Transmigrating Into the Beautiful CEO’s Doomed Substitute - Chapter 121

Yu Xinyan and Yun Fei had a tacit understanding, proactively taking the lead in the conversation to maintain the atmosphere and allow Shen Zhibing time to adjust her emotions. Qi Zheng was sitting directly opposite her, but since she arrived, Shen Zhibing had only nodded to her at the very beginning.

After that, she hadn’t really looked at Qi Zheng, which was quite different from usual.

This was a small banquet before the official start of the exhibition, mainly for guests to mingle and get acquainted—a rare social opportunity. Having a drink or two helped to bring people closer and added to the mood.

Qi Zheng took a sip of orange juice, and before she could swallow it, she heard Yu Xinyan ask with a smile, “Xiao Qi, why are you still drinking this childish stuff?”

Before she could answer, Zhuang Muqing spoke for her, “She and Yunshan had dinner with a business partner the day before yesterday, drank quite a bit, and almost threw up in the car afterward.”

This incident had been recounted by Li Yunshan as a hardship, which made Zhuang Muqing laugh heartily.

Shen Zhibing silently took a sip of wine, her lips pursed even tighter.

Qi Zheng was certain that Shen Zhibing was in low spirits and seemed uninterested in the current topics of conversation. She was lost in thought, pondering something, and judging by her expression, it was definitely not a happy subject.

It was difficult to ask her directly with so many people around. Fearing that staring at her would cause embarrassment, Qi Zheng could only occasionally participate in others’ conversations, glancing at her a few times in between.

“Professor Zhuang, please come this way.”

A leader from the Art University wanted to introduce her to experts from the Haicheng Art Association. Zhuang Muqing helplessly winked at them: “I must excuse myself for a moment, I’ll be back before the official opening.”

After she left, Yu Xinyan suddenly said to Yun Fei, “I have something very important to tell you, come with me.”

Then, without giving any explanation, she pulled Yun Fei away, but not forgetting to instruct Qi Zheng: “Xiao Qi, please keep Shen Zong company and prevent those boring people from bothering her with small talk.”

When only the two of them were left, Shen Zhibing seemed unchanged from before, although she wasn’t drinking much wine anymore. Qi Zheng watched her for a while and then sighed softly.

“What’s wrong today?”

“I’m fine.”

“Drinking half a glass of wine by yourself while looking so gloomy, and you say you’re fine?”

Shen Zhibing remained silent, pressing her lips together. She felt a sour and uncomfortable pang in her heart. Zhuang Muqing and Qi Zheng’s familiar and intimate interaction just now reminded her again of the scene she witnessed that day at the workshop. She kept telling herself that she wasn’t forcing any particular outcome, but when the outcome might genuinely not be what she wished for, the sense of loss and pain was still difficult to bear.

Qi Zheng took the wine glass from her hand and got her a glass of grape juice instead.

“This is better to drink.”

Shen Zhibing didn’t object. She gave her a glance, part resentful and part sulky, and took the glass.

Then, she sighed quietly: “Qi Zheng, are you that nice to everyone?”

“I’m not a Bodhisattva or God. Where would I find the time for that?”

She spoke lightly and calmly, but Shen Zhibing still couldn’t settle down. Qi Zheng’s kindness was silently woven into her life, just like how she hadn’t realized her own feelings initially, only noticing that whenever she was unhappy, being with Qi Zheng would cheer her up.

At that time, she didn’t know that she had actually fallen in love with her. Seeing the sparkle and warmth in Zhuang Muqing’s eyes just now, and how she unconsciously mentioned Qi Zheng multiple times, was so similar to her past self.

They were both unconsciously drawn to Qi Zheng and became increasingly dependent on her.

The more Shen Zhibing thought about it, the more bitter she felt. After all this time, her concern for Qi Zheng hadn’t faded with time; instead, she regretted her past obliviousness even more.

Qi Zheng had never seen Shen Zhibing look this bad, not even when she had a stomach ache.

“If you really don’t feel well, why don’t you go back first? I’ll explain to Ah Moon later, I’m sure she won’t mind.”

Shen Zhibing forced a small smile, refusing Qi Zheng’s kindness. She wanted to see how the exhibition went today, and she wanted to see if she had completely lost her chance.

Qi Zheng was not the type to string people along. If she made a decision, she would commit wholeheartedly. Shen Zhibing envied that person, but was afraid that person wouldn’t be herself in the end.

The sight of the fountain pen Qi Zheng carried with her when they signed the contract that day gave her great encouragement. It reignited the faint spark in her heart and made her urgent, no longer wanting to be tormented by this back-and-forth anxiety.

She wanted a clear answer from Qi Zheng.

“Qi Zheng, do you have time after the exhibition ends later?”

Seeing the heavy thoughts weighing on her, Qi Zheng nodded and said, “Yes, I’ll come find you then.”

Just then, someone came over to greet them, and unexpectedly, they weren’t looking for Shen Zhibing.

