Chapter 161 Trouble Because of a Woman
Zhang Xixi was a well-known Financial Director at the company and was a kind-hearted and gentle person. She disliked speaking too much and was one of the easiest beautiful women to get along with among all the beauties.
She had neither an arrogant demeanor nor that domineering presence usually found in career-driven women.
Rather, she was more understanding and helpful towards others, which had given her an excellent reputation at Tianyu Group. Even Sun Xiaonao, the "Elf", got along quite well with her.
In this fiercely competitive group where the struggle was intense, nearly everyone wore a mask of deceit, and each person harbored their own ulterior motives. Only by continually defeating enemies who stood in one’s path could someone rise to a higher position. In such a "survival of the fittest" corporate environment, there were both good and bad elements,
without competition, there would be no market recognition; without rivals, the edge of the blade would not be sharpened against the whetstone. More often than not, Zhang Xixi chose to understand others and consider their needs, never quarreling with her colleagues over trivial matters or engaging in behind-the-scenes manipulations and scheming. For her, a farm girl who had made it to the position of Financial Director, she felt very content.
Seeing Fan Jian’s eyes glitter with "Golden Light", Zhang Xixi responded with a smile and a slight nod of her head as a polite gesture.
"I haven’t eaten yet either, how about we join forces? What do you think about eating together?"
Seeing Zhang Xixi’s gentle and appealing demeanor, cheeks like peach blossoms and eyes shimmering like autumn waters, her delicate beauty so fresh and fair, her rounded cheeks so inviting, that one smile led Fan Jian to mistakenly believe she harbored feelings for him, so he took the initiative to ask if they could dine together.
Fan Jian, despite being rather effeminate, was still a normal man and pursued beautiful women just as intensely as any other male, especially someone like Zhang Xixi, a stunning beauty with both good looks and character.
"This, this might not be so appropriate. Perhaps... why don’t you, Director Fan..." Upon hearing Fan Jian’s invitation to dine together, Zhang Xixi felt somewhat embarrassed. Having always lacked confidence, how could she have dined with other men? At most, she would only eat with a few friends she was somewhat familiar with. Under the rumor-mongering atmosphere at Tianyu Group, she dared not casually accept an invitation to dine with him. The company was always against office romances, and if some unscrupulous individuals were to spin this event into something it wasn’t, she couldn’t say what the consequences might be in the future.
Moreover, even if Zhang Xixi possessed good character, there were still people she preferred not to associate with.
"What’s the problem with that? Eating alone or eating together, it’s all the same. We are not strangers, and it’s better to eat together, right? Besides, while eating, we can talk about work matters and discuss any potential collaboration opportunities we might have in the future. Wouldn’t that be for the best?"
Fan Jian was indeed well-named, spouting shameless words so logically that even Lin Zifeng, who always considered himself thick-skinned, could not compare.
But this beast had no self-awareness at all, sitting beside the stairs, ignorant of Zhang Xixi’s pleading glances for help, devouring the food on his plate as though he hadn’t eaten for centuries, his hunger clearly evident.
Zhang Xixi even hinted more than once, hoping for rescue, but he seemed completely unconcerned, oblivious to whether he even heard her.
Noticing Zhang Xixi’s glances toward Lin Zifeng out of the corner of her eye, his face, previously filled with smiles, instantly began to darken, his expression turning as unattractive as could be, and even the way he ate became particularly annoying to her.
Fan Jian would never forget the humiliation he suffered not long ago, nor the pain of being slapped in the face. Over these days, he’d been forcing himself to forget the unpleasantness. After all, he was a director-level figure, with an annual salary of a million, so it seemed beneath him to get angry at such people. Yet, the higher his status, the more entangled his pretentious heart became.
Now, even going to work every day, he could feel his face burning, humiliated in such a manner, and after he had fiercely vowed to make Lin Zifeng regret his actions, he ended up getting slapped back and ridiculed by his colleagues. This was a disgrace Fan Jian would never forget, especially whenever he saw that scene, it was like hooking out the deepest hatred in his heart. But he didn’t reflect on who caused all this. If it weren’t for you bullying the little security guard with your power, would he have opposed you?
As far as Lin Zifeng was concerned, he would never harm anyone unless provoked. If someone had nothing better to do than provoke him and use his tolerance as capital to be shameless, then, sorry, he’d deal with you in the simplest and most direct way. Unnoticed, he’d make you suffer losses and skulk away with your tail between your legs. Even the shrewd head of security, Huang Daming, had once been defeated by Lin Zifeng, surreptitiously losing twenty thousand Big Money, and he mourned that loss deeply.
Seeing Lin Zifeng so carefree and eating the same food as the lower-level employees, Fan Jian instantly felt disdainful. Looking at the food inside, it was hardly better than pig slop.
He could not help but feel a mocking contempt, thinking that if he had lost ground in their last encounter, he had to regain it this time. Otherwise, he’d always feel uncomfortable upon seeing him.
"Xixi, we’re the upper echelon of the company’s leadership. At the very least, we can’t lose the company’s dignity. Unlike some lowly security guards who think too highly of themselves just because they curry favor with the leaders, always acting so self-important. In reality, they’re just bootlickers, eating like pigs. They seem like they’ve not eaten for hundreds of years. I absolutely despise those who come to the company just to eat and wait to die, never doing their proper work," Fan Jian said, his words dripping with sarcasm as he painted his fingernails, mocking Lin Zifeng in a freakish, feminine tone. He made sure to raise his voice, hoping Lin Zifeng would hear, while Lin Zifeng just kept eating his meal, as if he heard nothing.
Zhang Xixi sensed that something was off between the two and quietly wondered: Could it be that all the commotion Fan Jian caused within the company was due to a conflict with this security guard?
Xixi’s cherry lips parted in surprise, hardly able to believe it.
But despite Fan Jian’s ridiculing, the security guard remained unmoved, quietly savoring his meal, which smelled delicious. Could it be that he really hadn’t heard?
At heart, Xixi was kind and really didn’t want any unpleasantness to occur in front of her, but she smiled apologetically at Fan Jian and said, "Sorry, Director Fan, I’m going to head upstairs."
However, Fan Jian certainly couldn’t let Lin Zifeng off that easily. As Xixi walked upstairs, Fan Jian’s eyes gleamed, a sinister flash passing through them. Seizing the moment she ascended, he deliberately spilled the hot water he’d just poured next to Lin Zifeng. And with Xixi as his shield, he feigned a slip.
As the entire cup of hot water splashed towards Lin Zifeng’s head, Fan Jian inwardly chuckled at his plot. The water was freshly poured from upstairs; if it splashed on, the mere temperature might make Lin Zifeng’s scalp peel away, and there was even a chance his entire head would suffer, possibly never growing hair again.
In that instant, Xixi also jumped in fright!
She gaped with wide almond eyes, shocked as the scalding hot water splattered towards Lin Zifeng’s head.