Hearing the introduction, Zhu Yan knew she'd guessed right.
Zhou Ying was clearly afraid something might happen between Jiang Cheng and her, so the Girl had rushed to flash her status as the official girlfriend, hoping to slap Zhu Yan with a warning.
Watching Zhou Ying fire the first shot,
Her delicately arched brows snapped together; almond-shaped eyes, once soft as willow leaves, frosted over as though flash-sealed in ice.
The only child of her family, she had been pampered since birth.
Whether at home, at school, or at work, she'd rarely had to swallow anger.
Apart from having to lower her pride and attach herself to Jiang Cheng, life had been smooth sailing—almost no setbacks.
Zhu Yan shot Jiang Cheng a look.
Seeing Jiang Cheng had no intention of stepping in,
She curved her lips in a lazy smile.
Without mercy she fired back: "Girlfriend?? I thought Young Master Jiang was single—this is the first I've heard he has one…"
Jiang Cheng had originally planned to keep Zhou Ying and Zhu Yan from talking too long;
He was uneasy, unsure what might happen once these two women met.
But the instant Zhou Ying introduced herself as his girlfriend,
Jiang Cheng decided to quit resisting.
Given his present situation, these Girls would probably meet one another sooner or later.
Though he wanted to be a good man,
Now that they'd bumped into each other and started talking on their own,
How could he stop them??
Intervening now would only make him look guilty and put him on the back foot.
Better to let the two of them talk openly, as they were doing.
Whatever came of it would depend on fate.
Jiang Cheng never expected that this sudden "giving-up" would, in its own way, become an active strategy.
As he'd guessed, frantic explanations to Zhou Ying would have made him look like a man with something to hide.
By letting the two women meet head-on,
The field became a battlefield between them.
Zhu Yan's words landed like a heavy punch on Zhou Ying.
Her meaning was clear: Jiang Cheng had never mentioned her in front of Zhu Yan.
Was she implying that Zhou Ying meant nothing to Jiang Cheng?
Round one, and Zhou Ying had already bled out.
In the very first exchange Zhou Ying had taken a critical hit—total defeat.
For most women, hearing Zhu Yan's remark would evoke one of two reactions:
Either indifference—no big deal;
Or friendliness—smiling and saying nice to meet you.
Zhu Yan, however, chose neither.
Instead of politeness, she seemed bent on provoking Zhou Ying—clearly spoiling for a fight.
Though waves of anger surged inside her, Zhou Ying forced a smile.
Unconsciously her fingers clenched the hem of her robe.
To save face she answered with feigned calm,
"Jiang Cheng always keeps private and public separate; he wouldn't mention our relationship. After all, we've been together since we graduated from high school."
She lingered on the words "high-school classmates," her eyes sparkling with pride, the curve of her lips openly taunting.
The smiling retort struck Zhu Yan like a blow.
Zhu Yan felt her own health bar plummet until it almost matched Zhou Ying's.
High-school classmates—those words carried their own halo.
Those three years are the most precious of adolescence.
Young and innocent, untouched by worldly gain or desire.
Relationships forged then are the purest, free of any taint.
Only the truest flutter of the heart.
Though Zhu Yan knew Jiang Cheng had many girlfriends, she dared not reveal it to Zhou Ying.
She knew exactly what could and could not be said.
That limit left her with little room to manoeuvre,
As if her hands were tied.
Zhu Yan gave a soft grunt and bit her lower lip hard.
Her nails dug into her palm while she kept a perfect fake smile on her face.
"You're right," she said. "I'm ashamed. As Young Master Jiang's personal secretary—and his life secretary—I really should pay more attention. I didn't even know something so 'small.' I'll be sure to look after him better from now on."
Zhu Yan's counter was a sword straight to Zhou Ying's heart, almost making the blood she'd been holding back spurt out.
Instead of backing off, Zhu Yan had been spurred on.
Was she saying she would get even closer to Jiang Cheng from now on?
The thought left Zhou Ying tasting something bitter.
Jiang Cheng was her first love; she cherished this bond.
Though inexperienced in romance, she knew you had to fight for what you wanted.
Yet Zhou Ying was clear-headed; she wouldn't lose her reason in a moment of impulse.
Even if other women appeared beside Jiang Cheng, she couldn't scream and cry like a shrew.
That would only disgust him and make her look graceless.
Fang Yuan had always struck her as neither quarrelsome nor weak.
Though her mother's marriage had failed,
It had deeply influenced Zhou Ying.
She remembered Fang Yuan saying: "When a man loves you, you needn't make a fuss; when he doesn't, no fuss will help."
Zhou Ying wouldn't take that out on Jiang Cheng.
She knew love couldn't be forced, and she wasn't the type to make groundless scenes.
But that didn't mean she would yield to any woman who appeared beside him.
Especially faced with Zhu Yan's naked provocation, the smile on Zhou Ying's face finally cracked.
Her grin froze, and a spark of fire leapt in her eyes.
She drew a deep breath, steadied herself, lifted her chin, and let a cold smile curl her lips.
"Secretary Zhu is so dedicated, already 'caring' for Jiang Cheng before the New Year is even over. But when concern crosses the line, it becomes harassment, don't you think?"
Zhu Yan was struck dumb.
Her mind went blank; every retort she'd prepared vanished.
She felt instantly, utterly defeated.