Those people and things that truly require her attention will naturally move within three feet of her. Everything else is a waste of energy. What does it matter to her what luxurious new clothes a passerby is wearing, or what top brand a new SUV is from? If she tries to see everything clearly, it's a classic case of making trouble for herself when there's nothing to worry about.
Because of this habit, Qian Duoduo only realized after sitting down that she was surrounded by new faces, a man and a woman, who politely nodded to her and then introduced themselves.
Just one seat away were the other people in the marketing department she was familiar with. Her assistant, Xiaolan, was already chatting excitedly with her new colleagues next to her, her face flushed. She leaned over and eagerly added, "Boss, they just came from Japan, they're new colleagues."
The new colleagues are all Japanese, but their English is very good. They have only been in Shanghai for two days and will officially start working at the company next week. Qian Duoduo chatted with them for a few minutes and was wondering why she, as the senior manager of the marketing department, had not been notified at all beforehand that new people had suddenly arrived.
"Are there only the two of you from the Japanese company this time?"
“No,” the girl who was asked nodded very politely before answering, “we are Mr. Xu’s assistants, and we came with him.”
Mr. Xu? Why is another person showing up? Qian Duoduo was full of questions, but the lights in the hall dimmed, and the foreign boss and the director walked onto the stage together. Applause erupted, and she couldn't ask any more questions, so she joined in the applause.
As is customary, the farewell party began with a round of praise. Shanghai is the company's headquarters in China, and the replacement of directors is a major event, so all departments attended the party. The hall was packed with men and women dressed formally, and people from all over the world were present.
Rumor has it that UVL's latest choice for Marketing Director will finally break the glass ceiling that prevents Chinese people from rising to core management positions. Rumor has it that the new director was chosen from within the company. Rumor—
There were many rumors, so while the director was still on stage, tearfully recounting his gains and losses in Shanghai over the years, people from all departments below the stage had already begun to repeatedly search for possible candidates for the new director. The marketing department's table, which was originally in the center, became the focus of everyone's attention.
Qian Duoduo was the center of attention, but she didn't have time to pay attention to those gazes. Besides the surprise brought by the two new Japanese colleagues, Qian Duoduo also noticed that on such an important occasion, Elizabeth, who was sitting next to Ren Zhiqiang, was unusually smiling at her frequently.
It was a bit strange, but Ren Zhiqiang's behavior was quite normal. He politely greeted her and then didn't communicate with her again.
Ren Zhiqiang joined the company a few years earlier than her and had always worked in China. He was a senior member of the marketing department and was impeccable except for lacking some overseas experience. Ever since she returned to China and was at the same level as him, he had been secretly competing with her for a long time.
Fortunately, everyone led different teams and worked on different projects. The competition was limited to whose project was done better, and it was difficult to deal with underhanded tactics. Therefore, on the surface, everyone was polite and the situation was calm.
The two groups sat on opposite sides of the round table, a little far apart. Qian Duoduo's eyesight was poor, and the lighting was dim, so he couldn't see Elizabeth's eyes clearly and eventually gave up.
Forget it. By now, she has reached the last step, struggling up from the bottom. She has endured thousands of days and nights of hard work. Qian Duoduo doesn't care what others think now.
Chapter Twelve
The lengthy speech by the director finally ended, and the foreign CEO returned to the stage. The spotlight shone brightly on him, and he held an envelope in his hand. The background music was rousing and rhythmic. The CEO, who had gray hair and looked a bit like Santa Claus, winked mischievously.
"It's Oscar time."
There was laughter all around, but the marketing department's desk was quiet. Everyone was looking at Qian Duoduo, who was watching the stage alone.
She was excited. After graduating from university, she joined UVL. Although she started in the Chinese branch, she had worked her way up to where she is today in a place where foreigners always dominate. She couldn't bear to tell herself about the many hardships she had endured in the middle of the night.
She later worked in Singapore for three years, and was the only local employee with a Chinese university background to get such an opportunity. After returning to Shanghai, she worked day and night for two or three years, just to prove that she could do it, just to ensure that all her efforts would be recognized. For this goal, she gave up many of the best things in her life.
The boss was opening the envelope, and the room quieted down. At that moment, Qian Duoduo couldn't help but think of the night before she left Singapore. The bed was messy like waves, and the man's hot palm held her so tightly. Duoduo, Duoduo.
They had already argued, they had argued to the point where they had nothing left to say, and in the end, instead of begging, he just called her name, Duoduo, Duoduo.
The Santa Claus on stage finally unfolded the paper, adjusted his glasses, and continued with great poise, "Let's welcome the new Marketing Director for Greater China—"
The boss stretched his hand out to the audience. Duoduo was still lost in thought, but the others at the table had already begun to applaud. However, the chubby hand made a half-circle and returned to the side. The lights followed, and the boss's voice was very loud, "Kerry Xu, who has just successfully completed his work in Japan and made a great contribution to the company."
