Volume One, Chapter 40: Two Women Fight Over Zhou Yang

Just then, a figure appeared in front of the vehicle. It was a woman in a white dress, staring directly into Zhou Yang’s car. The woman was none other than his ex-girlfriend, Lu Wei. From her vantage point, the scene inside looked as if Zhou Yang had grabbed Zhao Ziying by the head and forced her down.

The sight sent Lu Wei into an immediate rage. She stormed over to the car, pounded on the door, and shouted, "What do you think you’re doing?"

Zhao Ziying scrambled up, looking flustered. Zhou Yang, having nothing to hide, lowered the window and snapped, "Why are you banging on my car?"

"You two were doing that in the car—have you no shame?" Lu Wei’s eyes darted to Zhou Yang’s waistband. However, his trousers had an elastic band rather than a belt, making them easy to pull up in an instant. She then looked at Zhao Ziying, whose face was flushed and whose almond eyes held a seductive glimmer, clearly betraying impure intentions.

"Zhou Yang, this is the company! Engaging in such relations in a car sets a terrible example," Lu Wei declared.

"As if that’s any of your business," Zhao Ziying retorted, annoyed by the interruption. "Manager Zhou and I were discussing work. Who do you think you are?"

"Manager Zhou?" Lu Wei paused. "Who is Manager Zhou?"

"Zhou Yang, obviously!" Zhao Ziying curled her lip with a cold sneer. "In case you haven’t heard, Zhou Yang was promoted to Sales Manager this morning. He’s part of the management team now."

"What?" Lu Wei was stunned. She had already deeply regretted breaking up with him, and hearing this only intensified her remorse.

"Zhou Yang, you’ve really done well for yourself," Lu Wei said.

"Do you even need to say it?" Zhao Ziying added. "Manager Zhou landed a one-billion-yuan contract; of course, he’s doing well."

Lu Wei had heard the rumors. Zhou Yang had secured a one-billion-yuan deal with the Sanxing Corporation. The administrative department had prepared numerous gifts for the sales department to distribute among the client’s staff to foster relations. Even then, Lu Wei had been green with envy. A one-billion-yuan client meant a commission of over a million yuan a year. That was real money—far more substantial than the empty promises from that fellow Xie Feng. Especially since, when they were together, Zhou Yang had handed over his entire monthly salary to her; it felt as though a million-yuan fortune had slipped right through her fingers.

Unable to cope with the blow, Lu Wei had been looking for a chance to reconcile. This Monday, during her lunch break, she had gone looking for his department, heard he was in the underground garage, and arrived just in time to witness that scene.

"Zhou Yang, can I talk to you alone?" she asked.

"We ended things a long time ago. There is nothing to talk about," Zhou Yang replied coldly.

"You were my first love. We had four years of history in college. Does that mean nothing just because you say it’s over?"

"Don't you feel ashamed saying that?" Zhou Yang countered. "Who was it that heartlessly called for a breakup? Who was it that latched onto a wealthy man and kicked me to the curb? And who was it that said she refused to live a life of hardship with me?"

The barrage of questions left Lu Wei speechless. "But I realized that you’re the one I still love!"

"Have some self-respect!" Zhao Ziying chimed in. "You’ve already been living with Xie Feng, and now that you see Zhou Yang doing well, you come crawling back? Even my skin isn't as thick as yours!"

"You bitch, who are you talking to?" Lu Wei, already frantic and furious, exploded at the insult.

"Who are you calling a bitch? I think you’re the one who fits the description!" Zhao Ziying retorted.

"Enough!" Zhou Yang shouted. "Both of you, get lost and argue somewhere else. I’m trying to take a nap!" As he spoke, he pushed Zhao Ziying out of the car.

"Manager Zhou, I’ll stop, okay? Just don’t chase me away!" Zhao Ziying whined, clinging to his arm.

"Don't touch him, you shameless thing!" Seeing Zhao Ziying’s flirtatious behavior, Lu Wei reached in and grabbed her hair. Zhao Ziying was no pushover and immediately swiped at Lu Wei’s face.

"You’re the shameless one, you slut!" The two women began brawling through the car door.

"Do you want me to call the police?" Zhou Yang roared. Both women froze. "Let go!"

Zhou Yang pried Lu Wei’s hand away, and Zhao Ziying loosened her grip. Both of their clothes were torn, exposing parts of their undergarments, but Zhou Yang felt no interest whatsoever.

"Get out," he said to Zhao Ziying.

"I don't want to," she pouted.

"You don't have the right to negotiate," Zhou Yang said. "Get out before I lose my temper." Seeing he was truly angry, Zhao Ziying climbed out, looking crestfallen. Without sparing them another glance, Zhou Yang drove out of the garage.

He needed a quiet place to rest.

"Waaaah!" Lu Wei sank to the ground and began to cry. A tidal wave of regret washed over her; she wished she could slap herself. Zhao Ziying simply let out a disgruntled huff and stormed off.

That afternoon, Su Jing received a call from a regional manager stating that a major client was interested in collaborating with EPS and requested a meeting with the sales department. The client was in the East District, which fell under Zhou Yang’s territory, so he should have been the one to lead the meeting. However, the client knew Su Jing was the Sales Director and specifically requested her presence. Given the scale of the project—involving hundreds of millions in capital—Su Jing decided it was appropriate for her to handle it personally.

"The client has invited us to dinner. Come with me tonight," Su Jing told Zhou Yang.

"Understood."

Around five in the afternoon, Zhou Yang drove Su Jing to the location specified by the client, arriving by six. It was a restaurant owned by the client, and it was sparsely populated. They were led to a private room. The suite was luxurious, built entirely of wood, resembling a large log cabin. The walls were decorated with intricate carvings of dragons and phoenixes, exuding an antique charm. In the center sat a massive round table, with areas designated for tea and mahjong.

The boss sat in the tea area, savoring a brew. "Manager He, Director Su from EPS is here!" the staff member announced before withdrawing.

Manager He had a buzz cut, his hair completely white—whether dyed or natural, it was impossible to tell. He wore a loud, checkered shirt, unbuttoned to reveal a thick gold chain. Despite it being evening and the room being dimly lit, he wore sunglasses, looking every bit the part of a street boss. Several subordinates sat with him, sipping tea.

"Director Su, come, have a seat," Manager He said, standing up.

But as soon as Su Jing saw his face, her brows knitted together in disgust, and she looked as if she were about to turn and leave.