Luan Qiaoqing had a cold face, and judging from her expression, she didn't seem to be in a very good mood. She walked to the sink silently, and paused for two seconds before she seemed to have just heard the voices of the two people and noticed their presence.
She turned her head slowly, "Who just spoke to me?"
The two men's smiles froze, but the Human Resources Department controlled the performance appraisals of all employees in the company, and its director had become an ancestor that almost all employees in other departments could not afford to offend. At this time, the two men dared to be angry but not to speak out.
The one who spoke first also repeated with a stiff smile: "Yes, Director Luan, I didn't expect to meet you outside the company. Are you also here to attend our group's celebration party?"
"Hmph." Luan Qiaoqing sneered.
The person who spoke froze again, not knowing what he had done to make Luan Qiaoqing so unhappy.
Then she heard Luan Qiaoqing say: "How shameless of you, your team leader, does he really think he is a Tyrannosaurus Rex? I have to come all the way to your team's celebration party?"
"..." After being bombarded with criticism, the female colleague was silenced and looked at her companions awkwardly.
His companion quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile, "I guess so. Minister Luan definitely doesn't have time to attend this kind of group celebration party. I wonder why you came here...?"
"The HR department is having a party today, and it happens to be here." Luan Qiaoqing washed her hands and grabbed a piece of paper towel from the side. While wiping her hands, she looked up at the two people standing there feeling uncomfortable. "I heard you guys chatting lively before I came out. What are you talking about so happily?"
"No, nothing."
"Why, is there anything else I can't hear?"
"No, no, no, Director Luan misunderstood. It was just a little chat." The female colleague hurriedly explained. Then, she seemed to suddenly remember something, and gave her companion a look, then smiled and said, "We just heard that Qin Qing and Mr. Yu from Junsheng Law Firm broke up. She took a taxi here tonight and is trying to persuade her to find a stable boyfriend."
Another person immediately understood - there were rumors in the company that Luan Qiaoqing had been upset with Qin Qing for taking her late sister's place for a long time, so they could use this opportunity to divert their attention and have some peace and quiet - so she immediately chimed in, "That's right, let's talk about this. Otherwise, a girl would be helpless in society and wouldn't be able to do anything..."
"laugh."
The female colleague was interrupted by a sneer filled with cold and mocking emotions before she could finish her words.
Her face changed slightly, and she looked up, facing Luan Qiaoqing's sneer and sharp words, "It's 2019, how can I still hear such ridiculous remarks on Vio? Are we an international company, or a feudal restoration culture group?"
The man's face was stiff, "No..."
"Nothing? Just tell me, what's wrong with 'a girl who has no one to rely on in society'? Does she eat your rice or use your water and electricity? Does she get financial support from your family or does she share the honor and disgrace of your ancestors? If none of these - what does it have to do with you? Huh?"
"I… "
The female colleague was so annoyed by the rapid-fire tone that she couldn't even utter a complete sentence and her face turned red with anxiety.
If she had no desire to refute, then Luan Qiaoqing might not bother with her. But seeing that she still wanted to argue again, Luan Qiaoqing sneered a second time, took a breath and continued to fire:
"You're still not convinced? Let me tell you, I respect the independent thinking of any new-age woman - whether they want to be a full-time housewife or a career woman, that's fine. But I can't stand those who think their ideas are so noble and trample others into the gutter if they don't follow their path. It's fine if you want to have a boyfriend to love you, and it's fine if others don't want to - and, in terms of the value of contributing to society, your ideas are the weaker party in terms of individual value contribution. What on earth do you have to mock her?"
After a few seconds of stalemate, Song Shu saw with his own eyes that female colleague was scolded by Luan Qiaoqing until she turned around and ran away.
The other person didn't dare to stay for long, and maintained a bleak smile on her face. Song Shu almost didn't hear what she muttered before he saw her running out.
Song Shu nodded in his heart with emotion—
After not seeing each other for many years, Qiaoqiao's sharp tongue has reached a higher level of attainment.
"I'm telling you, don't get me wrong, I'm just a more feminist person and don't like their kind of talk, so I'm speaking for you—"
Luan Qiaoqing turned around at this moment. She originally wanted to explain the reason why she spoke with a stern face, but when she turned around, she saw Song Shu standing behind her with a faint smile on his face, as if he was watching a show.
