The phone rang just as Dai Paipai walked out of the hospital doors.
She pulled out her phone and glanced at the caller ID, her heart immediately tightening.
Her body trembled, and she whispered a prayer, "Please don't be someone asking for leave. Please don't!"
She took a deep breath before answering, her voice feigning a relaxed tone, "Hello."
"Boss Paipai."
Li Qianfan said, "I'm very sorry, but I need to ask for leave today. Oh, right. I might as well ask for a few more days. I have something to attend to the day after tomorrow and need to go out of town."
It was as she expected!
Even though Dai Paipai had prepared herself mentally, hearing Li Qianfan ask for leave himself still sent a jolt through her, as if every cell had been zapped by high-voltage electricity.
She replied indifferently, "Oh."
Li Qianfan had no idea what state of mind she was in.
Originally,
Li Qianfan and Su Ziyu had already prepared an excuse for him: that he would be accompanying Dai Paipai on a business trip to Sijiu.
They would go and return on the same day.
But that day, Boss Paipai had very seriously told him that they were not from the same world and hoped he would maintain an appropriate distance from her.
Since that was the case, Li Qianfan saw no need to bring her along to Sijiu anymore.
Otherwise, it would be awkward for them on the road.
"Goodbye, Boss Paipai."
After asking for leave, Li Qianfan ended the call.
"What should I make for my wife for breakfast this morning?"
Li Qianfan muttered to himself as he entered the kitchen.
Outside Qingyun Central Hospital.
Dai Paipai, holding her phone in her right hand, slowly lowered it after a long while.
She did not weep inwardly, nor did she sit in her car and bury her face on the steering wheel, letting tears of regret flow freely.
Because she knew clearly—
It was she herself who had pushed away the only man in the world who could protect her.
After starting the car, she simply whispered to herself, "Dai Paipai, you self-destructive bitch."
She had to be strong.
She had to be strong and face all the humiliation!
Otherwise, her husband, whom she was currently protecting, might be sent from this world by Zhao Lianjin.
She arrived at the company.
Still in her suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses.
Mature, dignified, elegant, gentle, yet sexy.
As Dai Paipai entered, several clerical staff also arrived.
Normally, clerical staff would at least bow and greet their boss, or at least offer a smile.
But these clerical staff not only completely ignored their benefactor but also began to whisper as Dai Paipai walked up the stairs.
"Indeed, you can't judge a book by its cover."
"When Wang Hong staged that honey trap, I thought Manager Dai was a decent woman."
"Heh, who would have thought that Deputy Manager Zhao posted those provocative photos of her propping up a table with her legs raised in the group chat last night."
"Don't be fooled by her seemingly proper suit trousers now."
"But Deputy Manager Zhao said in the group that as long as he goes to her office, it's guaranteed she'll be in a short skirt and high heels."
These whispers reached Dai Paipai's ears.
Her steps upstairs immediately stopped.
She slowly turned her head to look.
The clerical staff, however, curled their lips, looked up, continued to ignore her, and hurried upstairs.
Dai Paipai opened her phone and found the office staff group chat.
This group chat included dozens of clerical staff from the finance, HR, logistics, administration, and public relations departments of Paipai Fashion.
Unread messages: 99+.
Dai Paipai, who had been in no mood to check the group chat last night, opened it.
She scrolled up with her thumb.
She saw a photo.
It was of a woman in a short skirt, high heels, propping up a table with her legs raised.
Boom!
Dai Paipai felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
She cried out in her heart, "This isn't me! But the woman with her back to the camera is wearing the same clothes I wore to the meeting! Her hairstyle is the same as mine. She's also wearing glasses. Zhao Lianjin deliberately dressed her up to look like me, took a photo, and posted it in the group to ruin my reputation! Zhao Lianjin, you are despicable, you deserve to die."
Why would Zhao Lianjin do this?
Dai Paipai, trembling with anger, quickly found the answer.
Zhao Lianjin's aim was to completely ruin Dai Paipai's reputation!
To make everyone believe that he and she were indeed involved,
And thus, to make all the employees understand that Zhao Lianjin was the one in charge at Paipai Fashion.
"Zhao Lianjin, you are despicable, you are shameless."
Dai Paipai stood there, stunned for who knows how long, before muttering a curse and entering her office.
Even though she knew very well that Zhao Lianjin was shameless, what of it?
Who would
stand up for her and help her clear her name?
No one.
Dai Paipai knew very well that if she confronted Zhao Lianjin, it would only escalate the situation.
All she could do now was to silently endure.
The door opened.
Zhao Lianjin strolled in, his imposing gaze sweeping down to Dai Paipai's feet under the desk.
Dai Paipai stared at him intently.
If looks could kill, Zhao Lianjin would have been torn to shreds long ago!
"Heh."
Zhao Lianjin was unfazed. He took out his phone and dialed, "Xiao Wang from administration? This is Zhao Lianjin. You see, isn't our General Manager Dai's secretary, Li Qianfan, in the clerical staff group chat?"
Upon hearing Zhao Lianjin say this, Dai Paipai trembled slightly, her face turning deathly pale.
She understood what Zhao Lianjin was about to do.
He was going to add Li Qianfan to the clerical staff group chat and then send those lewd photos he had arranged into the chat.
What would Li Qianfan's reaction be upon seeing them?
Dai Paipai dared not think further—
She shot up, gritting her teeth, "Zhao Lianjin, is it still considered manly to bully women like this?"
"Whether I'm a man or not, you'll find out sooner or later."
Zhao Lianjin chuckled again, "I just want that kid to see how provocatively flirty the woman he once protected is now in front of me."
"Zhao Lianjin!"
Dai Paipai's face flushed. She suddenly grabbed a teacup, about to fight Zhao Lianjin to the death.
Zhao Lianjin said indifferently, "He doesn't want you anymore, so why are you acting like a chaste woman?"
The teacup in Dai Paipai's raised hand froze in mid-air.
"Paipai, you actually know very well how much I love you."
Zhao Lianjin, looking moved by his own words, found a short video on his phone and sent it to the clerical staff group chat.
On the office desk.
Dai Paipai's phone immediately chimed.
By reflex, she reached out and picked up her phone.
Chime. Chime.
Over the next ten-plus seconds, messages flooded the clerical staff group chat.
Dai Paipai's trembling fingers opened the group.
"Provocative."
"Lecherous."
"Bitchy!"
The above three words were mandatory as dozens of group members eagerly sent their messages.
"Thank you, General Manager Zhao! For letting us witness such a spectacular performance."
The person thanking Zhao Lianjin was his assistant, Zhao Tong.
Zhao Tong was undoubtedly the one who most enjoyed seeing Dai Paipai humiliated.
In fact,
the woman in the video, who played Dai Paipai, was Zhao Tong.
As long as she wore the same clothes, styled her hair the same way, and put on gold-rimmed glasses with half her hair falling to cover her face, anyone who knew Dai Paipai would immediately think it was her.
Wuuu, wuwu.
Staring blankly at the group chat, Dai Paipai could no longer control herself. She slowly slumped onto her chair, covering her face with her hands, letting out a whimper like a newborn kitten that had lost its mother in the dead of winter.
The group messages were still chiming.
The continuous notification sounds also woke Su Ziyu from her deep sleep.
She slowly opened her eyes, lazily sat up, and leaned on the edge of the bed, looking at Li Qianfan's phone.
"Who is sending so many messages to my little husband?"
Su Ziyu blinked and picked up the phone.