Transmigrating Into the Beautiful CEO’s Doomed Substitute - Chapter 60

Shen Zhibing couldn’t help but swallow, and only shifted her gaze after a few seconds of deadlock, saying stiffly, “It’s good that you’re okay, but don’t be careless. Remember to keep warm.”

Qi Zheng looked down at the clothes she was wearing, and then recalled the look in CEO Shen’s eyes just now. Although she found it a bit strange, she just smiled and pulled her clothes tighter in front, having heard what was said.

“I was chatting with Secretary Yun just now and didn’t notice. Thank you for your concern, CEO Shen.”

During this illness, Shen Zhibing had indeed been good to her, providing much care, both with medical treatment and in other respects. Qi Zheng was not the kind of person who would take advantage and not acknowledge it; she was equally grateful for Shen Zhibing’s kindness.

Shen Zhibing nodded, “Get some rest early.”

Yun Fei thought Shen Zhibing would continue discussing work with her after returning. After all, they were meeting the behind-the-scenes boss of Yongfeng tomorrow, and some data still needed further confirmation and analysis.

Unexpectedly, Shen Zhibing also said to her, “Let’s leave it at that for today. I want to be alone for a while.”

Qi Zheng and Yun Fei both frowned. They hadn’t seen CEO Shen like this for a while. However, with mutual understanding, they didn’t dwell on it and returned to their respective rooms.

Shen Zhibing pushed open the floor-to-ceiling door and walked onto the balcony. The setting sun stung her eyes like residual blood. Sunset and sunrise—similar scenery but different endings. One welcomed light, while the other moved toward darkness, just like life standing at a crossroads, facing a choice.

She had already made her choice; she wanted to live toward the sun, no longer willing to sink into the endless dark night, drawing warmth from past tenderness. However, the wound’s scabbing would not be smooth; repeated relapses and renewed bleeding were things her psychiatrist had warned her about beforehand.

Shen Zhibing was mentally prepared for this, yet when it truly arrived, it still felt so difficult. Even she, who prided herself on strong willpower, couldn’t help but feel frustrated, let alone those girls who were mostly vulnerable and soft-hearted in relationships.

No wonder the psychiatrist said that many patients give up halfway and flee.

It hurts, it really hurts. Forcing the wound open, enduring the pain, and then waiting for it to numb, again and again, until finally, it no longer hurts.

This must be what Qi Zheng meant when she said the scar would always remain, but it wouldn’t hurt anymore.

Shen Zhibing really wanted to call Qi Zheng over and ask her face-to-face how many times it would have to hurt before she could be like her now, no longer troubled by the past. The name Lin Muyun seemed to have been erased from Qi Zheng’s life; even when face-to-face, she was completely unfazed.

Shen Zhibing lit a cigarette. She didn’t smoke much, but she didn’t put it out either. She recalled many details about Qi Zheng and realized it was that very indifference and lack of concern that initially infuriated her, but later made her curious, appreciative, and even infatuated.

She had never met anyone at such a young age with such a detached mindset.

She stood on the balcony until night fell. The room service waited for a long time for her meal request and finally called Yun Fei, who usually handled these matters.

“Just wait a little longer. CEO Shen will notify us when she needs something,” Yun Fei calmly hung up the phone, though she couldn’t help but feel worried.

In the past, at this time, CEO Shen always chose to be alone, silently digesting the emotions she never outwardly displayed.

Even Yun Fei, who had been with her for many years, had never fully witnessed her in this state.

Half the cigarettes in the pack were gone, mostly consumed while clipped between Shen Zhibing’s fingers. She wasn’t addicted to smoking; she only occasionally had one to relieve frustration. But sorrow couldn’t dissipate like smoke; a puff wouldn’t make it disappear.

Many things required her to face and resolve them herself; avoidance held no meaning for Shen Zhibing.

After taking a shower, Qi Zheng felt much better. Her fever was gone, and she had slept enough over the past few days, so she quietly opened her computer. No one was rushing her, but she still seriously began researching the data. She was meeting the behind-the-scenes boss tomorrow, and she felt an indescribable nervousness.

