Tải xuống ứng dụng
19.44% Loving You Means Having You / Chapter 14: Time to Face Off

Chương 14: Time to Face Off

After getting her shot, Scarlett returned to the office just as she'd left that morning - same clothes, same hairstyle. Yet, the glances thrown her way were tinged with a new weight. News of her new contract with the Zhou family had already spread. After all, secrets were hard to keep in an office.

As she'd suspected, one of her more sociable colleagues beckoned her over, his face alight with gossip. In a hushed tone, he asked, "Scarlett, was that really Lucius Zhou who came by this morning?"

Before she could even respond, a crowd of at least twenty people had gathered around her, their eyes full of curiosity and questions nearly bursting from their lips, like high schoolers cramming for their exams.

Nodding, Scarlett answered truthfully, "Yes."

The atmosphere instantly became electric. Someone asked, "When did you manage to secure the Zhou family? They've gone through at least a hundred tutors, loads of them top A-grade ones."

"Hey, hey, did Lucius Zhou personally come to pick you up? Did you know each other before?"

"Is Lucius Zhou easy to get along with? I heard…"

"Did you meet Lucius Zhou's son? What does he look like? Is he a handful?"

Scarlett was surrounded and couldn't get a word in. Eventually, someone piped up, "Look at you all, acting like you've never had a client before. Keep some professionalism, would you?"

Scarlett glanced over at the speaker - Naomi, who hadn't even bothered to stand up or look their way.

Naomi, like Scarlett, was a B-grade tutor. Not the most top-tier, but everyone knew she was close with Amelia He, the deputy director, and was therefore treated with a certain level of respect. So, when she threw her usual barbs, most people let it slide.

However, someone loved to challenge her, "Yeah, the one with the most experience and authority here is Naomi, right? After all, you did apply to tutor the Zhou family. Shame you didn't get it."

That someone was Ryan, who'd just returned from the break room, an iced fruit juice in hand. Ignoring everyone else, he walked over to Scarlett, handed her the juice, and congratulated her with a smile, "Congratulations, Scarlett, on landing the 'big fish' of the City."

Naomi's brow furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean? One-upping Scarlett and putting me down?"

Ryan glanced at her coolly, his smile gone, and said in a detached tone, "If you know it's pointless to put others down, then stop with the sharp-tongued comments."

Naomi hadn't expected Ryan to confront her again in the middle of the day, let alone not give her any way to save face. With half the office out on their lessons and the other half still present, she had no choice but to bite back, "Who's making sharp-tongued comments? I'm reminding everyone that this is office hours, not gossip time. Now you're accusing me of putting others down… And besides, what I say to others is none of your business. Do you really need to butt in?"

Ryan looked at Naomi, who was still seated, and said in a low voice, "If you have something to say, stand up and say it. Who do you think you are, putting on airs?"

Naomi, her anger getting the better of her, shot up and retorted, "Ryan Xia, watch your tone!"

Ryan was about to retort when Scarlett tugged at his sleeve. The rest of the office tried to step in and play peacemaker. The office was thick with tension, and no one noticed when Amelia stepped out of her office, until she asked, "What's all the commotion?"

Upon seeing Amelia, Naomi immediately burst into tears, sobbing out her grievances. She accused Ryan of picking fights with her twice in one day, claiming she was the wronged party.

Amelia glanced at Ryan, who was standing next to Scarlett, and was immediately incensed. Putting on a stern face, she said, "Ryan, forget for a moment that this is office hours and issues should be resolved privately. Even if there's an insurmountable problem, I'm here, and so is the CEO. As a newcomer, you shouldn't be giving your seniors a hard time. And as a man, you shouldn't be making a young woman's life difficult."

Ryan, a straightforward man from the Northeast, wouldn't have bothered with this female-dominated setting if it weren't for specific reasons. His face reddened not because he couldn't handle Amelia, but because he was hesitant for reasons of his own.

Before he could speak, Scarlett interjected calmly, "there are some things I didn't want to say in front of everyone. But since you've made it public, there's no need for me to cover for Naomi. Yes, I've lost eight clients in the month since I arrived, which is disappointing considering the effort the CEO made to headhunt me, and the support I've received from you. But that doesn't justify certain people taking advantage of my situation."

When Scarlett spoke up, everyone was surprised, including Amelia. This was the first time Scarlett had openly stood up for herself. People had grown accustomed to her mild manner and thought she was an easy target, protected only by the CEO. Who would have expected her to expose the situation today?

Naomi, having been singled out, was taken aback. Choking on her words, she asked, "What do you mean by that? Are you accusing me of kicking you when you're down?"

Scarlett looked at her, expressionless, and said, "You know exactly what you've said about me to others. I've been tolerating it to maintain workplace harmony, but I'm not willing to put up with your disrespect anymore. If you can't treat me decently, I don't see why I should continue to be polite to you. Today, in front of the Boss He and everyone else, I'm warning you for the first and last time: if I hear one more bad word about me coming from your mouth, I promise you'll be more embarrassed than you are today."

