Chapter 1

"Marriage? I don’t even know what her zodiac sign is..."

Xiaozheng stood at a bustling intersection, facing the scorching sun and gazing at the Mingzhu Tower across the street. He was filled with regret.

What kind of era is this? You have to take responsibility just for sleeping with someone? And even force a marriage?

In feudal society, a woman like her, who changes her affections so easily, should be drowned in a pig cage!

July in Mingzhu City was both humid and hot. After transferring buses twice, Xiaozheng was drenched in sweat, his wrinkled shirt sticking to his body like cling film, making him extremely uncomfortable.

With his throat parched, Xiaozheng unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and drank half of it in one gulp. He then pulled out a few newspaper pages soaked with sweat from his pocket, checking the job listings to confirm there were no positions he could handle. Only then did he pour some water over himself, squat down, and wipe the dirt off his shoes from being stepped on in the bus.

Mingzhu Tower, also known as the Empire Tower, stands 108 stories tall. It is the most prestigious gathering place for elites in Mingzhu City. Citizens are proud to work there, and companies rent units to showcase their financial strength. Xiaozheng, stepping into the Empire Tower for the first time, didn't want to be looked down upon by the overly confident business elites. He tried his best to improve his appearance.

"Hey, you there."

Just as Xiaozheng reached the entrance, a middle-aged security guard in uniform appeared, driving him away. "This is not a place for you to cool off. Leave immediately."

The guard's eyes were full of disdain, and his face was filled with contempt. He waved his hand impatiently, as if shooing away a fly. It seemed that in this hot summer, Xiaozheng wasn't the only one trying to sneak in for the air conditioning.

"Cool off?" Xiaozheng's eyes widened, and he scolded. "Do you have eyes? Do I look like someone who would do that?"

The guard sneered. "Then why are you here? To go to work? To do business? To acquire a company?"

The guard had seen many people trying to sneak in. He had never seen anyone so shameless. He couldn't help but mock him a bit.

"I have a date with a beautiful lady," Xiaozheng said seriously, straightening his collar in a manner befitting a successful person.

"Ha, you? A date with a beautiful lady? Who did you make a date with?" The guard mocked mercilessly. "Do you want me to call Lin Huayin and Shen Manjun down to have a cold drink with you and chat about life? Maybe they can give you some pointers on governing the country?"

The two women the guard mentioned were the acknowledged ice and fire beauties of the Empire Tower. One was as cold as an iceberg, keeping everyone at a distance. The other was as passionate as fire, wild and enchanting. They fulfilled all the desires of the male employees in the tower and allowed them to fantasize about them on alternate days.

Hearing this, Xiaozheng tilted his head and pondered: Could the woman who clung to me be one of them?

In all fairness, the night before, Xiaozheng had drunk so much that his heart almost stopped. When he woke up, he couldn't even remember what the woman looked like. The dim and blurry lights in the bar made it impossible to see clearly.

But that hazy night not only ended Xiaozheng's first night back in the country but also got him into a moral dilemma he couldn't refuse. He felt utterly wronged.

"What are you thinking about!?" The guard glared at him, looking like a loyal fan defending justice. "Get lost! Or I won't hesitate to use force!" He made a move to pull out the rubber baton from his waist.

"What's going on?"

As they argued, a young lady in a silver-gray OL suit walked over.

Her steps were steady and sharp, swift but not hurried. Just by the sound of her footsteps, one could tell she was a proud and strong-willed woman.

Looking up, Xiaozheng saw the OL lady looking down at them with a condescending gaze. Her face was as fair as jade, with a high, delicate nose and a pair of fiery red lips. Her chest was full and high, almost bursting out of her blouse.

"Miss Hong." The guard bowed and explained. "This guy tried to sneak into the building. I caught him and he's still arguing. I'm about to kick him out."

Miss Hong, with her cold and stern demeanor, didn't say a word. She looked at Xiaozheng, who was blocked outside the door, with a blank expression.

He looked disheveled and dejected, as if he hadn't slept for days. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was pale. Even the watch on his wrist, which usually reflects a man's taste, was a cheap white digital watch worth no more than 100 yuan. Overall, he looked like a down-and-out middle-aged man, completely out of place in the elite-filled Empire Tower, making one feel disheartened.

"Are you Xiaozheng?" Miss Hong asked nervously.

"Yes, that's me." Xiaozheng subtly moved his gaze from Miss Hong's chest and politely asked, "May I know your surname, Miss?"

Was the woman he spent the night with the night before her?

She had a great figure and a pretty face. Although she didn't match Xiaozheng's fantasy of a breathtaking beauty, she wasn't embarrassing to be seen with, and he didn't have to worry about her being coveted by others.

Hmm, a pretty standard match, I guess.

Xiaozheng tried to ease the psychological imbalance caused by the huge gap.

"You don't need to know. Follow me." Miss Hong turned and walked toward the central elevator inside the building, seemingly losing her last bit of patience. Her tone was cold and distant, making one uncomfortable.

"See that?"

Xiaozheng casually lit a cigarette and looked at the guard with a haughty expression. "She's the beautiful lady I have a date with. Pack your things. You'll receive a heavy dismissal letter tomorrow."

The guard was stunned, his worldview shattered.

Ding~

The elevator stopped at the 88th floor, and Miss Hong quickly stepped out, as if she couldn't bear to be in the same elevator with the disheartening Xiaozheng for another second.

Following closely behind, Xiaozheng put his hands in his pockets. To prevent the upcoming awkwardness, he said casually, "Is this where you work? The environment is nice. Do you earn 10,000 yuan a month?"

"I get an annual salary," Miss Hong said without turning around. Her disordered and hurried steps betrayed her troubled mood.

"How much?" Seeing her willingness to cooperate, Xiaozheng, who had been struggling to find a job, pretended to be relaxed. "At least 50,000, right? The market is sluggish, and it's getting harder to find jobs. For young women like you, it's even harder to find a job without discrimination."

"Two million." Miss Hong said coldly.

"Two million!?" Xiaozheng was stunned, his eyes wide open.

Without turning around, Miss Hong could guess Xiaozheng's complex facial expression. She felt a sense of vindictive pleasure.

To look down on women even in such a state? What a laughable macho attitude!

Just as Miss Hong was feeling satisfied, a voice filled with anger and resentment suddenly came from behind her: "You're so rich, yet you make me pay the rent. How can you do that? You're so stingy now, how are we supposed to live in the future? I'm so disappointed in you!"

Miss Hong's body trembled, and she almost fell to the ground.

Pay the rent?

Live together?

Feeling both ashamed and angry, Miss Hong was even more despairing about the respected CEO having to deal with such a peculiar man.

"First, I wouldn't have chosen you even if I were blind." Miss Hong slowly turned around, her eyes cold and merciless. "Second, the person who wants to see you is not me, but our boss."