As she stepped out of the elevator, the pink phone in Zheng Yang’s hand began to ring.
Her first instinct was that someone still remembered her, and she felt a small surge of pleasant surprise.
But she quickly realized she was just a hostess now; no one remembered her as Zheng Yang.
“Where did you run off to again?”
Manager Wang’s helpless and anxious voice came from the other end.
“It’s not that I’m forcing you to work overtime, but Mr. Zheng from the Zheng Group is here, and he specifically asked for you. No one else will do. He’s very insistent. Hurry back. A man like Mr. Zheng won’t treat you poorly…”
Zheng Yang quietly replied, “I understand,” and hung up.
She turned her head to glance at the window of her own home on the eighteenth floor and let out a cold sneer.
‘Zheng Yangyang, don’t think I’m easy to bully. You’ve taken over my life, haven’t you? Well, I won’t let your body have it easy either! I’m going to make you watch with your own eyes as you become the most wretched woman, a plaything for men!’
‘As for my own soul, hmph, this body isn’t mine anyway. If there comes a day when I truly can’t take it anymore, I’ll just kill myself. And I’ll make sure to do it right in front of you! I don’t believe for a second that you, Zheng Yangyang, won’t feel a thing!’
At that thought, a sense of grim determination, like that of a martyr, welled up in Zheng Yang’s heart.
‘Zheng Shiqiang of the Zheng Group, huh? A famous figure in this city, a hidden billionaire. I’ve heard of him. I never imagined someone like him would spend money at a KTV where anyone can be bought. Fine, this Mr. Zheng is single. Only a man understands a man. I’ll use that understanding and your body to seduce the wealthiest man. Once your body is ruined, I’ll see if you can still be so calm and smug!’
Zheng Yang certainly understood men, but she didn’t quite understand herself.
Inside the private room, Zheng Yang performed a balancing act, alternating between being innocent and charming and being wild and uninhibited.
She was skilled in everything from singing and drinking to flattery.
Mr. Zheng was indeed amused, squinting his eyes with a satisfied expression.
But when he pointed toward his groin, Zheng Yang froze.
She knew exactly what Mr. Zheng meant.
She had also convinced herself that since she had just decided to ruin Zheng Yangyang’s reputation and body, this little thing shouldn’t matter.
However, the moment she made the mental connection, a powerful wave of nausea hit her. She suppressed the urge to vomit and approached Mr. Zheng with a forced smile, hoping to use her charm to gloss over it.
Mr. Zheng, however, was a ruthless man of few words.
He saw through her trickery instantly.
With a sudden movement, he reached out and shoved Zheng Yang directly onto the floor.
“What’s this? You were so open just a moment ago, and now you’re going to act coy?”
Mr. Zheng asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.
“No, Mr. Zheng, I just…”
“Just what? Let me tell you, women who act pure while doing this kind of work are the ones I hate most!”
“No! It’s just that we don’t provide that kind of service here yet!” Zheng Yang finally thought of a reasonable excuse.
“If you don’t have it, you can expand. To expand, you need a pioneer. Do you think I’m not worthy of being the first for this expansion?”
Zheng Yang suddenly thought that if he wanted that kind of service, wasn’t this a perfect opportunity? Without thinking, as if possessed, she pulled out her phone right under Mr. Zheng’s nose to dial a number.
This completely enraged Mr. Zheng. He lunged forward and kicked the pink phone right out of Zheng Yang’s hand.
“Are you trying to call for backup or the police? Calling for people is unlikely; no one in Golden Era is going to help you. That only leaves the police.”
Mr. Zheng analyzed the situation as he crouched down, staring at Zheng Yang.
“But have you considered this? If the police come, we haven’t actually done anything yet! How can they arrest me? You’re just a little girl, acting all foolish and impulsive!”
Zheng Yang also realized she had been stupid.
She wondered what was wrong with her.
‘Had her brain become slower after turning into a woman? How could she do something as foolish as calling the police right to his face?’
She looked at the harsh, mocking face of the billionaire tycoon before her and felt an instinctive fear.
Her previous plan to ruin Zheng Yangyang had vanished into thin air.
“Mr. Zheng, I… I didn’t mean that. I just feel a bit unwell. I’m nauseous… Aside from that, I’ll do anything you want!”
