L&H - 16

Yu Qing gazed at the man before her. He was also looking at her.

His eyes were as calm and deep as usual.

Even though their relationship had barely any emotional foundation—heck, they had never even asked each other if they loved one another—this moment, he was fiercely and genuinely standing up for her.

He wouldn’t let her suffer even the slightest bit of grievance.

For a moment, she couldn’t tell which version of him was the real one.

The man standing in front of her now—or the one from before?

She had always thought that his approach to relationships was carefree, self-indulgent, and without responsibility—a comfortable coexistence without strings attached.

But today, she realized she didn’t truly understand him.

The once noisy hallway fell into complete silence.

A few women walking by unconsciously tiptoed, afraid their high heels would make a sound.

Xiao Yilin blinked.

Her ears burned, but her heart felt cold.

“‘There will come a day when you’ll cry and apologize to me.’”

“‘The men you covet, I don’t care for; the men I desire, wouldn’t look twice at you.’”

It turned out that Yu Qing’s denial wasn’t because she was guilty.

Nor was her arrogance due to hooking up with Zhao Shuqun.

Xiao Yilin tried to steady herself. She was somewhat relieved now that she had stuck to discussing the disagreement objectively, without slandering Yu Qing or shirking responsibility for her own mistakes.

But what troubled her was that, in her anger, she had insinuated that Yu Qing was a mistress.

Where had her rational mind gone?

The sharp, clear-headed Xiao Yilin of the past would never have done this.

Even when confronting Yu Qing, she wouldn’t have accused her of something baseless.

These past few days, because of Zhao Shuqun, she had lost her usual composure.

Though she claimed not to care about that scumbag, her heart still felt hollow.

She had thought she could gracefully detach herself from the relationship.

She had believed she had already made a proud exit.

Bitterness filled Xiao Yilin’s heart. She took several deep breaths in her mind.

Finally regaining her composure, she glanced at Zhao Shuqun beside her.

Zhao Shuqun was also stunned. He had never expected the boss to choose today to eat at this restaurant.

And he certainly hadn’t expected that Yu Qing was Fu Ji Chen’s girlfriend.

In just a few dozen seconds, everyone present experienced an emotional earthquake.

It felt like a dream—too dramatic to be real.

The person most shocked was Qiao Yang. Even after half a minute had passed, she still couldn’t accept it.

Regarding the hickey on Fu Ji Chen’s neck, the company grapevine had painted a vivid picture, but since she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she had dismissed it as idle gossip.

After all, they often spread rumors about how she and Fu Ji Chen were dating, or how one of her bags was a gift from him.

None of it was true.

Who would have thought that this time, it actually was?

She turned her head to look at Yu Qing. When had they gotten together?

Among those present, only Fu Ji Chen remained completely unruffled.

He looked at Xiao Yilin. “As the boss, I won’t show favoritism just because Yu Qing is my fiancée. The issue with your contract being held up—I’ll personally handle it, and the investigation process and results will be disclosed.”

Qiao Yang’s head shot up. Fiancée?

Yu Qing: “….”

This seemed to have escalated quickly.

The gossiping crowd mentally exclaimed again, “Holy crap!”

So it wasn’t just that she was his girlfriend—it turned out she was the future Mrs. Fu, the boss’s wife of the Fu Corporation.

Fu Ji Chen’s gaze remained fixed on Xiao Yilin, but his next words were directed at everyone present.

“If you hadn’t mentioned just now that you had an argument with Yu Qing last Friday, I wouldn’t have even known about it. At home, Yu Qing never talks to me about any work-related topics. As a new employee, does she encounter grievances at work? Of course she does—but she hasn’t said a single word to me about it. Including her entry into the legal department, she went through the normal recruitment process on her own. She doesn’t want special treatment and doesn’t want people to gossip about me because of her. I know all this, and I respect every decision she makes.”

Yu Qing looked at him, suddenly feeling that he had become even more attractive than before.

Qiao Yang’s gaze lingered on him. He had never liked explaining himself. In his usual mindset, those who understood him would naturally get it, and there was no need for unnecessary talk.

But now, he was speaking eloquently.

Xiao Yilin was now suffering immensely.

Fu Ji Chen continued, “Revealing Yu Qing’s identity today isn’t meant to pressure you. If this were just a work-related dispute between the two of you, I wouldn’t ask a single question. But if it involves her integrity, I can’t turn a blind eye. I’m not only the president of the Fu Corporation—I’m also the person she relies on the most.”

The gossiping onlookers silently nodded in their hearts.

“The loss of distributors and market share due to your contract being delayed will be addressed by the company.”

Pausing for a moment, Fu Ji Chen added, “Today’s incident has made both of you famous within the group.”

“…” This statement was dripping with irony.

Xiao Yilin first expressed gratitude: “Thank you, President Fu.” She pressed her lips together, knowing that his last remark was a subtle rebuke for her irrational behavior in resolving the issue.

