Knowing that Qian Duoduo had misunderstood, Yiyi stared at the phone in silence for a second. Then the phone was snatched from her hand; the man's fingers were long and strong, and she couldn't hold on to it. In the blink of an eye, her hand was empty. "Have a glass of water," he said, handing her a glass.
The luxurious office was on the top floor, spacious and airy. She sat on the sofa; although it was a single seat, there was ample space on either side, making her appear even smaller. He sat opposite her, seemingly smiling, observing her intently.
As she looked at the man before her, she was filled with hallucinations.
Over the years, she would occasionally dream of him, chasing after him and calling out to him. But when she caught up with him, she didn't dare to pull him away, afraid that he would look at her with bloodshot eyes, just like back then, and then walk away without looking back.
At that time, she was already with Niu Zhensheng, while he was still a graduate student majoring in computer science, designing programs all day long.
Everyone knew she had a wealthy boyfriend, but he persisted. Their first time was because Niu Zhensheng said he wanted to celebrate her birthday, but then suddenly went on a business trip. The grand party was held at the hotel as scheduled, and everyone she knew was invited. She cut the cake alone in a dress, and many people gasped when she opened the gift that Niu Zhensheng had sent.
After he got home, he came and knocked on her door alone. It was very late, and she was watching a Korean drama inside, crying her eyes out. He stood at the door, looking at her without saying a word, and then kissed her forcefully.
He smelled wonderful, like thick honey, reminding her of her favorite childhood bottle—a chubby bottle with a brown label featuring a plump little bee and a simple flower. She thought this man probably pitied her, believing she was crying because she felt neglected. She wasn't actually sad; her mother always said that the right man was someone who would never make her sad, and also, he had to be rich.
But his eyes were burning with passion, and when he kissed her, she felt as if her whole body was sinking into that sweet honey, her consciousness was blurred, the pores on her skin were open, and the pleasure was insane.
After she sat up in bed, she told him that this was a one-time thing, an accident, and that he shouldn't do it again.
He said your body knows whether you will fall in love with someone, and you can't fool yourself.
He's right. Being with him feels great, so great that she once wondered if her life goals were a bit off. Being with a rich person isn't that fun. The happiness comes from wanting to be with this person all the time. When she sees him, she wants to kiss him, touch him, and coil around him like a snake.
But in the end, she still didn't choose him. When she announced the wedding date to him, his eyes were bloodshot, and he asked her why.
Her answer was simple: I want to marry a rich man. Niu Zhensheng is, but you are not.
She also wanted to explain that her mother came from a wealthy family, but she gave up leaving China with her parents to marry a worker's son. In the end, she was abandoned and ended up having to rely on her in a shantytown.
She wasn't as glamorous as she appeared, with people picking her up and dropping her off, and dressed in luxurious clothes, like a young lady raised in a life of ease.
From a young age, she watched her mother sell her labor to support herself and her, transforming from a pampered young lady into a cold and calculating woman.
So what if reality is cold and indifferent? As long as he still loves her, he will work hard from dawn till dusk to support her studies, work overtime in the sweltering heat, and when he receives an ice cream, he will wrap it carefully in a towel and bring it back to watch her eat it bite by bite.
Her mother was beautiful, but she never remarried for her sake. No matter how wronged she was, she would cry alone in the middle of the night. When she went over to ask her, her mother would pretend to smile and say that she had misheard.
She also loves her mother; she is her daughter, and she wants her to be able to go back to the past and enjoy the life she deserves.
Men, rich or poor, are all fickle once they stop loving someone, so why would she choose a penniless man? If she was going to marry, she should marry a rich man; even if they broke up, she could still get half of his assets. She met Niu Zhensheng in high school; he supported her through university, bought her and her mother a house, and waited for her to come of age before marrying her.
After she and her mother moved away from that narrow, adjacent house where the eaves were so close that one could only pass sideways, she never thought of looking back again. She was destined to marry this man, regardless of love or obligation.
