BET·HERE's counter was bustling with people, and after placing a bet, Liang Weining went to the West Area Mall to buy a drink, which was located near the VIP grandstand. At a distance of 50 meters from the side door, there was a corridor that, although did not offer a broad view, was less crowded and more tranquil. The key point was that it allowed for a more direct and immediate view of the champion horses as they crossed the finish line of the racecourse.
Half an hour later, the race began.
A gentle breeze caressed her face as Liang Weining, holding an orange juice, leaned against the glass railing, engrossed in the distant racing event.
The girl was dressed today in a strapless waist-long dress covered with a light pink soft denim jacket. She naturally had pale and tender skin, so from her back alone, it was difficult to associate her with office workers.
Even so, someone recognized her at a glance.
A few meters behind, the footsteps of a group of people came to a temporary halt due to the stop of the person at the front.
Following his boss' gaze, Xu Zhou saw the girl's back, and after scrutinizing it, he said with uncertainty, "Is that Secretary Liang?"
Chen Jingyuan stood tall, silently observing for a while before asking his assistant, "From that position, what can you see?"
Xu Zhou pondered and said, "Probably only one-third of the race; the angle isn't very good."
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw his boss turn indifferently and leave behind the words, "Call her in."
Who?
Naturally, Secretary Liang.
After the message was relayed, Liang Weining had yet to react.
What kind of karma is this, running into him everywhere?
Seeing her reluctance, Xu Zhou couldn't help laughing as he said, "Don't worry, it's not about overtime; just think of it as a staff benefit from Mr. Chen."
Of course, it was a benefit. After all, in the Hong Kong Region, only a handful could enter the VIP viewing area.
Chen Jingyuan was not only a shareholder of Sha Tin Racecourse but also a member of the Jockey Club and an eminent racehorse owner.
The pity was that, it was said, Mr. Chen's horse had retired last year, otherwise, with the owner present today, it would certainly have shown its mettle on the racetrack.
Following Xu Zhou, she arrived at the prestigious and luxurious VIP box.
Upon entering, the scene inside gave Liang Weining pause.
At the far end of the spacious box was a private viewing platform with excellent privacy. There sat several people, both men and women, but Chen Jingyuan was notably absent.
Beside the group stood uniformed waitstaff, each holding an iPad, ready to help everyone place bets at any moment.
There was no doubt that today was a private gathering; those present were all friends from Chen Jingyuan's circle.
As Chen Jingyuan's chief secretary, Liang Weining had met two of them before. One was Macau's Zhou Family "Crown Prince," Zhou Shixu.
The other was Meng Xingzhi, the legitimate son of the Meng Family from far-off Beijing.
Both were towering figures of power and status, and, along with Mr. Chen of the Hong Kong Region, this gathering was way beyond the reach of ordinary wealthy heirs.
Liang Weining began to suspect that Chen Jingyuan had called her in not just to keep company, right?
As the thought crossed her mind, Zhou Shixu, the Zhou Family's "Crown Prince" on the viewing platform, had already beckoned her over.
That gesture was like calling a pet dog over.
Exercise patience, she walked over.
He glanced over nonchalantly, as if he'd just realized it was Liang Weining.
"So it's Secretary Liang. I mistook you for someone else just now, thinking you were one of my female acquaintances who had secretly followed me here to settle a debt."
Zhou Shixu reclined against the rosewood chair with a lazy and amused tone, without putting on any airs. If one ignored the faint shadow of coldness in his eyes, it would be easy to mistake him for a laid-back person.
As for whether he really mistook her, Liang Weining didn't ponder it.
"Good afternoon, CEO Zhou," she said with a smile, greeting him politely.
She then turned her head to look at the other side, at Meng Xingzhi, who was as elegant as jade, and said, "Good afternoon, Young Master Meng."
Her voice was as gentle as it could be, causing Meng Xingzhi to slowly raise his eyes to look at her.
In a flowing skirt, light and sweet, was a girl of exceptional beauty.
Meng Xingzhi closed the book in his hand and nodded slightly to her as a response.
At that moment, the door to the lounge at the back of the private room opened, and Chen Jingyuan came out after finishing a phone call.
The man was dressed in a dark blue three-piece suit today. Having departed from the lounge, he had taken off his blazer and casually handed it to a waiter, leaving only his shirt and waistcoat snugly contouring his body under the silvery white lights, his precious fabric emphasizing the tight and firm lines of his silhouette.
Chen Jingyuan's long strides took him towards the viewing stand, and his warm, deep gaze lingered on the girl for two seconds. She, playing her part well, called out "Mr. Chen" in a voice soft yet strong, her emotions slightly complex.
As if, although apparently quite happy, she had been affected mid-way by someone or something that dampened her spirits.
Today was not a day for business talks; when Xu Zhou had invited her in earlier, he truly hadn't thought much about it.
But now, seeing her standing quietly in the center of the private room, it was only then that Chen Jingyuan's mind flickered with a thought: before making that decision just now, he should have perhaps first asked for her opinion.
The air remained silent for a moment.
Liang Weining followed Chen Jingyuan to the sofa area to the left of the viewing platform.
She thought he had something to instruct her, but the man simply tilted his chin slightly, gesturing for her to sit and watch the race.
Zhou Shixu saw this and gave a brief laugh, teasingly saying, "Among the few of us, Old Chen knows best how to be considerate of his subordinates. Secretary Liang, do you think that's reasonable?"
The topic shifted to her again.
Liang Weining responded with a light smile, "It is reasonable."
Any other girl would have blushed by now.
But often, the more one blushed, the more the Zhou Family's Crown Prince enjoyed teasing her.
Zhou Shixu had never seen a secretary who took everything so in stride.
Beneath her soft exterior, she hid a stubbornness, giving the impression of someone who wouldn't be easily hurt by light teasing.
It just remained to be seen: how strong could her backbone really be when put to the test?
Amid laughter, the race below was drawing to a close. The number three horse won by a lead of 0.8 seconds over the second place, and the spectator seats erupted in cheering.
Half an hour later, the second race was about to begin.
A waiter came over with a tablet, ready to serve at any moment.
On the sofa, Liang Weining made her choice without much thought, quite calmly selecting a number. Chen Jingyuan, flicking ash off his cigarette, asked her, "Why that one?"
The girl replied, "Just intuition."
Chen Jingyuan heard her out and neither affirmed nor denied, his eyes carrying an almost imperceptible indulgence, "Then let's test your intuition."
As expected, the following race was more intense than the previous one, but importantly, Liang Weining had bet correctly.
In reality, ordinary folks watch horse races just for the excitement and pleasure, and even with big odds, a ten dollar bet is far from the spare change of the capitalists present.
The young lady was quite lucky.
At least, that's what the other two thought, except for Chen Jingyuan.
Until the third and fourth race ended.
All was settled.
Having sat in the private room for too long, Liang Weining excused herself to the restroom, standing up to get some fresh air outside.
With the dark wooden door swinging open and then closed, Zhou Shixu slowly withdrew his gaze, focusing on the tablet lying on the tea table before him. It displayed all the girl's betting numbers: 3-7-9-12, in succession.
She had bet to win alone, and had won each time.
"Old Chen," Zhou Shixu reached out to flip the tablet over and slowly straightened up, leaning back into the sofa, "Your little secretary has got something in her head."
In comparison, a certain boss was much more composed.
Chen Jingyuan methodically stubbed out his cigarette butt, his gaze swept past his friend, and his voice was even as he reminded, "Don't get any ideas about her."