Water and Fire~Chapter 127.1: Unlocking the Secret 2

 

Chapter 127.1: Unlocking the Secret 2

Chu Qianmiao stared at Qin Qianyu's flushed face and bright eyes.

She had kept her relationship with Ren Yan a secret from this naive old man for so long, and she felt it would be unacceptable not to tell the truth at this point.

So, she said to Qin Qianyu, "Brother Qin, I was indeed in a relationship with him during President Ren's tenure. I'm sorry for keeping it a secret from you."

Before she could finish her sincere apology, Qin Qianyu took a step back. It wasn't so much a step back as a stumble in surprise. He raised his hand to his mouth, stifling a gasp, his eyes widening to the size of tangerines. "Ah, so you really are my sister-in-law?"

His face began to twist with shock, then a hint of respect for his elders.

Chu Qianmiao: "..."

She quickly added, "But we broke up before President Ren left."

"..." Qin Qianyu took another step back, slumped against the wall in shock, his eyes wide as oranges. "What? You're my ex-sister-in-law now?"

He was completely disoriented. "Oh my god, this plot is moving so fast I'm almost having a brain hemorrhage."

He rubbed his forehead, then suddenly paused, looking up and asking Chu Qianmiao, "By the way, what did I come in to talk to you about?"

"..."

Chu Qianmiao: "You were talking about Kan Qingzhou..."

Before she could finish her prompt, Qin Qianyu slapped his thigh. "Yeah, that old man Kan Qingzhou reported you! Look how much you've upset me. You've completely missed the point."

He waved at Chu Qianmiao. "Hurry up, let's go explain to President Wu. Don't let Kan Qingzhou make it sound like you got your promotion by having a relationship with the boss."

Chu Qianmiao followed him out of the office, and they walked side by side to Wu Jin's office.

Qin Qianyu remained perplexed and a bit startled throughout the journey.

"Oh my god, you really were dating President Ren, but I didn't realize it!"

"Oh my god, I didn't even realize it. How did you break up?"

"Now that President Ren has left, you two are no longer bound by office romances. How did you break up?"

Chu Qianmiao sincerely tried to answer Qin Qianyu the entire way, but he peppered her with questions, so dense that she couldn't even get a word in. Her answers were even more difficult.

When Qin Qianyu finally emerged from his state of having a hundred unanswered questions, they walked into Wu Jin's office.

Kan Qingzhou was still there. When they entered the room, Kan Qingzhou was passionately expounding on how Chu Qianmiao had been promoted to department head at such a young age. It was all thanks to her beauty, her figure, and her relationship with Ren Yan. This was a blatant form of bribery.

After he finished speaking, he turned and saw Qin Qianyu and Chu Qianmiao enter the room. He immediately said to Qin Qianyu with a look of deep sorrow, "Xiao Qin, I feel so sorry for you. You were so unlucky to have spoken up for Chu Qianmiao before, and now you've been deceived by her and her boyfriend, your great former boss. You don't even know it. I feel so bad for you."

Qin Qianyu was unfazed. "Mr. Kan, don't act like you really feel sorry for me. Even if you really get rid of Qianmiao, as if you can make me the head of our department, you've been trying to swallow up our department for a long time."

Kan Qingzhou was choked.

Chu Qianmiao walked over, pointed at a phone on the table, and asked Wu Jin, "Mr. Wu, can I see it?"

Wu Jin gestured, indicating that she could.

Chu Qianmiao picked up his phone and swiped the screen. The short video, about ten seconds long, showed Ren Yan and her at the airport. It must have been when she was helping Li Si with the Tiantian Foods share issuance project, and Ren Yan was seeing her off. Before going through security, he suddenly grabbed her, pulled her into his arms, turned up his coat collar, and leaned down to kiss her.

She quickly calculated the time in her mind and put the phone down.

Kan Qingzhou sneered, "Well, the evidence is conclusive. You can't deny it, right?"

Chu Qianmiao didn't even bother to look at him, for fear of dirtying her eyes.

"Mr. Wu, I did have a private relationship with Ren Yan, but you know Ren Yan well. He wouldn't give me extra favors or resources just because I was his girlfriend at the time."

Before Wu Jin could say anything, Kan Qingzhou interrupted. "We talked about it, and now you're breaking up," he chuckled. "Women these days are so realistic. They get promoted to department head, then see someone else hit a roadblock and leave the investment bank, their future is bleak, and they break up with them immediately."

Qin Qianyu was the first to explode. "Kan Qingzhou, keep your mouth shut. Do you still act like a department head? Do you think you have someone at headquarters to protect you?"

Kan Qingzhou's face darkened. Chu Qianmiao turned and gave him a sidelong glance. It was a look of utter contempt, one that would have infuriated anyone with even a modicum of self-respect.

Kan Qingzhou angrily asked Chu Qianmiao, "What do you mean by that look?"

Chu Qianmiao's tone of voice was also filled with a disdain that could only infuriate others. "You're the one who made you realize your bleak future. You're not even worthy of carrying Ren Yan's shoes."

Kan Qingzhou was furious and wanted to rush towards Chu Qianmiao.

