Chapter 79: Zhang Yi's Jealousy

Which woman would not be moved by luxury goods? Even Zhang Yi, who was not particularly materialistic, was no exception. Whether it was jewelry or haute couture, both elevated a woman's appearance and confidence. Moreover, this necklace was worth two hundred thousand. Lin Fan personally clasped the necklace around her neck, stirring Zhang Yi’s emotions deeply.

“Um…” Zhang Yi’s cheeks flushed with a rosy hue, her heart fluttering wildly like a startled deer. Embarrassed, she dared not meet Lin Fan’s gaze. Lin Fan’s heart, too, was restless, wondering what might happen next. To say he was unmoved would be a lie.

“Zhang Yi, I—” Lin Fan placed his hands on her shoulders. Zhang Yi let out a coquettish protest, and he noticed her affection for him had soared to fifty-five! Just as he was about to confess, a cool, mocking voice sounded from the doorway.

“Well, who’s the pretty streamer you’re flirting with now?” Upon hearing this, Lin Fan hastily explained, “She’s not one of our company’s streamers; she’s my college classmate!” He then introduced Zhang Yi to Su Juanmo.

In fact, Zhang Yi knew Su Juanmo. After all, Su Juanmo was a celebrated socialite in Hangzhou, renowned among both the elite and the wealthy. With her youth and beauty, she was the goddess of many men’s dreams. Some even compared her to the princess of Samsung, the tech giant from Korea.

Yet, upon seeing Su Juanmo, Zhang Yi felt overshadowed, uncertain whether it was guilt or insecurity, and hurriedly tucked the necklace inside her collar. Su Juanmo was a woman who disliked ostentation; her singular, classical elegance made her a peerless beauty, outshining all others. Zhang Yi herself, with her nine-out-of-ten looks and careful grooming, was radiant and captivating, but compared to Su Juanmo, she still paled in terms of presence.

“So, this is your ideal ‘white moonlight’? She is truly beautiful. Your taste is quite sharp.” Su Juanmo glanced at Zhang Yi with indifference. Though she possessed remarkable beauty, she still felt a pang of jealousy when faced with another equally beautiful woman.

Lin Fan, sensing the envy in her tone, quickly shifted the conversation to avoid misunderstanding with Zhang Yi. “Miss Su, is there anything else you need?”

“The day after tomorrow, there’s a charity auction called ‘Warm Winter Initiative’ at the Intercontinental Hotel. Many companies will attend. I suggest you go with me and donate several tens of millions to help the disabled. That way, if you ever face a public relations crisis, you can reshape your image…” Su Juanmo’s voice was almost commanding, brooking no refusal.

“No problem! I’ll follow your arrangement. Anything else?” Lin Fan tried to appear calm, but his mood had soured. He’d been on the verge of confessing to Zhang Yi, only for Su Juanmo to barge in and spoil everything. How could he feel anything but annoyed? He wished Su Juanmo would just leave.

But Su Juanmo seemed intent on teasing him, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Don’t just waste your time with frivolity and flirtation. When you chased me, you gave cars and houses, and now you’re after your old class belle, using the same tricks? You should learn a thing or two.”

“All right, I’ve said what I needed. I’m leaving…” With that, Su Juanmo breezed out of the office.

No sooner had she left than Zhang Yi confronted Lin Fan angrily, “You actually wanted to pursue her?” Lin Fan stared in disbelief, watching Zhang Yi’s affection for him drop instantly from fifty-five to fifty.

Five points lost in a flash!

“How could I possibly pursue her? We’re not evenly matched! I brought her into the company as a manager, so I had to curry favor, but I never intended to chase her. She’s just playing with me…” Lin Fan nervously forced an explanation.

He could hardly admit the truth: the gifts of cars and houses were merely to win Su Juanmo’s favor, all for the sake of his mission. But this time, Zhang Yi was truly jealous and refused to believe a word.

“I heard before that Su Juanmo is an ice-cold beauty, hardly associating with men. I didn’t expect you to be so generous—not just cars and houses, but probably much more to win her heart?” Zhang Yi looked at him with disdain.

She thought it was normal for Lin Fan to be a bit of a playboy after getting rich, but she hadn’t expected him to pursue both her and Su Juanmo. Clearly, he didn’t value her enough. So, in Lin Fan’s eyes, she was nothing compared to Su Juanmo!

“I… You’re overthinking it. I only see her as a friend and business partner. I never intended to pursue her. I’m sincere about you.” Lin Fan scratched his head, at a loss for how to win Zhang Yi back.

“If you’re so busy, I won’t bother you. I’ll go now!”

Seeing his hesitation, Zhang Yi’s jealousy intensified. Without another word, she grabbed her bag and strode out.

“Zhang Yi, let me explain… The gifts were just to establish a connection with her. I need the Su family’s support. She helped me a lot today—Genesis Entertainment was investigated by the authorities…” Lin Fan hurried after her, recounting the day’s events and emphasizing that his interest in Su Juanmo was purely for networking.

By now, they had reached the lobby on the first floor.

“Aren’t you rich? First the Grand Hotel, now this company, yet you still need to curry favor with her?” Zhang Yi crossed her arms, her tone full of resentment and confusion.

“You must understand, in our country, money alone can’t solve everything. Before power, money is meaningless. With your family background, you should know that.” Lin Fan explained earnestly.

Zhang Yi started to understand, but she still couldn’t accept that Lin Fan lavished so many gifts on Su Juanmo. Mansions worth hundreds of millions—he was extravagantly generous!

Lin Fan finally realized Zhang Yi was jealous of Su Juanmo. If she weren’t, he would truly be anxious. But since she was, it meant she wanted his affection.

So, Lin Fan stopped explaining, switching instead to the role of a devoted suitor.

“I was wrong! You are my true ‘white moonlight.’ Whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you! Not just a mansion worth hundreds of millions—even a private jet, I’ll get it for you!”

“Please forgive me. Just say the word, and I’ll buy it and deliver it to your hands—even if you want me to bark like a dog, I’ll do it…”

Zhang Yi rolled her eyes at him, but wouldn’t be swayed by his sweet words alone. She pointed to an antique-style restaurant across the street. “Then can you buy that Chinese restaurant for me?”

“No problem! Let’s go—within ten minutes, you’ll be the owner of Kangyuan!” Lin Fan didn’t care if she was only venting; he took her hand and led her across the street, charging into the famous Hangzhou eatery.