Xiaolan and I have worked together for many years and have a good personal relationship. Xianwen isn't exactly a high-priced item. After laughing, Qian Duoduo generously said thank you, then walked over and patted her on the shoulder, "Stop fooling around, let's get ready for the meeting."
After Xiaolan left, the phone on the table rang. It was a line call. Qian Duoduo was opening a folder, and when she answered, she stopped and held the receiver to her shoulder. "Hello?"
All she could hear was even breathing and the sound of the wind. Xu Fei answered with a smile, "Hi," and then asked, "Duoduo, is she in the office?"
"Where else could we be? Are you afraid I'll back out at the last minute?" They've been together for almost two months. Although they haven't made their relationship public to anyone at her request, they always seize every opportunity to be together whenever they have free time. However, they're both too busy with work to keep up. Xu Fei flew to the London headquarters for a meeting last week, and she hadn't seen him for several days. She missed him terribly. When she heard his voice, Qian Duoduo's lips automatically curled up. It was an unavoidable, natural reaction.
A soft laugh came from the other end, with the faint sound of a car passing by in the background. "Run away, I'm fast, I'll chase you when I get back."
You could tell what he was doing just by the sound of his voice. Qian Duoduo grabbed the microphone and continued, "Running again? What time is it there? Be careful someone doesn't rob you."
He laughed heartily, "Director, if I get robbed, remember to provide me with a meal."
The man always talked to her in a crazy way, Qian Duoduo sighed helplessly, glancing at the time, and said, "We have to go to the meeting soon, I'll hang up now."
There is a time difference between the two sides of the earth. Xu Fei had just finished a full day of meetings. It was evening in London. The streets around the hotel were quiet. He was jogging alone in the fog. Suddenly, he missed her very much. He wanted her to be by his side and wanted to reach out and hug her.
“Dodo.” He stopped her with a soft laugh, then chuckled softly, “It’s foggy in London, it’s beautiful. I miss you, I wish you were here too.”
There's a time difference between the two sides of the earth. At this moment, Qian Duoduo is sitting at the large desk in the director's office, with a large stack of documents in front of her. The second hand of the wall clock moves one by one, reminding her that a tense and busy day is about to begin. But, alas, she melts—her heart collapses inch by inch, like butter meeting fire.
Chapter Sixty-Four
Everyone else in the meeting room was already seated, except for the seat on the left, which was empty. Qian Duoduo glanced at Xiao Lan and asked, "Where's Manager Ren?"
Before Xiaolan could answer, the door opened, and everyone turned around to see Ren Zhiqiang.
He stood there with one hand still on the door, saying, "Sorry, I'm late."
Qian Duoduo also looked over, and the two of them exchanged a glance in mid-air.
Today's meeting was important, and she was wearing glasses, so her vision was clear, and she could clearly see the many complex meanings in his eyes.
Without time for further analysis, she nodded to him to sit down, without smiling or saying another word, and turned to announce the start of the meeting.
Female managers always face greater pressure and more scrutiny, and she was well prepared for that.
After announcing the work plan that the marketing department would be facing next, there was an uproar. Qian Duoduo was not surprised by everyone's reaction. In fact, even though she had been somewhat prepared, she was still shocked when she finally received the confirmation in Hong Kong.
She wasn't Xu Fei, and she couldn't deliver those inspiring platitudes, but Qian Duoduo had her own unique characteristics. She sat at the head of the table, calmly waiting for everyone's initial surprise to subside, then stood up, turned on the projector, and announced the work plan and personnel allocation in a very ordinary voice, as if it were just a standard, routine project.
Her attitude quickly quieted the meeting room, and everyone listened attentively, with those assigned tasks beginning to take notes.
It was a busy day, but after get off work, Qian Duoduo still kept her promise and treated everyone to dinner to celebrate her promotion, as was their custom. Everyone in the marketing department went to their usual Japanese restaurant, and even Ren Zhiqiang and Elizabeth were there. Although Elizabeth's expression wasn't too good, and Ren Zhiqiang didn't say a word from beginning to end, at least on the surface, the entire marketing department was in a good mood, with laughter filling the air.
Feeling that she had already succeeded in being a good person, Qian Duoduo kept smiling and accepting the congratulations. Around nine o'clock, she got up to say goodbye, saying that she had made plans with others. She encouraged everyone to enjoy the meal and continue the show, saying that it would all be on her behalf. Then she readily paid the bill and left.
