Just when everyone failed to understand Shen Ximan's lack of leniency, only Xue Xiaoqi could grasp her thoughts.
Tian Danni was the artist Xue Xiaoqi had proposed to recruit.
As the backbone of the company, Shen Ximan was bound to conduct a test.
She wanted to test whether this young and fearless girl was up to the heavy - responsibility task and whether she would give up halfway.
If she could persevere, she would surely become the top figure in Ahairui.
If she couldn't, there would be no point in keeping her.
The entertainment circle was a vast arena, filled with numerous artists eager for fame and success. There were also many ambitious and scheming ones.
Getting involved with top - tier celebrities inevitably meant paying a price.
After the meeting, the workspace was filled with comments about Shen Ximan's cold - bloodedness.
Even An Ruo caught a few bits of idle gossip.
She picked up an egg from her bowl and stomped over behind those women. Then she threw it with all her might.
"Ouch! Which blind thing hit me?"
The woman turned around menacingly, scanning the area. Her furious eyes landed on An Ruo, and her expression instantly changed.
"Hey, isn't this Miss Wen, Mr. Wen's younger sister? Hello, hello."
An Ruo was startled by her lightning - fast change of attitude.
"You, you're not allowed! Not allowed to say bad things about my sister!"
Although her calves were trembling with fear, she still mustered the courage to resist.
The woman looked embarrassed as she felt the gazes of those around her. "Little girl, what are you talking nonsense about? I didn't say anything bad about Mr. Wen."
"I clearly heard you just now!"
An Ruo's lips quivered with fear, but she was still unwilling to admit defeat.
No one was allowed to insult her sister!
"You said my sister is a bad person and has no heart!"
Xue Xiaoqi happened to witness this scene. "Miss An, it's 'heartless'. We mustn't learn from such a sister. She's a negative example."
"Exactly!"
The woman looked around desperately for help with a panicked expression, but those onlookers just wanted to watch the fun. Helping her would only bring bad luck.
They all dispersed and returned to their workstations.
"Ms. Xue, it's not what you heard. Please listen to my explanation!"
"Children's words are the purest and most unadulterated," Xue Xiaoqi stared at her coldly. "Do you mean that Miss An is wronging you and deliberately lying in front of me?"
The more the woman tried to explain, the worse it got. "N - No, it's not like that! I..."
"A 'Buddha' as eloquent as you seems to be too much for Ahairui. Go to the personnel department to handle your resignation later. I'll give you a few extra months of unemployment benefits."
An Ruo stuck out her tongue at the woman proudly. "Serves you right for speaking ill of others!"
"Ms. Xue, I was wrong. Please don't fire me!"
The woman accompanied her plea with a smile, looking both aggrieved and apologetic.
"Please, I really was wrong! Miss An, Miss An, please help me persuade her. You know I didn't mean it!"
Xue Xiaoqi had always disliked people who were clingy. Frowning, she said, "If you say one more word, it won't just be about getting fired! I have enough evidence to prove that your idle gossip was malicious slander!"
"What? Do you want to go to the detention center for a view?"
The woman immediately stopped in her tracks and stood there, tears streaming down her face.
Xue Xiaoqi didn't bother to pay her any more attention and took An Ruo to the underground parking lot.
"Sister Xue, does my sister have to face so many bad people every day? I didn't know she was so hard - working."
The soft voice of the child came from the passenger seat on the right.
Such thoughtfulness and attentiveness were a pleasant surprise to Xue Xiaoqi.
"An Ruo, the reason why General Manager Shen works so hard is to create a healthy and happy environment for you to grow up in, without any obstacles or burdens. You must be a good girl to repay General Manager Shen's efforts."
"Although I don't quite understand, I will be obedient!"
An Ruo clenched her small fists and curved her lips into a cute crescent.
"By the way, there's something I need to ask you."
Xue Xiaoqi had been brooding over this. Children usually couldn't keep secrets, so maybe she could get some answers.
"Miss An, what happened between you and General Manager Shen in the eastern suburb yesterday?"
"Nothing. I just had a fever, and brother and sister took care of me all night. Brother might have complained to sister a bit."
Xue Xiaoqi suddenly realized.
So that was why General Manager Shen had been in such a bad mood early this morning!
As long as nothing romantic had happened between Shen Ximan and Bo Jingyu, she could rest assured. Ahairui's business had just started not long ago, and she didn't want General Manager Shen's career to be affected by any romantic entanglement with him.
An Ruo wasn't stupid. She could read Xue Xiaoqi's expression.
She also knew that Xue Xiaoqi would surely try to get information.
She had to be extremely careful when it came to matchmaking between her brother and sister.
At Yancheng Hospital.
Bo Jingming was sitting beside Bo Yanhai, looking extremely solemn.
"... Dad, I'm here to see you again."
The address "Dad" was something he hadn't said for many years.
Since his wife Jiang Ying passed away, there had been a rift between father and son, or rather, an insurmountable gulf.
If Bo Yanhai were awake and saw him standing there, he would surely point at his nose, his face flushed, and launch into a long - winded lecture.
As a son, Bo Jingming had failed to fulfill his filial duties.
As a father, he had also failed to shoulder his responsibilities.
Bearing such sins on his back was like a heavy burden, making it hard for him to breathe.
Maybe only when looking at Bo Yanhai lying quietly in the bed could he calmly pour out the heartfelt words that he hadn't said for so many years.
"Jingyu is doing a great job managing the company. Your choice of him as the successor back then was a very wise one. Although I know you've always had concerns about him and never really liked him, I know you recognize this grandson's capabilities in your heart."
Bo Jingming hung his head as he spoke. "Siming has also become more capable recently. Apart from still having some contact with the eldest daughter of the Shen family, he's also handling all the affairs in the company very well."
"By the way, he's been promoted to deputy general manager. You should be very happy, right?"
At this point, he looked up with tear - filled eyes, self - deprecatingly looking at Bo Yanhai. "I'm just this good - for - nothing. I can't do anything for you. You'll surely be angry with me again when you wake up, right?"
He had never received his mother's love since childhood.
His father was a strong - willed and stubborn man. He had forced Bo Jingming to learn a lot of things since childhood and had intended to cultivate him into someone just like himself, a man who could dominate the business world.
Marrying Jiang Ying had probably been the most willful and daring thing he had ever done.
Looking back now, Bo Jingming regretted it deeply.
If he had followed Bo Yanhai's arrangement, he wouldn't have harmed Jiang Ying, and he wouldn't have left his two sons and stayed abroad for so many years.
Everything would have been different.
But there was no regret medicine in the world. People often only regretted their actions after they had done them, crying bitterly and being afraid to recall the past.
Bo Jingming's life had ended up in the worst possible outcome.
Just as he was crying uncontrollably, Bo Yanhai's little finger twitched.