"Thank you, Mr. Luo, for your trust, and thank you for the opportunity you’ve given me. I will certainly not disappoint your expectations," Zhao Lijing said with a playful smile. "Actually, I’ve had my fair share of rumors too, but they quickly faded with time. I’ve never bothered to prove my innocence; I like to do things my own way. Please be assured, Mr. Luo, I will definitely work hard and not let you and Mr. Ling down."
"I hope the entertainment industry has more like you, a breath of fresh air!"
Zhao Lijing glanced at Luo Ziling, and with a heavy heart, said, "Who knows, maybe one day there’ll be rumors about me and Mr. Luo!"
She said this as a test; she didn’t originally have the courage to say it, but Luo Ziling’s smile emboldened her.
So, she dared to make such a joke.
"Then I’d be basking in the glow of you, Zhao the big star. If we trend together, I could gain more followers too!"
Luo Ziling’s half-serious remark made Zhao Lijing’s heart skip a beat. However, she didn’t dare to say anything more provocative, only expressing her hope that Luo Ziling would give her more opportunities for growth in the future, assuring him she’d definitely thank him then.
"Well, think about how you’ll thank me!"
Luo Ziling looked at Zhao Lijing with a teasing smile, his gaze making her feel instantly lost.
In Zhao Lijing and other women of similar age, Luo Ziling was the epitome of perfection.
Handsome and wealthy, his status and position weren’t something ordinary men could compare to.
How many wealthy young men have the influence of Luo Ziling? How many have the character of Luo Ziling?
While many beautiful women surrounded Luo Ziling, it’s rare to hear any scandalous stories about him.
Many beautiful women are willing to throw themselves at him, yet he remains unmoved.
In every aspect, Luo Ziling is a deadly temptation for women.
Plus, Luo Ziling is talented and outstanding, even without considering realistic factors, such a man would make most women fall helplessly in love during interactions with him.
But Zhao Lijing knew she came from an ordinary background with no prominent family to speak of, making her unfit for Luo Ziling. She understood very well that in the eyes of young men from wealthy families, high-profile celebrities are nothing more than playthings, and to them, celebrities don’t mean much.
Thus, she knew she could only bridge the gap with Luo Ziling by achieving greater success in all aspects. Of course, she also had another thought, which was to have a romance with Luo Ziling and gain more from it.
This is likely a thought many women have had at some point. In the face of reality, reason sometimes ceases to exist.
If marrying into a wealthy family is not possible, then gaining some exposure and improving one’s status is a nice alternative. More importantly, Zhao Lijing discovered that she was already infatuated with this handsome man after interacting with Luo Ziling a few times, to the point where she couldn’t pull herself away.
Even though she’s been in the entertainment industry for many years and has honed her acting skills, she’s still young and doesn’t have a middle-aged person’s perspective on love.
After discussing these things with Zhao Lijing, Luo Ziling also talked about similar topics with Yang Ying and Cheng Binbin.
For these three A-list celebrities, Luo Ziling’s attitude was naturally a bit different.
While he had high hopes for Zhao Lijing and acknowledged Yang Ying and Cheng Binbin’s abilities, his trust in them was less certain.
After speaking with them individually, both women misunderstood his intentions, thinking they might receive special attention from Luo Ziling, and expressed their willingness to follow his instructions.
During his meeting with Yang Ying, Luo Ziling received a call from Wang Guoguo.
Wang Guoguo asked Luo Ziling if he had time today to treat her father and talk about other matters. She told Luo Ziling that she and her father would come to see him, wherever was convenient, so he wouldn’t need to go out of his way.
Upon hearing Wang Guoguo’s suggestion, Luo Ziling didn’t refuse. He asked Wang Guoguo to bring Wang Rongjun to meet him at the school since he’d be there in the afternoon.
Wang Guoguo agreed.
Around one o’clock in the afternoon, Wang Guoguo and Wang Rongjun showed up at the school to find Luo Ziling.
At that time, Luo Ziling was in the middle of teaching a class.
He had squeezed in some teaching time, aiming to avoid complaints from Dong Xiaowan and others.
He hadn’t attended classes for several days, leaving some students feeling frustrated.
Dong Xiaowan welcomed Wang Rongjun and Wang Guoguo.
Beautiful women naturally harbor hostility towards other beautiful women, and upon seeing how attractive Wang Guoguo was, Dong Xiaowan felt disconcerted, leading to a less friendly reception.
However, Wang Rongjun and Wang Guoguo didn’t mind.
After a short while, Luo Ziling came over to meet them.
As soon as he saw Luo Ziling, Wang Rongjun immediately mentioned something.
"When I came to the wedding banquet that day, I came with Chairman Zhao, and on the way, we talked about some issues," Wang Rongjun said straightforwardly. "He told me that some department heads are about to be reshuffled and advised me to seize the opportunity."
"Then grasp the opportunity well," Luo Ziling replied with a smile, "If you can, come back to Yanjing often; opportunities surely favor the prepared!"
"Could you arrange for me to visit the two elders of the Ling Family?" Wang Rongjun asked, slightly lacking confidence.
"I’ll try," Luo Ziling didn’t give a definitive answer.
Luo Ziling knew that someone like Wang Rongjun, with his status, wasn’t easily fooled or controlled.
They often sway whichever way the wind blows.
To get them to take a clear stance requires some tactics.
Thus, after agreeing to give it a try, Luo Ziling immediately made a request of his own.
He asked Wang Rongjun to publish an article through official channels upon returning, with a certain bias, highlighting some things Ling Jinhua had said in the past along with some of Ling Mingrui’s remarks.
This was at the behest of Ling Mingrui when Luo Ziling and Ling Ruonan met him the day before.
It was appropriate for someone like Luo Ziling to relay such matters, rather than Ling Mingrui or others, for better effect.
Wang Rongjun understood what Luo Ziling was implying. He was sure it wasn’t Luo Ziling’s own idea, but rather someone else’s instruction. Thus, he readily agreed.
When it’s time to take a stance, you must choose a side, with no other choice unless you are indifferent—that’s what Wang Rongjun believed.
Subsequently, Luo Ziling went on to treat Wang Rongjun.
Once the treatment was over, Wang Rongjun fell into a deep sleep.
Luo Ziling suggested to Wang Guoguo not to disturb Wang Rongjun and to let him rest a while.
Wang Guoguo had some matters to discuss with Luo Ziling, and with Wang Rongjun asleep post-treatment, it gave her the perfect chance.
She didn’t let Luo Ziling leave, instead, she held him back to talk.
"What is the urgent matter you need to discuss?" Luo Ziling slightly frowned, feeling a bit displeased with Wang Guoguo tugging at him.
"Do you think I should continue staying by General Li Haiyang’s side, or would it be better to take a position elsewhere?" Wang Guoguo looked earnestly at Luo Ziling, "I want to consult your opinion."
"What do you mean?" Luo Ziling furrowed his brow.