Chapter 39: A Kiss That Breaks the Ice!

Late October, Halloween night.

Although Zhang Long had never really celebrated Western holidays in either of his lives, he had to admit that, for couples in love, holidays were important occasions for dates. Unfortunately, because the crowds were heavier during holidays, Luo Man had to work a part-time job that evening.

In other words, she had no time to accompany her boyfriend.

...

“Hello, what would you like to order—”

At a certain Cluckin’ Chicken in the southern suburbs of the city, Luo Man, dressed in the restaurant’s uniform, froze for a moment when she saw a familiar figure at the counter. Surprise flickered in her eyes, but almost immediately she wanted to lower her gaze and hide, feeling inexplicably complicated.

“Fries and a cola,” Zhang Long said with a slight smile, placing his order.

Though Luo Man hadn’t mentioned exactly where she was working, it was bound to be near her work dormitory. The last time they’d talked, she’d said it was at Cluckin’ Chicken, and there were only a handful in the business district. So he decided to try his luck—if he found her, it would be a pleasant surprise; if not, he’d message her.

Sometimes, love needed a little impulsive spontaneity—a desire to see each other right away. The search itself was part of the fun. Now that he’d resigned and didn’t have work tomorrow, he had all the time in the world.

“Hey, miss, your customer’s waiting…” Zhang Long reminded her.

This brief pause gave Luo Man a moment to steady herself.

“Is the fries and cola combo okay?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Just like that, with those around them none the wiser, the young couple slipped into the roles of customer and cashier, their interaction laced with a subtle, secret intimacy. It felt unexpectedly sweet.

Why are you here? Luo Man messaged him with a smiling emoji once Zhang Long had settled in a corner seat—far enough away, yet close enough to see her behind the counter, even though he’d barely started eating.

Because I missed you. Zhang Long glanced up at her from a distance, their gazes meeting. For a moment, their hearts raced.

All right, maybe that was a bit dramatic.

I’ll be off late tonight, Luo Man typed.

That’s okay, I’ll wait for you.

Seeing his reply, Luo Man’s eyes shone with shyness and delight. She nodded to him discreetly, then focused on her work rather than sneaking glances at him. They’d talk after her shift.

...

“Hello, Ms. Qian?”

At Hongze Finance, Qian Caiying was in the middle of a meeting with three team managers from the marketing department to discuss next month’s goals when she saw the familiar caller ID and answered immediately.

But the voice on the other end wasn’t Zhang Long.

“Who is this?” she asked, puzzled. As she listened, her expression gradually darkened. “Where’s Zhang Long?”

“Uh, Zhang Long resigned.” The news made Qian Caiying’s heart skip a beat, but the caller continued, “Don’t worry, Ms. Qian. Even though Zhang Long is gone, Shengxin remains as professional as ever. I’ll be handling your account from now on and will make sure you’re well taken care of…”

It was Chang Song on the line. Although Zhang Long had already given his clients a heads-up about the change in account managers, the evening calls didn’t go well. Most clients only trusted Zhang Long, and their tone was generally curt and dismissive before hanging up.

“All right, I understand.” After ending the call, Chang Song felt another pang of anxiety. He’d have to keep working into the night to contact all of Zhang Long’s former clients—it wouldn’t do to scramble around in a panic once the market opened tomorrow.

Luckily, aside from the newly introduced clients, most were former Blizzard Team clients—at least somewhat familiar faces.

Still, he felt apprehensive, knowing these clients’ daily trading volume exceeded thirty million. It was a huge responsibility, and he worried about failing to manage them properly.

Starting tomorrow, his main task for the month would be maintaining these clients—the company’s performance depended on it. The pressure was immense.

“It’s all right, believe in yourself,” Liang Xue encouraged him, patting his shoulder. “Manager Zhang’s clients are all pretty cooperative. Just manage the risk during trades—don’t let anyone get stuck in a position.”

“Keep reaching out. Good luck.”

...

