Transmigrating Into the Beautiful CEO’s Doomed Substitute - Chapter 77

The New Year’s Day holiday was short and boring. Most people treated these three days as a transition, with the real anticipation focusing on the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.

However, for Shen Zhibing, there wasn’t much difference between New Year’s Day and the Lunar New Year. Both were holidays in the cold winter, except that she would have heavier family pressure to deal with during the Lunar New Year.

Yun Fei stood by, waiting for President Shen to give instructions after reviewing this urgent situation report, but Shen Zhibing had been looking at it for half an hour without saying a word.

She must have finished reading the content long ago, and she must have understood the whole story, but her prolonged hesitation in making a decision clearly indicated other considerations.

“How did things suddenly escalate to this?” Shen Zhibing placed the report back on the desk, crossing her hands in front of her, looking very displeased.

“The news from Miancheng has been tightly suppressed. In order to boost performance before the end of the year, they used non-compliant methods.”

“Non-compliance to boost performance was just the fuse. Half of the management of the entire Miancheng branch were taken away overnight to assist with the investigation. This is not a problem that formed in just one or two days.”

Calling it illegal was an understatement; it was practically bordering on criminal suspicion.

“The legal department has already rushed over there.”

Shen Zhibing’s face remained grim. If this matter couldn’t be properly resolved before the Lunar New Year, it would be a major trouble.

“Miancheng’s anti-corruption efforts have intensified. All expense reimbursements from the past few years will be thoroughly re-examined. Don’t miss any details. If they went through the company’s accounts, Shen’s Group will inevitably be dragged into this. Have the legal team come see me this afternoon.”

As Yun Fei left the office, she saw Qi Zheng emerging from the printing room with two freshly printed reports in her hand.

“Friendly reminder, President Shen is not in a good mood right now. Say less when you go in.” After spending more time together, Qi Zheng noticed that Secretary Yun would sometimes proactively make jokes and wasn’t always strictly rigid.

Qi Zheng had heard about the Miancheng branch issue and knew that President Shen had rushed back to the company at three in the morning right after New Year’s Day to hold a meeting. The president was indeed glamorous, but the hardships behind the title were only clear to those close to her, like them.

Qi Zheng knocked and walked in. President Shen looked up and paused when she saw who it was.

“President Shen, these are the data forecasts you asked for before the holiday. I ran a few different models and got slightly inconsistent results. Please take a look.”

Shen Zhibing took the document, casually flipped through it, and placed it on the desk: “I’ll read this report later. I’ll give you feedback if there are any issues. Go back and continue with your work. The data forecasting can wait for a bit.”

The Special Task Force was “special” because it undertook functions that other business departments did not: clearing the old and establishing the new.

Outdated businesses needed to be eliminated quickly, and businesses with increasing market demand needed to be kept up with promptly. It was incredibly difficult for such a massive group to transition. Existing business departments, due to internal vested interests, could no longer react quickly.

Shen Zhibing needed a relatively independent team to clearly assess the situation.

Qi Zheng knew that Shen Zhibing’s focus lately was definitely on the Miancheng branch issue, but she couldn’t help but express her concern: “President Shen, please take care of yourself.”

Their brief conversation was enough for her to notice the dark circles under Shen Zhibing’s eyes and the obvious increase in irritability compared to usual.

Due to the nature of its business, the Miancheng branch had always maintained close ties with local government officials. When things were fine, they naturally enjoyed all the conveniences, but when problems arose, the consequences were a hundred times more severe than for other branches.

Shen Zhibing had always disapproved of using personal connections to deal with local government. But her second uncle did not agree. He said Shen Zhibing had studied abroad for too many years and fundamentally didn’t understand the peculiarities of domestic society and the importance of “connections” for doing business in China.

The intimate relationship between the Miancheng branch and the local government was something her second uncle had personally orchestrated.

Now, this mess was left for her to handle.

“Just do your job well.” Shen Zhibing’s response to Qi Zheng’s concern was somewhat cold. Qi Zheng’s sincere care made her feel a little unaccustomed.

She was not prepared to bring this kind of intimate relationship to the company, nor did she anticipate Qi Zheng actively showing her concern. When it all happened, she instinctively retreated, but ignored the other person’s feelings.

Qi Zheng paused, didn’t explain further, and turned to leave the office.

She looked downcast when she came out. Yun Fei guessed she was probably innocently caught by President Shen’s low spirits.

“President Shen will definitely not be in a good mood recently. Everyone needs to be extra careful when working, and don’t add any more trouble for her.”

She said this to everyone in the secretarial office. Qi Zheng returned to her seat, still feeling a bit heartbroken seeing Shen Zhibing’s worn-out yet resolute appearance.

That evening, Shen Zhibing went to a dinner engagement, the kind she disliked the most.

If she rushed to Miancheng because of the problem there, it would be too obvious and easily attract media attention. There were more capable people in Haicheng, and the network of connections was unimaginably vast. Mediation in Haicheng could also resolve the Miancheng issue.

However, getting help from these people, even just to say a few words, was not easy. Usually, Shen’s Group had a dedicated department responsible for this, but tonight, to show sincerity and to resolve the Miancheng branch issue as quickly as possible, Shen Zhibing had to personally step forward.

Most of these people knew Shen Zhibing. This arrogant and beautiful CEO had always disdained participating in such “meaningless” drinking parties. Having a rare chance to meet her this time, they naturally wouldn’t let her off easily.

“President Shen is truly straightforward. She drank three glasses without hesitation.” Director Hao, wearing glasses and speaking with an air of sophistication, slowly got up, picked up a wine glass from in front of him and placed it in front of Shen Zhibing, repeating this three times.