After hearing her words, the man left without looking back. She felt that she would never see him again in her life. Later, she heard that he had dropped out of school and gone abroad. He was not an important figure, so no one cared about him, and there was very little information about him.
"I want to go home." After all these years, the sweet scent of him still lingers. She had been careful with her breathing all afternoon, trying to hide her greed and exhaustion. She needed to go back and rest.
"Okay, I'll take you home." He didn't try to stop her, and stood up to see her off in a gentlemanly manner.
He drove her back to where they started, and no one spoke the whole way. It was as if everything that had happened that afternoon was a dream. He drove her silently around every place they had frequented in the past, and finally invited her to his top-floor office in a luxurious building, to let her know how incredibly wealthy he was now.
Her initial shock and fear had dissipated, and she eventually found it somewhat amusing.
What was he trying to prove? Just one sentence. Everything from back then has been swept away by the winds of time. Did he really think she was the kind of woman who would grovel before him and fall into his arms at the mere smell of money?
She's not poor now!
When she got out of the car, he walked around to open the door for her and then helped her with her elbow.
She felt the heat even through her coat, a burning sensation on her skin, and heard his voice in her ear, "Leave him, and I'm rich now too."
I thought he wouldn't say anything, but at the last second, he was so direct and blunt.
She didn't even give an answer, she just turned and left. This wasn't temptation, it was slaughter.
The reunion after so many years was used to destroy the beautiful remnants of the past. It was too cruel; they didn't even spare a single memory of hers.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Feeling dazed and confused, Qian Duoduo lay in bed, pulled the covers over her head like a turtle, and decided to put everything off until tomorrow.
The next day was a rare sunny winter day. After getting up early, Qian Duoduo sat on the bed nervously biting her nails. Her mother knocked on the door several times, but she didn't answer.
She was still absent-minded while eating breakfast. She had a glass of milk to her lips for ages but hadn't taken a single sip. Qian's mother was an impatient person and couldn't stand people being clingy in front of her. Finally, she slammed her hand on the table and stood up, "Duoduo, are you going to work or not?"
Qian Duoduo was startled and couldn't help but tell the truth, "Mom, I just failed to get a promotion."
Her parents, sitting opposite her, exchanged a glance, and then Qian's mother laughed, "No wonder you've been looking down these past few days. I thought something was wrong with you. What's so great about promotions? The higher you get, the busier you become, and the harder it is for you to get married. We don't need your little bit of money."
What kind of talk is this? Qian Duoduo's expression immediately broke down.
Seeing that his daughter's expression was off, the father stepped in to smooth things over, "Duoduo, are you in a bad mood? I heard that the infighting in companies these days is even fiercer than the Warring States period. If you're feeling uncomfortable, just say it. How can you keep it bottled up? If you really don't want to go anymore, you might as well find another place."
The milk cup was still trembling in her hand. Qian Duoduo took a deep breath and slammed it down, then stood up and clenched her fist. "That's right! We have to make things clear face to face. If it doesn't work out, we'll just go somewhere else. We're going to risk it!"
After saying that, without looking at her parents' shocked expressions, she grabbed her bag, put on her coat, and went to work with high spirits.
When I drove to the company garage, I saw another car coming in through another entrance. The car was big and familiar; it was the director's personal car.
Qian Duoduo's first reaction was to step on the brakes. Then, she watched helplessly from several rows of cars away as the driver got out of the car to open the door for the new director. However, the back door was pushed open from the inside, and a tall, slender man stepped out with ease. He nodded and spoke to the driver, and even glanced back in her direction.
This is a provocation, a blatant provocation!
Qian Duoduo instinctively straightened up and prepared for battle, but Xu Fei merely glanced over at her before turning and striding away.
He felt a sudden rush of emotion. Thinking about it, it made sense. Given the distance, and the fact that he didn't even know it was her car, why would he care so much?
