Fourteen

 The riverside apartment was incredibly expensive, practically a mansion, with only one household per elevator, and the elevator went straight to the door. As the elevator doors opened, Yun Lv stood there in a pretty dress, waiting at the entrance. When she saw Su Hao, she immediately stepped forward. "Su Hao, you’re here."

Her voice was soft, and Su Hao handed her a gift box. “Just a little something.”

Yun Lv took it and looked at it. "Embroidery from Jiang City! I really like it; it’s very special. Thank you." She then took Su Hao by the hand. Yun Lv’s hand was soft, while Su Hao’s was slender and smooth, with only a bit of callus between her thumb and forefinger from years of holding a knife. The first floor was lit but empty, with faint sounds coming from the second floor.

“Let’s go upstairs. Everyone’s there, including Zhou Yang.” Yun Lv smiled and winked at Su Hao, who smiled back, understanding that Yun Lv was reassuring her about Zhou Yang’s presence.

They ascended the spiral staircase to the second floor, which had a large entertainment room. Yun Lv opened the door, and music and the scent of alcohol filled the air.

“Ta-da! Guess who’s here?” Yun Lv teased.

Everyone sitting on the sofas turned to look. It was the same group from before, except Meng Ying and Xu Dian were absent. There was a new woman smoking and another who Su Hao recognized as actress Li Yuan’er. There was also a new man who looked quite refined.

Yun Lv introduced them, “Liu Yan, Li Yuan’er, and Li Yao.”

“Hello,” Su Hao greeted.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zhou Yang sitting on the coffee table, holding a chocolate stick. He turned to look at her, his shirt collar open wide, exuding a roguish, carefree demeanor. That glance made Su Hao feel as if she was seeing him in high school again, only now he was more mature and debonair.

Su Hao remembered.

She had found Zhou Yang’s flirtatious attitude familiar recently because this was how he acted back in college when she pursued him—charming and elusive, making it hard to tell his true intentions.

“Come on, Su Hao, join us.” Yun Lv called Su Hao to the women’s area. Su Hao walked over and sat next to the birthday girl, Yun Lv.

On either side were Li Yi and Jiang Yu, holding cards. They nodded at Su Hao in greeting.

Li Yi glanced at Zhou Yang as he withdrew his gaze.

Jiang Yu also pushed a plate of fruit towards Su Hao.

It was hard to tell if he was being especially warm to her or just doing it casually. Liu Yan poured a glass of wine for Su Hao. The wine was crystal clear, but just as Su Hao reached for it, a large hand took it away, and Zhou Yang handed her a glass of cantaloupe juice, placing it in her hand. “Drink this.”

Liu Yan clicked her tongue. “Zhou Yang, what are you doing? Can’t she have a drink?”

“Who are you to her? Why do you care?”

Zhou Yang stood up, his long leg resting on the coffee table's bar, leaning forward with his elbow on his knee. He smiled, “I brought her here; I’m responsible.”

“Click.”

Liu Yan took a drag of her cigarette, too lazy to respond.

She glanced at Su Hao, who smiled and quietly said to her, “I can’t drink, but it’s not because I’m listening to him. I’m just afraid of getting drunk.”

Liu Yan immediately felt that this beautiful, gentle woman in front of her was also very emotionally intelligent.

She looked up at Zhou Yang.

A bit provocatively.

Zhou Yang pulled over a chair, sat down, and his gaze swept boldly over Su Hao before he lazily smiled. He took a cigarette and borrowed a light from Liu Yan’s cigarette. The entertainment room was dimly lit, filled with people talking in low voices, mixed with the scents of smoke, alcohol, and perfume, creating a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere.

Su Hao had never been in such a sensuous environment, but she had a vague sense of it. Occasionally, when she looked up, Zhou Yang's chiseled face would come into view. In this environment, he simply bit his cigarette gently, his brows seemingly hooked. Actress Li Yuan'er said something to him.

Zhou Yang raised his eyebrows and glanced over, "What? Still thinking about my tie?"

