Chapter 36: I Am No Ordinary Person

“Really, it’s not about revenge or retaliation in love. I just want to focus on working hard. I merely wish to prove that I am no ordinary person.”

Jian Zhaowen felt like a knight of the night, tightly gripping Yu Zhimei’s hand, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest. Dou Yu still had his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer and closer. The three of them standing there felt like a gladiatorial showdown. If enduring pain was necessary to win the person he loved, Jian believed that openly declaring his feelings for her on the rooftop would be one of the top three unforgettable moments in his romantic history. Many bystanders were watching their direction, and Jian almost felt certain of victory. Just moments ago, Yu Zhimei had questioned whether his confession still counted—saving her and becoming her boyfriend was only one step away.

Suddenly, Yu Zhimei chuckled, looking at Dou Yu and then at Jian, before apologizing with crisp clarity: “I’m sorry, Jian Zhaowen, but I choose Dou Yu.”

Lately, Yu Zhimei’s mood hadn’t been great.

Her small company, with only twenty employees, had a content director above her. Recently, the content director had been hospitalized due to complications with her second pregnancy, and coincidentally, the legal department had also resigned. The company could only temporarily outsource contracts, and the external legal consultant they worked with responded slowly, providing only templates for contracts—all specific details had to be filled in by Yu Zhimei herself. Even a single typo would result in the contract being sent back for review. Interns couldn’t handle the clauses, so Yu Zhimei ended up playing both mother and father at the company, shouldering immense pressure. What used to be finished by eight or nine o’clock now dragged on past ten. It was clear that the boss had no intention of hiring new legal staff anytime soon. Yu Zhimei understood why: this year, many new car review media outlets had emerged, and after losing an online argument with other car reviewers, their boss had been mocked for taking low-quality deals, which affected business. The Volvo ad campaign was the only major client they landed this year, and because of this, even the BD team gave her strange smiles whenever they saw her in the pantry.

Meanwhile, Dou Yu, who had secured the Volvo deal, victoriously held onto his girlfriend after triumphing over Jian on the rooftop. He doted on Yu Zhimei, wiping sauce from the corner of her mouth during a Western meal and offering to buy her luxury gifts as they passed by high-end stores. Yu Zhimei picked a small handbag, saying she’d use it at the year-end banquet. Dou Yu’s eyes brimmed with tenderness, and his confident smile radiated satisfaction—nothing inflated a man’s ego more than defeating a rival in love.

By ten o’clock, Dou Yu, as usual, wanted to spend the night at Yu Zhimei’s place, partly to humiliate Jian along the way. But when Yu Zhimei returned from the restroom, she suddenly announced that her period had arrived and that her stomach hurt. She suggested going to a dessert shop for a warm almond tea instead. Though visibly disappointed, Dou Yu still tenderly massaged her stomach, discreetly sliding his hand down under the shadow of a streetlamp. Yu Zhimei dodged left and right until they entered Miao Lin Dessert Shop, where the waitstaff moved about, forcing Dou Yu to keep his hands on the table.

Looking around, neither He Jie, Xiao Ma Ge, nor Shi Rui were present. The entire circle of friends seemed to have vanished from her life. Holding her warm tea, Yu Zhimei bitterly brought up the issue of the three Volvo ads that still hadn’t been paid for. The eighty thousand yuan that was supposed to arrive in November had been delayed repeatedly with vague responses from finance—”We know,” “Wait until the end of the month,” “Before New Year’s.” Yu Zhimei rested her chin on her hand: “The BD team keeps pushing me to chase you for payment. They say since the performance is credited to me, I’m responsible for handling everything. But the boss has never mentioned anything about performance bonuses, and dealing with all aspects of the contracts alone is too much responsibility without clear accountability.”

“Doesn’t your boss care?”

“Not at all. When the boss negotiated with Volvo, he didn’t involve the BD team, so they think I’m just trying to take credit. But it’s normal for clients to want to meet the boss. By the way, Dou Yu ordered pan-seared foie gras and steak tonight—they clearly received their year-end bonus.” She sighed deliberately: “According to the contract terms, we could sue if payment isn’t made within a month. But with big clients like Volvo, agencies like yours can’t afford to offend them. If we sue, there won’t be any follow-up work. Can you help me chase up your finance department?”

“Haha, wait until March or April. Finance won’t make any payments before the Lunar New Year.”

“What?”

“After handing out year-end bonuses, everyone’s checked out. The finance team has already gone to Bali. They probably blocked you on social media to avoid being chased for debt.”

Yu Zhimei twirled her cup, not rushing to drink the tea: “So what are you guys working on lately?”

“Bidding competitions. Volvo’s new year social and campaigns need to be done, and I’m also competing for another domestic car brand. Thanks to you, babe—car companies are eager to work with us because of the amazing videos you created.”

Yu Zhimei memorized the brands and models in her mind: “In that case, can you help me chase the debt?”