As she immersed herself in work, those distracting emotions gradually faded away. Qi Zheng stared at the screen for a long time, comparing the data back and forth as if she couldn’t believe it. Finally, she patted her forehead, realizing she must have been feverish.

In the early stages of her illness a few days ago, she had tried to tough it out without saying anything, but her condition was already poor. Some of the data processed while she was muddled and groggy was inevitably crude, with one detail cited incorrectly.

As a result, the values for ROA (Return on Assets) and ROE (Return on Equity) were not as accurate and reliable. Although Shen Zhibing didn’t plan to use this data for negotiation, and certainly wouldn’t finalize the cooperation on the spot, accurate data could help the boss be mentally prepared and facilitate negotiating a good price.

For the same assets, if the rate of return is different, the acquisition price will naturally vary greatly. Even if Shen Zhibing would definitely have the relevant departments conduct detailed calculations before formally agreeing, Qi Zheng did not want the data coming from her to mislead CEO Shen.

She quickly corrected the previous error and checked the comparisons several times. After confirming there were no further mistakes, she called Yun Fei and briefly explained the situation.

“Just email it directly to CEO Shen’s inbox. She will see it,” Yun Fei found it inconvenient to go look for Shen Zhibing, but the data issue was potentially significant.

Qi Zheng sent the email and waited for half an hour, seeing neither a read receipt nor a reply from Shen Zhibing.

She grew a little impatient and sent Shen Zhibing a message, which again received no response.

Qi Zheng thought for a moment and dialed her number directly. After a long wait, she finally heard someone answer.

“CEO Shen, sorry to bother you. There was a slight error in the previous data, and I’ve corrected it and sent you the latest version.”

Shen Zhibing’s voice sounded normal, and she wasn’t angry about the interruption, but the pause was somewhat long.

“CEO Shen?”

“I know. Switch the voice call to a video call.”

Qi Zheng: ???

Shen Zhibing sat back down at her computer and opened the email Qi Zheng had sent her. Her phone was placed beside her, waiting for Qi Zheng to send a video call invitation.

Soon, a somewhat unreal-looking person appeared on the phone screen—Qi Zheng, who looked slightly different from when Shen Zhibing saw her at the door that afternoon. Shen Zhibing was briefly distracted, then focused her attention on the email content.

Qi Zheng had highlighted the previously cited incorrect data, compared it with the corrected data, and provided clear explanations, which was very easy to understand at a glance.

Facing the screen, she explained, “After adjustment, the Return on Assets for two industries needs to be lowered. However, another asset that was previously overlooked is performing well and could be a point of focus.”

With additions and subtractions, the total return didn’t change much, but the categorization of which ones were profitable and which ones needed subsidies was different.

Shen Zhibing seemed unfazed, glanced at the modified data, and said calmly, “That will do. Get some rest early.”

Qi Zheng had been speaking enthusiastically, preparing to further analyze her thoughts on the data with CEO Shen. But the CEO’s words brought everything to an abrupt stop, leaving her feeling a little awkward for being the only one excited.

“CEO Shen, is my data unhelpful, or do you think me working while sick means I’m not listening to my superior’s instructions?”

Shen Zhibing glanced at the phone screen. The camera only showed Qi Zheng’s fair face, which carried a hint of post-illness pallor, combined with the unique vibrancy of youth—a very special look. Anything below that was invisible, let alone the attractive view beneath the blue shirt.

Shen Zhibing averted her eyes, closed the report document, and leaned back slightly.

“Qi Zheng, you’re making the same mistake.”

She hadn’t wanted to bring this up while Qi Zheng hadn’t fully recovered. The data was only meant to provide assistance for her trip; it wasn’t so crucial that it needed to be absolutely precise. However, Qi Zheng’s pursuit of perfection in her work was commendable. Any other employee doing this would surely be praised.

But Shen Zhibing clearly had different expectations for Qi Zheng.

Qi Zheng froze at the remark.

Being criticized by CEO Shen at the company was understandable, but now, her nose felt slightly sore, and she even felt a little wronged.

