Ning Bingyu took a deep breath to suppress his anger and sneered, "Then in the future, I'll have to ask Assistant Chu to make more contributions so I can promote you and give you a raise, right?"
Chu Hongyu understood; this was a sarcastic, reverse threat—why wouldn't she get a promotion and a raise?
Just as she was about to say something, a gust of wind swept past from behind, and a drunken man rode a wobbly old-fashioned bicycle towards her.
Ning Bingyu reacted quickly, pulling Chu Hongyu into his arms.
Chu Hongyu exclaimed in surprise, and before she could react, she bumped into a strong embrace.
A warm, masculine scent enveloped her, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of cigars mixed with cologne—surprisingly pleasant.
"Can't you watch where you're riding your bike?!" Ning Bingyu glared angrily at the drunk man swaying as he rode his bike.
She rubbed her nose, which had been hurt by Ning Bingyu's chin, her face flushed red: "Ugh..."
"Are you alright?" Ning Bingyu's deep voice sounded above her head, with a hint of barely perceptible concern in his tone.
At such close proximity, the mature man's warm breath brushed against her skin, sending shivers down her spine.
It involuntarily reminded her of that night when Ning Bingyu, drunk, held her tightly like this, his passionate kiss landing on her lips…
"N-nothing..." Chu Hongyu came to her senses and quickly pushed Ning Bingyu away.
She awkwardly straightened her hair, trying to hide her embarrassment: "Thank you."
"Be more careful next time." Ning Bingyu released his hand, his tone returning to its usual coldness.
Just as Chu Hongyu was about to reply, she heard a gentle voice behind her: "Brother Yu..."
She turned around and saw Cha Meiling standing not far away, holding a small leather bag in her hand, with a just-right look of surprise and worry on her face.
Chu Hongyu's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously wanted to stand further away from Ning Bingyu.
However, Ning Bingyu acted as if he hadn't seen Cha Meiling at all. Instead, he reached out and pulled Chu Hongyu behind him, frowning in displeasure.
"Why are you standing in the middle of the road again? You're so reckless. What if you get injured? It won't be considered a work-related injury. The company won't reimburse your medical expenses."
Cha Meiling's face stiffened. She had just witnessed Ning Bingyu pulling Chu Hongyu back, and for some reason, she felt an unusual pang of sadness in her heart.
Ning Bingyu had never been so close to other women in front of her before, let alone made such intimate gestures.
Cha Meiling took a deep breath and quickly composed herself.
A polite smile returned to her face, and she said softly, "Brother Yu, there's something I'd like to talk to you about privately."
Seeing this, Chu Hongyu immediately understood. She subtly stepped out from behind Ning Bingyu and said with a smile, "Young Master, I'll go in first."
After saying that, she turned around and quickly walked into the restaurant, leaving Ning Bingyu and Cha Meiling standing there.
Ning Bingyu frowned slightly, somewhat displeased. He looked at Cha Meiling and said in a flat tone, "Why did you come out?"
Cha Meiling looked at Ning Bingyu, hesitant to speak, her eyes filled with a complex emotion. She opened her mouth, as if wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin: "I..."
"What do you want to say, Sixth Sister?" Ning Bingyu took out a cigarette and lit it. Behind his glasses, his deep peach blossom eyes were indifferent, as if he were treating an ordinary friend.
Cha Meiling bit her lower lip, hesitated, and finally spoke sadly, "Brother Yu, I know you're still angry with me, and I know I wronged you and the Ning family back then..."
"You know that much," Ning Bingyu interrupted her coldly, his tone devoid of any warmth.
Smoke swirled between the two, blurring Cha Meiling's stunningly beautiful face, a picture of worldly wealth and elegance.
Cha Meiling froze for a moment: "But, Brother Yu, I was forced into this! My daddy... he threatened me with Mommy's life, I... I really had no choice..."
As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. A beautiful woman with tears in her eyes would evoke pity in anyone who saw her.
"If that's all you have to say, then there's no need to continue." Ning Bingyu's deep eyes remained completely calm, as if he were looking at someone insignificant.
"After all, Sixth Sister has already said something similar to the Hong Kong government, so there's no point in saying anything more."
"But Brother Yu, can't you give me another chance?" Cha Meiling's voice was choked with sobs.
"Alright, Annie." Ning Bingyu's lips curled into a mocking smile—
"You were forced into this situation, but have you ever considered that because of what you and Cha Shenlou did, I was almost pulled off the position of heir to the Ning family? If that happened, who would give me a chance?"
Cha Meiling took a deep breath, trying to suppress the surging emotions in her heart—
“I know I was wrong, but I was forced into it. Just like you, for the sake of the Ning family’s interests, you worked hard and endured all the backwardness and inconvenience here in the mainland!”
"Aren't you also doing this for the family's benefit, to gain the approval of Old Master Ning and my uncle, and to protect the Ning family? I'm just following your example! I thought you would understand that I need to protect the Cha family... I was also raised by you!"
Cha Meiling's eyes reddened, and she stared at him intently, tears welling in her eyes—
“I’ve always considered you my teacher, my idol. I want to learn everything you do… Why can’t you forgive me just once? Everyone deserves a chance to be forgiven, doesn’t they?”
Ning Bingyu suddenly laughed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes; instead, it carried a chilling aura: "Teach you? I'll teach you how to strategize and plan carefully in the business world, not how to betray your promises."
"You can only choose between being the young mistress of the Ning family and the eldest daughter of the Cha family's heir! There aren't that many good things in this world that you can have both!"
The man's eyes were icy cold, devoid of any warmth: "And now I'll teach you one last lesson: in business, only the results matter, not the process—and the result is that the Ning family suffered heavy losses, while I almost became a sinner against the Ning family."
Cha Meiling choked for a moment, tears finally welling up in her eyes, but she quickly recovered, took a deep breath, and refused to give up—
"Brother Yu, I've known since I was five that I'm your future wife. I only beg you to forgive me this time, for the sake of our years of relationship, okay?"
Ning Bingyu lightly adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and scoffed, "After all that you've said, you just want me to let the Cha family go?"
A look of embarrassment flashed across Cha Meiling's pale face, and the limited edition Kelly Hermes handbag in her hand was almost crushed out of shape.
But she still straightened her back, raised her eyes to look at Ning Bingyu, and said softly—
"Yes, Brother Yu, I'll do anything, as long as you're not angry anymore. I can work for Ning's company, and I can stay with you forever..."
She reached out to grab Ning Bingyu's arm.
But Ning Bingyu's next words instantly froze her on the spot—
"Stay by my side? Annie, you've got it wrong. The position beside me isn't something just anyone can dream of." Ning Bingyu raised an eyebrow.
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