Meng Zihan stared intently at Meng Xuejun, her eyes devoid of tears, filled only with a burning hatred.

Meng Xuejun felt uncomfortable under her gaze, but he still stubbornly kept shouting.

"What's the use of glaring at me?! With that energy, you should hurry up and go to the factory to figure out a solution! You're only good at bullying your own family!"

Meng Zihan suddenly came to her senses.

Yes, he's a scoundrel. Arguing with him will only make you angry and cause you trouble.

The most urgent task is to resolve the issue of that batch of goods.

If they really get stuck with the bad debt, they will not only have no money to make ends meet, but they may also lose everything and have to pack up and leave immediately.

She gritted her teeth, said nothing, grabbed her backpack from the table, slammed the door, and left.

In September, the sun in the port city hung in the sky like a fireball, the air was stuffy and humid, and the wind blowing from the street carried a mixture of gasoline and dust smells.

At the factory gate, several large trucks were being loaded with goods, their engines chugging and kicking up a cloud of choking dust.

Meng Zihan pinched her nose and walked quickly to the gatehouse, trying to make her voice sound calm: "Hello, is Director Zhou here? I have something urgent to discuss with him."

The gatekeeper glanced at her, then waved his hand lazily: "She's out, not here."

Not here?

What a coincidence?

Meng Zihan lowered her head and thought for a moment, then turned and walked to the public phone booth at the street corner.

She pulled out a few hard coins from her pocket, dropped them in with a clinking sound, and dialed Director Zhou's number.

As soon as the phone was answered, the sounds of roaring machines and shouting workers filled the air, with Director Zhou's voice sounding somewhat impatient.

Who is it?

"Factory Manager Zhou? This is Meng, the one who placed the order before," Meng Zihan quickly said. "It's like this, could we... cancel our order for that batch of goods?"

She asked cautiously, her heart pounding in her throat.

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone; the noisy background sounds seemed to fade into the distance.

Immediately, Factory Director Zhou scoffed, "Boss Meng, are you kidding me? The contract is already signed, and the deposit has been paid. You're just going to say you don't want it anymore?"

"Factory manager, please have mercy and show some understanding!" Meng Zihan pleaded in a tearful voice, "My client suddenly changed their mind, I have no choice! Please have mercy on me, otherwise this batch of goods will be stuck in my hands, and I'll have no choice but to jump off a building!"

Silence fell on the other end, with only the roar of machinery echoing.

Meng Zihan didn't dare to speak, gripping the microphone tightly, waiting for his reply.

After a long while, Director Zhou finally spoke, and he was relatively reasonable.

"Okay, I'll have the production line shut down first. Are you free tonight? Let's find a place to have dinner and talk face-to-face. We need to get an explanation for what's already been produced."

Upon hearing that there was a chance, Meng Zihan readily agreed, "I'm free! I'm free! Then... how about Gangcheng Restaurant? I'll make a reservation!"

Gangcheng Restaurant is one of the top restaurants in the area, and she's going all out, hoping to win them over with her sincerity.

"Okay, see you tonight." Director Zhou hung up the phone after saying that.

Meng Zihan put down the receiver and leaned against the glass of the phone booth, only then realizing that the back of her clothes was completely soaked.

She had finally escaped a desperate situation and had to seize this chance!

She hurried back to the rented room they called "home".

The small single room, less than ten square meters, had the toilet and stove squeezed together.

Pushing open the door, a strange smell—a mixture of stale food, dampness, and cheap cigarettes—hit the doorway.

Meng Xuejun had returned and was lying sprawled on the bed, one foot wearing a shoe and the other bare foot dangling over the edge of the bed, with a ring of cigarette ash on the floor.

The room was already so small it was suffocating, and his hopeless, good-for-nothing behavior made it even more cramped.

Looking at the filthy mess of the doghouse, and then at the man on the bed who only seemed to be wasting air, Meng Zihan felt a wave of nausea wash over her.

When she first arrived, she comforted herself, saying that as long as she got through this, everything would be alright.

But what is the reality?

Does this mean that for the next ten or twenty years, I'll be tied to this man and this moldy house?

No, she absolutely cannot live that kind of life!

She wants to climb up!

No matter what method you use!

Thinking about Director Zhou, whom she was to meet that evening, a thought began to grow wildly in her mind.

She had heard that Director Zhou was not only rich and powerful, but also a womanizer.

As the director of a state-owned enterprise, how could I possibly associate with someone like this...?

Meng Zihan felt nauseous, but then she was overwhelmed by an even stronger flame called ambition.

She walked to the mirror and whispered, "I can endure anything for the sake of the future."

She washed her face, carefully applied makeup, and her eyebrows and eyes were highlighted to be exceptionally bright.

She changed into a white dress that accentuated her curves.

She looked at her pure, lovely, and charming self in the mirror and smiled.

As night fell, the Gangcheng Restaurant was brightly lit, and the entrance was filled with cars.

Meng Zihan had booked a private room in advance and sat quietly, her heart pounding.

Not long after, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Director Zhou walked in.

Factory Director Zhou was in his fifties, with a fat head and big ears.

His white T-shirt was bulging, and his face was shiny with oil.

Upon seeing Meng Zihan, a clear look of amazement flashed in his eyes.

Meng Zihan felt a slight sense of relief, and her smile deepened. She immediately handed over the menu: "Director Zhou, please order."

Factory Director Zhou took the menu, casually put it aside, and placed his palm directly on the back of Meng Zihan's hand.

His palms were rough and sweaty.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!