Qin Qianyu rushed over, intervening. "Kan Qingzhou, stop embarrassing yourself!"

Wu Jin slammed the table and shouted, "What are you arguing about?

I'm still sitting here, aren't I?"

Kan Qingzhou immediately turned and said, "Mr. Wu, you must give me an explanation today, or I'll report it directly to headquarters. Chu Qianmiao has violated the rules so badly, and she must be fired."

Wu Jin raised his eyes and smiled slowly at him. "Little Kan, although I'm retiring in a few months, do you think it's appropriate to use such a threatening tone to demand an explanation?"

Wu Jin, always smiling and never offending, was clearly displeased this time.

Chu Qianmiao knew that Wu Jin could express his displeasure so clearly because Kan Qingzhou's support at headquarters had fallen, and he wouldn't be able to cause any major trouble in the future, so he didn't have to worry about offending him before his retirement.

Thinking of this, Chu Qianmiao felt that all this was a blessing left by Ren Yan before his death.

Kan Qingzhou quickly apologized, "Mr. Wu, I didn't mean to do that. I was just angry. I've never seen anyone treat others like fools and engage in such shameless s*xual relations under company regulations. I apologize for my inappropriate words, but you really need to take care of this matter."

Wu Jin glanced at him. Then he looked at Chu Qianmiao. His eyes were much gentler. He even smiled at her.

He said, "Actually, Mr. Ren reported the matter between you and Mr. Ren to me and Mr. Ning at headquarters before he left."

Chu Qianmiao was stunned by this. Kan Qingzhou and Qin Qianyu were also stunned. No one had expected Ren Yan to have such a brilliant plan.

Wu Jin told them, "Mr. Ren said you were in a relationship for a while, but during that time, he didn't provide you with any resources or any positional advantages. You passed the insurance agent exam with your own hard work, so he couldn't help you with that. The Tiantian Food share issuance project was originally offered to your department by Li Si. At the time, you were the only one in your department who had passed the exam and was awaiting signature, so it was inevitable that you would be the one to take it. As for the projects you've undertaken since registering as an official insurance agent, they have absolutely nothing to do with Mr. Ren. Whether it's the Zhufeng Auto Parts project or the Jieheng Group project you're preparing to apply for, both were independently contracted and undertaken by you."

At this point, Wu Jin's expression turned serious, as he looked at Kan Qingzhou. "These are the things Ren Yan told me and the headquarters leadership when he recommended Chu Qianmiao for the position of department head before he resigned. We also carefully and privately verified everything he said and confirmed it was true. Finally, after discussing and agreeing, we decided to promote Chu Qianmiao to Managing Director of Department One. Mr. Kan," Wu Jin said, his words pronouncing them with a hint of stigma, "do you have any other questions?"

Kan Qingzhou's face paled and then turned pale. He reluctantly said, "No." Wu Jin told him, "Then get back to work. Why are you still hanging around with me?"

Kan Qingzhou glanced at Chu Qianmiao and left in a huff.

Chu Qianmiao thanked Wu Jin.

Wu Jin smiled and said to her, "You should go thank Ren Yan for his integrity." "

Chu Qianmiao's heart tingled with pain as she emerged from Wu Jin's office.

So, he'd even paved the way for her in advance. But he was just too damned good, doing nothing. If Kan Qingzhou hadn't gone to Wu Jin to report her today, she might never have known what he'd done for her in private. Perhaps he didn't need gratitude or admiration, but she was someone who had silently accepted his kindness without realizing it. Once she knew, how would she cope? Accumulated emotions aren't debts, but accumulated gratitude certainly is. He'd made her owe him.

She wondered gloomily why he was always like this, making her feel a little wronged despite his care.

After leaving Wu Jin's office, Chu Qianmiao and Qin Qianyu went to the tea room. They each received two glasses of water and drank while thinking.

Suddenly, Qin Qianyu slapped his thigh and said, "So that's how it is."

Chu Qianmiao was startled, and the water in her glass shuddered. "What?"

Qin Qianyu turned and said to her, "So Old Liu already knew about you and Mr. Ren."

Chu Qianmiao was stunned.

Liu Lifeng

Qin Qianyu put down his cup and leaned forward. His emotions were volatile, and he spoke rapidly. "Back when we were working on the Liya project, Old Liu had a verbal fight with you. You couldn't win, and he'd always blush. Do you remember?"

Chu Qianmiao nodded. She did. Later, she noticed that Liu Lifeng seemed to treat her differently, so she quickly distanced herself from him, minimizing their arguments.

Qin Qianyu slammed the table and told her, "I was teasing Old Liu at the time. I asked him if he was interested in Qianmiao."

"Old Liu's face immediately turned red. He didn't deny what I said, but he didn't admit it either. He told me to keep it to myself and never say it again." "

Chu Qianmiao listened quietly.

Qin Qianyu: "I asked Lao Liu why. Was he afraid that pursuing you would force someone to leave Litong? He said something completely irrelevant to me at the time: 'For our leader, I'd do anything.' I was so scared. I thought he really loved President Ren. But now that I think about it..."

