Chapter Forty-Six: Zhuang Qing’s Invitation

In the reception room.

"Xiao'e, is your client President Zhou's younger brother?"

As soon as Wei Lin and Zhou Rong left, and Huang Ting went to fetch coffee, Wu Chunmei stuck out her tongue before daring to speak. "No wait, he told President Zhou that you're his friend!"

The other beauty consultants also looked at Yuan Xiao'e in astonishment.

With a friend like that, why hadn't Yuan Xiao'e mentioned it at all, leaving herself at the mercy of Huang Ting's cold remarks day in and day out?

Not only was their Irina the undisputed leader in Linjiang City, but it had also expanded to surrounding cities, enjoying considerable fame throughout the entire province.

The boss, Zhou Rong, was regarded by all of them as an idol and a spiritual pillar!

Zhou Rong's attitude toward Wei Lin was obviously very affectionate. Since Yuan Xiao'e was friends with him, wouldn't she be soaring high in the company soon?

Completely baffled, Yuan Xiao'e was in a daze as well.

She knew next to nothing about Wei Lin, let alone that he was acquainted with Zhou Rong.

Facing her colleagues' astonished gazes, Yuan Xiao'e felt a surge of elation, yet she deliberately put on a coy and bashful act. "We haven't known each other very long. I didn't know he and President Zhou were acquainted either. He just... has a bit of a crush on me."

"He's courting you?!" Wu Chunmei gasped.

Yuan Xiao'e gave a noncommittal smile, effortlessly tidying up the client profiles on the table, and then picked up an eyebrow pencil to touch up her brows.

"Since President Wei knows President Zhou, we'll waive your penalty fee."

Huang Ting had just returned with the coffee when she overheard Wu Chunmei's exclamation.

She walked over to Yuan Xiao'e's desk, putting on a strictly professional air. "The company has its rules. If you want to romance someone, do it after work. Pay attention to this in the future."

"Oh."

Yuan Xiao'e quickly put down her eyebrow pencil.

"Xiao'e, I'm not targeting you, it's just that your performance hasn't been very good lately." Huang Ting's voice softened considerably.

Yuan Xiao'e hurriedly said, "I know, I'll work harder."

"Keep it up. The reason I'm exceptionally strict with you is precisely because you're the one I have the highest hopes for!" Huang Ting patted her shoulder, picked up a stack of project documents, and left the reception room.

Yuan Xiao'e wore a look of flattered disbelief.

Ever since she joined Irina, this was the first time Supervisor Huang had ever told her that she was the one she had the highest hopes for.

...

On the top floor, in Zhou Rong's spacious and luxurious office.

Wei Lin sat comfortably on the leather sofa, sipping the coffee brought by Supervisor Huang, calling her "Sister" with every other breath, and asked with a grin, "Sister, do you really have some business friends to introduce to me?"

"When have I ever joked with you?"

Zhou Rong, whose original skin tone was concealed beneath a thick layer of foundation, sat opposite Wei Lin with her legs crossed. A translucent, emerald-green Guanyin jade pendant hung beneath her neck as she also held a cup of coffee and said, "I was originally going to wait until my friend arrived before telling you, but who knew you'd sneak into my company to chat up young girls instead."

"No way! Just a regular friend, we only met recently while hiking!" Wei Lin hurriedly denied.

"Alright, alright, a regular friend if you say so."

With a calm smile, Zhou Rong asked about the scale and specific operations of his company, and also chatted about some recent amusing anecdotes involving herself, Zhu Jun, and Zhao Lianyun.

Having too much time on her hands and being in high conversational spirits, she rambled on with Wei Lin, gradually drifting into celebrity gossip.

Wei Lin, whose mind was entirely set on how to deal with Zhang Xun, had no such leisure and casually found an excuse to take his leave.

"Wei Lin, that little girl in my company isn't good enough for you."

Before he left, she earnestly advised him, "Don't take it too seriously."

...

Wei Lin might not have taken Yuan Xiao'e seriously, but Yuan Xiao'e evidently took him very seriously indeed.

Without even saying goodbye to Yuan Xiao'e, Wei Lin had just left Irina, gotten into his car, and prepared to start the ignition when he noticed that his affection points had increased again, rising from 263 to 270.

A glance at the notifications revealed Yuan Xiao'e looking bashful as she told her colleagues that he was pursuing her.

"You really are toxic!"

Wei Lin sighed with a bitter smile, opened the photos on his phone, and looked at the phone number and home address left behind by Zhang Xun.

"The power supply bureau? That makes him a public servant too. Striking at his private life is bound to hit the mark."

Wei Lin had plenty of experience in this regard.

His special trip to Irina was precisely to find out Zhang Xun's occupation, phone number, and other details, while the home address came as an unexpected bonus.

Name, phone number, occupation, home address, and also...

Wei Lin didn't rush to start the car. He carefully recalled the BMW 5 Series that both he and Zhao Yuanqing had noticed while waiting on Orchid Street.

"Jiang K, G860T."

"Damn! I actually remember it!"

"And what the hell kind of divine license plate is that? Was the guy sixty tons heavy? Zhang Xun really has no shame left!"

Wei Lin was startled by his own extraordinary memory and Zhang Xun's license plate.

