Transmigrating Into the Beautiful CEO’s Doomed Substitute - Chapter 100

After leaving the suburban villa, Qi Zheng went directly to the United States. This time, she originally planned to stay in a hotel. A week ago, Yun Fei informed her that the company had a vacant apartment for talented employees, and told her to move in directly after landing.

Jiang Youyou looked her over carefully and sighed, “How did you lose so much weight while studying?”

Qi Zheng pushed the luggage cart, “You can’t slack off in an MBA. I had to compress a lot of my sleep time and still couldn’t finish the list of reference documents the professor gave.”

“They said they were references, so you don’t have to read all of them. Every time I asked if you were doing well recently, you said yes. If I had known you lost so much weight, I wouldn’t have said those things to General Manager Shen.”

Qi Zheng raised her voice slightly, “What did you tell her?”

“Just some very mundane things.” Seeing the worry in her eyes, Jiang Youyou reassured her, “I didn’t reveal a single word about your matter with Miss Lin.”

Speaking of stains from her university days, Lin Muyun was definitely the one.

Qi Zheng wasn’t worried about Lin Muyun’s matter, as it wasn’t something she had done herself anyway. Besides, they had long since gone their separate ways, so who would constantly dig up old history? However, her recent poor state was true. She wanted to adjust, but always felt like something was missing in her heart.

Jiang Youyou got into the special pick-up car with her and mentioned where they would be eating later, “It’s not far from the talent apartment. We won’t be delayed if we go there after eating.”

Qi Zheng also missed Haicheng’s cuisine and naturally didn’t object. Jiang Youyou chatted with her about the environment and colleagues in the new department when Qi Zheng’s phone suddenly rang.

She saw it was a call from Shen Zhibing.

“Qi Zheng, have you landed?”

“I’m already in the car with Youyou.”

“Good, I understand, then you two hurry up.”

Hurry up? Hurry up to where? Qi Zheng recalled that she had no work arrangements for the evening. Where did General Manager Shen want her to hurry to?

But Shen Zhibing hung up after speaking, not giving Qi Zheng a chance to ask clearly. Jiang Youyou chuckled softly, “I forgot to tell you just now. The place we’re eating tonight was chosen by General Manager Shen. She wasn’t sure if she could make it back, so she asked me to pick you up.”

Qi Zheng understood. Shen Zhibing was already waiting at the restaurant, no wonder she told them to hurry up.

A Shanghai-style restaurant, as Qi Zheng expected. But upon entering the private room and seeing the dishes already being served, her heart still warmed a little.

Shen Zhibing looked up and smiled when she saw them enter, “The timing is just right.”

Qi Zheng walked over and sat across from Shen Zhibing, not saying much.

The two quietly looked at each other for a while, interrupted by Jiang Youyou’s voice, “General Manager Shen, look at Qi Zheng, she’s as thin as a monkey now. You really need to give her a good talking-to.”

Shen Zhibing had noticed when Qi Zheng first walked in, but only after looking closer now did she feel that she had indeed lost a lot of weight. She wasn’t like this during her birthday last time. How could she have changed so much in such a short time?

“I’m on a diet, don’t listen to Jiang Youyou’s nonsense.”

Shen Zhibing’s lips always carried a faint smile. Seeing Qi Zheng made her mood uncontrollably pleasant.

“Since you’re back in Haicheng, put your diet plan on hold for a bit and enjoy the taste of your hometown.”

Almost all the dishes Shen Zhibing ordered tonight were Qi Zheng’s favorites. Some were told to her by Jiang Youyou, and some were mentioned by Yu Xinyan—the ones she consistently ate when she ran into Qi Zheng in the cafeteria.

In fact, the person who knew the most should be the chef at the villa. Shen Zhibing asked every channel she could think of and gained a lot.

The three ate and chatted, and the atmosphere was good. It officially ended close to nine o’clock.

Jiang Youyou didn’t uninterestingly ask for a ride this time and slipped away quicker than anyone. Qi Zheng naturally got into Shen Zhibing’s car but didn’t head to the talent apartment.

“If you’re not tired, let’s go somewhere first.”

Just like the last time they came up to the mountaintop, Shen Zhibing asked the driver and bodyguards to stay far away, leaving only her and Qi Zheng in front of the car.

She leaned against the car, arms crossed, looking at the distant lights, and her mood was clearly much better than last time.

“Do you remember coming here?”

Qi Zheng naturally remembered. She thought of it as the car wound its way up the mountain.

“Of course, I remember.”

“That night I was in a terrible mood, and it didn’t improve much after coming here. But tonight, I’m very happy, and coming here makes me even happier.”

Qi Zheng listened quietly from the side, and her mood also relaxed.

The two watched the scenery for a while, and neither felt bored. Shen Zhibing suddenly spoke, “Qi Zheng, do you have something you want to tell me?”

Qi Zheng was stunned, unsure which matter she was referring to.

Shen Zhibing casually smoothed her long hair, which had been messed up by the wind, and said, “You look preoccupied tonight, and it doesn’t seem like it just started.”

She looked at her calmly, without prying, without forcing, waiting for Qi Zheng with a gentle presence.

Qi Zheng sighed lightly and confessed, “I want to stay in the United States.”

This was clearly a result Shen Zhibing had anticipated, but she hadn’t expected her heart to be heavily struck when it truly came out of Qi Zheng’s mouth.

“Is that so? How long are you planning to stay?”

“I want to try starting a business and look for opportunities in the United States.” Qi Zheng had always been unsure how to broach the subject. It would have been easier to say this to the head of HR than to Shen Zhibing face-to-face.

