Devil or Angel (GL) - Chapter 3

It’s often said that 99% of college romances are doomed to end in tragedy. With graduation approaching, couples are forced to face the harsh reality and part ways—and Yiyang and Lin Wei were no exception.

After graduation, Yiyang began pursuing her dreams, traveling far and wide. Using the money she earned from part-time jobs during her school years and a savings her mother had left her, she was finally on the verge of owning her own studio. She had been looking forward to sharing this news with the person she loved—only to have that person leave her.

Lin Wei departed suddenly, without a word. Yiyang called countless times, but there was no answer. All that remained was a letter in her hand:

“Yiyang, I’m sorry. My parents and I are immigrating to Canada, and we won’t be coming back. Don’t try to find me. Consider what happened between us a dream. I was only with you out of curiosity, and perhaps what we shared wasn’t true love. Now that the dream is over, we each must live our own lives. I hope you can be happy.”

Looking at the simple note, Yiyang felt a pain like a thousand arrows piercing her heart, reminiscent of the moment her mother had left. The only difference was that now, not a single tear fell. Her heart was filled only with hatred. She shouted at the sky: “Why does everyone leave me? Why? What am I to you? Something to call when needed and discard when done?”

From the day Lin Wei left, Yiyang buried herself in work at her studio during the day, trying to numb herself and forget the unbearable memories.

But at night, when the world was quiet, the memories returned. All their sweetness and happiness had been an illusion. The thought made her irritable, and she often sneaked out while Aunt Liu was asleep to drown her sorrows in bars.

Before Lin Wei appeared in her life, Yiyang had been immersed in the grief of her mother’s cruel death. Lin Wei’s presence had brought light back into her life—her face even wore a long-lost silly smile, and her nightmares became fewer.

But being abandoned again dragged her back into despair, even worse than before. She relied on alcohol and sleeping pills to numb and sedate herself. Awake, she could not escape the memories of the two women she had once considered the most important in her life, of their decisiveness and the hurt they caused.

Every night after work, she frequented various bars—places she once thought only certain kinds of people went to—but now it was routine for her.

Back in school, Yiyang had been a refined, elegant type, her hair neither long nor short. But after Lin Wei’s departure, she cut it sharply to chin-length, giving her a boyish appearance.

Over time, she visited countless bars, until she discovered a LES bar. The environment was comfortable, without the raucous shouts of men, and she became a regular.

As a LES bar—a gathering place for women—her presence immediately drew attention. Her striking appearance, tall model-like figure, defiant aura, and designer clothing made her irresistible to many. Yiyang welcomed the attention and flirtation, but never developed feelings for anyone, nor brought anyone home. Once she left the bar, the previous women were completely forgotten. She had lost faith in love entirely, afraid to give her heart again.

Tonight, with Aunt Liu preventing her from taking sleeping pills, she could only sit quietly and wait for dawn, while memories of the past replayed in her mind. In the vast room, she was always alone.

The next day, at noon, in a Central Hong Kong office building, Zhang Guodong sat upright in the conference room of a trading company. He had come with the intention of acquiring the company.

News reported that the company’s CEO had gone bankrupt due to mismanagement, leaving a pile of debts. In desperation, he attempted to jump to his death but was rescued in time, surviving—though now he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

After seeing the news, Zhang Guodong had his team investigate the company. Their analysis suggested it was still viable, so he decided to seize the opportunity for a low-cost acquisition. He now waited in the conference room for the person in charge to arrive—apparently the previous CEO’s daughter, also the company’s general manager.

As he sipped coffee and waited, the sound of high heels approached, stopping at the conference room door. The door opened, revealing a woman around 27–28, lightly made up, with a well-proportioned figure. She wore a fitted black suit, her hair neatly tied, and a slight upturn of her lips gave her a commanding yet elegant aura.

Zhang Guodong’s secretary, Xiao Chen, stared at her in awe, frozen for a moment, only returning to reality after the boss cleared his throat.

“Hello, sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Shen Zhiyu,” the woman said in slightly awkward Mandarin.

“Hello, very pleased to meet you. I heard about your father—what a pity. I hope to visit him when I have the chance.”

“That’s thoughtful of you!”

“Ms. Shen, shall we get down to business? This is the acquisition plan prepared by my lawyer. Please have a look.”

The two spent the entire afternoon in meetings. Under the lawyers’ supervision, the transfer was completed efficiently. Afterwards, Zhang Guodong discussed other trivial matters with her. Learning about her filial devotion to her father moved him—he wished his own daughter could one day reconcile with him.

As Shen Zhiyu stood to leave, Zhang Guodong called her back, sending the others out.

“Mr. Zhang, do you have any instructions?” she asked, puzzled.

“Ms. Shen, forgive my boldness. I have a request that I hope you might consider. I propose a deal that will benefit you and harm you not at all.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was moved by your story about your father. You said you want to reclaim the company your father built through your own effort. I think I can help you do that.”

“And what conditions do you have?” Shen Zhiyu thought nothing came for free.

“My condition is simple: I need you to pretend to be my fiancée and come to Shanghai to serve as general manager of my company…”

“Why would you do that? How does this benefit you?”

“To be honest, your story inspired me. Every family has its difficulties. I may be a powerful businessman, but I can’t even handle my own daughter. We’ve had unresolved issues for over twenty years. I failed to take care of her, indirectly causing her mother’s suicide. I’ve always felt guilty and want to make amends, but she refuses to give me a chance.” Zhang Guodong choked up slightly.

“I’m old now, and will retire in a few years. I want her to inherit the company, but she won’t even speak to me, let alone take it over.”

“Then how would pretending to be your fiancée help? And why choose me?” Shen Zhiyu asked, sympathetic but cautious.

“As long as you agree to my condition, live in my home, and work in my company, she will surely react. She loves her mother dearly, and this company was built by her mother and me. Your presence will create a sense of threat, making her obediently go to the company. As for choosing you, my instincts tell me you have the aura to handle my willful daughter.”

“Are you sure this will work? And why should I trust you? We just met!”

“If you don’t trust me, we can sign an agreement. If you can get my daughter to work in my company, I’ll transfer your father’s company to you. That way, neither of us loses. We each get what we need. How about it?”

Shen Zhiyu found the proposal tempting. She would sacrifice nothing—only pretend to be his fiancée and compel his daughter to go to work. In doing so, she could reclaim her father’s company and also fulfill the good intentions of the man before her.

She agreed to consider it, promising to give her answer the next day. Zhang Guodong smiled, handing her his business card, telling her to call when she had decided. He was confident she would accept.

“Then, Ms. Shen, I’ll wait for your good news tomorrow. If possible, I hope we can fly back to Shanghai by noon.”

“Alright, Mr. Zhang. We’ll be in touch tomorrow.”