“A company as small as yours shouldn’t work so hard. You can definitely find a better job—you’re skilled at drifting, editing videos, and producing programs. Don’t be afraid of change.” For the first time, Dou Yu sent her a red envelope: “Babe, don’t be upset. You haven’t received Volvo’s payment yet, but I’ve already gotten my commission. My performance is your performance. I owe you—if I hadn’t closed the Volvo deal in the summer, half of my annual performance wouldn’t exist.”

The heater was on full blast, and Yu Zhimei, her cheeks flushed, looked at the amount in the red envelope. Rejecting Jian Zhaowen face-to-face must have given Dou Yu’s ego a rocket boost. Across the table, Dou Yu was scrolling through his phone while chatting with her. In the reflection of his glasses, Yu Zhimei caught glimpses of his screen—he was texting someone. She tapped his hand lightly: “What are you doing?”

Dou Yu quickly clutched his phone: “What do you want?”

His reaction was suspiciously swift, but Yu Zhimei pretended not to notice: “Stop playing with your phone. Talk to me. Or is there something you’re hiding from me?”

“Of course not. I love you so much.”

“Then why can’t I see your phone?”

Dou Yu suddenly turned serious: “Do you distrust me? Can’t couples have basic trust?”

“It’s not about distrust. I’m just scared that you might stop loving me someday because I’m not good enough. What will I do if I lose you?”

Dou Yu was pleased with her sudden declaration: “Babe, how could I ever stop loving you?”

She deliberately chose a smaller spot, clutching her stomach and leaning against him: “My stomach really hurts. Distract me—tell me about this year’s social plan and campaign.”

“Let’s go upstairs and talk. We can also…” Dou Yu made a suggestive gesture near his lips.

“No, I don’t want to see Jian Zhaowen.”

After listening to Dou Yu talk about his annual plans for an hour, Yu Zhimei called him a car, coaxing and persuading him to leave. From the road to her unit door, she stared at her phone app until Dou Yu got into the car. She took a screenshot and saved it, then smelled a strong scent of smoke—Jian Zhaowen was smoking on the balcony outside. Their eyes met briefly before he walked back inside, disappointment evident in his gaze. She closed the door, turned on music, and energetically did HIIT, sweating profusely before taking a refreshing shower. Early the next morning, she sent a message to Xiaoxi: “Sis, it’s been ages. Let me treat you to coffee.”

Xiaoxi was a friend of Yu Zhimei’s neighbor when she lived in the suburbs. They often spent weekends eating hot pot together. Xiaoxi was delicate-looking, spoke sweetly, and had a naturally coquettish tone. They had known each other since humble beginnings and remained close despite infrequent contact. The advertising circle was small, and SAEs of similar age knew each other by reputation. After a brief chat, Xiaoxi couldn’t help but ask: “Wow, Mei-ge, Dou Yu is quite the scumbag among jerks. How did you have the courage to date him?”

Yu Zhimei laughed: “He’s handsome and knows how to dance. Isn’t that enough? Besides, if a relationship doesn’t work out, we can always break up. Breaking up isn’t some unforgivable sin these days—it’s regretting not dating a handsome guy that’s truly a loss.”

“Alright, I’m relieved. You’ve been single since moving downtown—I thought you were turning into a fossil.”

“Let’s get to business. How much of your quota do you have for next year?”

“Eight million yuan. Ugh, it’s killing me. This year, I mainly handled beauty clients, and now I only have two social media clients who are incredibly stingy, totaling just 1.2 million yuan. By July next year, I’ll probably bid farewell to the advertising industry.”

Yu Zhimei pulled her chair closer and whispered in Xiaoxi’s ear: “I’ll give you two brief documents. Don’t mention who gave them to you. All of Volvo’s social campaigns are currently in Dou Yu’s hands. There are four competitors bidding for it, and you’ll be the fifth. Since they’re launching a new car in March, they urgently need a spring campaign. Our previous collaboration went well—you can bring the new video script I made, which shows sincerity. I’ve already connected with Volvo’s marketing department on WeChat and understand their direction. Pay attention to those points when making your presentation. Also, this year, they’re planning to change their social media agency. I’ve written the creative ideas of the competing companies in the documents. Come to my place later, and I’ll explain the key points of their briefings to you. If you win the bid, you’ll reduce your quota by 3.2 million yuan. No need to thank me.”

Xiaoxi stared at her phone, reading the documents carefully, then exclaimed loudly (but not too loudly): “Mei-ge, am I wrong to assume you’re personally handing over resources from your boyfriend’s hands to me?”

“No, it’s purely based on my experience working with agencies. His finance team’s slow payments are affecting my income. Our small company can’t afford delays, and my colleagues view me as a thorn in their side. Dou Yu is so capable—with ten million yuan worth of clients, losing one won’t hurt him much. Resources should tilt toward capable but less noticed people. You’re talented but just unlucky. I naturally want to help bridge the gap for you. Between an unimportant boyfriend and a cherished sister like you, I’ll always choose the latter. However, if you secure the deal, remember to give me the KOL video collaboration package.”

“Oh, no need to say that—it’s a given. But let me tell you, I know you well. To go this far, what exactly did he do to offend you?”

“Nothing at all. I never retaliate in matters of love. I just focus on working hard. I simply want to prove that I am no ordinary person.”