The gap between their positions is getting bigger and bigger. No matter how harmonious things seem on the surface, there are many things that people can't say when she's around. Qian Duoduo also worked her way up from the bottom, and she's always been very considerate in this regard.
Besides, she did have an appointment. With so many things happening recently, how could she not have a good chat with her best friend?
It wasn't time for coffee anymore. Qian Duoduo and Yiyi had arranged to meet at a bar. Qian Duoduo didn't know many bars, and Yiyi even less, so they always went to the same old places. When they entered, there was still that old-fashioned globe in front of them.
Yiyi was driven there. It wasn't a bustling area in the city. The streets outside the bar were quiet, so the driver pulled the car over to the curb, sat inside, spread out a newspaper, and waited patiently.
Qian Duoduo arrived early and was already sitting in the corner with a wine glass in hand. Next to her was a brown wooden frame with small pieces of art glass. Through the icy patterns, she watched Yiyi get out of the car. It was early summer, and Yiyi was dressed casually with her hair tied up. A light purple skirt was visible under her belted trench coat. Even a short walk was a beautiful sight.
This bar is near the company and is not well-known, so it is very quiet. There are not many people inside. Qian Duoduo is sitting in a corner with indoor plants behind the sofa. He stands up and walks around Yiyi, who is standing at the door with a green smile.
Yi Yi smiled, walked over, took off her trench coat, and sat down. The sofa was wide and the chair back was high. As soon as the two of them sat down, they seemed to disappear. In an instant, Qian Duoduo could almost hear the sighs behind him and couldn't help but laugh again.
"So happy?" Yiyi raised her wine glass to clink glasses with her. The red wine glass was crystal clear, and the deep red wine swirled. The rims of the glasses touched with a crisp sound.
"It's alright, it's always a good thing to get promoted, but I might leave UVL after completing this project." Only now did Qian Duoduo truly relax, adjusting her posture to sink deeper into the room.
Not understanding her words, Yiyi opened her eyes wide in surprise, "Isn't UVL good? Last time you didn't get promoted and you said you wanted to change places, and now you've been promoted to director and you still want to change places? Is changing places fun?"
Qian Duoduo stuck out her tongue. "When you're in the world of martial arts, you're not in control of your own destiny."
Yi Yi looked surprised, while Qian Duoduo just smiled. Poor Yi Yi had never worked before and didn't know anything about the situation. She didn't understand the explanation that "one is helpless in the world" at all, and was still completely confused.
However, Yi Yi has always had the good habit of giving up on things she doesn't think are important if she can't figure them out, and she's not very interested in this kind of topic, so she immediately put aside Qian Duoduo's work situation and skipped the topic, "Okay, let's not talk about that. You look great! You're in love and got a promotion. How far have things progressed with Ye Mingshen lately? Come and report back."
Qian Duoduo shook her head and told the truth, "I did have a relationship, but it wasn't with Ye Mingshen. I apologized to him before I went to Hong Kong."
This time she was really shocked. Yi Yi almost choked on her wine glass, which was still at her lips. She put down the glass before speaking, "What's wrong with you two? Weren't you always on dates? The other day when I called your house, your mother praised Xiao Ye for a long time."
Hearing her mother's voice gave her a headache. Qian Duoduo sat up to explain, but suddenly she heard a familiar voice at the door. She turned around, then immediately turned back.
Chapter Sixty-Five
It turned out to be Ren Zhiqiang and Elizabeth. How come I always run into them when I go out for a drink? Qian Duoduo sighed inwardly. She was too lazy to look any further, and she couldn't just drag Yiyi to another place right now. Too much trouble.
Unable to decipher Qian Duoduo's expression, Yiyi curiously peeked out, following Qian Duoduo's gaze to try and see what was going on, but was pulled back by Qian Duoduo.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a man and a woman sitting down not far from them. The woman couldn't wait for the drinks to be served and started complaining, her voice indignant, "I really don't understand, why did Qian Duoduo get promoted after going through all that trouble? In terms of seniority and experience, she's not as good as you."
Upon hearing the name Qian Duoduo, Yiyi fell silent, asking with her eyes, "Your colleague?" Qian Duoduo nodded, shrugged helplessly, and continued drinking.
Elizabeth kept complaining about the unfairness of the company, but Ren Zhiqiang remained silent. After drinking for a while, he finally spoke, "Never mind, she's different from us."
