Transmigrating Into the Beautiful CEO’s Doomed Substitute - Chapter 92

This is the first time in years that CEO Shen has taken the initiative to confide in her.

Today, Shen Zhibing took the initiative to visit Qi Zheng, and on the way, she repeatedly pondered her wording before delivering the apology and explanation just now. It wasn’t stinginess with words; she simply wasn’t good at such things.

She had expected it to be hard to say, but upon seeing Qi Zheng, especially her aloof distance and the sadness that was so similar yet less intense than that night, it instantly struck Shen Zhibing’s heart.

However, she hadn’t expected Qi Zheng to seem unmoved, as if everything was already too late.

Qi Zheng proactively pressed the elevator button for her and followed behind her, maintaining a distance that was neither too far nor too close. Shen Zhibing really wanted to turn back and look at her again, but suddenly lacked the courage.

“Okay, then I won’t keep you from your class,” Shen Zhibing suppressed the disappointment and embarrassment in her heart, turned around, and smiled as she reminded her, “But you can’t always settle for just anything to eat, you must… treat yourself better.”

They quietly looked at each other, trying to discern more meaning in the other’s eyes. Qi Zheng saw concern and apology for her in CEO Shen’s eyes, but unfortunately, what she longed for was love.

She slightly lowered her eyes and softly hummed a reply, saying, “I know.”

When the elevator arrived, Qi Zheng decided to escort her downstairs. There weren’t many people at this time of day, and the car had been waiting downstairs all along. Qi Zheng suddenly recalled many American TV drama scenes she’d watched, feeling like some bizarre danger might inadvertently pop out from the surroundings.

She secretly laughed at herself for being overly anxious, perhaps because she had just arrived in an unfamiliar environment and her guard was constantly up. Here, it was indeed less reassuring than at the suburban villa.

It was a pity that place was ultimately not her final destination.

Seeing Qi Zheng enter with her, Shen Zhibing tried to send her back: “My car is just downstairs, you go back and rest, I’m fine.”

Her disappointment hadn’t faded, her embarrassment was being strongly restrained, and she felt a bit like running away. But Qi Zheng’s presence close by felt familiar yet heartbreaking.

This was the first time she had other feelings besides physical reactions; she ignored the various impulses that naturally arose, feeling only heartache.

“It’s only a few minutes. You came all this way to see me, and I wouldn’t even see you downstairs. That’s not the proper way to treat a guest.”

Treat a guest. Shen Zhibing numbly took two steps back, making space for Qi Zheng. She silently repeated those two words in her heart, which stabbed her with another pang of pain: Just a guest.

Qi Zheng saw Shen Zhibing off and returned to her apartment. Everything seemed the same as before. If Shen Zhibing hadn’t lingered, leaving her scent in the room, Qi Zheng would have thought she was dreaming.

Several hours of studying in the library couldn’t compare to the fatigue she felt from that brief encounter just now. Qi Zheng received the apology she felt she deserved, understood Shen Zhibing’s concerns and considerations, but also became clearer about the gap between them.

They were never the same kind of people, whether in family background or life experiences; even their approach to relationships was vastly different. Yet, Qi Zheng knew clearly that her heart would beat faster when Shen Zhibing appeared and approached, and she would unconsciously hope that Shen Zhibing would care about her a little more.

What she hoped for most was to become Shen Zhibing’s first choice, not the one who would be discarded.

Qi Zheng knew her desire was extravagant. Would a person like Shen Zhibing lack suitors? She could have a new one every day if she agreed. Although she knew Shen Zhibing wasn’t a playgirl, she endured so many years of feelings for Lian Ao, stubbornly carrying the emotional pain until her heart bled, but didn’t she still move on?

The slight hope that sprang up in her heart was crushed by these self-inflicted arguments, as if reminding her: Qi Zheng, stop daydreaming. You will never become her only one.

Her heart suddenly ached intensely, and Qi Zheng’s eyes burned with discomfort, but she stubbornly refused to cry. She might never be Shen Zhibing’s only one, but even now, CEO Shen was still her only one.

The car left the area downstairs from Qi Zheng’s apartment, but Shen Zhibing didn’t immediately return to the hotel. She asked the driver to take the car to the back gate of B University’s Business School.

That relatively secluded road was much the same as when she was a student, with two more streetlights, but still not very bright.

There were many students, and it was quite lively. But in the evening, one couldn’t avoid hearing the drunken yells from unknown places.

She saw that familiar burger shop, still open, with many students lining up. The scene instantly transported her back many years, when she, Yun Fei, and Yu Xinyan used to line up here too.

She waited in the car until the peak queuing time passed, then went in and bought two set meals.

The environment here hadn’t changed much, and the surroundings were quite safe. Even if Qi Zheng came home late, buying food here wouldn’t be dangerous.

She returned to the hotel with the burgers. Yun Fei was a little surprised to see the familiar packaging: “You’ve been thinking about it all this time, I didn’t expect you to actually buy it.”

“It’s rare to be here; I should cherish the opportunity.”

Shen Zhibing was in low spirits. Yun Fei could tell from her look that the meeting with Qi Zheng was probably not very pleasant, or at least didn’t meet her expectations.

The two quietly ate their burgers, occasionally chatting about their college days. Shen Zhibing suddenly said, “Let’s ask Anna out for dinner tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? CEO Shen, aren’t you going to…”

Yun Fei remembered that before leaving the hotel, Shen Zhibing had told her not to schedule anything for tomorrow.

Shen Zhibing lowered her eyes and said casually, “Qi Zheng has class tomorrow.”

But she didn’t say that Qi Zheng had rejected her.

