To Forgive or Not to Forgive - Chapter 3

That night, I slept fitfully, caught between dreams and wakefulness.

When I arrived at the company, the female colleagues at the front desk gathered around me:

“Shuyi, did you see it?”

I looked at them suspiciously, following their gazes.

Snow had begun to fall outside, sudden and unexpected, sending many people hurrying indoors.

Chen Jianjin got out of his car, walked around to the passenger side, and rested his hand on the edge of the door frame, worried the woman might bump her head.

The one who stepped out was Zhou Sining.

When I left the Chen Family this morning, I didn’t let Chen Jianjin give me a ride.

He always says there are too many people at the company, and we agreed not to make our relationship public.

“Wow, could it be the company’s going to have a mistress of the house soon?

Shuyi, come on, tell us.

Do you have any insider information? Isn’t President Chen rumored to be getting married?”

I smiled and nodded:

“Probably.”

At the mention of marriage, a colleague asked me:

“By the way, Shuyi, didn’t your boyfriend propose to you?

You posted the ring on your Moments, but why aren’t you wearing it today?”

I glanced at my bare fingers and replied:

“Not planning to get married anymore.”

The colleague was stunned for a moment.

In the distance, Chen Jianjin’s cool and detached features only showed a hint of color when he was with Zhou Sining.

He handed his keys to the valet, then opened a black umbrella, tilting it towards Zhou Sining.

Snowflakes gathered more and more on his shoulders.

The scene of us standing together caught the attention of Chen Jianjin. His chilly gaze swept over us, entirely different from the way he looked at Zhou Sining.

The man’s expression tightened slightly, taking in every reaction.

I looked at him, and he looked at me, his eyes as calm as still water.

His gaze landed on me:

“Secretary Wen, aren’t you supposed to be working?”

He glanced down at his watch:

“Ten minutes late means you lose your attendance bonus. There’s a meeting in an hour.”

With a flurry, everyone hurried back to their positions.

A colleague whispered:

“As expected, the richer a man is, the more deeply devoted he is.”

I quietly smiled as I sorted out documents. Yes, he’s pined for his own sister-in-law for seven years-how could that not be considered deep affection?

The meeting was in an hour, and I needed to start preparing now.

I had to get the meeting materials ready, schedule the meeting time, and coordinate with all the departments.

Once all the processes were in order, I noticed the water dispenser was empty.

I removed the empty water jug.

Just as I was about to lift the new one into place, Chen Jianjin rolled up his sleeves, revealing a stretch of pale skin and the faint bulge of veins as he exerted strength.

He said:

“I’ll do it.”

I ignored him, gritting my teeth as I hauled the jug into place.

Seeing that I managed, he nodded lightly.

Every year, the group undergoes a major reshuffling of positions. Aside from minor changes at the top, competition for the rest is fierce, requiring layers of assessments.

It wasn’t until Chen Jianjin left that someone informed me I’d have to perform on the spot during the meeting and compete with another newcomer.

I could hardly believe it when I heard.

Before I had time to process it, the meeting began.

The topic was set by Chen Jianjin himself.

Taking a deep breath, I stood at the front of the conference table, my hands trembling slightly.

After I finished answering, Chen Jianjin fired off sharp questions, leaving me unable to respond.

It was Zhou Sining who answered instead-her responses more mature and fluent than mine.

Chen Jianjin clasped his hands loosely on his lap, his long legs crossed, eyes narrowed:

“Secretary Wen, it’s been three years, yet you still can’t outperform a newcomer.”

That line was lethal-he showed me no mercy.

The colleagues who had been whispering fell completely silent.

In that moment, I suddenly realized that he and I really did not belong to the same world.

He sat below, able to dismiss everything about me with a single word.

Just like our relationship-at night, he was the captain of this game of love.

Whether in bed or out of it.

Whether in love or at work.

His words were harsh, and a careless sentence could cut me to the core.

I remembered two years ago, my first promotion presentation-I failed.

I cried and laughed, hoping for comfort from him, but he only told me:

“Shuyi, that’s the law of survival.

“If you can’t do it, you’ll be eliminated.”

I stifled my tears and asked him:

“Well, I’m your girlfriend, can’t you give me a little inside help?”

He curved his lips in a slight smile, saying nothing.

That was the first lesson I learned in this relationship.

Chen Jianjin was always decisive at work-with a touch of warmth, but no more. He was never one to act on emotions, nor would he give me a back door just because I was his girlfriend.

What he taught me, I later applied at work, and eventually, I got my promotion and raise.