Wu Fan was undoubtedly starting to have romantic thoughts. He first reached out to take Zhou Luming's hand, and Zhou Luming hesitated but didn't pull away. Then, after pretending to look at a distorted painting of screams, Wu Fan put his arm around Zhou Luming's waist in front of a field of sunflowers.
Zhou Luming stepped to the side to avoid him.
Wu Fan frowned and stood still.
“The starry sky and the screams, the painter went crazy for them.” Zhou Luming turned his head and said, “I heard that these tickets are really hard to buy. Why do you happen to have two tickets on hand? Mr. Wu, I don’t think this is a coincidence.”
"This is certainly not a coincidence. I had planned to invite a girl to the exhibition, but the date turned out to be you at the last minute."
"Oh, sorry, I accidentally delayed your relationship progress."
“It’s okay, you can make it up to me.” Wu Fan said meaningfully.
Zhou Luming blinked slowly. "Given my current net worth, I don't care how much money I spend on anyone I like, provided that they are someone I like. As things stand, Mr. Wu doesn't seem to qualify."
"If you're not interested in me, why did you ask to come to the exhibition with me today?"
"I'm sorry you misunderstood. I asked you out to express my apologies for what happened in the past and to give you a chance to make amends. It's not that I want to get back together with you. After all, our roles have been reversed. Before, you were a high-ranking young master and I was a lowly girl who wanted to climb up to you. But now I'm your employer and you're working for the Zhou family."
Wu Fan's face turned ashen, and then he suddenly thought of something. "You want to make amends? Then my condition is that you have to be with me."
"Let's change the terms, you know I won't agree."
“If you agree to be my girlfriend, I can keep an eye on Xu Lang for you.” Wu Fan offered a very tempting deal to Zhou Luming.
This was Zhou Luming's purpose in approaching him. He didn't expect Wu Fan to bring it up so quickly, but there was one condition—Zhou Luming had to agree to be his girlfriend.
"Give me time to think it over," Zhou Luming finally said. "But being my boyfriend involves a lot of pressure. Are you ready?"
Zhou Luming is the heir to the Zhou Group. If you become her boyfriend, you will be targeted by the Zhou family and the Zhou Group's interests. Wu Fan probably wasn't prepared for this.
Wu Fan said, "You don't need to worry about that. A week should be enough for you. You can't wait any longer."
He was certain he would be useful to Zhou Luming, so he wasn't in a hurry to confirm the outcome. The woman who had once deceived him, the one who had harmed his father—he thought he would mercilessly torment her after finding her, but in reality, he only asked her to be his girlfriend again.
Wu Fan couldn't control himself; he just wanted to stay with Zhou Luming forever.
There's a souvenir shop halfway through the 3D art exhibition, selling various art cards and exquisite merchandise, and offering drinks, sausages, and coffee.
Zhou Luming sat on a plastic chair, waiting for Wu Fan to line up to buy him grilled sausages. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone sitting two chairs away from him, wearing a flashy fisherman's hat and sunglasses.
She chuckled and texted: Miss Xu, where are you?
My phone buzzed with a reply: I'm at work, what's up?
Zhou Luming raised an eyebrow, resisting the urge to turn around and look at her: Is your job to grope blindly in a pitch-black art exhibition while wearing sunglasses and a fisherman's hat?
Xu Yan, whose face was actually flushed despite wearing a fisherman's hat and sunglasses from the souvenir shop, said: "I saw something I liked, so I bought it."
At this moment, Wu Fan returned, holding an ice cream in his hand.
As Zhou Luming ate his ice cream, he couldn't help but chuckle as he recalled the ugliest-looking ice cream Xu Yan had ever made at the Zhou residence.
Wu Fan was stunned by her smile and asked, "What, you like ice cream that much?" How come he never noticed she liked ice cream before?
"I really like it now, especially the really ugly, crooked ice cream," Zhou Luming said after licking it.
“You’ve changed a lot.” Wu Fan sat down, his back to a strange man wearing a fisherman’s hat. “Now that I think about it, the you who was around me before wasn’t the real you. So now I’m very curious, what is the real you like?”
Zhou Luming shrugged indifferently. "I don't know either, but—someone will find out eventually."
She stood up and continued her tour. Aside from the odd people around her, she actually quite liked the exhibition. She wandered among the lifelike paintings, pausing briefly to read some of the videos and projections on the walls. Finally, she arrived at the exhibition's final section: a wishing wall where one could pay to have their name and their partner's name programmed and projected onto a star on the screen, becoming one of the thousands of stars in the exhibition.
After the exhibition ends, these names will be permanently stored on servers, taken around the world, and recorded forever.
Wu Fan insisted on writing down his name, while Zhou Luming didn't mind. However, they were later reminded that the name was already taken. The staff explained that there are too many people with the same name in the world, and such situations are bound to occur. Wu Fan asked how to distinguish them, and the staff suggested adding their birthdate to differentiate them.
