003 Begin preparations
The assistant was quick, and within twenty minutes, Fang Yuxin's inbox received the materials she had sent. Fang Yuxin read through them speedily and already had some ideas in mind. Feeling a sense of urgency, she mentioned to Qu Qianhe that something had come up and that she needed to leave first. Qu Qianhe did not hold her back, letting her take the car and calling her driver to pick her up.
Fang Yuxin then drove straight to the renovation company listed in the materials. It was a large-scale company in the city, known for producing exceptional work. Upon arrival and revealing her identity, she was respectfully invited into the reception room. The room was elegantly decorated, adorned with lush green plants that were clearly well-maintained.
Fang Yuxin didn't sit for long before the project manager arrived. Her house was a villa with high-end decoration choices and she wasn't afraid to spend money, making it a rather large project for the company, so the manager paid a great deal of attention to it.
After some initial pleasantries, Fang Yuxin explained her intention to increase the greenery area of the villa and to transform the roof into an ecological farm. She checked on the progress of the villa's renovation, which was mainly focused on the interior, as the garden and roof hadn't been touched yet. The original plan was to create a landscape garden, but the strange dream had made Fang Yuxin change her mind.
Anyway, even if the dream was false, she could always change it later if she didn't like it, which wouldn't require much effort. The manager, worried that Fang Yuxin was acting on a whim, confirmed with her several times. Seeing her determination, he stopped trying to persuade her otherwise. After all, ecological farms were quite fashionable, and he had no objection as long as the client was happy. His only concern was that Fang Yuxin might be acting impulsively, and would end up dissatisfied with the result.
Fang Yuxin already had a concept in mind and quickly finalized the plan. The manager informed her they would soon produce a rendering, and once Fang Yuxin confirmed it, they would begin construction. Concerned about the project's timeline, Fang Yuxin recalled that in her dream the villa's renovation hadn't been completed before the apocalypse broke out. She said, "No need for that, just go ahead with this plan. Can you speed up the construction? Hire more people. Money is not an issue."
The manager immediately agreed. Recently, many technical workers had taken sick leaves, causing delays in many projects and subsequent customer complaints. Fang Yuxin's project was sizable, offering him a substantial commission, so naturally, he couldn't afford to offend her.
Having settled the matter, Fang Yuxin drove off. It was almost noon, and she went home to have lunch with Qu Qianhe. During their lunch break, she searched online for news. That's when she discovered that influenza had become very serious. Many people were hospitalized and even quarantined. Both hospitals and the government were taking it very seriously, organizing many experts to focus on vaccine development.
Shaken by the news, Fang Yuxin, apart from managing the supermarkets, also made other investments, and she held shares in Fang Group. Even if the supermarket operated at a loss, the dividends from these shares kept her well provided for. She had known about the influenza beforehand but hadn't paid it much mind; after all, influenza happens every year. As for online discussions, she never paid attention to them. She didn't have the extra time to follow forums and social media, so it wasn't until she specifically searched that she realized how much the flu had already been debated online.
An hour passed quickly. Seeing that the time was almost right, Fang Yuxin shut down her computer and went out for a supermarket meeting. All the senior executives were present. They were surprised to learn that she planned to temporarily close the supermarket. One of them opposed the idea, saying, "Mr. Fang, even if we're looking to expand, is it really necessary to halt supermarket operations?"
Fang Yuxin had already thought of an excuse and replied, "The supermarket needs to be redesigned, with a new layout for the shelving and everything. Moreover, with the flu being so serious, closing for a while is like giving the staff a holiday. I certainly don't want anyone coming to work sick. However, you can rest assured, even though we're stopping operations, salaries will be paid as usual. Take this opportunity to get some proper rest."
Hearing that salaries would still be paid, no one had any objections. In any case, the supermarket wasn't opened for profit-making, so there was no need to worry about earnings. The Fang Family, wealthy and generous, were willing to indulge, and the employees naturally followed suit. However, deep down, many were green with envy.
Fang Yuxin saw all of their reactions and maintained a stoic expression, but she felt the irony internally. She had been far too presumptuous before, believing that people who received help would at least feel gratitude, even if they did not reciprocate. But now she realized how utterly wrong she had been. There were plenty of people in the world who knew how to be grateful, but there were also those who took the generosity of others for granted.
Even these employees, taking the Fang Family's money and enjoying the benefits provided by them, coveted the Fang Family's fortune in their hearts. But at this point, Fang Yuxin could hardly be stingy with the money. After all, these people had been diligent in their work, and she was always clear about separating gratitude from resentment, refusing to misplace her anger.
After the meeting, she made a point to check out the supermarket. It was doing well. At four o'clock, there were many shoppers. To Fang Yuxin's knowledge, because the goods were inexpensive, even people who lived further away would take the bus to shop here. She was dressed to the nines and beautiful, like a big star on TV, standing out conspicuously in the supermarket. It wasn't long before she attracted all sorts of stares.
As Fang Yuxin walked around, she overheard some comments: "Why are the rich now coming here to compete with us poor folks for bargains?"
"You don't understand, do you? Those rich people are the stingiest. Besides, you see those wearing designer clothes, who knows if they're fake or not. And even if they are genuine, who knows, maybe they were seduced into getting them. The pretty young girls these days have no scruples, all gold-diggers, unlike us back in the day."
The speakers were two middle-aged women who dressed plainly and had makeup on, not heavy but a bit vulgar. They didn't speak loudly, but their voices weren't soft either, and many nearby shoppers heard them, with some showing complex expressions and others looking embarrassed. Several supermarket employees nearby also changed their expressions.
Fang Yuxin didn't say anything. She just pushed the cart and walked on. But ultimately, she didn't buy anything and left the supermarket directly. The social gulf between rich and poor was enormous, and many people had their mentality distorted. She wasn't going to argue or get angry over a few words but just felt pitiful, both for the Fang Family and those with twisted psyches.
Back in the car, ready to drive home, Fang Yuxin passed a hair salon and decided to get her hair cut. Her hair was quite long, almost reaching her waist, glossy and black due to regular care. Normally, she wore it up in a bun, adding to her professional appearance. The hairstylist regretted hearing she wanted it short. Fang Yuxin cut her hair into a boyish style and took the chopped hair with her.
With all sorts of bizarre "evil magic" in her apocalyptic dreams, although uncertain of its truth, Fang Yuxin couldn't help but take precautions. When she got home, she saw Fang Mengyao sitting in the living room, her nerves instantly on edge.
Fang Mengyao actually came! Just like in the dream! Fang Yuxin glanced at the time; Fang Jintang would be back soon. She just needed to wait now, to see if the upcoming events would indeed unfold as they had in her dream!