After Cat A Saved the Wrong Female Lead - Chapter 26

Chapter 26: The Cat’s Agility

The atmosphere that night was, to say the least, subtle.

After they had eaten their fill and returned, Tang Li was curious several times, wanting to ask Qin Shiyang why she disliked Yu Qingshuang so much. After all, her wife didn’t seem like the type to follow celebrities, and Yu Qingshuang had just gained some fame, came from a reputable background, had good professional skills, and no negative rumors.

Could it be a private issue? But what kind of private interaction could they have? She just couldn’t figure it out.

However, since Qin Shiyang didn’t say anything, Tang Li didn’t press the matter.

….

Yu Zhou took two days off and returned to Huadu, buying a ticket for the night of the second day, precisely to avoid Bai Xuan keeping her. But when she reached the door, she realized she didn’t even have the courage to walk in. She quietly left her things and then departed.

Later, she thought about it and still told her daughter.

Tang Li slept fitfully that night and arranged to have breakfast with Yu Zhou the next morning at a teahouse that opened at six. The company’s hours were nine to five, and getting to the teahouse would only take twenty minutes. Breakfast itself would take at most an hour.

She felt she could truly be called a “time management master.”

Yu Zhou, in her profession, had no habit of sleeping in. She woke up earlier than chickens every day, having already formed a biological clock. Tang Li, on the other hand, went to bed at midnight last night and woke up hazily before seven this morning, so sleepy she kept nodding off.

She called a driver to take her there, dozed off for a short while on the way, and was fully awake when she got out of the car. In the private room, she saw the woman’s tall, slender back. For easy management, Yu Zhou had a shoulder-length haircut, and her well-maintained face showed no signs of her true age. Her demeanor was sharp and cool.

Like a faint, cold mist in winter, difficult to approach. Only when she saw her bl00d-related daughter did a gentle smile appear.

Tang Li did indeed resemble both Yu Zhou and Bai Xuan a little. If the three of them stood together, one could easily tell they were a family of three.

Two appetizer teas were already on the table. Yu Zhou heard the door open and lifted the tea lid for her. The moment she smelled the fragrance, Tang Li thought, “Thankfully, this is high mountain black tea, not green tea.” Since being marked by Qin Shiyang, she hadn’t ordered a single milk tea with a Four Seasons Spring tea base.

Otherwise, it would always feel strange.

Tang Li sat down and tasted the teahouse’s signature black tea. The tea liquid was moist in color, mellow and not astringent on the palate. Even someone who wasn’t skilled in tea tasting could tell it was of excellent quality. While ordering, Tang Li scanned the QR code to browse the menu and couldn’t help but ask:

“Mommy, why can’t you talk to Mama properly?”

Yesterday’s fruit basket was entirely filled with Bai Xuan’s favorites, left at the door under the name of Yu Zhou’s housekeeper. If Tang Li hadn’t known Yu Zhou had returned, she would have even thought she had remotely asked the housekeeper to send it.

She came to the door but didn’t go in. She clearly still cared and worried, but Tang Li couldn’t understand such complex and contradictory behavior. Anyway, in Tang Li’s simple and direct way of thinking, these two obviously still had some feelings for each other, otherwise, Yu Zhou wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of rushing back from so far away.

Wasn’t it just asking for trouble to hold back and be so hesitant?

Tang Li wasn’t a love expert by any means, but she was a married woman now, making her more experienced than Yu Zhou, who had lost her wife. So, she seriously advised her:

“I want to eat sweet and sour carp for lunch. I’ll ask Mama what she wants to eat then, and you can bring it over, okay? Don’t be so awkward. You’re both adults, why be so awkward? Are you going to have a twilight romance or something?”

Yu Zhou, educated by her daughter: …It seems to make some sense.

She looked back at Tang Li. The person sitting in front of her still had the familiar appearance, yet her gestures and movements gave off a faint sense of unfamiliarity. Or perhaps, they simply hadn’t seen each other much, and the long intervals made it easy for her to accept her daughter’s changes.

