The 'Involution King' Second Female Lead Quits [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Best in the World [3]

◎Wielding a shovel and digging for talent◎

Upon receiving yet another resignation letter, Wang Yuanfei’s face showed clear astonishment. When he read the reason for resignation, his expression changed, becoming unreadable.

The last time, Wang Yuanfei could use the excuse of doing what was best for Shu Heng to get her to stay, but with “resigning to pursue graduate studies,” using any other pretext to stop her would only expose his previous words as insincere.

“Why the sudden decision to get a master’s degree? Do you feel the company environment isn’t good?” Wang Yuanfei kept a smile on his face, but his displeasure was hidden deep in his eyes.

“President Wang, I’ve realized my own shortcomings and need to continue my education,” Shu Heng said, nervously wringing her hands.

After ending her call with Li Jianwei, Shu Heng had quickly handwritten this resignation letter without much thought.

“If President Wang doesn’t have a suitable replacement right away, I can leave in a month. If you do, I can start the handover process now to try not to disrupt your daily work.”

Thinking of the future that President Li had outlined for her, a genuine smile slowly appeared on Shu Heng’s face, her eyes filled with anticipation. “I want to start preparing for the exam as soon as possible so I have a better chance.”

Get a high score and don’t disappoint President Li and Professor Gong Li! Shu Heng added to herself mentally.

Wang Yuanfei’s smile became forced. Inwardly, he cursed Shu Heng for being so clueless. But he had always been patient with those he hadn’t yet won over and wasn’t about to drop his facade yet.

“It’s a great idea to continue your studies, but Hua University doesn’t seem to have much support for their graduates’ further education. How about this, I’ll lend you a sum of money in my name. I won’t charge interest; you can just pay me back slowly after you start working.” Wang Yuanfei said with a smile.

“Thank you, President Wang,” Shu Heng replied without thinking. “But I’m not that short on money right now. I can work part-time while I prepare for the exams, and I can earn a living by working part-time while I study.”

“If President Wang wants to sponsor students, the freshmen are in more need of this money than I am. You can help them just like you helped me before.”

Shu Heng’s attitude was so frank and sincere that it was difficult for Wang Yuanfei to continue his plans. He could only smile, nod, and offer a verbal blessing.

“Alright, then I wish you success in your graduate school exams.”

After Shu Heng left, Wang Yuanfei’s face darkened. He immediately pulled up the office surveillance, wanting to see who had given Shu Heng the idea to pursue graduate studies.

The cameras were installed in public areas and could only track the general movement of people in the office, not the specific content of their conversations.

But Shu Heng’s desk was in a spot Wang Yuanfei had personally arranged. It was close to a camera, allowing him to clearly see the caller ID on her phone screen.

The surveillance footage clearly showed the look of surprise on Shu Heng’s face when the name “President Li” popped up.

It also showed the excitement and smile on Shu Heng’s face that she couldn’t hide as the call went on.

Li Jianwei. It was Li Jianwei’s doing after all.

Could it be that Li Jianwei found out what I did and wants to use Shu Heng to test me?

Wang Yuanfei’s brow furrowed, and his fingers involuntarily tightened.

But when he thought about the attitude of Zhizhe Technology’s employees a few days ago, he quickly dismissed that possibility.

No way. If Li Jianwei knew what I did, she would never have used Guangludong’s platform to market her image.

After ruling out the possibility he most feared, the expression on Wang Yuanfei’s face gradually relaxed.

Li Jianwei probably heard some rumors and thought he was being too nice to Shu Heng, so she was eager to get her away from him.

Women… they are just jealous and petty, always caring about little details.

…

“President Li, the patent we licensed to Guangludong expires at the end of the year. They are interested in renewing the contract for two more years,” the assistant said, handing over a file. “The price is the same as last time, a one-time payment of ten million.”

Li Jianwei scanned the document quickly, then closed it and set it aside without taking any action. “Has the R&D department found any issues with Glorious Tech’s autonomous driving system?”

Assistant: “The technical staff are still conducting a detailed analysis. I’ll check on the progress in a bit.”

Li Jianwei nodded and continued her line of questioning: “How is Shu Heng doing?”

“We arranged a single’s apartment for her near the library. The environment is quiet and has good lighting. We’ve already paid three months’ rent on her behalf. However, Shu Heng declined the living expenses. Three thousand of that amount was changed to a prepaid utility fund with the landlord, and the rest is still in the account.”

The assistant reported methodically, “Shu Heng is currently handling her resignation handover and should be able to move into the apartment smoothly this weekend.”

“Send me the addresses,” Li Jianwei said, pausing. “The apartment address and Shu Heng’s current place.”

Soon, two locations appeared on Li Jianwei’s phone.

The new apartment’s location was excellent. Not only was it close to the city library, but it was also not far from Zhizhe’s headquarters.