Arguing at the cafeteria entrance—yes, the impact was indeed quite negative.

“I shouldn’t have argued with Lawyer Yu at the cafeteria entrance. That was my mistake. As for my other errors, whatever punishment I deserve, I will accept without complaint.”

She had always been adaptable, willing to admit her faults when necessary.

“Lawyer Yu, I’m sorry. Let’s keep things separate—I shouldn’t have spread unfounded rumors about you.” With that, she gave a slight bow. “I lost control of my temper because of the delayed contract and losing the distributor. Regardless of the reason, I set a bad example.” She then promised, “I will personally write you an apology letter and send copies to all departments.”

Yu Qing didn’t press her advantage.

Of course, she was giving Fu Ji Chen face.

Now, he wasn’t just her man—he was also the president of the Fu Corporation.

Fu Ji Chen took this opportunity to tighten the screws on the company’s executives.

He turned to Pan Zheng and instructed, “Have the president of Dixin come to my office at 3 PM to report on his work. Have him focus on how he manages Dixin, whether the company’s rules and regulations are being properly implemented.”

The crowd exchanged glances, murmuring in awe. It seemed the boss was getting serious.

Fu Ji Chen glanced at his watch again.

From Qiao Yang’s angle, she could see that he was checking the time.

He seemed a bit rushed but hadn’t left yet.

The only person who understood Fu Ji Chen’s intentions was Pan Zheng.

Pan Zheng played along, helping the boss buy time. He looked at Xiao Yilin and said, “When problems arise, arguing without discerning right from wrong solves nothing. I hope this is the first and last time.”

Xiao Yilin promised, “There won’t be a next time.”

‘Click-clack’

‘Thump-thump’

Several sets of hurried footsteps broke the silence in the hallway.

Zhou Yunli rushed over, her heart pounding nearly out of her chest.

Her assistant followed closely behind, almost jogging.

Even before reaching them, Zhou Yunli felt sharp, icy gazes piercing her—coming from Yu Qing’s direction. She deliberately avoided looking that way.

After briefly greeting Fu Ji Chen and Pan Zheng, Zhou Yunli got straight to the point. “I just heard about this matter in the group chat and hurried over. My apologies—the so-called contract that Yu Qing supposedly held up was entirely my oversight. It has nothing to do with her; she never even saw the paper contract. Sorry for causing so much trouble.”

Xiao Yilin frowned. “Director Zhou, what do you mean?”

Next, the assistant apologized to both Xiao Yilin and Yu Qing. “It’s all my fault. Director Zhou has been busy with cases outside the office these past few days and didn’t have time to coordinate with Lawyer Yu. She instructed me to quickly pass the contract to Lawyer Yu because Manager Xiao was in a hurry. But after hanging up the phone, another call came in, and I got distracted by case-related matters and completely forgot.”

The assistant had walked quickly and was still catching her breath, compounded by nervousness. She now felt as if someone were choking her.

The suffocation grew stronger.

She swallowed hard, calmed herself for a moment, and thought about how to smooth over the lie. “I only remembered this morning. By then, Lawyer Yu wasn’t at her desk, and I was afraid I’d forget again and delay your sales department’s performance metrics, so I placed the contract directly on Lawyer Yu’s desk.”

Yu Qing gave a fake smile. “Thank you so much for clarifying on my behalf. Otherwise, I’d have jumped into the Yellow River and still couldn’t clear my name today. But when you placed the file on my desk, you should’ve sent me a message—it would’ve prevented this misunderstanding.”

The assistant grew flustered. “That’s my fault—I was rushing to leave with Director Zhou and didn’t have time to organize the files. I’m sorry, it was my negligence.”

Yu Qing’s lips curved slightly. Zhou Yunli and the assistant’s performance was quite convincing.

The group had no shortage of economic dispute cases, and Zhou Yunli was responsible for liaising with law firms and following up on cases.

This provided the perfect excuse—one that couldn’t be questioned.

She finally understood why Fu Ji Chen had referred to her as his fiancée.

Because only then would Zhou Yunli feel the gravity of the situation, wary of Yu Qing’s connection to Fu Ji Chen, forcing her to come clean and take responsibility for the mistake.

So, he had already guessed that her superior was deliberately making things difficult for her.

The onlookers now understood what had happened. They had heard that last Friday, Yu Qing and Zhou Yunli had clashed—there were sounds of breaking cups and slamming doors from Zhou Yunli’s office.

It seemed Zhou Yunli had used the contract issue to teach her subordinate a lesson.

Such incidents were common in the workplace.

Only this time, Zhou Yunli had kicked against an iron plate.

They secretly rejoiced at her misfortune while sympathizing with her for a fleeting two seconds.

Pan Zheng made the final summary: “Misunderstandings are cleared now, but mistakes at work are real. Whatever punishment or compensation is due, handle it according to the company’s regulations.”

Qiao Yang crossed her arms and gazed out the window.

