Chapter Ninety-Five: Repentance?

With Bai Bing gone, the whole room fell quiet.

Wang Zheng stood by the window and looked down. When he saw the white Maserati President vanish at high speed toward the end of the highway, he finally sat back down.

A car that could go from stillness to one hundred kilometers per hour in just over five seconds... clearly not an empty boast.

He opened his computer and went back to enjoying the adult video he had not finished watching yesterday. After all, he had nothing better to do.

Just as the scene on the screen reached its most exciting point, a knock suddenly sounded at the door, startling him. Someone else in this company was actually coming into his office? And knocking too... Wang Zheng felt rather honored. He hurried to minimize the video, turned off the speakers, straightened his collar, and said with great solemnity, "Come in."

The door was slowly pushed open, and a woman in a white business suit walked in from outside.

Lin Xiaolei?

Wang Zheng paused briefly, then quickly returned to his usual calm and studied her expression carefully, hoping to infer the purpose of her visit.

It was obvious that Lin Xiaolei had spent a long time deciding to come into Wang Zheng's office, and had gathered up considerable courage. Even so, her gaze still kept drifting away from him, too afraid to meet his eyes. In addition, there was apology and gratitude in her expression. No matter how she behaved outside, in front of Wang Zheng she still looked fragile, just as she had the first time he saw her.

After closing the door, Lin Xiaolei stood quietly by the entrance without saying a word or doing anything, head bowed. That left Wang Zheng at a loss.

"Have a seat," he said.

At his words, Lin Xiaolei slowly lifted her head. She glanced at him, then walked over and sat down opposite him. Still, she remained silent, head lowered, as though she were pondering something. She looked like a child who had done something wrong.

But for Wang Zheng, whether she spoke or not no longer mattered, because he had already seen her purpose in her eyes.

It was clear that she was struggling with herself, gathering her courage. Wang Zheng had time to spare, so he simply watched her in silence and waited.

After quite a while, Lin Xiaolei seemed to sense that this atmosphere was not right. She lifted her head slightly and stole a glance at Wang Zheng across from her. Seeing that he was watching her, she lowered her head again. Yet the arm beneath her short sleeve was tightly tensed; it was obvious she was working up to something.

Just as Wang Zheng had expected, she drew a deep breath, suddenly raised her head, and looked at him with a serious expression.

"Yesterday... thank you. And thank you too, Miss Bai."

This was the first time since entering the room that she had looked directly at him, and also the first thing she had said. Some days ago, the two of them had still been so familiar, their relationship so close; now, however, they seemed somewhat estranged. The apology and gratitude in Lin Xiaolei's eyes made it clear that all of this had been caused by her.

"There is no need to thank me. Everything yesterday was done by Bai Bing. Thank her properly," Wang Zheng said coolly.

It looked as though Lin Xiaolei still remembered what happened last night. For Wang Zheng, that was unquestionably the best outcome.

"No. I have to thank you. I know Bai Bing must have listened to you, and that's why she... why she came to save me. So... so I have to thank you. If not for you two, I would be..." Hearing Wang Zheng's indifferent tone, Lin Xiaolei reacted fiercely at first, but as she spoke, her confidence drained away and she lowered her head once more. It was clear she was regretful, though only she knew exactly what for.

" I hear Liu Jin was beaten badly enough by Bai Bing to end up in the hospital. I suppose your cooperation with him is impossible now. What do you plan to do?" Wang Zheng asked.

Although Bai Bing had not made Liu Jin a eunuch, which was somewhat regrettable, her kick had been vicious enough. Rumor had it that Liu Jin had broken two ribs, suffered several fractures, and had bruises all over his body. At his age, he would likely have to stay in the hospital for at least a month. Still, given Bai Bing's fury at the time, not kicking Liu Jin to death could already be considered showing mercy.

"I don't know. I only just got the news," Lin Xiaolei said.

"Let me guess. Huang Wei told you?" Wang Zheng asked. When he saw the look of surprise on Lin Xiaolei's face, he knew he had guessed right. "Don't think Huang Wei is some kind of good man. He's just the same sort as Liu Jin. If you want to take advantage of those two old foxes, you're still too inexperienced."

"I know. I know what kind of people Huang Wei and Liu Jin are. But if I want Zhongtian Development, I have no choice but to get close to them. I don't want this either. But... I really have no other way," Lin Xiaolei said in pain.

