Volume One, Chapter 29: Lu Wei Changes Her Mind

At a tea restaurant on the corner, Tang Yumei’s old friend was already waiting. Zhou Yang had not expected that this old friend Tang Yumei wanted him to meet would be Laura, a wealthy woman in Shen City who owned hundreds of apartments and several office buildings.

"Oh, Tangtang, why are you late every single time!" Laura complained, then greeted Zhou Yang with a wave, "Just sit anywhere!"

Laura then beckoned the waiter to bring the food.

"I’m to blame for being late!" Zhou Yang scratched his head, feeling embarrassed. "I’m a new driver, so I was a bit slow."

"Oh, so you’ve become Tangtang’s personal driver just after she had a falling out with her husband?" Laura said. "You’re moving up pretty fast, kid!"

"Don’t tease me, Laura," Zhou Yang replied, even more bashful.

"Let’s get down to business," Tang Yumei said. "Zhou Yang, I brought you to meet Laura today because there is actually a small favor I need you to do."

"What small favor?" Zhou Yang asked.

"Laura’s cousin runs a small private hospital and they need to source some traditional Chinese medicines," Tang Yumei explained. "We were hoping you could sign a contract with them and provide the supplies."

Zhou Yang smiled. "Sister Mei, how can you call this a favor? You’re bringing me a client; you’re the ones helping me!"

Laura waved her hand, her floral-patterned sleeve tattoo catching the eye. "No, no, no! My cousin’s hospital isn’t very large. They have a decent demand for your company’s best-selling products—Wan Gu Ling and Bai Cao Jie Fu Ointment—but because they are best-sellers, he can’t secure an agency agreement and is constantly running out of stock."

"The regional sales reps don’t have enough authority, and the sales reps at headquarters only care about big clients, so they look down on his small volume of business. He’s stuck in the middle, and it’s very awkward."

"Originally, I planned to have Tangtang ask her husband to resolve this, but since she’s had a fallout with him, and I heard you joined the sales department at headquarters, it’s a perfect match!"

Just then, the waiter began serving the food, and Laura said, "Let’s eat first, let’s eat!"

Tang Yumei picked up her chopsticks and, while eating, said to Zhou Yang, "Actually, Laura just wants you to represent the company and sign a contract with her cousin to ensure an unlimited supply of those two best-selling products. That’s all it takes."

In reality, even with an unlimited supply, those two products wouldn’t generate much revenue; they were both inexpensive and effective medicines. Therefore, this wasn't a major account, which is why the headquarters' sales reps ignored it, and the regional reps lacked the authority to handle it.

"That’s certainly no problem," Zhou Yang said.

"One more thing," Laura added with a mysterious smile. "When you go to talk to my cousin, be a little careful. He has... a bit of a bad temper!"

Tang Yumei spread her hands and added, "He’s a man of the underworld."

Zhou Yang nodded, understanding now why no other salesperson wanted to handle this business. The account was small, and the client was difficult to deal with—who would want to hit a wall? But since Laura had stepped in, he would naturally serve this client for the sake of Tang Yumei.

"I’m in the sales department now, so my cousin can place orders anytime! That won’t be an issue at all," Zhou Yang promised.

"Great! Then thank you in advance!" Laura said.

"You’re too kind, Laura. It’s the least I can do to help with such a small matter," Zhou Yang said modestly.

The dinner ended on a high note. The next morning, Zhou Yang called Laura’s cousin to schedule a meeting to discuss the contract. Although Zhou Yang had signed a massive deal, as a newcomer to the sales department, he still had to be accompanied by a veteran salesperson when going out to close business.

However, Liu Yan wasn't available today, so a beautiful colleague was sent along instead. This salesperson, Zhao Ziying, had been in the department for three years with average performance—a decent enough salesperson. Because of this, she carried a sense of pride in front of Zhou Yang, much like a driving instructor who always maintains an air of superiority over their students. She also disliked how a newcomer like Zhou Yang was stealing the spotlight as soon as he arrived. Accompanying him today was an arrangement by Su Jing, and she had no choice in the matter. But deep down, she secretly vowed that if she could sabotage the deal, she wouldn't hesitate.

Zhao Ziying adjusted her long white dress and held up a parasol, looking entirely reluctant. The two walked toward the parking lot.

When they reached a white Cadillac, Zhou Yang pressed the key fob. "Sister Zhao, get in!"

"Wait? This is your car?" Zhao Ziying was suddenly taken aback.

College graduates like Zhou Yang usually couldn't afford their own cars. Even if their families helped, it would be a modest vehicle worth a hundred thousand or so. Those from middle-class families in Shen City would only drive cars worth two or three hundred thousand. Yet, the car Zhou Yang was driving cost half a million, and it looked brand new, not a used model.

"I didn't expect you to be so wealthy!" Zhao Ziying’s tone softened significantly.

Zhou Yang sneered inwardly; the saying was true—a car is a man’s face.

Just as Zhou Yang was about to speak, a figure hurried toward them. It was his ex-girlfriend, Lu Wei.

"Zhou Yang!" Lu Wei called out, rushing to stop him. "I have something to say to you!"

"It’s not a good time; I’m on my way to see a client," Zhou Yang said. He no longer had feelings for Lu Wei and wanted nothing more to do with her.

Lu Wei said, "Zhou Yang, don’t be so petty. Even if we aren't a couple anymore, we can still talk, right?"

Zhao Ziying stood to the side, feeling awkward. "You should settle your personal matters first," she suggested.

"Fine. Sister Zhao, go ahead and get in," Zhou Yang said. He opened the passenger door, let her in, closed it, and turned back to Lu Wei. "What do you want to say?"

Lu Wei looked shocked, pointing at the car. "Did you just buy this?"

"So what? Is that a problem?" Zhou Yang asked.

A deep sense of regret flashed in Lu Wei’s eyes. She had recently heard from colleagues that a rising star had emerged in the city sales department, landing a billion-dollar client within just half a month of joining. This story was circulating through every department. When Lu Wei realized that the rising star was Zhou Yang, she completely lost her composure. Seeing him now with a new, high-end luxury car, her regret surged like a tidal wave.

A billion-dollar client—the commission alone would be over a million a year. Zhou Yang had clearly bought the car with his future earnings. It suited him perfectly.

"Who is that woman in the car?" Lu Wei asked.

"Does that have anything to do with you?" Zhou Yang replied. "If there’s nothing else, don’t come looking for me again. I don’t want people to get the wrong idea."

In that moment, Lu Wei felt a profound sense of misery. She had been blind; she had let such a high-potential man slip through her fingers so easily. And now, winning him back seemed like an impossible task.

"I broke up with Xie Feng," Lu Wei said. "I want us to get back together."

Zhou Yang remained silent.

Lu Wei continued, "I’ve realized I still love you, and Xie Feng wasn't right for me. For the sake of our four years together in college, can we go back to how things were?"

Afraid he might refuse, she quickly added, "To show you my sincerity, I can stay with you tonight."