"What's different? Last time, wasn't it because she had a good relationship with the former director and was always working hard behind the scenes that she said she wanted a promotion? Then Kenny Xu suddenly parachuted in and caught her off guard. It was really gratifying."
Gossiping behind my back! I heard you, I heard you all! Qian Duoduo rolled her eyes on the sofa. Yiyi found it amusing and continued mouthing, "People are talking about you."
"It would be abnormal if no one told us," Qian Duoduo replied in a low voice, then began to observe whether there was a second door in the bar that would allow them to leave without being noticed.
She also wanted to please the whole world, but unfortunately that's impossible. That's just reality, and Qian Duoduo doesn't force it.
Another voice drifted over, Elizabeth complaining incessantly, "Who knows who Qian Duoduo got involved with this time? Do you think she has some kind of relationship with Kenny Xu? How come she's the next one to get promoted after he did?"
"Kenny Xu?" Yiyi heard it clearly too, and looked at Qian Duoduo with a question mark on her face. "Xu Fei?"
Before Qian Duoduo could answer, Ren Zhiqiang suddenly spoke up, "You're only just realizing it? Qian Duoduo and Xu Fei have been together for a long time. It's too late for you to say this now."
"Really?" The same two words and gasps came from Elizabeth and Yiyi's mouths at the same time, before Qian Duoduo could cover her mouth.
Fortunately, they were sitting in a very secluded spot. Yiyi always maintained a ladylike demeanor, so her voice was never very loud. The two people behind her were also in a bad mood, so they didn't even notice her.
Elizabeth stared in disbelief, her voice changing when she spoke again, her tone complex, "She and Kenny Xu? How could that man be with her—ah, how did you know?"
"I've seen it," Ren Zhiqiang replied simply, as if he couldn't be bothered to say more. Then he reached for the bill, "Let's go, I need to get home early today."
"Not coming to my place?" Elizabeth asked in surprise at his actions, her tone unusually urgent and different from her previous words.
"Elizabeth, there's no future for you following me. You should learn from Qian Duoduo; if you're going to find a man, find the most useful one." Ren Zhiqiang said this in a cold voice, then walked away without looking back.
Elizabeth didn't follow. She sat alone for a few more minutes, her expression complicated, before suddenly getting up, grabbing her bag, and hurriedly leaving.
As if she had just listened to a wonderful radio drama, Yiyi grabbed Qian Duoduo as soon as they left and asked, "What exactly happened? Tell me quickly."
Being talked about like that behind her back, Qian Duoduo's expression naturally turned sour. Instead of answering, she asked, "Yiyi, what do you think I relied on for my promotion?"
Seeing that Qian Duoduo was a little depressed, Yiyi temporarily suppressed her gossipy thoughts and answered seriously, "Of course it's because you're capable and hardworking."
Qian Duoduo gave a bitter smile. "Yiyi, did you hear what they said? Now you understand, being a female manager is just glamorous on the surface. Behind the scenes, you have to put in many times more effort than a man. Women will get married and have children one day. No matter how well you perform, the company will always give more consideration to men. Even if you really succeed and get promoted, people will say that you got there by sleeping your way in."
"Ignore them, that's just jealousy. People who know you won't believe this nonsense. What could you possibly have with Xu Fei? He's several years younger than you."
"Thank you for your support." Qian Duoduo cupped his hands in greeting, then bowed his head and confessed, telling the truth, "However, Xu Fei and I do have a relationship now."
"Huh?" Stunned, Yiyi added blankly, "What's your relationship?"
Qian Duoduo, who had broken her own principles, became unusually shy. She turned her head away and spoke somewhat awkwardly, "We, we are in a relationship."
There was no sound from the other end. Yiyi's eyes widened, her wine glass still hanging in mid-air, neither rising nor falling, the liquid inside sloshing dangerously. Qian Duoduo wisely took the glass from her, poured her a little more, and then placed his hands on his knees, quietly waiting for Yiyi to return to normal.
A full minute passed before Yiyi spoke. She took a sip of wine to calm herself, then grabbed Qian Duoduo's hand. Qian Duoduo, unsure what his old friend's comments would be, focused and prepared himself.
"Duoduo, the photos." "Huh?" This time it was Qian Duoduo's turn to be stunned.
The ladylike Yiyi suddenly revealed a dreamy, girlish expression that was completely at odds with her noble demeanor. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at Qian Duoduo, and she excitedly spread her hands, saying, "That Xu Fei, he's even more handsome than before, Duoduo, I want to see his photos."