Scarlett, tall and commanding, radiated an intimidating aura. Naomi found herself speechless, unable to respond.

The office was deathly silent until Amelia broke the quiet, "Alright, we're all colleagues here. Any misunderstandings can be cleared up with a conversation."

Worried that Scarlett might argue, Amelia quickly added, "Scarlett, come to my office. Everyone else, disperse. Let's put today's incident behind us."

Scarlett shot Ryan a quick glance before following Amelia into her office. As soon as the door closed behind them, Amelia said, "Scarlett, in public I need to save face for everyone, but privately, I don't approve of what you just did."

Sitting in her boss chair, Amelia wore a serious expression, her gaze heavy with the gravity of settling scores. This time, Scarlett didn't stand idly waiting for a lecture; she pulled up a chair across the desk, looking calmly at Amelia and said, "I understand your point, boss. Try to defuse big issues and ignore the small ones. If something can't be resolved, we have you and the CEO above us."

Amelia replied, her tone neither cold nor warm, "Knowing this, your actions earlier were clearly intended to create a problem for me."

Scarlett said, "Even though I've only been in the city for a short while, I've heard plenty of rumors about Naomi being your trusted confidant. True or not, she does have a tendency to gossip around the office. Everyone might not voice it, but they're not happy about it."

Amelia responded, "She's no relative of mine, nor a close friend. Most of what you've heard is probably rumors."

Scarlett then said, "I believe in your character. You've been more than generous to a newcomer like me. I can't imagine you would condone someone bullying others behind their backs."

Amelia didn't respond, seemingly accepting the point, yet remained alert as she watched Scarlett.

Scarlett continued, "I've only just arrived and I'm still getting used to the local customs. I only found out from others how influential my new clients are. But securing contracts depends on your support and the client's trust. I considered passing them to Naomi, but I doubt the clients would agree. Besides, the young Mr. Zhou and I seem to get along well."


Chương 15: A New Gift

All eyes were on Scarlett as she stepped out of the office. She hadn't kept them waiting long - ten minutes, perhaps less. The center of attention emerged, a natural ease about her, yet with a subtle hint of spring in her demeanor. One look was enough to convince everyone that a small fish can't compete with a shark. It wasn't Amelia who couldn't win over Scarlett, but rather no one dared to cross Lucius Zhou first.

The wisdom of seeking protection from powerful allies has been known since time immemorial. How could these high achievers not understand?

That evening, Scarlett and Ryan visited a local roast duck restaurant. As they entered their private room, Mia was already there, politely chatting on her phone about her inability to attend tonight's appointment, promising to treat the caller to a meal the next day.

After ending the call, Ryan walked in, saying, "It's a rare sight to see our boss Chan being so generous. I am overwhelmed by this honor."

With a twitch of her eyelid, Mia retorted, "Don't think that calling me 'Boss Chan' gives you the right to take advantage. Why do you think I invited you here? To give you the opportunity to treat us to dinner."

At the large round table, Ryan found a seat and said with surprise, "I mean, you're a business owner now. Can't you be a little more generous?"

Mia responded, "Good steel is used on the knife's edge. Didn't you see that I'm treating someone to a meal tomorrow?"

Ryan smirked, "Right, always taking advantage of your own people."

After sitting down, Scarlett poured three cups of sour plum juice, leaving one for herself and passing the other two to them. She began, "You think when she treats people to dinner, she's the one paying? More like she invites, and others pick up the bill."

Mia said, "Scarlett understands me well." She then rolled her eyes at Ryan, "You wasted those years hanging around with me at university."

Ryan replied, "And you have the gall to say that. Ever since I got to know you, I've been paying double for meals. My parents have always suspected that I have a girlfriend. The problem is, even if I had one, it wouldn't matter. You're like a car that's always parked but never driven."

Mia retorted, "What's gotten into you? Hormonal imbalance?"

Scarlett chimed in, "The person he wanted to crush wasn't crushed, so he's venting his frustration on you."

Upon hearing the details of the day's events, Mia opened up, "It's about time! You've been holding it in for so long, it's good to let off some steam."

The dialogue is generally understandable, but the phrase "a face that screams 'harmless livestock'" might be a bit confusing to some readers. The term "harmless livestock" is not a common idiom or phrase in English, and its meaning might not be immediately clear.

Ryan added, "Some people just have a knack for appearing harmless."

Scarlett continued, "But they are ruthless and vicious behind the scenes, right?"

Ryan laughed, "You've really been nursing a grudge, haven't you?"

Scarlett calmly took a sip of her sour plum juice and said, "When you're not in a position of power or skill, you just have to endure it."

Mia added, "Once you're almost certain of your success, there's no need to hold back. Strike a heavy blow when they least expect it and leave them helpless. That's Scarlett's strategy."

Ryan sighed, "I feel for myself, I've got a belly full of sharp words but no chance to speak them."

