Zhuang Qiting. Zhuang Qiting? Isn’t that the name that’s been showing up in the newspapers all the time lately…
Li Yaru stared blankly at the tall, handsome man in front of her. Seeing that she hadn’t spoken for a while, he nodded politely and, under the escort of his bodyguards, left the hall.
Then, a middle-aged man dressed in a Housekeeper’s uniform smiled warmly and invited her to wait in the lounge for a while.
Li Yaru didn’t say a word the entire way, her mind tangled with a thousand thoughts.
She entered the quiet, comfortable lounge, and the middle-aged man asked what she’d like to drink or eat.
“This hotel’s Rose Cheese Cake is quite good, and it goes well with English Black Tea without being too rich. Would you like a serving, Miss?”
“Have we met before?” Li Yaru suddenly realized that the middle-aged man in front of her looked a bit familiar.
Li Guanjia smiled appropriately and answered flawlessly, “Perhaps I just have a common face, so Miss finds me familiar.”
Li Yaru laughed awkwardly, letting out a silly chuckle or two, then hesitated before asking, “Is your Boss that Mr. Zhuang?” After she spoke, she realized she hadn’t made herself clear. “No, no, I mean, is Mr. Zhuang the big Boss of Shenghui Bank?”
Li Guanjia replied, “Shenghui Bank doesn’t belong to my young master.”
Li Yaru was about to be disappointed, when she heard him add, “It is the family business of the young master, but he hasn’t fully taken over the bank’s operations yet.”
Li Yaru took a deep breath. She realized she’d hit the jackpot! That Zhong Xiansheng was just a branch vice president, but this Mr. Zhuang was the real, ultimate Boss! He had so much money it was practically rotting away!
Li Yaru couldn’t hide her delight, but along with her joy came fear, and with fear, a sudden clarity.
For such a big shot to agree to give five minutes to a stranger who just popped up out of nowhere, it couldn’t possibly be out of kindness.
Besides, from his looks to his aura, this was not a man who did a good deed every day.
She wasn’t that naïve or innocent.
After the cake and tea were served, Li Guanjia quietly left the lounge as well.
An hour passed in anxious waiting until the door handle was pressed down again, and Li Yaru looked over nervously.
All the bodyguards stayed outside. The man came in alone, walking quickly and bringing with him a strong gust of air, disturbing the peace of the lounge.
He’d changed into a new shirt, switching from white to a deep black, and draped his jacket over his arm. He looked as if he’d just finished work.
Li Yaru quickly stood up, her heart pounding. She put on a beautiful smile. “Mr. Zhuang, hello.”
Zhuang Qiting nodded at her. “Sit, Miss Li.”
Li Yaru waited for Zhuang Qiting to sit before she did, smoothing her skirt like a lady, then nervously touching her hair.
Zhuang Qiting noticed her fidgeting and curled his lips into a slight smile. He sat in a relaxed posture and got straight to the point. “If there’s anything urgent, Miss Li can say it now.”
Li Yaru took the House Deed out of her bag. “Mr. Zhuang, I know this is abrupt, but stopping you like this was really my last resort. I want to apply for a Loan from your bank. Here’s the House Deed. Please take a look. This house was bought for 1.1 million four years ago. The land price has soared since then, and the house has appreciated a lot! I… I want to borrow 1.5 million… I hope you can make an exception.”
Zhuang Qiting glanced at the House Deed. “What is the purpose of the Loan?”
A year ago, his assistant had already compiled a thorough background check on Li Yaru’s family situation.
They weren’t wealthy, but they never lacked for food or clothing— comfortable middle class.
They ran a thriving seafood restaurant.
By all appearances, this wasn’t a family so desperate for money that they’d need to mortgage their house.
“My family owes a sum of money and needs to pay it back urgently, so the only way is to use the house as collateral.” Li Yaru glossed over the details and didn’t want to waste a second. “Mr. Zhuang, I promise to pay it back within two years. Our restaurant business is really good, we definitely have the ability to repay the Loan. I beg you to make an exception and see if you can release the funds before the day after tomorrow… The Interest Rate can be calculated according to your bank’s highest rate. I promise not to miss a single cent, please…”
Even the highest legal bank Interest Rate was better than the High-Interest Loan from an Underground Bank, and at least it was safe— no risk of unreasonable, predatory demands.
