He hung up the call. “Ms. Lin, you’ve come all the way here for the project. You are still unfamiliar with the surroundings and people in this area. As your business partner, I have a duty to ensure that you aren’t bullied or threatened under my care.”
Zong Yanxi stood by the door and looked at him. “Aren’t you afraid that she’ll get into a fight with you?”
“I’m not in a relationship with her.” He regretted those words the minute they left his lips. Why do I need to explain myself to her?
He chided himself for acting on impulse and massaged his temples. I hate not being in control of my emotions.
Zong Yanxi walked over, pulled a chair out, and sat back down.
Knock knock.
At that moment, a knock sounded outside the office door. Ling Wei was dressed in her professional business attire and had her makeup delicately done. She was elated when she received the call from the secretary, and a bright smile was plastered on her face as she opened the door. Upon seeing Zong Yanxi in the office, however, her smile froze on her lips.
“President Jiang.” She cast a sideward glance at Lin Ruixi before fixating her eyes onto Jiang Mohan. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“You went to look for Ms. Lin today?” Jiang Mohan went straight to the point.
Ling Wei nervously clenched her fists and forced a strained smile. “Yes…”
“Apologize to Ms. Lin.”
Ling Wei had yet to start explaining herself when Jiang Mohan gave her the order to apologize.
Ling Wei couldn’t believe her ears. She thought that she had heard him wrong. “Mohan, What are you talking about? Why do I need to apologize to her?”
“You came to the hotel to find me today, damaging my phone during our interactions. I haven’t wronged you, have I, Ms. Ling?” Zong Yanxi crossed her legs with an air of elegance. She was looking at Ling Wei with a cold and indifferent expression.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, Ms. Lin.”
Zong Yanxi was in the mood to entertain her, so she smiled as she leaned on the table and looked at Jiang Mohan. “President Jiang, it seems like this woman who is very fond of you doesn’t have too good of an attitude. She denied everything that she had just done. How did she become the head of a department with such a personality?”
Jiang Mohan’s expression turned cold. “This has nothing to do with her ability to handle work.”
Zong Yanxi gasped in mock revelation. “Oh, so the Hengkang Group only looks at the competence of their employees but neglects their attitude and personalities. That means they’ll have a place in the Hengkang Group even if they had the worst personality in the country. I’m deeply impressed with how generous you are with running the office, President Jiang.”
Ling Wei’s face had turned so red then that she looked ready to blow up. She couldn’t care less about the fact that Jiang Mohan was still in the office. She promptly began to scream at Lin Ruixi, “Watch your words! Stop twisting the facts, will you? Since when have I gone to find you…”
“Ling Wei!” Jiang Mohan had initially thought of letting the matter pass with Ling Wei’s apology. He never expected that the girl would stubbornly refuse to admit to her mistakes. He had to take a deep breath to keep his anger in check. “Apologize to Ms. Lin.”
Ling Wei stood rooted to the spot unmoving. “I did nothing wrong. I don’t want to apologize.”
Zong Yanxi leaned back against the chair as if she were an audience enjoying an opera show. “Ms. Ling, aren’t you afraid of getting fired with that attitude you’re using to talk to your boss? Or perhaps, it’s because you’re confident of your worth to the company that’s why you dare to act so audaciously?”
Jiang Mohan stared at Lin Ruixi. “Ms. Lin, are you enjoying yourself while looking how I’ve been put in a tough spot?”
“It’s not that I want to see it. It’s just that Ms. Ling over here insists on putting you in that tough spot. I have no choice but to sit back and watch this show.” She leaned back lazily with a leisure-filled expression. It looked like she was enjoying herself.
“Ling Wei, would I have asked you to apologize for no reason if she didn’t hand me substantial evidence?” Jiang Mohan didn’t like Ling Wei, but he had never expected her to be a liar. He found it shocking that she was someone who’ll deny all her wrongdoings despite having done them.
The embarrassment of the company losing its’ reputation was nothing to him as compared to the disappointment he had for Ling Wei.
“I…”
Ling Wei opened her mouth in an attempt to explain herself, but Zong Yanxi interrupted her. “Ms. Ling, I suggest you to hurry up. I haven’t got the time to waste waiting for you to apologize.”