“Anything? Still acting… fine. Then let’s go. Come with me to a hotel.”
“Huh? That…”
“See? It’s not that you’ll do anything; it’s that you won’t do anything.”
Mr. Zheng stood up, a cold light flashing in his eyes.
“I’m genuinely curious. You came here to make this fast money, so why are you still acting so noble? How should I teach a hypocritical woman like you a lesson?”
He waved his hand to the side, and two or three men—either bodyguards or lackeys—walked over.
One of them crouched down to persuade Zheng Yang.
“Sister, just satisfy Mr. Zheng. It’ll only take a few minutes.”
Zheng Yang wanted to cry but had no tears.
“But I really am nauseous. I’m afraid I’ll vomit all over Mr. Zheng. Wouldn’t that be worse?”
Mr. Zheng shook his head impatiently and made a gesture.
“Stop wasting words on her!”
Receiving the order, the men began to slap Zheng Yang’s face, kicking and punching her.
As they beat her, they kept asking, “Are you going or not!”
In truth, Zheng Yang was genuinely conflicted.
She even cursed herself in her mind: ‘Didn’t you say you wanted to ruin this body? Now that the opportunity is here, why are you being a coward again?’
But she simply couldn’t do it.
When that man drew close, when she imagined the scene, her body trembled and her stomach churned.
She couldn’t control it.
She could only plead, “Grownups, I really can’t do it…”
“The hell you can’t!”
One of the men smashed a beer bottle and pressed the sharp glass shard against Zheng Yang’s neck.
Zheng Yang gave a bitter smile through her tears.
“Just kill me then.”
Seeing how stubborn she was, the man’s desire to conquer flared up.
He applied a bit of pressure with the broken bottle against Zheng Yang’s neck, leaving a bloody gash.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Mr. Zheng stopped them from behind.
“You hothead, don’t go killing anyone. A Black Household’s life is still a life. Forget it, stop!”
The men dispersed, and Mr. Zheng stepped in front of Zheng Yang, offering a word of praise.
“I didn’t expect you to be the type who’s soft on the outside but tough on the inside. I’ve seen many women, but you’re the first who would rather be beaten to death than comply. I like that.”
He ordered his subordinate to take out a stack of cash, took it himself, and gently placed it on the floor in front of Zheng Yang.
“Consider this my apology. Go see a doctor. I’ll be back tomorrow, and I’ll bring a gift for you then.”
He then signaled for the men to leave.
Just as he opened the door to the private room, he saw Manager Wang standing at the door.
The nervous expression on Manager Wang’s face immediately transformed into a smile.
“Mr. Zheng, leaving already?”
Zheng Shiqiang smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
“With the way you’re standing there, were you planning to help me or help Yangyang?”
Manager Wang gave a forced smile.
“Look at what you’re saying. Yangyang was being ignorant; she deserved to be taught a lesson by you! I was just afraid of an accident…”
“Fine, I left the medical expenses. It’s all for Yangyang. You’re not allowed to take a cut!”
“Of course! Of course!”
“I’ll be back to see her at this time tomorrow.”
He leaned into Manager Wang’s ear and whispered, “This girl is quite good. Treat her well.”
Manager Wang looked flattered.
“Oh, then I’ll thank Mr. Zheng on behalf of our Yangyang!”
After Zheng Shiqiang left, Zheng Yang finally managed to crawl up with the help of two other female colleagues.
Manager Wang checked her neck; it was a minor injury, nothing serious.
Seeing her soul-crushed state, he realized she had no intention of taking Mr. Zheng’s money.
He picked it up and put it in the front desk drawer, leaving a voice message for A-Zi to help Zheng Yang take it back to the rental apartment after work.
Zheng Yang saw Manager Wang’s movements and heard everything he said to Mr. Zheng and A-Zi.
She gave another soft, bitter smile and turned to Manager Wang.
“Brother Wang, thank you.”
As she turned, she suddenly noticed that one of the colleagues supporting her was Lili!
The same Lili who had been hosting him in his male body the night before he transformed!
‘Then remember this, Brother; you brought this on yourself.’
The memory connected instantly.
Zheng Yang’s head throbbed.
How could she have been so stupid? The person who had triggered her tragedy had been by her side all along!