Chapter 78 Does Your Boss Have a Problem with Me?
Yan You was sitting in the lounge, scrolling through Instagram with nothing to do, when her finger suddenly stopped.
"My God! That's not the Shang Group..."
"Why would Shangqiu Zhu come to the club?"
"Ahhh, so handsome!"
Several socialites and heiresses exclaimed in surprise from outside the door.
Yan You suddenly stood up and rushed out in her high heels.
Shangqiu Zhu just came out of the locker room, dressed in a pure black tracksuit. His muscles, usually hidden by a suit, were now fully exposed in the sunlight.
Even the most ordinary sportswear looks like a new fashion week item on him.
Amidst the gasps of the surrounding crowd, Yan You raised her chin, straightened her skirt, and walked over with the air of an empress.
"Qiu Zhu~" she called out, reaching out to take the man's arm.
Shangqiu Zhu walked straight past her as if she hadn't seen her, leaving Yan You's outstretched hand frozen in mid-air.
"Pfft..."
Someone in the crowd of socialites burst out laughing, and Yan You's carefully made-up face instantly turned bright red.
"Qiu Zhu!"
Yan You raised her voice and called out again.
Shangqiu Zhu finally stopped and slowly turned her face.
He seemed to only then notice her presence, giving her a cold glance: "Why haven't you gone back yet?"
Seven words, written lightly, yet like a resounding slap in the face.
Yan You's carefully made-up face instantly turned bright red.
"I..." she forced a smile, "...just happened to be here to play ball..."
Shangqiu Zhu had already turned and walked into the stadium, not even giving her a second glance.
Yan You immediately caught up with that tall, straight figure and followed closely behind Shang Qiuzhu.
As soon as he stepped onto the court, Du Yunchuan walked towards him with a smug grin: "Oh, didn't President Shang say he had an international conference today and didn't have time to play ball?"
He deliberately drew out his words, his gaze drifting towards the other end of the court, "Why are you free again now?"
Shangqiu Zhu had already seen that figure.
The sunlight was blinding, but the scene at the other end of the court was even more blinding.
Yesterday, she was telling him she was too busy with the project to even answer his calls, but now, with a flushed face, she's playing ball with a man who's being incredibly attentive, helping her retrieve the ball—it's infuriating.
"Tsk." Du Yunchuan, always eager for a good show, remarked, "Little Shuang's friend is quite handsome."
Shang Qiuzhu's face was ashen, and he seemed to be extremely displeased.
Du Yunchuan swallowed hard, immediately shut his mouth, and quietly took a half step back.
Yan You then noticed Yan Shuang's presence.
"Isn't this our darling daughter?" She deliberately raised her voice, "Shuangshuang always says she's busy, so this is what she's been busy with..."
She glanced at Mark meaningfully, "Making international friends, huh?"
The surrounding air pressure dropped to freezing point, but Yan You was completely unaware and continued to add fuel to the fire: "She usually acts like an innocent little rabbit in front of her parents, but she's quite the schemer behind their backs."
Have you said enough?
Shangqiu Zhu turned around, his 1.9-meter height exuding an absolute sense of oppression.
Yan You was so shocked by this sudden aura that she took a half step back, almost twisting her high heels.
"Qiu Zhu, I just..."
Shangqiu Zhu interrupted her, coldly saying, "Who gave you the right to point fingers at her?"
Yan You's face turned pale instantly, and she grabbed Shang Qiuzhu's sleeve in a panic: "Qiuzhu, what do you mean?"
She simply couldn't believe that Shangqiu Zhu would protect Yan Shuang!
Did she mishear?
Shangqiu Zhu lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the hand gripping his sleeve, the coldness in his eyes almost freezing.
"let go."
The previously noisy crowd instantly fell silent, and even the cicadas chirping in the trees stopped abruptly.
Yan You's fingers trembled at his gaze, and she subconsciously loosened her grip, but the next second, she reluctantly clenched it again.
Shangqiu Zhu's eyes turned cold, and she abruptly pulled her hand back, the force so great that it made Shangqiu Zhu stagger backward.
Yan You's eyes widened, her lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a single word.
