Transmigrating Into the Beautiful CEO’s Doomed Substitute - Chapter 129

After the meeting, aside from those who had been vigorously discussing in the conference room just now, almost everyone else had already seen the news online. Qi Zheng said a few quick words to Li Yunshan and then left early.

She had seen the message Shen Zhibing sent, asking her to return to Yunlu Huayuan as soon as possible, presumably to discuss countermeasures. Just as she left the company, she heard someone call her name; it turned out to be Yun Fei waiting for her.

“Xiao Qi, there might be reporters outside the park, CEO Shen asked me to come and pick you up.”

Getting into Yun Fei’s car, Qi Zheng didn’t feel relaxed, but she also didn’t seem particularly nervous, a state that was somewhat unexpected.

Yun Fei couldn’t help but ask her, “What do you think of the news online today?”

“Complete nonsense, ruining my image, of course.”

Yun Fei heard the jesting tone in her voice and felt slightly relieved. Both she and Yu Xinyan were worried that Qi Zheng wouldn’t be able to withstand the pressure of this storm and would waver, especially since her relationship with CEO Shen had just taken a turn for the better; another ripple would be tough for both of them.

With a bodyguard’s car leading the way and another guarding the rear, they took a long detour before finally heading to Yunlu Huayuan. The property management of the residential complex was very diligent and strict. Yun Fei parked the car downstairs, having successfully completed her mission.

“Consider this a test. Have a good talk with CEO Shen.”

Qi Zheng knew Shen Zhibing was already home, quickly thanked Yun Fei, and got out of the car. Through the car window, Yun Fei watched her determined figure, feeling that her previous worries had been a little unnecessary.

As soon as she got home, she saw Aunt Xin giving her a look. Qi Zheng took off her jacket, put down her bag, and leaned over to whisper, “What’s wrong?”

“The Third Miss’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing since she got back. Every call is difficult to handle.”

Qi Zheng looked up and saw the person standing by the living room’s French window, arms crossed, talking on the phone. She reassured Aunt Xin and then quickly walked over. Before Shen Zhibing could react, she wrapped her arms around her.

Suddenly hugged, Shen Zhibing paused for a moment, then realized who was standing behind her, and her body instinctively leaned back. She had been so annoyed by the constant phone calls that she was close to losing patience, but Qi Zheng’s embrace magically calmed her.

After Shen Zhibing finished speaking, Qi Zheng chuckled softly, her warm breath fanning Shen Zhibing’s neck, making her instinctively turn her head away.

“Is it very annoying?” Qi Zheng still had her arms wrapped around Shen Zhibing’s waist. The two of them, tightly pressed together, slowly moved towards the sofa.

“Not too annoying, just too many people wanting to confirm information. It’s the same questions over and over again.” Shen Zhibing put her phone on silent and casually placed it on the coffee table.

Seeing this, Qi Zheng knew Shen Zhibing was ready to talk seriously with her.

“I must apologize to you for this incident. I didn’t handle things well.”

Shen Zhibing hadn’t said anything yet when she heard Qi Zheng apologize first.

“What does it have to do with you?” Shen Zhibing thought Qi Zheng was talking about the subtle interactions between them, but people in love simply can’t hide it in their eyes.

Even if they didn’t hold hands or embrace, anyone with a keen interest who followed them for a while would surely capture the affection between them.

Qi Zheng frowned, feeling annoyed as she recalled Lin Muyun’s arrogance and threats.

“Lin Muyun called me before, demanding that I agree to her request, or else she would make my life difficult. I think these photos and posts are the warning she gave me.”

Shen Zhibing’s face instantly turned cold; she wished she could tear Lin Muyun apart right then and there. Lin Muyun had been married for so long, and even if her relationship with Lian Ao was strained, she shouldn’t still be harboring designs on Qi Zheng.

Seeing her angry, Qi Zheng found it amusing. She pulled Shen Zhibing’s shoulder and gently shook her a few times: “There’s nothing to be angry about. She’s nothing in my eyes.”

Shen Zhibing felt a warmth in her heart, but also a little embarrassed, and she stubbornly said, “That’s not what I’m angry about.”

Hearing Qi Zheng’s soft laugh, she grew even more flustered. So she proactively steered the topic back: “What did she want you to agree to?”

Qi Zheng contained her smile a little, remembering the oiliness and desire she could feel through the phone call, which made her very uncomfortable.

If she repeated the original request, Shen Zhibing would likely completely lose it right then and there.

But Shen Zhibing was savvy enough to immediately guess that it was absolutely not a nice request from Qi Zheng’s brief hesitation.

She snorted softly: “How can there be a person like her? She was completely indifferent to you before, and now she’s clinging to you. If she hadn’t targeted you time and time again, I’d really think she was still hung up on you.”

Qi Zheng caught the hidden meaning in her words: “Time and time again?”

Since Lin Muyun was the culprit, Shen Zhibing no longer concealed all her petty actions over the years. When she heard that the Lemon Fund was actually a trap specifically set up for her, Qi Zheng was surprised but also felt that Lin Muyun was malicious and despicable.

