The next day, Zheng Shiqiang called Vice President Sun.
“How did it go?”
“Boss, it went smoothly. How big could Jiancheng Company be? As soon as they heard we wanted to cooperate, their chairman was grinning from ear to ear!”
“Get to the point.”
“Oh, right. I told them the terms were negotiable, but regardless of the content, we wanted Director Zheng Yang from their Engineering Department to head the project.”
“How did they react?”
“They looked a bit reluctant. So I said that our CEO, Zheng, happened to meet Zheng Yang, had a great impression of the young man, and that’s where the interest came from. So Zheng Yang had to be the lead. They had no choice but to agree.”
“Good work.”
Zheng Shiqiang glanced at his phone and continued, “Today’s Saturday. Is that Director Zheng working overtime?”
“Yeah, he’s at the office. I heard he hardly ever takes weekends off.”
“Perfect. Now I have two tasks for you. First, go to his home and give his wife a shopping card for Wanhao Mall worth five thousand. Say it’s a standard benefit for our partners at Zheng Group. And act like you accidentally let slip that Wanhao Mall’s promotional discounts only last for these two days.”
Wanhao Mall—the place where he often took Yangyang, and where Wu Chun took Yangyang too.
“Got it, boss. Noted.”
“Second, find the chairman of Jiancheng Company and tell him to halt all of Zheng Yang’s current work. Say I ordered it. I want him to relax for a few days and approach our cooperation in top shape.”
“Understood!”
“Third…”
“Third?” Vice President Sun thought.
Weren’t there only two tasks?
“What, got a problem?” Zheng Shiqiang acted shamelessly.
“Of course not!”
“Third, have someone keep an eye on Zheng Yang these two days. Watch when he and his wife leave the house and report to me immediately.”
“Got it, boss. What’s the fourth?”
“There is no fourth. Keep messing around and I’ll dock your performance bonus!”
“Haha, just leave it to me, boss!”
…
Bai Jie didn’t work on weekends and was home alone.
When she received the shopping card from Zheng Group, her eyes lit up with excitement.
She said “thank you” six times in a row to Vice President Sun.
Not long after Vice President Sun left, the male Zheng Yang also came home.
Bai Jie immediately hugged her husband as he walked in.
“Wow, honey, you’re amazing! The Zheng Group sent you a gift—and it’s five thousand!”
Male Zheng Yang was a bit stunned.
First, he’d been inexplicably chosen by the head of Zheng Group to lead a cooperation project, and now he was getting benefits from the partner… This happiness seemed to have come a little too suddenly…
He looked at the business card Vice President Sun had given Bai Jie and called the number on it.
After verifying and thanking them, he found that everything was indeed as it seemed.
But he still felt something was off.
Could it really be that his luck had finally turned?
“Honey, Vice President Sun said Wanhao Mall’s discount only lasts these two days. Come with me~ I’ll get you a couple of shirts too.”
“I…” Male Zheng Yang didn’t want to go.
Usually, he had overtime as an excuse, but this time, the chairman had conveniently handed off all his current tasks.
He had no reason to refuse.
“How long has it been since you went shopping with me? With such a great opportunity, come on, come on!”
“Alright, alright, let’s go…”
…
At the Zheng family home, Zheng Shiqiang was teasing Zheng Yang.
“Yangyang, Dad’s taking you to buy clothes now. No need to feel burdened, right?”
Zheng Yang pursed her lips.
“Dad, I think you just want to laugh at me! What daughter goes clothes shopping with her dad tagging along?”
Zheng Shiqiang chuckled.
“Are you an ordinary daughter?”
“See! I knew it!”
Zheng Yang stomped her foot in frustration, then a small, mischievous grin crept across her face.
“Fine, I’ll buy some. Then I’ll pick something sexy and wear it for you, Dad. How about that?”
Zheng Shiqiang put on a stern face.
“Nonsense. School starts in three days, and you don’t act like a student at all!”
Zheng Yang muttered under her breath, “I’m not an ordinary student…”
“Tsk… I swear, you brat, you’re getting way too cocky! Careful, or I’ll spank you!”
Zheng Yang stuck her tongue out and made a face at him.
Pfft—
That kind of small gesture, before yesterday, Zheng Yang—even the version of her that had fully accepted her identity as a girl and a student under Wu Chun’s influence—couldn’t have pulled off.
It seemed she had truly reconciled with her past.
Become one with it.
It was kind of interesting.
No, it was more accurate to say she was cuter.
At Wanhao Mall, Zheng Yang lingered in various women’s clothing stores.
Faced with the dizzying array of styles—especially the ones with less fabric—she talked with Zheng Shiqiang, sometimes with a girl’s shyness, other times with a grown man’s openness.
That contradictory yet organic fusion in one person always fascinated Zheng Shiqiang.
After buying two outfits, Zheng Yang started picking out a third.
But as she turned a corner, she saw two all-too-familiar figures.
It was the male version of herself and his wife, Bai Jie, walking and chatting, heading straight toward her.
Zheng Yang felt her heart drop with a thud, just like the paper shopping bag that slipped from her hand and hit the floor.
Should she hide?
Those two faces, in theory, should have been the most familiar to her.
But the kick male Zheng Yang had given her three months ago still haunted her with phantom pain whenever she thought about it.
While she hesitated, the male Zheng Yang and Bai Jie, drawn by the sound of the falling bag, noticed her.
Behind Zheng Yang, Zheng Shiqiang walked over, picked up the bag, and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Zheng Yang quickly turned, stood on tiptoes, and whispered urgently in his ear, “That’s me and my wife!”
“Oh!” Zheng Shiqiang’s eyes lit up.
He reached out to shake the frozen male Zheng Yang’s hand.
“Director Zheng from Jiancheng Company, right? Hello, hello! I’m Zheng Shiqiang. My daughter’s mentioned you!”
“You’re… CEO Zheng of the Zheng Group?”
Male Zheng Yang tried to pull his hand back in shock, but Zheng Shiqiang covered it with his other hand, gripping it firmly with both.
Male Zheng Yang had no choice but to return the handshake with both hands.
Zheng Shiqiang, pretending to be casual, glanced at the scar on his left ring finger.
Meanwhile, Bai Jie whispered to male Zheng Yang, “Honey, isn’t she that crazy girl you kicked?”
Male Zheng Yang nodded slightly, his face tense, as if facing a great enemy.
Damn it.
That girl I kicked was the richest man’s daughter?!
God, are you really playing me like this?
I knew it wasn’t that simple—getting the project lead, the shopping card.
That CEO Zheng set me up!
I’m completely screwed!
Zheng Yang, meanwhile, lowered her head and fidgeted with her skirt hem, not knowing what to say.
Sure, male Zheng Yang had kicked her hard and it hurt.
But he was still her former self, along with his wife.
She couldn’t exactly use her status as the richest man’s daughter to get revenge on them, could she?
Especially since her son, Zheng Siyuan, was in their care…
For a moment, three of the four were nervous.
Only Zheng Shiqiang wore a smile like he’d gotten exactly what he wanted.