Financial Workplace Survival Guide – CH 010

Chapter 10 ☆, The “Wave-Particle Duality” of Human Nature.

Xin Xin’s encounter with Zhou Yiran didn’t stir a single ripple in her heart.

Even before she met Zhou Yiran, when she felt exhausted and frustrated, she still felt a tinge of regret, wondering if she had tried harder, married the right man, and lived a better life.

But ever since she met Zhou Yiran, that thought vanished.

Life was a one-way street. Once you chose one path, when things didn’t go smoothly, you would tend to glorify the other, the one you hadn’t taken.

But when confronted by this reality in its most literal form, one would often realize clearly that this path wasn’t so rosy.

What you thought was a coincidence was actually the product of countless inevitable events.

Was work tiring? Yes, it was.

Was workplace intrigue cruel? Yes, it was cruel and disgusting.

Whether it was initially forcing herself to marry Zhou Yiran, then watching him falter after marriage and being blamed for her family’s inability to provide him with more support, or diligently following Mary’s database of opposite-sex partners, regularly going on blind dates to find the perfect match, either life would likely be like swallowing a needle for her.

She once thought she didn’t want to choose that path. But now, reflecting on herself, she realized that perhaps her personality made it difficult for her to achieve such a life.

Mary didn’t feel bitter because she had spent her entire life chasing love. The game of love with the opposite sex was not only the spice of life but also the fuel of life.

But for Xin Xin, if there was no result, she had no interest in love. If a result was necessary, she would weigh the pros and cons.

Everyone loved open and passionate people, but there were people like her in this world. She was always wavering, constantly worrying about the past and the future, and always in awe of uncertainty.

Xin Xin’s parents had a mixed attitude towards her life. Generally speaking, they praised their daughter’s high salary, prominent position, and good looks, making her a perfect all-around warrior. Internally, they criticized her, worrying about her lack of support in her old age and blaming her for not being able to get married.

What Xin Xin’s parents found most difficult to accept was that Xin Xin, at the age of thirty, had to serve as a bridesmaid and to Mary.

Xin Xin’s parents had met Mary. When Mary came home with Xin Xin, they drove the two beautiful girls and took them on a tour of the beautiful surroundings. Mary was sweet and engaging, and she had a wonderful chat with Xin Xin’s parents, keeping them all smiling.

Xin Xin’s parents’ impression of Mary was that she was very opinionated and intelligent, beautiful, and discerning and would definitely find it difficult to marry. With Xin Xin’s ordinary personality, she probably wouldn’t do anything out of character.

Years passed, and although Xin Xin’s parents occasionally urged her to get married, they could at least console themselves with the fact that her only close friend, Mary, was also single. Women working in big cities often married late.

Now that Mary was getting married, the pressure Xin Xin received had intensified.

If it were Mary dealing with her parents, she would have used a mixture of soft and hard tactics, switching between anger and coaxing with perfect timing. Her parents would have been completely at a loss, perhaps even compelled to accept their daughter’s wishes.

But Xin Xin’s approach to her parents was typical: they talked about feelings, and she talked about reality. They talked about reality; she talked about feelings; they couldn’t agree anyway.

Xin Xin deeply regretted telling her parents about Mary’s marriage, and this melancholy carried over to work.

Zhang Qiao’s recent project integration went very smoothly. He was meticulous, comparing the data of major clients from the eight branches under his jurisdiction. He even went so far as to categorize investors by risk appetite, investment philosophy, and expected returns, separating them by key department heads and account managers.

Xin Xin was very satisfied with Zhang Qiao’s work, but she also didn’t understand why he reported so frequently.

“Ms. Xin, my idea is to use this list to identify different tiers of investors. Then, we can hold a product promotion event to further screen customers interested in the product.”

When Lin Xiao recommended Zhang Qiao, Xin Xin thought he must have some talent. But now, it seemed, Zhang Qiao had surpassed her expectations. With him taking on many tasks, Xin Xin felt as relaxed as if she had three more people working for her.

“Okay, just do it.”

Zhang Qiao glanced at Xin Xin in disbelief. “Ms. Xin, how about you take another look at the list?”

“I think it’s fine. Let’s do it. If you have any difficulties, let me know and we’ll find a solution.”

Zhang Qiao stood there, thinking for a long moment, before asking, “Ms. Xin, are you worried about something?”

Xin Xin was puzzled. Was she so upset that even Zhang Qiao could see it so clearly?

She forced a smile. “I’m fine. I was hanging out with friends yesterday, and I’m a little late.”

Zhang Qiao nodded and turned to leave. After taking two steps, he paused and looked at Xin Xin hesitantly.

“What’s wrong?”

Xin Xin asked, trying to be gentle.

Zhang Qiao hesitated for a long time before finally making a firm decision. “Ms. Xin, were you out with Mary yesterday?”

Xin Xin suddenly realized. “Yes, that friend I’m talking about is her.”