She now understood why Fu Ji Chen had kept checking his watch earlier—he was waiting for Zhou Yunli to arrive. He had anticipated that once Zhou Yunli learned Yu Qing was his fiancée, she would definitely come.

For Yu Qing, he had gone to great lengths.

Fu Ji Chen spoke again, addressing Zhou Yunli. “Don’t worry about Yu Qing’s relationship with me. Your legal department should continue operating as usual. Yu Qing doesn’t like special treatment either.”

Director Zhou nodded repeatedly. She stole a glance at Yu Qing, only to meet her piercing gaze, as if silently saying: We’ll settle this later.

At this moment, Zhou Yunli’s heart was a jumble of emotions.

She had directly given Yu Qing’s position to someone else. That account would likely be settled someday too.

Pan Zheng judged that it was time. “Everyone, go back to work. Those who haven’t eaten, hurry up.”

The crowd dispersed.

Qiao Yang was in the most awkward position—caught between staying and leaving. Fortunately, Pan Zheng was there. She chatted with him as they walked, deciding to join him for lunch today.

Fu Ji Chen and Yu Qing chose a corner seat. After they sat down, others automatically kept their distance.

Yu Qing estimated the distance between herself and her colleagues, ensuring they couldn’t hear her voice, before thanking Fu Ji Chen. “Thank you today—I owe you one.”

Fu Ji Chen didn’t hold back. “Good to know.”

Yu Qing absentmindedly ate rice, occasionally looking up to meet his gaze.

Fu Ji Chen: “What are you looking at?”

Yu Qing casually replied, “I just realized today—you’re quite handsome.”

“Just realized today?” Fu Ji Chen looked at her. “Do you always keep your eyes closed when you’re with me?”

Yu Qing rolled her eyes inwardly—so vain.

She was in a good mood and didn’t want to argue with him.

The scene at the cafeteria entrance lingered in her mind. Even someone as calm as her felt a ripple in her heart after he publicly acknowledged their relationship in front of so many people.

To protect her from gossip and to stand up for her, he had used the title of “fiancé.”

To say she wasn’t moved would be a lie.

Of course, she had concerns: “What will you tell your parents? I’m a proponent of non-marriage, and so are you. We’re together because it’s comfortable.”

Marriage was something she had never considered.

Fu Ji Chen looked at her again. “You don’t need to feel burdened. I made our relationship public because I find secret relationships troublesome—I don’t have the time to constantly hide it.”

Regarding his parents, “I’ll handle it.”

That was good enough.

Yu Qing was pleased—no need to meet the parents.

She picked a few grains of rice from Fu Ji Chen’s bowl, popped them into her mouth, and thanked him again. “Thanks.”

Fu Ji Chen took the opportunity to ask her, “You seem to have quite a conflict with your director, huh?”

Yu Qing hummed in agreement.

Fu Ji Chen looked at her. “You weren’t supposed to be in charge of managing contracts, were you?”

Yu Qing paused, then nodded.

“I was replaced by Zhou Yunli. The other person didn’t qualify for the position based on experience, but after being hired, they were rotated into the better-paying, more specialized role under the guise of job rotation.”

She didn’t want to put Fu Ji Chen in a difficult position. A boss considered how much value an employee ultimately brought to the company. As long as they didn’t cross the company’s bottom line, minor issues could be overlooked.

“Which new employee without connections doesn’t endure some hardship? Zhou Yunli… how to put it—she’s domineering, calculating, and has many shortcomings. But she’s worked at the Fu Corporation for over twenty years and has both achievements and sacrifices. My conflict with her—I’ll resolve it myself.”

“Rest assured—if she falls into my hands, I’ll slowly crush her heart into powder.”

Realizing this topic wasn’t suitable for mealtime, Yu Qing stopped. “Today, how could you trust me so blindly? What if I really did intentionally hold up Xiao Yilin’s contract? Wouldn’t that embarrass you?”

Fu Ji Chen sidestepped the question. “In the future, if anyone deliberately makes things difficult for you at work, just mention it at home—it’s just a few words. And please remember: at the company, I’m President Fu, but at home, I’m your man.”

Yu Qing placed a slice of fish into Fu Ji Chen’s bowl. “With that statement, I owe you another favor.”

Fu Ji Chen ate the fish slice. “The favors you owe me—repay one this Saturday.”

Yu Qing was feeling agreeable. “How?”

Fu Ji Chen assessed her work uniform. “I’ll pay for it—I’ll buy you a few outfits. Please stop wearing your work uniform at home. We’ve lived together for nearly three months, and you wear the same outfit every day. If it doesn’t bother you, it bothers me.”

“Who said it’s the same one?” Yu Qing clarified leisurely. “I have two sets of uniforms—I alternate them every day.”

Fu Ji Chen: “….”

For a long while, he couldn’t say anything.

Whether he was choking on his food or speechless from Yu Qing’s response remained unclear.