Chapter 52 — Loving Someone
Years of Heartflutter · Page 1 of 3
"Why would we go looking for Zhou Yanning?" Wang Pu was baffled. "What—are we supposed to threaten her too?"
"That's right. Threaten her. Heh heh." Huang Shu smiled darkly.
"What?" Wang Pu was taken aback, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "Don't be absurd. How could Zhou Yanning be threatened that easily? Her mother is President Hua—do you really think she would stand for being threatened by the likes of us?"
"President Hua—I don't think President Hua would interfere," Huang Shu said with a smile. "Because what we're about to do is, in fact, exactly what President Hua wants done."
"What do you mean by that?" Wang Pu asked, not quite following.
"Simple. We bring Zhou Yanning here, threaten her with Yang Ce, and force her to submit," Huang Shu said slowly. "You can see it plainly enough—Zhou Yanning is in love with that fellow Yang Juehuan, and deeply. We use the safety of the man she loves to force her together with Zhitao, and I think Zhou Yanning will give in."
"Oh?" Wang Pu raised his head in surprise. "That's a clever scheme of yours. Our target is Yang Ce, not Zhou Yanning, so President Hua shouldn't have any objection. But are you certain Zhou Yanning will submit?"
"Hmph. Running a business—that I don't understand. But when it comes to human nature, to playing dirty, yours truly Huang Shu is a master." Huang Shu nodded. "When the time comes, here is what we'll do..."
Huang Shu laid out his plan for Wang Pu.
"Good. Very good. Brilliant—you're truly brilliant," Wang Pu could not help exclaiming in admiration. "You're the Marquis Wu of Zhuge himself come back to life."
"You flatter me, President Wang." Huang Shu nodded, rather pleased with himself.
"Still, there's one problem." Wang Pu asked, still uneasy. "We can threaten Zhou Yanning for a time, but we can't threaten her forever. What if, when the time comes, I'm in prison and she breaks up with Zhitao anyway?"
"Heh heh, President Wang, you're overthinking this." Huang Shu spoke with complete unconcern. "Women are the most fickle things in the world. Have Zhitao press his advantage when the time comes—once the rice is cooked, what mind will she have left to think about that Yang Ce? President Wang should know this from experience. That stubborn girl Xiaohua—at first she was ready to die rather than let you have her, and now doesn't she serve you in perfect comfort?"
Xiaohua was one of Wang Pu's mistresses, originally a junior clerk at Wang's Enterprises. After Wang Pu took a fancy to her, he called her into his office and had his way with her. At first Xiaohua kicked up a tremendous fuss and wanted to report Wang Pu, but after he had taken her a few more times, she resigned herself to her fate and in the end became utterly docile.
So Wang Pu felt that Huang Shu's words made excellent sense. He said, "Fine. Then it's decided."
And so their fine calculations rang out loud and clear—except that they had made one fatal, decisive mistake. They had overlooked something very important.
The premise underlying all of this rested on Wang Lin being a normal man. But the situation now was that Wang Lin was utterly incapable of performing as a man—heh heh—and for that they had Chen Afu to thank. That afternoon, Zhou Yanning was driven by her mother's chauffeur to the foot of the Wang's Century Valor Group building. Wang Pu had telephoned President Hua, saying he wished to speak with Zhou Yanning personally; President Hua naturally could not refuse. The last time her daughter had caused a scene in the Western restaurant, Wang Pu's dignity had been badly embarrassed, and she was now looking for a chance to mend their relationship.
"This way, please, Miss Zhou. President Wang is waiting for you upstairs." At the entrance of Wang's Group there was of course a receptionist, who led Zhou Yanning upstairs. When they reached the door of the chairman's office, the receptionist said, "Please go in, Miss Zhou. President Wang is waiting inside."