Chapter 115: I Am Going to Teach You a Lesson

The quarrel with Bai Bing this morning left Wang Zheng with no desire to return home, making Lin Xuan’s place his temporary refuge. In a sense, this was also Wang Zheng’s home, as his name was on the property deed.

Was this what they called "keeping a mistress in a gilded cage"? Perhaps.

Wang Zheng demanded a fresh start for Lin Xuan—everything had to be new, including her memories. He wanted her to discard any items that might remind her of the past, right down to the clothes on her back. He had no patience for people playing games of nostalgia or wallowing in the past in his presence.

Because the shopping district was nearby, Wang Zheng took Lin Xuan there to replace everything, from her lingerie to her outer garments. He detested the idea of his woman wearing clothes purchased by another man. Come to think of it, this was the first time Wang Zheng had ever voluntarily accompanied a woman shopping; whenever he went with Su Xue or Bai Bing, it was usually under duress.

As it turned out, no matter the woman, everyone enjoys shopping—especially when they have a credit card with a million-dollar limit tucked into their waistband. An uncontrollable desire to swipe the card inevitably takes hold, commonly known as "card-swiping syndrome," or the legendary inability to feel comfortable without spending.

Money already given away was not meant to be recovered, and Wang Zheng had little concept of or interest in wealth anyway. If Lin Xuan enjoyed buying things, let her—after all, these clothes were certainly pleasing to the eye on her.

Wang Zheng sat in a chair, legs crossed, while Lin Xuan tried on outfits in the fitting room. Bored, Wang Zheng naturally shifted his focus to the other customers.

This was a large clothing mall, with prices ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands, featuring various brands for every social stratum. The soft, delicate fabrics from both East and West, the exquisite tailoring, and the fashion-forward styles made this a trendsetter’s paradise. It was the favorite haunt of trendy women, white-collar workers, and elite professionals. You didn't need to go out of your way to find beauties; they would simply appear before you, absolutely dazzling to the eyes.

In this day and age, there are many beautiful women, but true, top-tier specimens are rare. Having spent so much time with beauties of such caliber as Su Xue, Bai Bing, Chu Jun, and Lin Xiaolei, his standards had become quite discerning. Yet, even though top-tier beauties were few and far between, Wang Zheng found joy in the hunt. After all, when one eats too much rich, gourmet food, one occasionally craves simple, rustic fare to cleanse the palate.

*Snap.* The fitting room door opened. Lin Xuan had changed into an entirely new outfit from head to toe. She walked over to Wang Zheng, spun around, and a wave of her natural fragrance washed over him. She struck a seductive pose that accentuated her S-curves and asked, "How is it? Do I look good?"

"Women buy beautiful clothes to attract the gaze of men, but what men really want to see is a woman without any clothes at all," Wang Zheng said flatly, casting a bucket of cold water on her vanity. He still thought Lin Xuan looked better without anything on.

Hearing this, Lin Xuan glanced around the shop. Aside from a few saleswomen and female customers, there were no other men in sight. Seeing this, she withdrew her gaze and suddenly lifted her hem to take off the dress. Still in her underwear, she didn't stop there, reaching for her bra. Startled by her sudden action, Wang Zheng laughed and hurriedly reached out to stop her.

"Stop, stop! Just pick the one you like best. Do you want to become the talk of the entire city?"

*Cruel to be kind.* Not bad, not bad at all. Lin Xuan had already learned how to please Wang Zheng, which made him quite happy. The money was well spent. Next, he would see what Lin Xuan was capable of in business. Watching her walk back into the fitting room in her lingerie, Wang Zheng felt a genuine sense of anticipation.

It was less that Wang Zheng was taking Lin Xuan shopping, and more that Lin Xuan was keeping Wang Zheng company. Having a beauty by your side who wouldn't talk back, wouldn't nag, and would only try her best to please and seduce you was truly refreshing. Wang Zheng remembered how agitated he had felt when he left home that morning, but now, he felt exceptionally relaxed. He could sit in a cafe, sipping coffee leisurely, listening to Mozart, and watching the beautiful women pass by outside the window.

No wonder so many people these days took mistresses or kept lovers; they were all after a bit of peace of mind. Otherwise, how could anyone handle the constant, explosive temper of a leader? Especially for someone like Wang Zheng, who wanted to kill whenever he felt depressed—in a way, Lin Xuan had played a role in saving innocent lives.

