"Why don't you take a good look at yourself in the mirror? Do you really think anyone can just climb the ranks to become the president? Know your place."
"A commoner who thinks just getting into Beichen Group can turn her into a phoenix. You'd be better off buying a pillow from the supermarket to cry on."
With your looks, even carrying our president's shoes would make them dirty."
The leading woman finished smugly, and shot a vicious glare at the girl.
"Oh? You dare to glare at me? Tired of living, are you?"
She grabbed the girl's hair and slapped her across the face.
"I didn't, boohoo... I didn't."
The girl was scared to death, her soul practically fleeing her body, leaving her too weak to fight back, only to be bullied by them.
"Why waste so many words? If I say you did, you did."
She threw the girl to the ground mercilessly and kicked her knee.
Lan Shan remembers that day the woman was wearing eight-centimeter heels.
A solid kick like that, it was impossible not to fracture something.
At that time, Lan Shan was new to the company, intimidated by their numbers and afraid to stand up for the girl, she could only watch those women kick and punch her.
They only left after they were exhausted from the beating.
Once they were gone, Lan Shan went into the restroom and helped the girl up from the floor.
The girl, with her head down, remained silent.
"Are you okay?"
Seeing the girl's condition, Lan Shan felt a pang of guilt in her heart.
"I'm fine, thank you."
The girl looked up and gave her a smile.
That's when she realized the girl's face was badly swollen, and there were scratches of varying degrees on her arms and neck. It was obvious those people did it.
"Let's go, I'll help you find them." She said, about to stand up and confront them, but the girl reached out and stopped her.
"There's no need; it's my own fault for wanting to climb higher. I can't blame them."
"Are you stupid..."
Lan Shan was furious.
"They bullied you like this, and you're still speaking for them?"
She regretted her timidity just now. Seeing the girl like this made her feel deeply pained.
If she had stepped forward just now, the girl wouldn't have suffered so much.
"There's no need, thank you. I know you're a good person; don't get yourself into trouble because of me, it's not worth it."
Ignoring her words, Lan Shan helped her out of the restroom.
"Please, don't go; they're really powerful."
The girl clutched Lan Shan's hand tightly, refusing to let go. Lan Shan had no choice but to compliantly let it go.
Perhaps she truly didn't want to offend anyone, so she chose to swallow her grievances.
The girl took a leave of absence and went to the hospital.
It was said her kneecap was broken from the kick.
That person was truly ruthless, to break someone's kneecap with a single kick. How much force was used?
How deep was the hatred, how deep was the grudge, to treat an intern with such cruel force?
All that for just buying breakfast?
Truly, women have the most venomous hearts...
Afterward, the girl never showed up at the company again.
It was said she was sick, but Lan Shan knew in her heart it wasn't sickness, but fear caused by those people.
This incident left a deep impression on Lan Shan. She deeply realized what it meant to say society is dangerous.
She also understood that only by becoming strong herself could she fear no others.
Later, this incident spread wildly within the company. Almost everyone knew it's best not to mess with those secretaries around Beichen Rui.
Since then, no one dared to get close to Beichen Rui anymore.
Naturally, he became someone everyone could only admire from afar.
...
Lan Shan furrowed her brows, deeply afraid. Afraid that what happened to the intern might happen again to Ye Xinluo.
It's the last thing she wanted to see.
After all, she was the one who introduced Xinluo to the company; if anything happened, she'd feel guilty for life.
"Xinluo, you must be very careful of those people in the secretary department."
"Does that include you?"
Ye Xinluo raised an eyebrow.
"Huh?"
Momentarily unsure of what she meant, needing a moment to process.
"Aren't you warning me about the people in the secretary department? Aren't you one of them?"
Ye Xinluo replied lightly, her smile wide.
"Hey, I'm talking to you about something serious here."
Lan Shan rolled her eyes, feeling unappreciated.
"I'm seriously answering your question too."
"Besides, aren't you here with me? I'm not afraid they'll eat me."
Ye Xinluo shrugged helplessly. She always believed in one principle.
If people don't trouble me, I won't trouble them.
If people trouble me, I'll trouble them back.
Though she's usually even-tempered, she wasn't a pushover.
She wouldn't just let anyone bully her.
"Alright, I was wrong, okay?"
How could she forget Ye Xinluo's personality? Usually so quiet, yet when angry, a total tigress...
They returned to the top floor.
Ye Xinluo sat at her desk, idly fiddling with her phone.
The internal line rang, Ye Xinluo put down her phone and picked up.
"Hello, this is Beichen Group's secretary department."
"Bring two cups of coffee in."
With that, the call was abruptly ended.
She sat dazed for a while before snapping out of it, setting the phone down.
Such a strange person. Would it kill to say a couple more words?
It wasn't even work time yet.
Weren't they out? Since when did they come back?
And how did he know she was at her desk?
She pursed her lips and resignedly headed to the pantry. After all, he was the boss.
He had the right to be aloof.
What she didn't know was, from the moment she sat at her desk, all her movements had been watched closely by someone.
Ten minutes later, she entered the president's office carrying two cups of coffee.
"President, your coffee."
She placed one cup on the desk. Then turned and walked to the sofa, placing the other cup on the coffee table.
"Assistant Mo, your coffee."
"Thank you."
He took a sip of the coffee.
"What kind of coffee is this?"
Why has he never tasted this before?
"This just arrived today," Ye Xinluo explained.
"I see. This coffee variety should have been changed earlier. The previous one was getting boring, don't you think, Rui?"
Beichen Rui was focused on his documents and didn't answer the question, merely giving a faint "hmm."
"If there's nothing else, I'll head out first."
With that, she walked towards the door.
"Hold on."
She was halfway there when Beichen Rui stopped her. Ye Xinluo had no choice but to stop and turn to look at him.
"President, is there anything else?"
"There's a dinner at five this afternoon, you'll accompany me."
"Alright."
Ye Xinluo nodded without much thought. "Then I'll be heading out now."
With that, she walked out of the president's office.
Five o'clock?
That meant she couldn't have dinner with the little one.
Returning to her desk, she took out a key from her bag, pondered for a moment, then headed towards Lan Shan's desk.
Since she couldn't accompany the little one for dinner, she decided to let Shanshan accompany the little one instead.
Lan Shan's desk wasn't far, just around a corner.
She was chatting with colleagues and didn't notice Ye Xinluo approaching.
The person standing next to her, however, saw Ye Xinluo.
Ye Xinluo clearly saw the moment that person noticed her, a flash of disgust appeared on their face.
Or perhaps disdain.
It seemed her impression among these people was indeed not great.