Transmigrating Into the Beautiful CEO’s Doomed Substitute - Chapter 117

It was Qi Zheng’s first time here, and she hadn’t expected to run into an acquaintance. During her time at the villa, she actually spent more time with Aunt Xin than with Shen Zhibing, and over the years in the US, she often thought of the care she received at the villa.

“Aunt Xin, are you well?” Qi Zheng still gave her a sincere smile, just as she used to.

Shen Zhibing was just turning around to give some instructions when she saw Qi Zheng’s smile and was momentarily distracted.

She felt a little sad because she had realized during this time that while Qi Zheng didn’t resist contact with her, she still seemed wrapped in a film, separated by an invisible distance. But she was also happy; the way Qi Zheng treated Aunt Xin just now felt like seeing the her from a few years ago.

“Aunt Xin, I just finished playing ball with Qi Zheng. She’ll stay here for dinner today, please tell the kitchen to prepare.” After speaking, Shen Zhibing looked at Qi Zheng, “Follow me.”

Shen Zhibing led her to the guest bedroom’s bathroom. Although it was usually unused, it was cleaned daily by dedicated staff, so the hygiene was excellent, certainly more comfortable than the club.

“Is there anything else you need?”

Qi Zheng smiled and shook her head: “This is already great.”

Shen Zhibing waited until Qi Zheng entered the bathroom before returning to her own room. When she came out after her shower, she saw Qi Zheng had changed her clothes and was talking to Aunt Xin. She stood not far away, watching the tall, high-spirited Qi Zheng, who was in a completely relaxed state, blending in with the surroundings.

This scene gave rise to many expectations in her: she hoped to see this often in the near future, and she hoped Qi Zheng would accept this place.

“Miss Qi, I heard from Third Miss that you worked very hard starting your business in the US and surely didn’t eat well. Fortunately, you haven’t lost too much weight.”

Qi Zheng touched her cheek: “Although it’s not as authentic as Haicheng’s cuisine, there are still many good restaurants to satisfy my cravings.”

Aunt Xin was very happy about Qi Zheng’s reappearance. She knew Qi Zheng had returned to the country, but she didn’t know how things were between her and Third Miss.

When Qi Zheng first left the villa, Aunt Xin couldn’t be sure, but after all this time, she already had her answer. Although she knew that the path Third Miss chose for this relationship wouldn’t be easy, the thought that the other person was Miss Qi made her secretly hopeful for a good outcome for them.

“Have your tastes changed after all these years abroad?”

Qi Zheng glanced at the dishes that were gradually being laid out on the table: “I still like those few.”

Aunt Xin’s smile deepened. She glanced at Shen Zhibing, who was standing not far away, and smiled: “Miss Qi is indeed a dedicated person.”

Qi Zheng always loved those same few dishes and never seemed to tire of them, something that had been teased by Li Yunshan and Zhuang Muqing several times. She didn’t think there was any problem with it; there was nothing wrong with choosing and sticking to what you liked.

Some people like novelty, and naturally, others prefer repetition.

When all the dishes were served, Qi Zheng realized that almost everything was what she liked. She looked up and thanked Aunt Xin: “Aunt Xin, that’s so thoughtful of you to still remember after all this time.”

Aunt Xin didn’t take all the credit, quietly glancing at Shen Zhibing and admitting: “Not only do I remember, but Third Miss remembers too. It was her special reminder just now that the shredded pork stir-fried with lettuce would be good for you to eat something light after playing ball.”

Qi Zheng was a little surprised, then thought of the small wonton shop they went to before, and couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion again.

She looked at Shen Zhibing, and just as she was about to speak, Shen Zhibing preempted her: “No need to deliberately thank me, I wanted to eat it too.”

Shen Zhibing finished speaking and prepared to pick up her chopsticks, but Qi Zheng didn’t miss her slightly flushed ears.

She swallowed the word ‘thank you,’ pursed her lips, suppressed a smile, and thought for a moment before changing her words: “Then I’ll treat you next time.”

Shen Zhibing accepted with pleasure. Qi Zheng’s willingness to invite her meant another opportunity for contact.

After dinner, Shen Zhibing kept Qi Zheng for a cup of tea, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious. The decor style of Yunlu Garden was simple, with high-quality materials and expensive furniture, but the style was different from the villa.