“Since that’s the case, you can’t refuse my three glasses.”

These people appeared to be colleagues and mutually cooperative brothers’ departments, but in reality, they were subtly competing and guarding against each other. Having finally gathered them at one table, Shen Zhibing could only passively satisfy their requests.

“I hope this satisfies Director Hao.” Shen Zhibing didn’t waste words, raised her glass in a toast, and then consecutively drained three more glasses.

They had absolutely no concept of cherishing and protecting women. The staff from the relevant department who came with President Shen could only worry anxiously. They wanted to help President Shen, but these leaders looked down on them.

The protagonist of the night was naturally Shen Zhibing. Fortunately, they only went slightly overboard with encouraging drinks and words, but did not manage to get close to her, let alone touch her.

She endured until the end, courteously sending off every leader to their cars, until the last one, Director Hao, finally sat in his car.

Before the car drove away, Director Hao rolled down the window and said to her, “President Shen is a smart person. I know what result you want, but I wonder if President Shen knows what I want?”

That cultured face, paired with his subtly suggestive gaze, made the alcohol rush to Shen Zhibing’s head. She felt a strong urge to vomit.

If he had said a few more words of nonsense, Shen Zhibing might have just vomited directly onto his face.

“Director Hao is drunk. Go back and rest early.”

It was an invitation for which he hadn’t held much hope anyway. Director Hao also knew that taking Shen Zhibing home tonight was nearly impossible. But they were all aware of the internal situation in Miancheng, and seeing President Shen, who usually never showed up, soften her attitude tonight, accepting almost every suggestion to drink, made him harbor a few bold fantasies.

After seeing everyone off, Shen Zhibing didn’t even have time to rush back to the hotel before she started vomiting by the roadside. She couldn’t remember how many glasses she was forced to drink tonight, she only knew she felt miserable now.

“To the suburbs.”

Drunk and dizzy, yet she insisted on going to the suburban villa. After returning to her room, Shen Zhibing had almost no strength left to tidy up, and she collapsed onto the sofa.

Her head was throbbing faintly, and her stomach was churning. Fortunately, she had vomited before returning, otherwise it would have been worse. Someone knocked on the door, but she was too lazy to move.

“The door is unlocked, come in.”

She opened her hazy eyes and saw it was Qi Zheng, holding a tray.

“Aunt Xin told me you were drunk. Have some hangover soup first, and then eat something.”

Her tone was light, even more subdued than in the office today. Shen Zhibing managed a smile, sat up, hooked her arm around Qi Zheng’s neck, and swayed her body back and forth.

Qi Zheng was pouring the hangover soup into a bowl, trying to cool it down a bit. Being ambushed by Shen Zhibing, she nearly spilled it. But the apparently half-drunk President Shen, with the heaviness and suppression around her eyes and brows slightly fading, was smiling quite happily.

Qi Zheng couldn’t bear to say anything, so she firmly steadied her hand and said helplessly, “President Shen, if you keep this up, you won’t get any hangover soup.”

If she shook her a few more times, half the soup would spill out, and she would be drinking air.

Shen Zhibing seemed not to have heard, or perhaps she heard but didn’t understand. She didn’t care or restrain herself, but pushed her luck, leaning completely over, tightly hugging Qi Zheng’s neck, and pressing against her arm.

“I’m really unhappy tonight. Those people only cared about getting me to drink. It was so annoying!”

What damn social engagement? It was nothing more than a merchant begging a leader for help to smooth out connections. Shen Zhibing felt it was ironic, yet she had to enter the game and make herself a clown as well.

These words, she couldn’t say to others, and she rarely said them even in front of Yun Fei. She was the leader, and her words and actions represented Shen’s Group. But at this moment, she just wanted to be Shen Zhibing.

“Come, have a little first.” Qi Zheng knew that if there had been any other way to handle tonight’s dinner party, Shen Zhibing would not have gone.

Any other words of comfort would just be hollow phrases that couldn’t solve the actual problem. President Shen’s capabilities were superior to hers. Since President Shen chose to concede, she probably wouldn’t have a better solution either.

“I don’t want to drink it.”

The hangover soup seemed particularly unpalatable to Shen Zhibing. She had never willingly accepted it.

“A drunk person can’t refuse. Just drink it.”

Shen Zhibing’s hands became a little mischievous again, loosening from Qi Zheng’s neck, slowly sliding down, and finally wrapping around her shoulders.

Her face remained resting on Qi Zheng’s shoulder, clinging tightly. This contact made Qi Zheng a little uncomfortable, even though they had shared closer distances before.

Qi Zheng turned her face, and just as she was about to speak, her lips were sealed by a kiss, stopping her words.

The smell of alcohol was strong. President Shen really drank a lot tonight, that was Qi Zheng’s first thought after being kissed.

“I think this is better for sobering up.” Shen Zhibing affectionately rubbed the lips she adored. The sensation was too wonderful, calming the frustration she felt tonight.

Qi Zheng avoided her playful harassment: “Stop messing around. Drink this first.”

Shen Zhibing was slightly displeased, looking at the person who slipped away from her lips, and then glanced at the things on the table: “Then you feed me.”

Qi Zheng was a little speechless, feeling that the drunk President Shen was acting like a child. She had been drunk before, but not as willful as tonight. It seemed the drunker she was, the more she acted up.

Qi Zheng picked up the bowl, blew on it twice, and offered it to Shen Zhibing: “This should be okay, right?”

Shen Zhibing leaned in, but not to drink the contents of the bowl: “The kind where you feed me with your mouth.”