Chapter 042: Birds of a Feather Flock Together

In the summer of Harbor City, young women dressed in cool attire walked back and forth, their eyes flashing with disdain whenever they caught sight of girls less elegantly clothed than themselves.

With a screech, a Crown automobile pulled up to the curb, attracting a crowd's attention. Soon, a woman with an attractive figure stepped out—her curves accentuated, though her clothes appeared somewhat rustic and her complexion pale.

This was Zhou Mei, the first wife of Zhou Yuanchong. After experiencing her family's decline and being abandoned by her husband, half of her heart had died; the remainder she devoted entirely to her daughter.

Now, she only hoped her daughter would grow up quickly. She didn't care whether the girl got into a good school; as long as she could earn enough money to provide them both a good life, that would suffice.

This belief persisted until two days ago, when a flyer shattered her resolve.

[My wife cannot bear children. Seeking a high-quality middle-aged woman to fulfill my dream of fatherhood.]
[If you become pregnant and bear a child—boy or girl—you will receive a reward of one million Hong Kong dollars, with additional allowances for nutrition, lost work, and gifts.]

The first time Zhou Mei saw this advertisement, she scoffed, refusing to believe it. Yet soon she heard that a woman from a neighboring village had secretly applied, sending nothing but a photo and immediately receiving five hundred Hong Kong dollars.

Five hundred! Having had enough of poverty, Zhou Mei seized the opportunity without much hesitation—after all, no payment was required.

Quickly, she received a thousand Hong Kong dollars, which made her believe even more. She promptly sent her photograph, personal information, measurements, and even her menstrual cycle to the man, determined to secure the position.

After a brief and anxious wait, she finally received a reply: her appearance was acceptable, and she was invited to chat and get acquainted.

Zhou Mei believed in acting swiftly; once she had her eyes set on something, she pursued it directly. Just as she had done years ago, marrying Zhou Yuanchong against her family's wishes to spite the old factory manager. Though the manager was eventually ousted and Zhou Yuanchong took control of the plastic factory, she never benefited from the gains—a source of endless frustration.

This time as well, she lacked patience and insisted on meeting immediately, confident that her looks would win him over.

And thus, things unfolded as they did.

"Excuse me, driver, when will your boss come out?"

"The boss asked you to wait here. Someone will escort you shortly."

"Alright, thank you."

Zhou Mei dared not be rude to the driver and instead tried her best to be polite and ingratiating.

At the end of the street, in a narrow alley, Zhang Tianfeng watched through a telescope, murmuring in confusion.

"Is there some problem you can't solve?" Gao Ran asked.

"No, I feel like Redhead tricked me," Zhang Tianfeng replied. When he had asked Redhead to tempt Zhou Mei, Redhead had been utterly unwilling, making Zhang think Zhou Mei must be hideous.

Yet, upon seeing her now, she was quite attractive. Without makeup, she scored at least eighty out of a hundred for looks, and her figure was a ninety-five.

Why on earth would Redhead refuse such a prize?

"If there's no issue, let's get started," Gao Ran said, her inner performer barely contained.

"Alright, let's begin." Zhang Tianfeng finished preparations, sent Gu Zai and Gao Ran on stage, and dashed into the alley himself, aiming for the nearby café.

Meanwhile, Zhou Mei waited anxiously.

While she waited, a striking pair appeared on the street, drawing cheers from onlookers.

The man was handsome and fair-skinned, with robust muscles and powerful thighs—clearly strong enough to hurt someone with a collision.

The woman was tall and graceful, exuding an aristocratic air, carrying a handbag embroidered with gold threads.

Laughing and chatting, the couple quickly passed Zhou Mei and entered a café.

Zhou Mei was envious. Once, she had yearned for such days, but fate had not treated her kindly.

Inside the café, Zhang Tianfeng, panting, announced, "That's it, the first act is over."

"What? Already?" Gao Ran looked disappointed.