This delay meant that more than ten minutes passed before Qian Duoduo parked her car, went upstairs, and entered the company. Fortunately, she left early and wasn't late.
When I entered the marketing department, everyone else was already there. Everyone was very sensible. On the first day of the new director's appointment, everyone was in their place early and obedient. Qian Duoduo walked in at the last minute, which only seemed abrupt.
The two new colleagues were the busiest. Marumi was tidying up her desk, and Masahiro had just come out of the director's office. When they saw her come in, they both nodded, and Marumi even put her hands on her knees and gave a very formal bow.
"Good morning, Manager Qian." UVL is a multinational company with a relaxed work atmosphere and casual interactions among colleagues. Qian Duoduo was completely unprepared to receive such a generous greeting face-to-face. Fortunately, she reacted quickly, managing a grin as she hurriedly came to her senses, "Good morning."
The door to the director's office behind Zheng Jiang opened, and someone walked out. Although the steps were small, the strong presence drew everyone's attention.
It was Xu Fei who came out, holding a document in his hand. He turned his head and smiled at Qian Duoduo, saying, "Good morning."
Trying to maintain a normal expression, he replied, "Good morning, Director Xu." Glancing at the wall clock, he casually remarked, "Manager Qian is very punctual."
Mocking her? Qian Duoduo immediately retorted, "How can you compare to the director? You're so energetic, you're like you've taken some kind of superpower first thing in the morning, so full of energy. Why don't you go perform on the street early and do some early shows? With your show-off attitude, you'd definitely make a lot of money." Recalling the scene from that night, Qian Duoduo's anger flared up again, like a raging fire.
"Is this a compliment?" He wanted to laugh, but he could tell she was still wary of him. Oh well, she was drunk that night, he'd explain later. He nodded and said thank you, then turned to Zheng Jiang.
Unexpectedly, Qian Duoduo spoke up from behind, "Director, I have something to say to you."
"Now?" Slightly surprised, he turned to look at her. "Yes." Ignoring the various gazes coming from all directions, Qian Duoduo nodded.
All her colleagues watched with bated breath. Qian Duoduo's reaction was automatically interpreted as a sign of resentment after failing to get a promotion. How would the new director handle this? Exciting, exciting! Everyone was eagerly anticipating the outcome.
Unexpectedly, Xu Fei stopped talking, handed the documents in his hand to Zheng Jiang, looked around, and then smiled, "Everyone, let's get ready for the morning meeting. Manager Qian, please come in."
The door to the director's office was pushed open in front of them. Xu Fei's smile was still on his face. Qian Duoduo stepped in with him without hesitation.
The door hinges were lubricated, and it closed again in an instant, blocking the view of everyone behind it.
Disappointed, everyone sighed silently.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Xu Fei, with his long legs, walked to the desk in a few steps. Without sitting down, he stood and greeted her, "Is there anything you want to tell me? By the way, did you have a smooth trip home that night?"
He dared to ask again! She walked up to him in one go and said, "Director Xu, please guarantee that no third person knows about what happened on Friday night."
He waited for a long time without receiving an answer, and looked at her without saying a word.
Qian Duoduo leaned forward to show her determination, her lower abdomen pressed against the hard edge of the desk. The two stood close enough that Qian Duoduo began to hallucinate before she could even speak. She saw fragmented images of four lips touching before her eyes, and heard rapid breathing in her ears. What should she do? She couldn't get too close to this man; her body was reacting, and her heart was pounding.
How shameful! She pinched the back of her right hand under the edge of the table with her left fingernail. As the pain shot through her, her voice hardened, "Director Xu?"
He had a lot to say. He wanted to find a suitable time to talk to her alone, to explain what happened that day, to ask her how she felt after sobering up, and to say that although she was a bit out of control when she was drunk, he could understand.
But her tone was cold and hard, as if the subtext was that if he didn't agree, she would immediately sue him for sexual harassment.