His tone was flirtatious and teasing. Li Yuan'er rolled her eyes dramatically, causing everyone to laugh. Su Hao saw the actress's ears turn red.

At this moment, the door opened, and a maid came in, placing a box of cookies on the table. It seemed to be the chocolate cookies Zhou Yang had been holding.

The maid also put down a small transparent box, which appeared to contain paper slips.

After the maid left and closed the door, Zhou Yang pulled the small box over and placed it in the center of the coffee table. "Let's play a game. Each person draws a slip, and the ones with matching numbers have to eat this chocolate cookie together." His long, slender fingers pulled out a chocolate stick, holding it up.

"How do we eat it?" Li Yuan'er asked.

Zhou Yang looked at her with a half-smile. "How do you think? How do you all think we should eat it?"

"Pfft, just say it, each person bites one end." Liu Yan crossed her long legs. "Playing this game, no wonder Xu Dian and Meng Ying didn't come. Do you think Xu Dian would let Meng Ying play this with you guys? Tsk tsk."

Jiang Yu spat out a grape seed, "Do you think I'd let my wife play this with you?"

"You replace her," Li Yi said from his corner on the sofa.

"Hmph."

Not having played this game before, Su Hao felt uncertain, but Yun Lv, after drawing her slip, handed one to Su Hao with a smile. Su Hao instinctively reached out and took it.

Yun Lv whispered to Su Hao, "It's fine, it's just a game, and with so many people, it might not even be our turn."

This made sense. Su Hao glanced at Yun Lv, suddenly feeling more relaxed. Since she was here, being shy would be the most uncomfortable. It was better to play along openly.

The first number was eight.

Liu Yan got it, paired with Li Yao. Before Li Yao could react, Liu Yan bit the chocolate stick, walked over, and bent down for Li Yao to bite.

Li Yao coughed, caught off guard by Liu Yan's boldness, and had no choice but to bite the other end.

The group watched as the chocolate stick got shorter and shorter.

Finally, there was just a bit left.

Snap.

Liu Yan bit it off and pushed Li Yao away, turning around with her hands spread out.

“Haha, that was great.” Zhou Yang led the applause, and others joined in, some urging Li Yao, “How did you let her beat you? Go for another round and be bold this time.”

After one round, they switched slips for the next. Su Hao stayed prepared, but it never got to her or Zhou Yang.

After two more rounds, Su Hao unexpectedly grabbed two slips by mistake.

She hesitated and looked at Zhou Yang.

Zhou Yang took a sip of his drink and smiled, "Two slips?"

"Yeah."

"Hold on to them, just in case." Zhou Yang played with his slip, his collar more open than before, giving off a roguish vibe.

“Okay.”

She sat next to Yun Lv, in a fairly inconspicuous spot, but she kept leaning back, making the sofa crowded. Her long legs were together, and she quietly watched others with a slight smile, occasionally leaning forward. Her knee-length skirt would ride up, her hair falling onto her knees like a dragonfly touching the water.

Zhou Yang snapped a mint candy in his mouth.

He looked at her two slips and called out a number.

“6.”

Everyone opened their slips to check the numbers. Su Hao also looked down and opened hers. The first was 7, but the second was clearly a 6.

Despite being mentally prepared, Su Hao's heart skipped a beat. She looked around to see who else had a 6, but everyone seemed calm. She thought they might need to call out another number.

Then, a glass was set lightly on the table with a clink. Su Hao looked over to see Zhou Yang open his slip and press it on the table, smiling, "A 6?"

Su Hao was momentarily stunned, “Yes.”

She put her slip down, the two 6s clearly matching in the dim light.

Zhou Yang’s long fingers picked up a chocolate stick, bit one end, and walked over, pushing Li Yao aside to sit next to Su Hao.

He had a faint scent of fir trees, more noticeable now. After sitting down, his knee touched Su Hao’s, and he looked at her.

His narrow eyes were deep and unreadable.

