Chapter 31: 030

So I believe that kind people should be rewarded well.

After finishing dinner and resting for a while, Fang Qingye arrived punctually at the community gate at 7:15 p.m. and saw a white BMW 5 Series parked across the street.

He recognized it as Xia He’s private car, walked over, placed his badminton bag in the trunk, and sat in the front passenger seat.

The drive from the teacher’s residential area to Yikangyuan Sports and Recreation Center took only about fifteen minutes; upon arrival, they booked a court at the reception desk and headed toward the badminton hall.

At the badminton hall, they went to their respective locker rooms to change into sportswear. Fang Qingye changed quickly, slipping into his athletic outfit in just a few moments. He waited at the door for several minutes before seeing Xia He emerge from the women’s locker room in her sportswear, instantly catching his eye.

He had never seen Xia He dressed so lightly—let alone her normally full chest, just those long, snow-white legs stirred his imagination.

Fang Qingye’s gaze lingered on her legs for only one second before quickly looking away.

Each of them picked up their badminton bags and found their assigned courts, when Fang Qingye was surprised to notice an elderly man and a young man playing on the adjacent court.

The older man looked to be around fifty—he didn’t recognize him—but the young man was Liu Dong!

Fang Qingye immediately understood: this guy was playing with his superior!

The two were enjoying their game, and Liu Dong noticed Fang Qingye entering; he took a brief pause and nodded slightly in greeting.

Fang Qingye naturally understood—don’t interfere when a superior is playing—and nodded back in return.

Xia He, however, recognized the older man and walked over with a smile: “Director Wang, playing ball?”

Director Wang saw Xia He, stopped playing, smiled warmly, and extended his right hand: “Yes, Director Xia, you too?”

“Yes, I’m just out for some exercise tonight,” Xia He replied, shaking his hand.

Seeing them chatting casually, Fang Qingye quietly said to Liu Dong: “Not bad—you’re playing with your boss?”

“Aren’t you?” Liu Dong retorted. “I heard Director Wang call her ‘Director.’”

It’s different for us.

You’re doing it voluntarily—I’m being forced into it!

Of course, saying this in such a setting felt pointless, so Fang Qingye changed the subject: “How’s it going playing with your boss?”

“Not bad. Luckily, I’ve practiced with you for so long, otherwise I’d stand no chance against him,” Liu Dong said.

“Practice makes perfect—the more you train, the better you get. Soon, your boss might not even be your match,” Fang Qingye said.

“Hehe… I wouldn’t dare say that.”

After chatting briefly with Director Wang, Xia He returned to her court. Fang Qingye also didn’t linger with Liu Dong and went back to his own court to play with Xia He.

Honestly, Xia He’s badminton skills weren’t bad—her fundamentals were solid—but she still fell slightly short compared to Teacher Du Juan from Chaoyang Middle School.

Still, playing with her was a pleasure to watch.

Her beautiful face, rounded figure, snow-white legs—and when she ran, her movements were undulating. Not like Du Juan, all dark and flat-chested.

Around nine o’clock, Liu Dong and his boss left. Fang Qingye kept playing and didn’t finish until around 9:30 p.m.

Both were drenched in sweat, so they returned to the shower room to bathe, changed back into their original clothes, and left the badminton hall.

Just after showering, Xia He’s face glowed with a rosy hue, radiant and stunning; she seemed unusually excited.

“That was so refreshing—I haven’t had such a satisfying workout in ages… Xiao Fang, what would you like to drink? My treat.”

Fang Qingye had wanted beer, but thought it inappropriate, so he changed his mind: “A milk tea, please.”

“Alright.”

There is a milk tea shop here, the relatively well-known CoCo AllDay, where Fang Qingye ordered an oolong tea pearl milk tea without sugar, which suits his taste.

But he noticed Xia He hadn’t ordered milk tea—only a lemon tea.

“Don’t you like milk tea?” Fang Qingye asked, surprised.

Milk tea was something girls simply couldn’t resist—even he occasionally had a cup.

“I do like it,” Xia He said, eyeing the milk teas longingly. “But it’s too high in calories—I’m afraid of gaining weight.”