She pleaded over and over, pitiful to the extreme. Zhuang Qiting didn’t interrupt her, just lit a cigarette and listened quietly, his face hidden behind a haze of smoke, making him seem even more inscrutable.
“I’m begging you…”
“Miss Li.” Zhuang Qiting’s voice was deep and cool. “Who do you owe money to?”
For her to need money so urgently, the creditor was probably no good person— otherwise she wouldn’t be forced into such a corner. The last time he’d seen her, she’d proudly refused his flowers.
Li Yaru bit her lip with difficulty. “…Hei Shehui.”
“Hei Shehui?”
She nodded, putting on a pitiful expression. “So please help me! If I can’t pay back the money the day after tomorrow, I’ll have no choice but to act in a Third-Rate Film…”
“Third-Rate Film?” Zhuang Qiting’s brow furrowed, his sharp eyes turning cold. “Those people dare to threaten you into acting in a Third-Rate Film?”
“Mm… It’s really miserable…” Her pretty eyes, usually lively, now drooped. Just thinking about it was a nightmare, and she wasn’t even pretending— she really was miserable!
Li Yaru put on the look of a bullied little Housewife and started showering the man with flattery. “You’re the famous Boss, a true Philanthropist, a Great Person, a Great Bodhisattva. Surely you can’t bear to see such a tragedy of forcing a good woman into prostitution happen right under your nose.”
Zhuang Qiting chuckled, the first time he’d heard such unique flattery.
He was no Philanthropist, nor a Bodhisattva, but he did realize he’d been careless— he should’ve checked on her sooner, not just once a month, and maybe she wouldn’t have ended up in such a predicament.
He’d originally wanted to wait for her to grow up, but now Zhuang Qiting realized, he still had to step in.
“Miss Li.”
Li Yaru’s heart was pounding with nerves. Why wasn’t he saying anything? As soon as he suddenly called her, she immediately raised her face, eyes moist.
Zhuang Qiting stubbed out his cigarette, the smoke dispersing, revealing his chiseled, far-from-kind face, though his tone was gentle. “
“Could you…” she explained, aggrieved.
“But I can give it to you personally.”
Li Yaru’s eyes instantly lit up, her fingers nervously clutching her skirt. She knew the sentence wasn’t finished— there were conditions.
“It’s just that this House Deed means nothing to me.” His long fingers pressed on the deed, slowly pushing it over as he spoke unhurriedly. “If Miss Li is willing to come to my side, from now on, your matters will be my matters.”
Li Yaru’s breathing grew rapid. She’d expected him to set such a condition, but hearing him say it so directly still left her flustered. “You want me to be your… mistress…”
Zhuang Qiting frowned. Mistress, in his eyes, was a word for women involved with older, married men. He was only twenty-four; what would he do with a mistress?
“Why do you say that?”
“Won’t your wife be angry?” Li Yaru pursed her rosy lips.
“I’m unmarried, Miss Li.”
Li Yaru was surprised. “You’re already thirty and still not married?”
Zhuang Qiting was silent for a moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing before he said coldly, “I’m twenty-four this year.”
“…………”
Li Yaru instinctively widened her eyes, her gaze rolling over him carefully. Only twenty-four? That was far too mature!
Honestly, the man didn’t look old— just mature. It was his aura that was so steady and imposing; he looked at least twenty-eight or twenty-nine, maybe even thirty.
“Miss Li, do I look old?” Zhuang Qiting smiled, accepting her complicated scrutiny.
“No, no, no.” Li Yaru felt a chill and hurriedly waved her hands, flattering with a smile, “It’s just that your aura is so outstanding, and you’re so accomplished in your career, powerful and influential, always associating with big shots. I can’t imagine a man who’s achieved so much being this young— it’s just my lack of experience and poor judgment!”
Zhuang Qiting tugged at the corners of his mouth, casting her a mocking glance.
This little mouth could really talk, but she was too clever for her own good— she didn’t look like the obedient, well-behaved type.
No matter. He’d teach her slowly in the days to come.
He enjoyed the process of shaping something, and he had plenty of time and energy.
Such a little thing—within a year or two, he’d mold her inside and out, mind and body, to belong to him alone.
“My proposal— have you considered it?” Zhuang Qiting shifted to an even more relaxed posture.
What was there for Li Yaru to consider? Could she say no? Anything was better than acting in a Third-Rate Film!
Besides, with a big shot backing her up, why would she worry about those punks causing trouble?