Chapter 154: I am a little honeybee, flying among the flowers!

As Wang Zheng spoke, the air gradually filled with a heavy and intense smell of gunpowder, as if ten tons of TNT explosives were piled around the area. Just a tiny spark would set off a massive explosion!

Wang Zheng’s expression was earnest and sincere, and his inquiring tone carried no teasing whatsoever. It was as if Zhang Fan’s mother were an old friend of Wang Zheng of many years, and borrowing her for a single night just to catch up was a simple request that should be granted without a second thought.

Upon hearing Wang Zheng’s words, Zhang Fan’s expression instantly changed, the muscles on his face growing stiff. Although he still maintained a gentlemanly smile, it was the smile of a constipated gentleman—utterly unsightly.

"Mr. Wang, what do you mean by this?" Zhang Fan asked, looking at Wang Zheng. His voice, gentle at first, gradually grew harsh. If Lin Xiaolei were not present, or if they were alone in a different setting, Wang Zheng had no doubt the man would have tried to resort to violence. Of course, Wang Zheng was the type who loved it most when people got physical with him.

"I am speaking Chinese in an authentic Beijing accent, can't you understand it? I mean it literally!" Wang Zheng smiled as he looked at the other man and said, "I offer you a young one in exchange for an old one; I take a huge loss and you make a massive profit! Isn't that right?"

Wang Zheng took note of Zhang Fan’s expression, but he didn't take it to heart. If a single simple sentence could stump or intimidate Wang Zheng, he might as well dig a pit and bury himself to save face as a man. Therefore, his demeanor appeared very relaxed, and he remained utterly unconcerned about the shift in Zhang Fan’s expression.

Right now, Wang Zheng looked far more like a gentleman than Zhang Fan did!

Zhang Fan was left speechless by Wang Zheng’s words for a long time, while Wang Zheng merely smiled faintly—a smile full of hidden meaning and provocation. Then, reaching out to place his hand on Lin Xiaolei’s waist, he pulled her tightly against him, looked at Zhang Fan, and smiled. "To think you wouldn't seize such a heaven-sent bargain; Mr. Wang truly is a noble man, a pure man, one who has transcended vulgar interests. Well then, Xiaolei and I will be taking our leave. Goodbye!"

With that, Wang Zheng ignored Zhang Fan, whose face was exceptionally unsightly, and walked straight toward the car with Lin Xiaolei in his arms. Playing knife-in-smile games with me? If you're looking for a scolding, you should go back to your mother's womb and practice for a few more years! I am the ancestor of street brawling! I could curse out the Eight-Nation Alliance without ever stuttering a beat.

Watching the Maserati gradually pull away, the ugly smile on Zhang Fan’s face vanished, replaced by a cold, grim look. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched the direction where the Maserati had disappeared, a vicious glint flashing in his gaze. Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh and turned to leave.

Hmph, this isn't over yet!

While driving, Wang Zheng glanced at Lin Xiaolei sitting beside him. Ever since getting into the car, she hadn't said a word, sitting there quietly with her head down. Who knew what she was thinking in her heart?

"What's wrong? Did you really think I'd trade you to him?"

"No, I just feel that being continuously harassed by Zhang Fan like this is terrible, yet I'm utterly powerless and feel somewhat helpless and frustrated!" Lin Xiaolei said softly after hearing Wang Zheng’s words. To her, Zhang Fan’s relentless appearances had long since turned into harassment, and sometimes it truly brought a sense of helplessness.

"That's the downside of being pretty—you can never escape the eyes of wealthy men. Once you're targeted, those with strong mental fortitude manage, and a capable, self-sufficient woman like you can naturally resist temptation. But for those with weak mental fortitude, a little pocket money is enough to get them into bed. Women like that usually end up with nothing in the end, because the only way to truly attract a man is to keep him from ever easily obtaining you. What comes too easily is never cherished."

"Perhaps," Lin Xiaolei said flatly.

Glancing at Lin Xiaolei beside him, Wang Zheng smiled. He said nothing more, nor did he make any excessively intimate gestures, dutifully playing the part of a protector of flowers.

A large part of the reason Wang Zheng had invited Lin Xiaolei to dinner was to deal with Zhang Fan, preventing her from giving in to Zhang Fan’s gentlemanly harassment just as she had been forced to agree to his dinner request the first time. Now that Wang Zheng knew Zhang Fan’s intentions, he wouldn't give the man a single opening. He would strike him down, strike him again and again, until the fellow retreated for good.

Having dealt with Zhang Fan, Wang Zheng accompanied Lin Xiaolei to dinner and safely escorted her home.

"Would... would you like to come up for a cup of tea?" As the car parked outside the residential complex, Lin Xiaolei stepped out and asked while looking at Wang Zheng. Her flushed cheeks were likely related to the fact that he had fed her in front of numerous diners at the restaurant earlier! But who told her to have such a poor appetite lately? She had brought this upon herself...!