Luan Qiaoqing almost choked with anger.
"You... do you have any ambition? They just said that to you, and you're not angry at all?"
Song Shu came back to his senses and immediately guessed why Luan Qiaoqing was so angry and humiliated.
She lowered her head and smiled, "Thank you, Minister Luan."
“…!”
Luan Qiaoqing's face turned red, and she no longer had the speed to react quickly. She held it in for two seconds, then waved her hand, "No, you're welcome."
"But Minister Luan doesn't need to make unnecessary enemies for me."
Song Shu took a step forward, and his heels tapped lightly on the marble floor, making a soothing sound.
She walked in front of Luan Qiaoqing and paused slightly. Her face, which was only lightly made up, was delicate and pretty.
"It's not a wise move to speak up for justice in the workplace - even if you have the power to suppress them, it's better to avoid offending villains."
Luan Qiao listened deeply and frowned subconsciously. Just as she was about to think about it carefully, she suddenly realized that the person standing in front of her was Qin Qing, not Song Shu.
Her face changed slightly and she gritted her teeth.
"It's not your turn to teach me a lesson."
"Just advice."
Song Shu smiled faintly.
"Besides, life is short. It's not enough to spend only on the people you love and the people who love you. Don't waste your time and emotions on things that are not worth it... Qiaoqiao."
Song Shu paused at the end of the sentence, smiled, walked quickly past Luan Qiaoqing, and left the bathroom.
Luan Qiaoqing, who had unconsciously fallen into her teachings again, stayed there for a few seconds and suddenly reacted.
Regret and nostalgia, resentment and reluctance... all kinds of complicated emotions surged into her heart, making her nose sore.
Luan Qiaoqing stamped her feet fiercely—
"Qin Qing! You are not allowed to call me that again, do you hear me?!"
A light laugh came from outside the bathroom.
Luan Qiaoqing stopped where she was after her outburst. After a few seconds, she slowly lowered her head, her eyes slightly red.
No wonder Qin Lou was getting deeper and deeper into trouble.
Qin Qing is really similar to that person... Obviously, that person would never talk to her with a gentle smile or teach her things, but when Qin Qing stood beside her and spoke, Luan Qiaoqing felt as if that person had come back again.
elder sister…
Chu Xiangbin had other small projects to review, so he arrived upstairs just before 6:30.
After walking a few steps out of the elevator, he bumped into Luan Qiaoqing who was walking towards him with her head down. It was rare to see the rooster-like director of the Human Resources Department looking listless. Chu Xiangbin, in a good mood about the completion of the project, stopped and joked.
"What a coincidence, Minister Luan."
Luan Qiaoqing's body suddenly froze, and she was like she was in a PTSD attack. She got angry without even raising her head.
"Who are you calling Qiaoqiao?"
Chu Xiangbin was stunned for a second, then came to his senses and laughed angrily, "Who called you Qiaoqiao? I was calling you Minister Luan. What's the matter? The third quarter report is coming out soon, and the HR department is so busy that Minister Luan didn't even need to take a car to attend the department dinner, and he just sleepwalked over here?"
"… "
Luan Qiaoqing was so angry that she choked.
Ever since she was mocked by someone at her first appointment meeting after joining the company, she realized that Chu Xiangbin seemed to be her nemesis. She had been eloquent since she was a child and had rarely met an opponent for so many years, but when facing Chu Xiangbin, she was always blocked by him and couldn't say a word - Luan Qiaoqing had only experienced such an abyss-level existence in her life before, such as Song Shu and Qin Lou.
But those two basically didn't bother to argue with her. Chu Xiangbin was different. Whenever she met the two of them, she would have to "fight" with them in a verbal battle. This went on for several years, and finally she developed the habit of arguing with them whenever she met.
But today, Luan Qiaoqing was in no mood to argue with Chu Xiangbin. She just rolled her eyes at Chu Xiangbin.
"How do you know that our HR department is having a department dinner today?"
Chu Xiangbin raised his eyebrows and smiled, "There is no information that the Investment Development Department cannot obtain."
