It’s Not Okay to Kiss Me as Soon as We Meet (ABO) - Chapter 8

After the board meeting, Shen Li’s head throbbed painfully. Last night, she had only rested for a little over two hours in total, and she had rushed to the company early this morning. Shen Li had maintained this routine since she first started working. No matter how late she went to bed at night, she always woke up on time at six in the morning, like a female warrior wound with a spring.

But even a female warrior could get tired.

A whole day of high-intensity work, and everything she saw was negative information. Up to now, the matter still had no clear thread. Shen Li could not help but pinch the bridge of her nose, using her habitual small gesture to buy herself a few seconds to breathe.

She endured the headache and returned to her office. She hesitated for a moment but still took out a painkiller from the drawer.

Shen Li knew the side effects of this kind of painkiller, but right now, she could not let the headache affect her state.

After swallowing the pill, she eased up a bit and dialed the company internal line to have Special Assistant Yang come in and report on the progress of the department’s internal self-investigation.

Special Assistant Yang stood in front of Shen Li’s desk with a face full of guilt. “President Li, we still haven’t found anything yet…”

Shen Li pinched the bridge of her nose again and could not help but get angry.

Shen Li: “Almost a whole day has passed, and you still don’t know where the problem is? Now immediately gather all employees in the product department, no matter who they are, and assemble in the large conference room on the 28th floor in half an hour.”

Half an hour later, the large conference room was packed with people, and everyone whispered and discussed animatedly.

Shen Li stepped into the large conference room and looked around at everyone’s expressions. Most people looked a bit tense, but some acted as if it did not concern them, and there were even some who played elimination games on their phones.

Shen Li knocked on the table to make everyone quiet down.

Shen Li: “Everyone already knows what happened today. This is a crisis for the product department and even more so for the entire company. The company has given our department only three days. This morning, I already had your team leaders suspend the work at hand, and the entire department put all manpower into thoroughly investigating all work records of the X1 water purifier equipment project from its inception to its launch. Any anomalies must be reported upward immediately. Now a day has passed, and I have not received any reports.”

Shen Li leaned forward slightly, and her sharp eyes scanned the room.

Shen Li: “Our product department is the backbone department of the company, and everyone who can enter the product department is an outstanding talent. I have always believed in everyone’s work abilities and also hope that everyone can believe in the company and support the company’s work. Letting everyone self-investigate is to solve the problem, not to pursue responsibility. If everyone slacks off or conceals the truth because of inner concerns, our entire department will be doomed together!” Shen Li’s momentum grew higher and higher, and her tone became more and more intimidating.

The conference room fell silent, and the few who had been playing on their phones at the beginning also put away their phones. Everyone seemed as if their unspeakable secrets had been exposed, trembling and shrinking their necks, not daring to meet Shen Li’s eyes.

In the midst of the silence, a male voice suddenly rang out abruptly.

“President Li has just become the product department director, and her official authority is not small. If you were not Chairman Jun’s daughter, could you become the product department director?”

Everyone’s gazes turned toward the speaker all at once. The one who spoke was Luo Wen, the deputy director of the product department.

Luo Wen was a male Alpha who had been in the product department for almost ten years. When the former director Zhang Luming was in office, he had placed great importance on Luo Wen. Back then, when Zhang Luming resigned, Luo Wen had fully expected to become the product department director. After seeing the company notice appointing Shen Li as the new director, Luo Wen was naturally dissatisfied.

In Luo Wen’s eyes, Shen Li was Shen Jun’s own daughter and an Omega, and just these two points could let him talk behind her back for a lifetime. In the two days right after the appointment notice came down, Luo Wen told everyone he met, “She is the group princess. We cannot compare. It is embarrassing to spread it out that the product department director is an Omega. Look at which department director in our Shen Corporation is not an Alpha. So many Alphas like us will have to work under an Omega in the future. It is really unlucky. Just thinking about it makes me feel there is no future.”

Luo Wen had entrenched himself in the product department for a long time. When the former director Zhang Luming was there, he was second to one and above everyone else, and he had gathered a bunch of confidants around him.

After learning that Shen Li was to become director, Luo Wen complained every day, and his little group echoed him loudly. A few Alphas who always felt they were underutilized greatly agreed with Luo Wen. In the department, except for a few young Omegas who could not stand their rhetoric and felt angry inside, the others just minded their own business and had no intention of joining such factional disputes.

Seeing that everyone looked at him, Luo Wen became even more smug and continued, “The matter has no clues yet. Is this not because Director Li did not arrange it properly yourself? How did it become that everyone in our product department is not capable in your mouth? Our department in Shen Corporation has a resounding reputation. Who does not praise us as an elite force? How come, as soon as you take the stage, our product department becomes a weak chicken?”

As soon as Luo Wen’s words landed, he got even more agreement from that group who had never been convinced by Shen Li. Someone whispered in agreement, “Yes, yes. When Director Zhang was here, when did our product department ever have such a flaw?”

An Alpha hiding in the crowd also spoke up. “This is how Omegas are when they become leaders. They push the blame, vent emotions on subordinates, and when talking about work, they completely miss the point.”

When they heard the word Omega, a few more Alphas laughed in an ambiguous way.

Shen Li had not expected Luo Wen to be so indiscriminate, having the mood to play lip service in such boring factional fights when the entire department faced a serious crisis.

Seeing that the atmosphere of the entire meeting had been led astray, saying more would probably not help advance the work and would only become a joke for those hostile to her.

