Chapter 77: Big Dog Unleashes Full Firepower

That single line—”Is your sister single?”—torpedoed the fragile little friendship boat Lu Zhixia had just patched together. She kicked it over in an instant and fired back a snappy reply: Yang Zhiqiao, what the hell do you mean by that?

Yang Zhiqiao, ever the good sport, explained that she really admired Shen Wanqing.

Lu Zhixia shot back: And what does your admiration have to do with whether she’s single?

Yang Zhiqiao must have picked up on Lu Zhixia’s irritation. She quickly clarified: I was just asking out of curiosity, no big deal. Don’t overthink it. Head home and get some rest. It was great meeting you tonight.

Lu Zhixia didn’t respond. She wasn’t the type to bottle things up—especially not when Shen Wanqing was involved.

Standing there at the door, she screenshotted the chat and sent it straight to Shen Wanqing.

Shen Wanqing replied in seconds: She messaged me too.

Lu Zhixia fired off a pitiful little emoji, basically begging to see Big Sister’s chat history.

Yang Zhiqiao: Sister Wanqing, hi there. Nice to meet you!

Shen Wanqing hadn’t replied yet. Lu Zhixia was seeing red and sent a voice message: “I can tell she’s gunning for you!”

Her phone buzzed—Shen Wanqing calling. “Where are you?”

“Downstairs.” Lu Zhixia wandered over to the flower bed, tapping her toe against the concrete edge over and over. “You home yet?”

“I’m home.” Shen Wanqing told her to turn in early.

“Sister, you can’t like her.” Lu Zhixia huffed, her voice all pouty and petulant. “Professor Yan went way too far, setting me up on a blind date like that without even telling me. Did she drag you into it on purpose?”

“No.” Shen Wanqing soothed her gently. “Don’t overthink it.”

“Then don’t be sad. I won’t like anyone else.”

“I know.” Shen Wanqing let out a soft chuckle. “Now go on home. It’s late—Professor Yan will start worrying.”

Lu Zhixia whined and wheedled a bit, letting Shen Wanqing coax her until the knot in her chest finally loosened.

But the moment she walked through the door and spotted Yan Fanghua, her face tightened right back up.

Yan Fanghua didn’t look too pleased herself. She started off laying into Lu Zhixia for not taking better care of herself as a young lady—not even bothering to protect her skin properly—before ripping into her lousy performance that evening.

Lu Zhixia kept her mouth shut and marched straight to her room, only for her mom to trail after her, nagging the whole way.

She was just about to hop in the shower when Yan Fanghua planted herself in the doorway. “I’m talking to you here. You’re getting way too out of line these days.”

Lu Zhixia swallowed her frustration. “Mom, since you asked, let me lay it out plain and simple: No more blind dates for me. I’m only twenty. Am I that undesirable, or are you worried I won’t snag a wife?”

“Oh yeah? If you’ve got one, bring her home already!” Yan Fanghua shot back with a huff. “I’m only doing this for your own good, you know. You’re always popping up on the hot search with Wanqing—the Shen Family’s got their knives out for my back over it. And you’re thrilled, huh?”

Lu Zhixia scowled. “What gives the Shen Family the right to come at you? If they’ve got the balls, let ’em try coming for me!” Her voice pitched higher, her barely contained fury bubbling over.

“And next time you pull crap like this, leave Shen Wanqing out of it. Does she owe us anything? Is she part of our family?” Her face darkened, her tone turning downright fierce. “She’s busting her ass at work all day, and now she has to drop everything to babysit your blind date farce? You that desperate for company?”

Yan Fanghua glared right back, eyes narrowing like she was sizing up a stranger, and delivered a solid smack to her daughter’s back. She raised her voice: “Who said I dragged her into it? We were just chatting, and she volunteered to come check out Yang Zhiqiao.”

As she spoke, she pinched at Lu Zhixia’s toned arm—couldn’t find a single ounce of give—and grumbled on: “Wanqing’s the sensible one here, always thinking of the big picture. She came to size up Yang Zhiqiao for your sake, fretting over your future marriage. And what do you do? Ice everyone out all night long, like no one matters. Think the whole world owes you a living?”