Shen Zhibing maintained a casual tone, as if she didn’t want to dwell too much on the past.

“It’s a capital game, and she’s still too green. In front of me, those tricks are nothing, and besides, the funds she can mobilize are limited; she can’t make much trouble.”

Qi Zheng, however, realized from this that someone had been silently guarding her happiness all these years, something she hadn’t known. It turned out that her ability to focus so intently on her career in the United States was also due to someone else’s efforts.

She couldn’t help but lean in and kiss Shen Zhibing: “Thank you for protecting me.”

When she approached, Shen Zhibing habitually closed her eyes. Even a brief kiss was enough to stir her heart.

“You are my treasure. It’s what I should do to protect you.” Shen Zhibing felt a little annoyed that she had been too busy with work recently and, seeing Qi Zheng’s successful career, hadn’t paid enough attention to Lin Muyun.

“Lin Muyun is becoming more and more obsessed; I estimate she won’t give up easily.”

Qi Zheng agreed that Shen Zhibing had a point, but she would never agree to Lin Muyun’s demands.

“Her goal is to smear my image; this time, the target is me.” Qi Zheng analyzed while voicing her thoughts, “If absolutely necessary, why don’t we just let it cool down first, and then look for an opportunity to explain after the heat passes?”

“What do you mean by letting it cool down?”

Qi Zheng looked at her without speaking.

Shen Zhibing lightly patted her hand: “Someone will find out about us sooner or later. You can let it cool for a while, but do you want to keep it cool for a lifetime?”

Qi Zheng raised an eyebrow in surprise, not expecting Shen Zhibing to think this way.

“You want to go public?”

“Now is not the right time, but at least we can’t completely deny it like in the past, or else we’ll just be contradicting ourselves later, won’t we?”

From her tone, it seemed like she had already planned for the future.

Qi Zheng remembered the previous scandal, when Shen Zhibing hadn’t asked her opinion before making a decision. Compared to now, where Shen Zhibing immediately asked her to come home to discuss countermeasures, the difference was monumental.

Seeing her silent, Shen Zhibing was unsure of her attitude.

“Let’s wait a bit more. I have a feeling Lin Muyun still has a big move planned.”

Since Qi Zheng said so, Shen Zhibing naturally agreed to cooperate fully.

Gossip like this is more lethal to idols and celebrities; for people in the business world, it’s far less enticing than profit. Shen Zhibing’s position in the Shen Group is increasingly secure. Without the elders of the Shen family speaking up, no one can really harm her with such speculative news.

Besides, wealthy people have countless ambiguous relationships.

Other than providing some after-dinner conversation topics, it won’t have too much impact on the company.

However, such negative news falling on Qi Zheng is not insignificant.

Zhuang Muqing asked her out to dinner again. From the moment they met until more than halfway through the meal, she hesitated several times, which was very unlike her usual style.

Qi Zheng knew she wanted to comfort her, and seeing her looking troubled and conflicted, Qi Zheng comforted her instead: “A’Moon, I’m fine, really.”

Zhuang Muqing still frowned slightly, occasionally glancing at Qi Zheng.

Finally, she made up her mind and asked her: “Although it might be a bit presumptuous, I want to know, between you and Senior Shen, is it… real?”

The result of the discussion with Shen Zhibing that day was to maintain a cold approach externally, but if trusted close friends asked, they could frankly admit it. No one wants to constantly be in a secret relationship. Even Shen Zhibing sometimes couldn’t resist showing off how cute her girlfriend was to Yu Xinyan.

Qi Zheng didn’t answer immediately, but Zhuang Muqing’s powers of observation were sharp. Coupled with the years of interaction and understanding, the unconscious smile on Qi Zheng’s lips already said it all.

Her heart quietly sank; it wasn’t completely shattered, but it was enough to shock her into silence.

Both were silent for a while, until Qi Zheng spoke first.

“We weren’t deliberately trying to hide it from everyone, but because the timing wasn’t right, we temporarily didn’t inform you all.”

“You all” naturally referred to the people close to them.

Zhuang Muqing’s hopes during this period had already quietly faded after seeing those photos online, but they were nothing compared to Qi Zheng’s simple explanation.

She couldn’t help but feel a little bitterness: “Have you been together for a long time?”

“No, we only officially started on the day of the exhibition.”

Qi Zheng didn’t want Zhuang Muqing to misunderstand and think she had been deceived for a long time, yet this precise date made her feel even worse.

No wonder that day, after the exhibition ended, she was happily looking for Qi Zheng everywhere. She had wanted to share her joy with her, but it turned out she had facilitated the love between Qi Zheng and Senior Shen.

Seeing her mood quickly drop, lost in thought to an exaggerated extent, Qi Zheng couldn’t help but worry and was full of apologies: “We weren’t trying to hide it from anyone, but I apologize to you on her behalf as well.”

Zhuang Muqing shook her head: “It has nothing to do with you both; it’s my own reason.”

She had always been cheerful, bright, and easygoing. But Qi Zheng also knew that Zhuang Muqing cared most about sincerity and hated deception the most.

