CHAPTER 486: CHAPTER 486 WARNING

Chen Bin had just returned to his office when Hong Ke knocked and walked in.

After sitting down, she seemed a little worried.

"We need to raise funds for the new platform. Tens of billions isn’t a small sum. Do you have a specific plan in mind?"

Chen Bin didn’t answer directly. Instead, he stared straight at her.

"I know you and Lan Hui are close. Whatever her intentions are, you must understand them. So let me ask you—do you think I’ve been played?"

Hong Ke was slightly taken aback, and her expression became noticeably unnatural.

After some thought, she finally responded.

"If you dared to take it on, it means you must have a way."

"To be honest, I took this on with gritted teeth. As the head of the advertising department, you’ve got the best knack for making money. I’m hoping you can help me out."

"You’re really giving me too much credit. I might be able to manage small sums, but tens of billions? That’s way beyond me."

Chen Bin moved to sit beside Hong Ke and whispered softly into her ear.

"And what if I insist that you help me?"

Hong Ke never expected him to make such an intimate move so suddenly.

For a moment, her face turned bright red, and she even forgot to pull away.

At that moment, Chen Bin reached out his large hand and slowly wrapped it around her slender waist.

"Only lovers usually act like this. Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

Hong Ke quickly lowered her head, not daring to meet Chen Bin’s gaze.

He smiled faintly and murmured, "So it looks like you’re agreeing."

"No... I’m not..."

Seeing the panic on her face, Chen Bin continued asking.

"Can you tell me about yourself?"

Hong Ke nodded, a hint of sadness flashing across her expression.

"I grew up in an orphanage. In college, I dated someone, but his family disapproved of me being an orphan. So, I’ve been single all these years."

"Does that mean you don’t plan to get married anymore?"

"Yes. Honestly, I can live just fine without a man."

"But don’t you feel lonely?"

Hearing this, Hong Ke felt as if her heart had been pricked with a needle.

She sighed. "I’ve thought about trying IVF so I’ll have a child to keep me company. But I’ve been too busy with work and never had the time. Maybe... I’m destined to be alone for the rest of my life."

"No way. You’re not even forty yet. There’s still plenty of time to find happiness."

With a self-deprecating smile, Hong Ke took the initiative to change the subject.

"What about you? You’re in your thirties and so successful. Your family must be amazing, right?"

"Actually, my story is quite similar to yours. I don’t have parents either. I was raised by my grandfather, and since he passed away, I’ve been on my own."

A sense of shared sorrow suddenly welled up in Hong Ke, and she quickly asked.

"And what about your marriage? Do you have a wife or kids?"

"I was engaged, but my fiancée cheated on me. No kids."

The two of them sat on the sofa, chatting as time passed.

With their shared experiences, their relationship quietly grew closer.

By lunchtime, they were sitting together in the cafeteria.

When Lan Hui heard about it, her face turned dark and stormy.

Although Hong Ke saw her as a good sister and close friend, in Lan Hui’s eyes, Hong Ke was nothing more than a tool for making money.

If a disobedient dog strays too far, it naturally needs to be put back in line.

In the afternoon at work, Lan Hui directly summoned Hong Ke to her office.

"How’s your recovery coming along?"

"Everything’s normal. I’ll have my final check-up next week, and if there’s no issue, I’ll be completely fine."

"I see. So, have you been in touch with Chen Bin lately?"

To Hong Ke, Lan Hui was like family.

Thus, she didn’t hide anything.

"Yes, we talked in his office this morning. I think he’s actually a pretty decent person."

Lan Hui’s face darkened, and her tone turned accusatory.

"Everyone in the station knows I don’t get along with Chen Bin, yet you’re cozying up to him. What’s that about? Are you planning to betray me?"

"You know my surgery was a success thanks to him. My interactions with him are strictly friendly—you’re overthinking things."

"Listen to me, Hong Ke. Stay away from Chen Bin. If I catch you two colluding, don’t blame me for what happens next!"

"Sister Lan, aren’t you making a mountain out of a molehill?"

Hong Ke couldn’t understand why Lan Hui, who had long known about their connection, was acting like this today.

Lan Hui didn’t bother to explain and simply let out a cold snort.

"I don’t want to waste words. Get out now!"

On her way back, Hong Ke decided to maintain her friendship with Chen Bin.

Though Lan Hui was her closest ally, her feud with Chen Bin had nothing to do with her.

As long as she treated both parties fairly and remained neutral, nothing bad should happen.

Over the next week, whenever she had free time, Hong Ke continued to visit Chen Bin for conversations.

One day, they went together for her final follow-up examination at the hospital.

During the car ride, Chen Bin noticed her apprehension and kept trying to reassure her.

But for Hong Ke, this was her last check-up.

If anything unexpected showed up, all her efforts would’ve been in vain.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Hong Ke even felt like backing out and refused to proceed with the tests.

Finally, under Chen Bin’s persuasion, she reluctantly completed the scans.

On their way to Yuan Qian’s office, Hong Ke couldn’t bring herself to go in.

She asked Chen Bin to retrieve the results and tell her later.

Seeing her pale face, Chen Bin didn’t push her and entered the office alone with the test results.

Not much time had passed before he came back out.

Hong Ke immediately asked, "What did the doctor say?"

Chen Bin sighed heavily, his expression grave.

"Before I tell you, I hope you can mentally prepare yourself."

At these words, Hong Ke’s legs went weak.

Had Chen Bin not caught her in time, she might have collapsed to the floor on the spot.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks as she spoke in a trembling voice.

"How... how long do I have left to live?"

Suppressing his laughter, Chen Bin replied, "Dean Yuan didn’t give a specific number, but I’d say at least sixty more years."

"Sixty years? By then, I’d be almost a hundred!"

"Exactly. She said everything’s fine. How would I know how much longer you’ll live?"

Wiping away her tears, Hong Ke’s face displayed a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Heh, I was just messing with you earlier. Who knew someone close to forty would still cry like a child?"

Hearing this, Hong Ke’s cheeks flushed red. She darted into Yuan Qian’s office immediately.

After hearing the good news directly from Yuan Qian, she raised a small fist and gave Chen Bin a playful beating against his chest.

"How dare you trick me! Let’s see if I don’t beat you up!"

But after a few mock punches, she threw herself into his arms, crying tears of joy.

At that moment, Hong Ke felt as though she had been given a new lease on life.

Chen Bin gently patted her back and said with a smile.

"I told you long ago that you’d be fine, but you wouldn’t believe me. Now you can finally relax, right?"

Hong Ke nodded, her face full of happiness.

"Yes, I can finally breathe easy. My illness is completely cured!"

However, unbeknownst to the two of them...

In a distant corner, a private investigator furiously snapped photographs of their embrace...