Chapter Fifty-One: Beauty and the Luxury Car

The first time Qin Jing saw Susan, she was standing beside the mixed-race beauty with the phoenix-like features, Heather. Susan didn’t stand out much at first glance, but in truth, she had the classic figure of a model and an oval face, complemented by a certain authoritative charm that comes from working in the corporate world. If Qin Jing were to be honest, he’d rate her a solid ninety-five out of a hundred.

Susan arrived in a fiery red Ferrari, pulling up right in front of Qin Jing’s shop. Qin Jing happened to be walking out just as she stepped from the car—first extending a long, shapely leg clad in black lace stockings, a sight that was strikingly captivating.

“Mr. Qin, I’ve come to deliver a car for you.”

Standing in front of the Ferrari, Susan patted the sports car behind her and offered Qin Jing a radiant smile. “This is a token of our boss’s appreciation. She insists that you accept it.”

“Tsk tsk, nothing beats the allure of a sports car,” Qin Jing remarked as he stepped outside and circled the Ferrari, growing more enamored with every glance. At twenty-one, had he stayed in school, he wouldn’t even have graduated from university yet. By rights, this was the age for bold self-expression, and a bright red Ferrari was undoubtedly the dream of any young man. Even the Raptor F650 paled in comparison to the Ferrari’s air of luxury.

Susan watched this scene, her eyes flickering with subtle curiosity. Deep down, she had plenty of questions. She knew her boss was no ordinary person—someone with extraordinary abilities—but this Mr. Qin didn’t seem to belong to that world, nor did he appear to be a privileged heir. So why was her boss treating him with such courtesy? And yet, he was so delighted by a Ferrari, which didn’t fit the image of someone who’d just made ten million yesterday. Wasn’t he a bit too… ordinary?

But Susan kept these thoughts to herself. Instead, as soon as Qin Jing finished circling the car, she quickly offered him the keys with both hands and a bright smile. “Our boss specially prepared this for you—a brand-new Ferrari 488. I hope you like it.”

To her surprise, Qin Jing didn’t take the keys. He simply said, “It’s a fine car, but I can’t accept it.”

“Huh?” Susan was stunned. “Why not?”

He glanced at her, his tone even. “I don’t accept rewards for nothing. My dealings with Heather are purely business. They always will be, nothing more.”

Even without the information Zheng Qiuying had given him, Qin Jing would have declined the luxury car. Was a Ferrari really that precious? He could make enough for one just by selling a couple of magic stones. But if he accepted Heather’s gift, he’d be beholden to her. If she asked something of him later, even something trivial, could he really refuse?

Qin Jing had always prided himself on doing business with integrity. He saw himself as a man of principle, and he had no intention of taking advantage of others, not even for a small gain.

“You… No, this isn’t right, Mr. Qin, this is a gift from our boss. If you won’t accept it, I’ll just have to leave it here.”

Convinced that Qin Jing’s words didn’t match his true feelings, Susan tossed the key onto the counter at the shop entrance.

Qin Jing made no move to take it. “I said I won’t accept it, and I mean it. Miss Susan, please go back.”

Sensing the firmness in his voice, Susan was at a loss. She grabbed his arm and gave it a gentle shake. “Don’t be like this, Mr. Qin. Our boss truly values you. Before I left, she made it clear that I must make sure you accept this. If you refuse, how am I supposed to report back? Please, I’m begging you, just accept it.”

If Susan had harbored doubts or even a touch of disdain for Qin Jing before, now she was genuinely shocked. He was actually refusing a luxury car handed to him on a silver platter? Could it be that Mr. Qin had some powerful background he wasn’t flaunting, and simply didn’t care about the car?

So she resorted to a girl’s ultimate weapon: pleading and acting coy. Surely any man would hesitate at this point, maybe say a few agreeable words, and then go along with it?

Qin Jing was growing annoyed. “Miss Susan, please behave yourself. What your boss asked you to do is your task. Whether I accept this gift is entirely my decision.”

Thwarted, Susan became even more cautious. “Well then, Mr. Qin, how about I call the boss and you can speak to her yourself?”

“Go back and have her call me,” Qin Jing replied, turning on his heel. Truth be told, he was starting to worry he might not be able to resist the temptation. The car was one thing, but the way Susan clung to his arm, her soft chest pressing against him, was something he found especially hard to endure in his current state.

Susan stared after him, feeling utterly helpless.

…

Only a few minutes later, Qin Jing received a call from Heather. The newly promoted fourth-level leader sounded exhilarated. “Mr. Qin, thanks to you, I advanced to Extraordinary Level Four last night and entered an entirely new realm! To express my gratitude, I wanted to give you a new ride. Please don’t feel any psychological burden—just accept it.”

Qin Jing replied, “Do you think I’d feel burdened if I took your gift?”

Heather was struck dumb. On the other end of the line, she was silent for a long while. That single sentence was like a bucket of cold water, dousing the pride and excitement she’d felt from her promotion. Yes, Qin Jing held the Tiao Gem. If he wanted to take something from her by force, she’d be powerless to resist.

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Don’t say anything. I’m just telling you that if I want something from you, I’ll ask for it myself. To be blunt, our dealings are fair business—I don’t feel taken advantage of. Whatever benefits you gained, consider them my gift. I won’t use the Tiao Gem to pressure you. But you also need to respect the owner of the Tiao Gem. Do you understand?”

Heather understood. This man was even-tempered and willing to let past matters slide, but he was also tough and wouldn’t tolerate any attempts to cozy up.

“Alright, I understand. How about this: I’ll come see you tomorrow. If you need anything, just tell me—don’t be so quick to refuse. I have something else to discuss with you; consider it a transaction. Take some time to think about what you might need me to do.”

Hearing this, Qin Jing felt at ease and agreed without hesitation.

After hanging up, he was just about to eat when he saw Susan had returned to the shop.

“Y-you…”

The professional businesswoman now looked dejected, even desperate, her voice quivering. “Mr. Qin, I’m sorry.”

What was this about?

“Why are you apologizing to me?” Qin Jing was half amused, half exasperated.

“The boss said you were displeased with how I handled things. She’s very sorry. She said… she said…”

“She told me to beg for your forgiveness, or else I won’t need to come back to work.”

As she stammered through her explanation, tears welled up and spilled down Susan’s cheeks. She had always been the favored one, able to close any business deal, yet this time, an apparently simple errand had earned her a harsh reprimand from Heather.

“I forgive you. You don’t need to cry anymore. Just go back,” Qin Jing said without a second thought.

“Ah?” Susan looked up at him, then stubbornly shook her head and plopped down beside him. “I’ll apologize to you in front of the boss when she comes tomorrow. Please, let me stay here tonight, alright?”

—

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