Lan Lan was not very interested in Zhou Yu, but Zhou Yu had helped her a lot in getting rid of Liang Yufeng, so it was only right to treat him to a drink. The two sat at the bar, clinking glasses. Zhou Yu began to inquire, "Has he contacted you again?"
"No," Lan Lan told him, "He thinks I'm dirty; he's very particular about cleanliness."
Zhou Yu chuckled, his gaze towards her filled with a bit more interest. Lan Lan, in her disposition, was the complete opposite of Liang Yufeng. The Zhou family had always sought out daughters from prominent families or those from scholarly backgrounds for him. Little did they expect that his heart would be drawn to Lan Lan's style.
"How did you two get together?" Zhou Yu couldn't help but feel curious.
Lan Lan merely smiled without speaking, not mentioning her college romance with Liang Yufeng. She wasn't familiar with Zhou Yu and didn't need to report every detail. Zhou Yu was quite considerate and didn't press her further. Coincidentally, as they were drinking, they ran into Liang Yufeng.
Liang Yufeng had come with a few friends. Not long after entering, he saw Lan Lan and Zhou Yu "flirting" at the bar. The two were leaning very close, Lan Lan whispering something into Zhou Yu's ear, with Zhou Yu's hand resting on her waist, the scene undeniably intimate. Liang Yufeng's friends naturally saw this as well, and they all looked towards him in unison.
Liang Yufeng acted as if he didn't recognize the two, withdrawing his gaze and not mentioning the matter at all.
Lan Lan was unaware that Liang Yufeng had come to the bar. She was still chatting with Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu had just expressed his interest in her and his desire to pursue a relationship, which she had rejected. Unwilling to give up, Zhou Yu asked, "Then give me a chance to pursue you, how about it?"
"I rarely change my mind, why waste your time on me?" Lan Lan said, lazily sipping her drink.
"Because I like a challenge," Zhou Yu replied. "If I can win you over, it will be a real accomplishment."
This was likely the true nature of men. Whether they liked someone or not was secondary; their pride and sense of accomplishment always needed to be validated through women. In this regard, Liang Yufeng and Zhou Yu were indeed like brothers.
Lan Lan didn't take Zhou Yu's so-called pursuit seriously. However, after that day, Zhou Yu began sending flowers to her company every single day, without fail.
Every day at nine, Lan Lan would arrive at her office to find a large bouquet of roses, complete with a card bearing all sorts of mushy love confessions. Lan Lan quite liked flowers and made good use of them, setting up a vase in her office. The moment she walked in, she could smell the fragrance of roses.
Because flowers were delivered daily, rumors spread throughout the company that Lan Lan had found a new man.
One day, Liang Yufeng arrived at Rongxin Securities for a meeting. After going upstairs, he saw someone carrying a large bouquet of roses heading towards Lan Lan's office. Someone along the way said to the person, "Delivering flowers to Ms. Lan again?"
"Yes, Ms. Lan's boyfriend is so romantic, a bouquet every day, it's never stopped."
"That's because Ms. Lan is so charming; men like that."
Liang Yufeng adjusted his glasses and walked past. As he did, he caught a glimpse of the card on the bouquet. At the bottom, it was signed with the initials: Z.Y. Without needing to think, he could deduce who it was.
Although Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng had broken up, Liang Yufeng had business dealings with Rongxin Securities, and they couldn't avoid seeing each other in a professional capacity.
After their unpleasant encounter at the charity auction, this was the first time Lan Lan had a face-to-face confrontation with Liang Yufeng. They met in the conference room. Lan Lan acted as if nothing had happened, going about her business as usual. This, in turn, made others feel awkward on her behalf.
During the meeting, Liang Yufeng maintained a strictly professional demeanor. Someone observed him and noticed that he didn't glance at Lan Lan more than necessary. It seemed they had truly severed ties. People in their circle possessed excellent psychological resilience; even if they had shared a bed the night before, they could maintain professionalism during work.
Life without Liang Yufeng was very peaceful for Lan Lan. She could spend her vacation time as she pleased, enjoying the freedom of being single after a long time. She had no intention of finding another man for the moment. Just as Lan Lan thought she had completely escaped Liang Yufeng, he found her once again.
Lan Lan's promotion plan at the end of the year was directly tied to her Key Performance Indicators for the year. Several clients she had originally secured suddenly changed their minds. When asked for reasons, they were all evasive, only saying they had acted after receiving some guidance. Lan Lan knew immediately who had provided that guidance.
Competition within the securities firm was fierce. Several people at Lan Lan's level were waiting for the year-end promotion opportunity. While they appeared cordial on the surface, they were secretly vying for it, with no one giving way to the other. If she truly lost the clients she had, and they went to someone else, her plan would be ruined.
Liang Yufeng knew her obsession with her career like the back of his hand. After finishing a call with a client, Lan Lan cursed and found Liang Yufeng's number in her contacts, then dialed it.
Having worked in the corporate world for many years, she had developed the ability to bend and adapt. It was just a matter of asking for a favor; she had no pride to hold onto and had even prepared flattering words. However, the call wasn't answered. Lan Lan tried a few more times, with the same result.
She was never one to sit idly by. Deciding to take action, she grabbed her keys and went to Liang Yufeng's house to find him. Lan Lan arrived just as dusk was settling, and Liang Yufeng was also just arriving.
As soon as she saw his car, Lan Lan walked towards it. She stopped at the entrance, waiting for Liang Yufeng to get out of the car. It was the weekend, and he wasn't wearing a suit. He had on a dark gray sweater and had likely been golfing. The eyes behind his glasses were calm and placid, as if she were a stranger.
Lan Lan had no intention of playing games with him. "My clients, you took them away, didn't you?"
Liang Yufeng walked past her, treating her as if she were invisible. This made Lan Lan even more agitated. She chased after him, grabbing his arm. "What do you mean? Explain yourself."
"Don't touch me with the hand that touched Zhou Yu," Liang Yufeng brushed her off, his words filled with disdain.
"Fine, I won't touch you. I just want to understand," Lan Lan said. "There's no need for you to do this to me, is there?"
Lan Lan followed Liang Yufeng into the villa. The moment they entered, the man's demeanor changed from his earlier coldness. He pulled her towards him and pinned her against the shoe cabinet, his solid body trapping her.
Lan Lan was not short, and she was wearing high heels, but Liang Yufeng was still a head taller than her.
"Liang Yufeng, what do you want?" Lan Lan asked.
Liang Yufeng didn't speak. He tore her dress and asked, "How many times have you slept with Zhou Yu?"
"Are you crazy!?" Lan Lan screamed, feeling like cursing his ancestors. That dress was brand new!
"I'm asking you, how many times!" His large hand pressed against her thigh, gripping it tightly. His gaze was dark, and he exuded a murderous aura.
"I haven't slept with him," Lan Lan wasn't foolish enough to be stubborn at a time like this. "Can we talk about business now?"
As soon as she finished speaking, her clothes were pulled down, and her body was flipped over.
Lan Lan heard a rustling sound, and then he bit her on the back of the neck. "You think I'm an idiot."