From rejecting the beautiful female CEO to becoming extremely powerful

Mu Qingying's smile vanished.

She took the sun hat back from Lu Yunzhou, then took his arm, and gave her answer directly in front of Han Zheng and more than a dozen teammates.

"He's the person I'm currently dating. Han Zheng, please be more polite to him."

Han Zheng's hand stopped on the wrist guard, and the color drained from his face.

During his university years, he brought Mu Qingying breakfast, bought her gifts, and even waited for her for several hours downstairs at her dormitory.

Mu Qingying never gave him the slightest chance.

Now, however, she took the initiative to link arms with Lu Yunzhou.

Han Zheng stared at their arms pressed together, his back teeth clenching until they ached.

"Qingying, you should consider the conditions when choosing a man. He's just an ordinary college graduate who's changed jobs several times since his military service and doesn't even have a stable income. How can he take care of you?"

The surrounding teammates stopped training and all eyes turned to them.

Lu Yunzhou had average grades in college and then joined the army after graduation.

The jobs I had after leaving the military were not exactly respectable.

Han Zheng had obviously asked someone about his situation, and he even made a point of mentioning it to Mu Qingying.

Lu Yunzhou was not angry.

He knows all the hardships he has endured over the years.

Earning money with your own hands is never shameful.

Mu Qingying released Lu Yunzhou and took a step forward.

"What jobs he's done is none of your business. He's saved lives, carried a gun, and endured hardships you've never experienced. You think you can lecture him with your education and salary? You think you're worthy?"

Han Zheng was speechless, so he grabbed the hem of his jersey and tugged at it twice.

A teammate just happened to pass the basketball over.

Han Zheng reached out and caught it, finally finding an outlet for his anger.

He seized the opportunity when Lu Yunzhou turned around and slammed the ball towards Lu Yunzhou's back.

The basketball hurtled straight past, accompanied by the whoosh of the wind.

Lu Yunzhou's ears twitched, and he took a half-step to the left.

The basketball grazed his sleeve, hit the metal net, and bounced back onto the court.

Several gasps of surprise came from all around.

Mu Qingying quickly stepped in front of Lu Yunzhou, her chest heaving rapidly.

She never expected that Han Zheng would do such a thing after not seeing him for so many years.

"Han Zheng, apologize right now. If you dare to touch him again, I won't even recognize you as a classmate."

Han Zheng caught the rebounding basketball, his facial muscles tensing.

He was unwilling to bow down to these teammates, and even less willing to lose to someone he looked down upon.

"If you want me to submit, then fight me. One-on-one, whoever loses stays away from you."

Lu Yunzhou raised his eyelids, already feeling annoyed.

Mu Qingying is a living, breathing person, yet Han Zheng treats her as a prize in a competition.

Based on that one sentence alone, this person has no right to approach her.

"It's her decision who she wants to be with. I'm not interested in playing your foolish game."

Lu Yunzhou grabbed Mu Qingying's arm, preparing to leave.

Han Zheng, however, blocked his path with the ball.

He bent over and lowered his center of gravity, switching the basketball back and forth between his legs, and deliberately bumped it into Lu Yunzhou's shoulder.

Lu Yunzhou took a half step back.

The basketball had barely left Han Zheng's hand when Lu Yunzhou swatted it away from the side.

The ball rolled a few meters before being caught by a player on the sidelines.

Feeling embarrassed, Han Zheng reached out his hand to the team member.

In his second attack, he first made two feints, swaying his left shoulder and then suddenly accelerating.

Lu Yunzhou didn't even bend over.

Just as Han Zheng switched the ball to his right hand, Lu Yunzhou blocked his path, his shoe tip cutting into the spot where Han Zheng would step next.

Han Zheng was afraid the two would collide, so he had to stop, but Lu Yunzhou casually flicked the basketball behind him.

A few more murmurs arose from the training field.

After joining the Sheng'an Youth Team, Han Zheng scored high points in several games thanks to his speed and physicality.

They've conceded two goals in a row, and the loss was to someone who wasn't wearing football boots.

His face began to flush red.

