— Zhou Man's Recollection —
After failing the college entrance exam, Zhou Man refused to retake it. She stole a thousand yuan from her family and enrolled in a technical college without their knowledge.
She knew her family wasn't wealthy, but without a diploma, it would be difficult to find a good job in society, and without a good job, she couldn't make a name for herself.
Zhou Man was a determined girl. She set her sights on graduating from the technical college to secure a job.
However, struggling to even pay tuition, Zhou Man had to look for part-time work everywhere.
Young people at that time were very proud. Even if they had to work, they wouldn't look for jobs at restaurants close to school, fearing they'd be looked down upon by classmates.
But Zhou Man didn't care. As long as she could earn money to pay her tuition, she didn't mind cutting ties with her classmates.
Boss: "Xiao Man, go tidy up that table over there."
Zhou Man immediately put down a case of beer. She was thin but very strong. If it weren't for her hard work and resilience, the boss wouldn't have hired such a pretty girl as a waitress!
As Zhou Man was busily clearing the leftovers from the table, a car pulled over to the side of the road.
A very sexy woman got out of the passenger seat in a huff and used her bag to furiously hit the car's hood.
The man in the driver's seat rushed out and tried to grab the angry woman, but the beautiful woman showed no mercy. She slapped him and called him a bastard.
Next, the beautiful woman flagged down a taxi and, ignoring whatever the man was shouting from behind, got in and drove away.
The absurd scene was watched by everyone around as if it were a show. Zhou Man was one of them.
After the man cursed at the beautiful woman a few times in the taxi, he turned around and yelled, "What are you looking at?"
Zhou Man immediately averted her gaze and continued cleaning the greasy dining table.
With a "clang," the man kicked over the trash can next to Zhou Man, splashing grime all over her.
The man seemed to think Zhou Man, a young girl, was an easy target and took his anger out on her. Zhou Man was truly scared, afraid to say a word, and stood there frozen.
The boss rushed over when he saw what was happening.
This man was the young and hot-tempered eldest son of the Yan family, Yan Shizong. At that time, Yan Shizong had just returned to the country, and the women around him were all daughters of prominent families introduced by his own.
The woman who dared to slap Yan Shizong was naturally also the daughter of a major corporation.
Yan Shizong had a temper. He wasn't interested in women who wouldn't back down.
Yan Shizong: "What are you looking at? I asked what you were looking at!"
Boss: "I'm so sorry, our waitress..."
Yan Shizong: "Did I ask you?"
The boss quickly tugged at Zhou Man's arm, urging her to apologize.
Zhou Man lowered her head and stammered, which only angered Yan Shizong further. He felt insulted by the waitress.
Yan Shizong suddenly grabbed Zhou Man by the neck. Tears welled up in Zhou Man's eyes as she was forced to look up. The more scared she was, the more genuine her fear was, making one instantly feel pity.
Zhou Man was truly beautiful then. Her fair skin, thick eyelashes; some even said she bore a striking resemblance to a certain actress crowned Miss Hong Kong!
Yan Shizong loosened his grip. He never expected a girl working as a waitress at a roadside stall to suddenly touch his heart.
He realized instantly that this was the legendary love at first sight!!!
With the boss's persuasion, Yan Shizong let go, but his eyes never left Zhou Man.
Yan Shizong: "What's your name?"
Seeing Zhou Man's hesitation, the boss, fearing he'd offend this handsome, clearly wealthy man, quickly replied.
Boss: "Her name is Zhou Man."
Yan Shizong pulled up a stool and sat down.
Yan Shizong: "You, come here, I want to order."
From then on, Yan Shizong seemed to have developed a fondness for roadside stalls.
For over a month, he came every day. He wouldn't eat, but he would order a table full of food. He enjoyed calling out Zhou Man's name repeatedly and watching her busily scurry back and forth.
Until one day, Yan Shizong arrived at Zhou Man's workplace as usual, but after waiting for a long time, he didn't see Zhou Man at work.
Yan Shizong: "Where is Zhou Man?"
Boss: "She's taken leave."
Yan Shizong: "Leave? What happened to her?"
Boss: "She's apparently sick."
Yan Shizong: "Where does she live?"
Boss: "How would I know? She just works here part-time..."
Yan Shizong grew impatient. The boss quickly added, "But I know she's a student at the technical college nearby. You could try looking for her there."
At that time, Yan Shizong was truly smitten with Zhou Man. Even though Zhou Man had never spoken much to Yan Shizong, he was hopelessly infatuated with her.
Yan Shizong drove his car into the technical college, completely ignoring the elderly gatekeeper's attempts to stop him.
Yan Shizong's luxury car entering the campus naturally drew a lot of attention. Students were curious about how such a fine vehicle would enter their third-rate school.
Yan Shizong stopped his car. He was lost, having no idea where Zhou Man was, and began honking his horn incessantly.
Yan Shizong grabbed a passerby: "Do you know Zhou Man?"
The student shook his head and ran off, frightened.
After stopping several people, all of whom claimed to have never heard the name, Yan Shizong grew anxious and angry. He vowed to level this wretched school one day!
A female voice sounded from nearby.
Female student: "Are you looking for Zhou Man?"
