Chapter Forty-Eight: Everything Within My Grasp!

The house had four bedrooms, two living rooms, and two bathrooms.

One of the bathrooms was spacious, featuring a bathtub and shower as its main attractions, with a toilet as a secondary fixture. This one was usually reserved for Wang Zheng. The other bathroom was slightly smaller, centered around a toilet with an adjoining shower, and was generally used by Bai Bing.

With the arrival of Su Xue and Chu Jun, the once leisurely arrangement of one person per bathroom suddenly became a source of tension. It might have been a coincidence this morning, but Wang Zheng certainly didn’t wish to be the one left waiting outside the bathroom tomorrow.

He had no idea how Bai Bing and Su Xue ultimately resolved the bathroom conundrum, but when he stepped out, Su Xue and Chu Jun had already left, and Bai Bing was standing icily at the bathroom door, running straight into him as he emerged.

“Beau~ti~ful~ lady! Good morning~~!” Wang Zheng greeted her while tying the sash on his bathrobe. He was in an excellent mood, though his words came out a touch indistinctly—the way he pronounced “beautiful lady” sounded more like “magnesium aluminum” or “beautiful donkey.”

“Not good at all~~!” came Bai Bing’s cold reply, and she trailed after Wang Zheng like a haunting spirit, refusing to let go.

Not good? That’s just perfect! Wang Zheng thought to himself. Her being upset was the best news for him.

Back in his room, he got dressed without giving a second thought to Bai Bing, who stood by the door. He didn’t see her as a woman at all. Once he was fully clothed, he noticed she was still staring at him as if he owed her money. As he passed her, he quipped, “Standing here to take care of business?”—in other words, implying she might have wet her pants.

“Drop dead!” Bai Bing snarled, gritting her teeth as she lifted her right foot and aimed a hard kick at Wang Zheng’s backside.

“Smack!” Wang Zheng easily blocked her attack with a light tap of his hand. He might not be a match for this woman in a battle of wits, but when it came to a physical scuffle, Wang Zheng considered himself several levels above her.

“Enough fooling around, or we’ll be late for work!”

Wang Zheng didn’t take Bai Bing’s anger seriously. For him at this moment, getting to work on time mattered more than anything else—after all, he’d get to squeeze into the elevator again.

He hummed to himself, sometimes singing, sometimes whistling, sometimes quietly muttering. Wang Zheng was in high spirits, perhaps even excessively so. He sauntered along, shaking his head and waggling like a big bad wolf surrounded by sheep, utterly delighted.

In stark contrast was Bai Bing, walking a meter behind him. As an ancient sage once said: Bai Bing’s heart and her appearance were two extremes—her heart was fiercely passionate, lively, mischievous, but her exterior was icy cold. Unless she smiled of her own accord, even her neutral expression was like a blizzard in Antarctica, enough to freeze your jaw off. As for which sage… well, it was none other than the mischievous, crafty Wang Zheng himself!

At this moment, Bai Bing’s face was frosty, her eyes brimming with silent fury and hatred—a chill so penetrating that a single glance from her could freeze your very soul and make you cough up blood.

Wang Zheng displayed the sunny side of masculinity, while Bai Bing embodied darkness and cold. Being near Wang Zheng felt like basking in warmth; being near Bai Bing was to be gnawed by icy winds. The pair, a striking man and a beautiful woman, were so contrasting that merely watching them together was like braving a world of fire and ice, as if a grand drama was about to unfold.

Eastern sunlight versus Western shadow.

Alas, these two martial arts masters had reached the pinnacle of their craft—fighting with invisible energy. How could the uninitiated, those who hadn’t even read past the second page of the “Three Character Classic,” ever hope to understand their contest? All that remained for the onlookers was endless disappointment and wild speculation.

“By the way!” Wang Zheng suddenly stopped at the base of the Yong’an Building and said to Bai Bing behind him, “Yesterday after work, didn’t you ask why I liked Lin Xiaolei?”

