In the rest room of the office, after a passionate encounter, the two found peace. Gu Luotang, with a rosy complexion, smiled contentedly as she nestled in Wan Yunting's embrace. "So, you plan to stay in the capital for the New Year?" she asked.
"Yes."
Wan Yunting hugged her and laughed, "There's too much work at the association, I really don't have time to go back for the New Year. Besides, I've just reunited with my birth parents, and this is our first New Year together, so I have to stay and reunite with my family."
"Mmm, that's only right."
Gu Luotang nodded, her eyes brimming with affection as she looked at his face. Her slender, jade-like fingers traced his stubble, which hadn't been shaved in two days. "My grandfather is staying in the capital, and it would be boring for just Miao Miao and me to spend the New Year at home, so we came directly to the capital. Mostly, I just miss you."
Wan Yunting looked down at her, his large hand gently caressing Gu Luotang's soft, smooth, milk-like cheek. He smiled, "I miss you too. I was actually planning to call you to come over today, but I didn't expect you to say you were coming this morning. Are you settled at Elder Gu's place now?"
"Yes."
Gu Luotang nodded and smiled, "Grandpa is a student of Mr. Gu. I also know his granddaughter, Gu Sinou, and we haven't seen each other in a long time. It's good to catch up. She told me she also knows Master Fan's granddaughter, Fan Shuyuan. When you have time, we can visit Master Fan together."
"Of course."
Wan Yunting calculated the dates. "Today is the 28th, and the association officially starts its holiday today. I'll be free tomorrow afternoon. We'll take you to Elder Fan's place then for a gathering, to wish him a Happy New Year in advance. We'll visit again after the New Year."
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
Gu Luotang nodded happily, burying her head in his chest. Her jade hand caressed Wan Yunting's chest, and after a pause, she asked, "Did you not ask her to come to the capital?"
Wan Yunting's expression froze for a moment. He looked down at Gu Luotang, who dared not meet his gaze, knowing she was referring to Fang Yanxi.
"She said she'll spend the New Year at home and will come to the capital after the holiday," Wan Yunting said after some thought.
Gu Luotang looked up, her beautiful eyes fixed on his slightly nervous gaze. "Will she stay in the capital from now on?"
Wan Yunting felt a bit guilty but nodded nonetheless.
"Oh..."
Gu Luotang responded with a soft sound and lowered her head, burying it in Wan Yunting's chest. However, a hint of worry appeared in her eyes...
Just as Wan Yunting was about to say something, he heard a knock on the office door. "Alright, Luotang, let's get up now."
Gu Luotang realized and nodded with a smile. They got out of bed together. Hearing the knock, they quickly put on their clothes. Gu Luotang was asked to stay in the rest room while Wan Yunting went out to close the door before opening the office door. Chen Qiuyun stood at the doorway, holding several documents, her phoenix eyes looking at Wan Yunting strangely. "Chairman Wan, these documents need your signature, and they're urgent."
"Give them to me."
Wan Yunting smiled and took the documents from Chen Qiuyun, turning back to his desk to sit down. Chen Qiuyun followed him. Her keen nose detected an unusual scent and the scent of a woman on him, realizing why he hadn't opened the door for so long.
Wan Yunting examined the documents carefully. Chen Qiuyun stood in front of him, her phoenix eyes never leaving him until the door to the rest room opened. Gu Luotang emerged, dressed in ancient Hanfu, her face like a peach blossom, her skin as fair as jade, exuding an ethereal charm. Upon seeing Chen Qiuyun, Gu Luotang subtly assessed the dignified and elegant woman with her extraordinary temperament, especially her exquisite features and beauty, making it hard to imagine how beautiful she must have been in her early twenties.
"Hello."
Gu Luotang spoke first, greeting her with a polite smile.
"Mmm, hello..."
Chen Qiuyun replied politely with a smile.
"Alright."
Wan Yunting signed the documents and handed them to Chen Qiuyun. He turned to introduce Gu Luotang, "This is Sister Chen. She does some administrative work at our association. Her son is ill, and I'm responsible for his treatment."
