A woman that cannot be obtained will always linger in a man’s mind. There is no reason behind it; that’s just how it is.
But the one driving was Xiao Yang. Han Yanyan bent down and waved to the young man in the car, "No need, I'll just take a taxi. Don't trouble yourself. Thank you."
Xiao Yang replied, "It's not a good time to catch a taxi. Just get in. President Yao asked me to take you home. If you don’t, I won’t be able to explain to him."
Han Yanyan hesitated for a moment but finally got into the car. "Thanks for your trouble," she said.
Xiao Yang flashed a grin, "What trouble is there? It’s not my gas. If you want to thank someone, thank President Yao. Where do you live?"
After Han Yanyan gave her address, Xiao Yang turned the steering wheel and stepped on the gas to set off. During the ride, he chatted casually with her.
"Are you a student?"
"S University? Impressive! You're a top student!"
"Why are you working here? Isn’t there a school curfew?"
"I was just asking. How would I know? I've never been to college, just said it casually."
"Dialysis, huh? That must be quite expensive, right? That sounds tough."
Whether it was President Yao's order or Xiao Yang's own curiosity, Han Yanyan took this opportunity to reveal her background, and it was perfectly fine whether it was for President Yao or Jiang Ye.
She painted a picture of a hardworking and resilient university student, working to pay her own tuition and living expenses while also treating her brother's illness.
Xiao Yang felt a twinge of sympathy for her.
Though he tried to act all casual and cool, his true nature showed. He had just graduated from a police academy and was filled with youthful passion. His casual conversation turned into a heartfelt warning.
"Even though you're making money, this isn’t a good place. The people here are a mixed bag. As a pretty girl, it’s easy to get taken advantage of. If you run into some scum, you won't even have a place to cry. People will think it’s your fault for coming to a place like this to make a living. You won’t be able to explain yourself. There are many ways to earn money; you don’t have to work in a place like this."
He sincerely advised her against working in such a shady environment.
In her memory of “female police officer Han Yanyan,” Xiao Yang called her "Sister Han" or "Yanyan Jie." Now, he felt young again and started calling himself "Bro."
Han Yanyan almost laughed out loud but managed to hold it back. She replied in a “calm” tone, "Look at you, full of righteousness. If I didn’t know you were President Yao's person, I would have thought I was undergoing re-education from the local police."
Xiao Yang was startled and quickly changed his tone, jokingly saying, "I just care because you’re pretty."
"You think if you weren’t pretty, anyone would care? If you weren’t pretty, would President Yao really bother to call me to give you a ride? This world, it all comes down to looks," he said lightheartedly. "Hey, it’s clear President Yao has a thing for you. What about you? What do you think?"
Han Yanyan maintained her “calm” demeanor, saying, “I have no thoughts about it.”
Once Han Yanyan was dropped off, Xiao Yang sent a voice message to Yao Chen, summarizing the information about Han Yanyan.
After that, he used another number to report to Jiang Ye, saying, "President Yao asked me to drive that Han Yanyan home. You know, the waitress you took back yesterday. Seems like President Yao is interested in her and wants me to check her out."
Jiang Ye replied, "Then just investigate."
Xiao Yang said, "There shouldn’t be anything. She’s still a student. Just short on money because her family has a sick person."
Jiang Ye said, "If there’s nothing, then there’s nothing to fear."
Hesitating, Xiao Yang asked, "What if… what if President Yao wants to go after this girl?"
Jiang Ye finally got it and said impatiently, "That’s none of your business. If she wants to find a rich man, you can’t stop her. Yang, that’s her life choice, and you can’t interfere."
But Han Yanyan was pretty and clean, with polite manners. Even if she was working to earn money, it was for her family’s sake. Xiao Yang couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
Jiang Ye, speechless, said, "Just set your heart at ease. President Yao has done plenty of bad things, but he doesn’t have a history of serious crimes. He’s more likely to trick someone than to force himself on them."
Xiao Yang objected, "Tricking isn’t okay, either."
Jiang Ye sighed, "If you were a girl and I placed you next to President Yao, having to choose one to sleep with, who do you think you’d choose?"
Xiao Yang felt humiliated, "Captain Jiang, don’t insult people like that!"
"What can I do? Can I change the world? This world is all about looks." Jiang Ye said slowly, "Before President Yao gained power, he had a few close calls, all thanks to women. He knows how to handle them. If he really likes this girl, you don’t need to worry; there's nothing you can do."
After quitting her tutoring job on Sunday, Han Yanyan could finally relax. She woke up late, checking her phone out of habit. It was on silent while she slept. There were several missed calls, all from home. She coldly smiled and couldn’t be bothered, tossing the phone aside.
Opening her wardrobe, she was frustrated by the pile of cheap clothes. Both her past life experiences and her current self had outgrown wearing such things. She wanted to throw them all away and buy new ones but hesitated. After all, this was part of her persona as a frugal university student.
After taking a shower, her phone rang again, still from home. This time she answered, and it was her father on the line. He was questioning her about what she had said to her mother yesterday, making her mother cry and sending her sick brother back to bed.
"Do you know your brother is sick? And you still make him angry? Can he even handle that?" he yelled angrily.
Han Yanyan replied, "What do you want me to do then?"
"I don’t want you to do anything! What can I ask of you? I am tired every day; your brother is sick, your mother is taking care of him, and you are the only one who has it easy! Don’t you know how to behave?"
Han Yanyan responded honestly, "I don’t know."
Her father exploded, "All I ask is for you to buy your brother a gaming laptop! And you always come up with excuses! If you buy two less pieces of clothing, it will cover it!"
