Chapter 7, Refusal

Zhou thought to himself that his study and life were already difficult enough, yet out of nowhere, a Wei Qing had emerged, entangling him incessantly and testing his will at every turn. It was truly detestable; how could he be so unfortunate

Sheng Wen knew that she still did not understand the situation, and could only sigh, saying: "Xixi, it's not that I am unwilling to help you. It's just that I also have to consider others' feelings and cannot do anything about it." It was only then that Zhou realized that Wei Qing was the one causing the trouble. He had never imagined that this person could be so detestable, so despicable and shameless, actually resorting to such underhanded tactics.

She recalled that when she had just started university, she found a small gray cloth bag on the road, inside of which was a roll of hundred-yuan bills, and a person was lurking nearby in the ATM room of the Industrial and Commercial Bank, counting money, totaling thirteen thousand yuan. At that time, she was eager to buy a computer, her heart itching with desire, but unfortunately, she did not have enough money. When unexpected wealth fell from the sky, she was initially overjoyed. She thought to herself that it wasn't money she had stolen, so she took the money and returned to her dormitory. At that time, she was eager to buy a computer, her heart itching with desire, but unfortunately, she did not have enough money. When unexpected wealth fell from the sky, she was initially overjoyed. She thought to herself that it wasn't money she had stolen, so she took the money and returned to her dormitory.

Zhou clapped his hands and said, "Not bad, not bad, this is just right!" After speaking, he looked at Zhang Shuai and sighed, "Zhang Shuai, it seems I need to work harder, my drawing is so terrible." This is probably related to his mood

However, lying in bed at night, she could not fall asleep, tossing and turning while having nightmares. Whenever she met people, everyone asked her if she was ill, whether she needed to go to the hospital, and why her face was covered in a cold sweat with pale lips. This was the unease of conscience, the power of morality. Just one night felt like a severe illness, leaving her sleepless throughout the night. The next day, she could no longer bear it and rushed to the nearby police station early in the morning to return the money. After coming out, she felt completely relaxed, as if she had come back to life. The next day, she could no longer bear it and rushed to the nearby police station early in the morning to return the money. After coming out, she felt completely relaxed, as if she had come back to life

Following the address provided by Aqi, upon her arrival, the people there were very pleased with her appearance and demeanor. They verbally agreed, saying: "Miss Zhou, you can try for three days first, and if you are satisfied, you can stay on. The salary during the trial period will be paid as usual." Zhou is experienced and quickly adapted to the new environment. She is also diligent, and both the boss and staff have given her very positive evaluations

Zhou is very sensitive to others' presence; as soon as he approaches, she already reacts. Moreover, when he whispers flirtatiously in her ear, she, being still young and unaware of the sensations of desire, only feels uncomfortable all over. She pushes him away with force and says sternly: "Mr. Wei, please conduct yourself with dignity. Otherwise, I will have to scream that you are being inappropriate."

Not everyone has the opportunity to rise to greatness. Even someone like Lin Feifei finds herself envious of Zhou Shi's luck at this moment

Shaking his head and sighing, he weakly said: "Lin Feifei, to be honest with you, I have never thought about such things. I only wanted to study hard, strive to be admitted to the graduate program at this university, and then stay on to teach. During the day, I would teach students, and at night, I would go online, read novels and books, living a life that is both easy and carefree. I had heard of such things before, and I always thought they were out of reach, but I never expected that it would actually happen to me. To this day, I still feel like I am dreaming."

He frowned, re-evaluated Zhou, and then pulled a card from his wallet, saying: "This is a supplementary card for my bank account."

Zhou, being accustomed to such matters, did not become furious; instead, he jokingly said, "Whatever I want, you will give me? Well then, I want your will."

Zhou let out a sound of "Oh," threw down the pen, and took the elevator downstairs. The large office was empty except for Old Man Xiao. She knocked on the door, "Teacher Xiao, did you need to see me?"

Wei Qing appeared; it was already 4 AM, and most of the guests had left. She was about to finish her shift. Sheng Wen stopped her and said, "Xixi, could you stay a little later today? Lili, who was on duty, had something to attend to and left early. You can cover for her and will be compensated for the overtime." Zhou thought to herself that it didn't matter much to her to stay a few extra hours, so she nodded in agreement

Ancient saying, good deeds are rewarded with good, and evil deeds are met with evil; it is not that retribution does not occur, but that the time has not yet come. Indeed, Zhou has spoken the truth; Wei Qing will truly face retribution in the future. Zhou is precisely his retribution

Lin Feifei was astonished, picking it up to weigh it in her hands, "It must be around twenty to thirty thousand, truly extravagant. Didn't you say you had already broken up with him?"