Wu Fan did as instructed, but was still prompted about a conflict, the source of which was Zhou Luming.
"Someone may have registered this lady's information." The staff member looked at Wu Fan awkwardly. "It might have been a friend or elder; it could be a well-wishing gesture."
"Who is the other name?" Wu Fan asked.
"I'm sorry, I cannot provide guests' private information."
Zhou Luming leaned closer and asked, "Can I watch it?"
The staff let him through, allowing Zhou Luming to glance at a line of text on the screen.
“LR0720 & ZLM0720 satellite”.
“Let’s go,” Zhou Luming smiled, “it’s a friend of mine.”
After they left, Xu Yan asked the staff member speechlessly, "Didn't you say you would protect privacy?"
The staff member smiled and said, "We will remain silent to everyone except the person involved."
Xu Yan covered half of her face, feeling utterly humiliated.
Chapter 74
===================
Shan Hai Catering's headquarters are located halfway up the mountain.
Old Liu was busy in the kitchen, but the executive chef thought he wasn't qualified enough, so he was assigned to wash dishes. Old Liu didn't mind washing dishes because the pay was higher than elsewhere, and there were also comprehensive social insurance and housing fund benefits, making it more stable than the increasingly declining pan-fried dumpling shop.
Moreover, in the section for parents' occupations listed under their children's school registration, Lao Liu's employer, Shanhai Catering Group, appears much more respectable than that of a self-employed individual.
Old Liu was grateful for Zhou Luming's arrangements, but he was met with disdain in the kitchen, especially when his assistant, Xiao Mo, reminded him not to address him as "President Zhou" in the company, but rather as "Little President Zhou." Old Liu didn't understand the difference. A kind vegetable cutter explained to him that only Old Master Zhou in the entire Zhou Group deserved the title "President Zhou," as Miss Zhou hadn't fully inherited the shares, and the board members hadn't acknowledged her status, so they could only call her "Little President Zhou."
Old Liu was keenly aware of the complex relationships within wealthy families, but he could distinguish between close and distant kin. From the moment Zhou Luming arranged for him to join Shanhai Catering, he had been "Little Boss Zhou's" informant.
On his second day at work, he was unexpectedly called to serve dishes. The headquarters of Shanhai Catering was not open to the public, but occasionally it would host a few high-ranking executives from the Zhou Group headquarters for meals and business discussions in private rooms. Today's guest was Xu Lang, the acting chairman of the Zhou Group, accompanied by his special assistant Wu Fan. There was another person who looked unfamiliar, but judging from his clothes and watch, he must also be a person of considerable status.
Xu Lang made Wu Fan wait outside the private room for a while. Wu Fan seemed distracted, staring at his phone the whole time. After the guests inside came out, he bowed to them and said, "Take care, Mr. Lu."
The man called General Manager Lu didn't even glance at him before hurrying away from Shanhai Catering.
Xu Lang said from inside, "Come in."
Wu Fan pushed the door open and carefully closed it behind him.
Seeing that no one was around, Old Liu stood outside holding an empty plate and listened.
The voices inside were somewhat hushed, with a cautious restraint, but Old Liu, being close by, could vaguely hear what they were saying.
Xu Lang said, "What's going on between you and Zhou Luming? I heard you took her to an exhibition yesterday?"
Wu Fan replied, "We're on a date."
Xu Lang chuckled, "So many people are eyeing Zhou Luming, all wanting to put their connections in her shoes. And you, without even a word, go after her. Don't you think you're overestimating yourself?"
“Besides me, it seems no one has successfully arranged a meeting with Miss Zhou, including your son, Mr. Xu.” Wu Fan cautiously observed Xu Lang’s expression, not wanting to offend this powerful figure. “Of course, Mr. Xu already has someone he loves. He and that female employee are already at the point of discussing marriage. There’s no point in you pressuring him further; it will only exacerbate the conflict between father and son. Besides, Miss Zhou really isn’t interested in Mr. Xu. If I can win Miss Zhou’s favor, I will never forget your great kindness, Mr. Xu.”
Xu Lang had indeed given up on the idea of letting Xu Yi pursue Zhou Luming. His own family was in complete chaos, and Xu Yi had caused such a mess because of that girl. So he simply stopped Xu Yi's credit card and stopped all financial support from his family, to let him know that without his family's help, he was nothing.
Xu Yi has now moved out of the Xu family home and rented a place to live with the girl. Xu Lang secretly sent people to keep an eye on him, instructing his subordinates that as long as he wasn't dead, they didn't need to care about the rebellious son's life or death.
Despite his advanced age, Xu Lang was still vigorous and busy enjoying time alone with Scarlett, fully embodying the idea that "love nourishes" keeps one young. He and Scarlett, twenty years his junior, were sweet and affectionate, and successfully registered their marriage. They simply kept a low profile and didn't hold a banquet, which was Scarlett's request.