Ling Wei’s blood was boiling. If it weren’t for that last shred of rationality holding her back, she would have grabbed Lin Ruixi and slapped her.
I never would have guessed that she would come to Jiang Mohan!
She clenched her fist, relaxed it, and clenched it again. She repeated this action multiple times but refused to look at Zong Yanxi. “Ms. Lin… I’m… Sorry…”
Zong Yanxi stood up. “Well, seeing as Ms. Ling has apologized, I won’t ask for compensation for my mobile phone.”
She turned to Jiang Mohan. “President Jiang, I won’t disturb you from working any longer. I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Jiang Mohan’s expression darkened but remained silent. Zong Yanxi’s lips curled upwards but couldn’t care less about his lack of reaction.
Don’t tell me you’ve only now realized that Ling Wei was a liar?
No. Not only was she a seasoned liar, but she was also a backstabber as well.
Jiang Mohan waited until the door to the office shut before he spoke. “Why did you do that? Why would you lie?”
“I-I…” Ling Wei wanted to explain herself, but she realized with a start that she didn’t know where to begin explaining. “I just thought that she was trying to hit on you…”
“So your solution was to threaten her?” Jiang Mohan cocked a brow. He was obviously dissatisfied with her answer. “Ling Wei. I’ve told you before. I won’t have feelings towards you, neither will I be together with you. Don’t ever let me catch you doing such unreasonable things again.”
“Is it because of Zong Yanxi? Are you still scrupling because of her? But she’s already dead…”
“Ling Wei!” Jiang Mohan was enraged. “I did want her to suffer, but I never wanted her to die! It’s been a year since she died, and I’ve been suffering every single day. You were close friends with her…”
“Haha…” Ling Wei burst out in laughter all of a sudden. “Jiang Mohan, what are you trying to say? Don’t forget that you were the one that caused her death! You were the one who had hurt her and lied to her the most! Are you trying to make things up now? Don’t you think that it’s a little too late for that?”
The resonance of Ling Wei’s voice filled Jiang Mohan’s head. All the hurt. All those lies. It was me. I was the one who made her suffer the most.
“You’re right. She’s already dead, and that’s all the more reason why I won’t be together with you. I can’t make her feel uneasy even in her afterlife. Ling Wei, seeing as you have been with the company for so many years, I’ll let you off this time. If this happens again, you can pack up your things and leave the company.” Jiang Mohan picked up the phone and instructed, “Ask the driver to prepare the car.”
“Alright, Sir.”
He hung up the phone and picked up his coat, walking out of the office.
“Mohan…”
Ling Wei rushed forward and hugged him by the waist. “Why must you treat me this way? Over someone who is already dead?”
Jiang Mohan peeled her fingers off of himself and pushed her away. “Don’t test my patience!” He scolded fiercely.
Ling Wei staggered back and fell onto the floor. Tears rolled out of her eyes as she stared up at him miserably. “Is it wrong for me to love you?”
Jiang Mohan ignored her, pulling the door to the office open, and stalked out.
Ling Wei’s pathetic cries came sounding out from behind him. “Jiang Mohan! Is this what you call showing mercy towards her? You stole her family’s business! You took her life! You lied to her! You hurt her! You used her! What would she think of you? Do you think she’ll forgive you? Do you think that’s possible? She’ll only hate you! She’ll never forgive you!”
Jiang Mohan’s footsteps halted. He froze in place and stood rooted to the ground, unable to get a hold of himself. Would she really hate me and never forgive me?
He clenched his fists. How despaired must she have been? To take her own life the way that she had?
“President Jiang.” The secretary walked over. “Are you not feeling well?”
Jiang Mohan came back to his senses. “I’m fine.”
He stalked out after giving his confirmation. The driver was waiting for Jiang Mohan at the entrance of the building. He rushed to open the back door for him upon seeing his arrival. Jiang Mohan slid into the car, and the driver closed the door after him. He jogged his way back to the driver’s seat and started the car. “President Jiang, where would you like to go?”
Jiang Mohan massaged his temples and subconsciously replied, “Send me home.”
The driver froze in place. It’s been too long since President Jiang last said that. Which home is he referring to?
Is it where he currently stayed? Is it the mansion that he used to stay in? Or is it the Jiang Residence?