Zhou looked at him with cold eyes, as he truly believed he was her man, which was nothing but arrogance and a lack of regard for others. She did not argue, but obediently sat down for the time being, to see what he truly intended to do.

Lin Feifei shrugged and said, "What's so surprising about this? Many wealthy people do the same. Quite a few people in our class are being supported by others, and the prices are clearly stated. The first month is this much, and then it’s that much, with contracts signed; everyone knows about it in private. But you are a serious student—ah, anyway, regarding such matters, others may speak ill of it, but it all depends on how you think about it. Others have no right to interfere, and it is not unreasonable."

She covered her lips and could not speak, feeling as if the stack of cash in her hand was on fire, burning her palm! This was a stack of crisp bills! More tempting than any diamond necklace. Since her birth, Zhou had never held so much cash in her hands. It was no wonder she was astonished.

From then on, she realized that she was not cut out to be a bad person. It was more suitable for her to be honest and law-abiding. Therefore, she was also not cut out to be a bad woman. To be honest, such matters do require a certain talent. Zhou's talent did not lie in this area

Zhang Shuai stood behind her, took the pen from her hand, and said, "Do you think this revision is better?" As she demonstrated. The two of them were in this posture, shoulders touching, breaths mingling, very intimate. It was only later that Zhang Shuai thought back and realized how nostalgic that moment truly was

Old Man Xiao hurriedly invited her to sit down, poured her a glass of water, and took out a list from the drawer. Adjusting his glasses, he said: "Zhou, you haven't paid your tuition for this academic year, have you? The school's finance department has already issued a notice, urging those who haven't paid their tuition to do so promptly. There are several in our class, so don't delay any longer, hurry up and pay it. If the school really withholds your grades, that would be troublesome"

Wei Qing said calmly, "It's nothing much, you are overthinking it. Just consider it a gift for meeting, no need to take it to heart." His ability to speak such nonsense with a straight face truly reflects his remarkable skill, having reached the level of the Black Mountain Old Demon.

Zhou, after the initial panic, had now made up his mind, and his mood calmed down as he nodded: "Yes, even if the sky falls, I must sleep. These trivial matters can wait until tomorrow." The two no longer discussed the issue and turned off the lights to sleep. She slept very well, not waking until dawn, without any unease.

Zhou, upon hearing Lin Feifei's words, seemed startled, shaking his head repeatedly, saying: "How can this be? How can this be!" He then turned and scolded: "Wei Qing is truly excessive, not a good person!" Such a person leads others to ruin and deserves to go to hell

Wei Qing asked: "Why do you still come to work here"

Lin Feifei, upon hearing her say this, chose not to say more. This matter had to be decided by her; whether it was good or bad, she would bear the consequences herself. She only said: "Don't overthink it, just get a good night's sleep. It's not that serious. If you don't want it, then just return it; it's no big deal. He can't just forcibly take a respectable woman; after all, we live in a society governed by law." Yet, that thick stack of cash made her salivate, her heart itching with impatience. Moreover, Zhou was in such dire need of money at that moment. He can't just forcibly take a respectable woman; after all, we live in a society governed by law. Yet, that thick stack of cash made her salivate, her heart itching with impatience. Moreover, Zhou was in such dire need of money at that moment.

However, three days later, when it was time to sign the contract, the boss changed his mind, "Miss Zhou, I sincerely apologize. You have performed exceptionally well, but we can only say sorry. This is your salary for the three-day probation period. If there are future opportunities, we will definitely notify you by phone!"

Zhou was startled and threw the envelope onto the ground, and after a long while, he said: "It was secretly given by Wei Qing, I don't know."

Zhou had a head as big as a basin, and said with annoyance: "I thought it was so." However, from the current perspective, she was too one-sided in her feelings. No wonder at the banquet, Wei Qing allowed her to leave just like that.

Wei Qing was filled with resentment; she actually left without looking back again, leaving him with a rebellious silhouette. Therefore, he intended to make her suffer a little as a form of punishment, so that she would obediently return to his side

Wei Qing went abroad on a business trip this week, which is why he has not been seen. He just got off the plane and called Sheng Wen to ask if Zhou is still at work.