Xu Lang admired Scarlett's gentleness and thoughtfulness; she was also beautiful and generous, lacking the frivolity of other young women. She ran her own art studio, designing clothes, recruiting models for fashion shows and exhibitions, and reportedly, the business and reputation were quite good.
Scarlett undoubtedly possesses design talent and works very hard; she also exhibits a maturity and composure beyond her years. Xu Lang is certain that within five years, Scarlett will become a renowned designer in Hai City, and her career will flourish and expand rapidly, making her a rising star in Hai City's business world.
Returning to the present, Xu Lang felt that Wu Fan was right. It was obviously impossible to bring Xu Yi and Zhou Luming together. If Wu Fan had a chance, it would be better to help Wu Fan and Zhou Luming get together.
Although Wu Fan used to come from a prominent family, he is now a completely different person and easily controlled. If he stays by her side, his life and death are in her hands. Only through her support can he gain Zhou Luming's favor; and Zhou Luming can only smoothly inherit her shares by associating with someone she approves of.
Xu Lang had made many investments and done many businesses, most of which were successful, which is why he has achieved his current status. He quickly analyzed the pros and cons and decided to support the venture capital investment in Wu Fan.
“I agree to your pursuit of Zhou Luming, and I can also provide you with help and support, but what can you do to repay me?” Xu Lang asked.
Wu Fan smiled. "What does Chairman Xu want?"
Xu Lang's shrewd eyes flashed. "What I want is to remove the word 'agent.' Can you help me do that?" The Zhou Group was an empire he helped Old Master Zhou build. Why should he hand it over to a little girl who knows nothing? Why should he respectfully call her "President Zhou"?
It's not like the ancient hereditary system; he is fully qualified to take over the Zhou family business.
Wu Fan picked up his teacup and said, "Let's toast the Chairman with tea instead of wine."
Xu Lang's smile deepened the wrinkles on his face. "Good, very good."
The top floor of a bustling, small building in the city.
Xu Yan stayed home and didn't go out. When she woke up in the morning, she heard noises outside and knew that Zhou Luming had left. She had returned home first last night and was listening to the sounds at the door while watching the TV in the living room. She waited anxiously for the door to open, and Zhou Luming came home with his bag and a relaxed expression.
After viewing the exhibition, she and Wu Fan went elsewhere.
Xu Yan pressed the remote control and quickly glanced at Zhou Luming, who had just returned. "Have you been drinking? You're back so late. Did Wu Fan bring you home?"
Zhou Luming sat down next to Xu Yan with hazy eyes, leaning lazily against her. "Yeah, later we went to a bar and had a few cocktails. That guy has a very low alcohol tolerance. He thought he could get me drunk and even wanted to take me home... but I ended up getting him drunk instead. He's in a taxi enjoying the river breeze now."
"The river breeze? Why?"
“I just gave him the address of a riverside apartment complex and had the driver take him there.” Zhou Luming smiled slyly, put his arm around Xu Yan’s neck, and murmured, “Xu Yan, why did you secretly follow me today?”
Xu Yan felt a shiver run through her body; when she leaned against him, a jolt of electricity coursed through her. Although she smelled of alcohol, which he loathed, the other stimuli diluted that aversion, leaving only a chilling ambiguity.
"I just happened to want to see the exhibition too, so I wasn't following you," Xu Yan explained weakly.
Zhou Luming smiled, "Oh? Then what's the deal with the star's number?"
"If you say you need both people's names and birthdays, I'll make a wish for you together."
Zhou Luming suddenly leaned closer to her face, staring intently at her, "Really?" His voice rose slightly at the end, full of allure.
"Yes, really."
In the midst of the tension, Zhou Luming finally released her, and she leaned back on the sofa, her forehead pressed against the back of her hand. She was indeed a little drunk, her mind hazy and intoxicated by the alcohol.
“Wu Fan asked me to be his girlfriend,” Zhou Luming said.
Xu Yan heard this and her heart clenched, but she pretended to be calm. "It seems the plan is going smoothly."
Zhou Luming glanced at Xu Yan, "Wu Fan approached Xu Lang and told him about pursuing me. Xu Lang supports Wu Fan."
“Hmm.” Xu Yan was not surprised by the collusion between Xu Lang and Wu Fan.
"Why did you write my birthday as July 20th?" Zhou Luming asked. "I don't even know my own birthday, and no one has ever celebrated it for me."
“From now on, my birthday is your birthday.” Xu Yan stood up. “Go wash up and go to bed early, you’ll feel uncomfortable like this.” She reached out to pull Zhou Luming, who was slumped on the sofa. Zhou Luming got up and leaned on Xu Yan’s shoulder, taking the opportunity to hug her. She greedily inhaled Xu Yan’s scent, which made her feel at ease.
"Thank you for my birthday." Zhou Luming smiled. "From now on, I have my own birthday too."