Jiang Chu Bi felt the coldness of his fingertips, a temperature that sent goosebumps across her skin and made her scalp tingle. Her heart felt as if it were suspended in mid-air. She knew Xing Zheng was serious and dared not joke with him any further. The last time she had brought so many media outlets, Xing Zheng's patience had reached its limit.
If Xing Zheng had not desperately wanted to keep Lin Mei out of this matter, how could she have so smoothly caused Lin Mei to be wronged time and time again?
"Scared?" Xing Zheng lifted her chin.
Jiang Chu Bi held her breath, a cigarette butt held between her fingers, her body stiff, forgetting to move. Her senses seemed to have narrowed down to just hearing. "Xing Yan likes her, that's Xing Yan's business. You can be jealous of her, and you can use it to mock her sarcastically. I'm cooperating with you in this act. Do you think I would let anyone bully her casually? Hmm?"
Jiang Chu Bi's lips moved for a long time, but she couldn't utter a word. This collaboration was not one where she held the dominant position. Xing Zheng had given the Jiang Corporation so many benefits. If he were to withdraw them, the Jiang Corporation would plummet, and she would become a sinner to her family.
She drew a breath and promised Xing Zheng, "As long as she doesn't interfere with our plans, I won't do anything to her. From now on, if I see her, I'll pretend not to know her."
Xing Zheng released Jiang Chu Bi, and she could finally breathe. She stubbed out the cigarette butt and wound her arm around Xing Zheng's. Together, they returned to the banquet hall. The moment they appeared, they drew praise from the elders.
After returning, Jiang Chu Bi immediately put on a smile, as if nothing had happened on the terrace. Xing Zheng also smiled. They were both generous and dignified, and the media turned their lenses towards them, taking many photos.
These photos appeared in financial and entertainment news late that night. The next morning, when Lin Mei went to school, she happened to overhear some people from the Kyoto branch discussing the matter, as if deliberately speaking to her.
Lin Mei pretended not to hear. She didn't want to be involved in this inexplicable competition and rivalry. However, her indifference emboldened some people.
In September, Lan Lan and Feng Feng came to Kyoto for a vacation. Lin Mei went shopping with them. While Lan Lan and Feng Feng were splurging at the counters, Xu Ying called, and Lin Mei went out to take the call.
As soon as she finished the call, she ran into two colleagues from the Kyoto branch with whom she had studied. Li Ran sized up Lin Mei and smiled, then looked into the counter display. "Lin Mei, you've only been working for a few years, and you can afford Hermes. You're so rich."
Lin Mei smiled faintly, unconcerned. At this moment, Zhang Xue chimed in, "Lin Mei is certainly different from us who live on fixed salaries. She must have a sugar daddy backing her, and the breakup fee must be quite substantial, right?"
Lin Mei knew very well that they were mocking her with the previous news. It was likely because the leaders of the Kyoto branch had mentioned wanting to transfer her over, which had already caused hostility from people there towards her.
When Lan Lan and Feng Feng came out, they saw Lin Mei being cornered by Li Ran and Zhang Xue. They quickly walked over and pulled Lin Mei aside, their protective stance being quite obvious. Seeing that Lan Lan and Feng Feng were both dressed in designer brands and carrying shopping bags, Zhang Xue assumed they were the same as Lin Mei. "Birds of a feather flock together! Lin Mei, when will you introduce us to your sugar daddy?"
"Just the two of you?" Lan Lan immediately understood what they were up to. "The prerequisite for using beauty to serve others is having beauty. Have you two forgotten to buy mirrors, or are you unable to pee? Any sugar daddy would be repulsed by you."
Li Ran and Zhang Xue's faces turned ashen. "Watch your mouth!"
"Your own mouth is a cesspool. What right do you have to tell others to be clean? Go back and swallow a bottle of toilet cleaner to purify yourselves, lest you spew dung every time you open your mouths!" Lan Lan fought them both.
Li Ran and Zhang Xue couldn't possibly win an argument against her and finally left dejectedly. Lin Mei couldn't help but laugh at Lan Lan's insults. Lan Lan, however, patted her with disappointment, "They're bullying you, and you're still laughing!"
Lin Mei immediately stopped laughing. Feng Feng asked, "Who are those two?"
"People from the Kyoto branch. Perhaps they heard their leader wanted to transfer me, and they have some issues with me," Lin Mei said.
Feng Feng understood. "You can't just indulge them like this, or they'll get more audacious."
"Mm, didn't Ms. Lan just scold them for me?" Lin Mei smiled. "I probably couldn't think of those words in a month. Ms. Lan is amazing."
Lan Lan beamed at the compliment and didn't forget to curse the two women a few more times. "They read a bit of trash news and think they know everything. If they're so righteous, why don't they go kill Xing Zheng, that scumbag, and eliminate a menace for the people!"
Lin Mei being bullied by these people now was all Xing Zheng's fault. Now he was living harmoniously with his wife, constantly cultivating the image of a good husband, while Lin Mei had to endure attacks from others. If murder weren't illegal, Lan Lan would probably kill Xing Zheng, that scumbag, for Lin Mei.
"Let's not talk about him. Let's go for coffee." Lin Mei led them to a coffee shop. When ordering, she asked for a latte. Feng Feng asked, "Why are you drinking lattes now?"
"I've been having trouble sleeping lately and am taking medication. The doctor said I need to control my caffeine intake." Lin Mei's words were evasive, and she didn't mention her postpartum depression. However, Feng Feng and Lan Lan immediately saw through her lie. "What kind of insomnia requires medication? Are you hiding something from us?"
After enduring Lan Lan and Feng Feng's "interrogation," Lin Mei had no choice but to tell them about her diagnosis of postpartum depression. The two of them first expressed their concern about her current situation, and then Lan Lan began to scold Xing Zheng again.
Lin Mei was much better now. Her medication dosage had been reduced from the first course, and her feedback from psychological counseling was also very optimistic. Throughout this process, Xu Ying had been accompanying her.
Feng Feng and Lan Lan praised Xu Ying even more, especially Lan Lan. "Xu Ying is so reliable. This is the kind of boyfriend one should find. I guarantee that Teacher Lin and Teacher Xiao will be very pleased to see him at first sight."
Feng Feng also asked, "When do you plan to take him back to meet them?"
"Soon, I have tickets for the end of this month," Lin Mei said. "My closest high school friend is getting married on the eleventh. It happens that Xu Ying doesn't have a competition, so I'll bring him along."
Lin Mei had been sleep-deprived lately and had put all her energy into studying. Therefore, Xu Ying booked the flight tickets back to Xiangxi. On the afternoon of September 30th, they flew from Kyoto to Xiangxi and arrived in the evening.
Xu Ying pulled the suitcase for Lin Mei. As they walked to the exit, they met Lin Zhengde and Xiao Yue, who were waiting for them.
Xu Ying stopped and warmly greeted the elders. "Teacher Lin, Teacher Xiao, it's finally nice to meet you. I'm Xu Ying, Lin Mei's boyfriend."
Lin Zhengde and Xiao Yue also exchanged a few words with him, and then the group headed towards the parking lot.
"Mr. Xing, Mr. Xing?" The driver beside him saw Xing Zheng suddenly stop and stare blankly ahead, and cautiously called out to him, "Did you see someone you know?"