Manager Zhang’s mind went blank for a moment. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Dustin Chen’s words were like a pimp selling him off to this group of burly men as some kind of sacrificial lamb. Getting dragged out of bed in the dead of night and personally driven here in a Maybach—this was no ordinary transaction.
That Maybach probably burned through twenty bucks of gas every time the pedal hit the floor. This trip alone must’ve cost hundreds, maybe thousands. And with the speeding ticket likely coming tomorrow, was he really worth that much? Was he some kind of luxury gigolo?
As these thoughts swirled, Manager Zhang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
A burly man with a rosy face stepped forward. Manager Zhang glanced at him, despairing at the guy’s size—he looked like he’d just taken a hit of pure adrenaline.
"Got him. Tell Boss Summer I said hi!"
Big Tank grinned, his eyes shining with excitement as he looked at Manager Zhang.
Completing any task for Evan Lin—even the simplest—was enough to make Big Tank feel proud.
Under Big Tank’s intense gaze, Manager Zhang felt even more anxious and uneasy.
Then Dustin Chen clapped him on the shoulder, spun around, and drove that Maybach back the way they’d come. The wild engine roar just made Manager Zhang feel even more hopeless.
"Alright, get in the car. The Young Lord is waiting for you."
Big Tank raised his eyebrows, and under the pressure of all those stares, Manager Zhang climbed into the car with a heavy heart.
"The Young Lord?"
Manager Zhang was puzzled when he heard the term.
"The Young Lord wants to see you. After tonight, you might be set for life—or you might not live to see tomorrow."
Big Tank nodded enthusiastically.
Manager Zhang, a middle-aged, chubby man, wrapped himself tighter in his sweater and shivered in the passenger seat. He never thought he’d be kidnapped by a bunch of muscleheads and delivered to meet some mysterious man, like a damsel in distress!
When the car stopped, Manager Zhang got out and stared up at what looked like a totally ordinary office building. So much for the fancy mansion he’d imagined—the reality hit hard.
Go in, turn right, take the elevator to the thirteenth floor. I’ll wait for you down here. Don’t bother trying to run—we’ve got the place covered.
Big Tank grinned wide—he’d just eaten a bowl of dumplings and was so energized he could practically fly.
Manager Zhang didn’t dare hesitate. Compared to being torn apart by the pack of muscleheads behind him, he’d rather meet this so-called Young Lord—even if it meant dying, at least it’d be quick.
He stepped into the elevator, pressed the button for the thirteenth floor, and listened to the steel cables rumble as he rode up. A few seconds later, with a ding, the doors slid open. Manager Zhang took a deep breath and walked out.
Right in front of the elevator was an office. Inside, a man and a woman seemed to be chatting happily.
"You’re here."
A teenager stood by the floor-to-ceiling window and glanced over, his tone flat.
"Uh, yes, excuse me—is the Young Lord here?"
Manager Zhang shuffled inside, nodding nervously and glancing around, but saw no one else.
"I’m the one who called you here."
The teenager spoke again, and only then did Manager Zhang dare to take a closer look. When he finally saw the boy’s face clearly, he froze: "You’re that... that top-tier VIP!"
Manager Zhang instantly recognized Evan Lin—the same top-tier VIP who once flashed an impossible membership card at Sunwave Bluebay and had him marshal the entire staff to humiliate Simon Zuo.
"Yeah, that’s me."
Evan Lin nodded. "The reason I called you here is simple. I’m planning to start a company, and I figured you’re reliable—so I borrowed you from the Summers."
"If you agree, you start work tomorrow. If not, someone will send you home and it’ll be like none of this ever happened."
Evan walked over as he spoke, while Lily Zhong watched Manager Zhang closely.
Just now, Lily Zhong had tried the Youth-Preserving Beauty Pill that Evan handed her. As soon as she swallowed it, she felt herself grow younger in just a few minutes. When she picked up a mirror to check, it was like she’d traveled straight back to eighteen.
Her skin, which had been dull and sallow from too many late nights, suddenly became fresh and glowing. At the same time, she understood exactly what Evan meant by a massive market.
A pill like that could easily wipe out ninety percent of the cosmetics and beauty products out there! With enough time, solid marketing, and plenty of supply, even a hundred-billion-dollar market would be a conservative estimate!
This was a game-changing product!
"That’s it?"
Manager Zhang blinked, still a little incredulous.
"That’s it."
Evan nodded. "That’s really all there is to it."
Lily Zhong quietly stepped aside, brewed a cup of tea, and handed it to Manager Zhang, who was still standing there in his sweater and slippers, looking lost. She smiled, "Don’t be scared. He’s a little unpredictable, but he’d never hurt you."
"And don’t worry—if you really say no, it won’t mess up your life or anything."
"He’s actually pretty easy to talk to."
As she finished, Lily glanced over at Evan Lin.
Before Manager Zhang arrived, Evan had already given Lily a quick rundown about who he was and why he’d been invited.
Last time, even after getting his fingers chopped off, Manager Zhang never gave up Evan’s name. That kind of guts made Evan see him in a whole new light. Plus, after years running Sunwave Bluebay, Zhang had built up a ton of connections—he’d be perfect for handling PR and networking. Definitely the right pick.
"Um… Can I ask what exactly I’d be doing?"
Manager Zhang asked timidly, still in a daze. But even he could tell—if one phone call could get Dustin Chen himself to race him all the way to Minghai, and there was a whole squad of muscleheads guarding this Young Lord, then no matter how friendly he seemed, the real power here was way beyond anything Zhang had ever imagined.
The quiet ones are always the most dangerous.
"Of course. She’ll fill you in on the company’s goals in a bit. But I expect your answer by 7 a.m. tomorrow. There’s coffee here too—feel free to grab some if you’re tired."
"This is your reward—don’t waste it."