"… Big-tailed wolf." Luan Qiaoqing muttered in dialect, and stepped aside to walk over, "Go celebrate your achievements, and don't come to disturb our dinner atmosphere when you get drunk later."
"Since you said so, I will definitely let them try."
Luan Qiaoqing rolled her eyes and said, "Just wait and see if anyone opens the door for you."
"good."
The two enemies passed each other and entered two small banquet rooms that were diagonally opposite each other in the corridor.
Throughout the entire celebration banquet, Song Shu had almost no presence.
Most of the time, she would sit in groups of three or five and listen to their funny or boring jokes, simply responding and agreeing with them, and then quickly move to the next new small group before the topic came up with her - like a slippery fish, she would hide herself and swim among the schools of fish all night long.
Until the bait she had been waiting for fell -
At the end of the celebration banquet, Lu Yunkai arrived in a hurry.
He first said a few polite words of encouragement, and then toasted a glass to all the team members present, expressing the company's recognition and gratitude for their efforts.
After the employees who had gathered spontaneously dispersed after his closing remarks, Lu Yunkai went straight to Chu Xiangbin. The two seemed to be discussing business matters, their expressions sometimes relaxed and sometimes nervous, and occasionally they would frown and say a few words.
Song Shu observed quietly in the corner for a moment, and when she noticed that the two men had completely relaxed and were probably chatting away, she took a glass of champagne from the long buffet table and walked towards them.
Before Song Shu came to the two of them, Chu Xiangbin, who was facing her sideways, seemed to have noticed Song Shu's movements first. He lowered his head and said something to Lu Yunkai beside him. Lu Yunkai raised his eyebrows and turned to look at him.
Song Shu's emotions were fluctuating, but the smile on his face did not change.
She walked straight in front of the two of them, stopped, and smiled with the corners of her lips curled up, "Boss Lu, Minister Chu, good evening."
"Boss Lu, let me introduce you to Qin Qing, a new employee in the Legal and Compliance Department."
Chu Xiangbin made way for Lu Yun.
Lu Yunkai is a middle-aged man in his fifties, who dresses casually. Even at today's celebration banquet, he was still wearing a casual shirt and trousers - if he walked on the street, probably no one would believe that he is the powerful vice president of such a large company.
After hearing what Chu Xiangbin said, Lu Yunkai nodded after a few seconds, "Well, I've heard of you. You are really a young person."
Song Shu paused, lowered his eyes, and no longer met Lu Yunkai's scrutinizing gaze.
She smiled and said, "I haven't achieved anything yet, so I don't deserve such praise from Mr. Lu."
"Hey, why are you being so polite? Even if I don't know you, how can I not know Xiang Bin? If he really has no business ability, he will definitely not stay in the team - he doesn't give face to anyone, right, Xiang Bin?"
"..." Hearing that there seemed to be something behind these words, Song Shu's eyes flickered slightly and she pretended not to notice at all. She smiled and said, "Maybe Minister Chu is more lenient with newcomers."
Lu Yun laughed, "He doesn't distinguish between new and old people, so the fact that you became a member of Xiang Bin's team shortly after joining the company shows that you are really capable."
Song Shu stopped being modest and chatted with Lu Yunkai for a while. The cloud in her heart gradually darkened.
From beginning to end, she did not sense any guard or hostility in Lu Yunkai's emotions - if the other party was really the whistleblower in that case, was he just too cunning, or did he completely trust her resume
Lu Yunkai's reaction was different from any possible situation that Song Shu and the Yu family father and son had expected, which made Song Shu feel that things were developing beyond his expectations.
She didn't plan to delay for too long, so she slowly changed the subject and prepared to find a time to leave...
"Boss Lu, Minister Chu, you guys chat, I won't disturb you."
Song Shu smiled gently and nodded to the two of them, then turned around and looked like he was about to leave.
Lu Yunkai suddenly said, "Wait."
"… "
With her back to Lu Yunkai, Song Shu's smile paused, and then faded away in an instant. She turned around with a smile, "Mr. Lu?"
However, Lu Yunkai didn't look at her. He lowered his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking about. After a few seconds, he finally raised his head.