“I don’t need you meddling in my life!” Lu Zhixia shoved past her into the bathroom in a blaze of anger, slamming the door with a thunderous bang.

Yan Fanghua was livid, hollering from the hallway: “Fine, stay stubborn! You’ll wise up when life kicks you in the teeth!”

The shower roared to life inside, and Lu Zhixia cranked up some DJ tracks, the bass thumping loud enough to rattle the walls late into the night.

Yan Fanghua pounded on the door. “Kill the music! You want the neighbors filing complaints?”

“You say one more word, and I’ll blast it even louder!” Lu Zhixia’s temper was no mystery to her own mother—the more you pushed, the worse it got. Sighing in defeat, Yan Fanghua backed off: “Alright, alright. Take your sweet time in there. I won’t bug you anymore.”

Yan Fanghua finally retreated, and Lu Zhixia killed the music.

She threw punches at the steamy air, sending droplets flying everywhere.

The emotions still churning inside her screamed for release, so she started hammering her fist against the slick tiled wall. The sharp pain was agonizing—and exhilarating.

Some reckless voice in her head egged her on: Harder. Faster.

Lu Zhixia pounded away who knew how many times until her knuckles split open, blood trickling down.

She panted hard, wincing at the sting, but damn if it didn’t purge all that pent-up rage.

After a quick rinse, she headed back to her room, itching to chat with Shen Wanqing. But glancing at the clock, she realized it was way too late.

She sent off a goodnight message, set her phone aside, and snuck peeks at it every few minutes. No reply from Shen Wanqing.

She closed her eyes, pondering her relationship with Shen Wanqing and their future together… which looked utterly bleak.

Shen Wanqing was expected to marry for the sake of an alliance, and her mother would undoubtedly keep setting up blind dates for her afterward. Lu Zhixia felt a surge of irritation at the thought. She didn’t want to go against her mother’s wishes—after all, her mother had struggled alone for so many years.

But who could understand her own struggles? From childhood onward, Lu Zhixia had never craved anything. This was the first time she’d ever felt such fierce possessiveness, and it was directed solely at Shen Wanqing.

Her phone buzzed. Lu Zhixia snatched it up eagerly. Sure enough, Shen Wanqing had sent a goodnight message.

The anxiety in her heart eased a little. Recalling her mother’s words, she typed: Big Sister, did Professor Yan ask you to come tonight, or did you come on your own?

Shen Wanqing replied instantly: I came on my own.

Lu Zhixia pressed on: Why? What was going through your mind, Big Sister? Why join a setup like that?

She’d already thought up the perfect answer for Shen Wanqing in her mind, hoping for the response she wanted. But instead, Shen Wanqing wrote: You’ve accompanied me to one before. What was going through your mind?

Lu Zhixia pouted. Shen Wanqing wasn’t playing fair at all, always tossing the question back at her and circling around without giving a straight answer.

She was straightforward, never one to beat around the bush. Her reply: I wanted to sabotage your blind date.

She added with a wicked grin: See if you dare bring me next time—I’ll ruin every single one.

No response came from Shen Wanqing. Growing impatient, Lu Zhixia asked: I’ve answered you, Big Sister. So why did you go to that dinner tonight?

The typing indicator appeared.

After a moment, Shen Wanqing’s message arrived: To meet my love rival.

Lu Zhixia broke into a beaming smile, cackling with glee as she rolled happily across the bed.

In her excitement, she hit the call button. Shen Wanqing picked up but said nothing.

“Big Sister, Big Sister!” When she got worked up, she liked calling out to her like that. Shen Wanqing hummed in acknowledgment, her tone cool and composed.

“I like you.”

“Mm.”

“I love you.”

“Mm.” Lu Zhixia didn’t push her to say more. For Shen Wanqing to utter the words “love rival” was already a huge step forward. “Don’t worry, Big Sister. You’re the only one in my eyes and my heart.”

Shen Wanqing lowered her head, her gaze dark and inscrutable. In a faint voice, she said, “You’re only twenty.”

“So?”

“I’m thirty.”

“Big Sister, love has nothing to do with age.”

“You haven’t experienced the wider world yet. You don’t truly know me.” Shen Wanqing stated it plainly. “What you like right now is just the version of me in your imagination.”