Kerry Xu? A name never heard before. Many in the room looked stunned, including the director at the main table and several other core executives. Qian Duoduo felt as if a giant sledgehammer had suddenly smashed down on her; the already blurry scene became even more disorienting.
Several close colleagues at her desk had already raised their hands to applaud her, but at this moment, they all looked embarrassed. Only the two new Japanese colleagues to her left and right remained calm, and Elizabeth, sitting directly opposite, seemed to have been waiting for this moment, smiling happily. Ren Zhiqiang, on the other hand, leisurely raised his glass and gestured to Qian Duoduo.
Having already caught a glimpse of their actions, Qian Duoduo's fingers, gripping the handbag on her lap under the table, sank deeply into the soft lambskin. However, her other hand swiftly reached for her wine glass, responding to Elizabeth's toast. She took a small sip, then turned back to the stands, her expression completely composed.
Everyone else's attention was already focused on where the light was sweeping. Qian Duoduo knew that the moment she was the center of attention had passed, but her expression remained completely relaxed.
The wine in her mouth hadn't been completely swallowed yet, and it still tasted a little bloody. She wasn't a child anymore; by now, she knew that when she was out doing business, she couldn't afford to lose face, no matter what. Unless she never wanted to do business again, she would swallow her pride no matter how big the problem was, and she would deal with any serious internal or external injuries later.
The music started again, and finally, someone stepped into the spotlight, the center of everyone's attention. To everyone's astonishment, Mr. Xu was dressed in a very formal three-piece suit, walking with a relaxed gait. Before speaking, he smiled at the audience, instantly radiating sunshine. ^There weren't many young employees at this event, but there were still some gasps of surprise, especially from Xiaolan's age group, whose eyes practically sparkled.
Qian Duoduo also gasped. The man on the stage was too dazzling. No matter how blurry her vision was, she could see him clearly. This Mr. Xu who had fallen from the sky, the legendary new marketing director, was actually the primitive feline that she had treated as a pervert on the subway that day!
Chapter Thirteen
Qian Duoduo was watching him from below the stage, and Xu Fei was also watching her from the stage.
He had good eyesight, and since the table she was sitting at was close to the front, he naturally took in her expression at first glance.
The scene on the subway that night flashed before his eyes again. If it weren't for the occasion, he really wanted to walk up to her, raise his glass, and ask, "Manager Qian, do I look familiar to you this time?"
He wasn't so bored as to randomly strike up a conversation with a woman he didn't know on the subway, even though he had just done her a big favor.
There was a reason he asked that question at the time. It wasn't his first meeting with Qian Duoduo; they had crossed paths five years earlier, and he still remembered it vividly.
Five years ago, at a campus recruitment fair, Qian Duoduo represented UVL at his alma mater. At that time, he was just a student, a junior, who had just taken over as the student union president.
The outgoing chairman, Lao Zhang, had a crush on Qian Duoduo for many years. Those few days, his curiosity was piqued, so he went to the auditorium to see the real person.
When I entered the auditorium, the atmosphere was already quite heated. Qian Duoduo was on stage wearing a white suit. Before speaking, she leaned slightly forward, her eyes bright. Even though she was looking at a point in the darkness below the stage, it made people feel that the whole audience was watching her.
Occasionally, she would flash a smile, revealing her beautifully rounded lips with naturally upturned corners, giving her a cheerful and radiant appearance. Her smile, with its red lips and white teeth, illuminated the entire room. He swore that he clearly heard the slurring sounds of the males around him that day, so much so that even long afterward, when he recalled the scene, he still felt as if he were completely immersed in an overwhelming surge of male hormones—including his own.
After the event, Zhang Qian squeezed his way up and mustered up the courage to invite her to dinner. Whether it was the intense stimulation of being so close to the light source or a problem with his own mental fortitude, his words were incoherent. The last thing he said was, "President Qian, let's have a farewell dinner today. You come."
A farewell dinner? Is this the power of love? He listened from the side, feeling both anger at their lack of ambition and sorrow for their misfortune.
Naturally, Old Zhang collapsed instantly upon being rejected, and disappeared dejectedly.
Qian Duoduo doesn't even remember Lao Zhang. All the beauties in the world have the right to have amnesia from time to time, and Qian Duoduo is the best of them all. It is estimated that she never takes up brain space for people and things that are unimportant to her.
When Qian Duoduo left, he chased after her alone, without thinking too much; it was almost an instinct.
She was dressed formally, with a pair of high heels under her suit. The slender heels were a man's blessing, making her figure graceful and slender, and she couldn't move fast. So when he chased her, he didn't run, but just took slightly larger steps, and in the blink of an eye, he was beside her.