Su Hao faintly heard some gasps and felt everyone’s eyes on her. She hesitated briefly but, under their gazes and his, bit the other end of the chocolate stick.

Biting it, she dared not move.

Zhou Yang's nose was straight, and up close, his thin lips moved slightly, inching forward. He looked at her lips, soft and bare of lipstick, like a peach.

He took two more bites, and she still didn’t move.

Zhou Yang tugged on her arm, and Su Hao was pulled forward, the chocolate flavor melting in her mouth. Her teeth bit down on another segment, bringing them closer. Thinking of Liu Yan's boldness, she took the initiative, quickening her pace and biting off a large piece, her lips brushing lightly against Zhou Yang's thin ones.

Snap.

It broke.

She breathed a sigh of relief, turned her head away, and quickly swallowed the chocolate stick in a few bites.

Hair disheveled.

Zhou Yang squinted, watching her lean against the sofa, chewing the cookie. The next second, he reached out and took the remaining half of the chocolate stick from his mouth. Then, cupping her face, he lifted it and, bending down, covered her lips with his.

Su Hao was stunned.

The next second, she began to struggle. The man’s other hand held her waist, pulling her closer, his tongue intrusively entering, soft and entangling.

Warm, scorching.

Su Hao pushed against his chest, but every move only made him more aggressive.

The light was dim.

There were gasps around them.

Zhou Yang had never lost control like this before. At the moment he touched her, as he entered, he was almost out of control.

Even her struggles became a catalyst.

“Damn it, Zhou Yang, you’re fucking crazy,” Jiang Yu shouted.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Yang finally let go. He leaned his forehead against Su Hao's, his narrow eyes looking at her unclear gaze, full of water, slightly bewildered, with an inexplicable allure. They stared at each other. His fingers wiped the moisture from her lips, rubbing her red lips.

Su Hao gradually regained her senses, seeing the playful, unsteady smile in his eyes.

She pushed him away and said, "I'm going to the bathroom."

Saying this, she grabbed her phone and stood up under everyone's gaze, walking towards the bathroom, her steps a bit shaky but still somewhat steady. Once inside the brightly lit bathroom, she bent down and splashed her face with water. The cold water cleared her mind completely as she leaned on the sink.

Looking at herself in the mirror.

She realized her face was flushed from his kiss.

Even her brows and eyes had an indescribable allure.

Su Hao frowned.

She patted her face again.

Then she turned and leaned against the sink, dazed. The bathroom was large and bright, contrasting the dim and ambiguous atmosphere outside. She didn't want to go out just yet. She picked up her phone and looked at it.

She noticed two WeChat messages from Li Xiu. The issue of compensating for her shoes hadn’t been resolved, so she opened them.

Seeing the line, "Zhou Yang used to spoil his girlfriends like this," she was momentarily stunned. Below was a video, the thumbnail blurry, vaguely showing a slender finger with nail polish gripping a man's tie. She clicked on the video, and with it came sound.

A beautiful, sharp face appeared, full of charm, pouting, and arrogantly tugging on the man's tie. "Zhou Yang, you're not being honest. Why didn't you take me on your business trip?"

"Do you have another woman out there?"

Only the man's profile was visible. He reached out to block the video, his tone playful, "What do you think?"

"What would you do if I took you on a business trip?"

"I don't care. You’re so unfair, going on a long business trip without contacting me. You need to take me to a movie tonight."

"Alright, besides watching a movie, what else do you want to do?"

The camera shifted to the man's face, angular and handsome, with a flirtatious smile in his long eyes. He glanced at the video, then pressed the phone down with his finger. "You need to stop this habit of filming everything."

His tone was teasing, a bit careless.

"Alright, but you’re never around, can’t I film a little for memories?"

The woman pouted.

Pretending not to be afraid of him at all, she secretly moved the camera away, not daring to film him anymore.