"How old are you this year?" Wang Zheng suddenly asked.

"Twenty-five..."

"How many twenty-five-year-old girls have you seen who, without anyone's help, built up assets worth tens of millions from nothing? Perhaps your ambition is great, but you should know that greed never ends well. At your age, you ought to be content." Wang Zheng looked at her and said, "To be honest, you're very lucky, because until now you have never really encountered any hardship. You've thought everything was far too simple. This world exists objectively; it is not your brain, and it cannot be made to bend however you wish. You... forget it. Just pretend I'm speaking nonsense."

As he spoke, Wang Zheng maximized the adult video on the screen and continued with the unfinished task before him. Two a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon; that was Wang Zheng's work now.

"No, what you said is right. It was all me. I was too reckless. But I won't accept this!"

"Won't accept it?" Wang Zheng looked at Lin Xiaolei's pained expression. "You didn't come to see me today just to thank me, did you?"

"No. I truly came to thank you and Miss Bai. There is no other meaning. I... I should go!" Lin Xiaolei suddenly stood up, bowed to Wang Zheng, and hurriedly turned to leave his office.

Watching her go, Wang Zheng leaned back in his chair, propped his feet on the desk, and folded his hands behind his head as he thought about Lin Xiaolei.

From her reaction just now, it was plain that she had learned her lesson. With Bai Bing making such a scene, Liu Jin's route would certainly not work anymore. There was even a chance Liu Jin might use despicable methods to vent his anger on Lin Xiaolei. But with Bai Bing around, Liu Jin would not be able to stir up much trouble. What concerned Wang Zheng most now was the road Lin Xiaolei would take from here on.

It was clear that Lin Xiaolei regretted what had happened before, and just now in front of Wang Zheng she had plainly meant to repent. Yet she had also said she would not accept this, and in the end she had looked as though she wanted to say something but held back.

What exactly did Lin Xiaolei mean? What did she want to do?

Thanksgiving, repentance... was she trying to win me over?

That was what Wang Zheng thought. He was not certain what Lin Xiaolei was thinking, but one thing was clear: the relationship between the two of them had, to some extent, improved. If he wanted to know Lin Xiaolei's intentions, perhaps only time could explain everything.

Wang Zheng remained in his chair with his legs crossed, still watching the adult video. The heroine on the screen was still singing her endless, bawdy refrain through the speakers.

Near noon, Bai Bing walked into the office looking exhilarated. From the look of her, the frustration in her stomach must have been vented almost completely.

"How was it? Satisfied?" Wang Zheng asked.

"Mm, extremely satisfied," Bai Bing said with a smile. She tossed the car keys to Wang Zheng and, while pouring herself some water, added, "I drove around the outer ring several times. Oh, and the tank is full." Then she began gulping down the water with no regard for elegance.

"Did you go drive a car or go for a run? How did you end up this exhausted?" Wang Zheng asked curiously. Bai Bing at that moment looked as if she had just finished intense exercise, or maybe a sauna. Her pretty face was flushed red, and she looked very lovely.

"Driving is very tiring too. Besides, I ran into a guy driving an Aston Martin halfway there. I figured I couldn't embarrass you, right? So I raced him," Bai Bing said excitedly.

"And then? Who won?" Wang Zheng asked with a smile.

"Do you really need to ask? Of course I won!" Bai Bing said proudly. "Just before the finish, the police stopped her."

Looking at Bai Bing's smug little expression, it was hard to tell in what capacity she was even standing here. Seeing how happy she looked, Wang Zheng smiled too, then suddenly remembered what had happened with Lin Xiaolei earlier and said, "Oh, by the way, Lin Xiaolei came by this morning. She said she wanted to thank you for saving her life."

"She came?" Bai Bing froze for a moment after hearing this, then glanced toward the neighboring office. Finally, she leaned close to Wang Zheng and asked in a low voice, "What did she say?"

"She asked me to thank your ancestors eight generations deep, said she'd never forget your kindness, and that even as a ghost she'd still come after you."

Bai Bing slapped the desk hard and said angrily, "I was talking seriously!"

"How am I not being serious?"

Bai Bing glared fiercely at Wang Zheng, and Wang Zheng looked back at her with a smile in his eyes, showing no sign of retreat. Meanwhile, from the speaker came the unending chorus from the adult video.