Zhou Yang’s hand paused.
A few seconds later, he set the cup down, his profile cold and rigid, and flicked his hand.

 

Assistant Lu immediately withdrew.

 

Zhou Yang rested his fingertips against the phone beside him, then picked up the receiver and dialed Su Hao’s number.

 

The person on the other end clearly didn’t realize it was him. Her tone was gentle and professional.
“Hello, this is the Finance Department of Feijie. I’m Su Hao.”

 

Leaning against the desk, Zhou Yang spoke in a low voice, restrained yet heavy.
“Su Hao.”

 

She paused, recognizing his voice.

 

Zhou Yang tapped the desk lightly.
“Not going to Kyoto anymore?”

 

Su Hao fell silent for two seconds, then smiled faintly.
“Yes. I’m better suited for Dong City.”

 

“Is that so?” Zhou Yang replied lightly.
The next moment, his voice dropped, carrying a trace of coldness.
“You’re avoiding me, aren’t you? Going to such lengths—clearly you wanted to see Shen He. But because of me, you’d rather not see him at all than face me. Is that it?”

 

“Am I really that scary?”

 

It was the greatest frustration he had ever experienced in his life.

 

Zhou Yang pressed his tongue hard against his teeth.

 

On the other end, Su Hao stayed quiet for two seconds, then spoke softly.
“Since you already know, why bother asking? Isn’t this just upsetting for both of us?”

 

Zhou Yang clenched the receiver so hard that veins bulged on his hand.

 

After a moment, he tugged at his tie, his voice low.
“What would I have to do for you to stop avoiding me?”

 

Su Hao clearly hadn’t expected that question.

 

She thought for a moment before answering,
“When you no longer find me new. When you stop liking me. That’ll be the day.”

 

She hung up without hesitation.

 

The dial tone echoed—beep, beep, beep.

 

Zhou Yang slammed the receiver back into place and yanked off his tie, his face icy.

 

Fine. She was forcing him not to like her, not to pursue her.
Zhou Yang had never encountered anything like this before—being cornered by a woman, and caring this much about whether she was avoiding him.

 

Fuck.

 

After hanging up, Su Hao stared blankly for a moment.
Her phone screen was still on a WeChat chat window.

 

Su Qian: Haohao, come over this weekend.
Su Hao: Auntie, I’m going shopping with colleagues this weekend.
Su Qian: Huh?
Su Qian: Haohao, tell Auntie honestly—are you avoiding Zhou Yang?

 

Su Hao looked at the last message and replied in her heart:
Yes, Auntie. I’m hiding until he loses interest. Then I won’t hide anymore.

 

Zhou Yang never takes women seriously. His interest always has a limit. Once his patience runs out, it’ll disappear naturally.

 

It won’t take long. Maybe soon.

 

“Su Hao, want me to help you book a ticket to Dong City?” Tang Yu knocked on the door and asked.

 

Su Hao snapped back to reality, rested her chin on her hand, and smiled.
“No need for now. I’ll book it myself later.”

 

There was still some time before the business trip. Tang Yu was also going to Dong City, so they planned to leave together.

 

“All right. Want to grab afternoon tea downstairs?”
“No. I still have a lot to do.”

 

Su Hao lifted the vouchers in her hand. Tang Yu shrugged.
“Okay.”

 

She turned and left.

 

The office was quiet again. Lu Mimi and Zhang Xian had also gone for afternoon tea, leaving Su Hao alone—and at ease.

 

Over the next few days, Zhou Yang neither messaged her nor came to the company. There was no contact at all.

 

Meanwhile, the office gossip department was buzzing again.

 

“Is President Zhou in a relationship? He hasn’t been coming to the office. Didn’t he show up all the time a few days ago?”
“You people only think about President Zhou all day. As if he’d ever look at you.”
“Who else is there to talk about besides him?”
“If I could have a one-night stand with President Zhou, I’d do it willingly. Great body, great looks, rich, and definitely good at flirting—damn.”
“Have some shame!”
“I heard Miss Li went to the military tech facility with President Zhou yesterday.”
“Seriously? So they’re together?”
“It was bound to happen. They’re a perfect match.”
“Not ‘bound to’—they’re already together! Dating! Haha!”

 

Su Hao had just returned from Director Zeng’s office. As soon as she sat down, messages in the group chat started flooding in.

 

Then Li Xiu sent her several WeChat messages.

