Chapter 8

In the bustling city center, a particularly grand building stood out, where countless staff members were busy at work.

Perhaps they were quite ordinary here, often having to bow and scrape to survive, but once they stepped out of the building, they would immediately straighten their backs and become high-income earners respected by others.

A beautiful woman in a professional uniform was sitting at her desk. Her makeup was exquisite, with a touch of light eyeliner and a clear lip gloss. She wore a pair of white strap high heels, and her long legs were crossed and closed, resting beside the chair, clad in a thin layer of transparent stockings.

"Knock, knock, knock."

A light knock sounded at the door.

Song Hanshan propped her elbow on the desk, supporting her chin, seemingly lost in thought or daydreaming.

"Come in."

Another woman in a professional uniform walked in, her high heels clicking crisply on the floor. She held a file folder, which she placed on Song Hanshan's desk.

"Manager, here's the information you asked for. Hey, what are you daydreaming about again? You've been like this for a few days. Are you feeling spring fever?"

Only then did Song Hanshan react, but her expression remained unchanged, and she didn't blush like a young girl. She looked at the woman calmly.

"You little thing, did you finish the plan I asked you to do yesterday? I need to see it today."

"Ah! Didn't you say I could give it to you tomorrow? I haven't finished it yet."

The woman immediately panicked.

Song Hanshan smiled and said, "Then get to it quickly. Give it to me early tomorrow. Don't try to talk back to me, or I'll deal with you."

After the woman left, Song Hanshan casually flipped through the documents in front of her but found she couldn't focus. She decided not to read them and continued to prop her head, lost in thought.

Recalling that day, Song Hanshan's eyes gradually regained their luster, but she also gave a self-deprecating smile.

"Ha, I never thought the hero-saving-the-damsel trope would happen to me."

"He seems to be called Anyang."

Anyang wasn't particularly tall or handsome, but he looked very sunny and had a certain charm.

Especially that day, his swift and decisive actions, the brutal punches, were something she had only seen on TV. Perhaps her father's bodyguards had such skills, but no small-time hooligans would dare to provoke them.

In the end, Anyang wasn't particularly tall or handsome, but he was definitely better than a bodyguard. What made him truly stand out was his hurried departure that day, which truly made her think of him even now.

The hero-saving-the-damsel trope mostly appears on TV, but if it really happens, few women can deny its impact.

Perhaps there was also a rebellious factor. She had grown up in luxury, but it seemed her entire life was predetermined. She yearned for a love of her own, more so than most people.

"Ah..."

Song Hanshan sighed and continued to read the documents on her desk, focusing intently.

Anyang had helped her once but didn't ask for anything in return. This fairy-tale-like scenario would make any girl cherish it for a while.

But she knew that before long, she would forget about this incident and Anyang himself, as their interactions were limited.

...

After three months of hardship, Anyang naturally wouldn't be stingy with himself, especially since he now had over 100,000 RMB in his bank account and 50,000 USD in his personal space, so he didn't need to save money.

He found a fairly high-end hotel to eat at, but unlike others who indulged in lavish feasts, he only ordered a few dishes, which he ate thoroughly.

Just as he was about to pay, his phone in his pocket vibrated. He picked it up and saw the image of a middle-aged woman on the screen. He hesitated for a moment but still swiped to answer the call.

Ji Weiwei had gone back home, but she probably hadn't told his parents about his resignation.

"Mom."

"Anyang, what are you doing now?"

"I'm eating out."

"You, when you were at home, I asked you to learn how to cook, but you didn't. Now, eating out is so expensive."

"Cough... I'm not bad at cooking, it's just that it doesn't taste good."

"I know you. How are you doing out there? How's your job going? Is everything going smoothly?"

Anyang's heart skipped a beat. He paused for a moment and quickly changed the subject.

"Mom, I know how to take care of myself. You don't need to worry. What do you need? I haven't paid yet."

"You brat, can't I call you just because I miss you? Do I have to have a reason to call you?"

Anyang pursed his lips and said, "Alright, Mom, I'll call you back when I get home. I need to pay now."

The voice on the other end of the phone sounded urgent, "Wait, why are you in such a hurry? Finish eating and sit for a while. Rest before you go out."

