Chapter 13: Help Me Order a Bouquet of Flowers.
Pu Huaiyan had no intention of letting the matter drop. The icy chill in his eyes spread wildly. “Madam traveled thousands of miles out of her busy schedule to visit you. For the sake of your work, she was even willing to accompany you to a dinner with your boss on her very first night, rather than having a private dinner with you. Yet, you were over there messing around with someone else.”
As that “someone else,” Xu Minheng was currently blushing red all over, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.
Lu Zhixing, on the other hand, stood stiff and rigid, saying nothing.
Pu Huaiyan retracted his gaze in disgust, coldly stating on his own, “Before this matter spreads throughout the company, I am giving you two three choices…”
Xu Minheng raised her eyes in extreme nervousness.
Pu Huaiyan said to her, “Manager Xu can resign on her own accord, or be fired by the company. If you don’t want to leave, considering Manager Xu’s ideal performance record in the past and the fact that you graduated and returned from the United States, you can be transferred to the California branch. Think it over carefully.”
Her gaze froze instantly, her entire being completely unresponsive.
Pu Huaiyan looked at Lu Zhixing, “Manager Lu, the first two conditions are the same. As for the third, you can go to any branch company except for Lan City and Beijing.”
Xu Minheng whipped her head around to look at him, her expression even more anxious than when she heard her own options.
“Manager Xu, you speak first,” Pu Huaiyan said.
The woman was forced to cast her gaze back toward the executive desk. Then she shook her head and said to him, “President Pu, I… I won’t go abroad.”
Pu Huaiyan said indifferently, “Then resign.”
So anxious she was about to cry, her eyes turned red. “President Pu… why? Why must I go abroad, while Manager Lu, can’t he go abroad?”
Pu Huaiyan replied with utmost seriousness, “He has a family. It’s inconvenient for him to leave.”
The woman was rendered speechless, her face instantly flushing red.
“Manager Xu, why don’t you want such a great overseas posting opportunity?” Shen Jiani persuaded. She understood why Pu Huaiyan didn’t just fire them directly but instead gave them the chance to transfer. He wanted to get this woman out of the country so she would never appear in front of Shan Dai again, whether before or after the divorce.
This guy, Pu Huaiyan, truly ached to the extreme for his sweetheart who had been cheated on. He was the type who couldn’t wait to step up and take the position right now, but if none of this had happened and his Ms. Shan was happy, he would willingly be happy for her too.
So upon seeing both of them at once today, President Pu was in an absolutely foul mood, yet Xu Minheng was still on the verge of tears, completely oblivious to death.
However, getting rid of Xu Minheng wasn’t easy; she wasn’t stupid. Her dear President Pu had already predicted before these two arrived that Xu Minheng probably wouldn’t agree to leave, but would instead choose to resign.
The woman let out two sobs and asked, “Then, can’t I work domestically? I can leave the Beijing and Lan City offices and go to another branch.”
Shen Jiani said, “Manager Xu, it’s definitely inconvenient for you and Manager Lu to remain in the same country. The reason is simple: there’s no guarantee you and Manager Lu won’t end up together again. If the company is going to act, it will do so once and for all; we must absolutely put an end to this matter. Under no circumstances can this continue to hurt Manager Lu’s Madam. After all… Manager Lu isn’t divorced right now. Perhaps this married couple will reconcile and bury the hatchet, so preventative measures naturally must be taken.”
Flushing red with nowhere to hide her shame, the woman said, “Then, then I’ll resign. What happens after I resign is none of the company’s business, right? And Manager Lu is, is getting a divorce too.”
Shen Jiani furrowed her brows. Fuck…
“Then we’ll consider it as Manager Xu taking the blame and resigning on her own.” Pu Huaiyan’s tone was as cold as ice. Finishing his words, he immediately looked at Shen Jiani, “Secretary Shen, contact the Beijing HR department in a bit to process Manager Xu’s resignation procedures. Since she is an employee of the Beijing office, she needs to go back there to handle it. Leave today, don’t delay here.”