It is not surprising that she is driven mad by thoughts of money, as there are simply too many places where money is needed! She went to the hardware store to purchase paints, drawing paper, rice paper, art pens, pencils, brushes, and other supplies, spending nearly one thousand yuan, which caused her great distress. She wondered if she should look for another part-time job, otherwise, when would she be able to pay the tuition fees?

Zhou Shi brought him a hot cup of coffee. Only someone as arrogant as Wei Qing would order coffee at a bar. Wei Qing looked up at her and smiled, saying, "It has been a while since we last met; you have lost quite a bit of weight." Zhou Shi thought to herself, of course, with such a busy day and night, it would be strange if I didn't lose weight

As soon as she stepped out of the bar, she immediately called and cursed: "Wei Qing, you bastard! Just wait, be careful of retribution." She was seething with anger, wishing she could drink Wei Qing's blood and eat his flesh. Cursing him like this was already considered mild. However, apart from cursing, she had no other means.

Zhou, standing firm and resolute, declared: "I, Zhou, never regret my actions." He then strode away with confidence

Zhang Shuai comforted her: "You are so talented, there is no need to rush. Oh, by the way, I almost forgot the important matter. I ran into Teacher Xiao downstairs, and he asked me to tell you that he saw you and would like you to come to his office; he has something to discuss with you"

Lin Feifei, upon hearing her whimsical ideas, was overjoyed and laughed while scolding, "You might as well daydream! Why don't you think about turning stone into gold and water into silver yourself!" Zhou replied irritably, "I would like to!"

A person stood in the corner, wiping away tears, feeling very wronged. Aqi knew a little about the situation and felt great sympathy for her. He said with righteousness, "I have a friend who also runs a bar; you might want to ask him, perhaps he needs someone." Upon hearing this, Zhou was overjoyed and expressed countless thanks before leaving.

Wei Qing had never encountered someone like her; ordinary people either flatly refused or haggled. Zhou was demanding his will while indirectly cursing him to death. However, in Wei Qing's ears, it seemed as if she had ulterior motives

Lin Feifei advised her: "Take it easy, in fact, there is nothing to this kind of thing. Think about it, don't ordinary people also have to date boyfriends? They eat together, chat, kiss, and engage in relationships. What is wrong with having a powerful, handsome, and wealthy young man in your life, who is considerate in every way and looks after you in everything? Moreover, there is a substantial amount of breakup compensation when parting ways, so why not enjoy it?"

Zhou naturally declined and politely said: "Thank you, I don't think I need it."

Zhou took a step back, looked left and right for a long time, and finally nodded: "Indeed, it seems that modifications are necessary. There is a slight indentation on the bridge of the nose, sigh—I'll have to redraw it." As he spoke, he meticulously made adjustments.

I truly wonder how long she can hold on

The next day, in the studio, while drawing a sketch of a plaster cast, Zhang Shuai pushed the door open. Zhou asked him with a smile, "How is the drawing going?" Zhang Shuai stood in front of the easel, carefully observing, and pointed at the nose, laughing as he said, "Here— the shadow part is not handled well."

However, fortune does not come in pairs, and misfortune does not come alone; a leaky roof is met with a night of continuous rain. Sheng called her to say that he had hired a new long-term server, so she would no longer need to help, which effectively meant she was dismissed. Zhou felt her heart sink upon hearing this. When she went to collect her wages at 'Wangchao', she earnestly pleaded, 'Manager Sheng, the bar is quite busy on weekends; would it be possible for me to come and help only on weekends?'

Zhou shook his head: "I can't bear to... but it's already been returned, and it's too late to regret it!" Lin Feifei clasped her fists: "Zhou, you have integrity! I truly admire you! I used to think that all girls in the world were pretty much the same, but I didn't expect there to be such a big fool like you."

Wei Qing was already tired of her leaving at every turn, and immediately blocked her path. He lowered his head slightly, blowing air on her earlobe, and said: "What, do you not need it? Or is it... too little?"

Zhou nodded busily and said yes. Old Xiao then asked her if she planned to take the graduate entrance exam for this school, suggesting that she communicate more with the mentors in the Fine Arts Department and ask senior students if she had any questions. He inquired about her well-being in a caring manner, quite like a parent. Zhou felt quite grateful to him, as he was genuinely kind to his students. In this day and age, teachers like Old Xiao are becoming increasingly rare.

