Security at the Red State Hotel had always been tough and uncompromising, anyone causing trouble would get their due punishment. However, today they were apologizing to a young man, which left the guests in shock, their gazes falling on Tang Zheng as they speculated about his background.
The single-eyelid woman was shocked, recalling how she had taken the opportunity just now to cop a feel on someone’s back, her legs began to tremble immediately, yet there was a faint hope within her.
Song Tong, pulling her friend, just wanted to escape quickly. Then she remembered she hadn’t offended Tang Zheng and felt relieved.
"Tell your Boss Yu I’m leaving." Tang Zheng didn’t want to be the center of attention and got up to leave.
The head of security became anxious; he had received orders from his boss that he must not, under any circumstances, allow this guest to become upset. It seemed he had messed up and was fretting over what to do when Boss Yu finally arrived.
"What, are you not satisfied? Was it their service?" Yu Manli, dressed in a red evening gown, approached quickly, her face full of anxiety. She didn’t call out Tang Zheng’s name, worried that others might learn of his identity. As for the few unfortunate souls like Zhang Heng, "Throw them out; Red State Hotel will not welcome them anymore."
"We’re all on the same side, why make such a fuss?" Tang Zheng sighed, looking at this woman worth tens of billions who was one of the top power figures in the city. She was so careful to please him, but Tang Zheng felt no pleasure. The more cautious Boss Yu was, the greater he felt the divide between them.
"Boss Yu!" The former manager ran up breathlessly.
"I told you to take care of my friend, where were you?" Boss Yu’s face was frosty with authority, "You’re fired."
"Boss Yu, I went to find you." The female manager’s eyes filled with tears of grievance; it was Tang Zheng who had sent her to find someone.
"Shut up, I don’t need explanations." Having said that, Boss Yu naturally linked arms with Tang Zheng, "There are too many people here, let’s find a quiet place. Oh, where’s Old Xu?"
"Boss Yu!" the female manager cried out, her face ashen, her voice trembling. She didn’t dare to think what she would become without this well-paid job.
Yu Manli didn’t pay her any attention but continued talking to Tang Zheng, using Old Xu to draw them closer. Seeing that Group Leader didn’t pull away from her grip, she heaved a genuine sigh of relief.
Tang Zheng gave Yu Manli plenty of face. This woman was sly, full of crafty thoughts, but when it came to treating him, she was nothing but a submissive servant, willing to do anything.
"Wouldn’t it be nice if she were a bit more loyal?" Tang Zheng thought of Jing Xiang; the office lady was loyal enough but too foolish. Yu Manli’s capabilities and intellect were undoubtedly strong, otherwise, she wouldn’t have survived up to this point.
"Ma’am!" Seeing that Boss Yu was iron-hearted about firing her, the female manager turned to Tang Zheng as her last straw.
"Sister Manli, she has done well!" Tang Zheng stopped, turned back, and looked at the woman crying her eyes out, and sighed imperceptibly, "Stop crying, you don’t look like a manager right now."
"Boss Yu!" The female manager was at a loss and looked hopefully at Yu Manli.
"Alright, go touch up your makeup, do you want to disgrace Red State? Also, from today on, you’re the General Manager!" Yu Manli said with a frown, then pulled Tang Zheng away. Having become a conqueror, she had lost interest in these enterprises.
"Thank you, Boss Yu, thank you, Sir." The female manager wept with joy, turning misfortune into a blessing, thankful she hadn’t neglected Tang Zheng earlier.
"Who exactly is he?" The single-eyelid woman watched the couple walk away, questioning Song Tong, "You almost made us a laughing stock, do you know that?"
"Even a woman like Yu Manli has to be careful around a man like that, who could he be? You really have poor judgment." Another girlfriend also reproached Song Tong, relieved that nothing irreparable had been done, lest their future became grim.
"How was I supposed to know?" Song Tong looked aggrieved, cursing Yin Zhijian in her heart, blaming all this on that detestable man.
"Do you think they’re going to sleep together? Humph, Yu Manli really got lucky." The single-eyelid woman looked at Boss Yu’s tightened waistline with envy, jealousy, and hatred, "What beauty products did she use anyway? She looks like she’s suddenly grown ten years younger, look at her back, her skin is smoother than a young girl’s."
"Not just that, have you noticed? Yu Manli used to look very plain, but now she seems to be developing toward the level of a beauty, she must have gotten plastic surgery." Song Tong had also noticed, "Even her sagging breasts have somehow perked up again."
No woman doesn’t love to be beautiful, and Yu Manli’s transformation was definitely the hottest topic recently in the circle of wealthy ladies. There was no helping it, the change was too drastic, and many women were inquiring secretly about what she had done.
"This is my office, though I don’t use it often; feel free to have a seat." Yu Manli opened the door, let Tang Zheng into the room, and then went to make tea.
Tang Zheng walked towards the floor-to-ceiling window. From the thirty-sixth floor, he could overlook the bustling urban area below. The long lines of bright street lights were like a dragon.
