This Director Is Not To Be Trifled With - Chapter 35
At noon, after Xiao Yutong took Yao Mingkai away, Song Xian came out of the office. Most of her colleagues had already left, only a few with boxed lunches remained in the lounge. Song Xian was about to take her boxed lunch to the rooftop to eat alone when Zhou Yao called her.
Zhou Yao invited her to a nearby café. The slap Zhou Yao gave her last time was still fresh in her mind. Zhou Yao was practically walking into a trap, so Song Xian thought it was her turn to repay the favor.
When they met at the designated spot, Zhou Yao was standing outside the café. Today, her outfit was very different from her usual style extremely sexy and revealing. From office gossip, Song Xian knew Zhou Yao had already secured the position of director at Company A. So she sarcastically called out that title: “Oh, Director Zhou. How do you have time to invite a newbie like me for coffee?”
Zhou Yao just sneered but didn’t reply.
Song Xian said, “Is betraying your company just for that director position really worth it?”
Zhou Yao shot back, “That’s still better than you, pretending to be a little white rabbit in front of Xiao Yutong not hitting back or speaking up when slapped.”
“Fine, I won’t pretend today,” Song Xian said, delivering a crisp slap on Zhou Yao’s face. “How was the strength?”
Zhou Yao’s face burned with pain. She was furious but had to bite her tongue and endure it.
“Song Xian, I only owe you one slap. Now we’re even,” Zhou Yao gave a bitter smile, then immediately switched back to her usual friendly demeanor, warmly calling Song Xian, “Little Song, come in, I ordered your favorite coffee.”
Zhou Yao’s mood shifted faster than turning pages in a book. Song Xian felt uneasy, suspecting Zhou Yao had a bigger plan hidden behind this friendliness.
Song Xian wasn’t interested in the coffee. She said bluntly, “If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t waste our time.”
Zhou Yao leisurely finished her coffee, wiped her mouth, then said, “Little Song, in the workplace, you have to learn to hide your emotions. Showing your feelings too early makes it easy for others to control you.”
Song Xian had zero patience for this woman, even though what she said made some sense. “I’m too lazy to listen to your nonsense.”
With that, Song Xian was about to leave, thinking it was crazy to come here just to listen to Zhou Yao ramble.
“Take a look,” Zhou Yao said, throwing a stack of photos on the table. Song Xian stopped in her tracks and shifted her gaze to the pictures.
The first photo was dark and blurry, with no clear composition. “What’s this?” she asked.
Zhou Yao crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, smugly saying, “Take a closer look, it’s a surprise for you.”
Song Xian focused on the two figures in the photos. They looked like they were entering somewhere together. Wait, weren’t those two people herself and Xiao Yutong?
She picked up the stack and flipped through the photos. The following pictures showed her and Xiao Yutong at a bar, in a supermarket, and her getting out of Xiao Yutong’s car. Some of the photos were intimate enough to suggest a special relationship between them.
Zhou Yao said, “How’s the surprise? What if I send these photos to Jin Cheng’s public email? What do you think will happen?”
“Xiao Yutong has always claimed to be fair and just. If people at the company find out she gave such a big project to you because of personal feelings, what would happen to her image? She represents Jin Cheng as the design director, what would Jin Cheng do?”
“Fine, then send them,” Song Xian slammed the photos on the table. “Stalking, taking photos secretly, invading privacy that’s a crime of infringing on citizens’ personal information. Punishable by up to three years in prison. Go ahead, I was just looking for evidence.”
Song Xian hated threats most of all. When faced with threats, she refused to show fear. Given Zhou Yao’s courage, she wouldn’t dare to act if Song Xian showed dominance and indifference.
Zhou Yao still wasn’t giving up. “You dare sue me? If this escalates, do you think Xiao Yutong will still be with you?”
“Hmph,” Song Xian sneered. “You finally slipped up.”
She took a sip of coffee and said calmly, “You like Xiao Yutong, right?”
After accompanying her for four years, Zhou Yao was beaten to the punch by Song Xian, who stole the project that Zhou Yao was supposed to handle. That’s why Zhou Yao was so desperate.
Song Xian had never understood why Zhou Yao, just a newcomer, put so much effort into threatening her. If it was about Xiao Yutong, wouldn’t it be better to go directly to her with the photos?
Only when she said that did Song Xian confirm it.
Song Xian: Director Zhou, your charm is too strong.
Ah, being with such an outstanding woman like Xiao Yutong meant bearing these kinds of troubles.
Zhou Yao’s feelings were exposed, and she no longer hid them. “Yes, I like her. But why would she like you?”
Zhou Yao had done her homework on Song Xian. Her past romantic history was quite extensive, so naturally Zhou Yao knew.