Yu Zhou’s light-colored pupils reflected Tang Li’s image, and a complex smile gradually appeared in her eyes:

“Xiao Li, do you really like your new wife?”

She spoke as if asking a question, but her tone was affirmative.

“It feels like ever since you fell in love with her, you’ve changed a lot. Your way of speaking and acting is much more pleasant than before.”

Before, “she” would always speak to her two mothers with barbed words, never properly, or would just roll her eyes and leave in a huff. Because they divorced when the child was five, both of them spoiled “Tang Li” to some extent. But now, she was definitely better, and Yu Zhou genuinely felt happy.

She touched Tang Li’s head after a long time. Ever since Tang Li grew up, she rarely made such intimate gestures towards her daughter. Now, not only was there no resistance, but Tang Li even smiled sweetly at her.

….

There was a bit of traffic on the way, so she arrived a little later than usual, but thankfully she still made it in time for the 9 AM clock-in. After going upstairs to the office, she heard a burst of cheerful laughter and chatter.

The atmosphere in their office was quite harmonious, and being a large office with over a dozen people, they often heard women chatting and laughing. Tang Li stood at the door and listened in.

It seemed they were saying that Sister Feng had become a reserve candidate for some award, and the possibility of winning was quite high. Everyone was gathered around her, joking and asking Sister Feng to treat them to dinner afterward.

Phantom’s internal bonuses had always been very generous, and Sister Feng was beaming:

“Definitely, definitely. It’s just speculation now; it hasn’t been finalized yet.”

“CEO Qin herself praised you, what more do you need? This is as good as a sure thing!”

“Exactly, if you see CEO Qin face-to-face, remember to come back and tell us the intel!”

Everyone was quite curious about their elusive top boss, who was said to be young, not yet thirty this year, and a remarkable representative of young entrepreneurs.

“What award did Sister Feng apply for?”

Tang Li walked in and casually asked. Sister Feng didn’t have time to answer herself, so someone next to her explained:

“It’s that scent submission you applied for, the same one as yours.”

The testing department generally didn’t get involved in company product development, merely providing data and experience reports from testing. Professionals usually handled this in the product development department. Tang Li participated purely because she had some insights. She was there because of the small gift Qin Shiyang gave her, and she was surprised to find someone in the same department as her doing the same thing.

Two days later, the list for the next round of selection was publicized, and Feng Qiongyi was on the final list. Tang Li didn’t expect to not even make it past the preliminary round, and immediately felt somewhat awkward.

Tang Li wouldn’t be inexplicably overconfident, but she wasn’t insecure either. She submitted this draft because she felt it was good enough, and she was upset to receive such a result.

In contrast, Feng Qiongyi was triumphant. Her proposal was accepted, and the maximum bonus could reach 50,000 yuan, equivalent to an annual bonus. Who wouldn’t be envious?

Tang Li only realized the cost of living after managing her own household. After starting work, she understood that every penny was hard-earned, and to avoid bad luck in the future, she would never spend money extravagantly.

Feng Qiongyi ordered takeout every day these two days, treating everyone to afternoon tea, even the interns benefited. However, Tang Li didn’t eat. Tang Li gradually realized something.

Feng Qiongyi had been too good to her these past two days, almost unnaturally so. Although she was half her teacher before, she hadn’t been this close in the last two days combined.

Tang Li wasn’t stupid; it was easy to tell whether someone liked you or not. She felt Feng Qiongyi’s kindness towards her stemmed more from an eagerness, and there was nothing to gain from her. Tang Li already felt something was off.

Especially these past two days, when she asked a question about that design, Feng Qiongyi immediately changed the subject, not at all like someone confident in her own work.

Tang Li was full of questions.

After several attempts, her suspicions gradually deepened.

But it was her first time encountering such a situation, and without concrete evidence, she couldn’t just directly accuse someone.