"May I ask you a question?" Lin Xuan asked, stirring her coffee while looking at Wang Zheng cautiously.

Let us ignore Lin Xuan’s inner thoughts for a moment; finding such an elegant and charming lover was truly nice. Especially when he felt the envious and jealous gazes around him, Wang Zheng’s vanity was strongly satisfied, and he was in a great mood.

"Ask away," Wang Zheng was a worldly man, and he had his share of vanity.

"On the day of the mid-year summary meeting, I saw you sitting with Su Xue, Chu Jun, and the people from the news department. What is your relationship with them?" Lin Xuan asked, puzzled. This was a question that had been bothering her for a while. From every angle, she was certain Wang Zheng wasn't with the TV station, so why was he so close to Su Xue and the others?

Working in the same place, Lin Xuan, being part of Zhao Yi’s faction, appeared on good terms with Su Xue and Chu Jun of Chu Zihua’s faction, but behind the scenes, it was a different story. Moreover, Su Xue and Chu Jun knew about her affairs. She was worried about how to interact with them in the future and feared they might badmouth her behind her back.

"Su Xue is my younger sister; she and Chu Jun are living at my place now. As for the others, I just became acquainted with Liao Tong, and I have no real friendship with Zhang Qianqian," Wang Zheng said, looking at her. This wasn't some dark secret, and since his vanity was currently satisfied by Lin Xuan, he was in a talkative mood.

"Su Xue... is your sister?" Lin Xuan looked at Wang Zheng in astonishment, struggling to believe him. A thought occurred to her, and she asked, "Your surname is Wang, and hers is Su...!"

"You only need to know that she is my sister; there is no need to know anything else. Don't think I'm playing games; I explain it this way to everyone," Wang Zheng replied, observing the changing expressions on her face. "Don't be so surprised, and don't harbor any reservations. I chose you for a reason. Do I look like the type of person whose mind is easily swayed?"

Seeing her expression, Wang Zheng had already guessed her thoughts. In fact, the very reasons Su Xue and Bai Bing disliked Lin Xuan were the exact reasons Wang Zheng had chosen to use her. Such an answer wouldn't convince Su Xue or Bai Bing, and naturally, he couldn't tell Lin Xuan.

Although Lin Xuan still felt some apprehension, Wang Zheng’s words brought her a measure of calm. She thought that since Su Xue was his sister, her words must carry weight with him. It would be best to avoid interacting with Su Xue and her group as much as possible in the future.

Just as Lin Xuan was relaxing, she saw Wang Zheng snap his fingers.

*Snap.* A waiter approached with a professional smile. "Sir, is there anything else you need?"

"Another cup of coffee," Wang Zheng said coolly.

"Certainly."

Lin Xuan looked at him, confused. Both their coffees had just arrived; she had only taken a small sip, and Wang Zheng hadn't touched his at all. Why order another?

To her bewilderment, the waiter brought the coffee, and Wang Zheng pushed it to the left side of the table, directly in front of the empty chair. He pointed a finger toward the chair. Lin Xuan was completely lost. Just as she was wondering what he was doing, a gust of fragrance drifted by, and she saw a beauty sitting in the chair to the left. Even though it was summer, the woman’s icy expression sent a chill through the air.

It was her! The woman who had sat next to Wang Zheng at the mid-year meeting! Lin Xuan suddenly remembered. Because the woman was a beauty who could rival her own looks, she had stood out in Lin Xuan’s mind. She didn't know why this woman was here or what her relationship with Wang Zheng was, but one look at her face revealed that she was in a foul mood—and that mood was likely related to her, Lin Xuan.

"Back to your old profession, secret agent?" Wang Zheng asked with a cold smirk. Anyone could tell he was mocking Bai Bing. As for being followed, he had only just noticed. In such a bustling shopping district, tracking him was no easy feat. Bai Bing didn't speak. She didn't look at the smirking Wang Zheng, but instead fixed her gaze on Lin Xuan. If she didn't know the other woman's background, she might have seen her as a peer and perhaps even a friend, much like Chu Jun.

But now, the icy arrogance, the hostile expression, and the sharp, knife-like glare made Bai Bing’s position perfectly clear.