Noticing Lin Xi's pale face, Sun Wenxin casually asked, "What's wrong?"
Lin Xi shook her head. "Nothing." Since they weren't close yet, Sun Wenxin didn't press the matter and enthusiastically pulled her to eat.
"Eating with such beautiful scenery can definitely lift your spirits," Lin Xi chuckled, even managing a rhyme. Sun Wenxin, however, was restless at the table, nudging Lin Xi,
and began gossiping, "I heard our CEO is very handsome. You see him all the time, is he the legendary god-like beauty?" Lin Xi pictured Duan Yiheng's cold, handsome face.
The Duan brothers, Mingxuan and Yiheng, didn't resemble Duan Zheng much; they were both quite tall. Although she had never met Duan Yiheng's mother, she had been curious about his striking, Western-like features.
Grandpa said Duan Yiheng's mother was of mixed Chinese and Russian descent, and his superior looks must have been inherited from her. If Duan Mingxuan was a vibrant, fiery flame, Duan Yiheng was a cold moon hanging high a thousand miles away.
"Very handsome," Lin Xi said matter-of-factly. Sun Wenxin wasn't satisfied: "Just plain handsome? Handsome guys are everywhere; what's important is that unique aura."
Lin Xi paused, then said, "He...is lonely?" Sun Wenxin almost choked: "With so much money, why bother with this pretentious aura?" Lin Xi smiled awkwardly: "I mean, he's aloof, a loner, someone you can only admire from afar." "
Sun Wenxin leaned closer regretfully and whispered, "Can't we play too close?" This time it was Lin Xi's turn to cough. She looked at Sun Wenxin in disbelief, wanting to say "How dare you!"
"Just kidding," Sun Wenxin's eyes sparkled. "I just feel sorry, who's dating a guy like that?"
Lin Xi: "...He doesn't have a girlfriend." At least she hadn't heard. Sun Wenxin was surprised: "He's almost thirty, isn't he?"
"Yes." Lin Xi's mind went blank for a moment, then she took out her phone and checked the calendar.
Two weeks later, the first day after training ended was Duan Yiheng's thirtieth birthday. She had to give him a birthday present this year, right? They'd see each other all the time.
"What are you thinking about? Let's go." Lin Xi immediately picked up her tray and left.
Leaving the restaurant, the two naturally went to the restroom.
"Manager Chen, is it true that the president's office has a new secretary?" Lin Xi quickly stopped Sun Wenxin, gesturing for her to be quiet.
"It's true, she and I are classmates."
"We all know about Assistant Tian's promotion, so Assistant Qin's replacement was a natural progression. We thought President Duan would recruit a new assistant from within, but it turns out it's a secretary. It's like the good stuff going to an outsider." Chen Liangyi chuckled. "President Duan has his reasons for hiring; he's not the type to do things recklessly."
"Not necessarily. Aren't all men the same? It's just that President Duan is very private, so we don't know."
Chen Liangyi gave a slight rebuke: "You can only say that to me."
"Hehe, I was just saying. But it's strange that President Duan switched to a secretary. Since he joined Yinfan, he hasn't had a woman working for him."
Chen Liangyi chuckled: "I've heard about this. When he was interning at the company during his university years, a young secretary tried to climb the social ladder, and he was so disgusted that he threw his suit jacket in the trash after she touched it." "
'So why did they change the rules this time? Is the new secretary some kind of angel?' Chen Jingyi tossed her long hair. 'She's quite pretty; she had many suitors back in junior high.'
Lin Xi heard a knowing yet disdainful laugh: 'Who knows how she got this secretary position? She didn't even go through HR.'
Chen Jingyi said casually: 'Don't talk nonsense.'
Sun Wenxin, indignant, raised her eyebrows and was about to go in when Lin Xi grabbed her arm: 'This has nothing to do with you.'
Sun Wenxin frowned: 'That Manager Chen inside, is she really your classmate?' Was this some kind of subtle sarcastic remark from Lin Xi? Seemingly speaking up for Lin Xi, every word was a trap, inducing others to slander her.
Lin Xi nodded: 'We have some history.'
Sun Wenxin: 'So, are you leaving or going in?'
'I'm going in, of course.'
Lin Xi said, 'Although it's the training period, they've already started working, and there are some things I still need to remind them of.'" Sun Wen's anger subsided slightly. Lin Xi, hearing Chen Liangyi's still uneasy voice, clenched her fists, slightly raised her chin, and went inside.
Chen Liangyi saw the newcomer in the mirror and greeted her with a smile, "Lin Xi?" Lin Xi smiled, her gaze not falling on the other woman.
"Freedom of speech in the company, but I remember the 'Employee Code of Conduct' explicitly prohibits employees from spreading false information or maliciously defaming colleagues. The consequences range from a written warning to suspension or dismissal."
Chen Liangyi, unfazed, asked her, puzzled, "What did I say?" Lin Xi glanced to the side, "Didn't she say it?" The woman jumped, startled, "Don't talk nonsense."
Chen Liangyi always had a positive image in the company; this was no small matter worth sacrificing to protect her.
Hearing this, she shielded the woman who had defamed Lin Xi, saying, "Did you hear that right?"
"Whether I heard it right or not, you all know the answer." "Lin Xi, facing Chen Liangyi's gaze, said, "You don't need to absolve yourself. Whether you said it or not, the people you're with have said it. Do you think you can stay out of it?"
Chen Liangyi's eyes turned cold. She stepped forward, her eyes full of interest, and whispered, "You've changed."
Lin Xi didn't respond, but said seriously, "President Duan hates gossip. My joining Yin Fan was indeed President Duan's decision. If you have any complaints, you can go to the 36th floor and complain."
Chen Liangyi's face turned completely cold: "You, a secretary still in training, dare to use your superior's influence to pressure people?"
Lin Xi didn't back down: "So what? Otherwise, shall we go to the 36th floor together and talk about what you just said?" Chen Liangyi choked, no one knew the anger in her heart, except Lin Xi.
The girl behind her tugged at Chen Liangyi's sleeve and said, "Manager Chen, let's go." Chen Jingyi snorted coldly and walked away without looking back.
Sun Wenxin clicked her tongue twice: "Secretary Lin, it seems you've had a long-standing grudge against this Manager Chen. She doesn't seem easy to mess with."
Lin Xi chuckled: "I'm not easy to mess with either." Sun Wenxin gave her a thumbs up: "I can tell."
Lin Xi's act failed, and she smiled pleadingly: "Actually, no, I was indeed using President Duan to intimidate her."
Sun Wenxin's mind raced: "I get it, 'borrowing power'." Lin Xi laughed: "I thought you were going to say 'a dog relying on its master's power.'"
"Wow, you're so beautiful, how could I say that about you?" "
After this experience, their relationship had grown considerably closer.
The afternoon training started at 1 PM. During the break, Lin Xi received a call from Duan Mingxuan, asking why she wasn't home. Lin Xi gave a perfunctory answer, then Zhang Mo reminded her of their meeting that evening.
She sighed wearily, not wanting to be caught in the middle between the two. What she didn't understand even more was why Zhang Mo wanted to meet her. The place they'd arranged wasn't far, just on the street behind the company. Duan Yiheng had texted her before leaving get off work, telling her to wait for him in the parking lot.
Lin Xi said she had an appointment with a friend and went to meet Zhang Mo."