These past few days, Tang Li had been feeling completely listless.

The only happy thing was probably when she was at the hospital. She had Yu Zhou bring food, and they happened to run into Bai Xuan. She left the space to the two of them and went out to eat herself. She didn’t know what they specifically talked about, but she only knew that Yu Zhou had changed her flight ticket and wouldn’t leave until Bai Xuan was almost ready to be discharged.

Bai Xuan’s discharge day was a week later. Tang Li conveniently made an excuse that she had something to do and let Yu Zhou accompany Bai Xuan to handle the procedures. Actually, the assistant and housekeeper were with them the whole time, but Bai Xuan was always delicate, not physically, but psychologically.

Tang Li sometimes felt she wasn’t like her mother but like a sister, very proud and standoffish. On the first day she saw Yu Zhou, she even rolled her eyes. Later, Tang Li caught Yu Zhou helplessly feeding her, so she stopped rushing over every day.

By now, she had been at the company for a month, having just completed her first month yesterday. The male Beta made a minor mistake, and Feng Qiongyi clung to it, coupled with his consistently poor performance, he was taken to HR and fired.

After firing one intern, Feng Qiongyi turned around with a smile and told Tang Li:

“Xiao Tang, you have to work hard at Phantom. Honestly follow your seniors and don’t think about anything else. This person is too greedy for credit and has no sense of human relations. We were only giving him face because he’s young. Don’t go down his crooked path.”

Hearing the implied meaning in her words, Tang Li gave a dry laugh, a flicker of anger in her eyes.

….

Qin Shiyang also came home early tonight, which was rare, and she seemed to be in a good mood. After dinner, she watched Tang Li carry a package onto the sofa blanket, vigorously cutting it open with a small knife as if attacking an enemy. She couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow:

“What’s wrong, Xiao Tang Li? Who bullied you?”

“Nothing… just hot.”

The express box contained a Luo Han Guo and loquat tea, a natural cooling ingredient. Tang Li tossed the express box into the trash bag, put away the small knife, and was about to make herself a cup of tea.

Footsteps sounded behind her, followed by the woman’s gentle and lazy voice from behind:

“Really?”

When speaking to her, the Omega deliberately lowered her head, allowing her breath to brush against Tang Li’s already sensitive nape. Tang Li’s hand paused in pouring the tea, her voice a little strained:

“Really.”

Qin Shiyang wanted to believe her, but the little one wore everything on her face. That beautiful face clearly spelled out four words: “I am unhappy.”

The tea bag dropped into the glass. Tang Li’s next movement was stopped. Qin Shiyang pulled her arm, and Tang Li was pulled to face her. Their closeness allowed the natural scent of spring tea to penetrate her nostrils like a fragrance, firmly controlling the pleasurable stimulation points in her memory.

Qin Shiyang’s soft, slightly cool fingertips pressed against Tang Li’s lips, slowly rubbing up and down. Tang Li felt the marking tooth in her mouth faintly itching again, secreting pheromones. As she touched, Qin Shiyang indeed found a small canker sore on her lip.

She was so angry she got a canker sore?

Qin Shiyang thought for a moment. No one had visited Tang Li recently. Did she argue with her mother? She didn’t think about company matters. Tang Li, however, couldn’t hold back anymore. Her breathing was a little uneven, and she broke free from Qin Shiyang’s grasp, somewhat aggrieved, and told Qin Shiyang what had happened at the company and her suspicions.

Listening to her narration, Qin Shiyang’s eyes flickered.

Given her understanding of the little one, Tang Li wouldn’t speak recklessly without some evidence. Could it be about the recent submission call? Although she wasn’t directly responsible, it ultimately had to pass her approval. She quite liked one of the proposals.

It used several uncommon ingredients, differing from most scents found in real life, clearly more innovative.

At the time, Qin Shiyang’s eyes lit up when she saw it.