"There is not enough," Han Yanyan said. "I buy all my clothes wholesale. The total for a year doesn’t even equal one gaming laptop. Plus, I haven’t bought much this year; I’ve mostly worn last year’s clothes. The total of two years’ clothes isn't enough either."
Her father was momentarily speechless, then shouted, "How dare you talk back!" He berated her for being unfilial and disrespectful.
Han Yanyan hung up the phone and turned off her phone. Soon, the landline rang, but she yanked out the cord.
Finally, the world was peaceful.
Han Yanyan dressed beautifully and went out. While she couldn’t update her wardrobe, she wouldn’t neglect her innerwear. Shopping at the mall, she bought several sets of new underwear. She also went to a specialty store to buy a new laptop—of course, it was for her, not for her brother. She had always used the school’s computer lab or borrowed her boyfriend’s laptop. Now that he was gone, the laptop needed for studying was gone too. You can’t go without a computer in life, so Han Yanyan bought herself one.
Later, she treated herself to a nice lunch and spent a pleasant afternoon in a cozy café.
This is what life should be like, girl—if "student Han Yanyan" had a soul, she would want to say this to her.
That evening when she went to work, her supervisor said, "You’re in charge of Area 8." Area 8 included Room 812.
Han Yanyan didn’t think much of it. Their assigned areas changed regularly, and she had been responsible for Area 8 before.
That night, Yao Chen appeared, followed by his crew. Han Yanyan leaned against the wall to make way, holding a tray and slightly bowing, "President Yao." Yao Chen paused in front of her.
Han Yanyan lifted her head, her dark eyes locking onto his. "Thank you for last night, President Yao."
Yao Chen nodded, not even a "mm" in response, and walked right past her.
The previous moment he was caring enough to have someone pick her up, the next he acted like a stranger. If this were a domineering CEO romance, the female lead would probably feel heartbroken right now.
Playing hard to get, keeping things aloof, with a knack for maneuvering, this man must have practiced some strategy.
However, it made sense. From a street thug to a big boss, one couldn’t rely on fists alone; the ability to capture people’s hearts was essential. Although he hadn't practiced any psychological tricks, he naturally knew how to handle people.
Han Yanyan turned and continued her work, holding the tray.
There was no rush; what he did yesterday already showed he was interested in her. Even if he didn’t act now, he would eventually. In this matter, she couldn’t take the initiative; otherwise, her persona would crumble.
She had Monday and Tuesday off, not running around but attending classes diligently. "Han Yanyan" was busy working and making money, her classmates all acquaintances without any particularly close friends. She had no interest in expanding her social circle.
As a task performer, making friends wasn’t necessary.
Her biological father kept calling her, cursing her out, and whenever he did, Han Yanyan would hang up. This man lived in modern times but still had a feudal mindset. He believed, "I gave you life; you owe me for it, and your brother is the only heir to our family's legacy. As the older sister, it's your duty to take care of him all your life."
Thanks for giving me life, bye. After hanging up, she blocked him.
After a stalemate lasting almost a week, her father finally realized that his daughter had grown up, gained independence, and would no longer simply obey him after a few scoldings. He quieted down and let her mother take over, crying endlessly.
Han Yanyan told her, "I'm tight on funds this month, so I won’t be sending money home for now."
After hanging up, she blocked her too.
The world became quiet again.
In the following days, Han Yanyan was unsure if Yao Chen was busy or if there was another reason, but she hadn't seen him for almost a week. With Yao Chen absent, she naturally didn’t see the undercover Xiao Yang either.
During the day, Han Yanyan attended classes, and at night, she worked. She had no social life, living a secluded life.
This job didn’t pay much, but the commission from drinks and tips was substantial. Han Yanyan had done well selling drinks this week, and her supervisor praised her: "It's like a lightbulb switched on for you."
The naive student was distinct from the seasoned old-timers in society. Han Yanyan could charm the wealthy customers to pull out cash easily and skillfully avoid any unwanted attention. These were things the female student Han Yanyan couldn’t have done.
But being on the street often, one is bound to get dirty. Han Yanyan encountered someone she couldn’t shake off.
A chubby Director Liu took a liking to her and showed up at Jin Hao's for three consecutive days, specifically asking for her.
To avoid him, Han Yanyan had a male colleague entertain him instead. Yet, this chubby man was persistent, blocking Han Yanyan in the hallway. He purposefully spilled his drink on his expensive suit while she was trying to block his wandering hands, then demanded compensation for the suit that cost twenty thousand.
"You don’t have to pay; just come in and drink a few with me. If we’re happy, we’ll forget this," the fat man suggested.
Having heard many stories from her colleagues at the club, Han Yanyan understood that “drinking a few” could have hidden dangers; who knows what was mixed in, making her vulnerable.
She scrutinized the chubby man. His eye bags were heavy, and he seemed unsteady; she figured she could likely take him down.
She was there to complete her task but had no intention of conforming to a situation where she'd have to sleep with such a greasy middle-aged man. After some thought, the persona of “Honest Student Angrily Hitting on a Wealthy Scumbag” sounded thrilling and might just catch Yao Chen’s attention!
If she really had to pay up, she could always sulk and borrow money from Yao Chen. If he tried to use that as a leverage for something else, she could also use that chance to trap him.
With scheming thoughts swirling in her mind, Han Yanyan clenched her fist, gathering her strength, ready to strike when the man’s large hand reached for her again.
As expected, the chubby hand stretched out again, and Han Yanyan glanced downward, her heel raising slightly, knee bending, poised to deliver a decisive blow.
At that moment, someone stepped in, blocking the chubby man's approach.
The scenario of a domineering boss rescuing a damsel in distress unfolded.