That night, she listened to the 007 footage, and the scenes were incredibly exciting.

When Xiang Wan toasted, she slipped a little something under her fingernails, specifically for Zhou Ziqi. After the four of them left, before Li Ying even went inside, Zhou Ziqi was already feeling unbearably hot all over. Wang Yuan had also drunk quite a bit, and the alcohol, combined with the substance Li Ying and the others had added, gradually made him feel hot as well. With the private room empty, Wang Yuan made a quick decision, immediately helping Zhou Ziqi upstairs and calling the front desk to get her a room.

"Brother Wang, I'm not feeling well, so let's call it a day. Next time, we'll make sure you have a great time."

Zhou Ziqi's drug took effect, making her limbs weak, but she still retained her rationality. With Li Ying nowhere to be seen, she couldn't help but feel anxious. She struggled as she spoke, but her strength was no match for a grown man, only fueling Wang Yuan's desire.

“Sister Zhou, that’s not right of you. When you’re out having fun, there has to be a reason, right? You keep telling me to have a good time, but your Brother Wang is having a great time right now. Wouldn’t it be better if we went somewhere else?”

Seeing that Zhou Ziqi was still struggling, Wang Yuan leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "You guys aren't trying to get something for nothing, are you? Humph, there's no such thing as a free lunch!"

Zhou Ziqi was startled and quickly said, "Brother Wang, you've misunderstood. I asked you out so you could have fun. I've already brought four girls for you today, any one of them would be fine, why did you specifically ask me? I'm your manager, how could I do such a thing?"

"Hmph, agent?" Wang Yuan sneered. "Since you're willing to do anything for Li Ying, why bother with all that nonsense?"

The waiter came over, opened the door, and respectfully handed the room key to Wang Yuan.

"You know what you should say and what you shouldn't say, right?"

The waiter nodded in agreement and quickly left. Zhou Ziqi was extremely anxious and said without thinking, "Waiter, please take me to the hospital quickly."

"Don't bother. Now that you've caught my eye, I won't treat you badly in the future."

Wang Yuan slammed the door shut and threw Zhou Ziqi onto the bed.

"Wang Yuan, don't come any closer. I respect you by calling you Brother Wang, but that doesn't mean I'm afraid of you. If you dare to do anything to me today, believe me, I'll call the police and have you arrested tomorrow."

"Oh, still not giving up, huh?" Wang Yuan said while unbuttoning his shirt. "Weren't you willing to do anything, no matter how low, for Li Ying? Let me tell you straight today: if you come with me, I'll throw money at him. Otherwise, there's no point in talking about anything else."

"No, no, I can't do this."

"Who do you think Li Ying is? Would he give up his future for you?" Wang Yuan sneered. "Fine, since you're still not giving up, I'll give you a chance to see clearly. If he can give up becoming a star for you, I'll let you off this time. Otherwise, why would someone like him be worth such a sacrifice? You might as well come with me now, and I can guarantee you a comfortable life for the rest of your days. How about it?"

Zhou Ziqi endured the heat coursing through her body, sweat beading on her forehead, while simultaneously being swayed by Wang Yuan's words. She had followed Li Ying since before his debut, watching him rise to fame, change women, be embroiled in scandals, and desperately seek favors to regain his former glory. Her continued companionship stemmed from a lingering attachment and the initial attraction she felt upon first meeting him. Just when she saw Li Ying reciprocate her feelings, this predicament struck. Frankly, she didn't want Li Ying to make a choice, knowing him too well and aware that she might not be his most valued person. But now, she couldn't escape; her greatest hope was that Li Ying would appear like a hero and rescue her from this predicament.

If Wang Yuan had said this when she wasn't in a completely vulnerable position, she would have refused without hesitation. But in the current situation, her resolve was crumbling, and she desperately wanted to seize any sliver of hope. She didn't care what would happen to Li Ying; she only knew she had to get Li Ying to come. So, she nodded in agreement to Wang Yuan's suggestion.

Wang Yuan shook his head, poured himself a glass of cold water to try and calm his burning desire, and made a call to the front desk to tell Li Ying that he was waiting for him in the room.

Wang Yuan, having been with countless women, knew their weaknesses and desires. Meeting someone like Zhou Ziqi, who even stirred something within him, was truly rare. He also longed for companionship in his old age, a partner who valued feelings over money—that was what he needed most. Regardless of whether Li Ying came or not, he wouldn't let Zhou Ziqi leave so easily. Those he set his sights on never escaped. Since Zhou Ziqi wouldn't give up, he would make sure she completely gave up hope, so she would only stay by his side from now on.

"Wow, this is amazing! I never expected Wang Yuan to be so resourceful!" Xiang Wan exclaimed.

There's a saying that goes, "Old age makes one wise," meaning that the longer one lives, the more one experiences and the easier it is to see the true nature of things. That's why many say, "Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure," referring to their experience. However, if an elderly person wants to outsmart a young person, very few can escape, especially a cunning old person.

"You've already guessed the result before even getting to the point?" the system said, feigning surprise. "I didn't realize your IQ had increased so much."

Evening: ...

Li Ying failed to catch Xiang Wan and the other three, and when he returned, Zhou Ziqi and Wang Yuan were nowhere to be found. He nearly overturned the table in frustration. After searching around for a while, he remembered he could ask the front desk. As soon as he arrived, he was told that Wang Yuan was waiting for him upstairs.

Li Ying was conflicted. Instinctively, he knew Wang Yuan's visit wouldn't be anything good. But when he actually saw the situation in the room, Li Ying impulsively wanted to beat Wang Yuan up, but stopped himself at the last moment.

"Give her to me, and I'll hold her up!"

Wang Yuan's words didn't sound like a joke. Li Ying hesitated. He saw Zhou Ziqi's expectant gaze, that unwavering dependence, something he had never seen in anyone else in his life.

He recalled the luxury cars and beautiful women he enjoyed after achieving fame, and the isolation and rejection he faced after his fall from grace. He had had enough of it all. He desperately wanted to stand at the top of the pyramid again, to regain his former glory. But the price for all of this was giving up his only loyal manager.

He once thought that it would be nice to spend his life with Zhou Ziqi, but only if she accompanied him on his path to fame, rather than becoming a stumbling block for him.

Wang Yuan looked very serious, and Li Ying knew he had truly fallen for Zhou Ziqi. If Zhou Ziqi were with her, she would have someone to rely on for the rest of her life, which was better than her having to beg and grovel with him. Since she liked him so much, she wouldn't bear to see him suffer any longer…

"She has suffered too much, so we should treat her better from now on!"

"No need for you to worry."

Li Ying gave Zhou Ziqi a deep look, said "I'm sorry" in a barely audible voice, and turned to leave the room.

At that moment, Zhou Ziqi's eyes were ashen. She didn't care what Wang Yuan did to her afterwards. What could be more despairing than a broken heart?