She hadn’t seen Anna for several years but had always kept in touch via email or occasional phone calls. When Qi Zheng decided to apply to B University, Shen Zhibing had personally consulted Anna.

“Bing, long time no see, you’re still so beautiful.”

“Yun Fei, you too, you’re so lovely it makes me jealous.”

After a hug, the three sat down.

Anna worked in B University’s College of Liberal Arts, and her relationship with the Business School wasn’t particularly close. Still, hearing Shen Zhibing’s words, she was surprised.

“Bing, now that you’re a boss, you’ve become much more considerate.”

In school, Shen Zhibing rarely cared about anyone, let alone proactively asking others to look out for someone.

Now, she was surprisingly so attentive to a company employee, personally overseeing everything from the application to the enrollment, and even asking for her help face-to-face this time.

“Her situation is quite unique. She doesn’t have many friends abroad, and her preparation time before going abroad was short and a bit rushed, so she’ll have some pressure adapting.”

Shen Zhibing didn’t openly mention that Qi Zheng’s spoken English was still not proficient. The last time she brought her on a business trip to the US, she had secretly observed Qi Zheng’s performance. Her spoken language should be enough for her studies, but to excel, she would need to work harder.

But this wasn’t her fault; Qi Zheng was different from those who had gone abroad to study much earlier, like them.

“Since you personally asked, how could I refuse? But you both know the professors at the Business School; they are very rigid and show no favoritism. I really can’t help much with grades, but don’t worry about her life; I will do my best.”

Hearing Anna say this, Shen Zhibing felt relieved. Then, the three of them began chatting about memories from their school days. Shen Zhibing felt happier in the US than she did at the Shen Group.

Shen Zhibing left F City without telling Qi Zheng, only sending her a message before boarding the plane in New York. She didn’t say anything overly intimate, just told her to pay attention to balancing work and rest, not to put too much pressure on herself, and to take the language learning step by step.

Qi Zheng looked at the screen, unsure what to say, and finally only replied with Take care.

The professor on the stage was showing video clips excerpted from a movie, discussing the different market feedback brought by marketing differentiation. The film was quite old, but it was clear that the US had indeed matured in this area. Qi Zheng shifted her attention to the screen.

Sitting next to her was a classmate also from China, Li Yunshan.

“Qi Zheng, are you okay?”

Qi Zheng was usually very focused in class; Li Yunshan rarely saw her like this.

“I’m fine, a friend went back home today.”

Seeing the faint look of separation in her eyes, Li Yunshan consoled her, “Going back home is all; it’s not going to the moon. You’ll see each other again soon.”

Qi Zheng forced a smile, unsure how to explain that for her, CEO Shen was indeed almost as far away as the moon.

After returning, Shen Zhibing accelerated her negotiations with the bank. The financing proceeded smoothly, and the acquisition plan was finally nearing victory.

Yun Fei walked in with a stack of documents: “CEO Shen, these are the materials from the bank, asking for our final confirmation.”

“Leave them for now; I’ll look at them later.”

Shen Zhibing wasn’t busy with anything else at the moment. She sat there with her arms crossed, occasionally lost in thought while looking out the window, her mind elsewhere.

Yun Fei noticed that Shen Zhibing seemed less happy ever since returning from F City. She wanted to ask several times but was afraid of overstepping.

“Let’s have a drink together after work today; I have something I want to talk to you about.”

This was the first time in many years that CEO Shen had taken the initiative to confide in her.

Yun Fei was a mature and gentle person. She knew many things but wouldn’t proactively speak about them. However, when you needed her, she would not hesitate to give you warmth and strength.

Shen Zhibing didn’t have many friends with whom she could share her deepest thoughts. In the past relationship with Lian Ao, she almost suffocated herself without casually revealing a single word, but this time, she felt so miserable that she knew she had to speak up.

Yun Fei listened quietly, without offering any comments. She just hadn’t expected the relationship between CEO Shen and Qi Zheng to have developed so much.

Of course, Shen Zhibing wouldn’t tell her that they had slept together several times.

“Since CEO Shen, you have feelings for Xiao Qi, why did you insist on having her go to study?”

There were many ways to avoid attention; transferring her to a branch company was an option, at least still in Haicheng.

“I can’t stop her from continuing to improve just because of this.”

Yun Fei knew that Shen Zhibing had always intended to groom Qi Zheng, but considering their relationship, she was a bit confused: “CEO Shen, were your previous acts of care towards Xiao Qi due to…?”

Shen Zhibing absolutely wouldn’t tolerate anyone questioning her work ethic, not to mention that she wasn’t the type of person who mixed personal and professional life: “Qi Zheng has ability, which is obvious to both you and me. She deserves a better future and a bigger stage. As for me and her, our private feelings will not affect our professional decisions.”

“It was my mistake. I will keep in touch with Xiao Qi more often in the future and learn more about her situation.”

Shen Zhibing didn’t make this request, but Yun Fei was astute enough to understand. CEO Shen had gone around in circles saying a lot, all to indicate that she cared about Qi Zheng.

Judging from Xiao Qi’s previous attitude, it was also clear who wanted to hide and who wanted to pursue.

After talking with Yun Fei, Shen Zhibing found it easier than expected. At least she had taken the first step. This was a suggestion she got after seeing an expert. The psychologist had given her a business card for a relationship expert before, which she had ignored.

After returning from the US, she seriously considered it and still didn’t want to give up. So, she dug out that business card, wanting to try to learn how to correctly manage intimate relationships.

The expert told her that, first, you must face yourself and face this relationship.

You must admit it is a normal relationship, not just a connection known only to you and no one else.