Zhou sneered: "Mr. Wei, it should be me asking you what you mean!"

Zhou still shook his head, insisting, "But this is always not good. It is not money earned by oneself, and it makes one feel uneasy. Conscience is the hardest thing to bear." People often cannot overcome this hurdle within themselves

Now I understand why so many female college students are willing to associate with wealthy individuals. Before even finishing a sentence, the bright red banknotes are already presented before them, making it hard to resist

Wei Qing was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, how could she say something so inappropriate with such a serious demeanor, it was truly both infuriating and amusing. She must have been foolish from studying too much! This silly girl. Nevertheless, she took a step back, raised an eyebrow, and asked: "How much do you want?"

Zhou said with a bitter face: "I used to pride myself on being smart, but now I realize I am a complete fool. That white silver, before it even warmed in my pocket, has just disappeared... If I had never seen it, I wouldn't have any thoughts about it. However, now that the money I had has sprouted wings and flown away, it truly pains my heart! Ah—if only that money had been given to me by my father, how wonderful it would be!"

Lin Feifei expressed her envy, saying: "Since this Minister is so willing to spend money on you, then you might as well give in to him. There are many benefits to this. At least you won't have to work so hard at night and take on a part-time job at the bar."

The interests are indeed too immense, making it hard for anyone to remain unmoved. Those who observe from the sidelines may criticize vehemently, but for those who are involved, it is not easy to resist the temptation

Meeting gift? Why would someone give such a heavy meeting gift for no reason? With ulterior motives yet speaking with such righteousness! Zhou truly did not know what to say, after a long pause he said: "Mr. Wei, I cannot accept this meeting gift." He stood up and was about to leave

Less than half an hour had passed when Wei Qing pushed the door open and entered, still carrying a chill in the air, looking travel-worn. Sheng Wen stepped forward to greet him: "Wei Shao, you have arrived." Wei Qing raised his eyes to look at him, and he understood, quickly saying: "She is still here, please take a seat first."

The next day, Zhou complained to Lin Feifei, with a sorrowful expression, saying: "I have returned the money!"

Wei Qing's expression changed, staring at her with growing anger in his eyes. Zhou had repeatedly returned the items he had sent out, which had already made him quite displeased. Maintaining a calm demeanor, he淡淡 asked: "What do you mean by this?"

During the evening shift, she constantly kept an eye out for Wei Qing's arrival. However, when she truly wished to see him, he did not appear. For several consecutive days, there was no news at all. She found it inappropriate to call and inquire, so she had no choice but to patiently wait. Wei Qing's reappearance at the "Dynasty" bar was not until a week later.

Zhou is no longer as foolish as before, and she has somewhat guessed the reason in her heart. Without saying a word, she slightly bowed, took the money, and left. This Wei Qing, she gritted her teeth in hatred; why hasn't he been struck by lightning! Heaven truly has no eyes!

Even Lin Feifei, who was accustomed to such scenes, exclaimed in surprise and repeatedly asked, "Zhou, where did you get so much money from?"

She is deeply worried about the issue of tuition fees

Wei Qing did not get angry, but coldly said, "Zhou, you will definitely regret it."

Zhou raised an eyebrow: "Why not?" Saying this, he took an envelope out of his pocket, mocking, "Is it just because of this?" He threw it on the table, returning it intact.

When Zhou Shi was angrily making a phone call, Wei Qing was working in the office. After listening to Zhou Shi's furious tirade, he couldn't help but chuckle. Zhou Shi was indeed a fierce woman, unafraid of anything, expressing her emotions freely with laughter and anger. He lifted his long legs and placed them on the windowsill, turning his leather chair to gaze at the view outside the floor-to-ceiling window, taking in half of Beijing's scenery, which was breathtakingly beautiful. The more he thought of Zhou Shi, the more he found it amusing. He lifted his long legs and placed them on the windowsill, turning his leather chair to gaze at the view outside the floor-to-ceiling window, taking in half of Beijing's scenery, which was breathtakingly beautiful. The more he thought of Zhou Shi, the more he found it amusing.

Lin Feifei scrutinized her for a long time, then asked: "Did you really return the money? Are you willing to do that?"

The minister extended his hand and said without any courtesy: "Sit down and keep me company"