There was a stronger sense of domestic life here, Qi Zheng observed inwardly.

“Do you need a driver to take you?” Shen Zhibing checked the time, knowing Qi Zheng should be heading back.

“I need to go to A-Moon’s workshop. She has an exhibition at the end of next month and is rushing to finish her work.”

Shen Zhibing accompanied her downstairs, and upon hearing this, she paused slightly, the smile on her lips fading a bit.

She recalled that during dinner, Qi Zheng had taken a phone call, and by the tone of her voice, it didn’t seem to be for business. The person on the other end was probably asking for a favor. Qi Zheng didn’t refuse, but it was clear she hesitated a little before finally agreeing.

Now that she thought about it, it was probably Zhuang Muqing’s call.

“Then let the driver take you. Don’t waste time on the road.”

Qi Zheng thought that made sense; she was rushing back to organize materials. If Zhuang Muqing hadn’t been so absorbed in her creative work that she couldn’t break away, Qi Zheng wouldn’t have to make a special trip so late.

When Shen Zhibing returned home, Aunt Xin noticed she seemed a little downcast compared to when she left, thinking she had had an argument with Qi Zheng.

“Miss Qi has left?”

Shen Zhibing simply hummed in response and continued sitting on the sofa, lost in thought.

Aunt Xin directed the servants to tidy up, covertly observing Shen Zhibing’s reaction, wanting to speak several times but holding back.

Finally, she asked tentatively: “Does the villa need to be tidied up again?”

When Qi Zheng first left, Aunt Xin mostly stayed at the villa. Later, when Qi Zheng started her business in the US, Shen Zhibing anticipated she wouldn’t return in the short term, so she had Aunt Xin juggle responsibilities between both places, never agreeing to let the villa sit idle.

“Just keep it as it is for now.”

Shen Zhibing, however, was thinking that if she could really end up with Qi Zheng, Yunlu Garden might be more suitable for living.

Qi Zheng arrived at the creative workshop that the Art University had specially prepared for Zhuang Muqing. It was already nearly nine in the evening, but the lights inside were still bright, and quite a few people were still there.

Zhuang Muqing and her assistant were busy. Wearing denim overalls over a camisole, she paused her work when she saw Qi Zheng arrive.

“I’m so sorry to make you come over so late.”

Qi Zheng smiled and handed over what she was holding: “You spend all day soaking in the workshop, aren’t you afraid of turning into a sculpture yourself?”

“I enjoy it immensely. Being fully immersed is a very happy thing, I love the process.”

Most of the pieces for her solo exhibition at the end of next month are her past works, which have been gradually shipped over from the US. However, the Art University hoped she could create some new pieces, preferably related to the city of Haicheng or the Haipai culture, so her team was rushing to finish them.

“Even though I know you enjoy it, I still hope you take care of yourself.”

When Zhuang Muqing first arrived, she experienced jet lag and even symptoms of being unaccustomed to the local environment, losing a few pounds immediately. Already slender, she looked even more fragile.

“That’s why I thank you for recommending the dabing youtiao cifangao (pancake, fried dough stick, glutinous rice dumpling with crispy fritters).”

Zhuang Muqing had a sudden burst of inspiration just now and also felt a strong craving, so she pleaded with Qi Zheng to help her buy a serving. And it had to be from the specific shop they had visited for food exploration last time, whose exact address and name she couldn’t quite remember, so she could only rely on Qi Zheng.

“Are you interested in seeing my work?”

Zhuang Muqing was quite generous with Qi Zheng, not minding showing her semi-finished products.

“I don’t know much about this, so I’ll wait until the exhibition to appreciate it.”

Zhuang Muqing didn’t press her and chatted with her for a while before sending her out.

Shen Zhibing’s driver was still there. Qi Zheng hadn’t expected the person really hadn’t left, saying that General Manager Shen was worried it would be inconvenient for her to call a cab at night and wanted to drive her home.

After Qi Zheng left, Zhuang Muqing returned to the workshop, continuing to work diligently on the semi-finished sculpture in front of her—to be precise, a face.

A strange feeling suddenly arose in her heart, hard to capture, but it gave her a different kind of inspiration. This sculpture was one of the new pieces she was going to exhibit, and it was also the work she had poured the most effort into over the past year.