Shen Zhibing pondered for a moment, sounding a little downcast, “Is it that you feel the treatment and opportunities Shen’s Group offers are not good enough, or… is it because of me?”

Qi Zheng didn’t answer immediately. She had also asked herself this question from Shen Zhibing. The answer was clear to her, but saying it to General Manager Shen still required careful consideration.

Seeing her hesitate, Shen Zhibing forced a smile, “I can handle it. I just want to hear the truth.”

Qi Zheng looked up at Shen Zhibing’s face, this face that still made her heart flutter.

“All my past achievements were due to General Manager Shen’s appreciation and promotion, and also because of a platform as good as Shen’s Group. I am very grateful. It’s just that I want to challenge myself, to see how far I can go on my own, and how much ability I have to face the storms outside, instead of… causing trouble for you.”

After a long while, Shen Zhibing’s voice was still low, “You still care about what I said that night, don’t you?”

She didn’t rush to explain and emphasize again like before, nor did she defend herself much. She presented the reality of helplessness to Qi Zheng in a more objective and calm way: “The main reason you had to endure those unnecessary troubles is me. So should I consider resigning and leaving Shen’s Group? Would that be better?”

Qi Zheng shook her head without thinking, “You have responsibility and obligations to Shen’s Group, besides, you are a member of the Shen family to begin with, there’s no need for that.”

Shen Zhibing looked at Qi Zheng, who was gradually tying herself down, and didn’t try to persuade her with grand principles. She understood that Qi Zheng needed time.

And this time, she was willing to give her time and wait for her to figure things out herself.

“Since there’s no need for me to do that, then what about you? Why must you take all the blame?”

Seeing Qi Zheng frown, Shen Zhibing knew she had taken her words to heart, so she changed the topic and continued to talk about the startup she had just mentioned, “Have you thought about what industry you want to be in in the United States?”

Qi Zheng hadn’t expected Shen Zhibing to not strongly oppose her. She also wanted someone to talk to, so she voiced her thoughts.

Shen Zhibing didn’t interrupt, but waited until she finished listening before saying, “Would you like to hear my experience and suggestions?”

Qi Zheng nodded. Of course, she wanted to hear Shen Zhibing’s opinion. She had wanted to ask while in the US, but there was no suitable opportunity, and she was afraid Shen Zhibing would sense her intention to leave and stop her.

“The US market is indeed more mature and complete, but it also means fewer opportunities for you to find space. Although development has slowed down in the country in recent years, it is generally still moving upward, so there are relatively more opportunities, of course, it also relies more on resources and connections. Both markets have their pros and cons. I can’t say which one will be more beneficial to you, I just want to remind you that haste makes waste.”

Qi Zheng knew all this, so after comparison and analysis, she decided to try applying for a seed fund.

“I have made two preparations. On the one hand, I’m submitting my resume to those established consulting firms in the US, hoping to secure a job opportunity. On the other hand, I am refining my business plan, hoping to apply for B University’s entrepreneurship fund.”

“The market and capital will favor tangible technology. Having patents and core R&D capabilities is the most competitive. But if you want to sell services, I’m afraid you’ll have to study your target customer base very carefully.”

“I understand, which is why I’m only focusing on specific niche areas.”

Seeing that Qi Zheng had already considered these things, Shen Zhibing no longer questioned whether she was just being impulsive.

“Since you’ve thought it through, then go ahead and try.”

Now it was Qi Zheng’s turn to be surprised. She hadn’t expected Shen Zhibing to be so straightforward.

“General Manager Shen, aren’t you angry about my decision?”

“I am, but what can I do? I can’t keep you tied to me with a contract like before. You finally scraped together that liquidated damages; forcing you to raise money again might drive you crazy.”

Shen Zhibing carried a hint of loneliness and self-mockery, and also some sadness, but still did not insist on keeping Qi Zheng.

“Qi Zheng, I tried to get to know you again. I even retrieved your statement information to see what your shopping preferences were, only to realize that you really haven’t used the card at all.” Shen Zhibing walked forward two steps, looking at the distant scenery, a little wistful, “The person Jiang Youyou talks about, the person Aunt Xin mentioned, and the person in my impression are all a little different. I don’t know which one is the real you.”

She suddenly stopped, turned around and looked at Qi Zheng, “But, I am still curious about you, still concerned, and still care.”

Shen Zhibing did not rush to declare what kind of relationship she wanted to develop with Qi Zheng. She was just being honest about her feelings, just hoping the other person could understand her current thoughts.

Although she was using what seemed like a clumsy method, she was trying, hoping to be seen and understood by Qi Zheng.

The annoyance in Qi Zheng’s heart over this period seemed to have been soothed a little again.

She moved her lips, seeming to hesitate on how to respond.

The light in Shen Zhibing’s eyes flickered, but she wasn’t too sad because Qi Zheng didn’t respond for a long time. She walked back to Qi Zheng, almost face-to-face with her. Her gaze wandered from Qi Zheng’s eyebrows and eyes all the way to her lips, and then stopped.

Those lips that had once made her infatuated, and always entangled with her repeatedly in her dreams, were now vividly close. An endless desire rose in Shen Zhibing’s heart, wanting to kiss her deeply, deeply.

Qi Zheng instinctively swallowed a gulp when her gaze stopped, and then pursed her lips.

Shen Zhibing saw these little movements. She suppressed the restlessness in her heart and slowly reached out to gently hug Qi Zheng. She didn’t kiss her forcefully like she did on the mountaintop last time; she just brushed her cheek while hugging her, and then rested her head on her shoulder.

This scent she had missed so much brought her peace of mind.