“What do I know? Has someone done something to her?”
A female colleague asked in surprise, “In the office? Who would dare to do such a thing? It’s obvious she was forced.”
“Even if something happened, she should have changed her clothes. Look at her shirt, the buttons are all gone. I wonder how intense the fight was.”
As Mu Linjing entered the office, she overheard the colleagues gossiping, all speaking ill of Wei Yumeng. She deliberately placed the documents heavily on the desk.
“What business is it of yours? You’re always chattering about trivial matters. You want to know everyone’s business, so why don’t you go inquire about President Zhan?”
Mu Linjing took out a jacket from a bag under her desk and draped it over Wei Yumeng. Wei Yumeng clasped Mu Linjing’s hand, her eyes still filled with unresolved emotions.
“Lin Jing…”
Mu Linjing comforted her, “I just bought this jacket this morning. Wear it for now, don’t let these people make a spectacle of you.”
Wei Yumeng’s heart warmed, and she looked at Mu Linjing with immense gratitude.
“Thank you.”
“We’re good friends, what’s there to be polite about?” Mu Linjing envied Wei Yumeng’s courage to do and say anything. No matter how others bullied her, her eyes always held a spark.
Unlike her, who, upon entering the company, allowed herself to be bullied and exploited, unwilling to resist even for her own sake.
As it neared noon, someone in the office shouted.
“Isn’t that Director Feng and President Zhan?”
“These two are truly a perfect match, made for each other.”
Feng Shiyi stood beside Zhan Mohan, wearing a water-green shirt and a white fishtail skirt that accentuated her slender figure. Her smiling face was a delight to behold.
The man, standing at one meter eighty-seven, wore a simple white shirt and black trousers, but the expensive fabric seemed custom-made, making him appear tall and elegant, with an extraordinary aura.
It was simply a picturesque sight.
Almost all the colleagues in the office praised them. Only Wei Yumeng, with her pale face, her eyes reddening, began to cry amidst their laughter.
Just a moment ago, he was with her in the office… and now, he was arm in arm with Feng Shiyi.
She shouldn’t care about these things, yet why did it still hurt so much, as if an invisible hand was tearing at her heart.
Mu Linjing noticed Wei Yumeng’s distressed expression and her delicate body seemed to be on the verge of collapsing. Fearing she might fall, Mu Linjing reached out to steady her.
Wei Yumeng instinctively looked at Mu Linjing, who was full of concern, and asked softly.
“Are you okay?”
She forced a smile, “It’s nothing. I think I skipped breakfast this morning and felt a bit dizzy.”
Feng Shiyi then suddenly spoke, “Our company just secured the Huashuiwan project. We’re treating everyone to dinner tonight, hosted by President Zhan. All personnel must attend.”
The crowd cheered.
“That’s great! President Zhan is treating, so can we go to a more upscale place?”
“Dream on! With so many people from the company, going to a fancy restaurant? You must be dreaming.”
“Thank you, Director Feng.”
Feng Shiyi’s lips curved into a smile, “If you want to thank anyone, thank President Zhan. I have nothing to do with it, right, Mo Han Gege?”
Zhan Mohan beside her remained unresponsive for a long time. Feng Shiyi followed his gaze and realized his eyes were fixed on Wei Yumeng. Her smile froze instantly, and the fingers at her sides clenched tightly.
Zhan Mohan saw that Wei Yumeng’s complexion was still poor, but she was already wearing a jacket. His brows relaxed. He had initially intended to have Fang Xun deliver a jacket to her, but remembering her stubborn nature, he feared she wouldn’t accept it.
Feng Shiyi felt a bit awkward, especially since Zhan Mohan was standing beside her yet looking at another woman. She laughed to smooth things over.
“Perhaps President Zhan is just overjoyed today.”
She then tugged on Zhan Mohan’s arm, “Mo Han Gege, everyone is waiting for your instructions.”
He finally snapped back to attention, “Yes, everything will be as Director Feng arranges.”
“Then everyone get back to work. I’m going to have lunch with President Zhan.”
Then she looked up and winked at Zhan Mohan.