As for the apartment Shu Heng was currently renting, it was a bit remote, with its only advantage being a subway station within two kilometers.

“Order a set of study guides for her graduate school exams, based on her major,” Li Jianwei said, putting down her phone.

Assistant: “Okay. Should I have them sent to the apartment or directly to Shu Heng?”

“Just put them in the trunk of my car,” Li Jianwei said, lightly tapping the desktop with her finger. Her mind quickly ran through the information she had on Shu Heng. “Also, prepare some supplements suitable for people with osteoarthritis.”

The assistant instantly understood what his boss was planning. “President Li, should I arrange a driver for you this weekend?”

Li Jianwei gently shook her head. She didn’t mind spending her time and energy on someone who would create immense value for her in the future.

Some things had to be done in person to make her good deeds stick in their minds.

…

After paying for her registration right before the deadline, Shu Heng let out a long sigh of relief.

“Xiao Shu, our department is having dinner tonight. President Wang will be there, so remember to come,” a colleague came over and greeted her.

Shu Heng, who had already completed her handover and was on her last day of work, looked up, her expression a little surprised. “Ah, am I going too?”

The colleague smiled and said, “Of course. It’s a department dinner, and it’s also a farewell party President Wang is throwing for you. We hope you get in successfully.”

Shu Heng felt a little embarrassed and a small pang of guilt towards Wang Yuanfei.

President Wang had thought so highly of her, and she had resigned so quickly after her probation period, it felt like she was betraying his trust.

But it was only a small amount of guilt. She didn’t regret her decision.

Because Shu Heng knew that after she got into graduate school and became Professor Gong Li’s student, she would have a higher starting point and a bigger stage. A little guilt wasn’t enough to make Shu Heng give up a better future.

“Please thank President Wang for me. I’ll be there on time,” Shu Heng replied seriously.

When she had the right opportunity in the future, she would definitely repay him.

…

“Come on, everyone, let’s have a drink! We wish Xiao Shu a successful exam and a bright future!”

“Although we haven’t worked together for long, I think very highly of you. After you graduate, remember to come to Guangludong and work with us again.”

“Cheers! May we all have a wonderful future!”

Shu Heng, who had worked for less than half a year, including her internship, couldn’t fend off the constant drinks from her seasoned colleagues. She drank glass after glass, accompanied by all sorts of flattering words.

Even with low-alcohol fruit wine, Shu Heng started to feel dizzy, and her fair face was flushed.

“Alright, that’s enough of the drinks, everyone. Let’s all have one last toast,” Wang Yuanfei said, perfectly timing his arrival after watching the show. He was met with a grateful look from Shu Heng.

The dinner ended at nine. Shu Heng politely declined her colleagues’ invitation to go to karaoke and stood on the side of the road, waiting to hail a taxi to her rental.

“A young woman who’s had a few drinks, hailing a cab late at night, isn’t safe. Let me take you back,” Wang Yuanfei appeared next to Shu Heng at some point and extended his hand toward her.

Shu Heng instinctively recoiled, dodging his movement.

“Don’t misunderstand, you have something on your hair. I’ll help you get it off,” Wang Yuanfei said with a gentle smile, reaching out again.

Shu Heng stood still with her eyes lowered. After Wang Yuanfei showed her the piece of paper he picked up, she forced a smile. “Thank you, President Wang. I’ll send my itinerary to my friend, so I won’t trouble you.”

Wang Yuanfei’s smile didn’t change, and his tone was as familiar and casual as a friend’s. “The place you live is a bit remote. If something were to happen, it would be very dangerous.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not driving drunk. Xiao Chen is driving.”

“Let’s part on good terms. Just consider this the last thing I, as your boss, can do for you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a luxury van pulled up smoothly in front of them, and the automatic door slowly slid open.

Given the situation, Shu Heng felt that refusing again would seem too intentional, like a petty person who turns on their boss after resigning.

The van was very comfortable. As a CEO’s assistant, Shu Heng’s usual seat was the front passenger seat. This was her first time enjoying the boss’s seat in the back.

The October breeze was a little cool, gently caressing Shu Heng’s face through the car window and slowly dissipating the blush on her face from the alcohol.

Since she didn’t know how to act around her boss after resigning, Shu Heng chose to close her eyes and rest after telling the driver her address. She eventually drifted off to sleep.

She was startled awake by a notification sound on her phone from a special contact.

“President Wang?” The magnified face in front of her startled Shu Heng. She almost wanted to shrink into the corner of the seat.

Wang Yuanfei gave a perfect smile. “You’re awake? I was just about to call you. We’ve arrived.”

