C17 Another Subordinate?

Zhang Chen withdrew his attention and glanced upward. The mall stretched out over five levels—where should he begin his search?

After a brief contemplation, he resolved to start in the clothing section.

Ascending to the fourth floor by elevator, Zhang Chen set out on his quest.

He found himself amidst the women's apparel. His attire alone was enough to draw eyes, but as a man navigating through this section, he became the focus of many curious onlookers.

Zhang Chen felt a twinge of embarrassment.

Was it such a spectacle that his clothes were on the cheaper side? Did they really need to stare?

With a deep breath, Zhang Chen surrendered to a sense of utter helplessness.

Turning around, he noticed the men's section was just a short distance behind him.

Remembering the card Su Mang had given him, Zhang Chen strode toward it, feeling as though he was making a significant decision.

Amidst the odd stares, he entered a men's boutique.

"Good afternoon, sir!"

A voice greeted him warmly, but it cut off sharply mid-sentence.

Zhang Chen paused, surprised.

He looked up to see a sales associate, heavily made up, eyeing him with clear contempt.

Zhang Chen could only shake his head in resignation.

Was such disdain really necessary?

Sure, his clothes were inexpensive, but they weren't dirty.

"What are you here for?" The salesperson's tone soured with impatience.

"I'm here to buy clothes," Zhang Chen replied, his patience wearing thin.

What else would I be doing in a clothing store—shopping for emergency supplies?

Perhaps it was the Lin family's treatment of him that made him so averse to these status-conscious individuals.

"Do you even know what brand this is?"

The salesperson hesitated, glancing at the surveillance camera before gesturing dismissively. "Go ahead and look, but don't mess up the merchandise," she instructed, before moving away, clearly uninterested in assisting him further.

Zhang Chen's brow furrowed. He was seized by an impulse to empty his bank account over her head.

But he restrained himself.

His priority was to find Lin Zhiqing. With time pressing, changing his attire took precedence.

Otherwise, if he approached Lin Zhiqing in these clothes, it wouldn't just be embarrassing for him; it would be embarrassing for her too.

With that thought, he stopped hesitating and began to browse through the shop.

There was an overwhelming variety of clothing.

Shopping for clothes wasn't Zhang Chen's forte, and he soon felt overwhelmed, unsure of what to pick.

Before long, a sales associate approached him with a sweet smile, "Sir, may I assist you with anything?"

Her warm and courteous demeanor took Zhang Chen by surprise.

After a moment, Zhang Chen responded with a smile, "I'm looking for a suitable outfit."

The salesperson responded enthusiastically, "Sir, do you have any preferences for style and price? I can help you make a selection."

Zhang Chen perked up, feeling quite pleased. "No specific requirements. As long as it's comfortable and age-appropriate," he said with a grin.

She met his smile with her own, and Zhang Chen couldn't help but return the gesture.

It was a basic courtesy, after all.

"Sir, please come this way," the salesperson said with a warm smile, leading Zhang Chen further into the store.

She picked out two pieces of clothing for him. Zhang Chen thought they looked good, so he headed into the fitting room to try them on.

He quickly changed into the new clothes.

Just as he was about to step out, he heard a man's voice from outside, "Won't you come and take a look?"

Then, a very familiar voice replied, "No need, I'll wait here."

Zhang Chen froze.

That voice was unmistakably Lin Zhiqing's!

His eyes widened as a rush of complex emotions flooded his heart.

This was a men's clothing store; what was Lin Zhiqing doing here?

In the past, Zhang Chen might have hesitated to go out. But with Su Mang in his life, his confidence had grown.

With determination, Zhang Chen stepped out of the fitting room.

He looked up just in time to see a man being led away by a heavily made-up sales associate, disappearing from his view.

And there was Lin Zhiqing, seated on a chair in front of where the man had been, resting!

Zhang Chen clenched his jaw, his anger reaching a boiling point.

He had been bending over backward to protect Lin Zhiqing, but what about her?

Zhang Chen's expression grew stormy.

Lin Zhiqing looked up, her eyes locking with Zhang Chen's brooding stare.

"Zhang Chen? What brings you here?" Lin Zhiqing's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she inquired.

Struggling to quell the rage within, Zhang Chen answered in a hushed tone, "I was looking for you. But what are you doing here?"

"I'm obviously here to shop for clothes," Lin Zhiqing responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Zhang Chen let out a derisive chuckle.

Just then, another man's voice chimed in, "Zhiqing, is something the matter? Have you run into an acquaintance?"

The anger inside Zhang Chen teetered on the edge of explosion.

He turned to see a man in a suit, sporting gold-rimmed glasses, approaching leisurely.

This man, too, radiated the presence of someone in a position of power.

But to Zhang Chen's astonishment, there was a woman with him, her arm entwined with his.

Zhang Chen recognized her. She appeared to be Zhang Xueling, a friend of Lin Zhiqing's.

It took a moment for the realization to dawn on Zhang Chen.

He had misunderstood the situation.

Zhang Xueling's voice, laced with bewilderment, broke through, "Zhang Chen? What are you doing here?"

Zhang Chen wasn't taken aback that Zhang Xueling recognized him; his reputation had preceded him.

"Are you Zhang Chen?"

The man's icy voice cut through the air.

Zhang Chen paused, taken aback.

Was there bad blood between them?

Looking up, Zhang Chen caught the unmistakable glint of revulsion in the man's eyes.

"Yes, I'm Zhang Chen. Is there a problem?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

The man's lips curled into a sly smile. "No problem at all. I've heard a lot about you. Seeing is truly believing."

Though the man's words were unremarkable, Zhang Chen couldn't shake off a peculiar feeling.

Extending his hand, the man introduced himself with a grin, "Hello, I'm Wang Cai, just a humble sales manager at Dafu Real Estate."

Zhang Chen extended his hand in return, noting the lack of humility in the man's introduction.

Dafu Real Estate? Wasn't that Chen Dafu's enterprise?

Was Wang Cai one of Chen Dafu's underlings?