When she turned to look at him, her expression was a little surprised. After hearing his words, she smiled. It was already a hot summer day, and the sunlight filtered through the dense green leaves, creating a cool atmosphere amidst the cicadas' chirping. Her smile was much more dazzling than the sunlight, but her words sent a chill down his spine: "Little brother, you're talking to me?"
"Younger brother"—I still clearly remember the feeling of shuddering when I heard those two words. It was hard to get used to being called "younger brother" by a woman I had just set my sights on in my early twenties.
"My name is Xu Fei."
"Oh," Qian Duoduo replied casually, "I know you, the current president, right? What year are you in?"
That tone was downright insulting. Xu Fei shrugged. "Junior year, so what?"
Qian Duoduo laughed, "You're a junior, study hard, and if you have the chance, you can get into UVL next year."
Even at this moment, she didn't forget to promote her company, and Xu Fei took over the second baton.
What I just said has nothing to do with this, right?
"Just now? You said you wanted to treat me to dinner?" She told it as a joke, but as she laughed, she finally noticed his serious expression, her smile faded, and she uttered two firm words, "No." "Why? It's just dinner, are you scared?"
"Why would I have dinner with you? We're not even close," he blurted out. "I want to pursue you."
Pfft—Oh no, Qian Duoduo burst out laughing. "Chase me? Junior, I never accept advances from guys younger than me, let alone someone who hasn't even graduated from university yet. I'm a person of principle."
Instead of getting angry, he retorted, "Why do you reject men younger than you? Being younger doesn't mean they're less capable or more immature. Your thinking is too narrow-minded."
"Narrow-minded?" She smiled, her tone completely dismissive. "Alright then, wait until you can convince me wholeheartedly to say, 'Little brother, you're really better than me,' then you can talk about pursuing me."
Chapter Fourteen
Xu Fei's speech was brief and brilliant, and the applause from the audience was thunderous. However, Qian Duoduo did not hear a single word clearly. Her ears were ringing. Disappointment was inevitable, and many unfamiliar emotions rushed over her, forcing her to grit her teeth to avoid losing her composure.
Her throat was so sore that she wanted to scream. Helpless, Duoduo had no choice but to raise her glass and swallow the wine one sip at a time. Her two Japanese colleagues became the temporary focus of attention at the table, busy answering everyone's questions. She vaguely felt that the name that was repeatedly mentioned sounded familiar, as if it had awakened a distant memory. However, she was too tired to think about it at the moment. She persevered until she finished her glass and then stood up and walked to the restroom with great restraint.
As she passed several tables, people greeted her. Qian Duoduo maintained her composure and smiled in response. Even after leaving the hall, she tried her best to control her pace and not let herself unconsciously start running.
Having finally arrived at her destination, she found the hotel's women's restroom to be luxuriously decorated. She stepped into the cubicle, closed the door, and finally let out a long sigh of relief. When she sat down, her whole body was stiff, and she could almost hear her joints cracking.
Her mind was in chaos. Qian Duoduo sat on the toilet for a long time, trying to adjust herself, but she couldn't get back on track. She felt utterly defeated. All the past glories turned into cold laughter that swept over her from all directions.
Over the years, she had long been used to swallowing her teeth and blood, but this time, her entire gum was knocked out. How could she swallow that?
Her nose felt sore, and Qian Duoduo took several deep breaths. Then, with her hands on her knees, she tried one more time to stand up and push the door open.
I can't stay in the toilet forever, I need to leave first.
Pushing open the door, I was met with a familiar figure from behind. It was Elizabeth, leaning slightly forward against the sink, touching up her makeup.
Qian Duoduo went over to wash her hands. Elizabeth put down her lipstick, looked at her, and then sighed, "Manager Qian, how are you feeling?"
Are you waiting to see a good show? Qian Duoduo sneered inwardly, but still replied calmly, "What's wrong?"
"The new Marketing Director is the first management trainee directly selected by headquarters in the mainland region. He's a genius who passed the most rigorous tests within four years, and he was parachuted in without any exceptions. At 26, he's the youngest regional Marketing Director in history." Elizabeth couldn't stop talking once she started, still clutching her lipstick, staring intently at Qian Duoduo's face, eagerly awaiting her reaction.
Qian Duoduo continued washing her hands, letting her chatter on and on, and then, amidst the roar of the hand dryer, concluded, "Elizabeth, why don't you become a weekly magazine reporter? It's a waste of your talent to be in the marketing department."
"Qian Duoduo!" Mockingly retorted like this, and seeing Qian Duoduo walk away so readily, Elizabeth finally lost her composure and snorted coldly, "Don't think you're a genius. He is. Don't think you're the only one who got promoted. Compared to him, you're nothing but child's play. How do you feel now? Can you still be so smug?"
