"Come over here first. We can talk properly once we’ve met."
Zhang Mutian demanded that Zhang Ling come to the Zhang Group immediately. He had a few things to impress upon his eldest daughter, mainly to ensure she didn't offend the Mu family at the upcoming Ning family banquet. Although the Zhang Group was flourishing, Zhang Mutian had no desire to cross the Mu family. His close friendship with the Ning couple was entirely intentional—a calculated move to bridge a connection to the Mu family through them. Now that the bridge was built, he had to maintain it carefully.
"Just transfer some money to me. I'll buy a couple of evening gowns myself." Zhang Ling resisted the idea of going to the Zhang Group. That company was the empire her mother had helped her father build; the moment he had established a firm footing in the business world, he had replaced his wife.
"What kind of decent clothes could someone with your taste possibly pick out? Get over here immediately, and don't make me come fetch you!" Zhang Mutian commanded, adopting his authoritative fatherly tone. "Wait a moment—I also need to talk to you face-to-face about your in-laws so you don't go in there completely clueless."
After a moment of silence, Zhang Ling reluctantly agreed to her father's demand.
Once the call ended, she wandered around her shop for a while before finally stepping out. She ordered a ride-hailing car and headed toward the Zhang Group.
The Zhang Group was located in the central business district of City A. It was the heart of the city, crowded with skyscrapers and the headquarters of the city’s major conglomerates. The tallest building was the headquarters of the Mu Group, standing at 88 stories. While not the absolute tallest building in City A, it stood in the city center like a sparkling jewel, making it one of the city's landmarks. The Zhang Group’s headquarters stood just 150 meters away. It was twenty stories shorter than the Mu Group’s tower, reaching only 68 stories, yet it remained a striking presence among the surrounding high-rises. The height and scale of the headquarters were a testament to the growing power of the Zhang Group.
The car dropped Zhang Ling off at the Zhang Group. She got out, paid the fare, and began walking toward the entrance. When her parents divorced, the site for the Zhang Group’s headquarters hadn't even been chosen yet; this building had been constructed much later. Every time Zhang Ling passed by, looking at the tower, she was reminded of her father’s betrayal of her mother, and her teeth would ache with resentment.
Two receptionists saw her walk in and offered professional smiles, politely asking who she was there to see.
"I’d like to see President Zhang," Zhang Ling said, without revealing her identity. In the eyes of the staff at the Zhang Group, the "eldest daughter of the Zhang family" was Zhang Qing, and she didn't want to invite unnecessary trouble.
"Hello, do you have an appointment? Which company are you with?"
"I don't have an appointment. Your President Zhang called me and told me to come see him. Hasn't he mentioned it to you?"
The two receptionists exchanged a glance. One of them smiled and said, "One moment, please, Miss. Let us check." The other immediately dialed an internal line to Zhang Mutian’s secretary. Upon receiving confirmation, she hung up, stepped out from behind the desk, and said politely, "Please follow me, Miss Zhang."
Zhang Ling followed the receptionist inside. When they reached the elevator bank, the receptionist swiped a card and pressed the button for the 68th floor. Only then did Zhang Ling realize that even to see her father, one needed an access card to reach the elevators. This elevator went directly to the 68th floor without any stops in between.
A few minutes later, the receptionist led her to the secretary’s desk. "This is the secretary to the President," the receptionist told her. "You can go in to see him with Secretary Qi."
"Thank you," Zhang Ling said. The receptionist smiled, told her it was no trouble, and headed back.
Secretary Qi knew exactly who Zhang Ling was. After giving her a quick once-over, she didn't say anything, simply leading her toward the president's office. After knocking, Secretary Qi said, "President Zhang is waiting inside. He said to tell you to go in by yourself."
"Thank you." Zhang Ling thanked her and, under the secretary's gaze, pushed open the heavy office door and walked inside.
"Close the door."
Hearing her father's command, Zhang Ling turned and shut the office door. Zhang Mutian sat behind his crescent-shaped desk, busy with paperwork. He didn't even look up until Zhang Ling walked over and sat down on her own accord. Only then did he raise his eyes to look at her.
Ever since her parents' divorce, Zhang Ling had rarely seen her father. He had his new wife and children, and he had shown nothing but disdain for his eldest daughter. She remembered when she was in the fourth grade, her half-sister Zhang Qing was in the same school. Occasionally, she would see her father driving his luxury car to drop her sister off. If they ran into each other at the school gate, he would walk past her as if she were a total stranger, not even sparing her a glance. Back then, she had still craved his affection, but it was his repeated indifference that had eventually killed that desire. Their father-daughter relationship had hit absolute zero.
If she hadn't been backed into a corner, Zhang Ling really wouldn't have wanted to ask him for help.
"You're here. If you're thirsty, go help yourself to a glass of water in the pantry."
"No need," Zhang Ling replied coldly. "Whatever you have to say, just say it."
Zhang Mutian closed his folder, set down his pen, and leaned back in his chair. His tone was equally indifferent. "Was your mother's surgery a success?"
"Yes."
"That's good." Zhang Mutian pursed his lips and asked no more about his ex-wife. After twenty-two years of divorce, she had become a total stranger to him. If it weren't for the fact that they shared a son and a daughter, they likely would have never spoken again as long as they lived.
"The Mu family is a grand dynasty. The Old Madam Mu had five sons and one daughter, though the daughter died of illness as a child. All five sons married women from wealthy families and provided her with over a dozen grandchildren."
"Mu Lingfeng is the eldest of the Mu grandchildren. After he was born, his great-grandmother moved to the countryside to retire. Because he was the apple of her eye, she took him with her, which is why he grew up in the countryside."
"But that doesn't change the fact that he is the young master of the Mu family. Being able to marry him is your good fortune. Even if he is a homosexual, you are still his legal wife. Occupying the position of the eldest young mistress of the Mu family means you will live a life of luxury forever."
"If you weren't my own flesh and blood, I wouldn't have given that position to you."
Zhang Mutian spoke of the Mu family's situation with the air of someone handing out charity.
Zhang Ling sneered. "If the position of the Mu family's eldest young mistress is really that good, why did your precious daughter refuse it?"
Zhang Mutian replied instinctively, "Mu Lingfeng still lives in the countryside and rarely comes back to the city. He holds no position at the Mu Group and doesn't handle any of their business. He's just an eldest son in name only. Qing'er didn't like that."
If his precious daughter were to marry, it would have to be to the Mu family's second or third son. Those two were both vice presidents at the Mu Group, handsome, refined, and among the most promising young talents in the city.
Zhang Ling let out a dry, mocking laugh and said nothing.
*Zhang Qing didn't like him, so I'm supposed to?*