“Let’s go.”
After Zhan Mohan left with Feng Shiyi, the others resumed their gossip.
“When are President Zhan and Director Feng getting married? They’re too perfect for each other.”
“Probably soon. Listen to how Director Feng calls President Zhan ‘Mo Han Gege’ in private. It makes my heart flutter.”
Wei Yumeng didn’t know what was wrong with her. She had intended to focus on her work, but the more she looked, the more agitated she became. Especially with the constant chatter around her, she couldn’t concentrate.
Suddenly, she put down her pen and stood up from her chair with a whoosh. Mu Linjing looked at her in surprise.
“Yumeng, what’s wrong?”
“It’s lunchtime, I’m going out to eat.”
And to buy some clothes, she couldn’t keep wearing Mu Linjing’s.
Mu Linjing felt a bit uneasy, and seeing her almost out of the office, she hurried to follow.
“Wait for me, I’m going too.”
As Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing walked down the street, Mu Linjing pointed to a nearby restaurant.
“Come on, I’ll treat you here to cheer up your gloomy mood.”
“I’ll treat you. Later, I’ll need your help to buy an outfit.”
Wei Yumeng felt too embarrassed to let Mu Linjing treat her. Mu Linjing didn’t refuse, and the two of them entered the restaurant.
As soon as they walked in, they saw Zhan Mohan and Feng Shiyi. Wei Yumeng’s smile completely froze. Mu Linjing also sensed the awkwardness. Although she didn’t know the relationship between President Zhan and Yumeng, she had seen it in the office earlier; President Zhan’s gaze had been fixed on Yumeng.
Given Yumeng’s disheveled state today, it was likely related to President Zhan.
After a moment of stunned silence, Mu Linjing looked around the restaurant with disdain and said.
“Let’s change to another restaurant. I like window seats, and there are none left.”
Saying that, Mu Linjing linked arms with Wei Yumeng and prepared to leave. As they turned, they heard Feng Shiyi’s voice.
“Mu Linjing…”
Mu Linjing’s body stiffened, finding herself in a difficult position. She then whispered to Wei Yumeng.
“Director Feng actually knows my name. I’m truly flattered.”
Wei Yumeng wanted to say that Feng Shiyi would pay special attention to anyone connected to her.
But for Mu Linjing, it might not be a good thing.
They hesitated, unsure of what to do, when Feng Shiyi approached with a smile, appearing to be a very approachable superior.
“Why did you two come in and then leave?”
Mu Linjing quickly found an excuse, “Uh… we wanted a window seat, but there were none, so we planned to go somewhere else.”
“That’s perfect. President Zhan and I are sitting by the window, and it’s a table for four. He likes space, why don’t you join us?”
Feng Shiyi invited them warmly.
Wei Yumeng eagerly refused, “No need, Director Feng. We’ll go somewhere else. We don’t want to disturb you and President Zhan.”
She tried to pull Mu Linjing away, but Feng Shiyi wasn’t about to let such an opportunity slip away.
“Alright, hurry up and come over. Don’t keep President Zhan waiting too long.”
With such earnest insistence, Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing found it impossible to refuse and had no choice but to follow.
Zhan Mohan didn’t even look up, continuing to eat. Feng Shiyi moved her own tableware to Zhan Mohan’s side, ceding her seat. This way, Zhan Mohan sat next to Feng Shiyi, and Wei Yumeng sat directly opposite Zhan Mohan.
The atmosphere was far from relaxed, filled with oppression and tension.
“Um… we won’t disturb you and President Zhan. We don’t have to eat here, right, Yumeng.”
Wei Yumeng saw Zhan Mohan acting as if he hadn’t seen them, as if he were deliberately giving them the cold shoulder.
She didn’t want to eat facing Zhan Mohan’s icy expression.
“Director Feng is too kind. President Zhan doesn’t seem to want to dine with us, so we won’t intrude.”
This time, she pulled Mu Linjing and forcefully attempted to leave. As they descended the steps, they heard the man, who had been silent all along, suddenly speak.
“Director Feng has already offered her seat. If you leave now, then you would be disturbing our meal.”