His eyes swept across her face, then over her slightly tense cheeks. Qian Duoduo's expression was serious, and her eyes were full of wariness.
What's there to be wary of? He's got a grievance to settle too, you know? Unable to contain his anger, Xu Fei stepped over his desk and stood in front of her.
A sudden sense of oppression washed over her, and Qian Duoduo helplessly took a large step back, her cheeks flushing.
Suddenly, he saw her blushing and embarrassed face in the car, and he forgot what he was going to say. The huge office space suddenly felt small and stuffy, and he suddenly felt hot all over in a second.
Suppressing her intense urge to turn and disappear, Qian Duoduo steadied herself and decided to go all out. "Director, you don't want me to resign like this, do you?"
He didn't answer, nor did he approach any closer. He stood there in silence for a while, and just when she was about to despair, he finally smiled, his voice flat, "What is Manager Qian talking about? Did anything happen on Friday night? I don't remember."
She glared at him and forced out the words through gritted teeth, "Thank you, Director, I'm leaving."
He nodded, turned and walked towards his desk, leaving her with his back to him. His reply was very director-like: "Okay, see you at the meeting."
Did anything happen on Friday night? I don't remember it.
What kind of attitude is that! She's the victim here! Unable to swallow her anger, Qian Duoduo felt her legs go weak as she walked towards her desk, her heart filled with resentment.
The marketing department doesn't have many staff. The office layout is quite formal, with traditional cubicle desks in the middle. The manager's office area is relatively larger, but it's just a simple partition in a corner. The independent director's office is of course different. Qian Duoduo goes in and out frequently, and he knows what it looks like with his eyes closed.
It's just that it has four more walls, a row of large windows, and a few more cabinets and cupboards than others, and it's only about twenty square meters. Especially now that the man is sitting inside, she can't be bothered to even glance at it.
As she passed by Xiaolan's table, she quietly gave her a thumbs-up. Qian Duoduo cheered herself up, smiled, and then quickened her pace back to her cubicle.
Okay, let's not be hypocritical. When she first joined the company, she and Xiaolan both had the same narrow little table in the same cubicle. Every time she saw her boss walk out of there, she would secretly clench her fist with envy.
Later, when I reached that position, I realized that the view from the director's office was completely different from the cramped space of three to five square meters. So everyone is eager to climb up, because once you're up there, you won't be trampled on. Staying at the bottom always leaves you feeling powerless.
Thinking too much was pointless. Qian Duoduo rallied her spirits, turned on her computer, and checked her emails. There was a routine email from the marketing department, a mass-sent official letter written by Xu Fei—a warm yet humorous public greeting from the new marketing director, complete with his contact number.
The anger was still there; I reached out to close it, but after grabbing the mouse, I gradually calmed down.
Qian Duoduo, what are you thinking? It was just a drunken night, are you really going to give up everything and start over somewhere else?
It's not that it's impossible, but in every industry, once you reach a certain level, that's the limit. Aren't they all the same everywhere? Besides, if she leaves at this time, everyone will think she can't accept the new boss who came in from outside, so she resigned in anger. If that kind of reputation gets out, how will she be able to work in the future?
Having accepted reality, Qian Duoduo withdrew her finger, thought for a moment, then took out her phone from her bag and forcefully pressed the number one by one onto her phone.
Work is work. Even if her boss is an idiot, she won't give up. Qian Duoduo has been able to persevere to this day, and it has never been due to luck.
"Boss, the meeting's in session," came the voice of Assistant Xiaolan.
"Okay." Qian Duoduo looked up and replied, then pressed the save button, stood up, and walked out.
Everyone entered the conference room and took their seats one after another. Qian Duoduo had been busy dealing with Xu Fei since entering the marketing department and hadn't noticed the other female colleagues' clothes at all. Now, seeing them up close, she was suddenly taken aback.