The three people outside the office had been standing there for a while, ever since Wen Ran mentioned calling the police. Everyone in the office was focused on Wen Ran's situation, so naturally no one noticed them.
Though they hadn't heard the earlier arguments, they could piece together the general situation.
Ding Yao turned her head with a smile, her eyes filled with cunning: "Director."
Huo Xiao's expression darkened: "?"
"Is this my surprise?" Her voice carried a teasing lilt.
Huo Xiao helplessly averted his gaze. When he had persuaded Ding Yao to join 'Carrell' as the design department head, he'd not only offered generous terms but had also praised the department extensively. This current melodramatic scene was like repeatedly slapping him in the face - not just his, but Yan Wangshu's too.
Thinking of Yan Wangshu, Huo Xiao glanced over. The usually uncompromising CEO showed no displeasure at this farce, even sporting a slight smile as if genuinely intrigued.
Ding Yao found teasing Huo Xiao unsatisfying and redirected her attention to Yan Wangshu: "Senior... ah, I should say President Yan." She tilted her chin slightly, her tone melodious: "Your 'Carrell' interns have quite the stubborn temper, don't they?"
Yan Wangshu didn't shift his gaze, smiling faintly: "Isn't that good?"
"Good?" Huo Xiao frowned. What was good about this?
Yan Wangshu spoke slowly: "I, myself, can't tolerate any disrespect either."
"Now that's..." Ding Yao clicked her tongue and shook her head. How could this intern compare to him? Some people won't tolerate disrespect because they're born in the clouds. Others won't because they're marching towards ruin. Ding Yao felt Yan Wangshu belonged to the former category, while that intern was just a foolishly naive member of the latter.
But youth! Compared to timid young people, she at least showed courage!
Ding Yao sighed deeply: "President Yan, our agreement that department personnel decisions rest with me - does that still hold?"
Yan Wangshu's eyebrow twitched as he finally withdrew his gaze from Wen Ran: "They do."
"Good." Ding Yao strode into the office, muttering, "Just what I needed to establish authority."
Huo Xiao turned: "She's going to fire someone?"
Yan Wangshu composed his expression, gaze returning to Wen Ran: "Let her."
The sudden entrance of Ding Yao drew all attention. She wore a shimmering organza white blouse paired with sharp wide-leg trousers that accentuated her proportions. Her slightly curled hair was tied in a low ponytail, with fresh makeup giving her a youthful yet sophisticated look.
The stunned silence broke when people noticed Huo Xiao following behind: "Director!"
Wu Yunshan snapped to attention, masking her panic as she approached: "Director, you're back? The wax carving team has been pressing about the schedule. We won't miss deadlines."
Ignoring Wu Yunshan, Huo Xiao introduced the young woman: "Let me introduce our new department head for specialty counter design. Everyone, welcome her."
This bombshell announcement elicited mixed reactions - some delighted, others worried. Huo Xiao initiated applause that everyone reluctantly joined, lasting about seven seconds before stopping.
Ding Yao stepped forward. Despite her youthful appearance, she showed no trace of timidity, radiating confidence: "Hello everyone, I'm Ding Yao. I prefer being called Mona. You may not know me well yet, but we'll have time for mutual understanding."
Huo Xiao used a familiar tone after her introduction: "Let's go."
Ding Yao nodded. After Huo Xiao left, she addressed the dazed Wu Yunshan: "You're Wu Yunshan, correct?"
Wu Yunshan's lips trembled slightly: "...Yes."
Ding Yao then looked at Chen Xing: "Chen Xing?"
Chen Xing: "Yes."
Her gaze swept to Wang Xuyang some distance away, lips curving: "Wang Xuyang?"
Wang Xuyang raised his hand in acknowledgment.
"Where's the meeting room?" Ding Yao scanned the area. "Would you three esteemed colleagues join me for a brief meeting?"
A colleague eagerly stood to guide them: "Teacher Ding, this way."
Ding Yao smiled: "I said to call me Mona."
The colleague nodded awkwardly.
After taking two steps, Ding Yao turned back to Wen Ran with breezy nonchalance: "Hold off on calling the police for now. Let's handle this internally first. If you're unsatisfied with the resolution, then feel free to call."
Wen Ran did not respond, meeting her gaze for two seconds before nodding slightly.Ding Yao then led her team towards the conference room.As soon as the conference room door closed, the office immediately buzzed with hushed discussions.There were three main topics.First: Where had this sudden supervisor come from? What was her background? Why did she seem so familiar with the director?Second: From her words, she clearly knew about the earlier conflict and intended to handle it personally. How would she resolve it?Lastly: What would happen to Wu Yunshan, who had been acting so arrogantly and had long considered the supervisor position hers for the taking?
Ai Wei guided Wen Ran back to her workstation, while Li Wan, still concerned, pulled over a chair and sat down beside them.Li Wan clasped Wen Ran's hand in hers. "Wen Ran, don't feel down… If you really want to report this to the police, I'll testify for you."Ai Wei closed her eyes and sighed. "Ms. Li, could you not stir up more trouble? Be realistic. What good would your testimony do? Besides, do you want to lose your job too?"
Hearing this, Wen Ran's eyelashes fluttered. She turned to Li Wan. "Did you settle things with Mrs. Wang?"Li Wan couldn't suppress a smile and nodded.Wen Ran knew how much Li Wan valued this job, yet she had chosen to stand by her side anyway.At noon, Li Wan had said they were friends.She truly considered Wen Ran a friend.So, perhaps friendship didn't always require vast stretches of time to build.
