Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen: The Mad Wood Carving

Although Liu Dong had anticipated the assistance his psychic abilities would provide for his carving, he still couldn't help but feel amazed and excited when everything became clear before his eyes. Fortunately, his past practice in cultivating a calm mind was not in vain, and with some mental preparation, he took a deep breath and slowly calmed his initially chaotic thoughts.

He then took out a thick stack of white paper from the drawer of his desk and began to slowly sketch with a pencil. Good materials, a good design, and a skilled carver are essential for a successful wood carving.

As time passed, the night grew deeper, and one by one, the lights in the neighborhood went out as people fell asleep. However, the light in Liu Dong's room remained bright, and he was completely immersed in his carving world, oblivious to the passage of time.

"Finally, it's done!" After giving his sketch a final look, a satisfied expression appeared on Liu Dong's face. He stretched lazily, moved his stiff body, and tidied up the pile of crumpled paper on the table. Only then did he realize that the sky in the east had already turned a pale white, and the clock on the bedside table pointed to 5:30 AM. It was then that Liu Dong realized he had spent the entire night working.

However, Liu Dong, who was now completely engrossed in his carving, felt no fatigue. Perhaps the mental satisfaction had overcome his physical tiredness. So, even though he hadn't slept all night, he had no intention of going to bed. After sitting cross-legged on the bed and practicing the nameless internal martial art for an hour, he once again devoted himself entirely to his carving.

Soon, after securing the wood, Liu Dong took his carving knife and began to carve the dark wood according to the design he had prepared.

At this time, Liu Dong didn't have a mobile phone, so no one disturbed him. Wang Qiang, who lived under the same roof, had been sent on a business trip to Qingdao the day after Liu Dong started carving and wouldn't return for about a week. Thus, Liu Dong was alone in the house, which provided him with the perfect environment for his creation.

As the carving knife danced in Liu Dong's hands like a butterfly, the scattered wood chips gradually piled up on the floor and table, and the outline of the dark wood began to take shape.

Day after day, he ate instant noodles or bread when hungry, drank water when thirsty, and occasionally ate some fruit to stave off hunger. When tired, he would sleep for three or four hours or meditate for a while, and then continue his carving. Completely immersed in his carving world, Liu Dong's dedication was almost unbelievable. For twelve consecutive days, he didn't step out of his house, and the entire carving process was nearing its end.

---

With a slight braking sound, a black Mercedes-Benz stopped at the bottom of the building where Liu Dong lived. As the rear door on the right side opened, a smooth, slender, and well-proportioned leg, wearing a pair of thin-strap high-heeled sandals and flesh-colored crystal stockings, emerged from the car. Then, Wang Qiang, dressed in a black small-collar suit, stood tall and beautiful, stepped out of the car.

At the same time, a middle-aged man wearing a well-tailored suit, with a large belly and a gold chain around his neck, also got out of the driver's seat.

Taking the suitcase handed to her by the man, Wang Qiang smiled formally and said, "Thank you, Mr. Xie, for personally driving me back."

"Don't mention it, Xiao Wang. You've secured a major deal for our company this time. It's the least I can do to drive you home, let alone buy you a house," the man said, patting her shoulder.

Faced with such an obvious hint, Wang Qiang felt a deep disdain. If she were the kind of woman who craved material wealth, she wouldn't just have a house; she would probably be living in a villa by now.

Seeing the man's hand on her shoulder, a flash of disgust crossed Wang Qiang's eyes. She took a step back, avoiding his groping hand. She had chosen to sit in the back seat rather than the front to avoid his harassment.

Of course, her deliberate retreat made Xie Zhonglin's eyes flash with anger, but it quickly disappeared.

"Damn, this bitch doesn't know her place, but it doesn't matter. As long as she's still in the company, I'll get her one day! Then we'll see how I deal with her!" Xie Zhonglin thought to himself. However, looking at the beautiful woman standing before him, his heart burned with desire. But after what just happened and with so many people around, he couldn't do anything out of line.

Moreover, as the company's sales manager, Wang Qiang was a key to the company's performance. If he upset her and she quit, it would be a loss.

"Ha ha!" Xie Zhonglin withdrew his left hand with a smile and said, "Xiao Wang, you've done a great job for the company this time. I need to thank you properly." He paused, "How about this: I'll treat you to dinner tomorrow night. You can choose the time and place. What do you think?"

Seeing Xie's fiery eyes and naked desire, Wang Qiang couldn't help but sneer inwardly. She had seen this expression on men too many times. After years of working outside, she had always maintained her integrity and had her own ways of protecting herself.

"Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Xie, but I'm really tired from the business trip. I need to rest. Besides, the company's success in securing this batch of diamond raw materials wasn't just my effort; all the colleagues in the sales department worked hard. If you want to treat us, why not gather everyone for a meal to celebrate?"

"Um, okay! Since you put it that way, let's pick a time to gather everyone," Xie Zhonglin said, his face showing a hint of disappointment.

Seeing his expression, Wang Qiang felt a deep disdain. She had said that to avoid giving Xie an opportunity to harass her. As for the dinner, forget it. Everyone in the company knew how stingy Xie was. For a man who used both sides of an A4 paper, he wouldn't even think of treating them to a meal, let alone not deducting their salaries.

"Mr. Xie, I have some inconvenience at home, so I won't invite you up."

Hearing the clear hint to leave, Xie Zhonglin felt disappointed and angry, but he still smiled and said, "No problem. I've safely delivered you home, so my task is done. I should be going now."

"Thank you for driving me home, Mr. Xie. I'll go upstairs now. Goodbye!" Wang Qiang waved to Xie Zhonglin and turned to walk upstairs.

"Goodbye!"

Watching the tall and curvaceous figure disappear around the corner, Xie Zhonglin swallowed hard, his face greedy. He thought to himself, "Damn, this little bitch has really stirred up my desire. I need to find some girls to release it." With that thought, he started the car and left.