She is Tough

In Scarlett's professional sphere, one hundred sessions had a price tag of eight hundred grand. Hart was no stranger to the world of the affluent, routinely closing deals of this size or even larger. But when the client turned out to be Lucius Zhou, the entire game seemed to shift.

The usual pleasantries and flattery were bypassed, the contract signing process as swift as a falcon's dive. Lucius had strode out of the meeting room, Scarlett trailing in his wake. Amelia would normally have seen him out, but she chose not to step into the line of fire this time.

At the elevator, Scarlett had reached out to press the button for him, her smile warm, "Thank you, Mr. Zhou. I'll do my utmost not to let you down."

Lucius didn't meet her gaze, his response curt, "We help each other."

Scarlett tried to decipher the meaning behind his words, nodding silently. The elevator doors slid open, Lucius stepped inside. From outside the elevator, she offered a polite nod, "Take care."

Once Lucius had departed, Scarlett returned to her office. Her colleagues, buzzing with anticipation, congratulated her one by one. Shirley Qi piped up, "Miss Li, shouldn't you treat us to a meal to celebrate this auspicious start?"

Scarlett laughed, "I've been wanting to treat everyone to a meal since I arrived, but you've all been too busy. You know the area better than I do. I'll cover the bill, you pick the place and time."

Shirley grinned, "Don't worry. Even though you've landed a big client, we won't break the bank. We'll find somewhere delicious and affordable, mainly to celebrate your success."

Scarlett smiled, "Then I'll have to trouble you to arrange it, Ms. Qi."

Shirley cheerily replied, "Leave it to me."

From trial to official contract, Scarlett's journey had been as swift as a lightning bolt. Not only had it stunned others, but it nearly gave her whiplash. She could guess the whispers behind her back, but she had underestimated the speed at which news travels.

While she was sitting in her office, Scarlett received a message from Ryan, who sounded baffled, "You've signed a formal contract with the Zhous?"

Scarlett typed back, "You heard so soon?"

Ryan: "I'm actually slow. I heard it from a friend at another education institution. She came to ask me if it was true, saying it's already all over their company."

Scarlett responded with a laughing emoji.

Ryan, eager, asked, "Did Lucius Zhou personally sign the contract?"

Scarlett responded with a simple 'yes'.

Ryan: "What's he up to? Does he fancy you?"

Scarlett: "I'll explain later. Let's meet for dinner."

No sooner had she sent this message than she got another notification. Exiting the chat, she saw it was from Mia.

Mia asked, "You've signed an official employment contract with him?"

Scarlett, a little exasperated, replied, "...Where did you get your intel?"

Mia rushed to explain in a hushed voice, "Just now, Daniel called me to arrange dinner, even congratulated me. I was confused, 'congratulations for what?' He told me you had signed an official contract with the Zhous. That's how I found out."

At this point, a laughing emoji was inadequate to express Scarlett's feelings. She typed, "Did they bug Lucius Zhou? Is there no such thing as a secret anymore?"

"I told you before," Mia said, "Every move Lucius Zhou makes in Deep city is under a microscope. He made a public appearance, not trying to hide anything... Wait, how did you win him over so quickly? Did you cast a spell on him, or did he brainwash you?"

While Scarlett was chatting with Mia, Ryan sent several messages. Feeling overwhelmed, Scarlett called for a timeout in their group chat: "We'll talk over dinner tonight."

As soon as Ryan and Mia connected, they left Scarlett hanging, exchanging information. They unanimously concluded that Lucius Zhou's actions were suspicious—like a fox making nice with the hen, or a thief being overly attentive—his intentions were transparent...

Scarlett would have liked to clarify, but some things were not suitable for this kind of discussion. She simply put her phone down and focused on other tasks. Finally, when work was over for the day, the trio gathered for dinner. Scarlett recounted the day's events with the Zhous, then calmly proceeded to eat her meal.

Mia and Ryan exchanged glances, their expressions varied. Mia finally said, "Seems like the rumors weren't baseless."

Ryan asked, "What do the Zhou father and son take you for? A pawn or a shield?"

Scarlett, unruffled, replied, "Neither a fox making nice with the hen nor a thief being overly attentive, nor any transparent intentions. I told you before, if Lucius Zhou was the kind of man who acts on impulse, I wouldn't have anything to do with him in the first place."

Mia frowned slightly, "But his actions... It seems like he's trying to provoke that woman, deliberately positioning you as his chosen one."

Scarlett remained unperturbed, "What does it matter? Their internal conflicts are none of my business. Besides, it's not my place to mediate in a fight between deities. Our relationship is purely transactional, so why should we care about motivations, especially when we're getting a good deal?"

Scarlett's rationality, bordering on detachment, left Mia and Ryan speechless for a moment.

After a pause, Ryan said, "It's good that Lucius Zhou has no ulterior motives for you, but what if the other party doesn't think so? You've been pushed to the front lines as a pawn, it's nice to think you won't get involved, but what if trouble comes knocking? Can you just opt out?"

Scarlett casually replied, "That's why Lucius Zhou promptly helped me modify the contract. Consider it a preventative measure or perhaps compensation in advance."

Ryan, still not convinced, said, "But in the end, you're still taking on the risk."

Scarlett lifted her head, stared straight back at him and said, "My friend, life isn't ideal. Disliking school doesn't mean you can stop learning, hating office politics isn't an excuse to quit working. Since the boss has paid us, I believe our salary not only includes our labor but also our ability to handle daily interpersonal relations and unexpected situations. In other words, survival of the fittest."

"Don't tell me it's crass to do it for the money. We all have different goals. You left your oil fields behind to come to Deep city, didn't you? Are you saying you wouldn't face any obstacles on your journey to win Issac's heart? On the contrary, you always say, 'If Buddha blocks, kill Buddha; if the demon blocks, kill the demon.' Look at your determination in pursuit of your ideals. Why is it that when it comes to me, you can't tolerate the slightest hardship?"

As usual, Scarlett's words left Ryan speechless, and she casually continued eating her dinner.

Mia, ever the peacemaker, pretended to pat Ryan's head and said, "Alright, let's not argue. Let's just listen to our teacher Scarlett's wisdom."

It took a moment for Ryan to regain his composure, then he said helplessly, "I know you're tough, but don't you ever get tired?"

Scarlett, unchanging, responded, "Who doesn't get tired in life? The key is to fight early and enjoy early. Do we choose to be tired for a short while, or for a lifetime? That's the only choice we have."

Mia and Ryan were aware of Scarlett's background. They understood why she had to fight so hard, and while they occasionally felt pity for her, they knew Scarlett had the toughest heart. She never knew how to go easy on herself.