Chapter 120: Craving Thrills?

After finishing their work meal, Wang Zheng and Liao Tong returned to the news department. There were ten minutes left before the official broadcast, which was nothing for Liao Tong, who was already accustomed to the routine. Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion; the long-term collaboration had fostered a tacit understanding and a set rhythm among the staff.

Wang Zheng ignored Bai Bing’s sullen face and sat in a corner, quietly watching Liao Tong as she entered her work mode, while waiting for Su Xue and Chu Jun.

A woman becomes truly beautiful when she is focused. If you look closely, you can even discern a silver radiance about her. It is alluring and captivating, possessing a magnetic quality that makes one unable to look away.

When one is truly absorbed in a task, time passes quickly; the same is true when observing a beautiful woman. Wang Zheng was lost in thought when Su Xue and Chu Jun appeared beside him before he realized it. He checked the time; it was nearly seven o'clock.

"Brother, stop daydreaming! Let's go home!" Su Xue shook Wang Zheng’s arm vigorously and pulled him toward the exit. Wang Zheng bid farewell to Liao Tong and left the television station.

On the way home, Wang Zheng took the wheel. Perhaps because the station work had been so busy lately—juggling news anchoring and field reporting—Su Xue and Chu Jun had lost their usual excitement for speeding. They sat in the back, listless and eyes closed, appearing completely exhausted.

"Liao Tong seems to get off work much later than you two every day," Wang Zheng remarked casually.

"Yeah, Sister Liao is the most overworked person in the news group. She often has to interview city officials, and every day she has to collect and organize a massive amount of copy, then filter it—it's just incredibly busy. It’s common for her to work at the station until nine in the evening. I asked her about it once, and she said she lives alone, so rather than sitting in an empty home, she’d rather spend the time working," Su Xue replied, sounding drained.

Hearing this, an image of Liao Tong’s focused and earnest expression while working gradually surfaced in Wang Zheng’s mind. Su Xue and Chu Jun were already exhausted just from hosting and reporting, yet Liao Tong also had to organize, edit, and filter the scripts. It was truly difficult for a woman to work so desperately hard.

Wang Zheng glanced into the rearview mirror. He had another question in mind, but seeing the two women huddled together in the back seat, he dismissed the thought. Better to let them rest.

"What are you plotting with Liao Tong again?" Bai Bing, who had been silent until now, finally couldn't help but speak up. At the station, she had been pestering Wang Zheng, wanting to know exactly what he had said to Liao Tong. Wang Zheng had refused to tell her, which infuriated her and made her vow never to care about his business again. She had told herself more than once not to talk to him, but in the end, she couldn't resist asking.

Only now did Bai Bing realize why she was so curious about Wang Zheng’s affairs, especially when she saw him with other women—she felt a burning urge to stick close and listen openly.

Wang Zheng was long accustomed to Bai Bing’s intermittent interrogations and had learned how to deal with them: he simply smiled and remained silent.

Upon arriving home, Su Xue and Chu Jun dragged their tired bodies to their respective rooms and collapsed onto their beds, not wanting to get up again. Without the two of them, the house became much quieter. Wang Zheng turned off the boring television and sprawled out on the floor, looking at the moon through the balcony door.

"The moon is so round tonight."

Bai Bing looked at Wang Zheng, puzzled. She found him increasingly unfathomable.

Although it was only nine o'clock, in such a quiet night, the absence of chatter and banter made the house feel suddenly cold and desolate. To Bai Bing, who was used to the noise, this was uncomfortable and strangely oppressive.

"Enjoy your moon gazing then; I’m going to sleep!" Bai Bing told Wang Zheng before retreating to her room.

They say sleepiness is contagious; when you see someone yawning, you want to yawn too, and when you see others sleeping, a sense of drowsiness naturally wells up from deep within.

Quiet! The silver moonlight shone through the glass onto the floor, like a thin veil spread out, looking exceptionally serene. But... what about the man lying on the floor?

A white Maserati Quattroporte sped through the summer night streets. Although there were still many cars on the road, it did not affect the Maserati’s speed. The car handled maneuvers with ease, even drifting through turns, leaving the surrounding drivers in a cold sweat.