Oh? Hearing Lin Xiaolei’s words, Wang Zheng smiled and looked at her with a mischievous gaze, his eyes lingering particularly on her key physical assets until Lin Xiaolei could no longer withstand his penetrating stare. Only then did Wang Zheng smile and say, "Do you know the potential consequences of that sentence? Tea? I'll get drunk!"

"Tea isn't alcohol!" Lin Xiaolei hurriedly corrected, terrified that the man might actually misunderstand!

Upon hearing this, Wang Zheng smiled again. "Tea doesn't intoxicate people; people intoxicate themselves!" After saying this, Wang Zheng’s expression suddenly shifted to one of astonishment as he looked at Lin Xiaolei and asked curiously, "How do you already have a grey hair?"

"Grey hair? Where, where?" The desire to look beautiful is universal, and grey hair is a symbol of aging—which girl wouldn't panic upon finding a grey hair? So upon hearing Wang Zheng’s words, she immediately reached up to feel her head, only to realize her hair was tied up in a bun at the back and she couldn't see a thing.

"Bend down and I'll pluck it out for you!" Wang Zheng said, leaning forward. Driven by concern and fear of the grey hair on her head, Lin Xiaolei followed his instructions, bent down, and thrust her head into the car door.

Wang Zheng turned on the interior car light to make it brighter inside. It wasn't that he couldn't see a grey hair; rather, he wanted a clear view of the inner scenery revealed when Lin Xiaolei’s collar dropped as she bent over.

"Did you find it?" Seeing that Wang Zheng hadn't plucked the grey hair yet, Lin Xiaolei couldn't help asking.

"Yeah, found it. It's white!" Wang Zheng said with a lecherous tone, though Lin Xiaolei couldn't see his expression at that moment. A pure white bra, utterly innocent, just like her. Slowly, Wang Zheng reached his hand out, but instead of plucking any grey hair, he wrapped his arm around her neck, suddenly leaned in close, and kissed her lips.

A gentle kiss, and then he released her.

"You...!" With an expression that hovered somewhere between panic and pleasant surprise, Lin Xiaolei stared at Wang Zheng, one hand covering her lips while the other pointed at him. Her face was as red as a Chinese New Year lantern, and her voice trembled as she said, "You... you lied to me!" With that, she turned and ran into the residential complex.

No, I didn't! It really was white!

Right now, Wang Zheng was like a little honeybee flying among flowers, buzzing back and forth, tirelessly weaving through various blossoms to savor their individual fragrances. This feeling made him even happier than harvesting nectar.

Drive on to the next stop!

The car slowly came to a stop outside the television station. After stepping out, Wang Zheng took a few steps before stopping to look at the red Accord not far away—truly a dazzling sight. At that moment, Wang Zheng recalled the incident the previous night when he had played a trick on Zhang Qianqian and she had been pulled over by traffic police. The memory of her frantically explaining herself to the officers while stamping her feet in anger made Wang Zheng burst into laughter.

Entering the broadcasting station and arriving at the news department, he saw Zhang Qianqian once again. Today, Liao Tong was also present; she wasn't recording a program, but was instead instructing Zhang Qianqian on something, while Zhang Qianqian listened earnestly, playing the role of a modest student.

In the past, whenever Wang Zheng entered the news department, he would quietly observe from the side without disturbing anyone's work. But today was different. Seeing Zhang Qianqian’s demeanor, a mischievous urge struck him, and he deliberately gave a few loud coughs!

"Ahem, ahem, ahem, ahem!"

Wang Zheng’s coughing immediately drew everyone's attention. Judging by the sound, this was no ordinary cough. Upon seeing Wang Zheng, the person whose expression changed the fastest was naturally Zhang Qianqian; the modest, attentive look on her face instantly darkened. The taste of being lectured and fined by traffic police must not have been pleasant, right? Haha.

"Last night while passing through the outer ring road, I saw a red Accord being pulled over by the police for reckless driving. It looked like an exact clone of Ms. Zhang’s car, right down to the license plate number!"

Upon hearing Wang Zheng’s words, everyone shifted their gaze to Zhang Qianqian. Even the license plate number was the same? Wasn't that Zhang Qianqian’s car? Meanwhile, Liao Tong, who knew the whole story, wanted to laugh aloud, but out of propriety, she had to forcefully hold it in.

"Hmph! Don't think that having a little stinky money makes you special!" Zhang Qianqian said coldly. Judging by her frosty and disdainful expression, the feud between her and Wang Zheng was officially set in stone.

"That's right, that's right! Don't think having a little stinky money gives you the right to run red lights and drive recklessly all over Beijing City! As a host, especially a news host, you should set a good example for the broad masses of Beijing citizens. If even people like you, who preach civility and civic virtue all day, fail to obey traffic rules, then ordinary folks like us have no reason to watch the news anymore."

"I was talking about you!" Zhang Qianqian said loudly.

"And yet, the one pulled over by the traffic police seemed to be you!"