Zhou Yang sneered, then turned off the video. Before his wrist moved away, that familiar watch flashed by. The screen went black, reflecting Su Hao’s face. Judging from the video, it was clear that Zhou Yang liked women like Li Xiu, and their interaction showed that Li Xiu liked Zhou Yang much more. He still maintained a superior attitude, with eyes that seemed to say, "I only need to beckon, and you will come."

Su Hao turned her head and glanced at the full-length mirror beside her.

Her face was still flushed, but the allure had faded, and she had cooled down.

The faint smile Zhou Yang had after kissing her, and his playful manner these past few days, wasn’t that proof that he was beckoning her?

Su Hao squinted her eyes, clenched her phone, and stood up straight. She turned and washed her face again, rubbing a bit harder at the corners of her mouth.

The man had bitten the corner of her lip.

It hurt a little.

Su Hao let go, stopped tormenting herself, and turned to leave.

When she reached the door and was about to open it, she heard some voices outside.

“Zhou Yang, you bastard, Su Hao is the girl who followed you back to Jiang City!”

“You used to ignore her, watching her chase after you. Back then, you didn’t even have a bit of interest. So, what’s the deal now? Are you into her?”

“I bet you’ll screw up eventually.”

The voices of two men, one probably Jiang Yu, the other Li Yi, ended with Li Yi predicting Zhou Yang's downfall. Zhou Yang stubbed out his cigarette, his tone helpless, “Hey, you guys…”

Stop bringing up the past...

Before he could finish, the bathroom door was yanked open. All three men looked over simultaneously to see Su Hao standing at the doorway, her expression calm. Zhou Yang instinctively stood up straight, and for a moment, a trace of panic crossed his face. Su Hao glanced at him lightly and then walked out.

Her expression was very calm, without any fluctuation. She walked to the coffee table, picked up a glass of juice, and took a sip. The juice clung to the corner of her mouth, and she wiped it away.

Her mouth moved slightly.

She had thought Zhou Yang didn’t like her type.

Unexpectedly, he watched coldly.

Oh.

No interest at all.

Actually, it made sense. If there was no interest.

Then, when he kissed her just now, he was indeed beckoning, waiting for her to take the bait. The man’s hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. Zhou Yang pressed close and whispered, “Come out, I need to talk to you.”

Su Hao turned her head, her beautiful eyes glancing at his hand.

Just a glance, but it was chilling. For some reason, Zhou Yang felt paralyzed by that look. Su Hao tapped his fingers with the juice glass.

“Let go.”

Zhou Yang tightened his grip.

His jaw clenched, his face devoid of the previous frivolousness.

Everyone was stunned by the situation. Jiang Yu and Li Yi leaned against the wine cabinet, enjoying the spectacle. Su Hao took a step back, pressing against Zhou Yang’s chest, her softness palpable. Zhou Yang's Adam's apple bobbed, and as he lowered his head to speak, Su Hao spoke again.

“Will you let go, Zhou Yang?”

A gentle woman with a sting is like a needle hidden in silk.

Her tone was soft, calm. But the way she said Zhou Yang's name sent chills down his spine.

Zhou Yang instinctively let go.

Su Hao stepped out of his embrace, took a step forward, and said to Yun Lu, “I just checked the time. It’s getting late, I should head home. Happy birthday.”

Yun Lu was dazzled by Su Hao's gentleness and nodded dumbly, “Okay, I’ll call a driver for you.”

“No need, I’ll take a cab.” Su Hao patted Yun Lu’s hair, making her even more dazed, and got up to see her off. So, everyone watched as Yun Lu hooked her arm through Su Hao’s and walked her to the door.

Zhou Yang stood still, like a statue.

A few seconds later, Zhou Yang turned and followed her out. He watched Su Hao hail a taxi and get in. He picked up his phone and dialed President Zeng’s number.

At this hour, President Zeng had just gone to bed. He answered the phone, puzzled, “President Zhou?”

“Remember to talk to Su Hao tomorrow. Give her a raise, don’t let her resign.”

“Uh? What’s going on?”