Fat?

Fang Qingye glanced at her again.

Aside from her chest, wasn’t she slim everywhere else?

“Sister Xue, you’re not fat at all,” Fang Qingye smiled. “Besides, having a cup occasionally won’t hurt—after all, you shouldn’t deprive yourself.”

“Alright… then I’ll listen to you,” Xia He immediately told the busy clerk: “Miss, change my lemon tea to a double-scoop iced black tea with ice cream.”

“Sure thing, please wait a moment.”

After a while, both milk teas were ready. Fang Qingye and Xia He sat beside the shop’s small table, sipping slowly.

“Xiao Fang, the young man playing with Director Wang just now—I noticed you two seemed familiar. Is he your friend?” Xia He asked casually.

“Yes, he’s the one who called me to play badminton that day. He’s my high school classmate, graduated from Jinling Normal University, passed the civil service exam last year and joined the Aging Commission, and is now temporarily assigned to the Propaganda Department.”

“The Propaganda Department is certainly better than the Aging Commission,” Xia He sipped her milk tea, then added, “Your classmate is smart—he knows how to flatter his superiors.”

“It’s all forced upon us—there’s no choice,” Fang Qingye sighed, lifting his milk tea cup.

He didn’t reveal any of Liu Dong’s personal circumstances—nobody wants others to know their hardships.

Xia He suddenly smiled at Fang Qingye: “Xiao Fang, you don’t need to flatter me like this.”

Fang Qingye glanced at her, said nothing, but thought to himself.

Flatter you?

Is that even necessary?

Seeing Fang Qingye remain silent, Xia He took another sip of her milk tea and changed the subject: “Xiao Fang, your probation period is almost over, and next week you’ll be officially assigned. Are you certain about joining the General Office?”

“Yes, I’m certain.”

“Sigh… I originally wanted you to join the Credit Department… Well then, I’ll respect your decision—I’ll assign Zhang Rong instead.”

“What about Chen Meimei? Where are you planning to place her?” Fang Qingye asked, thinking of the lovely girl.

“I’m thinking of assigning her to the Review Team in the Branch Business Department downstairs.”

Fang Qingye hadn’t expected this arrangement from Xia He.

The branch’s business hall was on the first floor of the office building, similar in nature to the three savings offices under the branch, but with more tasks due to corporate banking services.

So he couldn’t help asking: “Sister Xue, Chen Meimei always works diligently and was conscientious in the Investigation Team—why not assign her elsewhere instead of making her a teller in the business hall?”

Although the review position is slightly better than the front-line windows, it’s still exhausting all day—and worse, working in the business hall means you’re expected to solicit deposits!

“There are no openings,” Xia He spread her hands. “Right now, only the General Office and Credit Department are short-staffed—all other departments are full.”

Fang Qingye was speechless, then suddenly remembered something and countered: “Sister Xue, you told me earlier I could choose freely between Credit and Finance—how come there are no openings now?”

“Because it’s you!” Xia He gave him a look, then added: “Sister Liu in Finance won’t retire until next year—I could arrange for you to join early, but I can’t do that for others.”

With that, Xia He slowly sipped her milk tea again.

“Then why Zhang Rong and not Chen Meimei in Credit?” Fang Qingye asked again.

“Because Zhang Rong has shown greater initiative and effort. In fact, he’s the most hardworking among the three of you—I heard he often works late into the night.”

Working late?

Slacking off during the day, saving work for night to impress.

Fang Qingye knew exactly what was going on, but he didn’t want to say anything—it was pointless.

He thought for a moment and said: “Zhang Rong is indeed proactive, but Chen Meimei has her own strengths. Leaving aside other qualities, she’s kind. Take the recent Tenglong Industry deposit theft case—I told Chen Meimei my theory and specifically asked her not to tell you it came from me, yet she still told the truth.”

“If she hadn’t told the truth and claimed it was her own idea, wouldn’t you have been grateful to her?”

Xia He nodded after listening.

“That’s true.”

“So I believe kind people should be rewarded well,” Fang Qingye concluded.

"So I believe that kind people should be rewarded," Fang Qingye finally said.