Cai Jinqu did not realize his behavior was inappropriate. Instead, he swayed towards Cai Rong's office.
At this time, neither Cai Rong nor Zuo Ruxiu had arrived.
They would get here around nine-thirty. Although they were always late, their timing was precise, sitting at their desks exactly at nine-thirty.
Even Bai Suxiang had to admire them; they were truly punctual to the minute.
"Why is he here so early?"
"How should I know!"
"Hey, hey, hey, stop talking. He must have been wronged these past few days and is just complaining today!"
"Wronged? What wrong?"
A young girl asked, voicing everyone's question.
Cai Jinqu hadn't been to the company in so many days, what could have wronged him?
"You guys probably don't know about this yet!"
A young woman, holding a coffee cup, said leisurely and with a hint of showmanship.
Indeed, everyone present stared at her, as if only she could reveal the mystery.
"Hurry up and tell us, don't keep us in suspense. Otherwise, the boss will be here soon, and we won't be able to watch the drama!"
Someone urged.
Others echoed, their expressions focused and eager.
Seeing that the atmosphere was sufficiently heated, the woman with the coffee cup took another small sip and slowly began to speak:
"Yesterday afternoon, he came to the office to see the big boss. Guess what?"
"What happened?"
Two people asked simultaneously.
"He was actually blocked at the door by that woman! After all these years, did Xiao Zhao ever block Cai Jinqu when she was here? No, right."
The woman drinking coffee said, looking with a probing gaze at the three or four people closest to her.
"Yes, yes, it seems so! So, this woman is indeed bold!"
"Hahaha, if I had her guts, I'd be bold too."
A woman said with a laugh.
Everyone around seemed to know what she was talking about, bursting into laughter, "Hahaha, hee hee hee."
"You? Don't look in the mirror. Your looks are average, your figure is out of shape! The key is, can you still have children?"
Someone raised their voice, and the insinuating remarks made everyone present very excited, even more so than the heat surrounding Cai Jinqu's drinking and causing trouble.
"I'll beat you to death... you shameless..."
Seeing her say that, the woman made a gesture as if to beat her to death.
In reality, they often messed around together, especially when discussing gossip. Such actions were merely their way of interacting, and everyone knew they weren't serious about fighting.
Moreover, their squabbles only made the onlookers enjoy the show more.
For a moment, the office was filled with a noisy clamor.
Cai Jinqu reached out to push open Cai Rong's office door, but it wouldn't budge.
Cai Rong's office was cleaned by Zuo Ruxiu every day. Because there were important company documents, she would personally lock the door when she was the last to leave. Occasionally, if she wasn't in the company, she would instruct Bai Suxiang to lock the door and then bring the key to her.
"Open the door! Open the door!"
Unable to push it open, Cai Jinqu pressed his head against the outside of the door, patting it as he spoke.
Most people who get drunk do so at night. Who would be so annoying so early in the morning?
"The boss is here, the boss is here!"
Someone shouted, and the office was in a momentary panic, but it quickly calmed down. Only Cai Jinqu remained outside the office door, still banging on it.
Cai Rong had arrived, truly arrived, followed by Zuo Ruxiu.
Zuo Ruxiu was wearing a white dress with many small, pale black, leaf-shaped patterns, giving her a somewhat elegant appearance.
Everyone in the company knew she was pregnant. Although married, no one could say for sure whose child it was.
"Cai Jinqu! What are you doing! This is a company! Causing trouble at the company so early in the morning, what kind of conduct is this? If this gets out, your position as company manager will be untenable!"
At this moment, it was expected that only Cai Rong would say such a thing.
And only when Cai Rong spoke would Cai Jinqu restrain himself.
But these words actually came from Zuo Ruxiu. Everyone was greatly surprised but held their breath, waiting for a good show.
After all, Zuo Ruxiu was merely working for the Cai family. How dared she overstep her bounds?
Now, they waited to see how the boss would resolve this.
But Cai Rong's face turned ashen, his brows furrowed, and he said not a word.
Hearing someone speak to him like that, a surge of anger rose within Cai Jinqu, and just as he was about to lash out, he saw his father's livid face and instantly sobered up halfway.
The reason he had drunk so much was because Zuo Ruxiu had blocked his report proposal yesterday.
Cai Jinqu was, after all, a deputy general manager of a group company. Although not the general manager, everyone knew he was the heir apparent. Who would not show some consideration?
Yet Zuo Ruxiu was so bold as to block his proposal; it was as clear as a louse on a monk's head, an obvious act of bullying.
"You damn bastard, what are you, what right do you have to lecture me!"
When Cai Jinqu heard Zuo Ruxiu speak, his anger flared uncontrollably.
As the saying goes, alcohol emboldens the timid. Cai Jinqu was taking advantage of his drunken state to throw a tantrum and act out. Only in this state did he dare to challenge Zuo Ruxiu.
One had to say, alcohol was a good thing; it could make one shed many worries and not have to consider others' thoughts too much.
Whether others thought rightly or wrongly, as long as you were drinking, they shouldn't take it out on you.
This was Cai Jinqu's understanding.
However, any sensible person would know that this was foolish.
"It's over, it's over. The heir apparent is probably in for trouble this time!"
Ali tilted his head and whispered into Bai Suxiang's ear.
"Ah, what do you mean?"
Bai Suxiang feigned surprise. Although she didn't spread rumors about others, she wasn't averse to gossip.
"You don't know, do you? This rule about not drinking at work was set by Zuo Ruxiu herself. Don't you see, it's obvious..."
Ali said worriedly.
Bai Suxiang remembered. A new company regulation had indeed been issued a couple of days ago, but she had been too busy that day and hadn't had time to read its contents.
She hadn't expected Ali to have seen it first.
With such evidence, Cai Jinqu was likely doomed this time.
"Everyone get in here!"
Cai Rong's face grew even more displeased, and he said sternly.
Cai Jinqu, emboldened by alcohol, sidestepped and blocked Zuo Ruxiu's path, entering the office door first.
He felt that even if he had to go in, he would go in before her!
Zuo Ruxiu, however, was not idle. She sternly shouted at the colleagues inside who were staring intently at the office door: "Get back to your work quickly!"
It sounded like an order, or perhaps a venting of dissatisfaction.
The people in the main office area quickly returned to their tasks, though they occasionally glanced towards the office and whispered to each other.
As Zuo Ruxiu entered, "Slap!" she slammed the door shut.