Chapter 15

The last semester of senior year was rather relaxed. Apart from attending classes, I also took a few days to continue my internship at the company.

As usual, near the end of the workday, after finishing up at my desk, I prepared to shut down my computer and leave.

Xu Jing from the Secretary Department hurried over to me, her high heels clicking briskly.

“Shan, there’s an American client who suddenly arrived in Beijing. I heard he was invited by our competitor.”

“An American client? Is it that middle-aged Chinese American we’ve worked with before?”

I knew this client. Although he was Chinese American, his Chinese was limited to basic daily conversation. When it came to business, he could only manage in English.

“Yes, that’s him,” Xu Jing began to explain. “But our Business Department has also arranged a dinner with him tonight. We have to make sure we keep this client.

“President Ji is on a business trip, so our Secretary Department must send two people to represent us. Your English is good. I thought the two of us should go.”

“Does President Ji know about this?” I couldn’t help but ask, feeling a bit hesitant inside.

“Of course he knows. This is a personal instruction from President Ji. Since he’s not here, he asked us to stabilize this client at all costs.” Xu Jing lowered her voice, a trace of nervousness in her tone. “We’ve worked with this client before, but it seems our competitor is offering very tempting terms this time. President Ji is worried, so we need to use this dinner to probe his intentions.”

I nodded.

“Then hurry up and get ready. We’ll head straight over in a bit.” With that, Xu Jing rushed off again in her high heels.

I took out my lipstick and added some color, making my tired working face look a little more lively.

That evening, the dinner was held at a high-end Chinese restaurant. The lighting was soft, the atmosphere relaxed.

Xu Jing and several leaders from the Business Department were present as well. I was seated next to the client, ready to translate any complex sentences for him at any time.

At first, this Chinese American client was polite and courteous, but gradually, he began to make subtle physical contact with me. Not until the alcohol brought a lustful gleam to his eyes did I realize something was wrong.

I wasn’t the only one in the Secretary Department who spoke English–some had even studied in America. So why choose me specifically?

“Mr. Ji personally arranged it.”

Which Mr. Ji?

Although Ji Chaoyou was no longer the president, he was still the chairman, with the authority to direct employees and arrange all kinds of matters.

After dinner, the client had drunk a little, but not to the point of drunkenness. Yet Xu Jing arranged for me to escort him back to his hotel.

I didn’t want to cause more trouble, so I complied.

Since this was all arranged, why not turn the tables?

Once in the car to the hotel, I composed a text message to Ji Ming.

[So tired… Still have to escort the client to his hotel. There goes my plan for an early night!]

Immediately after, I turned off my phone.

Ji Chaoyou, you’re so eager to send me off–don’t you know whether your son would approve?

At the hotel, while I was helping the client check in, his hand was already restlessly placed on my waist.

As soon as we entered the room, he dropped all pretense, pulling at my clothes, his lips pressing hungrily against my neck.

Suppressing intense discomfort, I pushed him away. “Mr. Zhang, you’re drunk. Please don’t do this to me.”

“Heh, stop pretending. Weren’t you sent to me by Ji Chaoyou?”

I feigned shock, eyes wide. “Ah? What? How could that be?”

He sneered, his desire now fully exposed. “Just give in. You won’t lose out after this.”

I felt nothing but disgust inside, but on the surface, I maintained a half-hearted resistance, letting his hands roam over me.

It was winter, and the clothes were thick–it’d take him a while to undress me.

To be honest, ever since I became aware of things, I’ve always been prepared to sacrifice myself at any time.

Female chastity? I never cared–it can’t feed you!

Men don’t need to be chaste, so why should women?

Of course, I wouldn’t let this lecherous middle-aged man have it so easy!

When he’d stripped me down to just my camisole, I finally began to struggle in earnest, shoving him away with force.

He stumbled from my push, but quickly lunged at me again, much stronger than me, pinning me down on the bed, gripping my wrists.

Tears streaming down my face, I screamed at the top of my lungs, “Help! Help!”

Enraged and embarrassed, he slapped me hard. “Shut up!”

Good! Just what I wanted!

I stopped screaming, but thrashed about, kicking and hitting as I continued to resist.

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Next came the sound of the door being kicked open.

The man pinning me down was yanked up in a flash, and in the next second, knocked to the ground with a fierce punch.

Ji Ming pulled me up, wrapped me in his jacket, and held me close as we left the room.

Covering my swollen, slapped cheek, I sobbed uncontrollably, trembling in his arms.

Who doesn’t love a hero-saving-the-beauty scenario?

But ever since I was little, I never understood–clearly, it’s the hero who gains from saving the beauty, not the beauty herself.

So why do women love these stories so much?

Now, Ji Ming was playing the hero, basking in his sense of accomplishment after the rescue. Yet I, the beauty, harbored my own schemes.

Even after getting into Ji Ming’s car, I was still shaking, like a frightened little rabbit, red-eyed and huddled in the corner.

Ji Ming held me tightly.

“Brother… I’m scared… I’m so scared…” I curled up in his arms, my voice broken.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t protect you. I’m so sorry.” Ji Ming’s voice trembled as well.

“Brother, he said it was Dad who sent me…”

“No, that’s impossible. I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“Brother… I don’t want to stay in the Secretary Department anymore… I don’t want to receive clients again…”

“Alright, whatever you want. You can choose any department.”

Turning the tables–mission accomplished.