Chapter 20: A Lady? Let Me Spit First!

Wang Zheng cast a deeply annoyed glance at Bai Bing, who stood outside the bedroom door with a smile plastered on her face. He wished he could sell her off to some tribal chief in Africa as a wife. But then again, the tribesmen might not even want her; in their eyes, the darker the skin, the more beautiful a woman is, and Bai Bing, with her pale complexion, would probably be considered the ugliest of all.

Well, then, perhaps to the cannibals! All that mattered was that she stayed out of his sight.

With a resounding bang, Wang Zheng slammed the bedroom door shut and began changing his clothes. Su Xue had already called earlier to say she was off work and wanted him to meet her at the TV station, so Wang Zheng didn’t have time to argue with Bai Bing; all he wanted was to get away as quickly as possible.

Should I just buy another apartment?

After changing, Wang Zheng stepped out, only to find Bai Bing still trailing behind him with that same infuriatingly cheerful smile. She’d even changed her outfit while he was dressing—was she planning to stick to him like glue? Damn it.

"Stop following me, or I’ll throw you out of this apartment and toss your things out the window!" Wang Zheng snarled, doing his best to show this shameless woman just how ruthless a man back from Africa could be.

"Heh heh..." Bai Bing merely chuckled, her expression unchanged. Judging by her current state, she seemed to have adopted a 'never let go' policy with Wang Zheng.

Watching Bai Bing transform day by day from the icy beauty he’d first met to this relentless, shameless pest was like seeing a pure maiden fall into disgrace. It made Wang Zheng sigh with regret.

"You’re deluding yourself. Do you really think a thousand eggs could break a single stone? Be realistic. Do you imagine you’re some angel sent to save me?" Having been followed all afternoon, Wang Zheng didn’t want this woman tailing him into the night as well.

"I’m no angel, but sometimes effort takes patience and perseverance to bear fruit. As long as one is willing to persist and pay the price, the sweet taste of success will eventually come." Bai Bing looked at him and added, "That’s what I realized after your 'enlightenment' this afternoon. Thank you."

"I’m coming back, aren’t I? Why follow me around? We really have nothing in common," Wang Zheng was on the verge of madness. He’d hoped for a fresh start, a new day, but this woman had ruined it all.

"We’re both Chinese—how could we have nothing in common? And it’s not like you’re up to anything shady, so what are you afraid of?" Bai Bing retorted in the same tone.

"Fine, follow if you must," Wang Zheng said impatiently, opening the door and heading out. "Just lock the door properly. I don’t want to come home and find another person moved in!"

"I know!" Bai Bing grinned and stepped outside, turning to lock the door behind her.

Just then, Wang Zheng’s hand shot out in a precise chop. Bai Bing’s body froze, then slumped to the side. Catching her before she could fall, Wang Zheng scooped her up, opened the door to her own room, and dumped her onto her bed.

"Idiot—never turn your back on your opponent. You brought this on yourself," Wang Zheng muttered, looking at Bai Bing’s peaceful, unconscious face. She was much prettier like this—quiet and harmless.

It might have been rough treatment, but for Wang Zheng, it was the simplest, most direct, and most effective way to deal with a woman as clingy as her. Better to have her sleep for a few hours than to endure her pestering. He tucked her in and left the room. That should keep her out for a while.

Wang Zheng was not the sort of man to harass women—nor did he appreciate being harassed by them.

When he arrived at the TV center, he spotted a Beetle parked outside the main entrance—Chu Jun’s car, the one he’d seen at noon.

Before he could approach, the passenger door swung open and Su Xue began waving frantically.

"Hurry up! We’ve been waiting forever! Huh? Where’s the female spy?"

Wang Zheng made a chopping motion at his neck. Su Xue blinked in confusion, then burst out laughing, finally understanding what he meant.

"Spies are trained, you know. Are you sure you knocked her out properly?" Su Xue asked once he got in.

