After Divorce, My Ex-Wife Became My Creditor

Upon arriving at the General Affairs Department, Han Qian encountered no trouble. The supervisor, a woman in her mid-thirties named Yang-Jie, had a gentle demeanor. The department comprised about a dozen employees, most of whom were around Han Qian’s age. The deputy supervisor was a bit older, around forty, and had a somewhat greasy demeanor.

Throughout the morning, Han Qian observed the atmosphere in the General Affairs Department.

It was idle!

Very idle!

Hardly anyone seemed busy. Occasionally, someone would draft a few documents to send to other departments, but that was about it. Some watched movies, others played games. Yet, this didn’t make Han Qian feel comfortable or at ease. He wasn’t in a position to enjoy such leisure. He wanted to be in the Planning Department, where he could find opportunities. The Planning Department felt like a battlefield, whereas this place seemed more like a retirement home.

By noon, it seemed no one had plans to go for lunch. Han Qian stood up and quietly asked a nearby colleague how they usually handled lunch here.

“Hungry? Let’s go together. I wasn’t keen on going alone anyway.”

This colleague seemed easygoing. As they left the General Affairs Department and headed to the cafeteria on the first floor, they exchanged a few words and got to know each other. The young man was named Su Liang, a few months younger than Han Qian, and had only been with the company for two months. He wasn’t entirely sure what the General Affairs Department’s responsibilities were either.

Printing a few documents each day seemed to be the extent of their work, yet Yang-Jie always appeared busy. No one really knew what she was busy with.

In the cafeteria, they ran into Manager Song from the Human Resources Department, Song Jing. They exchanged smiles and greetings. Rongyao’s food was quite good. Han Qian ordered a serving of rice, while Su Liang opted for a bowl of beef noodles. Just as they were about to start eating, Song Jing approached with two bottles of juice.

Placing the juice in front of Han Qian, Song Jing looked slightly embarrassed and asked, “Han Qian… Miss Yan is actually quite nice. I heard you were transferred to the General Affairs Department. I’m really sorry about that. I gave you a contract for the Planning Department, but the General Affairs Department is good too. It was established by Miss Yan after she joined the company. It’s quite relaxed when there’s no work, but when things get busy, it’s no small matter. If you don’t want to stay, I can transfer you to the Planning Department in a few days.”

Han Qian smiled faintly and replied, “It would be great to join the Planning Department, but if not, I can’t force it. The transfer to the General Affairs Department was a direct order from Miss Yan this morning, and I couldn’t refuse, right? I just want to work hard and learn while I’m young. If possible, I’d appreciate your help, Manager Song.”

Song Jing shook her head with a smile. “No problem, it’s part of my job. You go ahead and eat; I have some things to take care of.”

What could be so urgent at noon? Han Qian nodded with a smile, stood up to see Song Jing off, and when he sat back down, Su Liang looked at the two bottles of juice on the table and softly said, “Qian-Ge, you don’t like the General Affairs Department? It’s a leisurely place with higher pay than other departments. Why go through the hassle in the Planning Department? If you don’t want to talk about it, just ignore me. I’m just curious if there’s any misunderstanding between you and Miss Yan, hehe.”

Han Qian chuckled helplessly. “When I first joined the company, I wasn’t familiar with things and almost got hit by Miss Yan. I didn’t know who she was at the time, and we ended up having a big argument.”

Su Liang’s expression changed as he leaned forward slightly, whispering, “A few days ago, someone got into a fight with Miss Yan at the elevator door. I heard they even pulled her hair. Qian-Ge, that wasn’t you, was it?”

“If you’re talking about what happened last Friday, then yes, it was me. Enough gossip, let’s eat.”

“Qian-Ge, you’re a true hero!” Su Liang added before lowering his head to eat his noodles. He seemed completely unconcerned about any repercussions, leaving Han Qian unsure whether to think of him as carefree or just easygoing. But Han Qian couldn’t bring himself to smile. He suddenly wondered if Song Jing from the Human Resources Department had been sent by Miss Yan to gather information. If so, he was in trouble; Yan Qingqing would definitely not let him join the Planning Department.

What a headache!

In fact, Han Qian’s suspicions were spot-on. After leaving the cafeteria, Song Jing hurried to the general manager’s office on the fourteenth floor. She took a deep breath before entering.

“Miss Yan-ah!”

Before she could finish speaking, a folder flew past her, narrowly missing her waist. Startled, Song Jing froze in place, not daring to move. Yan Qingqing’s eyes were filled with anger as she gritted her teeth and said, “Is the Planning Department full of useless people? Is this the plan they came up with? Do they think everyone else is an idiot? If this project is predetermined to fall on us, Changxiang will rip us off during the bidding. Who’s going to buy a commercial building next to an airstrip? Go to the pedestrian street to watch planes take off?”

Song Jing picked up the folder from the floor and placed it back on the desk, then retreated several steps to stand at a safe distance. Yan Qingqing sighed and dialed a number. The call only made things worse, leaving her even more frustrated.

Vice President Wen from Changxiang had used her family connections to resolve the issue, meaning if Changxiang didn’t take the hit, it would fall to Rongyao. With only two major real estate companies in the city, the government wouldn’t turn to smaller firms, and those smaller companies wouldn’t touch this hot potato.

Yan Qingqing slumped over her desk, looking pitifully at Song Jing. “Song-Jie, what should I do? We’re just one step away from being ordered to take on this money-losing project. It’s a guaranteed loss. Never mind, asking you is pointless.”

Song Jing gave an awkward smile, lowering her head as she softly replied, “Miss Yan, this project and planning aren’t my strong suits. You should probably consult the vice president.”

“Him? He’d love to see me fail. By the way, how did it go with Han Qian? I feel a bit guilty about transferring him to the General Affairs Department.”

Yan Qingqing seemed utterly drained, her voice weak. Song Jing recalled Han Qian’s demeanor earlier and replied softly, “I looked into his background. His credentials were fake, and he managed to get into Changxiang Group. Within a year, he made a name for himself in the Planning Department and later became a private consultant for someone. He still wants to join the Planning Department, but not very strongly. He seems more mature than his age suggests.”

“Planning Department? I feel like burning down the Planning Department right now. Does he want to go down with it? Wait, he knows about planning?”

“He seemed to know a bit during the interview.”

“Got it. You can go back to work. Tell Yang Jia to inform the Planning Department to draft another proposal, and have the Project Department give me an answer soon. If they can’t deliver, they shouldn’t bother going home. Make sure they have dinner prepared.”

Song Jing nodded in agreement and left the general manager’s office with quick, small steps.