Who is that? Are they tired of living?

"Screech." The car pulled to a stop outside the entrance of the Jinghua Television Center. A woman who had been waiting for some time saw the Maserati, smiled faintly, and walked toward it. As she approached, the door opened automatically; she got in, closed it, and the car vanished into the night once more.

"Didn't you take Su Xue home? Why did you come back?" Liao Tong asked the man driving beside her. Her face wore its usual elegant, faint smile, and her eyes sparkled—it was clear she was very happy.

"Weren't you waiting for me?" Wang Zheng countered.

"Of course not. I just happened to be finishing work."

Wang Zheng chuckled, turned his head to look at the woman in the passenger seat, and said, "Is that so? I suppose I was just being conceited."

As he spoke, Wang Zheng reached out his right hand and pulled Liao Tong firmly by the shoulder. Before she could react, he had pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips fiercely.

"Mm... the car...! Hmph." Liao Tong struggled briefly, then began to respond deeply to Wang Zheng, like two long-separated lovers reunited. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other clutching the beauty, he turned his head to kiss her passionately. One must realize the car was still moving forward at speed; Wang Zheng didn't even look at the road. Such a death-defying way of driving was perhaps something only Wang Zheng would do.

But who else could understand this kind of thrill? Wandering between heaven and hell, every moment was enjoyable, yet every moment was fraught with danger. Playing with passion amidst the thrill—this was Wang Zheng’s way of conquering a woman who appeared to live a dull, monotonous life centered entirely on work.

For a woman like her, this kind of stimulation was enough to conquer her in a single stroke.

The kiss lasted a full half-minute. After they parted, they shared a knowing smile, and Wang Zheng turned his head back to watch the road.

Wang Zheng had long sensed that one day Liao Tong would offer herself to him. That day had come, though sooner than he had expected. Perhaps it was this tacit understanding that played the key role.

The understanding between clever people can also be interpreted as fate. Why did Wang Zheng drive to the station that night? Why did Liao Tong stand at the entrance instead of going home? No need for many words; a single glance or gesture was enough to sense what the other was about to do.

But was all of this real?

The car stopped outside a bar. After getting out, Liao Tong naturally took Wang Zheng’s arm and walked inside. The soft sound of an acoustic guitar, the dim lighting, and pairs of whispering couples made the atmosphere exceptionally intimate. This was the very bar where the twin assassin sisters had once worked, and where Zhao Yi had begun his journey to the afterlife.

Wang Zheng and Liao Tong sat down, ordered a bottle of red wine, and began to drink together.

"I heard from Xiao Xue that Lin Xuan from the entertainment department was poached by your company?" Liao Tong asked casually, taking a light sip of wine.

"It’s not my company; it’s a friend’s company," Wang Zheng replied coolly. His right hand kept swirling the glass, letting the wine breathe to make the flavor richer and more mellow.

"Come to think of it, Lin Xuan was the head of the entertainment group. It’s hard to believe she would go to another company to do something other than hosting."

"Is that so?" Wang Zheng chuckled, becoming less talkative now.

Seeing Wang Zheng suddenly become somewhat indifferent, as if all his attention were focused on the wine in his hand—could it be that he liked red wine?—a glint flashed in Liao Tong’s eyes. However, because the bar was dimly lit, no one noticed. She mimicked Wang Zheng by swirling her glass and said, "I have a question, and I hope you can give me an answer."

"Go ahead."

"Zhao Yi is dead."

"Is he? But that’s a statement, not a question."

"If I recall correctly, you once said in front of Station Manager Chu that you owed him a favor, and you wanted to repay it, including making Zhao Yi disappear...! Originally, I knew nothing, but after seeing the expressions of Su Xue and Chu Jun on Saturday... I felt this matter must have something to do with you." Liao Tong looked at Wang Zheng and smiled. "I know it must have been you who instigated it. Don't worry, I won't report you."

As she spoke, Liao Tong stood up, sat beside Wang Zheng, and rested her head on his shoulder. She leaned toward his ear and whispered in an intimate tone, "I just like men like you because you bring fun to my boring life. I don't mind if my man is a murderer or anything else, as long as you can bring me excitement. I am completely sick of my old life!"