The relationship between Jiang Chu Bi and Xing Zheng had grown slightly closer after they shared a drink that night. At least, Xing Zheng no longer lost his temper with her as readily as before. Jiang Chu Bi thought that Xing Zheng's change in attitude must stem from finding some resonance with her.
Xing Zheng paid no mind to Jiang Chu Bi. He cradled Lan Lan and returned to the sofa, sitting down. Lan Lan had gained quite a bit of weight, becoming plump. At first glance, she resembled an inflated white ball.
Xing Zheng's restraint from anger was already a form of benevolence. Jiang Chu Bi, knowing when to stop, began discussing serious matters with him. "I've already leaked the news that you intend to invest in the artificial intelligence experimental project to Zhao Jiang He. He hasn't responded yet, likely still verifying the truth of my words."
Zhao Jiang He was naturally suspicious and cautious, so he wouldn't believe it immediately. Xing Zheng and Jiang Chu Bi had already devised a counter-strategy, but...
"You'd best avoid meeting her," Jiang Chu Bi advised Xing Zheng. "Next time something like this happens, you can find someone else to resolve it for her."
This was a critical juncture. Any slip-up, any discovery by Zhao Jiang He's people, and all their previous efforts would be in vain.
Half an hour later, Xing Zheng received a call. The person on the other end informed him that Ming Zhou had left Lin Mei's apartment and taken a taxi. His expression finally eased from its previous gloom.
Although Lin Mei had decided to limit her contact with Zhao Jiang He, they still had professional interactions. It was unrealistic to completely avoid each other.
Zhao Corporation's recent performance seemed to be quite good. Zhao Jiang He wanted to invest in some new projects, so he mortgaged his previous projects again to apply for a bank loan. This time, the amount was two to three times larger than before, and the interest was also considerable. For Lin Mei, this represented a significant piece of business.
When Zhao Jiang He arrived, Lin Mei received him with the utmost professionalism, handling the relevant procedures for him. After the paperwork was completed, Zhao Jiang He invited Lin Mei to lunch, and she accompanied him to a restaurant not far from the bank.
During the meal, Zhao Jiang He suddenly brought up the impending marriage of Xing Zheng and Jiang Chu Bi. Lin Mei, unsure of Zhao Jiang He's intentions, did not reveal anything to him. She simply smiled and said, "Miss Jiang and Mr. Xing are well-matched; it's a beautiful union."
Zhao Jiang He also said, "Yes, they've been engaged for many years and are finally tying the knot." His tone was very sincere, as if he were genuinely happy for them.
If she hadn't stumbled upon their affair that night, Lin Mei wouldn't have doubted him. But with that preceding event, looking at Zhao Jiang He's behavior now, Lin Mei felt a chill. Zhao Jiang He was too calculating, his acting skills too refined. She considered herself no match for him and decided it was best to interact with him less in private.
Lin Mei didn't understand why Zhao Jiang He kept discussing Xing Zheng and Jiang Chu Bi's wedding with her, but she didn't show any cracks in her facade throughout the conversation.
As lunch was nearing its end, they encountered Xu Ying at the restaurant. The moment Xu Ying saw Lin Mei, he walked over. Zhao Jiang He, seeing the young man, smiled and asked Lin Mei, "Who is this?"
"A friend," Lin Mei replied.
The way the young man looked at Lin Mei was more than just friendly. It seemed Lin Mei wasn't slow in finding a new companion. No wonder she had appeared so indifferent when Xing Zheng was mentioned earlier.
Zhao Jiang He glanced at his watch and said to Lin Mei, "I have work this afternoon. You chat with your friend first; I'm leaving."
Lin Mei bid farewell to Zhao Jiang He and sat down with Xu Ying for a brief chat. Xu Ying told her about a car race he had that weekend. "Do you have time to come? It's my first race of the year."
Lin Mei agreed. She had never watched a car race before. "Yes, I'll come and cheer you on this weekend."
Xu Ying excitedly told her, "I'll be waiting for you!"
They didn't chat for long, as the lunch break was almost over. Lin Mei had to return to work. Xu Ying reluctantly walked with her to the bank entrance. A few strands of her hair were blown out of place by the wind, and Xu Ying reached out to tidy them. Just then, some colleagues returning from lunch happened to see them. Their ambiguous glances made Lin Mei feel both amused and exasperated.
Before long, gossip began to spread throughout the bank, becoming increasingly exaggerated. Eventually, it morphed into a rumor that Lin Mei was keeping a young lover.
Xiao Fang, upon hearing this, came to inquire with Lin Mei. After relaying the office gossip, Lin Mei couldn't help but laugh. "You believed it?"
Xiao Fang replied sheepishly, "I thought... I thought because Mr. Xing and Miss Jiang have been showing off their affection so much lately, you were stimulated and kept a young lover to vent, but... how could I say that?"
"Go print out last quarter's reports for me. Focus on your work and don't think about such nonsense," Lin Mei assigned Xiao Fang a task.
Xiao Fang was still persistent and asked, "Really none? I heard he's very handsome!"
Lin Mei: "No, go get busy!"
On Saturday, Lin Mei learned that Lu Xiao would also be participating in the car race Xu Ying had mentioned. With Lu Xiao competing, Lan Lan naturally accompanied him.
While Xu Ying and Lu Xiao went to change, Lin Mei stood with Lan Lan. The race track was filled with handsome young men in their early twenties. Lan Lan's favorite was this youthful, energetic aura.
She took a deep breath with enjoyment and asked Lin Mei, "Can you smell it?"
Lin Mei, lacking the romantic sensibility, asked, "Smell what?"
Lan Lan: "The scent of young men."
Lin Mei laughed. "What scent could young men possibly have?"
Lan Lan shot her a look. "Mr. Feng isn't here today, have you come to take over her role of spoiling the mood?"
Lin Mei surrendered. "It's me spoiling the mood, but there really is no scent."
As they were joking, Xu Ying and Lu Qi had already changed into their racing suits and emerged. Lan Lan saw Lu Qi and went up to give him a hug. "You look so handsome, darling!"
Xu Ying, hearing Lan Lan praise Lu Qi like that, turned to Lin Mei and asked, "Aren't you going to praise me?"
Lin Mei wasn't as enthusiastic as Lan Lan. She looked Xu Ying over and only managed to say, "You look very good." But Xu Ying was quite satisfied. He patted his shoulder and told Lin Mei, "Watch me later."
Before the race, Xu Ying had made up his mind: if he won the championship today, he would confess his feelings to her. Lin Mei was completely unaware of this. She encouraged Xu Ying, "Go for it, I'll wait for your medal!"
Xu Ying and Lu Xiao went to the staging area. Lan Lan continued to chat with Lin Mei. "What do you think of Xu Ying?"
Lin Mei: "He's not bad."
However, she hadn't developed any romantic feelings for him yet. As a friend, he was very good. Playing with someone younger than herself also made her feel more relaxed.
Lan Lan: "Who asked you that? I'm asking if you have any womanly urges towards him. Look at his physique, doesn't it move you?"
Lin Mei answered a question that wasn't asked. "I'm considering whether to get together with Senior Ming Zhou."
Lan Lan: "Ah? Have you seen each other recently?"
Lin Mei recounted the incident where she drank with Shen Si to Lan Lan. After listening, Lan Lan cursed Shen Si and then firmly told Lin Mei, "If you truly want to draw a line with Xing Zheng, then don't get involved with Ming Zhou, or anyone from their circle."