Gu Luotang responded with a soft "Oh" and asked, "What's wrong? Is it serious?"
Wan Yunting explained, "When Sister Chen's son was three years old, he had a high fever that damaged his brain, leaving his intellect at the level of a two or three-year-old. However, I have a method to treat her son's condition."
Gu Luotang nodded and smiled at Chen Qiuyun, "Don't worry, Sister Chen. My Yunting brother's medical skills are remarkable. He will definitely be able to cure your son's illness."
"Mmm, I always believe in Chairman Wan," Chen Qiuyun replied with a smile.
However, after Gu Luotang emerged from the rest room, Chen Qiuyun was certain of their relationship.
"By the way, Sister Chen, tomorrow, around evening, I'll be treating your son. The next treatment will be after the New Year," Wan Yunting said to Chen Qiuyun.
"Okay, thank you, Chairman Wan. I'll get back to my work then," Chen Qiuyun said with a smile.
"Mmm, go ahead."
Wan Yunting waved with a smile. Chen Qiuyun nodded and smiled at Gu Luotang before turning to leave...
Gu Luotang watched her leave with a smile. Initially, she had some concerns seeing this woman working beside Wan Yunting, but upon hearing that Sister Chen already had a son, Gu Luotang felt relieved.
After all, her man was too outstanding, and there would inevitably be fluttering butterflies around him, so she had to keep a close eye on him.
As Chen Qiuyun was leaving, she ran into Qi Miaomiao returning. Seeing her senior sister's flushed face, she knew they had been up to something. Qi Miaomiao gave them a glare and said, "Master said that Yunting brother, you are to have dinner at Elder Gu's place tonight. Let's all get together."
"Alright."
Wan Yunting checked the time; it was past five in the afternoon. Work would end at six. He returned to his desk, opened a drawer, and took out many red envelopes. Then, he picked up a large bag from beside his feet, filled with stacks of cash. "Luotang, Miaomiao, help me pack these red envelopes. I need to give out New Year red envelopes to the staff below."
"Okay, how much should we put in each?"
The two of them went over. Wan Yunting smiled, "Let's put ten thousand in each."
"Ten thousand? That's so much! Are you paying for it yourself?"
Qi Miaomiao and Gu Luotang were both surprised. Wan Yunting nodded and smiled, "Yes. I'm the new chairman, so I have to give them a bit more for the New Year."
"Miser!"
Qi Miaomiao shook her head with a tut, then giggled, "Then, Yunting brother, how much red envelope are you planning to give me this year?"
"What kind of red envelope do you want?" Gu Luotang retorted with a smile.
"Oh, senior sister, you haven't even married him yet, and you're already trying to control Yunting brother's finances?" Qi Miaomiao teased.
"You little rascal, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Gu Luotang blushed from the teasing and playfully hit Qi Miaomiao's arm, causing Wan Yunting to laugh heartily. "It's just red envelopes, isn't it? I'll give you the biggest one later."
"Yay! I knew Yunting brother treated me the best!"
Qi Miaomiao happily hugged Wan Yunting's arm and rubbed it vigorously against her chest, almost wanting to kiss him. This made Wan Yunting's expression unnatural. He glanced at Gu Luotang, but she didn't seem to mind Qi Miaomiao's actions...
At six o'clock, on the second floor of the association's office building, fifty-six young members of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association gathered. Wan Yunting and Gu Yuanbai, the two chairmen, along with Li Tiangui, Liu Pingyi, and Xue Dongshan, three national medical masters.
Also present were several elders and middle-aged men, members of the association's board, who were also professors or directors at the Capital University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Wan Yunting first gave a lengthy speech to everyone, followed by words of encouragement. Gu Yuanbai and Xue Dongshan also spoke. This took half an hour, but to avoid delaying everyone's holiday and reunion with their families, Wan Yunting gestured to Shangguan Hui'er and Chen Qiuyun. The two of them immediately carried a red bag and took out red envelopes to distribute to everyone.