He left the rest of his words blank.

Chu Qianmiao understood what he meant.

But now that she thinks about it, Liu Lifeng must have understood their relationship from every word and gesture between her and Ren Yan. So, he immediately suppressed his lingering passion for her; he didn't want to compete with Ren Yan.

Chu Qianmiao felt something suddenly strike a chord. Can a man yield to the woman he loves as he would to a brother or a respected elder brother?

She asked Qin Qianyu this question, puzzled.

Qin Qianyu thought for a moment and said, "I don't think that's yielding. It's helping others achieve their goal." You see, if the male lead thinks that the male second and the girl are a couple, then no matter how much he likes the girl, if he rushes over and interferes, it will only cause the girl more trouble. After all, she is already with the male second, so she definitely likes him. So, at this time, if the male lead gives in, it should not be called giving in, but called helping others. "

Chu Qianmiao's heart skipped a beat. So, giving in? Look at it from another angle, is that so?

Before she could think further, she heard Qin Qianyu suddenly slam his hand on the table.

"I've discovered I have a special talent for being a relationship expert," Qin Qianyu said proudly, looking at Chu Qianmiao.

She was about to chime in with the compliment, but Qin Qianyu's thoughts took off again. "By the way, Qianmiao, how come Kan Qingzhou has a video of you and your ex-boyfriend kissing at the airport?"

Chu Qianmiao wanted to applaud Qin Qianyu. His word choice was so precise.

Chu Qianmiao returned to her office, thought about it, and opened her computer, finding the complete set of project application documents from Litong's Beijing investment banking department in recent years.

She picked out a project that was around the same time as Tiantian Food and flipped through the sponsor's log.

She calculated the time and realized that the day after Ren Yan kissed her at the airport, a project had a site inspection. This meant that on the day she left for the Tiantian Food project, someone from the company's quality control department should have also left, preparing to conduct a site inspection on another project the next day.

She leaned back in her leather chair. She thought she knew who had recorded the video.

Li Tang.

No wonder Li Tang had always spoken to her with such sarcastic, knowing-it-all manner. She'd thought Li Tang was trying to trick her, but she hadn't imagined that Li Tang truly knew she and Ren Yan were together, and she knew it with evidence.

She suddenly felt a little confused about Li Tang. If she had evidence, why didn't she report Ren Yan when they were together? Instead, now that Ren Yan had left, she sent the video to Kan Qingzhou, using him as a pawn to attack her.

So, what was Li Tang up to?

Chu Qianmiao got up and went to Li Tang's office. Coincidentally, Li Tang was alone in the room.

Seeing her appear, Li Tang smiled at her. It was a bright and cold smile.

"You need me for something?"

Chu Qianmiao returned her smile, even brighter and colder. "I came to thank you. Your video of Ren Yan and I looks so beautiful, like something out of a Korean drama."

Li Tang raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand you."

Chu Qianmiao watched her play dumb, and her disdain for her grew.

"Why bother?" she said. "You recorded the video, so why act? We're in an investment bank, not a film set."

On the chair across from Li Tang's desk lay her bag. It was brand new, still wrapped in its packaging. Next to it lay a receipt.

Chu Qianmiao smiled, picked up the bag and receipt, and placed them on Li Tang's desk. She sat down in the chair, one leg folded over the other, looking imposing.

She calmly took out her phone and took a picture of the bag, also capturing the receipt next to it. "It's new and beautiful." "

Li Tang stood up and snatched the bag. "Even if Ms. Chu thinks someone else's bag is beautiful, it's rather uncultured to just come up and take a picture."

Chu Qianmiao brushed off her sarcasm. She put away her phone and asked Li Tang, "I just wanted to ask you today: why are you trying to trip me up like this now that Ren Yan is gone?"

Li Tang gave her a cold smile. "Aren't you smart? Guess for yourself."

Anyone else would have been irritated by her expression and words.

Chu Qianmiao's smile was even colder and more sarcastic than hers.

"I guess now, Ren Yan or not, I'm a thorn in your side." She raised her chin, her eyelids half-lidded, and the disdain she wore on her face was infuriating. "Because I've left you so far behind, you...

You're so jealous of me."

Li Tang's face turned pale, and a venomous look began to creep into her expression.

"Chu Qianmiao, who do you think you are?"

Chu Qianmiao's expression was even more venomous than hers. "I thought I was a leader three levels above you."

She sullenly warned Li Tang, "I'm here at Litong to focus on my projects. I don't have the time or interest to engage in intrigue with you. If you do something like today that's detrimental again, I'll pay you back tenfold." She raised her chin at the bag she'd taken. "Next time you accept gifts, don't leave the receipts out in the open. Be careful not to let anyone take a picture. If they do, it'll be evidence. Look, the signature isn't yours."

She stood up, leaving Li Tang's face shifting between pale and pale.

She was truly fed up with Li Tang's sneaky little tricks. She was truly fed up with these ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends' shady tactics. She was truly fed up with these men and women who, for some trivial matter, transformed themselves into something completely unlike themselves.

She thought, she couldn't let this happen.