First, they would handle the renovations, saving her the trouble. Second, the three-year lease guaranteed stable rent without the hassle of frequent tenant changes.
The three years’ rent would amount to about a million dollars. Leaving the house vacant wouldn’t generate income, so renting it out was the better choice.
She quickly signed the contract and handed over the keys, reminding the tenant to avoid major renovations before leaving them to it.
With the house rented out, Sophia felt a sense of relief.
Livinus has been extraordinarily busy recently. On several occasions, Sophia woke up in the middle of the night to find him still working.
“Can’t you sleep earlier?”
“You go ahead.” Livinus kissed her forehead gently. “Year-end work is unavoidable.”
“Even so, you shouldn’t stay up so late.”
“If I don’t earn money, how can I support you?”
Sophia thought to herself that she didn’t need him to support her. Her online store might not seem impressive, but her daily profits were considerable. She had read reports about influencers making millions in sales daily. Although she hadn’t reached that level, she was starting to taste success.
“Go to sleep!” Livinus tucked her in.
He was rarely this tender, so Sophia said nothing more and went back to sleep.
The next morning, when Sophia woke up, Livinus was already up and working out. His complexion looked no different from usual, except for faint dark circles under his eyes.
He had been working late for several days, and Sophia felt it was unsustainable. She brewed a pot of health tea for him, leaving it at home for him to drink.
The tea was made with premium ginseng and traditional medicine to nourish his body and replenish energy—ideal for someone staying up late.
Livinus noticed its effects. Despite working several late nights, he woke up each day feeling refreshed and full of energy.
Sophia’s medical expertise was reliable.
She handed the health tea to the driver, instructing him to deliver it to Joanna and asking the secretary to prepare it for Livinus daily.
This day, Livinus was in the middle of a meeting when Joanna entered with a tea pot.
Livinus, scolding the directors of various departments and already in a foul mood, frowned when he saw Joann with the tea. “Leave it for now.”
Joanna, bracing himself, replied, “She specifically asked me to prepare this and said you must drink it on time to maintain your health.”
Livinus’s expression softened immediately. He sipped the tea, the familiar herbal aroma wafting through the room, and somehow, his accumulated anger dissipated.
All the managers in the conference room, initially bracing themselves for more reprimands, watched in shock as he drank the entire pot of tea without saying much. He simply instructed them to go back and revise their reports, leaving the managers immensely curious.
Could this tea have magical powers?
After the meeting ended:
“Joanna, what kind of tea did the boss drink? He was so calm afterward. If you hadn’t brought it in, I thought we were doomed for sure!” one manager exclaimed.
The head of the tech department chuckled and chimed in: “It’s not the tea; it’s the person behind it. You should be asking Joanna who prepared the tea!”
Joanna smirked, his lips tightening slightly. “Want to know?”
“Of course!” The group leaned in, eager to listen.
Joanna smiled knowingly. “If you want to know, go ask the boss yourself!”
The managers were left speechless, still curious about the identity of the person behind the tea.
—
Meanwhile, Sophia was browsing a jewelry store and had called Barbara over.
“Sophia, what advice do you need from me?” Barbara asked, having come because the jewelry store was conveniently close to the hospital, and she wasn’t busy that day.
Sophia smiled and gestured to the rings in the display case. “I’m thinking of buying a ring.”
“For whom?”
“Who else?”
“Wow! Sophia, are you proposing?” Barbara exclaimed in surprise. “No way, you’re taking the initiative?”
“What are you talking about?” Sophia laughed, shaking her hand with the ring already on it. “He bought me a ring, so I’m thinking of getting him one in return.”
“A diamond ring! But why is the stone so small? Isn’t the legendary CEO supposed to gift massive diamonds?”
Barbara, clearly influenced by CEO romance novels, had high expectations for Livinus.
Sophia laughed and showed her a photo on her phone. “He did buy me a big one, but I thought it was too large and inconvenient to wear, so I keep it in the safe. He then bought me this smaller one. I figured I should get him a ring in return, but I’ve never bought men’s rings before and don’t know what would look good.”
That morning, she had secretly measured Livinus’s finger size using a strand of hair, ensuring she wouldn’t buy the wrong size.
“Wow! Such a big diamond! That’s extravagant!” Barbara’s eyes widened in amazement. “I’ve only ever seen such large blue diamonds in the news. This must have cost a fortune, probably an auction piece. It even looks expensive!”