"The association has been too busy lately, and I haven't had time to pick out New Year's gifts, so I personally packed a red envelope for everyone. Use this to buy whatever you want to eat. This is the association's Spring Festival welfare for this year," Wan Yunting said to everyone with a smile.
Everyone took the thick red envelopes. Without counting, they could guess that each contained ten thousand yuan. The young TCM practitioners, who had just graduated from the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, were all beaming with joy, thinking how generous Chairman Wan was.
After all, for personally packed red envelopes, ten thousand per person would amount to five hundred and sixty thousand.
"Thank you, Chairman Wan..."
Everyone expressed their gratitude. Wan Yunting waved his hand and smiled, "Alright, everyone hurry home for the New Year. Remember to be back at work on the sixth day of the lunar new year."
"Yes, Chairman Wan, Vice Chairman Gu, we wish you a Happy New Year in advance..."
These young people wished Wan Yunting and Gu Yuanbai a happy new year one by one before happily leaving for their holiday.
"Little Wan, why did you give them red envelopes without authorization, and even paid for them yourself?" Gu Yuanbai hadn't expected Wan Yunting to personally spend money to give everyone red envelopes.
Wan Yunting smiled, "We've been too busy lately, and we couldn't even go out to buy Spring Festival gifts for everyone. Besides, everyone has worked so hard during this time. Giving a generous red envelope is what I, as chairman, should do."
Li Tiangui said, "We don't object to giving red envelopes, but yours is too much. In the past, the red envelopes issued by the Sima family for Spring Festival were at most six hundred yuan."
"It's fine. Consider it me wishing everyone a good year, and I hope they work hard when they return next year," Wan Yunting said with a smile.
Gu Yuanbai and the others couldn't say much more, as the red envelopes had already been distributed. He added, "Elder Gu is waiting for us at his home. Let's go then."
"Okay, let's go..."
Liu Pingyi and the others nodded, and then they all headed downstairs, preparing to go to Gu Shiren's home for dinner and a gathering...
Wan Yunting asked Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao to accompany Gu Yuanbai and the others downstairs. He then called Shangguan Hui'er and Chen Qiuyun over and took out two more large red envelopes. He handed them to them with a smile, "These are red envelopes I packed specifically for you. Happy New Year."
"We have them too?"
Shangguan Hui'er was surprised, as was Chen Qiuyun.
"What are you talking about? You are also staff members of the association, how could you not have them?"
Wan Yunting handed the two red envelopes to them separately and said with a smile, "And Hui'er, yours has two thousand more than theirs. This is to reward you for your hard work recently. Sister Chen, yours is the same as theirs."
"Thank you, Chairman Wan." Upon hearing that she had two thousand more than others, Shangguan Hui'er was overjoyed.
Chen Qiuyun quickly handed the red envelope back to Wan Yunting, saying somewhat apologetically, "Chairman Wan, I've only been working here for two days. This red envelope is too large, I can't accept it."
Wan Yunting's expression faltered. He tried to give it to her again, but Chen Qiuyun politely refused. Wan Yunting grabbed her hand, placed the red envelope in it, and said earnestly, "Sister Chen, even though you've just joined, you are now a member of the association. You must take this red envelope, please don't be polite. Take the money and buy more things for the New Year."
Then Wan Yunting released her hand and said with a smile, "Alright, you should also hurry home. Hui'er, you're responsible for locking the main door. I'll be going ahead."
"Okay, Chairman Wan, have a safe trip."
Shangguan Hui'er waved goodbye, watching Wan Yunting go downstairs. She turned to see Chen Qiuyun still looking hesitant. Shangguan Hui'er smiled, "Sister Chen, don't be shy. You are already a member of our association. Moreover, Chairman Wan is generous. Our diligent work in the future will be the greatest reward."
"Mmm," Chen Qiuyun replied with a smile. Over this period, her sense of guilt towards Wan Yunting grew heavier...