They were almost at the door when Qian Duoduo suddenly stopped and turned around after hearing this, his eyes meeting Elizabeth's in mid-air.
"If this is the advance notice you managed to get from the general manager's office, then congratulations. At least today you can smugly tell your boss that for once, Elizabeth has outmaneuvered Qian Duoduo, and I admit defeat wholeheartedly. How about that? Feeling good? Happy?"
Unable to answer, Elizabeth stood in front of the mirror, her face changing from red to pale. Too lazy to say anything more, Qian Duoduo opened the door and left.
She had initially intended to return to the venue to say goodbye, but then she thought, why bother? She had already made a fool of herself; why go back and humiliate herself further? Qian Duoduo turned and immediately walked out of the hotel. She decided to leave everything for tomorrow; she had had enough today. Since she hadn't driven, she hailed a taxi on the street, pointed in a random direction, and let it take her wherever it wanted.
On Friday night, no matter how cold the winter was, the city was still bustling and vibrant. Everywhere, stylish men and women in bright clothes dazzled the wind as they passed by, and the neon lights seemed both real and surreal.
Qian Duoduo didn't want to go home. The taxi drove through the busiest part of the city at night, and she asked the driver to stop. Then she quickly walked into the bar closest to her.
The bar was converted from an old French-style house. It was crowded with people, and a black female singer was singing jazz on stage. When the song was exciting, guests of all skin colors applauded and responded. It was like another world.
Desperate for a drink, Qian Duoduo sat down and ordered one. The bartender, who had seen many single female customers like her, served her the third drink and whispered a reminder, "Miss, be careful not to drink too much."
Qian Duoduo waved her hand. The female singer was singing her jazz at its climax, and while the others in the audience were completely absorbed, she heard a different sound—"Duoduo, Duoduo."
It was so long ago; she thought she had forgotten, but today she kept thinking about it. Was she really wrong? Everything comes at a price, so why did she pay the price but receive no reward?
Just two days ago, I was watching the director mutter in a management meeting that not all efforts will yield results. Little did I know that his words would come true and that the consequences would befall me.
What can you do? Qian Duoduo leaned on the table, utterly powerless. Losing is losing. This internal battle had become a complete joke. It turned out the company had other plans. The outcome was predetermined. She and Ren Zhiqiang were both severely injured, and she was the last one to know the result.
I'm reminded of a female assistant in the marketing department who worked there for three years. When she learned that she wouldn't get a promotion, she gave a cold snort and handed in her resignation the next day.
When asked why, she answered decisively: "My husband said that there's no future in this, so I might as well come home and he'll support me."
So, what does a career setback mean to many women? At worst, they can retreat home, where they have a strong support system and a safe haven. If they want, they can stay home for the rest of their lives and never have to face the storms of life.
But Qian Duoduo can't do that. Qian Duoduo has no man, no husband to support her; she has to rely on herself. Besides, where else can she go?
Being unmarried at thirty is already a source of public outrage; if she were to give up her career on a whim, wouldn't all these years have been wasted?
If you can't give up, then you can only continue. But you still feel uncomfortable. You feel utterly powerless, like you can't wring out a damp towel no matter how hard you try. To make that feeling disappear, Qian Duoduo keeps drinking.
Alcohol brought hallucinations, and many memories floated before her eyes: the awkward kiss in the dimly lit stairwell, the damp palms, the burning lips, kissing with all their might, their tongues seemingly trying to penetrate each other's hearts, the sticky, smacking sounds of their intertwined lips and tongues echoing in her ears; large bouquets of fresh flowers on the table, so fragrant and vibrant, withered and tossed under the table, only to be replaced by new ones in the blink of an eye, seemingly never fading; and the tropical nights of Singapore, the air filled with the ever-present damp floral fragrance, the sudden afternoon rain showers followed by the clearing of the clouds, the boundless sky, the bright sunlight shining on the still-rain-stained streets, the man walking ahead of her with his left hand outstretched, waiting for her to fall behind, their hands clasped and their eyes meeting with a smile.
So what? It's all in the past. Qian Duoduo slumped onto the table with a bitter smile, her face buried in her elbows. Her phone rang, but she didn't look up. She reached into her bag and found her phone, then opened it to read the message. It was Ye Mingshen again, a very polite greeting, almost like a routine: "Duoduo, did you enjoy the party tonight? If it's convenient, let's have dinner together tomorrow?"
Qian Duoduo recalled what the man had said yesterday: he hoped that the two of them could complete the task step by step, and then continue the life they wanted based on mutual respect and understanding. Gritting her teeth, Qian Duoduo suddenly had the urge to throw her phone, but she stopped herself with a flick of her wrist. After a while, she opened her phone again and slowly typed a few words, "Okay, see you tomorrow."