 

Li Xiu: Photos x3
Li Xiu: Sister Su Hao, I went to Zhou Yang’s company today and secretly took a look—holy crap, he’s amazing with a gun. Look…

 

She sent three photos.

 

The first showed Zhou Yang holding a gun at the shooting range, head lowered, casually playing with it, a faint smile at his lips.

 

The second showed him firing—white shirt, black trousers, a toothpick between his lips, lazy and roguish.

 

The third was Li Xiu standing behind him, flashing a peace sign.

 

Just like last time—bright, confident, beautiful.

 

This time, she didn’t post it publicly, only sent it to Su Hao.

 

Su Hao didn’t know how to reply.

 

Li Xiu: Don’t you think he and I are a good match?

 

Su Hao remembered a line from a book she once read:
The more insecure a person is about something, the more they focus on it.

 

She frowned slightly. Li Xiu didn’t seem like someone with anything to feel insecure about.

 

She typed:

 

Su Hao: You’re a great match. You’ve asked this many times already, Li Xiu.

 

It sounded like a gentle reminder from an older sister.

 

Li Xiu didn’t send any more messages.

 

Su Hao finally relaxed, set her phone aside, and focused on work.

 

That night, the shooting range was brightly lit.

 

Several sports cars were parked outside the iron gate, along with Bentleys and Hummers—ostentatious as hell.

 

The place was packed with rich young men. There was a competition that night, and almost no women were allowed inside, except for a few family members—like Xu Dian’s, Jiang Yu’s, or Wen Zexin’s.

 

Zhou Yang was in charge, but he wasn’t competing. His shooting skills were no worse than Li Yi’s, yet both of them simply leaned back in chairs, smoking and watching.

 

Anyone who knew Zhou Yang could tell his mood was off—especially Li Yi and the others.

 

Liu Yan, one of the few female shooters allowed inside, bit down on her cigarette and laughed.
“What’s wrong? Having a rough few days?”

 

Zhou Yang lifted his eyes lazily, smiled faintly, extinguished his cigarette, and took a sip of red wine.

 

Li Yi stood up, kicked a cheating rich kid in the leg, then returned and bent over to glance at Zhou Yang’s phone.
“Who you looking at?”

 

Zhou Yang didn’t avoid it.

 

On the screen was a photo of Su Hao sitting in her office, hugging a cushion, chin propped on her hand while talking to Tang Yu.

 

She wore an A-line skirt with a small slit, her blouse tucked in. Her hair fell loosely over her shoulders—gentle and beautiful.

 

Her legs were long, pale, slightly crossed.

 

A quiet, peaceful beauty.

 

Li Yi clicked his tongue.
“Su Hao.”

 

“Still haven’t won her over?”

 

“Zhou Yang, you’re slipping.”

 

Jiang Yu laughed.
“So that’s why you’ve been in a bad mood?”

 

Xu Dian added,
“Didn’t expect to see this day.”

 

They all laughed, enjoying the show.

 

Zhou Yang leaned against the table, long legs crossed. After a few seconds, he lit another cigarette, tapped ash onto the armrest, and laughed softly.

 

“Who says I’m not capable?”

 

He pressed his tongue against his cheek.
“Just wait.”

 

He picked up his phone, stood, and walked to the iron railing. His long leg rested against it as he rocked slightly, utterly casual.

 

He dialed Su Hao’s number.

 

Su Hao had struggled for a long time before deciding to tell Shen He that she couldn’t go to Kyoto and had changed her destination.

 

After dinner and a shower, she sat on the sofa and finally picked up her phone.

 

Before she could finish typing—

 

A call came in.

 

She looked at the caller ID.

 

Zhou Yang.

 

She froze.

 

He hadn’t appeared for days. And now Li Xiu had just sent photos with him—did this mean his patience had finally run out?

 

If that was the case…

 

Su Hao answered, her voice gentle.

 

“Hello.”

 

“Su Hao.”
His voice was low and pleasant.

 

“Mm.”

 

There was silence for a few seconds. Then Zhou Yang laughed softly.

 

“You were probably scared off by me, huh?”

 

Su Hao: “…”

 

“I’ve thought it over and calmed down. Honestly, what I felt toward you was probably just a desire to conquer—not real liking. I’ve figured it out now. We’re better off as friends.”

 

His fingers rubbed lightly against his lips as his gaze lowered.

 

Since you want to be friends, I’ll play along.

 

“Well?” His deep voice came again.
“What do you say, Su Hao?”

 

She snapped back to herself and smiled gently.
“Okay.”