She somewhat understood Luo Wen’s strategy. You talk business with him, and he talks gender with you. If you talk gender with him, then you fall into his trap. This was a linguistic trap, and no matter what Shen Li said, it would be wrong.

“What is wrong with an Omega becoming a leader? Although I am just a newcomer, in the materials that the seniors sent me, I can see Director Li’s outstanding past achievements.”

Just when Luo Wen thought he had won for sure this time, he heard a clear female voice ring out.

He turned his head in surprise. In this department, someone actually dared to refute him. Who was so bold?

Lin Huaiyi’s gaze met Luo Wen’s, and the two Alphas’ eyes collided in the middle of the conference room, neither yielding.

Lin Huaiyi’s pair of peach blossom eyes that always seemed to be smiling had become serious at some point. She sat in the corner and listened for a moment, knowing that Shen Li had come to give everyone a boost, hoping everyone would actively provide clues. But this group of Alphas causing the verbal battle were like clowning villains in the workplace, not speaking with performance but stirring up gender opposition. Was this world so backward?!

Lin Huaiyi continued looking straight at Luo Wen.

“The Wind 1 engineering equipment designed by Director Li won the gold award in the most recognized design competition in the industry the year before last and obtained three invention patent authorizations, contributing over a hundred million in sales to the company. Last year, Director Li improved on the Wind 1 and launched the new generation Wind 2 equipment. The new technology equipped in the Wind 2 reduced our Shen Corporation’s equipment production cost by one-third compared to before. Currently, in the domestic market, for equipment of the same quality, our production cost already has the greatest advantage. Because this equipment can achieve a production cost lower than that of the traditional industrial powerhouse Country G, this year our company has received overseas orders six times more than before. The substantial performance growth has made the Wind 2 engineering equipment the flagship product of Shen Corporation in the engineering field. The achievements are there for everyone to see. Director Li serving as product department director is a resolution of the company board. You are so unconvinced. Why not introduce the products you designed to everyone and let them see your achievements too?”

Lin Huaiyi spoke unhurriedly but with every word resounding powerfully, leaving the people in the conference room stunned. Luo Wen’s face flushed white then red, quite a spectacle.

What Luo Wen minded most was others bringing up his lack of hardcore achievements. After all, the product department was one centered on product design, and the employees inside were mostly brilliant talents. Luo Wen himself had no lack of education, but since starting work, he had spent too much time and energy flattering Zhang Luming and had not put in hard effort on product design.

While others buried their heads in research, he acted as a lackey in the leader’s drinking parties. When others had results to publish, a bit of flattery to Zhang Luming would let him hang his name on the project too. Luo Wen had once been complacent, thinking that compared to burying one’s head in hard research, there were not many in the product department who could dance as well as he did with long sleeves. Getting on good terms with the director meant that future promotions would definitely go to him Luo Wen, not those bookish nerds who could not even fart after three sticks. Such a mindset focused on taking shortcuts had occupied his brain and squeezed out the initial drive to study diligently.

The feeling of being exposed face-to-face was even worse than he had imagined. It was as if he saw the bookish nerds in the product department whom he had once despised the most now casting contemptuous gazes at him. Luo Wen’s face turned the color of pig liver, and his neck seemed to swell from shame.

Luo Wen: “You you you! Nonsense! You are talking nonsense!”

Lin Huaiyi had no intention of arguing with the madman in front of her. Shen Li’s past achievements were facts known to everyone in the product department, but people were forgetful, especially in such an environment just now. This group had slandered Shen Li shamelessly, saying she had risen through privilege. If no one came out to correct it, it would only solidify the rumors in the minds of the wavering audience.

Luo Wen stood up excitedly, facing everyone in the product department, and said loudly, “Shen Li has already made a military order. If she cannot find any results in three days, she will have to pack up and leave! You all know how big the impact of this matter is. You had better weigh it yourselves!” After saying that, he stormed off.

The others followed suit, getting up and leaving in twos and threes.

Shen Li looked at the conference room that was now more than half empty, her gaze dazed. The effect of the painkiller only lasted a short while, and now her head hurt even worse. She could not understand why the once strong product department now seemed like a plate of loose sand. Shen Li’s face was pale, her head throbbed painfully, and her whole body swayed unsteadily.

She knew this meeting could not continue today. Luo Wen had taken away a large group of old employees, the new employees had limited familiarity with the X1 water purifier equipment, and they only had three days.

Shen Li said with difficulty, “Sorry, I let everyone see a joke. Everyone go back to work first. Do not let unrelated matters affect you. For the project, if you have any clues, you can send them directly to me. On behalf of the department, I thank you all first.”

Everyone could see that Shen Li was not in a good state and silently exited the conference room.

Anyone with eyes could see Shen Li’s predicament. Even though everyone was just workers, they knew that Shen Li’s current bind was hard to resolve. Once Shen Li was swept out the door, the upper-level environment in the company might undergo huge changes.

Luo Wen held grudges and would repay them. If Luo Wen became the product department director, those who supported Shen Li now would definitely face retaliation.

Shen Li closed her eyes briefly and estimated that no one was left in the conference room before opening them again. She did not want her vulnerable and disheveled appearance to fall into anyone’s eyes. When she opened her eyes, she only saw a slanting beam of sunlight shining on Lin Huaiyi, and Lin Huaiyi curved her beautiful peach blossom eyes and smiled at her.

Lin Huaiyi: “Hey, do you want me to help you?”