After washing up, Qiao Zhen stood at the door and whispered, "Hurry up, or we'll be late for work and get our wages docked."

Lu Zheng came out of the restroom and stood in front of the large mirror to fix his hair.

Qiao Zhen unconsciously looked over.

Atop a perfectly tailored dark blue suit stood an exceptionally handsome face. Beneath a high, straight nose, thin lips were gently pursed together. Most captivating were his pair of jet-black pupils, which, like jewels, gleamed with cunning and ruthlessness.

Qiao Zhen looked at Lu Zheng, who was radiant and full of glory.

The Lu Group has businesses both domestically and internationally. Whenever someone mentions his name, they are bound to give him a thumbs up and call him "President Lu".

"Stunned?"

Lu Zheng glanced sideways, a wild smile spreading across his lips. "I'm presentable enough. If I were walking next to you, many people would say you're marrying above your station."

Qiao Zhen swallowed hard, met Lu Zheng's predatory eyes, and mustered her courage to ask, "Why?"

"What?"

Why are you doing this to me?

She wanted to know why they were bothering her like this.

Qiao Zhen couldn't remember anything. She and Lu Zheng had never had any conflicts or contact before. Why would this arrogant and flamboyant person keep chasing after her, a down-and-out, ordinary person?

Lu Zheng frowned. He had been smiling, but that smile turned cold and aloof.

He slowly walked up to Qiao Zhen. Standing at 1.8 meters tall, Qiao Zhen had to look up to see his sharply defined features.

"do not you remember?"

Lu Zheng spoke slowly, his voice icy, "Yes, of course you don't remember, but what does it matter?"

As he spoke, he leaned over and pressed Qiao Zhen against the cold door, kissing her deeply.

As their lips and teeth intertwined, Qiao Zhen tried to struggle, but he lifted her wrist high and pressed it against the door. Her bright face scrunched up in pain. "It hurts."

It really hurts.

Lu Zheng raised his eyebrows slightly, and Qiao Zhen's wrist was red.

He quickly let go.

Qiao Zhen looked at her reddened hands, her eyes bloodshot, and glared at him fiercely. "Are you crazy? I'm not your plaything. I'm poor, but I won't sell myself. I can support myself with the money I earn now. I don't need a life of luxury. I can live on my own."

Yesterday, I could trample on her dignity in front of others, and it was only a small favor that I didn't force myself on her last night, allowing her to muster the courage to ask why.

Now look what's happened; all the goodwill I felt last night is completely gone.

Qiao Zhen finished speaking with tears in her eyes. She was not good enough for Lu Zheng, and they were not a good match. Why did he have to humiliate her like this?

She wiped her eyes, turned around to open the door and leave, but Lu Zheng stepped forward and placed her hand on the doorknob.

Just as she was about to struggle, Lu Zheng opened the door with her hand and said, "Let's go eat."

He walked past Qiao Zhen, went straight to the elevator, and pressed the button for the downward elevator.

If Lu Zheng doesn't go crazy, he's actually quite a gentleman.

Standing behind him, Qiao Zhen licked her lower lip. "I'll take a taxi back to the company by myself. I'm going to be late."

I can skip breakfast, but my salary can't be deducted.

Ding-dong, the elevator doors opened.

Lu Zheng stepped into the elevator first, looked at Qiao Zhen and said, "No one has ever dared to disobey my orders. What right do you have to talk to me now?"

Qiao Zhen paused for a moment, then understood what Lu Zheng meant.

If you speak to him as someone who has slept with you twice, you can naturally refuse his request.

But as an employee, she had no choice but to obey.

Qiao Zhen's face was ashen as she dug her toes into the carpet.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Lu Zheng took off his suit jacket, which a waiter took from him. He sat down in a chair and said, "Go get me something to eat."

Qiao Zhen silently got up. It was a buffet, and she didn't ask Lu Zheng what he wanted to eat. She just took a little of everything. As she took it, Qiao Zhen muttered to herself, "I hope you don't get too full."

The small table was filled with plates, and Qiao Zhen said with a professional smile, "Mr. Lu, please feel free to take whatever you would like to eat."

As she finished speaking, she was about to sit down when Lu Zheng frowned. "I'm your boss. Aren't you going to serve me some?"

Qiao Zhen gritted her teeth, "I'm an employee, I sell knowledge, not people."

Lu Zheng rested his hands on the chair beside him, unconcerned. "The company has a municipal project that you and another employee are both vying for. As far as I know, if this project is signed, the commission will be at least six figures."

Lu Zheng didn't continue, and Qiao Zhen's thoughts stirred slightly.

The commission for the project we discussed yesterday was very low. If we can snatch this project, we can not only make money, but also infuriate Ling Yiyi and the mistress who stole her boyfriend.

After a moment of silence, what does it matter if someone picks up food from a bowl of rice? They'd even feed someone else if they had money.

"Mr. Lu, please have some."

Qiao Zhen gave a fawning smile and placed a chili pepper on his plate, but Lu Zheng said, "I don't eat spicy food."

The movement paused in mid-air, and Qiao Zhen had no choice but to put the chili pepper in her mouth. "I like to eat it."

Lu Zheng's eyes lit up, but he didn't say anything.

Breakfast was finished amidst the tug-of-war between the two sides.

The process went relatively smoothly, and Lu Zheng did not make things difficult for Qiao Zhen.

Once in the car, Qiao Zhen fastened her seatbelt and said, "Mr. Lu, please drop me off at the intersection in front of the company. I'll walk there."

She didn't want other employees to misunderstand, otherwise the rumors would drown her.

Lu Zheng didn't say anything, the car revved up loudly, and the speed was so fast that Qiao Zhen was speechless.

Qiao Zhen thought Lu Zheng wouldn't listen to her and stop at the intersection. She was even thinking about how to explain to her colleagues that she got out of Lu Zheng's car, but then...

"arrive."

Qiao Zhen looked closely and realized it really was that intersection.

"Aren't you going to come down yet?"

Lu Zheng turned his head, a half-smile on his face, and said, "Unwilling?"

Qiao Zhen hurriedly unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the car door, and quickly got out. "Thank you, Mr. Lu."

The car started again and disappeared from sight.

Qiao Zhen stood there, somewhat dazed, and then couldn't quite put her finger on it, but felt a strange emptiness in her heart.

She shook her head, trying to comfort herself, "It's just a charade, why take it so seriously?"

As they were talking, they arrived at the company building.

Just as I was about to go up, I happened to see Lu Zheng's handsome back in the company lobby, sitting on the sofa, next to a very petite and cute girl, and the two of them were talking about something.

Several people at the front desk were watching.

"Oh my, she is Shen Yan, the heiress of the Shen Group. I've heard she's a great beauty."

"That's right, only someone like him is worthy of our CEO Lu."

"Wow, they are a perfect match, both in terms of looks and social standing."

Qiao Zhen's face turned pale. Ling Yiyi stood arrogantly beside Qiao Zhen and said, "See? President Lu was just playing with you. You actually took it seriously. Poor people are destined to be poor. Don't think that you can marry into a wealthy family just because you're pretty. Keep dreaming."

Qiao Zhen turned her head, a smile playing on her lips, "You said before that the Song family's project was given to you, did you sign the contract?"