With that, Wang Yuanfei resumed his previous action, leaning over to unbuckle Shu Heng’s seatbelt in what he considered a gentlemanly gesture.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, President Wang, thank you, Chen,” Shu Heng said, grabbing her small bag and jumping out of the car as quickly as possible. She then quickly waved her hand. “President Wang, goodbye, see you around.”

Only after the car drove away did Shu Heng let out a sigh of relief.

Logic told Shu Heng that President Wang was just unbuckling her seatbelt, a gentlemanly act. But seeing his magnified face as soon as she opened her eyes was still a bit of a challenge for her heart.

It was only natural for her to be startled. A good person like President Wang would surely understand her.

After some mental rambling, Shu Heng took out her phone. Her heart started beating faster when she saw the new message.

President Li is coming to help me move tomorrow?

Should I politely decline, or should I agree after my polite decline fails?

Shu Heng pursed her lips. After struggling for a long time, she replied to the message.

…

As the car drove away from the residential area, the smile on Wang Yuanfei’s face slowly disappeared, replaced by a chilling indifference.

“President Wang, are we going back to the villa now?” Xiao Chen asked, stealing a glance at the rearview mirror with a tense face.

“No, to the hotel.” Wang Yuanfei tugged at his collar and turned to look out the window.

He had lowered himself so much, so why was Shu Heng still so resistant? Was she playing hard to get?

The more Wang Yuanfei thought, the more annoyed he became. He simply took out his phone, opened one of his contacts, and sent a text message.

[Come meet me at our usual spot in half an hour.]

…

Shu Heng started packing her luggage overnight and also began a deep clean of her small rented room.

Her family situation had taught Shu Heng to be frugal, and since it was only early autumn, she didn’t need to pack heavy clothes yet. So after diligently packing for an hour, all of Shu Heng’s belongings fit into one bulging suitcase and a backpack.

The only things left in the room were some cheap storage racks and a kettle, which the new apartment already had, so there was no need to bring them.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Shu Heng was very satisfied with the results of her efforts.

When President Li came to pick her up tomorrow, she would put on her backpack and carry the suitcase downstairs.

Perfect! I won’t trouble President Li at all!

Shu Heng’s plan was indeed perfect in theory, but she had overestimated her own strength.

When she put on the oversized backpack, Shu Heng’s petite frame of 1.6 meters swayed. It was even more impossible to carry a suitcase as well.

The remote residential building didn’t have an elevator. With her heavy backpack, how could Shu Heng carry a suitcase and go down five flights of stairs as if it were nothing?

Seeing Shu Heng grit her teeth and struggle, her thin body starting to tremble, Li Jianwei stepped in and grabbed the handle of the suitcase.

It was heavy. Luckily, Li Jianwei had a good habit of working out, so she didn’t struggle with the weight as much as Shu Heng did.

Shu Heng’s breathing was ragged. She used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead, feeling very embarrassed. “I… I’ll carry it with you, President Li.”

“It’s fine. You just lead the way. It’s not a lot of effort to go down the stairs,” Li Jianwei said, adjusting her breathing to appear at ease.

Shu Heng didn’t pretend to be strong. Instead, she quickened her steps down the stairs, trying to help after she took off her backpack.

But Li Jianwei didn’t give her the chance. She went down the five flights of stairs in one go, following closely behind her.

However, in the moment Shu Heng was taking off her backpack, Li Jianwei discreetly rubbed her wrist before picking up the suitcase and putting it in the trunk.

Shu Heng, sitting in the passenger seat, was a bit stiff. She was tense after getting into the car, and only answered when Li Jianwei asked her a question.

Li Jianwei noticed Shu Heng’s nervousness and changed the subject to topics related to her major.

When the conversation shifted to subjects she was good at, Shu Heng started talking more, especially when Li Jianwei asked technical questions. Her desire to share was strong, and she completely lost track of time.

Li Jianwei was a great listener. She didn’t interrupt Shu Heng and would even guide her to share her unique and creative ideas.

It wasn’t until the car stopped in front of the apartment building that Shu Heng realized she had been talking too much, rambling on for more than half an hour without even noticing.

“Your ideas are very interesting. When you have time, do you want to work part-time at Zhizhe?” Li Jianwei twisted open a bottle of mineral water and handed it to her, her charming eyes gently watching Shu Heng.

“Different ideas need to collide with each other to develop and create new things.”

“If you work part-time, it’s 500 a day, and the wages are paid daily.”

Shu Heng stared blankly at Li Jianwei, her eyes reflecting the other woman’s image. For a moment, she even forgot to take the water.

“Is that okay?” Li Jianwei asked patiently, a little more amusement in her eyes.

“Yes, yes, thank you, President Li. I’ll take this opportunity,” Shu Heng replied, flustered, her eyes darting away. She accepted the offer without thinking too much.

After taking the water, she drank half the bottle in one gulp. When she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car, the blush on her face had still not faded.