Hard work after winning the lottery

But what about that woman?

Zhou Yanjin lifted the covers; the bed was empty except for him.

Not even a trace of warmth remained.

It was as if everything from last night was just a fleeting dream for him.

But the ambiguous atmosphere in the air and the lingering unfamiliar touch on his body reminded him that all of this had actually happened.

Zhou Yanjin's face was so gloomy it could drip water.

who is it?

Who has the audacity to plot against him?

He picked up his phone and dialed the number of his chief secretary, Ying Zhiyao, his voice icy.

"Who brought me home last night?"

Ying Zhiyao, on the other end of the phone, was visibly taken aback, but immediately replied professionally, "President Zhou, last night it was Hua Yun, the new secretary and assistant in the president's office, who was responsible for taking you home."

Hua Yun?

A blurry, non-threatening face appeared in Zhou Yanjin's mind.

Always with his head down, quiet and unassuming, he had little presence.

is her?

Zhou Yanjin's thin lips pressed into a cold, hard straight line.

"Have her come to see me immediately."

"...President Zhou," Ying Zhiyao's voice revealed a hint of difficulty, "I haven't been able to contact her since this morning. Her phone has been switched off the whole time, and she...didn't come to the company today either."

Shutting down?

Didn't come to the company?

Oh.

Zhou Yanjin let out a cold laugh that was hard to decipher.

Sleeping with your boss and then disappearing – what kind of new "playing hard to get" tactic is this?

Or does she think that this will allow her to sever ties and pretend that nothing happened?

Naive.

"I'll give you half an hour," Zhou Yanjin's voice was devoid of warmth, like a Siberian cold front, "I need to know all her information, her address, her family background, everything."

Was this woman up to something, or... just an accident?

He needs to figure this out.

He wanted to see what secrets this seemingly unremarkable woman was hiding.

……

South Railway Station.

Amidst the bustling crowd, Hua Yun, wearing a black baseball cap and pulling a suitcase, drifted into the sea of ​​people like a rootless duckweed.

She didn't even go back to the company to resign, nor did she bother to pack up anything she left at her workstation.

And so, in the most pathetic and resolute way, they chose to escape.

The green light came on at the ticket gate.

She followed the crowd and boarded the earliest green train heading south.

The carriage was filled with a mixture of smells.

Instant noodles, sweat, and cheap cigarettes.

Hua Yun found a seat by the window and pulled her hat down even lower, as if she wanted to bury her entire face in the shadows.

"Waaah—"

The train let out a long whistle, and the train began to move slowly and heavily forward.

The platform, buildings, and trees outside the window began to rush past rapidly.

Hua Yun finally raised her head and looked out the window.

In the distance, the skyscraper of the Zhou Group, which she knew all too well, stood like a sharp sword piercing the sky.

That was once her goal, the place she dreamed of.

She had fantasized countless times about one day standing on the top of that building, side by side with him, looking at the same scenery.

But now, that building stands like a giant tombstone, burying all her love and dignity.

The train is accelerating.

The building grew smaller and smaller, more and more blurry, in her view.

Just like the distance between her and him, a distance that could never lead to anything.

A hot tear, without warning, slid down her cheek.

Then, the second drop, the third drop...

She bit her lip hard, trying not to make a sound.

But the tears that had broken the dam could not be stopped.

Goodbye, City A.

Goodbye, Zhou Yanjin.

Goodbye to my grand yet humble unrequited love that lasted 396 days.

The train entered a dark tunnel.

She left all her light and hope behind her completely.

City A, Zhou Group headquarters, president's office.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the city continues its bustling and noisy life.

Inside the office, it was so quiet that you could hear the faint hum of the air conditioner vents.

Zhou Yanjin's well-defined fingers tapped unconsciously on the smooth surface of the desk.

one more time.

The dull sound felt like it was stepping on his agitated nerves.

Twenty-nine minutes had passed since he gave the order to Ying Zhiyao.

This was the first time he felt things were out of control.

This feeling is awful.

The clock on the wall clicked, its second hand pointing exactly to half an hour.

The internal phone rang precisely on time.

Zhou Yanjin pressed the speakerphone button, her voice as cold as ice.

"explain."

Yao's voice, transmitted through the electrical current, carried a rare hint of hesitation.

"Mr. Zhou... came up empty-handed."

Zhou Yanjin's fingers, which were tapping on the table, suddenly paused.

Something dangerous was gathering in his dark eyes.

"The old apartment that Hua Yun rented is now empty."

Yao reported quickly and concisely.

"The landlord said she sent a text message early this morning announcing the termination of the lease and didn't even ask for the deposit back."

"Our people checked all the contact information she left in the company file, including emergency contact, and all of them were either unreachable or switched off."

"It's like... he vanished into thin air."

Vanished into thin air?

Zhou Yanjin's thin lips curled into a cold, icy smile.

On Zhou Yanjin's turf, are they going to disappear?

What gives her the right?

Who does she think she is?

"President Zhou," Ying Zhiyao paused, "could this Hua Yun... be someone sent by a competitor?"

This is also the most reasonable explanation that Yao could come up with.

A meticulously planned corporate spy, after succeeding, quickly makes his escape, erasing all traces.

Zhou Yanjin remained silent.

He just stared at the newly printed document on the table, containing all the information about Huayun.

His family background was as simple as a blank sheet of paper.

My parents are farmers, and our home is in a remote village.

I also have a younger brother who is currently in his final year of high school.

With a clean resume, excellent grades, and a track record of scholarships, he completed his university studies.

Joining Zhou's company was her first formal job.

This face, no matter how you look at it, doesn't resemble that of a well-trained corporate spy.

It's more like a... startled little rabbit that can only flee in panic.

The fragmented memories of last night flashed through Zhou Yanjin's mind once again.

Her tears, her trembling, and the suppressed, animalistic sobs deep in her throat.

Everything seemed so immature, so real.

acting?

If this was all an act, then this woman's scheming is far too deep.

"Get the surveillance footage from the apartment building's hallways immediately."

Zhou Yanjin gave the order in a deep voice.

"Yes, Mr. Zhou."

In less than five minutes, a high-definition video was sent to Zhou Yanjin's personal computer.

He clicked on the video.

The time is 6:07 AM.

In the video, a slender figure stumbles out of the elevator.

Isn't that his shirt?

The oversized men's shirt hung loosely on her body, the hem barely covering her thighs.

Her legs were thin and straight, so white they were almost dazzling under the stark white light.

She was barefoot, carrying her high heels in one hand and clutching an evening bag tightly in the other.

Her long hair was disheveled and covered most of her face.