NOVEL WEB
Chapter 10
The waiter quickly brought the menu over. After he left, Song JinXing said, "Order whatever you like to eat."
Zhong Ruanxing happily flipped open the menu. Using someone else's body, she felt no psychological burden eating all the oily and spicy dishes she had abstained from for a long time. After thinking for a moment, she asked him, "Do you have any food restrictions?"
Song JinXing was looking through some documents: "No."
After ordering, he passed over a notebook and Zhong Ruanxing saw that the horizontal lines on the cover messily contained the two characters for "Zhong You." This was YouYou's homework notebook!
She flipped it open and saw that the graph paper neatly broke down the three characters of "Song JinXing"—it was clearly a handwriting practice book.
Song JinXing said, "I'll have to trouble you to practice my signature. If any urgent documents require an on-site signature in the future, you can sign for me." He gestured for her to flip further and Zhong Ruanxing turned a few pages, seeing a name that looked about 80% similar to her own handwriting: "I practiced copying your contract signature at home this morning, but it's still not close enough. I'll spend more time practicing it later."
Zhong Ruanxing: ...
Do you top students exist just to make average people like me feel ashamed?
She solemnly put the notebook away, secretly vowing that as soon as she returned to the company, she would practice writing and definitely could not lose to him!
This damn competitive streak always popped up in strange places.
The waiter started serving the dishes. Song JinXing finally finished with the documents and glanced over the food on the table, roughly understanding her preferences. Zhong Ruanxing picked up her chopsticks and heartily tucked in. A thought suddenly occurred to her and she curiously asked, "I noticed your company's employees seem a little scared of you, why is that?"
"Scared of me?" Song JinXing clearly hadn't realized this issue before. He knit his brows in thought before replying, "When I first joined the company, some people were not convinced by me. I used some methods and fired a portion of them, some of whom ended up in jail. I probably frightened them."
He spoke breezily, but Zhong Ruanxing listened with shock written all over her face. Using just her toes, she could guess that it must have been a battle without gunpowder, and he couldn't have secured the position of Song Company president in half a year without ruthlessness and scheming.
Zhong Ruanxing grew nervous, "You didn't use any illegal methods, right? We still don't know when we'll switch back and I don't want to go to jail!"
"..." Song JinXing gave her an exasperated look, "I just obtained evidence of their illegal activities."
Zhong Ruanxing: "Oh, then let me praise you for being an outstanding, law-abiding citizen who boldly reports crimes!"
Song JinXing: "..."
He cut off Zhong Ruanxing who was eagerly about to ask exactly what illegal evidence he had obtained. "I ran into Duan Mangyun earlier."
Upon hearing this name, Zhong Ruanxing's attention was immediately diverted, her previously lively eyes instantly dimming. Although she was nonchalant on the surface, how could she truly remain unaffected after being betrayed by a good friend?
She sullenly asked, "What did she say?"
Song JinXing recalled Duan Mangyun's performance that morning, "She admitted what happened last night was her doing."
Zhong Ruanxing twisted her lips. He asked, "How do you plan to deal with her?"
She heaved a sigh, glumly poking at the garlic ribs in her bowl without answering. This surprised Song JinXing. He had assumed with Zhong Ruanxing's passionate and straight-forward personality, she would surely retaliate with a thunderous strike.
He was very curious, "How did you become friends with her?"
They were clearly not the same type of person.
Zhong Ruanxing poured herself a cup of tea and was silent for a while before speaking, "In our third year of college, I received an offer for a web drama, a low budget one, but it was the first opportunity in my life and I took it very seriously, preparing extensively before meeting with the producer. We met at a cafe and the discussion went very happily. I thought I had met a discoverer of talent."
Near the end of the meal, she went to the bathroom. When she came back, the producer raised a smiling glass to toast her, "Then here's to our happy cooperation!"
Having never experienced the sinister side of society, Zhong Ruanxing picked up the glass, preparing to drink it down.