“Shen Zong, several of us are very interested in Qi Zheng’s project. You don’t mind if we borrow her for a bit, do you?”

Shen Zhibing’s emotions were normal when dealing with outsiders.

Hearing that it was business-related, she naturally wouldn’t stop it.

“You all chat at your leisure.”

Watching Qi Zheng stand with several bosses, composed and self-assured, discussing market prospects and industry development views, Shen Zhibing’s eyes held an unconcealed admiration and relief.

Yu Xinyan and Yun Fei returned to her side. They noticed that she had switched drinks but her mood hadn’t improved, so they didn’t ask too much.

The exhibition officially began. Zhuang Muqing was naturally the main focus today, and her enthusiasm and cheerful personality successfully lifted the atmosphere. Next came the astonishing works, which were successively displayed before the crowd.

The centerpiece exhibit was naturally placed in the most conspicuous location and attracted the most onlookers. Shen Zhibing didn’t rush over but started viewing the exhibits from the side, carefully looking at each piece.

Zhuang Muqing was talented, bold, and innovative. She had many crossover works that seemed unconventional but whose final integration was always stunning. Her fields included photography, painting, and sculpture, and in recent years, her paintings and sculptures have been highly sought after.

Friends who had bought her works at friendship prices years ago would jokingly say that they were merely doing a good deed back then, never expecting “Ah Moon” to make them rich.

Shen Zhibing knew, from the ability and aptitude Zhuang Muqing showed when she occasionally came to discuss things with her, that given time, this person would have a place in the US and even the world. Her gaze lingered slowly on each piece, then moved on.

Perhaps it was her sensitivity, or perhaps she too had been deeply involved in art, but she saw Qi Zheng’s shadow in many of these works.

No single piece looked like her, yet elements related to her could be found in all of them. Shen Zhibing even saw different stages of Qi Zheng’s changes in works from different periods, just as Zhuang Muqing had once described to her.

She saw Qi Zheng’s life in America through the works, and she saw how Qi Zheng recovered from sorrow and despondency, how she stood up firmly, and then shone brightly.

When she walked to the area displaying works created after Zhuang Muqing’s arrival in Haicheng, Shen Zhibing’s heart jumped sharply. The exhibits here presented a completely different atmosphere, shifting from a Western abstract style to an internal and subtle Oriental aesthetic.

This was more in line with Qi Zheng’s temperament, and even more elements of Qi Zheng could be seen in them. As she looked on, a hint of bitterness involuntarily touched Shen Zhibing’s lips. Perhaps Zhuang Muqing’s feelings began to change the moment she arrived in Haicheng.

In Haicheng, Qi Zheng’s charm was even greater, so who could escape her attraction?

Yu Xinyan stood not far away, frowning as she said to Yun Fei, “This has almost become a special exhibition for Qi Zheng. Old Shen might not be able to handle it.”

Yun Fei also looked worried, but Shen Zong seemed to be engrossed and didn’t want to leave.

“Let Shen Zong handle it herself.” All they could do was stay by her side.

Qi Zheng’s art appreciation level wasn’t that high, so she naturally couldn’t see anything special. Other visitors to the exhibition were not familiar with Qi Zheng and wouldn’t associate her with the characteristics in the works.

Lin Muyun followed Lian Ao, symbolically walking a circuit, pointing randomly at a few pieces: “These look pretty good. I could consider buying them.”

“These are all marked ‘Not For Sale.’ What are you buying?”

“So what if they are ‘Not For Sale’? We can just make an offer privately after the exhibition. Does anyone really turn down money? Besides, artists who just gained fame like this still need money to continue creating and to hire teams for marketing.”

Lin Muyun had some appreciation for art, but she always equated art with money. The collections she left at her friends’ homes years ago were now quite valuable on the market, especially Zhuang Muqing’s works. She wasn’t in a hurry to sell and remained optimistic about their value.

She wanted to take the opportunity to accumulate more and then sell them all at once in a few years, letting the Lian family see her investment acumen. Her life as a rich daughter-in-law had become increasingly awkward over the years because she hadn’t had a child. Her elders’ subtle urging and probing, and even her own family’s suspicions that she had a health issue, all weighed on her.

She just wanted to sneer back at these people, saying they were the ones who were sick, constantly rushing others to have children as if their lives would be complete with a child.

Lian Ao accompanied her for a walk, finally completing his duty, and justifiably left her to chat with his friends. Seeing Shen Zhibing nearby, Lin Muyun proactively walked over.

“Shen Zong, are you also interested in these works? Don’t try to snatch them from me at the auction later. I’ve had my eye on a few pieces for a while.”

Shen Zhibing slowly turned her head, without much emotion, and simply said coolly, “It’s about skill, not snatching.”

Lin Muyun scoffed and retorted, “You can buy things with money, but people, not necessarily. You’ve poured so much money into Qi Zheng, but she doesn’t seem to treat you that well.”