Qi Zheng tried her best to maintain her composure, wanting to ask exactly what she had done wrong.

“Qi Zheng, I’ve told you before, although you do data analysis, don’t be confined to the data itself. You corrected the erroneous data citation in a timely manner, which is very good,” Shen Zhibing explained, sensing her confusion. “But you didn’t continue to think more deeply, to consider the matters behind the data, especially the future trends of those interest-bearing assets over the next few years or even ten years. Have you considered whether those industries were profitable in the past and what they will be like in the future?”

Qi Zheng was stunned. The thought had crossed her mind momentarily, but she lacked the knowledge base in that area due to habitual thinking. So, she habitually ignored it. If her superior hadn’t explicitly requested it, she probably wouldn’t have considered so much.

Because those things were not what an employee like her was expected to consider.

“My expectations for you are a bit high, but I hope to maximize your potential. If you are unwilling or unable to handle it, you can tell me directly.”

Qi Zheng didn’t hesitate; instead, her fighting spirit was ignited: “I’m willing, I can do it.”

CEO Shen’s words enlightened her once again, just like when she was a student, when the teacher emphasized key concepts repeatedly until they became an automatic reflex.

Qi Zheng thought that next time, she would definitely do better than now.

However, the next day, Shen Zhibing only brought Yun Fei with her, and Qi Zheng remained in the hotel room to rest. Her illness hadn’t completely cleared up, and she was still coughing occasionally, so her appearance and condition were indeed unsuitable for meeting a client.

But she still felt a faint sense of disappointment, feeling that it was because her report from the day before hadn’t been good enough.

*

Back in Haicheng, Shen Zhibing went to the psychological clinic as scheduled. This time, she directly and clearly voiced her confusion.

“Why can’t I stop wanting to get closer to her? And once is not enough; I always want more. I even want to progress to further physical contact,” Shen Zhibing lay on the comfortable couch, candidly narrating the anomaly she had experienced recently.

The psychiatrist quietly took notes, mostly listening and not interrupting.

It was very rare for a patient to be willing to talk and express their innermost feelings, signifying that the patient was beginning to confront their true inner self. Especially for someone like Shen Zhibing, who had hidden her true emotions for years, getting her to open up was even more uncommon.

“Doctor, is there something wrong with me?”

Facing the occasionally confused CEO Shen, the psychiatrist smiled faintly and comforted her, “Miss Shen, please don’t worry. This is a very normal physiological response. It’s the same principle as feeling hungry and wanting to eat, or feeling tired and wanting to sleep.”

“But why wasn’t I like this before?”

Shen Zhibing didn’t understand. In the past, she clearly had someone she loved and had emotional reciprocation, yet why wasn’t she as eager as she was now? She had also had moments of genuine affection, but Lian Ao always cleared his head at the last moment and retreated step by step, causing Shen Zhibing to become accustomed to waiting.

It was only at the very end that she realized she didn’t truly desire intimacy with Lian Ao; it was merely a habitual thought that led her to believe she should do so.

“In the past, you didn’t fully release yourself, likely because that relationship couldn’t provide you with a sense of security, and also because you had too many reservations.”

Shen Zhibing thought that was indeed the case. If Lian Ao had truly obtained her, he would have had to be responsible for her, which would mean becoming the son-in-law married into the Shen family. This wasn’t very enticing to Lian Ao, so he always held back.

He was afraid of commitment, and Shen Zhibing’s heart had already grown cold in the face of his hesitation and retreat.

“Then, the fact that I have such strong impulses now, is it because I have found a sense of security? But, she is… how could I be like this…”

Shen Zhibing was confused. Her infatuation and dependence on Qi Zheng made her feel inexplicable.

She admired her, that was true. She had the intention to nurture her and use her for her own purposes, that was also true. But she didn’t love her, and besides, she was a woman.

The psychiatrist did not give a definitive answer, only telling her, “The human heart actually follows its instincts. If your body reacts to someone, it proves that you genuinely like that person. The stronger the reaction, the more you like them. You are just temporarily unaware of it.”