"I’ve knocked out more people than you’ve crossed bridges. What do you think?" Wang Zheng grinned. "So, where to? I’m just a lonely bachelor with nothing to do."

"Obviously, we’re going to your place! I’ve learned a few new dishes and tonight I’ll show you what I can do!" Su Xue boasted.

"Alright—wait, no! The female spy’s still out cold!"

"What? You mean she’s… living with you?" Su Xue stared at him in shock.

"I couldn’t help it. I just moved in this morning, and when I stepped out for a bit, she’d already moved her stuff in by the time I got back. I have no idea what to do with her. If I hadn’t knocked her out, we’d have an extra passenger right now!" Wang Zheng sighed helplessly, wondering what sins he’d committed in his past life to deserve this.

"Brother," Su Xue eyed him suspiciously, "you didn’t do anything weird to her, did you?"

"She kills my appetite just by being around—what weird stuff could I be up for?"

Su Xue seemed satisfied with the answer, but Chu Jun beside her suddenly blushed a deep red, like a crimson cloth unfurling.

"Don’t say things like that—our Chu Chu is a good girl!" Su Xue patted Chu Jun’s cheek with exaggerated seriousness, but seeing Chu Jun’s face get redder and redder, Su Xue burst into laughter. "Alright, enough teasing. Chu Chu, let’s go to our usual restaurant, finish the story we started at lunch, and then—Brother, where would you like to go?"

"I haven’t been back in eight years, so I’m not sure. How about this: after dinner, you two show me around Jinghua City. Honestly, it’s embarrassing—I almost got lost my first day back. The city’s changed so much."

"You’ve come to the right people! Chu Chu and I are working on a show called ‘Jinghua’s Charms’ about how much the city has changed over the years."

"Then let’s get going. I’m so hungry my stomach’s stuck to my backbone."

"Brother, don’t say things like that in front of ladies. Try to be a little more gentlemanly!"

"Ladies?" Wang Zheng burst out laughing. "I have no doubt that Miss Chu Jun is a lady, but you? Stop the car, I need to puke!"

"Oh, come on! Brother, do you have a thing for our beautiful, kind Chu Chu? The line of guys chasing after her stretches from Jinghua all the way to Cairo—you’d be waiting until the end of time!"

"Can I cut in line?"

"No!"

"Then forget it."

"Hey?" Su Xue turned to Wang Zheng in surprise, then glanced at Chu Jun, who—perhaps because of Wang Zheng’s words—looked a bit disappointed. Su Xue caught the look and grinned mischievously. "Brother, are you really that quick to back down? Don’t you think Chu Chu is attractive? She’s got charm and inner beauty—if you don’t go after her, you’ll regret it!"

"Xiao Xue!" Chu Jun nudged Su Xue, clearly embarrassed.

"Missing a chance doesn’t mean losing everything. Leaving doesn’t mean giving up, and avoiding doesn’t mean cowardice. True love is found in the midst of missed chances, departures, and evasions—that’s the real meaning of love." Inner beauty? For men, inner beauty means what’s inside a woman’s bra—not her soul.

"I don’t get it."

"Miss Chu Jun is wonderful, but love only grows from true feelings. Falling in love at first sight? That’s just a one-night stand, isn’t it?" Wang Zheng said, though the real reason was simply that he didn’t want to go after his little sister’s friend.

So what if the line of suitors went all the way to Cairo? Spring desires can’t be locked away—if the branch isn’t long enough to reach the red apricot beyond the wall, I’ll just climb over the wall myself! A man like me, always representing the vanguard of Chinese handsomeness and wisdom, always the target of every beautiful woman’s gaze—how could I possibly fail to win the red apricot?

Su Xue looked at him, half-understanding, her emotional intelligence apparently stuck below the age of ten.

"By the way, if you haven’t made any plans for the future, how about I find you a job at the TV station? It’s packed with beautiful women and you’ll get to see celebrities all the time…"

"Aren’t you two celebrities already?"

"Well, that’s true!"