Zhou Lin nodded. "Yes, that's right. I was looking for a place, and it just so happened that there was a suitable apartment here at Ode to Joy, so I moved in."

Chen Cheng curled his lips slightly. Aside from that Little Girl Zhao Rui, who didn't know that she was a vixen sent to bewitch her father?

Zhao Hui was even more aware of why Zhou Lin was there.

He just didn't know if he could withstand the lethality of his "white moonlight."

Chen Cheng suddenly wondered if Xie Zhiyuan would be furious if he found out that the target of his hunt might be poached by him.

"That really is a coincidence." Chen Cheng smiled. "However, with a great beauty like Ms. Zhou moving into Ode to Joy, Ode to Joy is truly honored."

"President Chen, you're joking. I'm already in my thirties; I'm hardly a great beauty."

Chen Cheng's lips curled upward. With that lingering look in her eyes, what man could resist? And yet she was acting humble here.

"Ms. Zhou, don't be so humble. Being in your thirties is called being ripe."

"You exude such a seductive charm that even a young guy like me can't look away."

Being stared at and complimented so directly, even the experienced Zhou Lin felt a bit embarrassed, and a blush crept up her pretty face.

She pouted playfully, "President Chen, your tongue could talk the dead back to life. I'm not falling for that."

Hiss~ Seeing Zhou Lin's charming and shy appearance, Chen Cheng got goosebumps.

This woman was really something.

Chen Cheng looked up and saw Xie Zhiyuan's eyes darting over here from time to time, checking on the situation.

Even Zhao Hui, while chatting with others, was glancing over here intentionally or unintentionally.

Su Jianren's eyes were practically glued to Zhou Lin.

Chen Cheng's expression turned cold. This woman was truly a femme fatale.

Xie Zhiyuan's use of a honey trap was truly damn impressive.

Zhao Hui's side was easy to handle. As long as Zhao Hui agreed to his recruitment, he would lose his usefulness to Xie Zhiyuan, and this honey trap would collapse on its own.

The pitiful one was Su Jianren, that big romantic fool. He had a good family background but mediocre ability; Chen Cheng wouldn't use him.

However, it wouldn't be hard to get rid of him. He had a son working in the same branch as him.

This was strictly prohibited by the higher-ups; a single whistleblower letter could solve it.

In this way, Su Jianren would also lose his value to Xie Zhiyuan, and Zhou Lin's card would likely become useless.

It wasn't that he wanted to suck up to Zhao Hui and Su Jianren, but ever since he slept with Shen Jing, he knew that sooner or later he would stand on the opposite side of Xie Zhiyuan.

Since it was bound to happen sooner or later, why not strike first?

If he poached Zhao Hui, Xie Zhiyuan's project would have to rely on Su Jianren. Then, if he conveniently got Su Jianren suspended for investigation, Xie Zhiyuan would probably spit out a mouthful of old blood.

With the plan settled, a smile returned to Chen Cheng's face. "Oh, I'm really not just sweet-talking or making things up; I'm speaking the absolute truth! You really don't know how charming you are. Look over there; Bank President Su's eyes are practically glued to you, Ms. Zhou."

Zhou Lin turned to look. Su Jianren even waved at her, a flash of embarrassment crossing her face.

She changed the subject. "I bumped into your car before, and you never contacted me. It made me feel quite embarrassed."

Chen Cheng smiled. "Ms. Zhou, you're too polite. Just for the sake of Senior Brother Xie, how could I give you any trouble? It was just a minor scratch; let the insurance company handle it."

Chen Cheng sneered inwardly; he couldn't be bothered to keep up the charade with her.

He looked at her with a smile, his tone somewhat ambiguous. "But then again, it seems your relationship with Senior Brother Xie is quite unusual, Ms. Zhou."

"Huh?" Zhou Lin was taken aback and immediately denied it. "That's not the case. President Xie is a married man with children."

"President Xie and I are just ordinary business partners."

Chen Cheng frowned, as if he couldn't figure something out. "Ordinary business partners? Is that so?"

"Ms. Zhou, I'm afraid you don't know that Company Name didn't invite President Xie today."

"Under these circumstances, for President Xie to still bring Ms. Zhou here... this is not an ordinary business partnership."

As he spoke, Chen Cheng gazed at her with a smile.

"Huh? You didn't invite Xie Zhiyuan?" Zhou Lin's eyes widened.

She had just been called over by a phone call from Xie Zhiyuan and had absolutely no idea about the background or consequences.

Upon arriving, she first greeted Zhao Hui.

Then she was dragged into small talk by that clingy Su Jianren, and it was Xie Zhiyuan who rescued her.

However, after rescuing her, he made her come over to cozy up to Chen Cheng.

Chen Cheng chuckled. It seemed Xie Zhiyuan hadn't told Zhou Lin that he had also come here thick-skinned to join the fun.

