It took Su Man a while to snap out of her shock. “Don’t tell me you actually agreed to all these unreasonable demands?”

“I just wanted to ask if you could lend me some money. I’ll pay you back as soon as my manuscript fees come through,” Wang Xiaoke said, a bit embarrassed.

She hadn’t wanted to pay either, but considering that the furniture and other items could likely be returned later with a reasonable excuse, she figured she could recoup most of the money. With that in mind, she decided not to keep arguing.

“What? It’s only the first day, and you’re already about to go bankrupt. Why are you even putting up with someone like that?” Su Man’s wide eyes were filled with disbelief.

Wang Xiaoke sighed helplessly. “What else can I do? I can’t exactly kill him. Besides, judging by his attitude, he seems to have a powerful background. If I provoke him any further, I’ll be in even bigger trouble.”

Su Man wanted to vent her frustration on Wang Xiaoke’s behalf, but after thinking it over, she had to admit there was some logic to her friend’s words. Left with no better option, she decided to swallow her anger and wait to see how things played out.

At the hospital.

“Just say what’s on your mind,” Chen Ze said, noticing his assistant hesitating to speak.

“Mr. Chen, you don’t usually act so unreasonable,” the assistant said, confused.

“You know as well as I do that Feng Jin and the old man have a thing going on. The real reason the old man sent me here this time was just to help her swallow up the Wang family’s business,” Chen Ze said with a cold sneer.

“If I’m not mistaken, that young lady’s surname is Wang.”

The assistant was trying to point out that Chen Ze had targeted the wrong person. No matter how much he hated Feng Jin, taking it out on a random Wang wasn’t right. After all, the saying “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” still held some truth.

“I know her surname is Wang. That’s why, instead of letting all of the Wang family’s assets fall into that woman’s hands, wouldn’t it be better for me to reserve a little for this girl?” Chen Ze declared self-righteously, as though every move he made was for Wang Xiaoke’s benefit.

The portion you’re reserving for her—is that the part where you’re spending all her money for her? The assistant silently rolled her eyes.

Wang Xiaoke had no idea about Chen Ze’s true intentions. At the moment, she was cautiously trying to extract information from Su Man about the person she was curious about.

“By the way, do you know someone with the surname Song?” Wang Xiaoke asked absentmindedly while poking at the food in her bowl.

Su Man didn’t notice anything unusual about her behavior. She glanced up briefly and replied casually, “Oh, you mean Mr. Song? He’s the CEO of Tianyu Entertainment.”

Wang Xiaoke stopped eating and asked, “I meant his name.”

“Song Yi. Why do you ask?” Su Man looked at her curiously and teased, “You don’t usually take an interest in people. Have you found yourself a new crush?”

“No, I’m just curious,” Wang Xiaoke replied calmly, though her mind was already in turmoil. Could it be someone with the same name and appearance? That’s too much of a coincidence. She shook her head, dismissing the thought.

Could he have lost his memory? She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. That seemed plausible, but their personalities were so vastly different. She scratched her head in frustration and dismissed the idea again.

The person from the other day had seemed like a carefree playboy—completely unlike the sharp and commanding businessman she had learned about. They couldn’t possibly be the same person.

Maybe this sudden change in demeanor was just his way of trying to avoid further entanglements with her. But then again, hadn’t he insisted on them getting a marriage certificate that day?

Ugh, forget it. At least he wasn’t pestering her anymore. She decided this was a small blessing from the heavens.

Recalling the events of the day, Wang Xiaoke resolved to keep her relationship with him strictly professional in the future. Once she sorted through her thoughts, she stopped dwelling on the matter.

The next morning, Wang Xiaoke glanced at her alarm clock and realized she only had ten minutes left before work started. She hurriedly washed up and dashed out the door, skipping breakfast entirely.

Meanwhile, Song Yi drove his flashy luxury sports car to work. Clad in a custom-tailored black suit, his sleek, neatly combed hair and unrestrained aura, combined with his refined features, made him the center of attention wherever he went.

“Good morning, Mr. Song!”

“Good morning, Mr. Song!”

Song Yi nodded slightly in acknowledgment as he walked through the office. The sound of greetings followed him, accompanied by the admiration of countless young women of all shapes and styles.

At the elevator, just as the doors were about to close, Wang Xiaoke dashed in at the last second with the force of a meteor colliding with Earth.

“You…” Song Yi stared at the girl who had barreled into the elevator. His lips parted slightly in surprise as he realized the person he had been searching for over the past few days was standing right in front of him. For a moment, he was so shocked he couldn’t find the words to speak.