“Did you hear me?” The yellow taxi drove away, and Zhou Yang waved for his driver to come over. Over on the other end, President Zeng didn’t dare ask any more questions and quickly replied, “Okay, I heard. So, how much of a raise do you think is appropriate? Her salary can’t be higher than the others, right?”

“Do you need to ask me that? I want you to keep her, make sure she doesn’t resign. Just get it done.”

His tone was serious.

President Zeng didn’t ask any more questions.

Thinking to himself.

What’s going on?

Did President Zhou sleep with Su Hao?

No way...

A black Porsche arrived, and Zhou Yang got in. He told the driver, "Follow the taxi in front."

With Xu Dian's precedent, this must not happen to him. At this moment, he didn't even realize he was placing Su Hao in the same position as Meng Ying.

"Got it." The driver started the car and followed.

Su Hao felt drowsy in the taxi, not expecting it to be so late. She yawned repeatedly. When they arrived at the entrance of her neighborhood, Su Hao got out of the car. She hadn't eaten much tonight, so she stopped by a convenience store to buy some instant noodles. As she walked out, she saw a familiar Porsche slowly pull up, and the window rolled down.

Su Hao met Zhou Yang's long, narrow eyes.

She pursed her lips and turned to go upstairs.

Once inside, she was genuinely tired. She boiled water and cooked the instant noodles, adding some leftover lettuce from the fridge to make them tastier.

She picked up her phone and thought for a moment before typing.

Su Hao: Why did you follow me?

Su Hao: Get lost.

Su Hao: Afraid I'll run away?

Su Hao: I'm not upset, just seeing you clearly now.

Zhou Yang: ......

Su Hao ignored his reply, exited WeChat, and opened Li Xiu's contact, then typed.

Su Hao: Zhou Yang is downstairs at my place. Come and take him away.

Li Xiu: What do you mean?

Li Xiu: What are you talking about?

Su Hao didn’t respond, finished her noodles, threw away the cup, and grabbed her pajamas to take a shower. Although she didn't particularly like eating instant noodles at night, they were indeed very delicious, and eating them occasionally was nice. After washing up, she returned to her room, lay down to sleep, and quickly fell asleep.

Parking wasn't allowed at the entrance of Huahui Community, but there was a nearby supermarket with two parking spaces. At this hour, one space was occupied, so the Porsche took the other. The night breeze was gentle as Zhou Yang leaned against the car door, still looking somewhat carefree. If it weren’t for his constant gaze towards the third-floor window of the first building in the community, he seemed unchanged. The words that Su Hao had said ran through his mind.

His tongue pressed against his teeth.

He kept looking at her messages.

This woman had such a side to her, directly addressing the issue, guessing everything correctly.

Watching the light in the master bedroom go out, Zhou Yang turned, opened the car door, and got in. A fiery red sports car suddenly stopped in front of him, and Li Xiu got out, staring incredulously at the tall man, "Zhou Yang!"

"You're really here? What are you doing here?" Li Xiu glanced at the shabby community.

Zhou Yang frowned, "How did you know I was here?"

"Sister Su Hao said so. Does she live here?"

"Su Hao told you? She asked you to come?"

"Yes."

The man glanced at the master bedroom window on the third floor, then retracted his gaze and sat in the car, slamming the door shut.

Bang—a loud noise.

A sense of foreboding filled Li Xiu's heart. She quickly stepped forward, clinging to the car window, staring intently at Zhou Yang, and asked, "What are you doing here? Why are you here?"

Zhou Yang leaned back in the seat, turned his head to look at her, and after a few seconds, lazily smiled, "To find a woman for a one-night stand."

"Who?" Li Xiu's heart ached as she screamed.

"Are you looking for Su Hao?"

Zhou Yang leaned closer with his elbow. Li Xiu's breath hitched as Zhou Yang gently pushed her hand away, saying, "Let's leave it at that, I've rejected you."

"Don't meddle too much."

With that, Li Xiu's hand fell.

She stepped back in her high heels, full of disbelief.