The middle-aged man showed the same impeccable gentle smile as before, but his eyes were deep.
"You look a bit like an old friend of mine. I just thought about it for a long time before I was sure of it."
"… "
Song Shu's heart tightened, but his face showed only some surprise and joy, "Is it such a coincidence? It seems that Mr. Lu and I are destined to be together."
"It's fate."
Lu Yunkai laughed. He handed the champagne glass to Chu Xiangbin, who took it and turned around, glancing at Song Shu before leaving.
Song Shu pretended not to see it and continued to look at Lu Yunkai with a sincere smile.
After Chu Xiangbin walked away, Lu Yunkai also glanced away and just sighed softly.
"You are prettier than that old friend, and more people will pay attention to you. You have to be careful."
"… "
Song Shu narrowed her eyes slightly. Whether it was a reminder or a threat, Song Shu could naturally tell the difference - she was indeed surprised that Lu Yunkai would speak to her in a reminder tone.
Song Shu thought about it and lowered his head. "Thank you, Mr. Lu, for your guidance. I am a newcomer in the company and I will definitely follow the instructions of my predecessors."
"What the seniors teach may not always be right, what do you think?"
Song Shu hesitated and said nothing.
Lu Yunkai was silent for a longer time this time, and sighed a second time: "If the turmoil in the company during this period is not my illusion, then you came back for your old friend."
"!"
Song Shu's pupils shrank slightly.
After a few seconds, she looked up blankly, her eyes confused, "What did Mr. Lu mean by that year? I don't quite understand."
Lu Yun laughed, "It's good not to understand. It's best not to understand." He paused, "But if you understand, then don't investigate further - the incident back then involved many people, and investigating it will not benefit anyone."
Song Shu slowly lowered his eyebrows, "It seems that Mr. Lu has determined that I have a relationship with the old friend you know? After so many years, Mr. Lu still remembers that old friend. Does he feel grateful or resentful towards him?"
"You don't have to test me. I have no ties to that old friend. I am just a bystander." Lu Yunkai paused for a few seconds and suddenly laughed, "So you doubted me. No wonder, no wonder."
Song Shu did not explain this time. He looked up at Lu Yunkai with a cold and sharp smile, "Boss Lu, do you think you are suspicious?"
Lu Yunkai looked at her for two seconds and suddenly spoke.
"… I am guilty, and so are the bystanders. But there are times when you are caught between a rock and a hard place. You are guilty whether you say it or not."
Song Shu clenched his fingertips, "I'm glad to hear your advice, Mr. Lu. This is the best sophistry I've ever heard."
"If you don't understand, I won't force you to understand. Just like you don't have to force me to understand the hardships you've gone through over the years, and don't expect to impress me with them - I chose to stay out of trouble back then, and I will make the same choice ten years later."
The emotions in Song Shu's eyes shook violently, but she quickly suppressed them.
After a moment, she lowered her head and smiled.
"Of course. If Mr. Lu really has nothing to do with this matter, then I don't want to involve any innocent people."
"In this respect, you are even more kind than my old friend."
"… "
Lu Yunkai lowered his voice, "But she is also guilty. Her sin has implicated so many people, and her sin is also due to her kindness - do you understand this?"
Song Shu paused, his smile became brighter, and his eyes became colder: "Being kind to wolves, tigers and leopards is a sin. The bloody lesson has been passed down for many years, how could I not understand it?"
"Then you are smarter than her."
"… "
"Smart people live longer."
"… "
Lu Yunkai left before the celebration banquet ended. He was the de facto vice president of Vio, and because of Vio's restructuring and focus, he was the busiest person in the company besides the general manager.
Before he left, he left a last word for Song Shu—
"Sometimes, kindness is more likely to lead to hatred than no kindness at all."
After saying this, Song Shu stood alone in front of the long table, holding a cold champagne glass, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.
She, Yu Yuntao and Yu Qisheng had thought about the small answer after this sentence, but they just didn't want to think about it - among the confirmed clues and information, the executive who provided evidence at that time pointed directly to the current vice president of Vio.
The reason why they identified Lu Yunkai as the biggest suspect was because another deputy general manager named Lin, Lin Feng, who was in charge of the three major departments of the Human Resources Department, the Office, and the Risk Management Department, was Bai Song's most appreciated talent back then, and was promoted by her from a new employee with no background.