“No.” Lu Zhixia floundered for words in the face of the woman she adored. “I like you. The real you.”

“Even setting that aside—even if we came to know each other completely and you resisted all temptations—we’d still face the hardest obstacle,” Shen Wanqing said bluntly. “Your mother. My family. Neither would ever allow us to be together.”

Lu Zhixia had always focused on just winning over her mother before. For the first time, she gave it serious thought and made her vow: “Big Sister, I won’t make grand promises or give you false hope. But I’ll work hard at it. I’ll handle my mother. We’ll face your family together. Okay?”

In that moment, Lu Zhixia desperately wanted to see Shen Wanqing. She even suggested heading over to her place right then.

Shen Wanqing’s mind was clear and rational. She talked her out of it and offered advice: “If you really want to convince Professor Yan, the best way isn’t to butt heads with her. Everything requires a gradual approach—slow infiltration, step by step.”

That night, over the phone, the two of them opened up to each other just a little for the first time, sharing their thoughts.

Lu Zhixia came close several times to asking Shen Wanqing: Big Sister, do you love me? Even a little bit counts.

She expressed her own love boldly, courageously, directly—because she knew her heart inside out. But with Shen Wanqing, she felt timid and unsure.

Shen Wanqing was her bright, open crush. Every word from her lips mattered deeply, swaying Lu Zhixia’s emotions like a rollercoaster: thrilling, exhilarating. For someone who craved excitement, it was irresistibly intoxicating.

Even at the end, when they hung up, Lu Zhixia couldn’t bring herself to ask.

She barely slept that night, lying awake and mulling over their future.

Deep into the night, Yan Fanghua pushed the door open. Lu Zhixia pretended to be asleep and stayed still.

She could feel her mother watching her. Moments later, she heard Yan Fanghua’s soft, muffled sobs.

Yan Fanghua gently stroked her wounds and murmured, “How could you be so careless?”

Her mother was crying out of heartache for her. Lu Zhixia felt a fresh wave of guilt. Had she been too unfilial tonight?

In the face of love, her mother, the Shen family, familial bonds, and blood ties had all become barriers. She was stumped. How could she balance it all?

A new day dawned, as busy as ever.

At the company, things carried on as usual between them.

Shen Wanqing remained as demanding as always. Lu Zhixia often fell short, lacking the attention to detail.

During the meeting, she got scolded. Internally fuming, Lu Zhixia thought Big Sister was too strict about separating work and personal life. Yet she couldn’t help but admire the professionalism Shen Wanqing displayed on the job.

Her eyebrows were sharp enough to thread a needle. When she wasn’t smiling, she looked even fiercer. Everyone could see the special assistant laying into the president, oblivious to the fact that this special assistant spent every day scheming to win the president’s heart.

Lu Zhixia sat in her office, pulling out a piece of chocolate. She nibbled on it while lost in thought—she’d end up with split personality sooner or later, torn between loving and loathing Shen Wanqing.

Of course, it wasn’t true hatred. It was just a knee-jerk rebellion against being dressed down by the woman she adored.

At that morning’s meeting, she’d proposed an initial rectification plan for the project. The other executives pushed back, arguing that such a major overhaul needed caution. What if it fell flat…

Shen Wanqing shot them down. “We haven’t even tried it yet, and you’re already calling it a failure?”

“But what if it doesn’t work?” the Technical Director objected. “The adjustments in this plan aren’t minor—they’ll all take time. If we scramble until year-end and it bombs, we’ve flushed time down the drain for nothing.”

“Then what was Tech’s plan for the second half of the year supposed to be?”

“Uh…” The Technical Director faltered. Shen Wanqing laid it bare. “This project of yours kicked off two years ago, and it’s still a hot mess. We’re not just talking wasted time here—it’s funds and manpower too.”

She struck right at the snake’s vital spot. As the Technical Director opened his mouth to argue, she cut him off with a brutal ultimatum. “I’ll give you two options. One: stick with your team’s project and deliver by year-end, no excuses. Two: follow the rectification plan. Pick one. Now.”

New development from scratch versus maintaining old functions—even a fool could see which was easier.

