish!”
She regretted it immediately after speaking – regardless of everything, Chi Cheng was still her superior in front of Zhou Rui Sheng, and she shouldn’t have reprimanded him so carelessly.
“My fault, it’s all my fault for being tactless.” Zhou Rui Sheng quickly took the blame, afraid of sparking more conflict.
“She called me childish – what’s it got to do with you?” Chi Cheng said irritably. He clearly hadn’t intended to let it go, but because of Xun Xun’s presence, he didn’t continue, instead muttering to her, “Can’t even make a joke?”
Zhou Rui Sheng was skilled at reading situations and immediately regarded Xun Xun differently, turning to curry favor with her: “Xun Xun, his temperament – even I, his maternal uncle, can’t do anything about it…”
Xun Xun was startled – so he was that “bastard” maternal uncle!
Chi Cheng ignored his uncle Zhou Rui Sheng and focused on eating. Xun Xun was also happy to fill her stomach, but while eating, she suddenly found half a peeled prawn on her plate – Chi Cheng had silently transferred food from his plate to hers.
“What are you doing?” She glared at Chi Cheng.
He forked another small piece of honey toast onto her plate.
Xun Xun pushed the plate away in exasperation. “What kind of table manners are these?”
Chi Cheng calmly replied, “Who cares about formalities? It tastes good – try it and you’ll see.”
Zhou Rui Sheng studiously minded his business drinking water, Sister Yan Li wiped her mouth with a napkin while watching them with interest, and Chi Cheng’s fork remained poised.
He had once again effortlessly crossed what should have been her insurmountable boundary, and in her agitation, she didn’t even recognize herself. “I don’t want it – who knows if you have rabies in your saliva!”
Chi Cheng was startled, trying to suppress a laugh. “Even if I had rabies, I’m just letting you eat food, not trying to bite you.” He leisurely put the small piece of toast in his mouth, then continued after a moment: “Besides, whether I’m sick or not, isn’t the fact that you’re still alive and well the best proof?”
Under these circumstances, the other two quickly finished their lunch. Zhou Rui Sheng gallantly helped Sister Yan Li put on her coat and accompanied her as she gracefully took her leave.
Once they left, Xun Xun lost her appetite. “You take your time eating, I have to go too.”
Chi Cheng said, “What’s the rush? The rabies incubation period is long – sitting a while won’t make it suddenly break out.” He grinned, “I won’t make you drink either, red or white. Let’s not be pretentious, just sit and finish our meal properly.”
Xun Xun looked at Zhou Rui Sheng’s left-behind glass and suddenly asked, “Is he your only relative here?”
“Mm, he’s the bastard I’ve mentioned many times.”
“Why do you always call him… a bastard? He seems quite nice to you, almost overly careful.”
“It’s precisely because he’s such a bastard that he has to be careful with me.”
“Did he wrong you in the past?” Xun Xun began to understand.
A frost seemed to suddenly cover Chi Cheng’s face. After a while, he told Xun Xun, “I’ll tell you about this slowly, sometime later.”
Xun Xun had grown used to his alternating between unrestrained frankness and mysteriousness, only saying, “You dislike him, yet keep him close?”
He carefully wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Keeping him close gives me more chances to despise him. Don’t you think he’s sometimes like a dog? Often, dogs have their uses – when they want food, they wag their tails especially hard.”
No wonder he had Zhou Rui Sheng run errands for Sister Yan Li. Thinking of Sister Yan Li’s brazen “extortion” earlier, Xun Xun sighed, “If you want what’s best for me, don’t buy expensive things for my mother anymore. It only embarrasses me.”
“If you don’t want to owe me, you can give me gifts too. Then we’ll be even.”
“Why do we need so many entanglements? Can’t we be like normal people… like a normal boss and employee?”
“You know that’s impossible. You know what I want.” He smiled again, “I mean gifts.”
Fearing he would bring up trains again, Xun Xun simply called the waiter for the bill.
“You’re treating me to lunch?” Chi Cheng was curious.
“Today was supposed to be lunch with my mother, I don’t even know why you came. Anyway, consider it thanks for the gifts you gave her,” Xun Xun emphasized.
Surprisingly, Chi Cheng didn’t object, letting her take out her wallet.
Xun Xun took the bill and looked at it, secretly gritting her teeth. Sister Yan Li was certainly honest – she had gone all out. The items she ordered were very, very expensive!