The atmosphere could no longer be as light and pleasant as before, but Zhuang Muqing maintained her good demeanor and composure throughout. Sometimes, she couldn’t help but ask a few more questions about their relationship story, and Qi Zheng answered truthfully.

She didn’t deliberately emphasize the word “love,” but the peaceful and warm tone in her every word was sufficient proof of their happiness. Zhuang Muqing was somewhat grateful that she had seen those photos before formally speaking up. But she also felt regret that some feelings were simply not destined to begin.

Lin Muyun waited for several days without any reaction from Qi Zheng. Even when the media approached her to verify the authenticity of the online information, she neither completely denied it nor admitted it. Instead, she took the opportunity to introduce the company’s business and recent development. Once the topic drifted away, the media outlets, who were primarily interested in gossip and seeking hot topics, retreated on their own. The incident gradually lost attention after three or four days of noise.

And Qi Zheng’s phone call never came. Lin Muyun was furious, but Lian Ao suddenly entered her room.

“Lin Muyun, are you out of your mind? You’re constantly getting into trouble with the Shen Group and Qi Zheng when you have nothing else to do. Do you think the Lin Group’s crisis and the pressure from Shiqun can be solved because of this?”

The general economic environment has worsened over the past few years. The Lin Group is still firmly rooted in the traditional real estate sector, but the difficulty of collecting payments is increasing, financing costs are rising, and profits are very slim. Shiqun, due to its bloated asset structure and slow transition, is now half good and half dead, becoming increasingly mediocre.

They have not only been left far behind by the Shen Group, but even Dongming is quickly catching up.

With continuous setbacks, Lian Ao’s pressure is naturally immense. Yet, Lin Muyun refuses to budge on having children and keeps causing him trouble.

Their relationship has rapidly deteriorated over the past six months, and they are tired of even pretending. Aside from putting on a show when visiting their elders, Lin Muyun would rather Lian Ao bring other female companions to social events than accompany him.

She actually regrets her initial reluctance to submit to the family pressure for an arranged marriage. Since they chose to marry her off, they had essentially given up on her, so how could they truly give her the right to succession?

It was her naivety, thinking that she, who had never lacked anything growing up, was the family’s pearl. It was only when she saw her cousin, who had returned from his studies, gradually gain influence in the Lin Group that she realized, in hindsight, that she was merely a tool.

A tool meticulously nurtured and cared for since childhood, nothing more.

She hasn’t had an easy time as Lian Ao’s wife these past few years, and Lian Ao, who promised to help her secure the Lin Group’s succession right, has been slow to act. Not to mention the agreement about divorce.

She has started to become disappointed in him, not expecting Lian Ao to truly secure anything for her: “What can you do besides coming back and losing your temper at me? If you have the guts, shout at those shareholders at the board meeting, if you have the guts, firmly state you won’t have children in front of the family elders, if you have the guts, work hard, achieve results, and prove yourself!”

Lian Ao’s face turned ashen from Lin Muyun’s rebuke. He raised his hand, intending to hit her.

His hand paused in mid-air. Lin Muyun sneered: “So useless. I wonder how you managed to hook up with Shen Zhibing back then. If I were you, I would have gotten her pregnant first and produced an heir. At least you’d have some security now.”

Lian Ao was extremely angered, blaming himself for being careless and telling her about these things, which she now constantly brought up to taunt him.

“If you’re incapable, don’t interfere with my business. If I get Qi Zheng out of the way, won’t you have a chance again?”

Lin Muyun ignored Lian Ao’s reaction and left the house, leaving him behind.

Since she received no response from Qi Zheng, she naturally wouldn’t seek her out again. She directly launched her second move. Compared to the previous content about ambiguous relationships with investors, this time the accusations against Qi Zheng were even more infuriating.

It claimed that Qi Zheng had been kept by a sugar daddy during college due to vanity, was uninterested in studies and only knew how to spend money, and still wanted to rely on connections instead of actively seeking a job before graduation. Even worse, she allegedly abandoned her physically frail and dependent father.

This series of descriptions directly branded Qi Zheng as vain, using her looks to trade for resources and climb the ladder, and then, after becoming successful, being heartless, stingy towards her own relatives, and cold-blooded.

Such a person, naturally, deserves to be scorned and criticized.

Correspondingly, there were agreements Qi Zheng had signed back then, some supposed consumption records, and the verbal admission from Qi Youtian himself.

Jiang Youyou scrolled through the newly released posts online, so angry that smoke was practically coming out of her head.

“What is all this nonsense? It was clearly your gambling father who neglected the family and owed money back then. How did it turn into you being heartless and ungrateful? These days, the news outlets all take things out of context and confuse right and wrong!”

She was so angry; Jiang Youyou wished she could immediately call her elder brother and sue all the rumor-mongering and bandwagon-following media outlets!

Qi Zheng’s face was cold, but she wasn’t overly agitated.

She hadn’t expected Lin Muyun to be so ruthless. If this matter were dug into deeply, it might even bring up the events of the past.