Bai Bing was taken aback, her anger evaporating for a moment. She didn’t quite understand why Wang Zheng brought this up now, but she was genuinely curious about the answer.

“Yes!” Bai Bing nodded eagerly, her expression full of anticipation as she gazed at Wang Zheng. She thought that to understand Wang Zheng, she’d have to start with his gossip.

“Well... I like you too!” Wang Zheng’s earnest expression suddenly shifted into a broad grin. “Especially when you’re angry. That’s when I like you the most. Come on! Get mad for me!”

Bai Bing had been fuming all the way here, which, as it turned out, was precisely why Wang Zheng was so happy. The real culprit behind Wang Zheng’s good mood was none other than her!

As soon as Wang Zheng finished speaking, a torrent of resentment erupted from Bai Bing, swirling not only around her but also enveloping Wang Zheng.

Earlier, when she saw Wang Zheng’s serious face, she thought he was being sincere. But now… Bai Bing, oh Bai Bing, you really are a fool! She couldn’t take his teasing anymore—her face turned from pink to white, from white to purple, from purple to blue, and blue to black… the look of someone whose inner universe was on the verge of explosion.

“You scoundrel! You’re asking for it—take this!” She unleashed a flurry of blows like a storm upon Wang Zheng!

But Wang Zheng had already slipped inside the Yong’an Building.

Playing tricks took talent; being tricked was a matter of fate. In any case, making her angry gave him a real sense of accomplishment. She truly was a woman who was satisfying to tease.

Having tormented Bai Bing early in the morning, Wang Zheng felt he had already completed today’s tasks ahead of schedule. It seemed this would be another joyful day!

When Wang Zheng and Bai Bing arrived at the office, Lin Xiaolei was on the phone. As soon as she saw Wang Zheng, she exchanged a few brief words and hung up, then hurried over, her tone excited and her expression animated: “I just got a call from a buyer in America asking about our tea prices!”

“Really? That’s faster than I expected!” Wang Zheng smiled. “What did you tell them?”

“I quoted them the price we agreed on beforehand. I also called Manager Huang, who had dinner with that American buyer last night and was asked the same thing. Manager Huang gave them the same price we discussed. Everything’s going according to your plan!”

“Then what are we waiting for? Start hiring people right away. If outsiders find out you’re a one-woman show, even a cooked duck might fly away!” It was the first time Wang Zheng had seen Lin Xiaolei so excited. Her lips curled up in a crescent smile, her brows radiating a spirit that made her look vibrant and energetic—completely different from the sad, gloomy, and defeated woman she’d been before.

“Really?” Bai Bing frowned slightly, then turned to Wang Zheng, squinting. “I didn’t think your so-called fortune-telling would actually pan out.”

“I never fight battles I’m not sure of!” Wang Zheng replied with a smile. He allowed himself a bit of pride. Wait—since when did I, Wang Zheng, get proud over such a small matter?

“Don’t get too cocky yet. What if the other three companies back out? Your plan depends on their cooperation. If they don’t play along, you’re the one who’ll take the loss!” Bai Bing, seeing Wang Zheng’s smugness, felt a strong urge to knock him down a peg.

“I already said, my plan is to save the entire Jinghua tea export business, not just one company. If any of them pretends to cooperate but secretly undercuts the price, that company will soon be squeezed out. Maybe they’ll make money this year, but next year, and the years after… they can forget about steady profits. Any businessman should understand the pros and cons.” Wang Zheng smiled.

Of course, that was just for Bai Bing and Lin Xiaolei’s benefit. If someone really intended to go it alone, make a fortune this year, and disappear the next… well, the ‘gods’ would see to their punishment!

The chance of that happening was only one percent. As competent business people, they should know that what mattered most now was not just their own tea exports, but the entire tea export market of Jinghua. Only by making the whole market thrive would they all profit more. Moreover, Wang Zheng had already shown them Zhongtian Import & Export’s strength—they had no reason to refuse cooperation!

You could say: everything was within Wang Zheng’s grasp!