The industry had already started generating buzz, with great anticipation and attention focused on this exhibition.

Although busy with creation, Zhuang Muqing immediately accepted the invitation when she received a call from Shen Zhibing.

The location was a private kitchen that was not well-known online, but both the interior decoration and the quality of the dishes were top-notch.

“We agreed it should be my treat, yet I ended up eating on your dime again.”

Shen Zhibing was wearing a casual sweater, which toned down the aura of a professional strong woman and added a touch of everyday charm.

“I heard from Qi Zheng that you’ve been busy with the exhibition recently, and I was worried about disturbing you today.”

“You’re too polite, Senior Sister. I’m very happy to have dinner with you, not a bother at all.”

Zhuang Muqing is an emotionally expressive person, not deliberately masking her joy, anger, or sorrow. Shen Zhibing looked at her smiling eyes, emanating a bright and cheerful energy, and was momentarily lost in thought.

This was probably the flavor of youth. Once upon a time, she was also this young, but it seemed she had never been as unrestrained as Zhuang Muqing.

Zhuang Muqing’s curiosity about her mostly stemmed from introductions in the school newspaper or word-of-mouth from other seniors. In contrast, her uncle, who had actually done business with Shen Zhibing, always smiled mysteriously and refused to reveal much.

Shen Zhibing also treated those overly exaggerated claims with indifference, never taking them seriously.

“Senior Sister, you are too modest. I’ve seen your previous award-winning photos and work; you truly overshadowed everyone else. But I’m very curious, why did you always insist on studying business?”

Clearly, Shen Zhibing’s talent and accomplishments in art were not inferior.

“Not everything can be chosen. Many times, you can only choose the relatively more important thing.”

Zhuang Muqing understood but did not agree with this statement: “But life is your own; you are not the only savior. Will you truly be happy living a life arranged by others?”

Shen Zhibing gently shook her head: “No, I’m not happy, but again, some things are not a choice.”

She swirled the wine in her glass, recalling many past events—those she had experienced or given up.

“But now I will hold onto what I value the most. It might be very difficult, but I will do my best.”

Zhuang Muqing’s Chinese level was not good enough to immediately grasp the other meanings in this statement, so she couldn’t help but sigh: “Sometimes I feel that both you and Qi Zheng live such exhausting lives.”

Hearing Qi Zheng mentioned, Shen Zhibing’s eyes flickered, but her expression remained calm.

“Why?”

“When I first met Qi Zheng, her whole demeanor was low and gloomy. For the first time, I felt that my uncle telling me to take care of someone truly meant they needed care, do you understand?”

Zhuang Muqing gestured as she spoke, and Shen Zhibing nodded, indicating she understood.

She continued to recall: “It seems she only gradually changed after she decided to start her own business. But she was too driven, thinking about work almost every day. However, when I have inspiration, I also spend continuous time in the studio, so I can understand her dedication.”

Shen Zhibing was quite interested in this past that she hadn’t been a part of. Even though she was learning about it from Zhuang Muqing, she wanted to know more about everything concerning Qi Zheng.

“But I always felt she was missing something.” Zhuang Muqing propped her chin on one hand. She hadn’t found the answer before, but recently, she seemed to understand.

Seeing her stop talking, Shen Zhibing felt a little anxious, but she casually asked, keeping her composure: “Missing what?”

“A soul.” Zhuang Muqing didn’t notice the change in Shen Zhibing’s mood. “I think she only became more complete after returning to Haicheng. While she was successful in her career in the US and full of energy every day, the her outside of work felt a little unreal.”

Her description was abstract, but Shen Zhibing understood immediately.

A few years ago, she was like that too.

It seemed she had nothing else besides work.

Zhuang Muqing was more interested in the current Qi Zheng. Speaking of things after returning to Haicheng, her smile finally reappeared at the corners of her mouth, and her tone became light and cheerful: “I didn’t think there was much difference at first, but when I heard her talk about the little details of this city, even describing the plane trees by the roadside with a sense of romance, I knew that this is where she truly belongs.”

Shen Zhibing imagined the changes Qi Zheng had gone through over these years, feeling both a pang of sadness and a stirring of longing.