Anyang felt a bit helpless and said, "Just tell me what you need."

"You... Your sister finished her college entrance exams a few days ago and said she wanted to come to the provincial capital with her classmates to relax. She should have arrived yesterday. Since you're in Jin Guan City, I asked your sister to call you. Did you get her call?"

"Um... She might not have called me yet, or my phone might have been off."

Anyang gave a bitter smile. He did have a sister named An You.

But An You was beautiful, with excellent grades, always coming first in everything. She was adored by relatives, friends, teachers, and classmates, and had a very proud personality. In contrast, he was the opposite, with no significant achievements except for getting into a prestigious university. An You had always looked down on him, and their relationship had only worsened as they grew older.

Given their relationship, why would An You call him? She probably just said it to placate their mother.

Anyang's mother was named Xie Yunqing.

Xie Yunqing sighed and said, "Ah, your sister is going to college soon, but she's still so immature. But you've been working for a year, so you can't be like her."

Anyang said helplessly, "Alright, I'll call her later."

Xie Yunqing nodded on the phone and said, "I don't mean to criticize. She's just finished high school and is about to go to college. I want you to take her shopping for some decent clothes and to help build a better relationship between you two. You've lived in the same house for over ten years, and your relationship is still so strained. It's embarrassing to others."

Anyang paused and said, "In this day and age, where can't you buy decent clothes? Our city isn't bad either."

Xie Yunqing's tone became firm, "That's settled. I'll transfer the money to you later. How can a girl not have a few nice outfits?"

"You don't need to transfer the money. It's only right to buy clothes for my sister. I have my own money."

"Keep your salary. Whether it's buying a house or a car, find a girlfriend for me and your dad soon."

"Mom, really, it's not necessary."

Before Anyang could finish speaking, the call was already disconnected.

A while later, as he was on his way to the bank, his phone received a notification, a text message from the bank.

Even though his old mobile card had been thrown away, he was used to it. This time-travel phone intercepted everything related to his old number, such as text messages and calls.

Looking at the 5,000 RMB that had just arrived, he shook his head and gave a bitter smile.

These two old folks were quite generous. They never bought him such expensive clothes when he was young. Even with a zero removed, it was more expensive than the most expensive clothes he bought when he was in school.

At the bank, Anyang planned to exchange the remaining 50,000 USD to RMB, which would be about 300,000 RMB. He had checked online; there were many restrictions on foreign currency exchange recently, but the policies had become more relaxed.

As he walked into the bank, he encountered an acquaintance and was momentarily stunned.

A thin, bespectacled man almost entered the bank at the same time as him. He looked older than Anyang, probably around 30, with a faint scar on his face. He was accompanied by a woman in a sexy OL uniform, with a deep cleavage.

This man in his late 20s was named Fu Jianming, his former superior. He wasn't very capable but had considerable power. He liked to meddle in areas he knew nothing about and was petty.

The woman was named Wang Qin, known for her flirtatious behavior throughout the company. It was rumored that she had used her body to rise to the position of a financial department manager, but the specifics were unknown.

When Fu Jianming was in a bad mood, he would meddle in the company. At that time, Anyang had just graduated and was still sharp. They had a heated argument, and Fu Jianming held a grudge against him ever since.

In any company, technical staff were highly valued. According to the company's rules, as a technical department manager, Fu Jianming didn't have the authority to fire employees. So, over the past year, he would frequently pick on Anyang, until he finally found an opportunity to force him to resign.

It wasn't easy for a recent graduate to earn such a high salary. Anyang had endured the humiliation for the 8,000 RMB monthly salary until the moment of his resignation, when he finally couldn't hold back. The scar on Fu Jianming's face was his doing, and his previous phone was broken at that time.

Seeing Anyang, Fu Jianming's face darkened, and he said, "Anyang, what are you doing here?"

Anyang's gaze was cold. He glanced at the two security guards nearby and said disdainfully, "Is the bank your house? If you can come, why can't I?"

Fu Jianming could tell from his gaze what he was thinking. He felt a bit intimidated, as his height and build were far inferior to Anyang's. This wasn't the company, and he was alone, so he had to swallow his pride.

"You... very well. Don't think your resignation is the end. I won't forget that you hit me. This isn't over!"