Chapter 117: Colleagues?

After finishing dinner at the commercial district, Wang Zheng took Lin Xuan home. As Wang Zheng was about to leave, Lin Xuan kissed him hard on the cheek right in front of Bai Bing, glancing at her triumphantly—it was less of a display of affection and more of a provocation.

Today’s outing had given Lin Xuan a better understanding of her new patron; as long as she didn't cross any lines, he wouldn't do anything to her. Combined with the act she put on for Bai Bing, the fear and timidity she had initially felt toward Wang Zheng had evaporated, and she felt fully restored to her old self, performing at her best.

As for Bai Bing, she let out a cold snort after witnessing the provocation. As far as she was concerned, she only needed to remember the address. Come Monday... she would make Lin Xuan pay.

Leaving Lin Xuan’s apartment, Wang Zheng drove home with Bai Bing in the passenger seat, who naturally gave him no pleasant looks. Wang Zheng was never close with her to begin with, so he felt no need to subject himself to her cold shoulder. However, based on what he knew of her, today’s events wouldn't end here; she was bound to retaliate for the way he had provoked her. Tattling to Su Xue was the perfect way to use someone else’s hand to deliver a blow.

Women loved meddling in other people’s business; it was an addiction. Why else would they say there is always a meddlesome woman behind every successful man? Sitting idle was worse than death to them. Their heads weren't large, but their thoughts were many, and they loved to let their imaginations run wild. Now, Wang Zheng had to face the consequences of a woman’s wild imagination.

The lights were on upstairs. Seeing this, Bai Bing gave Wang Zheng a sneer before opening the door and heading up. Judging by her hurried pace, she was clearly up to no good.

As Wang Zheng had anticipated, when he got home, Bai Bing was whispering to Su Xue and Chu Jun, who were watching television. The way Su Xue and Chu Jun looked at him had changed.

Wang Zheng shrugged and walked into his room. Seeing this, Su Xue followed him in with a serious expression. Bai Bing, who had been sitting on the sofa looking smug, crept toward his door, pressing her ear against it to listen.

Of course, getting back at Wang Zheng was just a side mission; teaching Lin Xuan a lesson was the priority. She needed to gauge the nature of their relationship to decide just how severe that lesson should be.

Just as she was listening with bated breath, the door flew open. Su Xue stepped out. Her expression and Wang Zheng’s were calm; there was no sign of the argument Bai Bing had expected.

What? What did they even say? That was too fast!

Wang Zheng stepped out, shot Bai Bing a triumphant grin as he walked past her, and strolled into the living room as if nothing had happened, settling in to watch TV.

Huh? What was going on?

Bai Bing looked on in bewilderment as Wang Zheng and Su Xue sat together, chatting and laughing as if their earlier interaction had never occurred. It was as if her tattling had been for nothing.

"Su...!" Bai Bing wanted to press her for answers, but hesitated. If she pushed too hard, she might be accused of sowing discord, and she didn't want to end up worse off than when she started. She decided to shelve it and ask when there were fewer people around.

***

The truth was simple. After Su Xue entered his room, Wang Zheng had looked at her with a serious expression and taken the initiative: "Xiao Xue, do you trust your brother?"

"I do," Su Xue replied.

"Good! If you trust me, then I don't need to explain anything. Go watch TV!"

That was it? It really was that simple!

Su Xue rarely saw Wang Zheng look so serious, and she knew her brother would never kill an innocent person; if he had killed someone, that person deserved it. Besides, in her eyes, Zhao Yi had it coming—he had deceived countless naive college students, acting sweet in bed and turning cold the moment he left. Furthermore, Zhao Yi’s death would be a massive help to Chu Jun’s uncle, Chu Zihua; at the very least, no one at Jinghua Television would oppose him anymore. She had realized all of this after confirming Zhao Yi’s death at the station earlier that day.