His gaze followed a taxi as it disappeared into the night. With Tang Zheng’s eyesight, he could just make out the pedestrians.
No one spoke, and the room fell into silence. Yu Manli didn’t dare disturb Tang Zheng as she pondered how to begin speaking and mend the rift between them.
A moment later, the water boiled, shattering that comfortable feeling!
"Wearing this outfit, where have you been?" Tang Zheng settled into the leather chair, pointed at the drawer, and smiled, "Can I take a look? There won’t be anything scandalous in there, right?"
"You can." Yu Manli made tea like a little woman, perhaps because she rarely did such work, her movements were somewhat stiff, and some water spilled onto her hands, scalding her.
Tang Zheng couldn’t tell if Yu Manli was pretending, but he appreciated the gesture, and her bad impression on him lessened somewhat.
"I was invited to a charity event this afternoon to raise funds for building schools for children in poor mountainous areas." Yu Manli took off her high heels, walked barefoot over, and placed the teacup on the office desk, "It was me who had Old Xu invite you, I wanted you all to relax a bit!"
Yu Manli knew she couldn’t hide it from Tang Zheng and simply admitted it openly.
"Did my asking you to come back early interfere with the fundraiser?" Tang Zheng frowned, looking somewhat guilty.
One had to admit, Yu Manli was very good at understanding people’s hearts; the things she said accumulated bit by bit in Tang Zheng’s mind until he was willing to listen to her explanation.
"Not at all, nothing is more important than you, Group Leader!" Yu Manli smiled, flattering Tang Zheng.
"How many times have I said that you don’t need to be so cautious?" Tang Zheng picked up the teacup, looked at the tea leaves floating upright, took a sip, then casually opened the drawer and took out a blue folder. As soon as he opened it, the corners of his mouth twitched.
Yu Manli caught a glimpse and her face flushed red. Inside the folder was a pair of underwear she had taken off and put away after relaxing herself in the office last time.
"Cough, cough!" Tang Zheng coughed twice, pretending to have seen nothing, he put the folder back, closed the drawer, and stood up, "Alright, I’m going to head back now."
Tang Zheng had only walked a few steps when he heard Yu Manli call him. He turned around and saw her suddenly kneeling down, hands clasped in front of her, forehead touching the ground.
"What are you doing?" Tang Zheng was stunned and quickly reached out to help Yu Manli up; he wasn’t so conceited as to expect others to kneel before him.
"Group Leader, I was wrong, I won’t slack off anymore." Yu Manli did not get up or even raise her head, waiting for Tang Zheng’s forgiveness.
The gesture was too fervent, expressing Yu Manli’s deep remorse.
Even though she was already in her forties, apart from charm and temperament, Yu Manli no longer bore the traits of a mature woman. As a woman, once her basic needs were met, she also spent some points on beauty treatments. After all, wasn’t life meant for enjoyment? She didn’t want to become an old, haggard, yellow-faced wife.
"Get up, if you continue , you’re just slapping me in the face." Tang Zheng’s tone was filled with dissatisfaction. He knew that if Yu Manli took such an action without truly meaning to apologize, it would accumulate a great deal of humiliation in her heart. So, no matter what, he had to show his reluctance to accept it and would observe her future behavior.
Yu Manli didn’t insist and let Tang Zheng help her to stand. The two were less than half a meter apart, close enough to hear each other breathe.
"Did you get cosmetic surgery?" Observing Yu Manli’s now seventy-percent improved appearance, Tang Zheng inquired. Her chin was a bit sharper, her nose more refined, and the crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes had been removed.
"Yes, people should make themselves happy while alive, especially since I don’t know when I might die." Yu Manli knew Tang Zheng wouldn’t easily forgive her, so she planned to take it step by step.
After having witnessed Xu Biyun’s death, she suddenly realized that no matter how hard a person fights alone, it’s not enough. Accumulating ten thousand points was an incredibly long process for her, and death could come at any moment. If Tang Zheng were willing to revive her, that would be extra insurance.
Yu Manli wasn’t worried about Tang Zheng dying, because Qin Yan, Li Xinlan, and the other Conquerors, totaling more than five, would do everything in their power to revive him.
Yu Manli had long given up—she knew she couldn’t win over those people, and even Ruan Feifei, who she was closest to, wouldn’t spend a single point on her. She hated that feeling; she yearned to be part of the team.
"Good thinking, when you die, everything is gone. You should do things that are meaningful." Tang Zheng wouldn’t easily trust Yu Manli, but he would never show it on his face.
The doorbell rang; it was the female manager. Yu Manli went to answer it.
"Tang Zheng, you’re different from all the men I’ve met. Coming here, to be honest, I’ve never seen anyone who could resist making a mistake." Yu Manli closed the door, smiled, and switched to a lighter subject, "But I’ve broken the record today; I encountered two." Discover more novels at novęlfire.net
PS: The third update will be around 11:30, so everyone can read it in the morning without staying up too late! (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to visit Qidian.com to cast your votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest power.)