Upon returning to work, Lin Mei's job quickly settled into its routine. Her established clients and network were still there, and with the added connection to Xing Zheng, people were less inclined to make things difficult for her when she went out to discuss business. The benefit was that she no longer had to drink alcohol.
Although her work was busy, her life was fulfilling. She was busy during the day, and after work, she would play with Jing Chu at home. On weekends, she and Xing Zheng would take Jing Chu to the supermarket and the park, much like most families of three.
Lan Lan and Feng Feng's lives were not as carefree as Lin Mei's. Although Lin Mei had experienced the most hurt among the three, she was also the first to "stabilize." Lan Lan and Feng Feng, however, were both in extremely complicated emotional situations.
Feng Feng could still come and go freely, but Lan Lan could not. The securities firm where she worked had deep business ties with Liang Yufeng's family enterprise. If she wanted to get rid of Liang Yufeng, she would have to resign from the company. However, Lan Lan had been working at this company since graduating with her master's degree and had now risen to a senior position. Moving to another company would mean starting all over again.
Furthermore, giving up a promising future for a man was never her style. However, Liang Yufeng's endless harassment was indeed giving her a headache. Now, rumors of her affair with Liang Yufeng were spreading within the company.
Lan Lan was upset by this and invited Feng Feng out for drinks, complaining to her, "Liang Yufeng is truly like a ghost, haunting me. Will I ever be rid of him in this life? I worked my fingers to the bone after graduation, and now everyone says I slept my way up because of him. Damn him!"
For someone with a strong career ambition, such words were a great humiliation!
Feng Feng empathized and could only suggest, "Liang Yufeng probably still likes you."
"Remove the word 'probably'," Lan Lan said. "He definitely still likes me, and he's also unwilling to accept that I dumped him back then, so he's acting like a lunatic, finding ways to torment me!"
"Don't you think men are pathetic? They ignore the ones who truly like them and only chase after those who look down on them. Liang Yufeng only has some money now, otherwise, I..." Lan Lan was angry and downed a glass of wine.
Survival of the fittest was a law of nature, and Lan Lan had always believed in it. If she was not as skilled as others, she could only be at their mercy. But this did not mean she was inwardly accepting of it!
A man who had once fawned over her like a sycophant, whom she had dumped, was now riding roughshod over her, completely controlling her. How could her proud nature endure this?
The more she cursed, the more animated she became. Feng Feng quietly played the role of a listener, clinking glasses with her.
Unexpectedly, as Lan Lan was getting worked up, Liang Yufeng suddenly appeared. He had been standing there at some point, and by the time Lan Lan noticed him, his face was incredibly cold. He must have heard quite a bit.
Lan Lan was not afraid of him. She straightened her back and said, "Oh, Mr. Liang, are you here to have fun too? I heard the girls here are quite pretty."
Liang Yufeng, as usual, was expressionless. He grabbed Lan Lan's arm and looked at Feng Feng, saying, "She's drunk. I'll take her home."
Before Feng Feng could reply, Liang Yufeng had already dragged Lan Lan away.
How could Lan Lan, who could hold her liquor so well, be knocked out by just two glasses of foreign liquor?
However, seeing how grim Liang Yufeng's expression was, she didn't argue with him.
Lan Lan was taken to Liang Yufeng's apartment. She didn't resist; in fact, she had something to discuss with him. As soon as Liang Yufeng returned, he went to the kitchen, and soon after, Lan Lan smelled the aroma of cooking food.
Liang Yufeng was an excellent cook, she had known that since college. When they were dating, she was busy preparing for exams and often forgot to eat. Liang Yufeng was extremely thoughtful, making her homemade bento boxes every day and delivering them to the library. Sometimes, if the taste wasn't to her liking, she would even complain.
At that time, Lan Lan had only been interested in him for a short while and didn't like him that much. When they broke up, she felt no attachment. It was Liang Yufeng who pleaded with her for a long time, even getting caught in the rain multiple times and falling ill with a fever to try and keep her.
Liang Yufeng skillfully prepared several dishes. Lan Lan didn't stand on ceremony and picked up her chopsticks to eat. Liang Yufeng was drinking soup with a spoon. Lan Lan looked at his cold and elegant demeanor and still found it hard to connect him with the "lick dog" Xiao Liang from years ago.
Power and status could change a person's temperament. He was no longer the poor college student who would obey her every command. Apart from his taciturn nature, there was almost nothing similar to his past self.
"What are you staring at me for?" Liang Yufeng put down his spoon and asked her.
"What else can I look at? A handsome man," Lan Lan said, smiling playfully.
Liang Yufeng seemed to recall something and warned her, "Don't use that seduction tactic you use on other men on me."
Lan Lan frowned. Was he crazy? She complimented him on his looks, and he still gave her a cold shoulder. They were clearly not on the same wavelength.
She lost her appetite and threw down her chopsticks. "If you dislike me so much, why do you insist on keeping me by your side? Are you that pathetic?"
"Pick up your chopsticks," Liang Yufeng commanded.
Lan Lan's temper flared, and she didn't care, "Whoever wants to pick them up can pick them up!"
"You don't want to get out of bed tomorrow, do you?" Liang Yufeng adjusted his glasses. His refined movements were accompanied by threatening words.
Lan Lan knew his ways in bed all too well. Such a warning sent a chill down her spine.
This scoundrel Liang Yufeng, who knew from whom he learned it, had lost all his former gentleness. Now, his greatest pleasure was to torment her in bed. Lan Lan preferred gentleness, and each time she couldn't withstand his roughness, as if he had never seen a woman before.
"Liang Yufeng, let's talk seriously," Lan Lan remembered the purpose of her visit tonight and spoke with a rare seriousness.
She was usually flippant, but when she became serious, Liang Yufeng knew it was not a simple matter. "Talk about what?"
"In college, I dumped you. Now you've dumped me once, so we're even, okay?" Lan Lan said. "You're not at a loss."
Their college relationship lasted at most half a year. Now, she had slept with him for over two years. By any calculation, he was not at a loss.
Liang Yufeng repeated her words without any emotion, "Even."
"Yes," Lan Lan said. "I know you were unhappy when I dumped you back then. Our dignified Mr. Liang couldn't tolerate that, right? I'll let you dump me once, and if anyone asks, I'll say the same. How about it?"
"Not how about it," Liang Yufeng said indifferently, showing no interest. This made Lan Lan impatient. Fueled by alcohol, she began to lecture, "Then what do you want? I know you still like me, but I really can't get excited about a boring man like you. Even as a casual fling, I find your technique lacking, not as good as in college."
At least back then, he was gentle, although his technique was still average.
"Are you done?" Liang Yufeng untied his tie and walked towards her. In a flash, he tied her wrists together. "Who are you to me that you have the nerve to ask me to consider your feelings?"