Mia continued, "Relax, you're not like Scarlett. She was invited by Issac Ding, but you sought him out. Don't stir up trouble, especially before your emotions are steady." She put extra emphasis on the word 'emotions', causing Ryan to sigh openly and say, "It's hard to find a good woman, let alone a good man."

Scarlett and Mia had known about Ryan's sexual orientation for years. It was that he wasn't interested in women.

On Scarlett's first day at work, Mia and Ryan were more nervous than she was. Once they knew everything was going smoothly, they were able to relax.

During dinner, Mia said, "Lucius Zhou is influential. Just today, five or six companies have visited, all willing to collaborate deeply. Some are even openly inviting me to dinner. It both excites and scares me."

"No need to fear. If Lucius Zhou gives us opportunities, we can gain from him. If he's unwilling, do you think it would be possible?", Scarlett replied.

Mia looked worried, "That's true, but I worry about you..."

Scarlett interjected, "Regardless of whether he's a businessman or a stingy person, I'll double the return on a fair basis. That way, he's happy, and we all have a much better life."

Mia sighed softly, "I feel sorry for you, it's like sending a lamb to the slaughter."

"It's still better than being the target of a pack of hyenas.", Scarlett replied.

Ryan added from the side, "And the wolf is in sheep's clothing."

Lucius Zhou was undoubtedly a formidable figure, easy to climb on but hard to get off. But Scarlett's current situation needed such a daunting figure to help her out. Otherwise, she would be forced into a corner even before she could establish her career.

At the end of the meal, the three of them raised their glasses to toast Mia's company's debut on Nasdaq, to Ryan's pursuit of Issac Ding, and to Scarlett's safety. At first glance, all of these seemed like tough wishes to fulfill.

...

The next day when Scarlett went to the office, her colleagues greeted her warmly and even offered her breakfast as if they'd known her for a decade. Naomi was sitting quietly at her desk, unusually silent, as if nothing had happened the day before.

Scarlett brought breakfast for Ryan as usual, and was picked up by the Zhou family at ten o'clock as usual. When she saw it wasn't Lucius Zhou himself, she sighed in relief. When Issac returned from his business trip, she had to ask about the insurance again.

When she arrived at the Zhou family's home, Uncle Chan greeted her politely and led her to the second floor. Scarlett walked into the dark living room with the curtains drawn as usual. She knocked on the door of a room and called, "Jack, are you awake?"

To her surprise, Jack's voice came quickly, "Come in."

Scarlett pushed open the door and found the room bright with Jack sitting in front of her holding an iPad. He looked up at Scarlett, still standing cautiously outside the door, and challenged, "What are you afraid of?"

Scarlett curled up her lips, walked in, and replied, "I was worried you were still asleep."

Once inside, finding nothing out of the ordinary, Scarlett was about to close the door when a figure suddenly appeared. Without a clear look at who or what it was, her instinct made her reach out, her hand going straight for the figure's throat.

The touch was soft, her hand almost forming a fist. Upon closer inspection, it was a puppet designed to look like a zombie, slightly taller than her, dressed in traditional Chinese attire that resembled the clothing of ancient Chinese officials. Its face was ghostly white with a bright red tongue sticking out.

It was rather eerie.

Without uttering a sound from beginning to end, Scarlett lifted the puppet by its neck and turned towards Jack, who was watching unblinkingly. She asked, "A new gift?"

Jack, who had witnessed the whole scene, replied a moment later, "You're braver than I thought."

Scarlett casually shoved the puppet aside and said nonchalantly, "If I wasn't holding this, I would've thrown it away."

Hearing this, Jack noticed the cake-sized box in Scarlett's other hand. She put the box on the table and gestured him over, "I brought you a gift too."


Load failed, please RETRY

Quà tặng

Quà tặng -- Nhận quà

    Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần

    Đặt mua hàng loạt

    Mục lục

    Cài đặt hiển thị

    Nền

    Phông

    Kích thước

    Việc quản lý bình luận chương

    Viết đánh giá Trạng thái đọc: C14
    Không đăng được. Vui lòng thử lại
    • Chất lượng bài viết
    • Tính ổn định của các bản cập nhật
    • Phát triển câu chuyện
    • Thiết kế nhân vật
    • Bối cảnh thế giới

    Tổng điểm 0.0

    Đánh giá được đăng thành công! Đọc thêm đánh giá
    Bình chọn với Đá sức mạnh
    Rank 200+ Bảng xếp hạng PS
    Stone 0 Power Stone
    Báo cáo nội dung không phù hợp
    lỗi Mẹo

    Báo cáo hành động bất lương

    Chú thích đoạn văn

    Đăng nhập

    tip bình luận đoạn văn

    Tính năng bình luận đoạn văn hiện đã có trên Web! Di chuyển chuột qua bất kỳ đoạn nào và nhấp vào biểu tượng để thêm nhận xét của bạn.

    Ngoài ra, bạn luôn có thể tắt / bật nó trong Cài đặt.

    ĐÃ NHẬN ĐƯỢC