Chapter Sixty-Six
The wife was having a great time chatting with her best friend. Yiyi's driver waited outside the bar for a long time this time, flipping through a newspaper several times, and almost memorizing the advertisements in the margins.
However, since he works in this line of work and has lived in this family for so many years, he has always been very patient. Especially when he finally saw his wife's smile in the rearview mirror after she got into the car, he felt that the wait was worthwhile.
The husband has always been busy. He and Aunt Zhang are the people closest to Yiyi. Over the years, they have watched this young lady grow up little by little. When she first came, she was like a little girl, always smiling. But later she became more and more taciturn and indifferent. Recently, she seems to care little about anything that happens around her.
They are just ordinary people, but you can tell from their appearance that being a rich wife isn't easy. Fortunately, she has a good friend to help her relieve loneliness. Qian Duoduo and Yiyi's social circles don't overlap at all, but their friendship has lasted a long time. Yiyi is always happy when they are together, so she is naturally willing to wait for him to pick her up and drop her off.
The smile remained in the rearview mirror. It was rare to see his wife so happy, so the driver couldn't help but turn around and ask, "Madam, what's making you so happy?"
What else could she be laughing about? Of course, it's because of Qian Duoduo.
Just now, Qian Duoduo couldn't withstand her questioning and confessed everything that had happened between her and Xu Fei recently. Yiyi listened with envy and finally asked Duoduo, "But doesn't your mother want you to get married as soon as possible? Xu Fei is still young, what if things don't work out?"
That was a valid question. Qian Duoduo was silent for a while before answering, "Yiyi, I'm scared too. At this age, if a relationship doesn't work out, it's just a waste of time for a man, but for me, it might be a waste of my entire youth. But since I've already made up my mind, I'll keep going, even if it's a mountain of knives or a sea of fire, I won't regret it."
Yi Yi was moved by how beautiful Qian Duoduo looked when she said those words, so she raised her glass and clinked it with hers. Then she added resolutely, "Yes, the path you choose, you have to walk it to the end, even if you have to crawl on your knees!"
After she finished speaking, she and Qian Duoduo burst into laughter, and even when they parted, they couldn't stop the upturned corners of their mouths. When the driver asked her a question, she still smiled and replied, "Ah, Duoduo and I were just telling jokes."
"What joke?" The driver laughed and asked again. Yiyi smiled and shook her head in the rearview mirror, "It's a girl's secret, I can't tell you." Then she turned to look out the window.
Outside the car window, it was pitch black. Occasionally, someone would ride a bicycle under the streetlights, pedaling hard and hurrying past. But inside the car, she was surrounded by the rich scent of genuine leather, soft music, and luxurious, streamlined interior. It felt like another world in comparison.
Two worlds, Qian Duoduo is still making a choice, while she has already settled down.
She saw her own reflection in the car window. Looking at that familiar yet unfamiliar face, she repeated the sentence, no longer laughing, because it wasn't a joke at all.
She thought to herself, "I will walk the path I have chosen, even if I have to crawl on my knees."
Qian Duoduo drove home alone. It was quite late. It was springtime, and the wind carried a soft scent. After driving for a while, she simply opened all the windows, feeling even more refreshed.
Talking to Yiyi was indeed effective; she hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time. Since deciding to accept Xu Fei, in just a few weeks, she felt like she was riding a rollercoaster every morning, her life full of ups and downs, incredibly exciting.
Yiyi is right. Her decision to be with Xu Fei was entirely based on her feelings. This choice will not only be of no help to the pressing issue of marriage she needs to address, but may even have the opposite effect. She may very well waste her youth indefinitely in this relationship, only to end up with nothing.
She still had a job, and had previously decided to leave. Later, she had a great opportunity at MEC, but she hesitated because of him, unwilling to leave him to face everything alone, and unwilling to leave him.
She was certainly tempted by MEC's invitation, but she secretly hoped for another outcome—the outcome between her and him.
If she had hesitated like that last time, she might have settled down in Singapore by now, and her children would be grown up.
Will I regret it? But it's my own choice, I've already decided, how can I change it?
"Then let's follow our own decision," Qian Duoduo thought to herself, summarizing her decision. Moreover, with her background as the marketing director of UVL and her experience in this project, she had a bright future ahead of her and could go anywhere she wanted.
The car drove smoothly and quickly along the quiet midnight road. The small space felt private, as if no one was watching. She couldn't help but clench her fist and wave it on the steering wheel to reinforce her resolve.