Shangqiu Zhu looked at her coldly, "Stay away from me."
Gasps rose and fell from the sidelines, and the phone cameras of several socialites flashed wildly.
Yan You finally broke down, turned around, and ran out crying.
Shangqiu Zhu didn't even glance at him, slowly and methodically straightening his wrinkled cuffs.
Yan Shuang was currently listening to Mark explain backhand techniques with her back to them.
“Yan! Loosen your wrist a little more,” Mark gently placed his hand on Yan Shuang’s wrist, “like this…”
"Bang!"
A tennis ball landed precisely at their feet, sending up cement fragments that splashed onto Mark's calves.
The two turned around at the same time and saw Shang Qiuzhu standing expressionlessly on the sidelines, holding a tennis racket in her hand, with Du Yunchuan following behind her, looking on with amusement.
Yan Shuang watched as Shang Qiuzhu pushed open the iron gate and entered the venue, her brows furrowing slightly. Why was he here at this time?
"Add another group?" Shangqiu Zhu asked in English, her voice eight octaves lower than usual.
Mark keenly sensed the change in atmosphere and raised an eyebrow at Yan Shuang: "And who is this?"
Shangqiu Zhu casually twirled his tennis racket, but his gaze was fixed intently on Yan Shuang.
He was waiting for her to introduce herself.
Yan Shuang pursed her lips: "This is my... boss."
Mark flashed a bright smile and warmly extended his hand to Shangqiu Zhu: "Nice to meet you! I'm Mark."
Shangqiu Zhu coldly returned the handshake, and the two shook hands for a significantly longer period than normal social etiquette would suggest.
"How about a doubles game?" Du Yunchuan suggested, as if he didn't want the world to be too peaceful. "Perfect for four people."
Yan Shuang hurriedly waved her hand, refusing, "My skills are too poor, so..."
“Great idea!” Mark readily agreed. “Three men and one woman, let’s choose our teammates.”
Du Yunchuan raised his hand with a mischievous grin: "I vote for myself!"
Shangqiu Zhu didn't speak, but just looked at Yan Shuang with his deep, dark eyes.
"I..." Yan Shuang's gaze shifted between Du Yunchuan and Mark, deliberately ignoring the other's gaze, and said with her head down, "I choose Mark."
Du Yunchuan gasped dramatically, "Wow..."
Shangqiu Zhu slowly unwound his watch, but his expression was beyond ugly.
Mark, completely oblivious to the undercurrents, was still enthusiastically explaining tactics to Yan Shuang: "Your backhand is relatively weak, remember to aim more towards me..."
"Let's begin." Shangqiu Zhu picked up his racket, walked directly between the two players, and headed to the opposite side of the court.
Every step felt like stepping through the plastic track.
Du Yunchuan jogged to catch up, but dared not get too close to Shang Qiuzhu, because his expression looked like he wanted to kill someone.
"Mr. Shang is going to play ball!"
Someone shouted, and the young noblemen who were originally scattered in various places immediately rushed over as if they had heard a rallying cry.
In the blink of an eye, the rest areas around the stadium were packed with people.
The entire tennis club suddenly erupted in cheers.
After the match started, Yan Shuang quickly regretted her choice.
Or rather, she shouldn't have been involved at all.
This wasn't a tennis match at all; it was a one-sided massacre.
Every return shot from Shangqiu Zhu was filled with a fierce killing intent, and its speed definitely exceeded that of professional players.
The screams erupted throughout the venue.
"15-0!" The referee's voice trembled as he announced the score.
Du Yunchuan had quietly retreated to the sidelines at some point. He realized that this man was going to vent all his jealousy on tennis.
What's most terrifying is that after each point, Shangqiu Zhu would look at Mark with that chillingly calm gaze.
Mark finally realized something was wrong: "Does your boss have a problem with me?"
Yan Shuang: "..."
She stared down at the tips of her sneakers, silently thinking to herself: He probably has a problem with me.
"40-0!"
As the sun set, Yan Shuang stood at the baseline, prepared for a crushing defeat.
Shangqiu Zhu was about to serve the final decisive ball when he suddenly stopped.
He looked at Yan Shuang.
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