Volume One, Chapter Four: Is This What You Call Love?

Yan Yan waved her hand in front of her. "What are you thinking about? Are you still struggling to move on from breaking up with Zhou Lin?"

Shen Zhao looked at her helplessly. "I'm not."

"I don't believe that for a second," Yan Yan replied. "Zhou Lin pulled so many stunts on you, and you never once mentioned breaking up. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"He slept with someone else."

Yan Yan was stunned. "Who?"

"I don't know." Shen Zhao shook her head. Life was hard enough; she had no energy to get to the bottom of it.

Yan Yan sighed. "When you decided to date Zhou Lin, you should have known what kind of man he was. 'Prodigal sons returning to the fold' is a plotline that only exists in novels. Besides, he’s the second young master of the Zhou family. The only people in all of Beijing who can keep him in check are his father or his older brother. Why make things so difficult for yourself?"

"To be realistic, given your situation, if you just turned a blind eye to certain things, you could actually gain much more. Zhou Lin was clearly attached to you. The women he was with before never lasted more than three months! You were with him for three years!"

Shen Zhao was silent for a long time before saying, "I don't want to do that."

Zhou Lin had done her a favor in the past. Realizing that Shen Zhao didn't want the last remnants of that gratitude to sour, Yan Yan didn't say anything more.

Shen Zhao continued to play for another hour and a half. When she finished, she went to the manager to collect her pay. Three hours, six hundred yuan. If she played for four more days, she could pay off the money she owed Shen Wenpei. As for the hospital bills, the balance in her bank account could hold out for a little longer. The real bulk of her debt, however, lay with her creditors.

Shen Zhao walked out of the restaurant and waited on the street corner for a while until she saw Zhou Huaixu emerge. Gathering her courage, she went up to him.

"Mr. Zhou."

Zhou Huaixu’s indifferent gaze fell upon her face. He didn’t respond, maintaining the same cold expression as if he didn’t recognize her. His friend beside him glanced at Shen Zhao with curious interest.

Shen Zhao took the initiative again. "Mr. Zhou, I’m Shen Zhao from the Investment Department."

Zhou Huaixu raised an eyelid slightly. "What is it?"

Shen Zhao hesitated. The friend, sensing the situation, bid Zhou Huaixu goodbye and walked away.

Left alone, Shen Zhao mustered her courage and looked at Zhou Huaixu. "Mr. Zhou, the incident that night left me physically unwell. I went to the hospital for a check-up, and it cost me some money."

Zhou Huaixu let out a soft laugh—a faint, mocking sound. Shen Zhao had expected him to look down on her, but she didn't have the luxury of caring. She only wanted to save up more money as quickly as possible. Since she already had a poor reputation in his eyes, she might as well lean into it and be a "straightforward" gold digger in front of him.

"Is Zhou Lin your cash cow, too?" Zhou Huaixu asked.

This was something Shen Zhao hadn't expected. She instinctively denied it: "He isn't."

"True love, then?"

Shen Zhao lowered her gaze and said earnestly, "I dated Zhou Lin because I liked him. There was nothing else to it."

"Liked him? You hadn't even finished breaking up with him before you slept with me. Is that your version of 'liking' someone?"

Zhou Huaixu's nonchalant expression was simply too calm. There was no emotion in his eyes, yet Shen Zhao felt a stinging, burning sensation on her face. If she had any leverage, she would have slapped him across the face right then and there, called him a pervert, and spat on his infuriatingly handsome face.

But she had nothing. Not only did she lack the nerve to do that, but she also had to remain humble and continue pleading with him: "Mr. Zhou, I just want some compensation."

"Selling is selling," Zhou Huaixu replied. "Why bother using such pretentious words to deceive yourself?"

*If I’m selling, then what does that make you?* Shen Zhao retorted in her mind, though she dared not say it aloud. She suppressed her anger, lifted her dark eyes, and stared steadily at him. "I don’t think you’d want Zhou Lin to find out that I slept with you, either."

She and Zhou Lin had already broken up and wouldn't be involved in the future. But Zhou Huaixu was Zhou Lin’s own brother. Zhou Lin was a man who valued his pride; given his temper, he would certainly have a falling out with Zhou Huaixu.

Zhou Huaixu’s slender fingers, which had been adjusting his cuffs, paused. He glanced at her coldly. At that moment, a Bentley pulled up. The driver got out, walked to the back seat, and opened the door respectfully. "Young Master."

Not "Mr. Zhou," but "Young Master." The driver was from the Zhou family. Shen Zhao’s bravado instantly vanished, and she turned on her heel, preparing to slip away.

"Follow me," Zhou Huaixu said quietly.

The driver gestured for her to enter with professional courtesy. Shen Zhao was filled with regret. She only hoped the driver hadn't noticed anything. Who did she think she was, trying to threaten Zhou Huaixu?

Aside from being Zhou Lin’s brother, Zhou Huaixu was the Executive President of Huaze—her "bread and butter," her *real* cash cow! She must have been insane to come up with that idea on a whim!

The car drove to a residential area in the heart of Beijing. Shen Zhao looked at the familiar buildings, and her heart grew even colder. This was Yun Mansion, one of Beijing’s top luxury estates. Zhou Lin had a property here and had brought her once before.

Zhou Huaixu was bringing her here for a direct confrontation.

The driver left after parking. Shen Zhao’s face turned pale. She looked at Zhou Huaixu and begged in a low voice, "Mr. Zhou, I’m sorry. It was my ignorance earlier. You and Zhou Lin are brothers with a bond stronger than steel; I wouldn't have the audacity to ruin your relationship."

Zhou Huaixu ignored her and walked toward the building. Shen Zhao followed closely behind. "Mr. Zhou..."

Zhou Huaixu glanced at her coldly. "Why are you still following me?"

Shen Zhao was stunned. "You told me to follow you earlier."

"And you believe everything I say?"

His tone was flat, but the mockery in his eyes was blindingly obvious. Realizing she had been played, another wave of anger surged within her. "If you didn't want to give me the money, you could have just refused. Why bother humiliating someone like me?"

Zhou Huaixu remained calm. "Did I ever promise to give you money?"

Shen Zhao was left speechless. Zhou Huaixu had indeed never explicitly said so. Whether it was the money or the confrontation with Zhou Lin, she had been delusional—overthinking everything. It was just like how she had once foolishly thought she had a good relationship with Ji Chao, or that Zhou Lin would eventually turn over a new leaf.

Zhou Huaixu lowered his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Shen Zhao’s slightly reddened eyelids. He said calmly, "If you don't have the brains to scheme against others, then stop doing such stupid things."

Shen Zhao kept her head down, feeling miserable. If she hadn't been backed into a corner, she never would have stood here to be humiliated by him.

Zhou Huaixu adjusted his tie. "It was just a one-night stand. Who you choose to tell is your freedom. Of course, as long as you can bear the consequences of the truth coming out, do as you please."