She had been by Xiao Yutong’s side for four years, through countless days and nights. But Xiao Yutong shouldn’t be with someone like Song Xian that made her feel very unbalanced.
Xiao Yutong always said ability comes first, but she still gave such a great opportunity to Song Xian out of favoritism. So Zhou Yao hated them both.
Song Xian’s past was known to Xiao Yutong, so Zhou Yao’s threat held no weight. “You’ve checked me out, so you should know who I am. Remember, I’m not someone you can mess with. Neither is Xiao Yutong. So just live quietly.”
Song Xian hated bullying, but against people like this, she had to be assertive once in a while. She wasn’t afraid of threats, and she knew Xiao Yutong wasn’t either. But Zhou Yao was right about one thing: if this got out, Xiao Yutong definitely wouldn’t stay with her anymore. Although she never cared about the contract, the existence of the contract couldn’t be denied.
She thought Zhou Yao would back down after hearing that, but Song Xian didn’t expect Zhou Yao had uncovered even more.
Just as Song Xian turned to leave, Zhou Yao said, “I’ll live well longer than someone crawling out of the dead. By the way, does Xiao Yutong know you’re actually a murderer?”
Leaning against the window, Song Xian looked out at the world through her sunglasses. The dazzling city lights and neon glitz were blocked outside. She sighed. If only the past could be blocked out like those lights.
Zhou Yao’s words were like a knife, reopening wounds she had painstakingly stitched up over the years. The pain was no less than fresh wounds.
“Can I ask why you still wear sunglasses at night?” Xiao Yutong had been quietly watching Song Xian’s mood for some time. She tried to find a reason to break the silence many times but failed to find a proper one. Finally, she said it but immediately regretted it.
Song Xian turned to look at Xiao Yutong, who was concentrating on driving. The only comfort she had now was that she was still with Xiao Yutong.
She forced a smile, “You asked?”
Xiao Yutong was glad Song Xian didn’t become more depressed because of her question. She looked back and smiled gently, “It’s okay if you don’t want to say.”
Song Xian replied, “Because the light outside is too dazzling. It hurts my eyes.”
Xiao Yutong glanced ahead, “It really is pretty dazzling.”
Song Xian wanted to tell Xiao Yutong everything but wasn’t sure if she had the courage to reveal the scars covering her eyes to someone she loved.
Because Xiao Yutong was so wonderful, never forcing her to tell the painful past.
Song Xian said, “Xiao Yutong, you’re really kind. Really good.”
What she really wanted to say was: Xiao Yutong, I love you. Truly love you.
But the more she loved her, the more afraid she was to say it afraid she wouldn’t have the confidence to keep fighting if Xiao Yutong pushed her away again.
Xiao Yutong still felt something was wrong with Song Xian. After they got home, Song Xian showered and went straight to bed without waiting for her. That was strange. At noon, in the office, Song Xian was clearly still restless how could she so easily let go?
Something was off.
Xiao Yutong sneaked over to Song Xian’s bedside, took her phone, unlocked it with Song Xian’s fingerprint, and checked the call records.
Sure enough, Zhou Yao had contacted Song Xian at noon. The silhouette she saw earlier was definitely Zhou Yao. But what had Zhou Yao done to cause Song Xian to be in such a state?
The next day at noon, Song Xian contacted Zhou Yao.
“Director Zhou, please sit down,” Xiao Yutong politely invited Zhou Yao.
Zhou Yao said, “Xiao Yutong, let’s not call each other by our titles outside. Just call me Zhou Yao like before.”
Xiao Yutong didn’t reply, seeming to accept the suggestion.
Zhou Yao asked, “Then can I call you Yutong?”
Xiao Yutong took a sip of water and said coldly, “Let’s just call each other by our names. I’m not used to being called ‘sister.’”
Zhou Yao nodded.
This wasn’t their first time eating together, but the first time it was just the two of them. And she knew very well why.
They each ordered food but ate quietly without speaking until both put down their chopsticks.
Zhou Yao said, “Xiao Yutong, you didn’t call me here just to eat, right?”
Xiao Yutong said, “Of course not. You met Song Xian yesterday.”
Zhou Yao had long known Xiao Yutong came for Song Xian, but hearing it directly still made her feel heartbroken. She fought back tears, “I did meet her. So, has she already told you?”
“Zhou Yao, you left the company because of your own faults. It has nothing to do with Song Xian. Please don’t bother her again.” Song Xian’s stalking of Zhou Yao was on her orders, so she didn’t want Song Xian to get entangled.
Zhou Yao laughed, “Haha, Xiao Yutong, you two are really alike. But you protect her so much do you even know what kind of person she was before?”