It was rare for her to act, and even rarer to share a scene with the dashing Gu Zai. She had been excited, memorizing her lines with every effort.

"As long as it's up to standard, that's enough. If you really want to act with Gu Zai, you can play the female lead when the company casts him as the star."

"No, never mind. I still have school," Gao Ran replied.

Truthfully, she felt Gu Zai was too distant, and their ages didn't match. She preferred Zhang Tianfeng, always close by and easy to find—a much more genuine presence, and one she found intriguing.

Zhang Tianfeng asked, "Gu Zai, have you memorized your lines for the next scene?"

Gu Zai made an OK gesture. "No problem, boss."

"Good. Go out and make the call, but don't get nervous or reveal our existence."

Gu Zai nodded, took the bulky mobile phone, and stepped outside. Zhang Tianfeng and Gao Ran put on sunglasses and entered a small room.

Soon after, Gu Zai returned, followed by an elated Zhou Mei.

She was truly overjoyed; she hadn't expected that the handsome man she'd seen was actually the wealthy Harbor City boss seeking a surrogate.

After ordering drinks and snacks, Gu Zai led Zhou Mei into another private room.

"Miss Zhou, I believe we've met before."

Gu Zai's first line deviated from the script, making Gao Ran, eavesdropping nearby, tense up and involuntarily clutch Zhang Tianfeng's arm, making him grimace in pain.

"We met just now. I saw you pass by with a very beautiful lady," Zhou Mei asked cautiously, "Is she your wife?"

"Yes, she is. Isn't she stunning?"

"Mmm, she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen—prettier than any celebrity."

"Indeed. Sadly, she can't have children." Gu Zai sighed, his face downcast, disappointment nearly spilling from his eyes.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Mei asked, "Boss, if you go through with this, won't your wife object?"

"Actually, she was the one who suggested it," Gu Zai replied.

"What?" Zhou Mei stared in shock.

Gu Zai nodded, looking helpless. "We've sought the best specialists abroad to treat her, but nothing worked. It's a congenital defect—no human intervention can fix it. So..."

"That's wonderful..." Zhou Mei blurted.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing... nothing," Zhou Mei replied. "Boss, since your wife doesn't mind, I believe I can accept this arrangement."

"You must be aware that pregnancy isn't easy. It might not succeed in one attempt."

"That's why I think I should stay here. Just arrange a place for me, provide three meals a day, and give me some pocket money."

"I promise I'll do my utmost, cooperate with you wholeheartedly, and ensure your goal is achieved."

This rapid-fire speech stunned not only Gu Zai but also the two eavesdroppers.

"Wow, that's bold," Gao Ran whispered.

Zhang Tianfeng glanced at her. "You said so yourself—if it were you, you'd consider it a favor not to give your cheating husband hundreds of cuckold horns. Zhou Mei's heading right where you imagined."

"But she should at least consider her daughter. The girl is about five, isn't she? Left alone in Huicheng with no one to care for her?"

"People who aren't family don't live together," Zhang Tianfeng replied.

In the private room, Gu Zai recovered from his surprise and asked, "Miss Zhou, I think I need to understand your situation first."

"Does your husband agree?"

"Him? Ha!" Zhou Mei sneered coldly. "What does it matter whether he agrees?"

"He's kept mistresses outside for years, caught red-handed many times, never changed. For that little vixen, he's abandoned his own daughter, and me as well."

"To tell you the truth, our relationship broke long ago. You needn't worry about him interfering while I bear your child; he's busy embezzling state assets and couldn't care less about this old wife's fate."

Embezzling... State assets?

That was a bombshell!

Gu Zai was so shocked, all his memorized lines escaped him. He scrambled for words and finally managed, "May I ask what business your husband is in?"

"May I smoke? This story calls for a cigarette."

"But I can assure you, if you choose me, I'll quit for the sake of the child's health."

What persistence! Gu Zai grinned and nodded.

He felt today's interview was strange—the opponent was formidable, and her performance seemed all too real.