To avoid unnecessary trouble, they hadn’t made a point of showing their close relationship, but they certainly hadn’t concealed it either.

But Zhang Qiao’s attitude was subtle. A question so perfectly normal sounded like something forced from his lips.

“Does she have a boyfriend?”

Xin Xin, upon hearing this, figured something out. Recalling how Mary had previously stated she was familiar with Zhang Qiao, Xin Xin, though a bit slow to react, sensed that they might have some hidden connection she wasn’t aware of.

“You’ll have to ask her about that.”

However, as soon as Zhang Qiao left Xin Xin’s office, she immediately messaged Mary.

“Can I talk about your upcoming marriage? Zhang Qiao’s asking.”

Mary must have been slacking off. She instantly sent her two links, asking her to see which bridesmaid dress looked best.

Xin Xin, looking through them, pressed, “Are you still in a relationship that I don’t know about?”

Mary replied nonchalantly, “No, we’re fine. But it seems, maybe, perhaps, he likes me?”

Xin Xin felt a bit relieved. As long as he wasn’t her ex, everything was fine. As for whether he liked her, most men had had a crush on Mary at some point, so it wasn’t surprising.

But the trouble wasn’t just her advanced age and unmarried status; even worse was that a few days later, a stranger added her on WeChat.

After all, working in the service industry, Xin Xin’s approach to adding friends was to welcome everyone, primarily to help her find valuable clients when she was trying to sell her products.

Also, she could periodically check her friends’ circles for those selling fitness classes or tours or purchasing products on behalf of others, buying whatever she needed, making it easier for others to find her.

But this time, she learned a painful lesson by adding someone without asking who they were.

“Xin Xin, I’m Zhou Yiran. I know I shouldn’t bother you, but we were together before, and I really hope you’re okay.”

Xin Xin recalled seeing Zhou Yiran’s haggard expression and slovenly, bloated frame that day.

It was outrageous. She might have looked a little tired that day because she’d just gotten off work, but Zhou Yiran, with his degraded appearance, certainly wasn’t the one to sympathize with her.

Xin Xin scoffed three times and replied coldly, “Thank you, I’m fine. To avoid any misunderstandings, I’ve deleted it.”

Just as she sent it, a reply came back, “Is the person you’re going to marry Zheng Zaochuan?”

Xin Xin wasn’t very good at lying, and after a long while, she managed two words. “No comment.”

“I just happened to hear from a friend that Zheng Zaochuan currently has a very chaotic private life. You won’t be happy if you marry him.”

Xin Xin laughed in anger. “Currently?” He must have been asking on purpose. Besides, what business was it of his?

If it were Mary who commented on Zheng Zaochuan’s chaotic private life, she wouldn’t be angry and might even have provided some fodder.

But in this situation, she inexplicably felt a sense of justice. “What’s your business with Zheng Zaochuan? I’m getting married, and as long as I like him, that’s all I need, isn’t it?”

With that, Xin Xin neatly blocked Zhou Yiran.

This incident, to a certain extent, bruised Xin Xin’s fragile self-esteem. She was in a very delicate state, a state she called the “wave-particle duality” of human nature.

If no one observed her or hurt her, she would think her life and work were fine, with nothing wrong.

But if someone observed or talked about her, even if it was Zhou Yiran’s inexplicably superior reminder, she would question what had caused her to feel so pitiful.

Also affecting her were her parents’ words.

Strictly speaking, her family environment was very relaxed. Her parents’ expectations of her weren’t even for a perfect life. They simply raised a sharp question: as an only child, she wouldn’t be able to care for her parents, and she might be forced to move around in her old age due to various reasons from her landlord. What would she do then?

The accumulation of these factors made Xin Xin truly anxious.

Zheng Zaochuan had no idea that he had inexplicably become Xin Xin’s fiancé and was even less aware of the rumors about his chaotic private life. As usual, he would come to Xin Xin’s company without even advance notice when he was bored. He claimed to be Xin Xin’s biggest and most important client and never adhered to the appointment system.

When Xin Xin got off work, she saw Zheng Zaochuan, dressed in a T-shirt and sweatshirt, a youthful smile on his face, sitting in the car and greeting her.

“Star, isn’t this a coincidence? Let’s go eat.”

Xin Xin couldn’t help but mutter to herself, “Why are you always so happy? Is it because you’re rich?”

Zheng Zaochuan drove nonchalantly with one hand. “That’s not the case. It’s just my personality. When I was broke with only a dollar left in my pocket, I still got on the train and had fun. In today’s world, with hands and feet, how can you starve to death?”

Xin Xin checked her seatbelt, unable to control her fear for her life, and patted his hand. “Two hands, drive carefully.”

Zheng Zaochuan glanced at her secretly, smiled, and obediently took to driving with both hands.

“Let’s go out of town and get some noodles.”

Xin Xin happily agreed, the heaviness in her heart suddenly dispelled. Yes, with arms and legs, how could one starve to death?