Hearing this, Xu Minheng’s face turned completely dreadful. After casting a baffled glance at the man who seemed to be radiating anger, she turned her head to look at the man beside her.
“Has Manager Lu thought it over? Which company do you want to go to?” Pu Huaiyan asked.
Compared to Xu Minheng, Lu Zhixing’s tone was much calmer: “Thank you for your kind arrangements, President Pu. I… choose to resign.”
The woman beside him looked utterly stunned, immediately pressing down on his hand. “Don’t…” If she resigned, he wouldn’t need to. That way, no matter where he worked, she could be with him without being bound by company rules.
Pu Huaiyan’s chilling gaze spilled over her: “Manager Xu, head back to your office first.”
The woman immediately looked at him, saying anxiously, “President Pu.”
With cold eyes and a cold brow, Pu Huaiyan said, “Manager Lu isn’t divorced yet. His considerations will weigh many issues, and taking his wife into account is perfectly normal. Is Manager Xu planning to egg him on into a divorce right in front of me?”
“I…” Her face flushed red as fire. Then, under the man’s grim and freezing gaze, she could only silently let go of Lu Zhixing’s arm, walking out in a daze on her eight-centimeter high heels.
The office fell quiet. The man at the seat of honor asked Lu Zhixing, “Manager Lu chooses to resign?”
“Yes.” He explained, “I know President Pu is very disappointed in me. That night at the dinner gathering in Beijing, you thought very highly of Madam and me. It’s my fault, I let her down.”
Shen Jiani turned her head away in disgust, grumbling internally: Fake as hell.
Pu Huaiyan looked coldly at the man’s devout expression. “And so?”
Lu Zhixing: “I’m resigning because, well, I happen to be quite busy lately. Something came up at home that needs my attention, so I don’t have the energy to work. Constantly taking leave would delay company matters, so I might as well just leave. I’m grateful for the company’s cultivation over these years, and for President Pu’s trust.”
Pu Huaiyan stayed quiet for two seconds, then said carelessly, “These past few days, when Secretary Shen and I went to the hospital after I got injured, I bumped into Ms. Shan by chance.”
Lu Zhixing’s eyes instantly snapped with focus, staring intently at the speaker.
Pu Huaiyan returned his gaze indifferently. “Ms. Shan looked haggard. Upon asking, I finally heard about what happened between you two. So, is Manager Lu’s ‘matter at home’ related to divorce proceedings?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I won’t get a divorce.”
Shen Jiani was terrified that Pu Huaiyan would flip the executive desk in the next second. Preemptively striking, she asked Lu Zhixing, “How come Manager Lu is so hard to read? Manager Xu was just short of declaring she was ready to fly side-by-side with you into the sunset. If it weren’t for President Pu wanting to protect Madam’s dignity… and now you’re not getting a divorce?”
“I will make a clean break with Manager Xu.”
“…” Shen Jiani recalled the two people hugging at Xieshaan that night. Looking at the person before her now, her face was full of question marks.
Huh?
Lu Zhixing didn’t notice that the face of the man in front of him had also turned extremely foul. Disheartened but resolute, he expressed his devotion: “I will compensate my wife, until she forgives me.”
“…” Shen Jiani turned to look at Pu Huaiyan. If you’re going to flip the table, just flip it; there’s nothing I can do.
The cold sneer at the corner of Pu Huaiyan’s mouth was already impossible to hide. His voice as cold as ice, he asked, “Then what is Manager Lu’s reason for resigning? Just to free up time to win back your wife?”
Lu Zhixing’s gaze was cast downward, never meeting the eyes of the man in front of him. Hearing this, he shook his head. “I have something going on at home. My father is sick. When Secretary Shen contacted me to come to the company these past few days, I didn’t have time because I was taking my father for checkups. My father will need surgery soon, so I won’t have the energy to work for a while. Therefore, it’s better to resign.”
The office fell silent.
The man at the seat of honor slowly rubbed his fingertips together, lost in thought. Soon, he spoke up, “When a family member gets sick and requires such long-term treatment, the costs aren’t low, are they? With Manager Lu resigning, can you afford these massive medical bills along with the gap-period living expenses while you look for a new job?”