Suddenly, a girl at the next table stood up and stopped her, "Don't drink it!" Her face was flushed red, but under the producer's warning gaze she still mustered her courage to tell Zhong Ruanxing, "I saw him slip something in your drink just now."
The producer cursed at her, even trying to rush over and hit her. The girl was so frightened she nearly cried, but firmly said, "I saw it, I have it on video."
Only then did the producer restrain himself, cursing as he left.
That girl was Duan Mangyun.
Over the past few years, Zhong Ruanxing had never doubted their friendship. But this industry was simply too murky, like a giant dye vat, and everyone who jumped in was stained beyond their original likeness, no longer able to maintain who they were at the start.
She didn't know when it had started, but she and Duan Mangyun had gradually grown apart.
"Forget it," she seemed to have persuaded herself, "She saved me once, so let's just consider us even. From now on we're strangers."
Song JinXing felt that based on Duan Mangyun's agitated performance this morning, the other party did not intend to settle things with Zhong Ruanxing. But he didn't say anything—from now on, as the person by Zhong Ruanxing's side, dealing with any plots or schemes was his responsibility.
The dishes came out one by one, naturally cooked to perfection by the 5-star private chef. Zhong Ruanxing hadn't eaten so satisfyingly in a long time, usually just eating until she was 50% full. The feeling of being completely satiated was truly blissful.
Seeing that Song JinXing across from her had also just set down his chopsticks, she solemnly reminded him, "You ate a lot today, remember to go to the gym and exercise for at least an hour, you absolutely cannot let my figure go downhill."
Song JinXing glanced at her, "The same goes for you."
Zhong Ruanxing touched her abs, vowing earnestly, "Ok! I won't let your abs disappear!"
Song JinXing: ...
No, it was still so difficult for him to see her freely touching his body.
Observing his expression, Zhong Ruanxing burst into laughter, intentionally saying, "You're not used to it yet?" She mischievously added, "I already went to the bathroom this morning."
Song JinXing's face turned green.
Zhong Ruanxing comforted him, "Just treat it as your own body, get used to it quickly!"
God knew that when President Song had rushed into the bathroom on the verge of bursting this morning, his eyes had been squeezed shut.
After the meal, Zhong Ruanxing still had to return to the company to continue her roleplay while Song JinXing also had his own arrangements. When they split up, Zhong Ruanxing transferred 10,000 RMB to his bank card. Although they had swapped bodies, their bank cards remained their own since the two were not on the same spending level.
Song JinXing regarded her quizzically and Zhong Ruanxing smiled, explaining, "I have kids and elders at home so expenses inevitably come up. I can't take advantage of you."
He frowned, "No need."
Zhong Ruanxing waved at him, "Gotta go, see you tonight!"
They had agreed to meet again that evening to touch base on their first swapped day.
After she left, Song JinXing didn't hurry to call a taxi. He loitered around the area and quickly found a real estate agent.
Even wrapped up and dressed simply, he couldn't hide his noble temperament. The Green Realty employee's eyes lit up and he immediately came over, "Miss, are you looking to buy or rent?"
Song JinXing valued efficiency: "Buy. Around this area, good privacy, spacious and bright. Best if I can move in today."
This was a big client!
The employee enthusiastically recommended options.
Having started in real estate, Song JinXing was naturally very familiar with the industry. He swiftly picked a property. The paperwork for buying a house couldn't be completed in a day or two, but since he was a major cash buyer, after paying the deposit and signing the contract, the agent and owner agreed to let him move in after hearing he was a VIP customer.
The Green Realty employee hadn't come across such an easy yet lucrative deal in a while. He was smiling ear to ear and eagerly offered to help this Miss Zhong purchase living essentials upon hearing she wanted to move in that very evening.
Calling up some colleagues, they zoomed on electric bikes, buying pots, bowls, and bedding in an afternoon. Thoughtfully, they also delivered a bouquet of white dendrobiums in a vase, giving the empty house a homey feel.
Song JinXing used his own card but signed Zhong Ruanxing's name. He didn't even bat an eye.