In areas that weren’t highly specialized but allowed for brainstorming, Phantom had always been relatively relaxed, giving everyone equal opportunities. Any department could sign up. She originally set this rule to break away from conventional thinking, allow more people opportunities, and facilitate innovation.

Previously, they had indeed received good suggestions that broke out of professional designers’ thought circles, leading to new breakthroughs. She didn’t expect that this time, it would provide an opportunity for someone to take advantage. Feng Qiongyi was an old employee of the department. Although Qin Shiyang had never met her, she knew of her.

Phantom had many departments and subsidiaries. As the head, Qin Shiyang had a lot to manage, so it was normal for many employees not to meet her in person. This kind of matter, if Tang Li hadn’t had such an inexplicable connection with her, would likely have been easily suppressed.

Old employees definitely had their own methods and connections.

Qin Shiyang understood. She soothingly stroked the little Alpha’s aggrieved head, using the gentlest possible tone:

“I’ll see if I can help you contact Secretary Pei later.”

Unexpectedly, after Tang Li furiously cursed Feng Qiongyi, it seemed all her anger was vented. She was no longer angry, and her whole being calmed down considerably after the outpouring:

“It’s okay, wife. I want to expose her myself and make her return my design.”

She spoke very calmly, a stark contrast to her previous aggrieved demeanor. Tang Li thought for a moment, even reaching out to gesture to Qin Shiyang:

“If it succeeds, there might be a company live stream, and I’ll give you a victory sign.”

Despite feeling upset, Tang Li didn’t want to always hide behind others and have them shield her from trouble. If she couldn’t even get back what belonged to her from a mere team leader, there would be no need for her to struggle further; she might as well just muddle through until the plot arrived.

Phantom had strict procedures, with two official announcement methods: email and the OA office system. Tang Li arrived a bit early for work this morning and eloquently wrote a short email, sent it to CEO Qin, and also copied Secretary Pei, the department head, the team leader, and others. Even Feng Qiongyi in their team could see it.

Feng Qiongyi hadn’t arrived yet. Another intern named Yaoyao, who got along very well with Tang Li, also arrived a bit early today and smiled when she saw Tang Li:

“Xiao Tang, you’re so diligent, no wonder Sister Feng likes you the most.”

Tang Li gave her a sweet smile, her eyes and brows radiating beauty, which made Yaoyao stare for a moment, her face a little red, and her heart couldn’t help but beat a little faster. She was still a Beta and had never felt there was anything wrong with her gender before, but now she began to regret it. She rarely saw an Alpha as beautiful and delicate as Tang Li. If only she were an Omega…

The girl’s fair fingers flew across the keyboard. As she typed the last word, she thought, “After today, Sister Feng probably won’t like me anymore.”

She had met Secretary Pei and knew she was a very responsible person. Moreover, she wasn’t reporting; she was merely making a suggestion.

CEO Qin’s processing speed was very fast. Not long after, she read Tang Li’s email and replied with two words: “Agreed.”

Tang Li’s suggestion was to have participants in the submission contest publicly and personally identify raw materials on the spot, then synthesize them with a designer, and broadcast it transparently company-wide, increasing fairness and incentivizing both winners and others.

Feng Qiongyi immediately panicked. She couldn’t identify those raw materials at all!

However, the approval speed was much faster than her cramming speed. That afternoon, standing in the live broadcast room as the company-wide live stream began, Feng Qiongyi couldn’t stop the cold sweat from beading on her forehead.

She couldn’t differentiate the raw materials stored in various bottles and jars. As a test evaluator and an amateur, designing a scent was one thing, but dealing with actual raw materials was beyond her expertise.

But none of this posed a challenge for Tang Li, with her excellent sense of smell and perfect recall.

Cats have extremely sensitive senses of smell, sight, and hearing, and Alphas have an added advantage in this regard. Feng Qiongyi was still making excuses, claiming her nose felt uncomfortable and she had a cold, when Tang Li politely knocked on the door:

“Team Leader Feng… are the Group A items you’re looking for these three: this one, this one, and this one?”

