Before long, Zhou Zijing's face paled several shades paler, and that feeling of being suffocated swept over her body again.

She subconsciously avoided Gong Ning's gaze, but that agonizing feeling still lingered, impossible to shake off.

"What? Is Miss Zhou dissatisfied with my request?" Gong Ning chuckled. "Do you need me to explain how all of this came about? I think the Zhou family's insignificant influence shouldn't have any access to the network of connections behind all this, right? What do you say?"

Zhou Zijin's body went limp, and she looked at Gong Ning in shock, looking at her for the first time. Her fingers, holding the pen, trembled uncontrollably.

"I'm only giving you five minutes. If you don't sign, then all the evidence—how you got all this, what you used, what you did—will be promptly presented at the police station, in the hands of the powerful family whose livelihood you stole, the Gong family, and of course... the Yan clan!"

Zhou Zijing shuddered.

Gong Ning toyed with her pinkish nail polish. "Don't say I didn't warn you. I can find out all the assets under your name, so naturally I have the ability to expose all your dirty tricks. You can choose not to believe me, but we'll wait and see!"

Zhou Zijing took a deep breath, slowly turned to the last page of the document, and signed her name with trembling fingers.

It felt as if a large piece of my heart had been forcibly cut off.

A satisfied smile flashed across Gong Ning's eyes, but it disappeared in an instant, and she returned to her previous ambiguous, half-smiling expression.

He forcefully snatched the document from Zhou Zijing's tightly gripped hand, a reserved smile curving his lips.

It revealed the jubilant, tsunami-like explosion of joy within her.

We're rich now!

We're rich now!

We're rich now!

I'll say it three times because it's important!

Ah Lin covered his eyes, he couldn't bear to look!

A-Lin doesn't recognize such a money-grubbing prince!

——

At the Yan Group, the camphor wood carved doors of the conference room slowly opened, and the senior executives who attended the meeting filed out.

Unlike their usual serious expressions, everyone's face carried a subtle hint of surprise and gossip.

If they are not mistaken.

Is the CEO in a good mood today?

The marketing department head's report today contained such a huge flaw, yet the president surprisingly didn't change his expression.

Not only that, but a gentle smile actually appeared on his usually indifferent and cold face for the first time ever.

Yes, they weren't mistaken; it was that gentle smile, as warm as the spring sun melting ice and snow.

hiss--

The CEO's face was already outrageously handsome, and paired with that faint, gentle smile, it was simply irresistible.

I never expected the CEO to be so handsome when he smiles.

This is so good it's making people want to become fans!

Didn't you see the marketing manager with his bald head and a beaming smile?

The female colleague looked disdainful.

The next second they huddled together and whispered to each other.

"Do you guys think the CEO is in love? His smile is so warm, it's melting my heart!"

"Give me a break. You're a woman with a husband and kids. I don't believe a smile from the CEO can melt your heart. What will your husband and kids do then?"

The female colleague who spoke first stiffened upon hearing this, then gritted her teeth and said, "Please, can't you even listen to the point? I was just expressing my pursuit of beautiful things, it's a normal thing! If you keep arguing, believe me, I'll..."

"Wrong, wrong, just kidding. The CEO doesn't fall in love so easily. I bet the woman who can handle our CEO hasn't even been born yet!"

"Do you mean that the CEO will marry a woman more than twenty years younger than him someday in the future, and then inherit and carry forward the spirit of the 'old cow eating young grass'?"

"......."