They subconsciously avoided such a person, perhaps because they were unable to face the worst side of human nature.
Song Shu even forgot that Bai Song died because of this.
Before the celebration banquet ended, Song Shu called An Xingyun. They rarely contacted each other privately, but Lu Yunkai's words reminded Song Shu of what she had asked An Xingyun to investigate before.
As soon as the phone call was connected, the two of them quickly got down to business after a few simple words.
"Have you found any clues about the matter I asked you to investigate?"
"Yes, I checked. Someone from the vice president's office on the 21st floor did go to the archives to investigate your resume in the name of the vice president's direct approval."
"… "
Song Shu's breathing tightened, and he frowned, wondering how likely and necessary it was that Lu Yunkai was trying to divert suspicion.
Before she could finish her thought, An Xingyun said, "I have found out more details - someone did check your resume, but that person was not from Lu Yunkai's office group, but the head of the HR department, Vice President Lin, who was on a business trip, and the assistant of Raymond Lam."
"!"
Song Shu's pupils suddenly shrank.
An Xingyun sighed slowly, "He is still on a business trip, but he is already so 'concerned' about the new employees in the company - it seems that we have misjudged him in this matter."
"… "
After a long silence, Song Shu slowly came back to his senses.
"Misjudging someone is indeed a fatal thing, Aunt An. But we are luckier. We still have a chance."
"I will contact Yu Yuntao about this matter, so don't act rashly."
"Yes, I understand."
After hanging up the phone, Song Shu quickly returned to the small banquet hall.
The celebration banquet was over, and people were walking out in groups of three or five. Song Shu blended in with them without leaving any trace, chatting and laughing, without any abnormality.
When we reached the first floor and walked out of the elevator, most of the people who had drunk at the celebration party were contacting their boyfriends or girlfriends to pick them up, and a few were also discussing carpooling to go home.
"Qin Qing, where do you live?"
Song Shu heard the voice and looked back with a smile, "I still have some work to do in the company tonight, and I need to go back and finish it."
"Hey? I have to work overtime today? Is it that hard?"
"I thought the legal department and other mid- and back-end departments had it easy, but now it seems miserable."
"So, are there any of you going to the company or passing by? Can you give Qin Qing a ride?"
Song Shu came back to his senses and quickly declined with a smile, "No need, I can just take a taxi back to the company."
"It's so late, it's not safe for you to be alone." Someone answered, with a drunken joke, "If something happens, it's okay, but if you get hurt on your face, then Mr. Qin will be worried."
“…Xiaoyun!”
Everyone's expression changed slightly, but some people defended him, some looked cold, and some showed a look of satisfaction and anticipation.
Song Shu glanced around and took in all the actions of the crowd.
Thinking of Lu Yunkai's words again, all those concerns and worries suddenly became a vague mask in her hallucination.
Song Shu suddenly felt tired and heavy in his heart.
This time she didn't even bother to cover up, she just took a step forward, "I'll go first—"
Before he could finish his words, a black car drove up to the porch and stopped.
A few seconds later, while everyone was stunned, the window on the passenger side rolled down.
Qin Lou leaned over the steering wheel and yawned lazily—
"I've been waiting for three hours."
“… So slow.”
The author has something to say: Qin Lou: My wife, please stay away from me.
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution during 2019-12-17 10:35:53~2019-12-18 10:51:52~
Thanks to the little angel who threw the bazooka: 1 bag;
Thanks to the little angels who cast mines: Bi Shaoxin Helena, 7r Baipao, Miomi, and Gu Ying 1;
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: Insomnia 39 bottles; ?shame~ 23 bottles; Dadada Kaka Kaka, Erguang 10 bottles; aimeelulu 7 bottles; Cat seller Huhu, ymsttmhs, and Dabao 5 bottles; Lili 4 bottles; -95-37- 3 bottles; Yuanxiao sauce 2 bottles; fengjingya, _ananan who successfully landed, Xingkong fell into the deep sea, Mom doesn’t like my Weibo name, Chen Xingxuya 1 bottle;
Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!