Even with the best composure and superb acting skills, Feng Qiongyi finally couldn’t maintain her facade at that moment. She quickly collapsed, staring blankly as Tang Li found those raw materials, blended them, and successfully simulated a scent very similar to the original formula.

Through the screen, Qin Shiyang saw Tang Li raise two fair fingers, discreetly pressing them behind her back—a seemingly careless movement that was actually their secret agreement.

Feng Qiongyi was speechless and could only admit that she had copied Tang Li’s design because she found it very new and innovative that night, and she had also obstructed Tang Li’s submission by directly rejecting it from her process.

She thought Tang Li, a mere intern, would just accept it even if she noticed something, and wouldn’t risk offending her as a team leader, otherwise she would have plenty of opportunities to make things difficult for her. She didn’t expect Tang Li to be so unyielding, causing no fuss or commotion, but instead making her lose face in the company.

Qin Shiyang herself disliked such troublemakers who acted arbitrarily, relying on their seniority. This was no longer just a simple issue of bullying new employees; it was lying and having bad character.

After calculating her full salary, Feng Qiongyi was fired. As a team leader, her work could be handed over on the spot. The manager directly promoted another more honest person.

The handover took several hours. Feng Qiongyi’s face remained somewhat embarrassed, feeling that the glances from all directions were of contempt and ridicule. Her eyes were red. Later, she went to the pantry to wash her cup and happened to meet Tang Li. She really couldn’t swallow her anger. When no one was around, she said in a hushed voice:

“Do you think you’re very impressive?”

“You’re impressive, you’re the most impressive. If your intelligence were as abundant as your theatrics, you wouldn’t need to be making such grand pronouncements like a clown in front of me.” Tang Li poured her water, turned to leave, and at the same time, replied in a clear voice, “Right—Auntie?”

That address of “Auntie” made Feng Qiongyi’s face change color. Tang Li hummed a tune happily, striding away like a victorious general, but almost bumped into Secretary Pei at the exit.

She immediately reined in her exaggerated smile.

Secretary Pei politely nodded to her and went to make Qin Shiyang a cup of coffee. When she brought it back, she saw the woman rubbing her temples. She quickly put down the coffee, stepped forward, and skillfully massaged her.

“Not feeling well again?”

Qin Shiyang didn’t speak.

Secretary Pei sighed. She knew that Qin Shiyang, a workaholic, would definitely not follow medical advice.

It seemed that during the heat period before last, she couldn’t reach Qin Shiyang, and upon visiting her home, found Qin Shiyang unconscious. She frantically rushed her to the hospital for IVs and examinations. At that time, the doctor subtly advised her to minimize work hours, otherwise, the accumulated pressure would lead to both psychological and physiological stress.

But letting her completely hand over work to subordinates was unrealistic, unless she genuinely intended to step down from her position.

Pei Xuan had already developed her own massage techniques. After massaging her for a few minutes, she observed Qin Shiyang’s condition. The woman’s face was slightly pale, but not to the extent of needing an IV drip.

After a thought, she took a tube of Omega comfort agent from a locked drawer, intending to give Qin Shiyang an injection. However, upon seeing the cold needle, the Omega’s dark eyes revealed deep aversion and genuine resistance.

Her oral cavity was filled with the scent of her own pheromones, but the pleasant soothing memories etched in her cerebral cortex were of the Alpha’s ylang-ylang fragrance. Now, neither her oral cavity nor her glands could find any scent that could comfort her, making Qin Shiyang inevitably somewhat agitated.

After experiencing true, perfectly matched warmth, probably no Omega would be tempted by crude comfort agents, even if a simulated tube was worth a fortune.

The warm bl00d vessels in her neck flowed, bubbling and burning within her body. Qin Shiyang suppressed her emotions and calmly ordered:

“Prepare everything. I’m working from home. I’m going back.”