The Cold-hearted CEO's Unwanted Bride
Chapter 16: No Need to Come to Work Tomorrow!

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: No Need to Come to Work Tomorrow!

Qin Yan had just reached the door of the pantry when she heard voices inside discussing her.

"Hey, there’s a hitch with the marketing department’s bonus approval. They say Director Qin’s bonus isn’t even as high as that of a humble salesgirl. Yaoyao, isn’t that ridiculous?"

Qin Yan recognized the voice. It belonged to Wang Jing, a minor employee in the public relations department. The reason Qin Yan remembered her was that Wang Jing was notoriously gossipy in the company, daring to say anything and pry into everything.

Before Yaoyao could respond, Wang Jing continued, "I’m telling you, her position in the company is on thin ice! It wouldn’t surprise me if she’s fired in a few days!"

Upon hearing this, Yaoyao replied in a pinched voice, "Fired? As if. She’s the CEO’s wife. Even if someone were to be fired, it wouldn’t be her. Who would dare to fire the CEO’s wife?"

Amid the watery sounds of the pantry, Qin Yan had intended to push the door open, grab a cup of water, and leave, but upon overhearing this conversation, she lowered her raised hand.

After hearing Yaoyao’s words, Wang Jing snorted disdainfully and said, "Pah! CEO’s wife, my foot. Didn’t she just clamber up there by climbing into bed? If it weren’t for our Director Qin, would Mr. Bo have broken up with his beloved?"

"The way I see it, this bonus issue could very well be because Mr. Bo himself refused to approve it. Just look, what other news has come out from the company, except that Qin Yan’s money has been drastically cut? It’s clear as day to me that the higher-ups simply won’t tolerate Director Qin!"

Reflecting on it, Yaoyao felt Wang Jing might be right and chuckled, "I’ve heard about the CEO and her. When she married Mr. Bo three years ago, he apparently left her alone and pregnant at their wedding."

"Pregnant? For all we know, it could be someone else’s child! And, didn’t she drive away Mr. Bo’s sweetheart? In my opinion, not giving her money serves her right. Look at us—we slog day in and day out. Even though our jobs are different, how much do we earn? And Director Qin? Just the bonuses alone amount to three hundred thousand!"

"The incentive policy is flawed. Our income is drastically disproportionate to Director Qin’s."

Qin Yan couldn’t stand listening any longer and was about to enter when, suddenly, she heard Lu Yi’s voice.

His tone had shifted from its usual gentleness, laced with a chill, as he said tersely, "The PR department’s hiring principle is to keep secrets and not engage in gossip. Since you two can’t do that, go to HR to collect this month’s wages. There’s no need to come to work tomorrow!"

Yaoyao and Wang Jing were chatting, completely caught off guard by Lu Yi’s sudden presence, and even less prepared for his sternness.

But knowing his typically mild nature, neither was truly frightened. Yaoyao cooed at Lu Yi, trying to gain his sympathy, "Mr. Lu, we know we were wrong. Please don’t fire us. We promise not to do it again."

Lu Yi ignored them, his voice colder, "During work hours, you loiter in the pantry, slacking off. Not only that, but you dare to speculate about and tarnish the reputation of your superiors. Bo Group cannot accommodate such ’big Buddhas’. Settle this month’s wages immediately and leave Bo Group!"

Seeing real anger on Lu Yi’s face, which didn’t seem feigned, Yaoyao and Wang Jing started to panic, "Mr. Lu, we really know we were wrong. Please give us another chance..."

"Opportunities are not given by others; they are created by oneself!"

Lu Yi’s words were profound. Yaoyao and Wang Jing understood that he was determined to fire them.

Qin Yan waited for a minute or two before pushing open the back door of the pantry and walking in. Wang Jing and Yaoyao were there, probably still contemplating how to plead with Lu Yi.

Seeing her come in, they stopped talking and fell into complete silence. Qin Yan took a cup of water and left the pantry. Lu Yi poured himself a coffee and followed her back to the marketing department, sitting down in her office.

Qin Yan glanced at him. Lu Yi was remarkably handsome and gentlemanly. Coupled with his pleasant personality and popularity, he was the object of affection for many women in the company.

"Why get so worked up?" she said. "You didn’t have to get angry on my behalf. It’s not easy to recruit girls in the PR department, and besides, they didn’t do anything terribly wrong."

Sipping his coffee, Lu Yi placed his cup on the desk and remarked, "Who’s getting angry for you? I’m addressing the issue at hand! How can such a lax attitude toward work be tolerated in the company?"

Qin Yan was touched inside; she knew Lu Yi. Every time he helped her out of a predicament, he would say something to ease her conscience.

This time was no different.

She was truly grateful to Lu Yi because, without him, she and Yinyin might have drowned in a tiny bathtub three years ago.

She recalled that without Lu Yi, she and Yinyin wouldn’t have led such a stable life over these three years. After he had taken them to the hospital, while she languished in despair over Bo Yunshen’s infidelity, Lu Yi had stayed by her side, running around the hospital, attending to her and Yinyin.

Back then, she still harbored youthful dreams; she thought by simply informing Bo Yunshen that Yinyin was his child, she could change Bo Yun’s bias.

But each attempt with Bo Yunshen met with failure. Everyone harbors obsessions, and because of Bo Yun, she neglected Yinyin, causing the child to spike a high fever.

It was the first time since her birth that Yinyin had such a high fever, and it was snowing outside. With no car and living far from the city center, she couldn’t get a taxi.

It was Lu Yi who braved the snow to check on Yinyin, driving the isolated pair to the hospital, ensuring Yinyin’s safety.

Lu Yi had helped her countless times. When she was new and facing difficulties at Bo Group, unable to finish work on time, Lu Yi tirelessly stayed late with her.

He had helped her so many times she lost count.

Besides Mr. and Mrs. Bo, most of the Bo Family didn’t know Yinyin’s true background. Like outsiders, they once thought Yinyin was the calculated result of her climbing into Bo Yun’s bed.

As a consequence, when she gave birth to Yinyin, she was subjected to ridicule and disdain from the Bo family. They mocked her for going to great lengths to conceive a child, only to give birth to a girl. Worse still, some even suggested to her face that Bo Yun would eventually divorce her, claiming his marriage to her was solely for the sake of her marrow!

Qin Yan’s reputation was in tatters; Bo Yunshen flitted among flowers, a pairing seemingly doomed to failure.

Meanwhile, every time Bo Yunshen took a new lover or revisited an old flame, Lin Man’s shadow loomed. Initially, only a few knew of Bo Yun’s deep affection for Lin Man, but later, the whole of Tong City was aware that Bo Yunshen wanted nobody but Lin Man.

Spectators never tire of a spectacle, yet Lu Yi was an exception. Not only did he refrain from mocking her, but he also took great care of her, often defusing her awkward situations.