Shen Zhibing frowned, a mix of alertness and warning in her expression.

“You don’t need to be so hostile toward me. I’m just reminding you as someone who’s been there: don’t think Qi Zheng is a little lamb that will let you do whatever you want for a bit of money. Her initial meek compliance was only to let you lower your guard, but she bites back fiercely.”

Shen Zhibing disliked her sudden closeness and said coldly, “Qi Zheng is not for you to judge. You should take care of your own life.”

Lin Muyun didn’t care about that. Half of her current constrained life as a rich daughter-in-law was Shen Zhibing’s fault, so how could she not hate her?

Seeing Shen Zhibing about to leave, she said darkly, “If Qi Zheng finds out about your past with Lian Ao, it will be quite a show.”

Shen Zhibing stopped in her tracks and looked at her with cold eyes. Lin Muyun’s lips curved into a victorious smile. Sure enough, Lian Ao was her Achilles’ heel.

Unexpectedly, she heard Shen Zhibing say, “If you don’t mind your husband losing face, then I don’t need to worry about anything because of past experiences. People can’t stop moving forward just because they made a mistake in the past.”

Although she maintained a composed facade in front of Lin Muyun, Shen Zhibing’s heart was not as calm as she appeared. When she finally saw the centerpiece exhibit, her heart ached completely.

The face was not Qi Zheng’s, but it made her think of her the instant she saw it.

In these works, Qi Zheng was nowhere to be seen, yet she was everywhere. Perhaps even Zhuang Muqing herself hadn’t realized that so many elements of Qi Zheng had been integrated into her creations.

After the auction ended, Shen Zhibing didn’t linger. Qi Zheng found her beforehand. Seeing that she was about to leave, she said, “I’ll leave with you.”

She looked back at Zhuang Muqing, who was surrounded by a crowd, and said wistfully, “Aren’t you waiting for Ah Moon?”

“She must be very busy today. I won’t go and add to the chaos.” Qi Zheng hadn’t planned on joining the celebratory banquet. Like her other friends who came to show support, she planned to leave when the exhibition concluded.

Shen Zhibing pursed her lips: “Let’s go then.”

Shen Zhibing instructed the driver to drive straight to the mountaintop. They barely spoke along the way. Qi Zheng had observed her several times today, seeing that she seemed to be trapped by something.

When they reached the mountaintop, they got out of the car. The scenery was the same as usual.

Shen Zhibing stood with her arms crossed at the observation deck, looking lonely but unwilling to accept defeat.

Qi Zheng stood beside her, accompanying her to watch for a while, when she heard her say, “Qi Zheng, did you like today’s exhibition?”

“It’s not my exhibition, so I can’t really say if I ‘like’ it or not. But seeing a friend achieve success and recognition, of course, I’m happy for Ah Moon.”

Shen Zhibing lowered her head slightly, then looked up at her: “You just see Ah Moon as a friend?”

Qi Zheng nodded without any hesitation.

Shen Zhibing bit her lip, then pressed further, “And me? Am I also a friend?”

Qi Zheng paused for a moment. Of course not, but to say the answer outright seemed a bit abrupt.

Yet, this hesitation was enough to break Shen Zhibing’s heart even more.

She looked away, lifted her chin, and tried hard to calm herself down.

“All these years, I thought I was making amends, trying to win you back. But recently, I realized that I’ve actually been pursuing you, waiting for you.”

Qi Zheng felt that Shen Zhibing’s emotions were becoming increasingly unstable, but she couldn’t interrupt her words.

“My love for you is not an empty phrase. Maybe I loved you long ago, but I didn’t know it at the time. After you left, I was indeed shocked and surprised, and I really wanted to restore everything to how it was, just like the past. But as time went by, seeing you get better and better, I became even more reluctant to let go.”

Shen Zhibing endured the heartache and confessed her feelings. Perhaps all she would get in the end was an apologetic hug, but at least she had tried.

“Qi Zheng, I loved the way you were in the past, and I love the way you are now. No matter how you change, you always touch my heart. But I did make mistakes in the end, and the situation today is my own making. I have no complaints.”

She seemed to be doing her final psychological preparation, gathering strength to endure the upcoming blow.

Finally, she gave a strained smile: “I am not a romantic person, and a few years ago, I didn’t even know how to maintain a relationship. But I am very grateful that I once met you.”

By the end, her voice was trembling and contained a hint of a sob.

If this ending could be dignified, she hoped to leave a perfect impression in Qi Zheng’s heart.

After waiting for a long time, there was still no response from Qi Zheng. Shen Zhibing’s heart instantly turned cold, sinking lower and lower.

She released her arms listlessly, letting them hang by her sides. But a different temperature touched her fingertips, unfamiliar yet familiar, causing her to involuntarily shiver.

She looked down and saw Qi Zheng slowly holding her hand, and then heard her soft sigh next to her ear.

“The fact that you were willing to change for me and did so much for me is, in itself, the greatest romance.”