She had thought that if she persisted a little longer, she might succeed.

Who would have thought...

The Porsche window slowly rolled up, the man's expression still flirtatious, but his indifferent nature was evident beneath. Before she pursued him, she knew Zhou Yang had many boundaries. He didn't truly care for any woman. Women could be capricious but not overly so.

They couldn't control him. Controlling too much would touch his bottom line.

If a woman was willing to give him freedom, he'd genuinely enjoy it. Regardless of who it was, balancing it was difficult, almost impossible.

Everyone in their circle knew that Zhou Yang was suitable for dating but not for marriage.

But those who dated him often couldn't help wanting more special treatment. The young master of the Zhou family, one of Licheng's four major families, was a target for many.

After standing there for a while, Li Xiu turned and looked at the rundown Huahui Community, feeling an ominous premonition.

The main road was still bustling with traffic. Zhou Yang leaned back in his seat, resting his eyes. He could still feel the softness on his lips. He tugged at his collar, then irritably opened his eyes, picked up his phone, and called President Zeng.

Poor President Zeng had already fallen asleep.

He groggily answered the call.

The man's deep voice came through, "Remember to talk to her in the morning."

President Zeng was stunned, taking a moment to react, "Okay, President Zhou."

"If necessary, I can talk to her now."

"No, she's sleeping."

President Zeng woke up, staring at the ceiling.

Damn

Did President Zhou really sleep with Su Hao? How did this playboy make a move on a respectable woman? What a sin.

"Alright, President Zhou, I'll wait until she wakes up."

Zhou Yang lit a cigarette and said, "Hmm."

He didn't smoke it, just inhaled its scent. His tongue still felt burning hot.

"President Zhou, can I go back to sleep now?"

"Go ahead."

Click—

President Zeng hung up the phone impatiently.

Zhou Yang put down his phone.

But then, his phone started beeping incessantly with notifications from the group chat.

Li Yi: Did you chase after her?

Jiang Yu: Told you not to do anything stupid.

Xu Dian: Didn't expect you to chase after a woman one day!

Li Yi: Not only did he chase after her, but he also secretly followed her car.

Xu Dian: Oh? Hahaha.

He exited WeChat, neither reading nor replying.

If he read and replied, they'd laugh even more.

This Saturday, they had to work overtime, just half a day. Su Hao got up early to make breakfast. While brushing her teeth, she touched the wound on the corner of her mouth, wincing in pain. Upon closer inspection, she realized the skin was broken. She frowned at it for a while before leaving. She ate her porridge after it had cooled down; the weather was nice, and the sun was shining brightly.

Su Hao grabbed her small bag and went downstairs.

Just as she was about to cross the street, a silver sedan blocked her way, and the window rolled down.

Assistant Lu smiled from inside the car, "Good morning, Miss Su."

"I'm on my way to the office. It's on the way; may I give you a ride?"

Su Hao stood on the sidewalk, looking at Assistant Lu. Although there was sunshine, there was also wind, making her skirt flutter. She smiled slightly but said nothing.

For some reason, Assistant Lu's smile gradually became stiff. He coughed and emphasized, "Miss Su, I really am on the way. Very much on the way."

"I wasn't sent by President Zhou."

He wished he could slap himself after saying that.

Trying to cover up made it more obvious!

Su Hao bent down and said, "Take care."

Then she turned and walked toward the underground passage. The crowd of commuters was surging, and Su Hao's slender, fair figure quickly disappeared into the throng. Assistant Lu looked at the side mirror and, after a few seconds, slammed the horn hard.

Even the usually gentle Assistant Lu couldn't help but curse.

He picked up his phone and sent a voice message.

"President Zhou, it failed. Miss Su is completely unresponsive."

Shortly after, the man's deep voice came through, "Did you expose yourself?"

Assistant Lu: "Miss Su isn't stupid. Next... next time, President Zhou, you'd better go yourself."

Zhou Yang sneered, "If I could go myself, would I need you?"

Assistant Lu: "......"

