Chapter 76: The Master of Flirting's Rescue Plan

On the ground floor, Pei Xi caught sight of Lin Zhiwei casually leaning against a motorcycle and couldn’t help but rub his eyes, afraid he was seeing things. Though he was already quite familiar with her appearance in men’s clothes, this black-leather-clad biker boy still sent a tremor through his heart—Director Lin was truly a master of transformation.

It seemed Nan Yu’s reply that afternoon had been spot on; Director Lin certainly had a wide range of interests.

“Director Lin, you can park the bike here. Come upstairs and rest for a bit—I ordered some Western food from Fang’s, it’ll be delivered soon,” Pei Xi said, gesturing invitingly.

“All right,” Lin Zhiwei replied cheerfully, adopting an easy composure—since she was here, she might as well make herself at home. “By the way, does your boss know I went racing?”

“He… doesn’t know yet.” Pei Xi laughed awkwardly—they’d been on the road so long, he hadn’t had time to report in.

Lin Zhiwei nodded; so, he was entirely in the dark. She let out a long breath of relief.

At the reception, Mingli watched as Pei Xi respectfully led a young man inside, craning her neck to get a better look. The figure was undoubtedly handsome—a slim build in a black leather biker jacket, short messy black hair. Could he be a rising star from the entertainment industry?

But as he drew closer… well, his looks were rather ordinary. Instantly, she lost interest and returned dejectedly to her paperwork.

“Mingli, this is Director Lin from the boss’s studio. In the future, whenever he comes, there’s no need to check in,” Pei Xi instructed.

Mingli jumped up, instantly attentive. “Yes, Chief Pei. Hello, Director Lin.” Yet her gaze couldn’t help drifting back to the man—so this was the studio director the company account had announced? She’d thought he might be quite dashing, but it turned out he was just an average biker kid.

“Hello. I didn’t bring a gift for our first meeting, beautiful, but I’ll make it up to you next time. Here, this rose is for you,” Lin Zhiwei said, winking playfully as she pulled a delicate rose from her jacket.

Fortunately, she’d won the race earlier, and her devoted fans had prepared roses—just perfect to charm a pretty girl now.

Mingli froze, mechanically accepting the flower. Director Lin’s voice was so magnetic, and every gesture seemed to tug at her heartstrings. Though he wasn’t especially handsome, he was absolutely mesmerizing—especially those eyes. The way he produced that rose was simply enchanting. Her heart was aflutter!

“Director Lin, let’s go,” Pei Xi coughed lightly, quickly interrupting Lin Zhiwei’s flirtatious display.

Miss Weiwei, he thought, you’re a master at flirting with girls, yet totally clueless when it comes to men—truly baffling.

Lin Zhiwei smiled faintly. “See you upstairs, beautiful.”

“Y-yes…” Mingli replied, suddenly nervous.

Pei Xi brought Lin Zhiwei to Ling Ziheng’s office on the top floor for a rest. The room was spacious, the view spectacular, but it felt empty—clearly, Ling Ziheng didn’t often come here.

Lin Zhiwei folded her arms and glanced around, then asked, “Did one of his rivals make a move? Is that why someone who rarely comes to the company is suddenly so tense?”

Pei Xi marveled at her keen insight. “Yes. There’s pressure from Country A, and Ling Corp’s stocks are fluctuating here in China. A few big deals have already been lost. The young master was prepared, but even so, he’s had to step up defenses in advance.”

Lin Zhiwei nodded. “Go on with your work. Ask him to come for dinner later—you don’t need to entertain me. I’ll amuse myself here.”

Pei Xi nodded and closed the door behind him.

Lin Zhiwei gazed out through the floor-to-ceiling windows at a world ablaze with lights—the most dazzling night view in S City, ribbons of car lights streaming endlessly below, all so clear from this height.

Yet she felt uncommonly weary. Perhaps she ought to thank Chu Chuo for breaking her out of the spiraling vortex of her own thoughts.

That black hole had nearly swallowed her whole: so dark, so cold, the air thick with blood, utterly lifeless. The emotions that had surged up in that moment were so intense, it felt as if a beast within her had quietly awakened.

It was a sensation she’d never experienced before—a feeling that terrified her.

Pei Xi crept into the conference room, where, to accommodate the time difference with Country M, a joint video meeting was underway. Ling Ziheng, face grave, pen in hand, switched effortlessly between Chinese, English, and Italian as he conducted business.

Standing beside him, Pei Xi reported softly, “Young master, Director Lin is here, waiting in the top floor office.”

Ling Ziheng seemed to come to himself, his expression finally easing a little. “I see.”

Pei Xi returned to his seat, responding to the desperate looks from his colleagues with a calm expression. The team’s spirits lifted—looked like they wouldn’t have to pull an all-nighter after all. What a relief! When the boss’s relentless overtime mode kicked in, it was like a runaway train. It had been exhausting enough just watching him on video before—now, with him here in person, they feared they’d need resuscitation.

Half an hour later, Ling Ziheng called the meeting to a halt. The team felt as if they’d been granted a reprieve, quickly gathering their things and leaving the conference room one by one. Even the executives on the other side of the video call in Country M let out a collective sigh of relief.

Ling Ziheng asked, “Pei Xi, has she eaten?”

“Not yet. Director Lin just… just got back from racing,” Pei Xi stammered, deciding it was best to tell the truth.

Ling Ziheng narrowed his eyes, his face frosting over.

Seeing the change in his master’s expression, Pei Xi quickly added, “Director Lin used to spend time with the Lady of the Manor in the national racing team—she’s actually her personal disciple.”

Ling Ziheng shot him a glance. Hmph, that was quick—now even his own people were making excuses on her behalf.

Pei Xi fell silent, keeping his head down as he followed behind.

“Show me the footage,” Ling Ziheng ordered in a cold voice.

With trembling hands, Pei Xi brought up the live video feed.