Volume 1, Chapter 38: What is Sister Mei planning to do...

"Your big brother?" Zhou Yang asked.

"Qiao Youliang!" Ah Long replied. "He's the patient who suffered the massive hemorrhage at Jiangren Hospital!"

"Oh, I see!" Zhou Yang finally understood.

Earlier, Director Wei had called him, mentioning that Qiao Youliang wanted to thank him in person. It seemed that since he couldn't make it himself, he had sent his subordinate to express his gratitude instead. No wonder this Brother Long was being so courteous.

"Mr. Zhou, this is a gift from my boss, Qiao Youliang. Please, you must accept it!" Ah Long signaled his men to present the gift.

It was an exquisite small box. Ah Long opened it, revealing a glistening gold card inside.

"Mr. Zhou, this is a pure gold nameplate. It features my boss's company logo and his contact information," Ah Long explained. "My boss only had three of these gold plates made in total. This is the last one, and he has entrusted me to hand it over to you."

"I really can't accept this!" Zhou Yang hurriedly declined.

The gold plate was thick and heavy; based on the market price of gold, it was worth several hundred thousand. Behind him, Zhao Ziying and the others had eyes full of greed. However, Zhou Yang knew he absolutely could not accept such a lavish gift.

"Brother Long, I appreciate the sentiment, but please take it back," Zhou Yang said.

"Mr. Zhou, you're putting me in a difficult position," Ah Long replied. "I was sent by my boss to deliver this to you. If you don't accept it, it means I've failed my task, and I'll be punished once I return."

Zhou Yang frowned, feeling conflicted.

Ah Long continued, "This gold plate isn't just about its material value; it represents our boss's reputation. Anyone who receives this plate is entitled to one unconditional favor from him. Whether it’s day or night, if you call him for help while holding this plate, he and his men will be duty-bound to assist you. That is its true significance."

Zhou Yang sighed to himself. The underworld certainly had its own complex rules. However, the opportunity to call upon Qiao Youliang for help was quite enticing. Right now, he was making enemies left and right at EPS, and with his rising profile, there were bound to be those jealous of him. Who knew when another person like Liu Yan or Xie Feng might pop up to cause trouble? Having Qiao Youliang step in to deal with them would be a useful trump card.

"Since you put it that way, Brother Long, I won't stand on ceremony," Zhou Yang said, accepting the gift readily.

"Hahaha, this is what you deserve, Mr. Zhou! From now on, Jiangren Hospital will be under your protection!" Ah Long said happily. "Mr. Zhou, it's too chaotic here. Let me open our finest private suite for you. Play as you like, and tonight is on the house!"

He waved at his subordinate, "Open the 'Heaven on Earth' suite on the top floor for Mr. Zhou, and send someone to clean this place up!"

"Yes, Brother Long!"

Ah Long shook hands with Zhou Yang with a smile. "I won't disturb you further. I wish you and these beautiful ladies a pleasant evening!"

"Thank you!"

...

Soon, Zhou Yang and his group were escorted to the top floor and entered the opulent, golden-hued suite. Waiters arrived shortly after with premium drinks, all arranged by Ah Long.

These young men and women, who had only graduated from college a year ago, were instantly lost in the decadent environment. They scrambled to add Zhou Yang on social media, their intentions crystal clear.

This left Bai Lu complaining, "The juniors I brought with me are now completely obsessed with him!"

"Oh, Bai Lu, don't be so stingy!" one flamboyant young man said. "It's just that he isn't my type, but if he weren't picky, I'd be willing to show him 108 different poses!"

"Get lost!" the other girls chorused.

"Shameless!" Big Bear chuckled from the side. He tentatively moved closer to Zhou Yang. "Brother Zhou, I didn't realize you were hiding such deep connections!"

Zhou Yang sipped his drink without responding.

"Brother Zhou, let me have a drink with you!" Big Bear said, fawning as he downed a glass. "From now on, I'm with you. If anyone dares to disrespect you, I'll take care of them!"

"Oh, give it a rest," Zhou Yang waved him off and went to pick a song.

Nearby, a pure-looking girl with glasses asked Zhao Ziying, "Big sister, is Mr. Zhou your colleague?"

"Yes!" Zhao Ziying, still pondering how to get closer to Zhou Yang, ignored the girl.

"I'm transferring to your department next week as a sales support specialist," the girl said. "That means I'll be able to see Mr. Zhou every day!"

Zhao Ziying: "..."

Unbeknownst to her, another competitor had arrived. The more this happened, the more Zhao Ziying realized Zhou Yang's value. The more she looked at him, the more handsome he seemed. Plus, he drove a car worth over half a million, had secured a client worth over a billion, and had a substantial annual income. He was the quintessential Prince Charming for office workers.

It seemed she had truly missed out before. She thought about the chance she had while visiting a client with him—what a missed opportunity! If she had seduced him in the car and pulled out all the stops, she certainly could have won him over.

She wondered when such an opportunity would arise again. Just then, Zhao Ziying's phone rang; it was Xie Feng. She couldn't be bothered to answer and hung up. But Xie Feng was thick-skinned and kept calling back. Annoyed, Zhao Ziying finally picked up.

"What do you want?"

"Ziying, I'm sorry you saw me make a fool of myself tonight," Xie Feng said. "There's nothing I can do; that's just how society is. There's always someone better than you. I took a fall today!"

"Why are you telling me this?" Zhao Ziying said. "We have nothing to do with each other anymore!"

"Don't say that, Ziying. You just agreed to be my girlfriend today. You can't change your mind so quickly!" Xie Feng was desperate; he had intended to get her drunk tonight, but this unexpected situation had ruined it. "Ziying, once I get my wounds bandaged, I'll come to the Royal Club to pick you up. I'll park right at the entrance..."

"Get lost!" Zhao Ziying was furious and hung up, immediately blocking his number.

The girl with glasses nearby had anticipated this and had long since turned off her phone. Liu Yan couldn't get through either. Both women hovered around Zhou Yang, teasing him whenever they could. Even though Zhou Yang's eyes were only on Bai Lu, they remained persistent.

It was a night of revelry.

Saturday came, and Zhou Yang, suffering from a hangover, spent the day resting at home. On Sunday, Tang Yumei was at the villa, and they spent the day in a "world for two."

"Zhou Yang, I might be going to North America soon to expand the market," Tang Yumei said.

"Oh? When?" Zhou Yang asked.

"The exact time is hard to say," Tang Yumei replied. "But before I leave the country, I'll give you a gift."

"What kind of gift?" Zhou Yang asked.

Tang Yumei suddenly flashed a charming smile, subconsciously adjusting her spaghetti straps, which caused her chest to heave.

"I'm divorced and single now. What kind of gift do you think I'd give you?"

As she spoke, her fair hand brushed against her thigh in a suggestive manner, looking incredibly alluring. Zhou Yang's blood immediately surged. Looking at her like this, could it be...?