“I’ll figure something out.” He smiled bitterly. “Thank you for your concern, President Pu.”
Pu Huaiyan adopted a thoughtful look once more. He recalled what Shan Dai had mentioned at the dinner table a few days ago: when her family member was sick in the past, Lu Zhixing had taken care of the surgery fees and the blood transfusion. Because of this, she was always reluctant to tear away all pretense and make things ugly; she remembered his kindness.
While Lu Zhixing, uncomprehending of his long silence, stared at him in confusion, Pu Huaiyan finally spoke slowly, “Letting Manager Lu resign at a time like this and plunging your family into immense hardship is truly not my intention. What if I said I will cover your father’s medical expenses until the elderly gentleman recovers and is discharged, along with the transitional expenses while you look for a new job… Consider it the company’s compensation for Manager Lu’s contributions to Yanxin over the years.
“But there is one condition. That is, Manager Lu must sign the divorce agreement with Madam right now.”
There was nothing but shock in Lu Zhixing’s eyes.
Pu Huaiyan looked him dead in the eye. “That day at the hospital, reading between the lines, I could hear that Ms. Shan desperately wants a divorce, but Manager Lu is refusing to cooperate. So as long as you agree, this money will hit your account immediately. This is the least I can do for the Madam—the only true victim in this whole debacle—to give myself some peace of mind.”
Lu Zhixing lowered his head, closed his eyes for a moment, and shook his head.
Shen Jiani was stunned. He refused??
Pu Huaiyan’s face instantly turned as black as charcoal.
Lu Zhixing looked up and offered Pu Huaiyan a bitter smile. “Thank you for your concern, President Pu. The surgery costs are very high, I know, and I’ll need money while I’m out of work, I know that too. But I don’t want to divorce my wife. I will compensate her. President Pu doesn’t need to worry about my wife; I will definitely compensate her twofold.”
Pu Huaiyan abruptly sneered.
Lu Zhixing looked bewildered.
Pu Huaiyan’s gaze was indifferent, his tone dripping with mockery: “Manager Lu had best not preach about compensation while going out late at night to hug and cuddle with other women, only to sober up the next day and repeat the cycle all over again. Places like Xieshaan are crowded with prying eyes. Over time, your reputation will be ruined, and you’ll drag Madam down, turning her into the after-dinner gossip of Lan City’s corporate circle. Compared to building a career, Madam seems far more focused than you are.”
Lu Zhixing’s face stiffened like iron, staring at him in sheer disbelief.
Pu Huaiyan continued, “Furthermore, during the marriage, the money you use to treat your family member—will you be dipping into your joint marital assets? Or borrowing from her? No matter how you calculate it, Madam is the one getting hurt. Are you sure you want to leave her with absolutely nothing in this marriage?”
Lu Zhixing shook his head. “My wife… she has already moved out of our marital home. Because I bought the house, she refuses to live there anymore. I will sell the house first; that money will be enough to patch up all the holes mentioned above. When I’m more financially secure in the future, I’ll buy it back for her.”
Shen Jiani’s heart skipped a beat. It’s over, it’s totally over. He has no weaknesses, and he even has a house as a safety net. The sky is falling.
Under the inexplicably profound stare of the man in front of him, Lu Zhixing bit the bullet and said, “President Pu, let’s leave it at this for now. I need to get to the hospital. As for the resignation, I’ll find time to come over and handle it in a couple of days. Or, the company can just issue a notice to fire me, that works too. I was the one at fault first; I respect all of the company’s arrangements.” He nodded, then turned and left.
The double doors opened, then closed tightly again.
Shen Jiani slammed a stack of photos onto the desk with a darkened face. “Those two will definitely end up messing around together again! I don’t believe for a second he’ll make a clean break!! A dog can’t stop eating shit!”
Pu Huaiyan instructed, “Contact Li Zhou. Have him check if what Lu Zhixing said is true, if something so coincidentally happened at home. Also, see if he has been in contact with any other companies recently.”
