Ordinary Friends - Chapter 9

When I went to the Finance Department to get the project approval budget signed, I saw Li Qingqing standing in front of Sister Fen’s desk.

Sister Fen frowned, pointing at the budget reimbursement form, and asked Li Qingqing, “Why are you trying to reimburse a bag you bought through the company’s accounts? This approval won’t go through. Also, I suggest you double-check the other reimbursement items. Don’t try to get every personal item reimbursed through the company.”

Li Qingqing’s expression turned somewhat embarrassed at Sister Fen’s words. She picked up the reimbursement form from the desk, and before leaving, shot me a fierce glare.

As if I had orchestrated the whole thing.

I said nothing.

Ever since Li Nie publicly revealed my identity, I started getting involved in all the company’s departments. This would give me a clearer understanding of the company’s overall development. Of course, Qin Zheng hadn’t been promoted to Director yet, so for now, Albert was still remotely managing things from Nanjing.

After I moved on, my manager position was left vacant. Bella still needed more experience to temper her character, so we recruited a business manager from another major company to fill my old role.

Once the personnel changes were confirmed, everyone I knew at the company sent WeChat messages or texts to congratulate me-except for two people.

Whether out of guilt or something else, since I returned to the company, Qin Zheng and Li Qingqing had been avoiding me.

Honestly, there was no need. My energy was limited, and I had to gradually get up to speed with the company’s complicated affairs. I really didn’t have time to pay attention to them.

Besides, bridges are bridges, roads are roads-we’re simply not the same kind of people.

But perhaps they didn’t see it that way.

Li Qingqing came to find me first. Same empty break room, same coffee beans, but her expression had shifted from arrogance and pride to anger.

She stood behind me and said bitterly, “Hypocrite.”

I ignored her, so she continued, “Back then, your mother pretended not to care about anything and just left, even saying you’d never have anything to do with us again. I really thought you two didn’t care about the Li family’s assets. Turns out you’re just hypocrites, acting all pure and detached, but secretly scrambling to come back and fight for it.”

“If you were truly noble and didn’t care, if you looked down on Dad’s assets, you should have stayed far away.”

“All talk, but your heart says something else. Truly hypocritical and disgusting.”

Her words made me laugh, and I actually did laugh out loud. I really dislike dealing with unintelligent people, especially Li Qingqing.

Bella once asked me if I’d thought about how to deal with Li Qingqing. No one might believe it, but I never planned to do anything to her.

Because as long as she’s in the company, others will naturally make things difficult for her.

Her presence in the company is painful-but not for me.

Aside from the bit of attention she got from Qin Zheng, she’s never been my rival.

She’s simply not qualified.

I looked at her, my gaze gentle, as if watching a petty clown:

“Li Qingqing, don’t say such foolish things again.”

“Look at you, all flustered and upset. I’m just taking back what’s mine, but your expression looks like I’ve cut out your heart.”

“If I were you, I’d go home and advise your mother to think of new ways to win over the old man.”

“Truly pitiful. After all these years, you and your mother have bent over backwards to please Li Nie, and in the end, aside from that meager monthly allowance, you didn’t even get an apartment.”

“But don’t worry. Now that I’m in charge of the company, you and your mother’s allowance won’t be cut off. Consider it payment for your efforts to keep the old man happy. You’ve earned it.”

Her face turned from blue to purple, then finally deathly pale at my words. Then, as if she’d thought of something, she smiled, as if she’d found a weapon to attack me:

“I can’t win against you, but Xiao Shiyue, I’m not left with nothing. The boyfriend you loved for seven years-he’s mine now, isn’t he?”

I didn’t even lift my eyelids: “Trash belongs in the trash can. If he’s yours, then he’s yours. What’s there to brag about?”

I think Li Qingqing chose Qin Zheng maybe because she likes him, but maybe, in her eyes, Qin Zheng is the youngest manager in the company’s leadership, and Li Nie favors him. She probably thinks Qin Zheng’s future is much bigger than just a department Director.

She needs to secure her position in the company, and Qin Zheng is her best helper.

In some ways, Qin Zheng and Li Qingqing are actually quite a match.

They bluff and use each other, scheming and striving, but in the end, they’ll be left with nothing but disappointment.

The thought makes me laugh.

After I finished speaking, I was truly fed up. I looked at her, patient and gentle: “This is the last time I’ll be nice to you, Li Qingqing. I hope you know your place and keep your head down in the company. Otherwise, I promise you-I won’t always be this patient.”

She was on the verge of tears from my words, but unfortunately, I’m not Qin Zheng-I don’t do the whole tender sympathy act.

I stood there, smiling as I admired the tears in her eyes, thinking to myself how pleasing they were to look at.