When Han Zheng got the ball for the third time, he stopped making feints.

He lowered his shoulders and pressed himself against Lu Yunzhou's body, intending to use his weight to push him away.

Lu Yunzhou understood what was going on once he saw how the man landed.

Han Zheng's right foot always veers inwards every time he steps on the ground.

During the first two changes of direction, he would subconsciously protect his right leg.

If the intensity of the exercise increases, that leg will eventually develop problems.

As the basketball bounced for the third time, Lu Yunzhou stepped in front of Han Zheng and used his shoulder to catch the impact.

He turned his body with the momentum, held the basketball in his right hand, and sent it out.

The basketball crossed most of the court.

The ball hit the top edge of the backboard, fell into the basket, and the net rope flipped up and fell down again.

The players on the sidelines all stopped.

At such a distance, Lu Yunzhou didn't even make a aiming motion.

Han Zheng has been practicing basketball for over ten years, but he wouldn't dare say he could make that shot.

Han Zheng felt a tightness in his chest and walked towards the basketball again.

Lu Yunzhou blocked his way, his gaze falling on his right leg.

"You always land with your right foot inwards, and your right ankle is still injured and hasn't recovered. Now, every time you change direction, the pressure is on the inside of your knee. If you keep training like this, forget about playing in the league, you'll be walking in pain in six months."

Han Zheng's feet stopped in place.

Two years ago, he twisted his right ankle during a match.

The team doctor advised him to rest for three months, but in order to secure a contract extension, he returned to the training field after only one month.

Many of his teammates were unaware of this.

His right knee has indeed been hurting frequently lately.

Every time the pain flares up, he relies on pain-relieving spray to tough it out.

Lu Yunzhou only watched three attacks before he correctly identified all the problems.

Han Zheng looked down at his right leg, sweat beading on his forehead.

The momentum they had just displayed dissipated, and they no longer dared to touch the ball.

Lu Yunzhou ignored him and left the basketball court with Mu Qingying.

As Mu Qingying walked through the old canteen, she slowed her pace.

She felt a tightness in her chest as she recalled what Han Zheng had just said.

"Yunzhou, I'm sorry. I didn't know he would use your past to humiliate you."

Lu Yunzhou turned his head to look at her and deliberately teased her, "You've already said in public that you're dating me, so this little bit of grievance is nothing."

Mu Qingying's ears felt hot, and she reached out and pinched his arm.

She didn't even think about explaining when she said those words.

Now that Lu Yunzhou brought it up, she realized that she was much bolder than she was in college.

The two returned to the car, and Mu Qingying took out the photo they had just taken.

The two people in the photo are shoulder to shoulder; they don't look like ordinary classmates at all.

She put the photos into an encrypted album and then casually turned off the screen.

When the car arrived at the North City Manor, the sun was already high in the sky.

Mu Qingying unbuckled her seatbelt but did not get out of the car immediately.

She stared at the red mark next to Lu Yunzhou's neck for two seconds, and that feeling of unease welled up in her heart again.

"I only said 'let's date' today to help you out of a difficult situation. If you dare to use that to woo other women, I'll settle the score with you."

Lu Yunzhou touched his nose, feeling a surge of warmth in his heart.

Mu Qingying pushed open the car door and got out, her white skirt brushing against the seat.

She glanced back before entering the manor, and only when she saw Lu Yunzhou still sitting in the car did a smile return to her face.

Lu Yunzhou waited for her to enter the room and then picked up the project documents from the passenger seat.

Feng Qianyi has sent him three messages, asking him to go to the bridal chamber to check the construction plan for the old port of Nanwan.

Forty minutes later, he arrived at Feng Qianyi's bridal chamber.

As soon as the door opened, Feng Qianyi stuffed a stack of contracts into his arms.

She was wearing a fitted lounge dress, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, her fair legs shod in slippers, and she still had the steam from her shower.

Lu Yunzhou looked down at the contract, then at the dining table covered with documents.

Feng Qianyi crossed her arms, a hint of dissatisfaction on her face.

"Finish reading the documents tonight. You're not leaving until you've missed a single page."