If you truly wanted to explain the entire situation to her, why wouldn't you look her in the eye?
Chen Lishu lowered the coldness in her eyes, shook her head with some disappointment, and asked, "You are someone who knows how to be grateful. Let me ask you one question: you've been with the company for so long, how have I treated you?"
"Very... very well." When Zhang Bin spoke of this, he finally looked directly at Chen Lishu. He pursed his lips, his emotions suddenly becoming agitated. He stood up, then knelt on the ground with a thud.
Chen Lishu looked at Zhang Bin coldly and asked, "What are you doing?"
"I remember all your kindness, CEO Chen! I've let you down! I'm a scoundrel and I've done things that betray your trust. After today, I'm willing to work like an ox and a horse to compensate for your losses. I'll go through fire and water without hesitation!" After saying this, Zhang Bin heavily kowtowed his forehead to the ground.
It seemed the arrangement for tonight was quite significant. Chen Lishu took a deep breath, then walked over to Zhang Bin and helped him up. With a complex expression, she said to him, "It's never too late to mend, and it's never too late to do good. I hope I'm giving you a new opportunity, and please don't let me down!"
"CEO Chen..." As a grown man, Zhang Bin's eyes instantly turned red upon hearing these words.
Chen Lishu withdrew her hand and slowly said, "Give me the room number later. I have other matters at the company to attend to, so I won't spend more time entertaining you. You can go now."
"Yes!" Zhang Bin left the office, looking back twice.
Watching his retreating back, Chen Lishu sighed softly, muttering under her breath, "I've already given you a chance. You could have confessed and been treated leniently, but you chose to make one mistake after another!"
As the words fell, Chen Lishu picked up the phone with her slender hand and called Su Nian. She instructed the person on the other end, "Keep an eye on Zhang Bin for me. I want to see what mischief he's up to. Oh, and I'm going to a meeting tonight. Remember to send the evidence you've investigated to my phone."
Su Nian hesitated and asked cautiously, "Madam, Zhang Bin's visit this time is clearly not for good intentions. Are you going to put yourself at risk again? Should I report the situation to the Commander and have him prepare more personal bodyguards for you?"
"No need. Just prepare a bottle of pepper spray for me," Chen Lishu said, then hung up the phone and returned her attention to her work.
At six o'clock in the afternoon, Chen Lishu's phone vibrated. She picked it up and glanced at it; it was a room number message from Zhang Bin. Busy with work, she finally remembered their appointment. She quickly tidied up her belongings and headed to Dingxin Grand Hotel.
----
Upon arriving at the designated private room, Chen Lishu pushed the door open. The room was decorated luxuriously, and she immediately sensed something was amiss.
Didn't they say Zhang Bin's son had "leukemia," and that he was in urgent need of money?
Booking a private room like this would surely cost at least forty to fifty yuan, which was quite extravagant for a family in financial straits.
Therefore, the person who had arranged this meeting might not be Zhang Bin, but someone else.
As Chen Lishu suspected, the person who booked the room had arrived much earlier and was already waiting for her. However, the chair was blocking him, and it was facing away from Chen Lishu, so she didn't notice his presence immediately upon entering.
Just as Chen Lishu was about to casually find a seat, the mysterious person finally turned the chair and greeted her, "Long time no see, CEO Chen!"
Hearing this familiar voice, Chen Lishu's brow furrowed tightly. She looked up in the direction of the voice and saw Qin Lan, her arms crossed, lazily scrutinizing her from head to toe.
Chen Lishu let out a disdainful laugh, then pulled out a chair and calmly sat down opposite Qin Lan, asking coldly, "CEO Qin, what is the matter that you went to such great lengths to invite me out this time?"
Qin Lan chuckled heartily and said, "Of course, I'd like to treat you to a meal."
A flicker of disgust flashed in Chen Lishu's eyes, but to avoid missing out on Qin Lan's drama, she had to suppress the nausea in her heart. Staring at his face, she said,
"Is it really just a simple meal? CEO Qin, you don't need to beat around the bush; you could have just invited me directly. I'm afraid it's not just about eating, is it? State your purpose, and perhaps I can even help you achieve it?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Lan put on a feigned expression of grievance, saying, "If I had invited CEO Chen directly, you might not have agreed, right?
I don't know what kind of food you like, so I ordered these dishes according to my own taste. I'll have someone bring the menu in now, you can see if there's anything you like."
Qin Lan's demeanor while speaking didn't seem to have any major issues, but the absence of problems was the biggest problem!
Chen Lishu disliked this stifling and unknown environment, so she stated plainly, "There's no need! CEO Qin, if you have something to say, just say it.
If you have nothing to say, then there's no point in having this meal, as we both know what each of us is thinking."
After speaking, Chen Lishu picked up her bag and stood up, preparing to leave.
Seeing this, a hint of displeasure flashed in Qin Lan's eyes. He then walked in front of Chen Lishu, snatched her bag, placed one hand on her shoulder, and forcibly pushed her back down.
Qin Lan said sinisterly, "CEO Chen, there's no need to rush. I do have a few questions for you."
Chen Lishu leaned back with a look of disgust, subtly dodging Qin Lan's touch. With a cold expression, she questioned, "If you have something to say, say it directly. I don't have much time to waste here with you.
By the way, CEO Qin, I advise you to be cautious with your words. After all, I didn't come here alone. You know, after what happened last time, I wouldn't be without any sense of vigilance!"
"CEO Chen, don't be afraid. What happened last time was an accident. No one expected those thugs to be so bold as to break into a hotel room!
With me here this time, those thugs won't be able to touch you. Rest assured, I will be your loyal protector, ensuring your safety throughout."
After saying this, Qin Lan gave Chen Lishu a seductive look. He believed that his appearance would surely conquer Chen Lishu, but he didn't realize that before the meal even began, a wave of nausea had already surged into his stomach.
Chen Lishu looked at Qin Lan blocking her path. If she couldn't resolve this matter today, she probably wouldn't be able to leave. So, she crossed her arms and said emotionlessly, "Enough with the nonsense. Just ask whatever you want to ask."