The Technical Director’s face darkened. “President Shen, I can make the changes, but I won’t guarantee results.”

“A Technical Director spouting that nonsense? Are you telling me to replace you with someone who actually can?” Shen Wanqing’s voice turned icy. “What did we hire you for? If a leader like you shirks every scrap of responsibility, maybe you should go back to the rank-and-file. Sound good?”

His face flushed crimson. “Has President Shen ever shouldered any blame? If we fail, sure, it’s on us—but you gave the order. If we’re carrying all the weight, what’s the point of having a president?”

The conference room went deathly still. Sunlight poured through the windows, motes of dust swirling in the beams like Haijing Senhua’s faltering morale.

Shen Wanqing let out a cool, faint smile. She turned to Lu Zhixia. “Special Assistant, what’s easier—changing a person, or picking the right one from the start?”

Lu Zhixia had been stewing the whole time. These old-timers ganging up on her dear big sister first thing in the morning? She shot to her feet. “President Shen, since you’ve asked—I’ve got some things I need to get off my chest.”

Shen Wanqing slid her chair aside. Lu Zhixia stepped into the center of the room, standing tall and unyielding, like a poplar tree braving a northern winter.

Her eyes locked onto the Technical Director, cold as steel. “You mentioned responsibility and threw around ‘we’ like confetti. So let me ask—who exactly does this ‘we’ include?”

The Technical Director stood too, squaring off like he was ready for a fight. He swept his hand out dramatically. “Everyone in this room. Every last leader here.”

“Oh?” Lu Zhixia nodded. She scanned the room. “Fine then. Everyone who agrees with him—who’s standing in this ‘we’ camp with him—stand up. Let me see your faces.”

The rank-and-file glanced at one another, eyes darting away.

Middle managers traded quick looks before dropping their gazes. No one made a peep.

The senior execs sat grim-faced, lips pressed tight. Only Sales Director Yang Ge lounged back in his chair, the picture of nonchalance.

“No takers?” Lu Zhixia asked with a faint smile.

Yang Ge coughed. All eyes swiveled to him.

Lu Zhixia zeroed in. “Director Yang, spit it out if you’ve got something to say. Don’t cough up a storm—I don’t speak Morse code.”

“I’m just wondering what the hell this is,” he drawled, slouching further. He clearly didn’t give a damn about anyone there, shooting sidelong glances at Shen Wanqing and Lu Zhixia. “President Shen hides behind a little assistant as a human shield? Is this your version of accountability? What’s this kid doing throwing her weight around?”

Lu Zhixia met his gaze evenly. She circled around Shen Wanqing’s seat and strode right up to him.

The oppressive aura of a top-tier Alpha rolled off her in waves. The air thickened, tension coiling like a drawn bowstring.

She never broke eye contact, looming over him once she was close enough.

Yang Ge rose to his feet, meeting her stare levelly, utterly unfazed.

“You’re dead set on picking a fight today, huh?” Lu Zhixia asked, her voice even.

“Heh.” He sneered. “Am I the one stirring the pot, or is it President Shen? Everyone here knows the score.”

“I’m asking if you’re sure you want to play with fire today.”

“No need to bully me. A twenty-year-old pup like you, trying to square up with me? You’re a little green for that.”

Lu Zhixia took a deep breath, flashed a smile, and turned back to ask Shen Wanqing gently, “President Shen, is that okay?”

Shen Wanqing nodded, her voice calm and even. “Judge the matter, not the people involved. Behind closed doors, you can swing as hard as you like—no hard feelings. But once the door’s open, to the outside world, we’re all one big Haijing Senhua family. Today, anyone with a bone to pick about me can speak up. Anyone with issues about certain leaders can air them too. Let’s kick it off with the special assistant—you set the example.”

Lu Zhixia gave a slight nod, her eyes sweeping over everyone in the room before finally settling on the technical director and the sales director. “I’ve got beef with both of you. What follows is me laying out my honest opinions, backed by solid evidence.”

Her lips curved into a deep, knowing smile. “Not buying it? Bring your arguments. My goal today is straightforward: debate until you’re convinced, body and soul.”

She strode back to the center of the room, radiating confidence and bold flair, then grinned. “Let’s do this.”