Sincerity is not the ultimate skill, tactics are.

On the other side of the ocean, Kong Huaijin and her two sisters were indulging in a full-body spa treatment.

"I heard Zhou Yi is coming back the day after tomorrow. Aren’t you excited?" Yang Yue teased Kong Huaijin with a playful grin.

Kong Huaijin raised an eyebrow. "Where did you hear that?"

Yang Yue took a sip of her drink. "Xiao He told me. Honestly, you’re such an unreliable sister."

Kong Huaijin chuckled. "I already knew his return date from Zhou Yi himself, so I didn’t need to ask Xiao He."

"That just proves you haven’t been chatting with Xiao He—too busy talking to your precious Zhou Yi instead."

The woman who said this was another close friend of Kong Huaijin’s.

She was the one who had given Kong Huaijin advice when she first tried to pursue Zhou Yi. Her name was Su Tong.

Yang Yue nodded in agreement. "Tongtong’s got a point. Ever since she met Zhou Yi, his name is all she talks about."

Before, Kong Huaijin’s conversations mostly revolved around making money, building her career, or Kong Xiaohe.

Kong Huaijin brushed off her friends’ teasing. Even if they called her lovestruck, she didn’t mind.

"You just don’t understand—he’s genuinely a good person."

"Love is blind. Right now, you think everything about him is perfect."

Su Tong lazily peeled off her face mask, stood up, and slipped out of her robe before stepping into the pool. Her graceful curves shimmered beneath the water.

Leaning against the edge of the pool, she asked, "So, how far have things progressed between you two? Does he have feelings for you?"

Kong Huaijin frowned. "I don’t know if he likes me or not. What if I’m just deluding myself?"

Su Tong pressed further. "When you confessed your feelings, how did he respond?"

Kong Huaijin sighed. "What else could he say? ‘Let’s just be friends for now.’ He’s so innocent—afraid of getting hurt by me. Maybe young guys are just more cautious about relationships. Not like me, an old house on fire, desperate to jump into something serious."

Su Tong arched an eyebrow. That line of reasoning... sounded eerily familiar.

It was as if every word had come straight out of her own playbook.

Suspicious, she remarked, "Is Zhou Yi... maybe a player?"

Kong Huaijin shook her head. "Relax, he blushes all the way to his ears if I even kiss him. What kind of player does that?"

Su Tong still felt something was off.

"Last time I helped him, he said he’d treat me to dinner when he gets back. How do I make sure he falls for me? Tongtong, you know men better—give me some advice."

"Hmm... You’ve already shown him your strong, assertive side. Now it’s time to reveal a softer, more feminine side. Let him see the contrast."

"But how do I do that? Just by acting cute? I’ve tried that before, and it didn’t seem very effective."

Kong Huaijin felt like Zhou Yi wasn’t particularly swayed by that approach.

Was her acting cute not soft enough, or was her image too domineering?

To be fair, it wasn’t entirely Kong Huaijin’s fault. When it came to feminine charm, You Man had already mastered it to perfection.

And as for acting cute, nearly every woman around Zhou Yi knew how to do it.

Kong Huaijin wasn’t naturally that type of person, so forcing herself to act that way felt unnatural.

"Maybe I should change my hairstyle. This short cut doesn’t exactly scream ‘feminine.’"

She touched her short hair self-consciously.

Su Tong shook her head. "That’s not the issue. Short hair can still be feminine. The problem is that you sometimes come across as too distant."

She continued, "You can keep the short hair—even wear a black suit—but you need to show vulnerability and femininity in other ways."

Now intrigued, Kong Huaijin sat up and looked at Su Tong with eager curiosity. "Teach me, then."

Su Tong gave an example. "Perfume."

"Perfume is a great tool for conveying emotion and setting an intimate mood."

"For instance, when he comes back and you two go out to eat, the weather will be a bit chilly. Wear something light on purpose. If he’s considerate enough to offer you his jacket, your perfume will linger on it."

"Choose a feminine scent—preferably something strong and long-lasting, so the fragrance clings to his clothes for hours."

"If you do it right, he might even associate that perfume with you from then on."

Su Tong smirked. She had used this trick many times—it never failed to work on men.

Su Tong herself exuded natural femininity, so these tactics came easily to her.

Kong Huaijin had never explored such things before.

Who knew perfume could be so strategic?

"Tongtong, recommend me a perfume. I’ll stick to that one scent—make sure he thinks of me every time he smells it."

Su Tong suggested three options, letting Kong Huaijin pick her favorite.

"What else? I can change my wardrobe too. I only wore suits for convenience—it’s not like I actually love them."

"Honestly, your figure is amazing. Try a purple blouse with a black pencil skirt, or a fitted dress that cinches at the waist. And your short hair is actually a great asset—if you add a pair of rimless glasses, you’d be pure temptation in motion."

Kong Huaijin blushed at the description.

Su Tong wasn’t wrong.

Kong Huaijin’s features were striking, especially her slightly upturned, phoenix-like eyes.

They naturally gave off an authoritative, no-nonsense vibe when she wasn’t smiling.

So even if she dressed in a sweet, innocent style, it wouldn’t look cheap—her innate elegance balanced out any overt flirtation.

Paired with her face, it was the kind of look that sparked a desire to conquer. And let’s not forget—she was a CEO.

Men didn’t just adore delicate flowers—women who were too easy to win lost their appeal.

Kong Huaijin should have been hitting all the right notes.

She just hadn’t known how to leverage her strengths before.

Su Tong stepped out of the pool and draped an arm over Kong Huaijin’s shoulder with a grin.

"If I were a man, I’d want to conquer a woman like you."

Kong Huaijin sighed. "But Zhou Yi isn’t that kind of man. Maybe he’s immune to these tricks. Maybe sincerity would work better?"

Su Tong burst out laughing. "Sincerity alone isn’t enough when chasing someone—especially men. It’s not the ultimate weapon. Strategy is."