She still remembered what Wang Zheng had said to Chu Zihua after the mid-year meeting: "Thank you for taking care of Xiao Xue all this time. I don't like owing people favors. If you ever need anything, anything at all, you can come to me—including getting rid of that old man..."

Su Xue even suspected that Wang Zheng had done this specifically to repay that favor.

As for Lin Xuan, she trusted her brother’s judgment. Even if he were interested in her, it was no big deal—just a bit of fun. If it came to it, she, as the sister, would simply step in and kick Lin Xuan to the curb once her brother had grown tired of her.

One had to remember, Su Xue was no pushover herself.

The weekend passed in a blink. Wang Zheng didn't feel like he had done much, but for Bai Bing, it was far from an ordinary weekend.

On Monday, after dropping off Su Xue and Chu Jun, Wang Zheng and Bai Bing arrived at the office. The moment Wang Zheng sat down, Bai Bing snatched the car keys off his desk. This was the first step in her lesson for Lin Xuan! She wouldn't forget the look the woman had given her on Saturday... did Bai Bing need a reason to teach someone a lesson? No!

"If there’s nothing else, I’m going home to sleep!" Bai Bing threw the words over her shoulder as she walked toward the door.

"Wait," Wang Zheng called out. He glanced at his watch—five minutes until nine—and looked at Bai Bing, who had stopped at the door. "If I recall correctly, you didn't go street racing last night, and you were asleep by ten. I don't understand why you need to go home to sleep now that you've had such a full night’s rest. Or... are you hiding something from me?"

"Hmph!" Bai Bing gave him a cold look. "What? Only you’re allowed to keep secrets? My business is none of yours!" With that, she turned and strode out.

"It’s none of my business, but if you're looking for Lin Xuan, you’re going to be disappointed. She isn't home," Wang Zheng said lightly.

Bai Bing, already out of the office, paused and frowned.

How did he know I was going to look for her? I never told him. No, he must be bluffing to test me! With that thought, her brow relaxed, and she slowly closed the office door behind her.

"She’s downstairs."

Just as the door was about to click shut, it burst open. Bai Bing rushed in, storming toward the window to look down. They were on the eighteenth floor; the people below looked like ants. But she could vaguely see a figure standing next to Wang Zheng’s Maserati.

"Don't doubt your eyes; the woman by the car is indeed Lin Xuan," Wang Zheng said, his tone suggesting he had everything under control.

Seeing his infuriatingly smug expression, Bai Bing was even more confused. Why bring her here? Did he want her as his secretary? To spend all day in the same room, flirting and playing out office fantasies?

Bai Bing shuddered, feeling a wave of nausea at the thought.

"Why bring her here? Haven't you had enough of her? Want to play around here, too? Aren't you afraid of what Lin Xiaolei might think?" she said coldly. Her well-laid plans were ruined by Lin Xuan’s sudden appearance. If Lin Xuan was going to be at the office every day, right by his side, wouldn't she lose every chance to teach her a lesson?

She wasn't going to stand by and watch them canoodle. She wasn't that pathetic!

Though Bai Bing’s expression remained unchanged, the flickering in her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil, and none of it escaped Wang Zheng. He stood up, looked down at Lin Xuan, and then turned to Bai Bing. "I know what you're thinking..."

"Hmph!" Bai Bing cut him off; she hated his arrogance. "Don't act like you know everything. Tell me, then, what am I thinking?"

"You're thinking that I brought Lin Xuan here to be my secretary so we could flirt in the office... I have to say, you are a woman with a pure appearance but a very dirty mind," Wang Zheng said with a smile, walking past her toward the exit, leaving a stunned Bai Bing behind.

How did he know? But hearing him call her mind dirty, she bristled. She chased after him, shouting, "You say I'm dirty? You and Lin Xuan are the dirty ones!"

"Shh," Wang Zheng stopped, turning back to gesture for silence. He leaned in and whispered, "From now on, Lin Xuan is your colleague. I hope you two can get along."

Colleagues? In your dreams. I’d rather quit!