Chapter 10

During the three days I was receiving education, Qi Dong came to visit me every day, staying for most of the day each time. I asked him how he managed to do this, making the Police Station feel almost like home.

He told me honestly, “My dad’s connections.”

I was relieved. “Your uncle can still help you find connections, and he didn’t try to persuade you to stay away from me.”

“No, he has a good impression of you. He said that doing business requires a bit of a rogue spirit. Now that you’re out, he wants to have a meal with you. How about it?”

I didn’t expect Qi Dong to approach me from this angle, so I replied, “Let’s discuss it later.”

Qi Dong didn’t dwell on my evasiveness and simply changed the subject.

He told me that Li Bin’s situation had spread throughout the company. Sun Pan was caught off guard by the incident, while Bai Tao, who is quite resourceful, had already made all the necessary moves. It looks like his promotion will happen this year.

Mi Duo is preparing to transfer. She and Li Bin had a secret office romance, so not many people knew about it.

Although Mi Yang was moved to a less important position, her previous connections remain. She gave a warning to those in the know. Finding a new place for her daughter, away from trouble, isn’t difficult.

Mi Duo is obedient and not foolish. She just graduated from university, and both in terms of relationships and career, she has better opportunities ahead.

Li Bin is clearly going to be the scapegoat in the competition between Bai Tao and Sun Pan. Mi Duo has no reason to use her family’s resources to support him.

A man who never respected her from the start, a man who put her in the position of a mistress. The fact that she didn’t kick him when he was down shows she still has her wits about her; attacking someone who’s already fallen can easily backfire.

Mi Duo’s growth has been remarkably fast.

I couldn’t help but sigh for Li Bin, “When Li Bin gets out, the whole atmosphere at his company will have changed.”

Qi Dong asked, “Is that the result you wanted?”

I said, “Yes.”

“How do you feel?”

“Calm.”

“That’s good.”

Reality is full of disappointments, and I can only solve things in my own way. Li Bin gave me his greatest malice, and I returned it in kind. The outcome may not be perfect, but it’s enough for me-it soothes my grievances and resentment.

Making peace with myself, no longer lingering in pain, is what I need.

I let myself off the hook, and not long after, Bai Tao approached me with a sincere offer of cooperation.

Because of work, I met Mi Duo. She had been promoted and was seeing a new boyfriend, and from time to time, she would invite me for a chat in the break room.

From her, I learned that Li Bin had been trying to use connections to get transferred, but after offending Sun Pan and her, and with Bai Tao pressing down on him, no one wanted to take on this hot potato.

She was still quite candid with me. After she finished telling me all this, I asked her, “You really hate him, don’t you?”

She glared, “How could I not? My beautiful first love was completely ruined by him.”

“The reason I was able to transfer so easily back then was because I knew you used yourself to send him in. You’re truly ruthless. From the first time I met you, I could tell-you were beaten so badly but still ate calmly, and none of the hotel staff dared gossip about you behind your back. You have no idea how strong your presence was in that situation.”

“After the news of Li Bin’s incident reached the company, I realized I had underestimated your ruthlessness. I panicked, afraid people at work would find out I was the mistress. No one would care if I was deceived or not, so I had no choice but to go to my dad. After hearing everything, he told me to let it go and just transfer.”

“But I really hate Li Bin. My dad said you left Li Bin with a dead-end, and if I couldn’t get over it, I should just work hard. Once I’m promoted, I’ll have plenty of time to deal with him.”

In this casual conversation, Mi Duo once again deeply analyzed her own emotional journey.

The person she planned to torment for the rest of her life is someone I’ve seen quite a bit myself.

We still have to cooperate, so there’s no way to avoid him.

But every time we meet, he’s always busy; now anyone can order him around.

He never gave me any trouble, and when he saw me, he would avoid me. He still has a job, family concerns, his parents’ reputation, and unrealistic dreams of making a comeback.

He’ll never bother me again, because I’m willing to risk everything.

I know he never thought he was wrong from the beginning. People who cheat never truly feel remorse; their apologies are usually just surrendering to circumstances.

But none of this matters to me anymore. The only thing I’m still curious about is Qi Dong.

That day, after discussing a new partnership, I asked him, “Do you remember how Li Bin looked before our second mediation, when he saw you?”

“What look?” Qi Dong asked himself, “Cowardly? Took you this long to think of it.”

“Yes. What did you do then?”

“I mentioned it to a few friends who work with his company, said he could really hold his liquor.”

What a peculiar angle. I shot him a glance, “That’s pretty mean.” Drinking as a toast and drinking as a challenge are two very different things.

Qi Dong chuckled, “So when will you finally have dinner with my dad?”

I chuckled too, “Let’s discuss it later.”

(The End)