What exactly have you done that's so unforgivable?

And why did you have to mess with Miss Su!!

Frustrated.

Not many people came to work overtime today, but the entire finance department showed up because they had just finished the accounts for Haishi, and now they had to handle the headquarters' accounts. Next, they had to go to Kyoto and Dongshi to get the accounts. To avoid chaos, they generally handled one company at a time. However, President Zeng also came today.

After submitting the accounts, Su Hao was about to leave when President Zeng called her back.

Su Hao paused for a moment and returned. President Zeng straightened his shirt collar, previously wondering if Su Hao was a confidante or a sweetheart. Now he had his answer, and it came quickly.

"Sit down, let's talk."

The last time President Zeng lost his temper and slammed the table, Su Hao still had lingering fear, so she subconsciously sat down, her expression becoming serious.

President Zeng looked down, flipped through some papers, took out a contract, and handed it to Su Hao. "You were an intern before, but now you're officially hired."

"So soon?" Su Hao paused, glancing at the contract.

"Yes, the work you did on the Haishi accounts was excellent. You must be made permanent." President Zeng spoke seriously, though it was partly true. Compared to Chen Yu, Su Hao was indeed more meticulous, never slacking off, and had a pure heart.

"This...."

"Sign it. The salary and benefits are all listed here." President Zeng handed Su Hao a pen. Su Hao took it, looked at the benefits, and saw her salary had doubled.

It was about the same as Chen Yu's.

Looking further, there were the five insurances and one fund, as well as housing and meal subsidies, plus overtime pay.

Signing this contract meant significantly better treatment. Su Hao calculated in her head and, under President Zeng's expectant gaze.

Expectant?

She thought she was seeing things.

President Zeng immediately said, "Employees like you are hard to find."

The boss's future girlfriend, indeed.

Too valuable, better praise her.

Su Hao smiled, a thought flashing by, but she didn't dwell on it. She reached out and signed the contract. Then she noticed it was for two years, with a clause stating she couldn't change jobs during this period. If she did, she'd have to return the quarterly bonuses to the company, which seemed a bit harsh.

She pointed to this clause and was about to ask.

President Zeng added, "This clause is just to make you all think."

"Do you really have thoughts of changing jobs?"

"Not at all." It's just two years, quite manageable. Besides, she didn't want to job-hop casually, and financially, she couldn't afford it either. Su Hao capped her pen and pushed the contract back to President Zeng. He took it, stood up, reached out to her, and Su Hao also extended her hand. They shook hands.

"Looking forward to working with you," potentially a future boss's wife.

"Looking forward to working with you too, President Zeng."

"Why shake hands so early in the morning?" Zhou Yang's deep voice came suddenly. Swish—President Zeng abruptly withdrew his hand, and Su Hao turned to look.

Leaning against the door, Zhou Yang crossed his arms and looked over.

Su Hao turned her head, bent down, and once again grabbed President Zeng's hand, shaking it gently. "President Zeng, thank you."

President Zeng looked shocked.

After sincerely thanking him, Su Hao let go, turned, and left. Passing by Zhou Yang, he had a dark expression, but after a few seconds, he smiled. He whispered, "Does your lip hurt?"

"Need me to kiss it for you?"

Su Hao didn't even give him a glance, just turned and walked out of the office.

Zhou Yang: "......"

Back in the finance department, Su Hao sat down, pen against her chin, unable to figure out where she had gone wrong. With so much work, she didn't dwell on it.

She thought it would be just until the next morning, but unexpectedly, near quitting time, there were issues with the data in the procurement department. They had to work overtime in the afternoon, and as they sorted through the data, it only became more chaotic. Suddenly, President Zeng called for a meeting with the procurement and finance departments, exacerbating their already tense mood.

They grumbled and murmured.

Chen Yu and Lu Mimi complained incessantly, and Su Hao followed them with her notebook. When they reached the conference room, Chen Yu and Lu Mimi abruptly stopped their complaints. Su Hao looked up and saw Zhou Yang sitting in a chair, one hand holding his phone. Chen Yu and Lu Mimi immediately began fixing their hair and adjusting their clothes.