“What do you mean?” Shen Jiani shot him a glance.
Pu Huaiyan lightly rubbed his temples. “I suspect he might have been planning to resign for a while now. He probably already has a new company lined up.”
“Ah, why? Why would he actively seek out a new company on his own? He didn’t know he was going to be fired before this.”
“Because of the affair. He knows someone inside the company leaked it to Shan Dai. In the Lan City branch, there are probably more people who know Shan Dai. If he continues working here, carrying on with Xu Minheng would be highly inconvenient. Even if he divorced, immediately getting involved with her would ruin his reputation.” He leaned his head back to look at the ceiling, letting out a soft sigh. “So, there’s a high probability he’s wanted to resign for a long time and has already found his next employer. The so-called ‘matter at home’ is just an excuse. Conveniently, he can also use it to stall Shan Dai from divorcing him for the time being. He’s keeping both options open—if he can keep his wife, he’ll keep his wife; if he can’t, he still has Xu Minheng waiting.”
“Oh my god!!! This dog of a man is so full of dirty tricks!!” Shen Jiani gritted her teeth in anger. “I’ll investigate it myself, no need to get Assistant Li. I want to see exactly what other dog-shit things he’s been doing lately besides dating!” Li Zhou was his special assistant.
Pu Huaiyan shot a sideways glance at her. “Get Assistant Li. Once this is confirmed, I still need to see Shan Dai. You just need to order a bouquet of flowers for me.”
“Whoa, in what capacity are you sending her flowers??” She giggled. “I’ll just look into it myself.”
With a darkened face, Pu Huaiyan said, “You can’t even figure out what someone had for lunch, don’t waste my time.”
“???” Shen Jiani took a deep breath, her eyes widening. She then huffily pulled out her phone and sent Li Zhou a message. After conveying the big boss’s orders, she immediately dialed a number.
Three seconds later, the call connected, and a man’s sleep-drenched voice drifted over, “Little Ci? Why are you calling so late?”
“Sorry, I forgot it’s the middle of the night in New York,” Shen Jiani said immediately. “But Gege, I want to go to New York to play. Do you welcome me?”
The man’s gentle, smiling voice came through the phone: “Had enough fun back in China? Come on over, then. I honestly don’t understand how you could stay in Beijing for so long without getting sick of it.” Ever since returning to China in 2007 and being driven away in anger by Taiheng, Pu Huaixin hadn’t set foot in the capital once over all these years, respectfully declining any involvement.
Shen Jiani spoke into the phone: “I’m not sick of it, it’s super fun here. It’s Pu Huaiyan who’s insulting me. I can’t live like this anymore, I’m coming over to play with you.”
Pu Huaiyan: “…”
Pu Huaixin: “???”
Pu Huaiyan shot a sideways glance at the girl standing by the executive desk, just as Pu Huaixin’s curious voice echoed from the phone: “What’s wrong? How did your second brother insult you?”
Shen Jiani: “He wants to investigate info on a cheating scumbag, and I kindly offered to check it out for him. As a result, he insulted me, saying I can’t even figure out what someone had for lunch!! He makes me sound like I’m intellectually disabled!”
Pu Huaixin: “…”
Pu Huaiyan: “…”
It was clear that Pu Huaixin’s voice was gradually sobering up, “A cheating scumbag? Is Huaiyan dating someone? And he got… cuckolded?”.
Pu Huaiyan: “…” He shot up from his seat and grabbed the back of Shen Jiani’s collar. “If you don’t know how to speak Chinese, then roll back to school, read some books, and properly further your studies! Try spouting nonsense again!”
Shen Jiani shrieked and dodged, crying out for help into the phone: “Ahhhh Gege, listen to him, he’s even hitting me! That guy cheated, and he’s taken a fancy to a married woman. He wants to make that guy get a divorce but the guy refuses. His sweetheart is being monopolized, so doesn’t that make that guy a cheating scumbag??? What’s wrong with my Chinese??”.
Pu Huaiyan: “…”
Pu Huaixin: “…”
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