"...Mr. Huo?"
Everyone instinctively turned their gaze to Huo Yan.
Huo Yan coldly watched the woman's retreating figure, his hand clenched into a fist.
After three years of marriage, he had no idea she could be so explosive.
She really is just like Jiang Zhenfeng—equally difficult to deal with!
"Let's continue."
Huo Yan returned to his previous position as if nothing had happened and began shuffling the deck of cards.
But the lingering chill on his face made others hesitant to approach.
"Alright, alright!" He Nan immediately stepped in to ease the tension. "What are you all standing around for? Go dance! If you can't handle it, get out and bring in some new people!"
The madam quickly reacted, pushing the girls beside her to accompany the guests, and soon the atmosphere in the room was lively again.
He Nan and Zhang Yuanzhi cautiously observed Huo Yan from the side, afraid to provoke the imposing figure.
Huo Yan was enveloped in a low-pressure aura.
...
Jiang Wanqing walked out of the hotel.
A cold breeze blew past, pulling her back to reality.
She wasn't sure how she had dared to humiliate Huo Yan in public and say those things.
Now, looking back, she still felt fear, but more than that, she felt a sense of relief.
It was the boldest decision she had ever made, and also the one that brought her the most peace.
After three years of marriage and three years of neglect, she should have seen through this union long ago.
Someone as proud and talented as Huo Yan—why would he choose to strengthen himself through a business marriage? And why would he choose her?
It turned out it was all for revenge.
Without her father, without the Jiang family, she was penniless, and all her relatives and friends had distanced themselves from her.
Looking at the dazzling city lights, Jiang Wanqing felt an overwhelming sadness.
In such a vast city, there was no place for her to call home.
Jiang Wanqing didn't know where to go, so she aimlessly wandered the streets, watching the hurried passersby, her heart aching.
Suddenly, her phone rang, and her friend's voice came through in a panic.
"Wanqing, where are you? Why is your house dark and empty? Did that b*st*rd Huo Yan do something?!" Lu Qichuan's voice was filled with anger.
"Qichuan..."
Jiang Wanqing's eyes welled up, and the strength she had been holding onto crumbled. She crouched by the roadside, sobbing, "I've already divorced him..."
"What? Where are you? I'll come find you right now!"
Lu Qichuan immediately panicked, got into his car, and rushed over as soon as he got the address.
It was peak hour, and Jiang Wanqing waited by the roadside for over an hour before she saw Lu Qichuan.
She got into the car with some dissatisfaction, complaining to him.
Lu Qichuan took her back to his apartment, cursing Huo Yan along the way. "I told you Huo Yan wasn't a good person, but you didn't believe me! Look, that scumbag has finally shown his true colors."
With a "beep," the apartment door opened.
Jiang Wanqing was stunned by the view of the riverfront apartment.
She changed into slippers, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the night scenery along the river. Her suppressed mood finally improved a little.
"This apartment... it must be worth tens of millions, right?"
"Yeah, so what? Do you regret it now? I've always told you I'm rich. I only went into racing for my dreams."
Lu Qichuan raised an eyebrow. "You're divorced now. How about considering marrying me? I wouldn't mind if you remarried me."
But his words weren't entirely true—the apartment was actually bought for him by his family and wasn't entirely his own property.
"Stop talking nonsense." Jiang Wanqing sat down on the sofa. "I have nowhere to go for the next few days, so I'll stay here temporarily. I'll pay you rent later."
Lu Qichuan knew she was putting on a brave face, but he didn't call her out. He casually said, "Sure, stay as long as you want. You can even stay forever."
Jiang Wanqing rolled her eyes at him.
For several days, Jiang Wanqing stayed in Lu Qichuan's apartment. He generously gave her the master bedroom with the best view and even brought her meals every day.
Jiang Wanqing lay in bed, and almost every night, she dreamt of Huo Yan's cold, emotionless tone and expression, her heart aching uncontrollably.
She tried hard to calm these emotions, not wanting to sink deeper.
Her father had always told her that she had to be strong and self-reliant—that was the fundamental path.
She didn't want to continue down this path of despair.
Having made up her mind, Jiang Wanqing put on some light makeup after breakfast and changed into a professional outfit she rarely wore.
The well-fitted clothes accentuated her perfect figure.
Lu Qichuan happened to return from outside and was shocked to see her dressed like this. "Where are you going?"
"To an interview."
Jiang Wanqing put on her shoes and gave him a bright smile. "Qichuan, wish me luck. If I get the job, I'll treat you to dinner."
"You're leaving this early? Wait for me, I'll change and drive you!"
"No, it's too late."
Jiang Wanqing grabbed her bag and left.
Lu Qichuan could only helplessly escort her to the elevator, reminding her to call him if anything happened.
He knew Jiang Wanqing's personality too well—she wouldn't stay at his place forever, no matter how much he insisted.
The only thing he could do now was support her.
The company she was interviewing with was one of the top firms in the city, and the position was in sales.
Jiang Wanqing was well aware of her physical advantages, and sales was an excellent choice for her. Moreover, the salary for this job was quite good.
The HR interviewer was very impressed with her. After all, she had attended various banquets with her father since she was young, and she was neither shy nor lacking in business acumen and eloquence.
"Miss Jiang, your qualifications are a perfect match for our company, and your resume is outstanding. I've also heard a bit about your background. A young lady from the Jiang family is truly exceptional." The HR manager praised her repeatedly, even joking, "I'm actually more worried now that you might be overqualified for our company."
Jiang Wanqing understood the HR's implication and smiled along. "Not at all. Your company is my first choice, and it would be an honor to work here. I'm confident I can bring more success to the company."
"That's great. It looks like a win-win situation." The HR manager's smile widened, and she was almost ready to sign the contract on the spot.
But at that moment—
"Manager," a colleague whispered, "there's an urgent call for you."
"I see."
The HR manager nodded and smiled at Jiang Wanqing. "Miss Jiang, please wait a moment. I need to take this call."
"Of course."
Jiang Wanqing nodded with a smile.
A few minutes later, the HR manager returned to the interview room with an awkward expression. Her tone had changed. "Miss Jiang, I'm very sorry, but we can't hire you."
Jiang Wanqing was caught off guard. "Why?"
Weren't they just getting along well?
"Well... it's because our leadership has already selected a new salesperson. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about it. I'm really sorry." The HR manager naturally couldn't reveal that someone behind the scenes had intervened, so she could only make excuses.
As she left the company, Jiang Wanqing was still in a daze.
Her first interview had ended in failure.
Jiang Wanqing bought some bread for lunch nearby, and after some thought, she could only think of one person—Huo Yan.
No one else would go out of their way to target her like this! He must have known about her interview immediately and intervened.
Meanwhile, in the CEO's office of the Huo Corporation.
Huo Yan had just finished handling a few documents and was sitting in his office chair, listening to his assistant's report. His frown deepened.
"She went for an interview today and was rejected?"
"Yes, I've checked. It was arranged by Miss Li."
The assistant didn't understand why Huo Yan, who had already reached such a point with Jiang Wanqing, would still keep tabs on her every move. But he simply followed orders.
He tentatively asked, "Mr. Huo, should I arrange something?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Yan looked up, the sharpness in his eyes making the assistant quickly suppress his inappropriate thoughts.
Huo Yan twirled the pen in his hand, and Jiang Wanqing's stubborn and cold expression flashed through his mind again. He felt a hint of irritation.
"Don't bother. This is what the Jiang family deserves!" He gripped the pen tighter, constantly reminding himself not to soften! "Keep an eye on her. Report anything important immediately."
"Understood, Mr. Huo."