Devil or Angel (GL) - Chapter 35

After Zhāng Guódòng left, Zhī Yǔ stood alone awkwardly, facing the blessings—whether genuine or not—from some employees, as well as the quiet mockery that she could still clearly hear. Words like “vixen” and “mistress promotion” were whispered.

“All right, everyone, no more discussion. Do not give me preferential treatment because of my relationship with the chairman, and do not try to flatter me because of it. Also, I am not the kind of person who rises through connections! If there is nothing else, please get back to work!”

After she finished speaking, everyone exchanged glances and dared not make a sound. Zhī Yǔ sighed and returned to her office. She sat down and saw a text message on her phone: “Woman, nothing much, just miss you a bit. Wait for me obediently after work, I’ll come pick you up.”

It was one wave after another. Zhī Yǔ knew that the so-called friend was not that simple. After careful thought, she reluctantly replied: “No need, Guódòng will take me back.”

Yìyáng was on the other end, staring intently at her phone. After a long while, there was finally activity. She immediately opened it with joy, only to see a reply that made her heart sink.

It turned out that the weight of a so-called friend was ultimately no match for a lover who was seen day and night. The more Yìyáng looked at it, the more glaring it became. She slammed her phone onto the desk and irritably scratched her head.

As the saying goes, old habits die hard. When did Zhāng Guódòng become so thoughtful? The man who was practically invisible was now offering to drive that woman home. Could it really be the woman’s great charm?

Undeniably, Zhī Yǔ did possess that compelling quality that made one want to conquer her. Yìyáng was also attracted by this unique temperament. Her biggest mistake was that her love rival was her own father.

The main problem was that the woman treated her with such disdain, constantly bringing up ethics and morality. Was this genuine lack of feeling, or merely an excuse for rejection?

Yìyáng could, of course, sense Zhī Yǔ’s resistance and evasion, which was why she came up with the idea of being friends for now. She wasn’t willing to give up easily. At least the woman blushed when she intentionally or unintentionally flirted with her, right?

Therefore, Yìyáng still didn’t want to leave until the very last moment. The main reason, of course, was her reluctance to part. Alas, how great would it be if that man didn’t exist? This only deepened her hatred for her father.

There were no such things as “what ifs” in the world. Facing the current situation, she could only lament fate, but at the same time, Yìyáng was not resigned to accepting the reality. She wanted to reverse their relationship. She did not want that person to become her future stepmother. She wanted that woman to gradually fall into the web of love she designed.

Just as Yìyáng was feeling distraught, the innocent phone nearby, which had been tossed aside, rang. She picked it up in a bad mood: “Hello! Who is this?”

“Yáng, it’s me!”

Hearing that familiar yet distant voice, and the name that only that one person called her, who else could it be but Lín Wēi? Hadn’t they already made things clear? Why was she still so persistent? In this regard, Lín Wēi was quite similar to herself.

“Is something the matter? I’m busy!”

“Can’t I call you if nothing is the matter?” Lín Wēi could already sense the impatience in her tone.

“Besides business, I don’t think we have anything to talk about.”

“Heh, is that so? CEO Zhāng, I called you today to discuss some business. When are you free to meet?”

“Is there something we can’t discuss at my company?”

“Do we have to be like this? We haven’t seen each other in almost two years. Is having a meal with me so difficult for you?”

Yìyáng listened to her words and thought for a moment. Thinking about having to face the loving couple at the dinner table when she went back, it would be less heartbreaking to have a good meal outside and return when they were out of sight. So, she reluctantly accepted Lín Wēi’s invitation.

Just as she hung up, another call came in. The person on the other end started speaking quickly and anxiously before she could even open her mouth: “Yángyáng, something big has happened.”

Yìyáng checked the caller ID and asked lazily: “Uncle, what is it this time? If you’re trying to persuade me to return to the company again, I think you don’t need to waste your breath. My answer remains the same.”

“Yángyáng, listen to me before you decide whether to go back or not. Didn’t I tell you before that your dad and the new general manager were acting suspiciously? Just as I thought! Today, your dad actually admitted his affair with that woman surnamed Shěn in front of the entire company staff…”

“I know,” Yìyáng interrupted him dismissively.

“What? You know?”

“That woman lives in my house. How could I not know?”

“Sh1t! Yángyáng, things have gotten this bad, and you’re still sitting by and doing nothing? Are you going to watch your mother’s hard work be completely given away to a vixen? I also heard that your dad is now letting that woman make almost all the decisions, and she’s even signing important documents. If this continues, the company will be lost sooner or later!” Wáng Wěi absolutely could not let this happen. Now, the only hope rested on Yìyáng.

