Female lead’s Delusion of Starting Over

Chapter 108: Zhang Ziqin Loses Everything

Zhang Ziqin understood what Su Bingqing meant. She was cutting ties with her completely! It was not because of Lu Li that she was being fired, but rather to sever all connections with her.

“Leave as soon as you can! There’s still quite a bit left from your Zhang family. Find a place and live out the rest of your life quietly,” Su Bingqing said, looking at Zhang Ziqin’s dejected figure. Realizing everything, Su Bingqing felt her previous life’s dislike and loathing for Zhang Ziqin resurface, no, it returned to where it belonged.

The latter part of her statement was a final reminder, for the sake of their past friendship and the fact that Lu Li had once cared for her.

The office door slammed shut, and Zhang Ziqin clutched her chest. Her beautiful face twisted in immense pain. The reopening of her deep wounds, coupled with another cut, brought her unbearable agony. She gasped for air, as if trying to alleviate her suffering.

Holding her face, tears fell like rain. She had lost everything: her parents had died early, the business that meant everything to her in her previous life was gone, her best friend was leaving her, and even the man who loved her most was driven away by her actions.

Truly, she had lost everything.

Unspeakable pain echoed in her heart, everything was lost. In the past, she had taken advantage of Lu Li’s favoritism, believing he would never leave her, which led her to be willful and capricious, repeatedly disappointing and hurting him.

Now, she finally understood how Lu Li felt, experiencing the feeling of being abandoned by the world, the excruciating pain of a heart shattered.

Everything she had inflicted on Lu Li had come back to haunt her. It was all her own doing.

She didn’t blame Lu Li, nor Su Bingqing. This retribution was deserved.

But it still hurt so much!

Curled up in her chair, the pain continued to erode her soul. Only those who had experienced it could understand what Lu Li had gone through in his previous life.

His dejected expressions after being rejected, the desolation after she threw wine in his face at that banquet and partnered with Ye Chen, how terrible he must have felt!

She always said she loved him, but her actions only hurt him. Did she truly deserve Lu Li?

Su Bingqing told Zhang Ziqin to leave quickly but also showed a bit of mercy by not forcefully expelling her. Several hours later, Zhang Ziqin finally recovered, staggering to her feet to gather her belongings.

Once proud and radiant, her eyes were now lifeless, like a walking corpse.

Su Bingqing’s advice to leave Hangzhou was for her own good, Zhang Ziqin knew. This was probably Su Bingqing’s last act of kindness. But this was the one thing she couldn’t do.

Even battered and rejected, unable to attain love, she wanted to stay by Lu Li’s side. She no longer harbored illusions of returning to their past relationship.

She just wanted to be near Lu Li, willing to endure anything to stay by his side.

What did a few failures matter? Even if Lu Li didn’t want to see her now, she would persist.

One day, she hoped to move Lu Li again. Now, she really had nothing left to lose, except for Lu Li, who she couldn’t afford to lose.

To this day, Zhang Ziqin couldn’t accept the reality of losing Lu Li.

***

When Su Bingqing handed the signed contract to Chen Xiaoyi, Lu Li finally sighed in relief, having secured his rearguard.

All of Hangzhou’s families recognized one thing: the Lu family was unstoppable.

Those who were reaching out quickly retracted their claws. Peace ensued, and Lu Li could now lead a laid-back life if he wished. But clearly, it wasn’t enough. There were still enemies in the capital waiting for him to settle old scores, especially Lu Ya, Zhang Ziqin, and Ye Chen, who would soon be left alone. But there were others Lu Li intended to ‘entertain’ as well.

After the Zhang family’s banquet, Lu Li became numb, shutting himself away, but it didn’t mean he had forgotten. Some deeds by a few female leads were enough to make even the numb Lu Li contemplate murder!

This was a terrible world; only fair legs paired with alluring stockings could bring some comfort to Lu Li!

Unable to resist, he indulged in the soft touch, unwilling to let go.

“Little maid, hand me the scissors…” He turned, looking up at You Meng with a mischievous smile.

You Meng shivered slightly, her eyes shimmering. The last time she experienced this was…

Finally… was it happening again?

Elated!

She reached for the scissors on the coffee table and handed them to Lu Li. She had felt his growing tenderness towards her, though he sometimes appeared brusque. It was more like playful banter. Though he hadn’t truly made a move, Lu Li wasn’t averse to intimate gestures. The day she could rise to a higher position seemed closer than ever!

Ecstatic!

If only the pantyhose came in black and white, Lu Li would have loved them even more.

Covering her mouth, she gazed at the exquisite crystal chandelier overhead. So beautiful!

Suppressing any movement, the assassin’s discipline was commendable.

Tonight, You Meng had an important task, so Lu Li rewarding her seemed only fair.

Of course, with this reward, You Meng was overjoyed, and Lu Li was more than willing to exert some effort.

Worth it!

“Are you going to act against Zhang Ziqin?” Cao Yingying covered her mouth. Was this meant for her ears?

The man wasn’t hiding anything!

“What, disillusioned? I’m not the good man you imagined. Too bad, it’s too late. Once you’re on my ship, there’s no getting off!” Lu Li tapped Cao Yingying’s leg leisurely.

Her leg was slightly whiter and smoother than You Meng’s. Truly delightful.

Cao Yingying swatted away Lu Li’s playful hand with annoyance, shooting him a glare. When had she ever wanted off his ship?

“You’re really willing, aren’t you!” Cao Yingying knew her stance on Zhang Ziqin. She wished for nothing more than Zhang Ziqin’s swift demise. She might appear as pure as a lotus, but that didn’t mean she lacked emotions.

“What else can I do? Should I engage in a love-hate drama with you, while maintaining a lingering attachment to Zhang Ziqin?” Lu Li shuddered:

“Keep that melodrama far away from me!”