The female employees from the procurement department also fell silent, blushing as they exchanged glances. Their footsteps became quieter as they walked in single file, notebook in hand.

Su Hao sat at the back, walking straight ahead without glancing aside. However, the man still looked up and glanced at her, tapping his finger towards President Zeng.

President Zeng suddenly called Su Hao and the others over, saying, "Come over here. Today, the finance department sits in the front and the procurement department in the back. When it comes to managing accounts, it's better for the finance department to handle it."

The procurement department, including the supervisor, were stunned, whispering as they moved to the back.

Chen Yu and Lu Mimi relaxed visibly and quickly took their seats. Despite Zhou Yang's attempts to stop it, Su Hao still had to sit below Chen Yu.

Zhou Yang picked up his phone, gave up his seat to President Zeng and the procurement director, and sat at the back lazily, leaning against the chair back, continuing to play with his phone.

Without lifting his eyebrows, he simply said to President Zeng, "You can start; don't mind me."

President Zeng acknowledged and began going through the accounts.

Su Hao held her pen and reviewed her part of the responsibilities, but across from her, the man was tired of playing with his phone. He raised his eyes and looked at her.

The gaze.

It was quite obvious.

Today, she wore a slightly V-necked dress with an open collar that was not too revealing but hinted at it. This hint was alluring, and Zhou Yang leaned on his chin. After a few seconds, Su Hao's phone beeped.

Su Hao turned her head to look.

Zhou Yang: "Collar."

Su Hao was stunned. She glanced down. The next second, she expressionlessly pulled it up.

Zhou Yang: "Still came down."

Su Hao glanced down again; it was already pulled up high. She ignored his message, turned her phone over. At this moment, President Zeng called Su Hao.

Su Hao quickly stood up, handed the data to him, and a few people discussed it.

In the end, they almost started arguing. If Zhou Yang hadn't been there, they would have pulled their hair out. After everyone spoke, they sat down with poor faces. Su Hao felt that the procurement department was not counting even a small amount of data, so she had to check it again accurately and confirm it. She didn't say anything.

Then slowly, the procurement department finally figured out what went wrong and became guilty. Su Hao handed her data to President Zeng, who discussed the results. The group looked at Su Hao, somewhat convinced. Chen Yu and Lu Mimi, however, saw Su Hao stealing the credit in front of Zhou Yang.

Their faces weren't good either.

The meeting ended, and they both took their account books to leave. President Zeng shouted, "Su Hao, stay behind. I want to discuss this data with you."

The two were even more annoyed and left with a click of their heels.

Su Hao held her notebook, had to sit back down, and President Zeng handed another account book over, placing it in front of Su Hao. "Correct this one."

Su Hao nodded and picked up her pen. At this moment, a figure leaned over from behind, and Su Hao's wrist was grabbed. Zhou Yang's deep voice said, "The way you hold the pen, your wrist is turned outward."

He smelled of cold pine and a faint hint of smoke, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.

Su Hao tightened her grip on the pen and gritted her teeth. "What does President Zhou want?"

"Not much. Just wanted to ask you, where do you like to eat?"

His thin lips brushed against her ear, and the fragrance on him matched the tip of her tongue.

Zhou Yang tapped his teeth, determined to get her.

"Oh, and besides that, President Zhou, what else do you want?" Su Hao remained calm, thinking about this man's cold eyes.

Zhou Yang whispered, "You like me, can't I like you?"

Su Hao: "You can, but unfortunately, I stopped liking you eight hundred years ago."

Zhou Yang: "!!"

"Do you think you can hook me with a finger snap? You must not be awake yet."

Each sentence more piercing than the last.

President Zeng across from them couldn't believe his ears.

"Get lost!" Su Hao's voice was gentle as she softly said.

Zhou Yang tightened his grip on her wrist.

..................................................................................................................

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