Chapter 98: If I find Chen Luo pitiful, how much more so must Wen Wan, that elderly servant

Yelena took the documents from her assistant, her eyes narrowing slightly. Such swift and aggressive tactics were hardly in keeping with Wen Wan’s usual style. Perhaps those in the capital called that woman a madwoman, but madness did not mean impulsiveness, nor did it mean stupidity.

On the contrary, Wen Wan had always moved with caution in the business world, never launching the first attack. Each project, every step, was carefully calculated—she advanced steadily, gradually encroaching upon her rivals’ territory, compressing their room for survival inch by inch. Her notorious “madness” only revealed itself in the unexpected final blow—a sudden, ruthless strike delivered in a manner no one could have foreseen.

But now, the sudden launch of this software was abrupt, a clear attempt to seize the market immediately. This preemptive style ran contrary to Wen Wan’s usual methods, and so Yelena swiftly reached her own conclusion.

“Wen Wan, are you really so confident in letting Chen Luo come at me directly? Aren’t you afraid it’ll leave him traumatized?” she mused.

Her assistant chimed in at just the right moment, “Chairwoman Ye, should we hurry to launch our own software and fight for the market?”

“No. Sun Tzu says: ‘A master of warfare subjugates the enemy without being subjugated himself.’ If we blindly follow their launch, we’ll always be led by the nose.”

To be Yelena’s assistant meant one was no fool; a single hint sufficed for him to grasp the underlying strategy.

“So, should we shelve the food delivery software project for now?”

“No, since they’re rushing to capture the market, we’ll take a different approach. Let’s ride the momentum of their launch, focus on early-stage promotion, and let them do the hard work for us.”

At these words, the assistant’s eyes sharpened. His boss truly deserved her reputation as the eldest daughter of the Ye family, a seasoned veteran of commerce; from a single piece of news, she could divine her rival’s intent and instantly devise the optimal countermeasure.

No matter which path you choose, I walk my own. She would not entangle herself in the opponent's strengths or preferred tactics; she would instead withdraw, select a new battlefield suited to her interests, and even leverage the opponent’s efforts to counterattack.

“Understood. I’ll arrange for our team to prepare a promotional campaign right away.”

“Good. By the way, what is Chen Luo doing now?”

Yelena had previously instructed someone to tail Chen Luo. Although Wen Wan’s people guarded him, distant surveillance was still possible.

“Yesterday, Chen Luo visited Zhou Mei’s studio. Today he’s attending classes as usual.”

A glimmer flashed in Yelena’s eyes, and her lips curled into a slight smile.

“Attending class? You certainly can sit still. But as a student, are you really so shrewd and calculating?”

A thought sparked in her mind. Yelena turned to her assistant, “Arrange for me to visit Hangzhou University this afternoon.”

“Yes, Chairwoman Ye.”

“Hm? Aren’t you going to ask what I’m going there for, or who I need to contact?”

The assistant closed his notebook, a smile spreading across his face—his boss’s pride was acting up again.

“My apologies, Chairwoman Ye, that was my oversight. May I ask the purpose of this trip?”

“Of course, I’m going to observe Hangzhou University’s education industry. But you don’t need to arrange any meetings with the administration—I’ll conduct field research myself.”

“Yes, I’ll make the arrangements right away.”

Yelena watched her assistant leave, rubbing her hands together lightly.

“A pure-hearted young man—I’m coming for you.”

...

Three o'clock in the afternoon, Hangzhou University sports field.

“Everyone, let’s begin warm-up exercises. Chen Luo, as class monitor, you and the sports committee lead the warm-up.”

“One, two, three, four. Two, two, three, four. Three, two, three, four. Four, two, three, four.”

The entire finance class was out on the field for PE. Chen Luo and the sports committee led the warm-up exercises. Today, Chen Luo wore a red basketball uniform, his mind absent as he went through the motions, still pondering the launch of the food delivery software.

He had launched ahead of the competition, but Yelena’s side had shown no response. Business warfare was a game of move and countermove; his opening gambit was meant to force Yelena to compete for the market, so he could adjust his strategy based on her reaction. Yet now, the lack of action from the other side made Chen Luo increasingly wary.

“Should I make the next move? No, better to wait a little longer.”

Lost in thought, Chen Luo failed to notice the many eyes focused on him—almost all of them belonging to the girls in his class.

“Wow! The monitor’s physique is amazing, those biceps look so reassuring.”

“No, you’re missing the point. Look—when he raises his arms, what do you see?”

“Gasp! Eight-pack abs! Is the monitor really this fit? You can’t tell when he’s wearing clothes.”

“So that’s the legendary ‘slim in clothes, muscular out of them?’”

It seemed the rumors on the school forum—that the monitor could handle four beauties single-handedly—were not unfounded.

A crowd of girls gazed at Chen Luo with adoring eyes, while Lin Tingting, standing at the back, watched him with wary apprehension.

“Alright, warm-up’s over. Today’s lesson: basketball.”

The PE teacher stood up, scanning the group.

“This semester’s exam is the three-step layup. You all need to practice diligently each week.”

“I’m not feeling well today. Monitor, you and the sports committee demonstrate; everyone else, practice on your own.”

The entire class rolled their eyes—indeed, PE teachers everywhere always seemed to be unwell. But this excuse was hardly convincing: if you’re sick, take leave; instead, you announce your illness to us while gleefully playing with your phone nearby. Do you take us for fools?

Nevertheless, the students kept their grievances to themselves; no one dared voice them, lest the petty-minded teacher fail them at the end of term.

“Clap, clap! Alright, everyone, start practicing.”

Chen Luo picked up a basketball and stepped forward. “Some of you may never have played before. Let me show you how it’s done.”

He dribbled lightly, then, holding the ball with both hands, strode forward and leapt into the sunlight.

“Bang!”

The ball bounced gently off the backboard and fell through the hoop. Chen Luo landed, the breeze lifting the hem of his jersey to reveal his toned waist and abdomen, sweat dripping to the ground—a vibrant tableau of youth.

“That’s a fairly standard three-step layup. Give it a try.”

Turning back to his classmates, Chen Luo found the girls staring, stunned. None had realized he possessed such physical prowess until now.

Under a distant tree, Yelena watched Chen Luo intently, her right hand unconsciously wiping at her lips.

“Even I find him appealing—how could Wen Wan miss such a catch?”

Yelena wiped her mouth, a smile on her face as she strolled around the track, feigning nonchalance as she approached Chen Luo.

“Oh? Chen Luo, are you having class here?”