Yan Shizong's spirits immediately lifted. Led by the female student, he arrived at the school infirmary.
When Yan Shizong sat beside the infirmary bed, he was shocked.
Zhou Man lay curled up on the bed, her face pale. Fine beads of sweat covered her forehead, and her usually rosy lips had turned a bluish hue.
Yan Shizong softly called out Zhou Man's name, his heart aching.
Zhou Man slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Yan Shizong, she closed them again with a look of disgust.
Zhou Man turned over, presenting her back to Yan Shizong.
Zhou Man: "Why are you here?"
Yan Shizong: "Why aren't you working? The shop is too busy, your boss sent me to get you back to work!"
Zhou Man turned her head and glared at Yan Shizong.
Yan Shizong: "Are you... not feeling well?"
Zhou Man grunted, hoping the rich second-generation would leave quickly.
Yan Shizong touched Zhou Man's forehead.
Yan Shizong: "You have a fever?"
Zhou Man grunted again.
Yan Shizong, disregarding Zhou Man's willingness, forcefully pulled her up.
Zhou Man: "What are you doing!"
Yan Shizong kicked Zhou Man's shoes out from under the bed.
Yan Shizong: "Let's go, I'll take you to the hospital."
Zhou Man: "You're sick!"
Zhou Man tried to lie back down. She had no money to go to the hospital. Lying in the infirmary after taking some fever reducer might help her recover.
Yan Shizong forcefully grabbed Zhou Man's arm, nearly dragging her off the bed.
Yan Shizong: "Can you get treatment in this dump? Get up now, I'm taking you to the hospital."
Zhou Man: "I'm not going!!!"
Yan Shizong was not a patient man. He kicked the cabinet next to the sickbed, startling Zhou Man with a loud crash.
Yan Shizong: "I'll ask you one more time, are you going or not!"
Zhou Man: "I, am, not, going!"
Yan Shizong shot Zhou Man an angry look and stormed out.
If Zhou Man thought she had rid herself of this lunatic by making him angry, she was gravely mistaken.
The consequences for an ordinary person who angered Yan Shizong were severe. The very next day, Zhou Man received a letter of withdrawal from the school.
The reason cited was Zhou Man's repeated unexcused absences, which was indeed the case.
To earn money, Zhou Man had indeed skipped many classes.
However, in such a shoddy technical college, many students skipped classes. Zhou Man was just unfortunate enough to anger Yan Shizong, and he was determined to make her life difficult!
Yan Shizong's car was parked outside the technical college. He wanted to witness Zhou Man being expelled from school with his own eyes, and then he wanted to hear her apologize to him!
Perhaps, with a soft heart, he might even make Zhou Man his girlfriend!
But unfortunately, Zhou Man was incredibly stubborn. She dragged her suitcase around Yan Shizong's car and walked away without looking back.
Yan Shizong chased after her, snatched her luggage, and threw it all onto the road. The suitcase broke apart, scattering its contents everywhere.
Zhou Man merely glanced at Yan Shizong. She knew she had caught the attention of this rich second-generation.
But she refused to yield, lacking the audacity of those wealthy daughters who could slap him and leave when he eventually grew tired of them.
Yan Shizong: "Beg me, and I'll let you attend the best school. All you have to do is agree to be my girlfriend, Yan Shizong."
Zhou Man let out a cold laugh. She ignored the rich second-generation, walked to the road, and knelt to gather her belongings.
Yan Shizong had never been rejected by a woman before. The more indifferent Zhou Man was, the more determined he became to have her!
Before Zhou Man could pick up all her clothes, Yan Shizong walked over, overturned her suitcase, and dumped everything out.
More people gathered around, pointing and whispering about the two of them. Zhou Man had become infamous. In any case, she could no longer stay at the technical college.
Zhou Man: "If I become your girlfriend, what can you give me?"
Yan Shizong: "Anything. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you."
Zhou Man stood up, looking at her classmates whispering. In the month since Yan Shizong had appeared, rumors about her had already spread throughout the school.
People had been privately calling Zhou Man a slut, saying she was using her beauty to latch onto a rich second-generation.
And now, the legendary rich second-generation himself had come to pick her up from school.
Zhou Man: "I want to be a star, the most valuable star!"
Yan Shizong finally took Zhou Man's hand.
Yan Shizong: "Good."
What happened afterward unfolded according to the script arranged by Yan Shizong.
Zhou Man was enrolled in a film academy, but she never attended a single class. As long as she was Yan Shizong's girlfriend, she could have anything she desired.
Initially, Yan Shizong truly doted on her. It wasn't until a year of living together that she truly gave him her virginity.
Later, as Yan Shizong's status in the entertainment industry grew, he kept his promise and made Zhou Man a popular actress. Their relationship had become an open secret.
But as they say, "Even the closest wanderer gets wet when walking by the river."
The women around Yan Shizong became more and more numerous. Zhou Man's constant insecurity became the catalyst for their growing distance.
Zhou Man tried to escape Yan Shizong through her work, but Yan Shizong was not someone she could use and discard. He intended to lock her in his world, even if he felt he no longer loved her...
— End of Zhou Man's Recollection —