So much time had passed, and at the time he had merely glanced briefly at the license plate of the BMW 5 Series without paying it any mind at all.

Now, upon careful recollection, he was amazed to find that every scene from the Orchid Street parking lot was so crystal clear!

Not just the license plate.

He could even recall the expressions on the faces of Zhang Xun, Qi Muyang, and Yuan Xiao'e as they sized them up, replaying in his mind like film clips.

Looking back now, he realized that Yuan Xiao'e's gaze back then had remained fixed on the Cayenne and Zhao Yuanqing, barely giving him a second look.

"That vain gold-digger, seeing that I know Zhou Rong, must think I'm a mega-rich second-generation heir just like Zhao Yuanqing. No wonder her affection points surged again."

"My memory!"

It wasn't until today, when he actually encountered a situation that required recalling the past, that Wei Lin truly understood what else the third round of biological evolution had brought him.

Photographic memory!

Things that had happened and images seen by his eyes seemed to be branded deep within his memory, ready to be retrieved whenever he wanted to look them up.

"It could also be due to the meditation I've been practicing frequently lately, but this ability is incredible, even more powerful than physical enhancement."

"What will happen after four rounds?"

Wei Lin's imagination ran wild.

A moment later, he pulled his wandering thoughts back and dialed the phone number of the young punk Yang Zechen.

"Brother Wei, looking for me?" Yang Zechen asked pleasantly.

"Have your dad look someone up for me, focus on his private life. I want to dig up some dirt on him. This guy is a public servant, let's see if he has any stains on him." Still on the call, Wei Lin sent over Zhang Xun's information and said, "His name, workplace, phone number, license plate, and home address have all been sent to you."

"Little Yang, do me a favor, can you get your dad's side to hurry up?" Wei Lin instructed.

"Your business, Brother Wei, is my business, and my dad's business too!" Yang Zechen patted his chest in assurance. Still holding the phone, he shouted, "Dad, we've got work! Stop chasing mistresses and gathering evidence of infidelity for a second, and do some serious work for my good older brother!"

"Chasing mistresses and gathering evidence of infidelity is my serious work!" His old man snorted, asking, "Is the other party's information complete?"

"Exhaustively complete!"

Yang Zechen deliberately let Wei Lin hear him to show how seriously he was taking it. "My good brother is in a rush, hurry up and get on it."

"Got it, stop bloody rushing me!" his old man cursed.

"My mom is your wife! Do you want me to call my mom so she can rush you?" Yang Zechen teased with a mischievous smile.

"Shut the hell up! So annoying, I'm going to look it up right now."

Father and son bickered endlessly.

Wei Lin smiled calmly and hung up the call himself.

"Wei Lin, want to play badminton? Han Ying has something to come up today, so I'm short a hitting partner."

As soon as that matter was settled, Wei Lin, who had intended to temporarily book a lesson to work out, opened his phone and noticed a message from Zhuang Qing.

Ever since their climb up Nanshan Mountain, the two had never contacted each other privately. Today, it was only to inquire about Wang Hongyu's situation that he had proactively sent a message to ask a couple of things.

He hadn't expected Zhuang Qing to suddenly issue a badminton invitation.

Wei Lin figured out instantly that it must be because his sudden mention of Wang Hongyu had piqued Zhuang Qing's curiosity and made her take it to heart, wanting to use the opportunity to find out what was really going on.

"This girl is decent; she's good company."

Pondering for a moment, Wei Lin replied: "Never played, I don't know how."

"No worries, I can teach you," Zhuang Qing replied immediately, obviously waiting for his message. "Seven-thirty tonight, Feiyu Sports Center. Don't bother buying a racket, I have one here for you."

"Okay."

...

Finding a local diner nearby to grab dinner, Wei Lin drove home.

After taking a quick shower, changing into sportswear and a pair of basketball shoes, Wei Lin arrived at the sports center designated by Zhuang Qing ten minutes ahead of the agreed time.

Zhuang Qing had arrived a step early.

Swiping her membership card once more, she took a racket and led Wei Lin inside, heading to the spot where she and Han Ying usually played.

Pairs of eyes tracked her figure, eventually locking onto her completely.

Her tall, graceful figure of one meter seventy-five, combined with jade-clear cheeks, naturally exuded a sense of heroism and nobility.

Standing on the current court, she resembled a swan stranded among a flock of pheasants and toads.

The pheasants were instantly eclipsed, while the toads drooped with greed.

"You really don't know how?"

Zhuang Qing asked across the net.

"Really don't know how!"

Wei Lin held the racket with a look of utter sincerity.

"Come on, try serving."

Zhuang Qing tossed the badminton racket over, signaling Wei Lin to give it a try first and get a feel for it.

Wei Lin stooped to pick up the shuttlecock, tossed it into the air, and then swung the racket hard, smashing it down fiercely.

The shuttlecock flew out diagonally like an arrow, hitting with a "thwack" right against the backside of a woman who had her back to Wei Lin and was squatting down to pick up a stray ball.

"Uh."

"Ah!"

Wei Lin's sheepish chuckle and the woman's startled squeak rang out at the same time.

...

[Author's note: Brothers who happen to have monthly votes, please spare one, I'd be endlessly grateful~]