Nanjiang Bank held emBA training sessions every year, with a duration of eighteen months. Those sent for training had to shuttle back and forth between two locations, and while undergoing training, their work could not be completely set aside.
Lin Mei had been interested in the training for a long time, but she had not been employed long enough. This year, she had finally made it. Among the list of personnel for this training, Lin Mei was the youngest. Compliments were already being insincerely offered in the group chat. Lin Mei saw through the pretense and chose to ignore it. After finishing her meal and checking the weather in the capital, she went to pack her luggage.
The initial training would last nearly two months. The next day, Lin Mei took Xiao Fang to Shuangmu and introduced her to the finance department. "I will be going to the capital for two months of training. If anyone has any matters, you can liaise with Xiao Fang. If Xiao Fang cannot handle something, she will email me."
Zhuang Wan happened to be at the finance department for business. Upon hearing this, he went to report to Xing Zheng. He placed the documents on the desk and said to Xing Zheng, "I just went to the finance department and encountered Manager Lin."
Xing Zheng seemed indifferent but did not stop him from speaking. Zhuang Wan guessed that he wanted to hear more. "Manager Lin will be attending Guanghua Academy's emBA course and will be staying there for two months this time."
"The capital?" Xing Zheng recalled something, his gaze flickering. "When are you leaving?"
Zhuang Wan: "I heard she's leaving this weekend."
Xing Zheng: "Book me a flight ticket to the capital for next Monday. You know what to say if anyone asks."
Zhuang Wan understood immediately and went to handle Xing Zheng's request. It seemed Xing Zheng still had feelings for Lin Mei. His recent coldness, coupled with his public displays of affection with Jiang Chu Bi, might have been to provoke Lin Mei. It turned out that Mr. Xing played such little games in relationships.
Before departing for training on the weekend, Lin Mei met up with Lan Lan and Feng Feng for half a day and also visited Xie Qin Jia, informing her about the training trip.
The next day, Lan Lan and Feng Feng accompanied Lin Mei to the airport.
Lin Mei's accommodation in the capital was a hotel apartment arranged by the bank. The conditions were quite good, located next to the school. Each person had their own room, about twenty square meters, with a small kitchenette where one could prepare simple breakfasts. However, the spring in the capital was extremely dry. After one night, Lin Mei's throat became inflamed, and she even had a nosebleed in the morning.
After attending classes at the school, Lin Mei went to a nearby store and bought a humidifier. With its help, the night was much better than the previous one. Despite this, Lin Mei still caught a severe cold due to the change of season and climate, developing a high fever of thirty-nine degrees Celsius and tonsillitis, making it painful to even open her mouth.
Lin Mei wore a mask to class. After class, she felt groggy and headed back to her accommodation, her head swimming. As she entered the elevator, she bumped into someone. The impact jolted her awake for a moment. She looked up to apologize, only to see a familiar face. The man was wearing a black trench coat, unbuttoned, revealing a gray sweater underneath.
"You..." She moved her lips, but the sound that emerged was incredibly hoarse, and her throat ached with every word.
The man opposite her frowned. "Are you sick?"
Before she could answer, the man placed his palm on her forehead. The burning heat made his frown deepen. The elevator stopped, and he held her as they stepped out. "To your room."
Lin Mei felt weak, her mind clouded. Unable to push him away, she led him to her room. Xing Zheng surveyed the surroundings and found the leftover fever reducers and anti-inflammatory drugs on the table. At her current level of illness, these medications were far from enough. "Have you seen a doctor?"
Lin Mei shook her head. She didn't want to take leave and planned to see a doctor over the weekend. She said to Xing Zheng in her hoarse voice, "I need to rest. You should go."
Not feeling well, she naturally had no energy to argue with him as she usually would, nor the inclination to delve into how he knew she was here. Lin Mei's eyelids felt heavy. After speaking, her vision went black, and she nearly collapsed, finally falling into Xing Zheng's arms. She struggled to open her eyes, lacking the strength to speak, her head resting on the man's chest. Before she lost consciousness, she smelled the familiar scent of cypress from the man's body.
When Lin Mei woke up again, it was already dark. She instinctively tried to move, but a voice stopped her. "Don't move erratically."
The next moment, the room lights were turned on. She looked around and found herself in a completely unfamiliar environment. Although she had an IV drip, this was not a hospital but an apartment. She was in the bedroom...
"Where is this?" Lin Mei asked, her voice rough with the pain in her throat.
"Sheng Lan Xing He," he replied, naming the complex. Lin Mei remembered this was a new residential area not far from Kyoto University, which she had read about in the news, with astonishingly high prices. It turned out Xing Zheng also owned property in the capital.
"You will stay here from now on, and a doctor will come to give you infusions," he arranged her life without room for argument. "I've already had your belongings moved here."
Lin Mei did not understand his intentions. "Why?"
"It's very simple. I'm here in the capital to handle some work and I need someone to sleep with. Since you're free, I don't need to pay anyone else." He touched her forehead, testing her temperature. "So, you'd better get better quickly. I'm not interested in sickly people."
Lin Mei wanted to curse him. What did he mean by "free"? He was becoming increasingly adept at humiliating her. Unfortunately, she was unwell and her throat hurt, preventing her from uttering any curses.
The man in front of her seemed to sense her anger and gave a mocking smile before leaving. About ten minutes later, the door was pushed open again. Xing Zheng walked in, carrying a bowl of steaming white porridge.
He helped Lin Mei sit up, scooped a spoonful of porridge, and brought it to her lips. Lin Mei froze. Before she could react, she heard him urge, "Open your mouth."
"I'll do it myself..." She tried to use her hand that was not receiving the IV to drink the porridge.
"Do you want me to feed you in a different way?" he looked at her lips displeasedly.
Lin Mei immediately understood his meaning and no longer resisted, drinking the white porridge he personally fed her. When sick, she only had an appetite for bland food like this. After finishing the bowl, the IV drip was almost done.
Xing Zheng called the doctor to remove the needle, and Lin Mei soon fell asleep again.
She slept soundly that night. When she woke up the next morning, she realized she had been sleeping with her head on Xing Zheng's arm, held in his embrace. Her leg was draped over his thigh, entwined as if he were a bolster.
Annoyed and flustered, she tried to pull her leg away, but the man suddenly woke up and held her leg down. "Burning the bridge after crossing it? Hmm? I saw you snuggling up to me quite happily last night."
He leaned down, intending to kiss her lips, but she turned her head away. "I have a cold."
As she spoke, she realized her throat had improved considerably. The man in front of her flipped over and pinned her down. "I'm not afraid of contagion."