Chapter 27: The Third Person They Had Never Met

  When we arrived at the company, it was just lunchtime. I put down the documents in my hand and hurried to the cafeteria. From a distance, I saw Yang Xiaofei, who was looking around as if waiting for someone.

  I walked along the wall corner, trying hard not to let him find me, but he still saw me.

  "Hey, Su Xiaomei," he exclaimed with excitement as soon as he saw me: "Why didn't I see you all morning?"

  "I'm going out to see clients." I said in a low voice.

  "Oh, don't mind what happened yesterday, she's always been like this, uncultured."

  I raised my head in surprise at his words.

  "Isn't she your wife?"

  "Heh heh......" Yang Xiaofei actually scratched his head and chuckled foolishly.

  I stared at him with wide eyes in astonishment.

  "Are you free tonight after work? I'll treat you out for dinner." Yang Xiaofei said casually.

  "But she's your wife!" I repeated emphatically, raising my voice.

  "I... I just wanted to have dinner with you and apologize." Yang Xiaofei scratched his scalp, making a rustling sound.

  "Sorry, I don't have time." I said coldly.

  "What's wrong with you?"

  "Can't I have my own choice? Must I go out for dinner with you?" I was getting angry.

  "Are you still mad at me because of what happened yesterday?" Yang Xiaofei said in a low voice, almost whispering into my ear.

  A wave of heat rushed towards me, I hastily retreated a step back, and an angry expression appeared on my face.

  "Why should I be angry with you? You're a married man with kids, don't behave like this!"

  "You're really making me angry! You see how you're making me angry!" Yang Xiaofei pointed at me, saying with a straight face.

  "Shouldn't I be angry with you? You're a married man with a family, why are you still speaking to me like this? What am I, Su Xiaomei, to you? Even if no one else wants me, I couldn't possibly be with a married man!" I decided to fight back, my mouth open wide in a fierce expression.

  "Yang Xiaofei suddenly felt like something was stuck in his throat, opening and closing his mouth but unable to make a sound."

  It serves them right!

  I turned around in a huff, and the depression in my heart seemed to have been vented, but as soon as I thought that I couldn't come to work tomorrow, my heart suddenly became dull and gloomy.

  One afternoon, I stayed in the company, feeling helpless and anxious. Anan, however, didn't show up for some reason.

  "Wow, I've always heard that Qiu Zong is a handsome guy, but I never thought he'd be this good-looking. He's simply stunning, I've never seen such a charming and wealthy man before. It's hard to describe him with words, it's just unbelievable... But why did God have to put all the good things in one person? Why did heaven only give me looks but not wealth? It's so unfair!" Liu Shanshan leaned on Zhang Xin's chair back, her face sour and envious.

  "Oh my, this is all fate, they are the favorites of heaven, and it's impossible to climb up. I just regret not having the chance to get in touch with him, if only I could have dinner with him, that would be great." Zhang Xin supported her cheeks with both hands for a moment, then turned around and asked me: "Hey, Su Xiaomei, you have the most say in this, what was it like being with the rich handsome guy today? Share your feelings with us."

  "I..." I rolled my dull eyes, and the kind face of Qiu Zong appeared in my mind, but he was so far away, unable to illuminate my current gloomy mood.

  "Hmph! She doesn't have the heart to think about these things now, her future rice bowl is at stake." Liu Shanshan gave me a sideways glance, with a look of disdain on her face.

  "Oh, right, Xiao Mei, didn't you manage to negotiate with the Shengyuan client?" Zhang Xin asked, furrowing his brow as if he had just remembered something.

  "Hmm, I think I'm really done for this time." I dejectedly lowered my head.

  "Oh, Su Xiaomei, your folder is better than mine. When you leave the company, remember to give it to me, and that's a token of our time as colleagues." Liu Shanshan looked at me with a radiant smile.

  Hasn't he left yet and the tea has already gone cold?

  I stared at her with wide eyes, shocked and saddened, and after a long while, I muttered: "You like it, take it away then."

  However, Liu Shanshan turned her head to Zhang Xin again, "Zhang Xin, do you know? The boss is going to Hong Kong next month, I wonder if he will take you with him?"

  "Hiss, I don't want to go at all! The boss's lecherous look makes me sick just looking at it."

  "But the boss really likes you, didn't you feel his gaze on you like a hook? Brush, brush." Liu Shanshan stretched out her hand to scratch Zhang Xinyi's white face.

  "Phooey! How dare you! Does he think he's above the law just because he's looking at you?" Zhang Xin retorted, spitting out a mouthful of saliva.

  "I think he still likes you more, eh, Zhang Xin, you said the sales manager position has been vacant for two years, is it just left for you? It's just because you haven't surrendered to him yet?" Liu Shanshan's eyes rolled around and emitted an unusual bright light.

  "Shameless! How dare you say such a thing? Watch me tear your mouth apart! You want that position so badly, go sleep with him then!" Zhang Xin's face turned red with rage, she stood up from her seat and stretched out both hands to scratch Liu Shanshan, who dodged away laughing.

  "Haha, I don't dare to, the boss's wife would eat me alive. The previous sales manager had only slept with the boss a few times and was already fired by the boss's wife."

  "Is this really true? I've been hearing people talking about it since I came to the company, did that Manager Song really leave because of this?" Zhang Xin stopped and asked with a curious face.

  "Of course, who else could it be? The boss's wife is someone whose eyes can't tolerate even a speck of dust. But Manager Song is too honest, if I were him, I would fight back against her. Anyway, she's already old and faded, the boss doesn't even give her a straight look anymore, what's there to be proud of?" Liu Shanshan said with discontent, lightly twirling the curls on her chest with her fingers.

  "Did Manager Song really sleep with the boss? I've met Manager Song once, she's very pretty and gentle, doesn't seem like that kind of person."

  "What do you know? Xiao San's face is still marked with words! People have seven emotions and six desires, the sales manager position is too tempting to people, besides, at that time it was the boss who...” Liu Shanshan said up to here, suddenly looked around left and right, and stopped.

  "What's going on with the boss?" Zhang Xin's curiosity was piqued, and she walked over to ask softly.

  "It was the boss who made a move," Liu Shanshan said in a low voice, very worldly-wise: "When Manager Song first came to the company, she had just graduated from university and was very innocent. How could she understand the thoughts of those dirty men? She hadn't been with the company for long when the boss took her alone to Malaysia to attend an exhibition, and during that time he made his move. After they returned, the position of sales manager belonged to her..."

  "Ah?" Zhang Xin's mouth was agape in surprise. "I really can't believe it, Manager Song seems really simple-minded."

  "Hey, you can't know a person's heart just by their appearance. I heard that at first, Manager Song was also driven to tears by the boss, but you can't fight against your fate. Besides, her family isn't in a good situation either, no power or influence, and you still have to survive. It's just that the final outcome wasn't too great, it's like she was completely taken advantage of by the boss."

  "Is Manager Song that pitiful? What happened to her afterwards?" I couldn't help but ask, completely drawn into their conversation.

  "No one knows where she is now, at the beginning of leaving the company, it seemed that she was still secretly supported by the boss. Later, when the boss's wife found out, there was a big fuss again, and she was driven away. Since then, no one has known where she went. By the way, they all said that at that time she was pregnant, alas, which made the boss heartbroken. However, there was nothing he could do, as his wife's family had great power and the boss didn't dare to divorce her. Women, it's too hard for them to survive in this society."

  Liu Shanshan finally said, with a rare hint of desolation on her face, softly sighed and sat back in her own seat.