Touched, Wen Ran felt her earlier despondency slowly fade. She looked at Li Wan sincerely. "Congratulations."Ai Wei glanced at the closed conference room door, frowning. "This new supervisor seems low-key, but she's sharp."Li Wan asked, "How so?""She investigated the three lead designers thoroughly."True—she had quickly and accurately identified the three team leaders in the crowd, calling them by name. She'd come prepared."But… this might work in our favor." Ai Wei raised an eyebrow, analyzing. "Our team is already at the bottom—there's no further to fall. I think the hierarchy might be reshuffled."
Wen Ran felt that any reshuffling had nothing to do with her anymore.She stood up, her complexion still pale. "I need to step out for a moment."Li Wan worried. "I'll go with you."Ai Wei added, "Me too."Wen Ran was grateful to both of them—for earlier, and now—but she shook her head with a faint smile. "I'd like to be alone."
Head bowed, Wen Ran pulled out her phone to call Zhai Xinyi.The call connected quickly, Zhai Xinyi's groggy, sleep-roughened voice answering. "Hello?"Only then did Wen Ran remember it was late at night in M Country."It's nothing. Go back to sleep."Zhai Xinyi mumbled a confused "Mmm" before Wen Ran hung up, tucking her phone back into her pocket as she walked on.
The weather was splendid—the cloudless sky a clear blue, like a massive aquamarine gemstone.Wen Ran followed the corridor, passing through dappled shadows cast by trees.She turned a corner—And abruptly froze.
Further down the hallway, Yan Wangshe stood sideways by the courtyard wall, a cigarette between his lips.His right hand held a matchbox, his index and middle fingers pinching a matchstick. With a flick of his knuckles, he struck the match against the box's side.Wen Ran barely registered the motion before the flame erupted.He casually tossed the matchbox aside, lifted the match to his cigarette, and inhaled with a slight furrow of his brows. White smoke veiled his eyes.
He nonchalantly shook out the match and dropped it into a green jade tray in front of him. A wisp of smoke curled up from the tray before dissipating.In that moment, Wen Ran recalled: Two years ago that night, he hadn't lacked a lighter. Using matches must be his peculiar habit.
Yan Wangshe suddenly turned his head, meeting Wen Ran's gaze.The girl wore a white shirt-dress that fell to her calves, cinched at the waist with a brown belt.Remembering her earlier stubborn refusal to yield despite being bullied, Yan Wangshe's brow twitched.
Under his stare, Wen Ran's eyelids fluttered involuntarily. Regaining composure, she dipped her head in acknowledgment and turned to leave."Wen Ran—" His deep voice called her name.He remembered.
After a brief hesitation, she turned back and approached.The green jade tray on the wall was carved with floral patterns at the base. The half-burned matchstick lay inside, the scent of pine thick as she drew near.Wen Ran kept her eyes lowered. "Mr. Yan.""Looking for me?""Ah?" She realized the corridor led to his office and hastily waved her hands. "No."
Yan Wangshe studied her face—her averted gaze, downturned eyes, flushed lips—a picture of pitiful fragility.He shifted the cigarette to his other hand. "About to cry?"The comment felt… odd.She looked up at him. "No."
Yan Wangshe turned his gaze skyward.Sunlight filtering through leaves lightened his irises to a gentler hue."Feeling wronged?""..." Wen Ran didn't grasp his meaning.The corner of his mouth lifted, tone teasing as if joking with an old friend. "You've got quite the opinion of 'Carleer', eh?""Huh?""A lousy company!" He quoted.!!!
Wen Ran blinked in disbelief. Had news spread to him this quickly?Well. I'm leaving anyway.No longer restrained, she stood beside him, also gazing at the sky. Softly, she admitted, "I do have complaints."
Yan Wangshe raised an eyebrow. "What dissatisfies you?"Since he already knew, she saw no harm in elaborating. Her tone remained neutral, devoid of bitterness—a mere observer's account:"On my first day, I saw golden motto plaques by our department entrance: 'A designer's product is their masterpiece.' Yet that same day, I discovered our department's regulations completely contradict that. Compared to designers' works, everyone prioritizes academic credentials and connections instead. Also, while the company has a proper promotion system, leadership authority overrides it. And today's incident… I don't want to discuss it."
To identify departmental flaws so precisely within a month of joining…Yan Wangshe stubbed out his cigarette in the jade tray. "Feel it's unfair?""Yes.""What you deem 'unfairness' is simply workplace survival rules—no different from nature's law of the jungle." He glanced sideways at her. "To demand fairness, you must position yourself where your voice compels listening."
Wen Ran parsed his words, then challenged: "That's still unfairness.""Not entirely foolish," he remarked lazily.Thus, true fairness didn't exist.Fairness was a rule crafted by the powerful for themselves.
Unable to refute this, yet still grateful, Wen Ran said, "Thank you for your words. They're enlightening."Her current tone held no deference to his authority.Yan Wangshe understood. After a pause: "Planning to leave?""Yes."
He picked up the matchbox, idly rotating it in his palm. "Wen Ran, compared to other companies, 'Carleer' is relatively fair. Here, we value works most…"Wen Ran didn't want to hear it. Yan Wangshe was merely reiterating that the world operated this way—everywhere.
Perhaps due to youthful stubbornness and naïve idealism, she still believed somewhere different existed.She interrupted firmly, meeting his eyes. "I don't like it here.""No reconsideration?"Wen Ran nodded. "None."
Yan Wangshe observed her—the breeze tousling strands of hair against her petite, porcelain face; pure yet striking features.Delicate little thing.Right…A fragile jasmine indeed. Unsuited for wilderness—better suited to castle gardens.
He tossed the matchbox into the jade tray, lifted it single-handedly, and turned toward his office."Wishing you boundless prospects."