Chapter 32: Stunned Part 1

Tao Zhi ignored Fu Zheng.

Throughout the entire three-hour drive back, he didn’t utter a single word to Fu Zheng.

He didn’t even look at him.

Either he pressed his face against the car window and lightly bumped it, or he lay on the window gazing at the scenery.

In any case, he refused to look at Fu Zheng.

Later, probably because constantly twisting his neck made it sore, he started sleeping. After waking up, he hung his head and munched on snacks to pass the time.

No matter how many times Fu Zheng glanced over at him, he couldn’t catch even a shred of Tao Zhi’s attention.

What the hell was this?

Tao Zhi’s attitude left Fu Zheng utterly baffled, and it even sparked a bit of anger in him.

The young master had never been treated like this before. He was so pissed that he nearly wrenched the steering wheel off, and his mind kept racing to figure out why Tao Zhi was acting this way toward him.

At first, he thought Tao Zhi was just acting cute and throwing a tantrum.

For instance, squishing his face into a bundle really looked adorable, and he occasionally puffed out his cheeks into a round arc. Every action seemed like coquetry directed at him.

But coquetry required paying attention to him, right?

Otherwise, who was it for?

He truly couldn’t figure out what this mix of coquetry and ignoring him was about. Could it be that Tao Zhi was using the same push-pull tactics on him that he’d used on Fu Si Heng? Why though?

Fu Zheng couldn’t make sense of it, but that didn’t stop his face from flushing with awkwardness.

But after half an hour, a lightbulb suddenly went off in his head, and he realized Tao Zhi might actually be angry.

That made even less sense.

He hadn’t done anything to upset Tao Zhi.

He’d been pretty generous with him.

The mission hadn’t succeeded, but he’d still taken him on a three-day trip and given him sixty thousand yuan.

Where in the world could you find a boss this good?

Tch.

In summary, it was just a little tantrum from someone spoiled rotten.

He’d said you couldn’t indulge them too much.

Once he realized this, the fire in Fu Zheng’s heart extinguished in a flash, and he instantly stopped wanting to argue with Tao Zhi.

So what if the kid was throwing a fit?

No big deal.

Whatever—

Half an hour later.

When Fu Zheng tentatively tried to “coax” Tao Zhi, but Tao Zhi still ignored him, Fu Zheng’s face fell again. He thought you really couldn’t let it get to the point of lawlessness.

There had to be limits to coquetry.

Being spoiled and arrogant, acting like a coquettish little demon—absolutely couldn’t indulge that, or it’d climb on his head and lord over him.

Fu Zheng decided he couldn’t open this floodgate, so he stopped paying attention to Tao Zhi as well.

He kept his eyes straight ahead on the road, not sparing him half a glance. The two sank into a silent cold war.

…

That was just how it seemed to Fu Zheng.

Tao Zhi was purely too pissed off to bother with anyone.

It was really hard not to be mad.

Before they left, Fu Zheng had repeatedly told him that this trip allowed only success, no failure—if he failed, not a penny. That’s why Tao Zhi had busted his ass for him.

He’d even sacrificed himself… but Fu Zheng said it wasn’t needed.

Infuriating.

If he’d known, he wouldn’t have tried so hard. His sacrifice had been huge.

Tao Zhi treated the fruit roll-up in his hand like Fu Zheng, biting into it viciously.

One bite after another—immensely satisfying.

And he was truly furious enough to extend his anger to Fu Si Heng.

After the car started, Fu Si Heng had sent him several messages in a row, but he hadn’t replied to any.

He was in a mood to ignore everyone.

This continued all the way until four in the afternoon, when they returned to school.

Fu Zheng parked in the school lot. Tao Zhi got out, stood by the side waiting for Fu Zheng, when his phone suddenly pinged.

He looked down and saw it was a transfer from Fu Zheng.

Sixty thousand yuan, not a cent short—just as agreed, all of it sent to him.

Tao Zhi froze for a few seconds, then looked up to see Fu Zheng getting out of the car with a face full of feigned indifference.

Fu Zheng’s expression was awkward, and so were his words.

He was sulking, unwilling to look at Tao Zhi, turning his head to the side with a huff. “What are you looking at? I said I wouldn’t short you.”

“Oh.” Tao Zhi’s head drooped again as he tapped accept.

Normally, if he hadn’t done anything, Tao Zhi might have felt a bit embarrassed to take it. But now, not at all—this was what he’d earned through his massive sacrifice… even if it ended up being pointless.

If he’d known, he wouldn’t have tried so hard.

This was what he deserved.

Tao Zhi pursed his lips.

With the money in hand, his mood improved a bit, and he no longer completely ignored Fu Zheng like he had in the car.

As they walked back to the dorm, Tao Zhi even proactively asked, “What are we having for dinner?”

Fu Zheng’s tone was cool, like he was competing to see who could cold-war better. “I’ll have the restaurant deliver it.”

“Oh.” Tao Zhi replied in his usual tone. “Let me know when it arrives. I’ll go downstairs and grab it for you.”

Fu Zheng snorted coldly.

Hadn’t he gone right back to his usual obedient self?

So, money really was key.

Through this incident, Fu Zheng derived a truth.

As long as he had money, Tao Zhi wouldn’t dare throw tantrums at him. Any spoiled arrogance would be tempered.