At a fundraising party, one might just find suitable trust clients.

There were only so many wealthy people; how could Xie Zhiyuan not compete?

"Ms. Zhou, think again about what I do and what Senior Brother Xie does."

"Private equity, trusts..."

"Do you understand the principle that competitors are enemies, Ms. Zhou?"

"Uh..." Zhou Lin was stunned.

Chen Cheng continued his psychological offensive. "Actually, ever since Rui Rui told me that her neighbor looked exactly like her late mother, I investigated you, Ms. Zhou."

"I'm the type of person who never believes in coincidences."

"If there are any, they must be deliberately orchestrated."

Zhou Lin was struck by lightning; her face stiffened completely, and she looked at Chen Cheng in disbelief. "You investigated me?"

Chen Cheng nodded. "Yes, I have some understanding of your background and family, Ms. Zhou."

Zhou Lin swallowed nervously. She felt as if she were standing naked in front of this young man; his gaze pierced through everything.

"What else do you know?"

Chen Cheng smiled. "Does it matter what I know?"

"In reality, Zhao Hui knows very well that you are a honey trap thrown out by Xie Zhiyuan."

A smile appeared on Zhou Lin's face, and she said confidently, "But he will still willingly walk into the trap."

"You are quite confident."

"Because I understand the lethality of a 'white moonlight' on men very well."

Chen Cheng didn't take the bait. "Your son should be ready for kindergarten, right?"

Zhou Lin instantly became like an angry lioness. "What do you want? If you touch my son, I'll fight you to the death!"

Chen Cheng smiled. "Ms. Zhou, you've misunderstood. I just wanted to tell you that whatever chips Xie Zhiyuan can offer, I can offer too."

Chen Cheng laid out his offer. "If you are willing, I can arrange for your son to enroll in the best kindergarten in Shanghai at any time."

Zhou Lin frowned. "What do you want me to do?"

Chen Cheng shook his head. "I want you to do nothing."

Huh? Zhou Lin couldn't figure out for a moment what Chen Cheng really wanted, and she furrowed her brows in thought.

Chen Cheng continued to entice her. "Xie Zhiyuan is merely using you to repay a favor. You've done so much for him, it should be enough to settle your debt of gratitude."

"Or do you want to be controlled by him for the rest of your life?"

Zhou Lin laughed sheepishly. "If I break free from him, I'm afraid it will be very difficult for me to have a place in this big Shanghai."

Chen Cheng smiled. "It seems you are too close to the situation to see it clearly, Ms. Zhou."

"With your looks, Bank President Su would probably love to marry you and worship you like a bodhisattva."

Zhou Lin looked displeased. "He treats me as a substitute for someone else."

Chen Cheng chuckled. If you didn't look like Li Ying, would Zhao Hui and Su Jianren even spare you a second glance?

He continued to gaslight her: "In life, one must be content. The person you love, or the person who loves you—you always have to choose one."

"Then why not Zhao Hui?" Zhou Lin interrupted.

Chen Cheng's lips curled. It seemed Zhou Lin was tempted.

He turned to look at her. "It seems Ms. Zhou prefers Senior Brother Zhao."

Having her thoughts exposed, a flash of embarrassment crossed Zhou Lin's face.

Chen Cheng knew her past. For a woman like her, falling for a man was something she found hard to admit.

"It's not about liking or not liking," Zhou Lin continued to cover up. "It's just that I'm even more indifferent to Su Jianren."

Chen Cheng shook his head. "Who you like isn't important; I just don't want to see Rui Rui lose her father."

"Do you understand, Ms. Zhou?"

Meeting Chen Cheng's cold gaze, Zhou Lin's heart skipped a beat. She felt as if she were being stared at by a bloodthirsty beast, ready to tear her to pieces at any moment.

It took a long while for Zhou Lin to calm down. She raised her hand to tuck her hair behind her ear to hide her nervousness. "What do you hope to gain by doing this?"

"Didn't I already tell you?" Chen Cheng looked at her with a smile.

Before confirming that Zhou Lin had defected, how could he expose his true purpose to her?

"For the sake of Zhao Rui?" Zhou Lin looked at him in disbelief.

"I treat Rui Rui like a little sister."

"I understand," Zhou Lin nodded with a smile. "Let's talk again later, President Chen."

Chen Cheng nodded with a smile.

Zhou Lin didn't know him; today's conversation could only count as a probe.

Solving the schooling issue for her son was just the first bargaining chip in Chen Cheng's negotiation with her.

The fish hadn't taken the bait yet, so Chen Cheng wasn't in a rush to cast the second wave of bait.

It was just that he wondered how Xie Zhiyuan would feel if he knew he had lost his card.

After learning about Zhou Lin's past, Scum Cheng no longer had any ulterior thoughts about her.

However, keeping her might make for a decent pawn.