Volume 1, Chapter 4: Zhou Yang, This Is My Key Card

"You are to sleep with Tang Yumei, record the entire encounter on video, and then hand that footage over to me," Xie Hongtao stated. "The top executive at headquarters wants it."

"What?" Zhou Yang was stunned.

The head of the company wanted him to seduce Tang Yumei and film it? What kind of situation was this?

"Which executive is it, and why would he ask me to do this?" Zhou Yang asked.

"Is that for you to ask?" Xie Hongtao adopted the stern authority of a manager, his expression cold. "Do as I say, and I will ensure you get a promotion and make a fortune."

Zhou Yang's brows furrowed, his heart filled with extreme resistance. Putting aside the legality of such an act, he couldn't even get past his own moral compass.

"Manager Xie, I'm afraid I cannot do this."

"What a golden opportunity!" Xie Hongtao squinted, looking at him with exasperation. "That Tang Yumei is a major figure. She has money, she has connections, and her looks and figure are no worse than any young girl's. If you can get her into bed, this life will have been worth it! Why are you so thick-headed?"

Zhou Yang sighed. "These are two different things. I will not betray my conscience for the sake of a promotion or a raise!"

*Slap!*

Xie Hongtao slammed the file in his hand onto the desk, glaring at Zhou Yang. "What is a conscience worth? Zhou Yang, let me tell you, don't be ungrateful. If you don't do this, pack your things and get out today!"

Zhou Yang gritted his teeth. "I'm still in my internship period, and I haven't done anything wrong. Why should I leave?"

Xie Hongtao gave a cold laugh. "You are interning in my district; your career fate is in my hands. If I say you aren't qualified, you aren't. Besides, if the big boss at headquarters finds out you refused to help, do you think there will be any room for you to survive at the EPS Group?"

Zhou Yang took a deep breath, feeling a sense of despair. This was the first time since graduation that he had truly felt the darkness and ruthlessness of society. However, his family had held onto an ancestral motto for generations: never sell one's conscience for profit. Zhou Yang might be poor, but he would not let poverty diminish his character; he would not engage in petty, underhanded schemes just to climb the corporate ladder.

"Then I will resign," Zhou Yang said.

"Zhou Yang, what kind of high-and-mighty act are you putting on?" Xie Hongtao shouted angrily. "Society is a giant dye vat! In this world, no one gets to be high-and-mighty!"

"I'm not being high-and-mighty, but I won't join you in these kinds of games," Zhou Yang replied.

"You idiot! You're out of your mind!"

Zhou Yang's attitude drove Xie Hongtao into a rage. A female subordinate, hearing the commotion, hurried into the office and began to stroke Xie Hongtao’s chest affectedly. "Manager, why are you so angry? Calm down."

Xie Hongtao pointed at Zhou Yang’s nose and cursed, "Zhou Yang, remember this: with your self-righteous attitude, you'll never make it anywhere. Someone like you is destined to be a failure. You are nothing but trash at the bottom of society, and you will never accomplish anything great."

Zhou Yang turned to leave, but the more he thought about it, the more indignant he felt. He stopped and looked back. "What if one day I do succeed?"

Xie Hongtao grinned and bellowed, "If an idiot like you can succeed, I, Xie Hongtao, will get on my knees and call you 'Daddy'!"

"You'd better remember those words," Zhou Yang said through gritted teeth.

Just then, the phone on Xie Hongtao’s desk rang, and the female subordinate answered it.

"Manager, a client for Zhou Yang has arrived in the front lobby and specifically asked for him."

"Which client?"

"Tang Yumei!"

Xie Hongtao took a deep breath and softened his tone. "Zhou Yang, even if you are quitting, you still have to finish your final shift."

"I don't need you to tell me that."

Zhou Yang left and went to the lobby, where Tang Yumei was already waiting.

Tang Yumei was wearing a wine-red, form-fitting long dress today, with a high slit revealing her fair, beautiful legs. She wore a white blazer over it, its sharp lines highlighting a powerful aura. She had also applied light makeup—a subtle eyeliner and curved lashes. On her sensual lips was a matte, vintage red lip glaze that contrasted sharply with her cool, pale skin. The dangling gold tassels on her earrings added a touch of luxury. Combined with her sharp facial features and bright, almond-shaped eyes that shimmered with a profound, languid depth, she was the definition of a powerful, sophisticated woman.

Zhou Yang hurried over. "Sister Mei, what brings you to the store in person today?"

"Just passing by, and thought I'd come see you!" Tang Yumei smiled, a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

Nearby colleagues heard this and were filled with envy and jealousy, whispering behind their hands.

"Uh!" Zhou Yang’s face turned bright red.

"Hahaha, I'm just kidding, don't be so nervous!" Tang Yumei laughed generously. "Didn't you say the other day that there were some new arrivals and invited me over to take a look?"

"Oh, right!" Zhou Yang tapped his head; he had been too busy arguing with the manager to remember. "The new products are over here, please follow me, Sister Mei!"

"Okay!" Tang Yumei stood up and followed Zhou Yang to the display area.

Tang Yumei was about 168cm tall, with a stunning waist-to-hip ratio and a smooth, full figure. As she walked, her gait was graceful, her silhouette swaying like gentle waves, enough to make anyone’s heart race.

Zhou Yang steadied his focus, arrived at the display area, and gestured to the new items. "Sister Mei, this product is..."

After more than half an hour of explanation, Zhou Yang managed to persuade Tang Yumei and successfully closed the deal.

"I have to head out now. Please have these items I ordered delivered to my house later!" Tang Yumei said.

"No problem, Sister Mei!" Zhou Yang replied.

"Reach out your hand!" Tang Yumei commanded.

"Huh?" Zhou Yang was taken aback.

Tang Yumei grabbed his hand and slapped something onto his palm. Feeling the cool, jade-like texture of her skin, Zhou Yang felt a stir in his heart. A second later, he saw a black, thumb-sized card in his palm.

"Sister Mei, what is this?"

Tang Yumei curled the corner of her lips into a smile, raising an eyebrow at him. "My house key card. You can use it to enter my place whenever you need."

"What?" Zhou Yang panicked. "Sister Mei, how can I accept this?"

"Who said I was giving it to you?" Tang Yumei rolled her eyes at him, acting like a spoiled young girl. "I'm going out now and don't know when I'll be back. My nanny has gone to the countryside, so there's no one home. When you deliver the goods, just use this card to get in, and leave the card at my place once you've dropped everything off."

"Oh, I see!" Zhou Yang scratched the back of his head, though a strange, faint sense of disappointment welled up in his heart.

"I'll be off then." Tang Yumei smiled and swayed away.

Just then, Manager Xie Hongtao walked over. "Zhou Yang, I saw everything!"

"Saw what?" Zhou Yang asked.

"The way she looked at you—she could have eaten you up!" Xie Hongtao said in a low voice, wearing an obscene grin.

Xie Hongtao had been observing from the sidelines the whole time. In his eyes, the interaction between Tang Yumei and Zhou Yang was as if they were in their own world. In Tang Yumei's eyes, there was only Zhou Yang.