“Uncle, I don’t know if you’re worried about yourself or genuinely concerned for me and my mother. Thank you for your kindness, but I have my own plan. I’m busy, so that’s all!”

Ignoring her uncle’s continuous reproaches on the other end, Yìyáng heartlessly hung up the phone. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, trying to distract herself and calm down. She couldn’t let others affect her emotions. She forcibly suppressed the fire that was about to erupt inside her.

After work, Yìyáng unenthusiastically went to the appointed restaurant for the meeting. Lín Wēi, who had been waiting there early, was visibly anxious. How long had she waited for this day? Even just having a meal with her was enough. She was a little afraid that the person would break the date.

“Yángyáng, you finally came. Are you hungry? I already ordered your favorite dishes for you. You don’t mind, do you?” Lín Wēi said joyfully upon seeing her arrive.

“Mhm, it’s fine, thank you!” Yìyáng said, sitting down expressionlessly.

“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you, or is work not going well? Tell me about it, and I’ll help you analyze it.” Lín Wēi had clearly noticed the fatigue and unhappiness on her face the moment she walked in.

“Nothing.”

Hearing her reply, which couldn’t be more concise, Lín Wēi felt bad and quickly changed the subject: “Right, the main reason I asked you out this time is to talk about that model. Have you decided how to deal with him?”

“That’s not up to me to decide. The party involved hasn’t expressed her opinion yet.”

“Then let’s call her over and ask her!”

“She’s a very busy person, the esteemed General Manager! She has to sit in the office signing documents and also serving her old man. How could she possibly take time off for such a small matter?” The thought of this filled Yìyáng with resentment and a strong sense of jealousy.

“In that case, let’s do this: I will definitely fire that model, and I’ll also have him apologize to that lady. How does that sound to you?”

“Mhm, you handle it,”

“Then I’ll arrange it and inform you when it’s done.” Lín Wēi said, pouring some red wine into Yìyáng’s glass.

“No need, I don’t drink. I’ve quit.”

“I remember you used to love drinking it. You said it was good for women’s beauty and complexion. Why?” Lín Wēi was confused.

“I’ve had enough to drink and then some over the past two years. Plus, my person doesn’t like me drinking, so I won’t touch it. You drink.”

A moment of silence ensued. Just then, the dishes were gradually served. Yìyáng looked at the table full of her favorite food, as if she had returned to that beautiful time two years ago, when the two of them would hold hands and go shopping and eating out every weekend.

The dishes were the same, but now, facing each other, there was a sense of unfamiliarity instead of playful affection. Thinking of these changes, Lín Wēi’s eyes welled up slightly.

Yìyáng kept her head down, quietly eating her food, only thinking of finishing quickly and leaving. But when she looked up, she saw this scene: “What are you doing? You’re fine, why are you crying?”

“Yángyáng, do we still have a chance?”

“Haven’t I already made everything clear to you?”

“You’re doing this because you hate me. You’re getting revenge on me, aren’t you?”

“Lín Wēi, I’ve already come to terms with it and started a new life, so you don’t need to feel so guilty anymore.” Yìyáng didn’t know what to say to the woman in front of her, the one she once loved and hated.

“I can’t accept it. I’ve missed you every moment over the past two years, and I still love you as much as ever. Everything I said back then was a lie. I was forced to do it.”

“Heh, forced to do it? Did someone hold a gun to your head and make you leave me?”

“You don’t know how much courage it took for me to leave you, but reality forced me to temporarily let you go. At the time, I was so reluctant…” Lín Wēi cried as she recounted the entire incident from beginning to end.

Yìyáng was initially listening carelessly to whatever explanation she had, but as she listened, her brows furrowed deeper, and her heart clenched. She silently picked up the wine glass beside her and drank it down. By the time Lín Wēi finished recounting the events, she had nearly finished the entire bottle of wine.

It turned out that the hatred of the past two years was all for nothing. Everything stemmed from a lie. What seemed like a well-intentioned lie resulted in Yìyáng’s depression and Lín Wēi’s painful self-reproach.

“Why didn’t you tell me back then? Why did you take matters into your own hands? If you hadn’t done that, things wouldn’t be this way today! Do you know the consequences?” Yìyáng asked, grabbing the hand of the tearful Lín Wēi in anger.

“I…” Lín Wēi hesitated, unable to speak.

“Come on, let’s go!” Yìyáng, unsteady on her feet, pulled her hand and started walking out. She had a belly full of rage that needed to be vented.

“Yáng, where are we going?”

“To settle a score!”