Volume 1, Chapter 62: Dropping Pretexts

When these actions unfolded, Su Jing was completely stunned.

I only asked you to act; you didn't have to make it a reality!

Up until now, this was the first time a man had ever "offended" her to this extent.

Seeing this, Gao Shuailing was immediately shaking with rage.

"Let go of your hand!" he rushed forward to pull Zhou Yang away.

"Mr. Gao, what on earth do you want?" Su Jing snapped angrily, "Please stop interfering with my life."

In the past, she had only known how to hide and evade, but today, things had reached this point, and she knew she could no longer run away.

The day of the final fallout was bound to come sooner or later—it might as well be today!

"Gao Shuailing, I have told you before that I do not like you, and we can never be together! I'm begging you to leave me alone, okay?" Su Jing said with immense pain.

Gao Shuailing suddenly let out a cold laugh. "Hehehe, good, very good! Su Jing, disregarding the wishes of your uncle and aunt, you went and found a piece of trash like this to be your boyfriend. You are degrading yourself, and you are slapping the face of the Gao family!"

"Since that's how it is, the Gao family has no obligation to look out for the Su family anymore. From now on, whatever business moves the Gao family makes, don't the Su family dare regret it!"

Gao Shuailing finally revealed his most venomous nature.

In the past, when Su Jing rejected him and avoided him, he could still endure it because he knew she remained single.

But today, he had watched Su Jing's hand held by another man, her waist embraced by another man, realizing that there was no future left between him and Su Jing.

Since it had come to this, let the masks fall completely!

"Hey!" Zhou Yang suddenly spoke up. "What did you just call me?"

"What?"

"You said I was a piece of trash!" Zhou Yang frowned. "That is deeply insulting!"

"I called you trash, and that was already overestimating your worth!" Gao Shuailing retorted. "Look at you! What qualifications do you have to be Su Jing's boyfriend?"

Gao Shuailing glanced casually at Zhou Yang, noticing that the entire outfit he was wearing added up to no more than a few hundred yuan, and the shoes by the door were from some obscure, nameless brands.

Then he looked at the dishes on the table—all the most ordinary, mundane ingredients from a local vegetable market.

Thus, Gao Shuailing immediately concluded that Zhou Yang's financial standing was utterly mediocre.

His judgment proved entirely accurate; Zhou Yang indeed had very little money.

Consequently, Gao Shuailing towered over Zhou Yang with supreme arrogance: "Kid, I've seen too many of your kind. Relying on sweet talk to capture a girl's heart, and then trying to climb the social ladder through her family—is there a special term for people like you? What is it called again?"

He frowned and looked toward the female secretary beside him.

With a cold expression, the female secretary parted her crimson lips: "Phoenix Man!"

"Ah, right, Phoenix Man!" Gao Shuailing pointed directly at Zhou Yang. "Kid, act as arrogant as you want with me right now. Once our Gao family withdraws our partnership with the Su family, the Su family will collapse completely. At that time, Xiao Jing will realize what truly matters, and I'm sure she will abandon the dark and turn to the light, making a much wiser choice."

"Xiao Qing, let's go!"

Gao Shuailing shot Zhou Yang a glacial look, turned on his heel, and strode away with his female secretary.

Su Jing collapsed heavily onto a chair, unable to collect her thoughts for a long while.

She had spent such a long time dodging and evading precisely to avoid a falling out this severe with Gao Shuailing.

Yet today, possessed by some unknown impulse, she had actually forced a showdown.

She looked at Zhou Yang, and a sudden clarity bloomed within her heart.

Earlier, she had truly felt as though Zhou Yang were her genuine boyfriend. That was why she grew so furious upon seeing him insulted, leading her to burn all bridges with Gao Shuailing.

Reflecting on it now, however, she realized she had acted far too rashly.

Having endured for so long, everything had completely unraveled simply because of Zhou Yang's intervention.

From here on, Gao Shuailing would undoubtedly return to lodge complaints, prompting the Gao family to sever all commercial ties with the Su family. Her single, impulsive decision might very well plunge the Su family into irrevocable ruin.

Yet, what else could she do? Was she supposed to marry Gao Shuailing for the sake of the family business?

Weighing family prosperity against personal happiness—this was indeed a agonizingly difficult choice.

"President Su, I didn't realize today was your birthday!" Zhou Yang said, sensing the awkward silence, and sought a topic to ease the tension.

Su Jing sighed. "Birthday or not, what difference does it make now?"

"President Su, let me go buy some wine so we can celebrate!" Zhou Yang offered.

"No need!" Su Jing currently lacked all inclination.

The mere thought of the impending catastrophe facing the Su family left her frantic and deeply distressed.

"President Su, how about I buy you a cake instead!" Zhou Yang suggested.

"Oh, are you annoying or what?" Su Jing's mind was entirely elsewhere. Catching sight of Zhou Yang's careful, cautious demeanor, a wave of shame washed over her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take it out on you!"

Zhou Yang nodded and sat back down.

Once again, an awkward silence settled over them. Neither spoke, nor did they touch their chopsticks.

"Zhou Yang, you must have felt pretty great just now, didn't you?" Su Jing asked abruptly.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Zhou Yang was startled.

"Who told you to hold my hand and put your arm around my waist?" Su Jing demanded, her sharp eyes flashing with scrutiny. "Did you take advantage of the opportunity to grope me?"

Zhou Yang hurriedly raised both hands in surrender. "Heaven and earth are my witness, President Su! I was only trying to make it look convincing. After all, if my acting wasn't up to par, you would have fired me. Was I wrong to put some effort into it?"

Su Jing bit her lower lip in frustration. This kid had a silver tongue; he left her no opening to trap him.

The next second, Zhou Yang adopted a solemn expression. "Of course, I also admit that my performance today went a bit too far and completely ruined your relationship. I know you're worried about your family right now, so I want to do something to make up for it."

"Make up for it?" Su Jing said. "You didn't do anything wrong. What is there to make up for? Everything was at my behest."

Zhou Yang replied, "Still, I don't want to see you unhappy!"

At these words, Su Jing's heart skipped a beat.

Though not traditionally romantic sweet talk, to a career-driven woman like Su Jing, such words carried a warmth and care she had never experienced before, instantly melting a corner of her heart.

"I am not unhappy!" Su Jing forced herself to look indifferent.

After all, as a leader, one must never wear their emotions on their sleeve in front of subordinates, lest they lose their personal boundary and authority.

Zhou Yang persisted, "President Su, just let me try. Who knows, it might actually work!"

"What are you planning to try?"

"Let me talk to Gao Shuailing!" Zhou Yang said.

"You want to talk to him? About what?" Su Jing asked in surprise.

"About things between men. You don't need to ask for the details, but I promise you, things won't get any worse than they already are!"

Su Jing smiled faintly. "Zhou Yang, I appreciate your good intentions, but cooperation between two major families is something even we principals are powerless to resolve. What role could an outsider like you possibly play? Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking down on you, but I'm afraid that if you go, it will only lead to a quarrel. Did you see that female secretary of his? Don't simply assume she's just a secretary; she serves primarily as a bodyguard."

Zhou Yang smiled. "The scion of a wealthy family really is extravagant, even hiring beauties as bodyguards, tsk tsk! But I happen to love a challenge. I promise you I won't get into an argument with him. If negotiations fall through, I will simply take a step back and leave. Please, give me a chance to make amends."

Su Jing said, "Zhou Yang, I don't see what good this could possibly do for you."

Zhou Yang replied lightly, "It doesn't do me any direct good. But if I pull it off, at least it will make you happy."

Su Jing: "......"