Zhang Lizhen was a little upset. Halloween night was supposed to be fun, but she’d suddenly received a call from Shengxin. She thought Zhang Long was calling to chat, but it wasn’t him.

Little Brother Long had resigned, which left her uneasy.

“Don’t dwell on it,” her husband, Zhan Yi, comforted her, holding her in his arms as they lay in bed. “He’s just a stockbroker. Calling him ‘little brother’ for a few days doesn’t make him family. Come on, get some rest—your due date’s at the end of next month, remember?”

“You just don’t get it,” she replied, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter if he’s really like a brother or not—what matters is, he’s genuinely skilled. He managed to recover most of our losses.”

“We lost two million, and in two months he made back a million and a half. Soon we’ll be back in the black.”

“Making money in stocks isn’t easy,” she went on. Zhan Yi didn’t pay attention to the stock market, but Zhang Lizhen was always researching. On the forums, most investors lost money—hardly anyone made a profit.

Even in their trading groups, among friends and acquaintances, breaking even made you a legend.

Anyone with sense could see Zhang Long’s market instincts. They all knew he did frequent short-term trades to earn commissions, but as long as he made money, he deserved it.

In a month and a half, he made back one and a half million, even after withdrawing a million in cash. With a larger capital base, he could have earned more.

“What can you do if he’s resigned?” Zhan Yi sighed. “If Zhang Long were that talented, he wouldn’t stay an employee—he’d trade for himself and avoid taxes.”

“Tomorrow’s Thursday, then Friday. We’ll see if the new advisor’s any good.”

“Who knows? Maybe they’ll be even better.”

...

Holiday crowds kept the mall bustling until ten-thirty, after which it finally quieted down—Halloween being a Western holiday, the excitement only lasted so long, especially since it wasn’t a weekend.

“Were you waiting long?” Luo Man asked apologetically as she left Cluckin’ Chicken at eleven, her four-hour shift finally over.

She felt bad for not being able to spend the holiday strolling with her boyfriend.

“Not at all,” Zhang Long replied with a smile. “Honestly, you looked beautiful tonight, busy at work—just as lovely as when you’re at the bank. Really.”

“Hmph, such a smooth talker…” Luo Man’s cheeks reddened, relief washing over her at Zhang Long’s acceptance of her part-time job.

After all, working at a fast-food place wasn’t the same as working at a bank—it could shatter the image she wanted to maintain.

“Are you hungry?” Zhang Long offered to get something to eat.

But Luo Man shook her head—after a night at Cluckin’ Chicken, she’d had enough food. She rarely ate much there, though; it was too greasy and she wanted to keep her figure.

Zhang Long wasn’t particularly hungry either, so instead, they wandered hand-in-hand.

“I’m really happy tonight,” Luo Man said as they walked. “You showing up out of the blue startled me! How did you get so romantic, planning a surprise ambush?”

“Stop it, you’re making me shy.”

Seeing Luo Man act so girlish was a novelty, and Zhang Long smiled, replying, “It was nothing—just a sudden urge to see you. I couldn’t help myself.”

“I’m glad. I’m happy too.”

Hearing this, Luo Man’s eyes grew tender. Whether or not it was a holiday didn’t matter—the important thing was that Zhang Long had come to see her, that he cared. The warmth of not being alone, of being thought of, filled her heart.

“I was going to bring you candy…” Zhang Long suddenly stopped as they reached a spot beneath a tree. He gently placed his hands on Luo Man’s shoulders, looking into her eyes. “But I think this will be sweeter than candy. I know you’ll like it.”

With that, he leaned in slowly for a kiss.

Thump, thump-thump-thump—

As Zhang Long’s face drew closer, Luo Man’s heart pounded wildly. She didn’t dare move or open her eyes, instinctively shutting them tight like an ostrich.

His breath brushed warm and ticklish across her skin, and when their lips finally met, the world seemed to freeze—exploding into a stillness.

October 31st, Halloween.

A certain young couple, at last, broke the ice!