Chapter 31: Firing Jiang Nuo
Wu Xiuli looked at Lin Ruoxi, a hint of worry on her face. "Ruoxi, I heard something happened to you? I was so worried."
Lin Ruoxi’s expression was calm. "Don’t worry, Auntie. I’m fine. What you heard must have been a rumor."
A rumor?
The other women’s expressions changed, and they all turned on Huang Yanzi.
"Huang Yanzi, you’re unbelievable. If President Lin was really fired and had all her assets seized, did this car just materialize out of thin air?"
"Huang Yanzi, can’t you stop chasing baseless rumors? This just makes everyone look down on you!"
"And Jiang Nuo, too. She’ll repeat anything she hears. How dare she slander President Lin by saying she was fired? Does she really think President Lin won’t fire *her*?"
Wu Xiuli also shot Huang Yanzi a look of displeasure.
"I didn’t say anything bad about Jiang Nuo to Ruoxi last time, but now I have to speak my mind. It’s one thing to insult me, but insulting Ruoxi is out of the question! All she does is spread rumors. What value can an employee like that possibly bring to the company? Ruoxi, can you fire Jiang Nuo?"
Lin Ruoxi had wanted to get some payback for Wu Xiuli last time, but Wu Xiuli had stopped her. ’Now that she’s given the green light, there’s nothing holding me back.’
"Don’t worry, Auntie. Firing Jiang Nuo is as simple as saying the word."
Lin Ruoxi was so composed that Huang Yanzi started to panic. She quickly begged for mercy. "President Lin, spreading rumors about you was my fault, and mine alone! It has nothing to do with my daughter! Please, I’m begging you, don’t drag my daughter into this."
Lin Ruoxi remained unmoved. She decisively took out her phone and dialed the HR manager.
Although the chairman had already announced that Lin Xinghe and Lin Ruoxi were relieved of all their duties, they were, after all, blood relatives. Once the conflict was resolved, they would surely be reinstated.
The HR manager, Ren Hailian, was extremely respectful. "President Lin, how can I help you?"
"There’s an employee in the sales department named Jiang Nuo. Let her go."
Ren Hailian didn’t even ask for a reason, nodding decisively. "Yes, President Lin. I’ll go speak with Jiang Nuo right away."
Lin Ruoxi hung up and turned to Wu Xiuli. "Auntie, Jiang Nuo has been fired. The news will probably make its way back here soon."
Huang Yanzi felt the world spin. Her mind went blank, her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground.
Huang Yanzi was consumed by a regret so deep it felt physical.
’If only she could turn back time, she never would have provoked Wu Xiuli. She would have done everything to get on her good side.’
But it was too late for that now.
Seeing Huang Yanzi so utterly devastated, Wu Xiuli didn’t feel any sense of triumph, only a pang of melancholy.
Years ago, she and Huang Yanzi had been the best of friends. But they’d had a falling out and could never go back to the way things were.
Wu Xiuli’s mood suddenly soured. "Ruoxi, Xiaoyuan, let’s go home. Qianqian has been waiting for you for a long time."
Soon, the three of them reached their front door, and Wu Xiuli pushed it open.
Cheng Yuan and Lin Ruoxi saw a girl who looked like a porcelain doll.
She was very pretty and bore a strong resemblance to Cheng Yuan, though her features were softer. Her large, sparkling eyes spoke of an innocent nature.
"Brother! I missed you so much!"
Cheng Qianqian rushed forward, took a running leap, and threw herself at Cheng Yuan. She clung to him like a koala, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her delicate face pressed against his shoulder.
Cheng Yuan felt his eyes begin to sting. Even though Cheng Qianqian had visited him every month, it had always been through a pane of blast-proof glass.
Cheng Yuan gently patted her back. "Qianqian, come on, get down. You’re a young lady now, you have to be mindful of appearances!"
"No way! It doesn’t matter if I’m a young lady, I’ll always be my brother’s favorite."
"Your sister-in-law is watching. Don’t give her a reason to laugh at you."
Only then did Cheng Qianqian remember that her brother had brought his wife home. She let go of Cheng Yuan, a little embarrassed, and turned to look at Lin Ruoxi. Her beautiful eyes widened in surprise.
"Wow, Sister-in-law, you’re so beautiful! I always thought I was pretty, but I’m nothing compared to you!"
Lin Ruoxi laughed. "That’s because I’m wearing makeup. You’re bare-faced and in a school uniform. If you were to put on a nice dress and some makeup, you might be even prettier than me!"
With that, Lin Ruoxi handed some clothes and a phone to Cheng Qianqian.
"Qianqian, it’s our first time meeting, so I got you a little something. I hope you like it."
"Whoa! An iPhone 14 Pro? And is this the latest from Prada? These are too expensive! I can’t accept them!"
Cheng Yuan laughed. "Qianqian, your sister-in-law has nothing but money. This is a drop in the bucket for her, so just accept it."
"Well, in that case... okay. Thank you, Sister-in-law!"
Seeing Lin Ruoxi and Qianqian getting along so well, a satisfied smile appeared on Wu Xiuli’s face. "Why is everyone standing? Sit down, sit down."
"Alright."
The three of them sat down, and Cheng Yuan asked with a smile, "Qianqian, how are your studies going?"
Cheng Qianqian sighed. "My regular classes are fine; I can place in the top ten in my year. But the Math Olympiad is coming up, and I’m really struggling with the practice questions. I’m afraid I won’t even qualify. Brother, am I stupid?"
Cheng Yuan activated his Double Pupil and looked at his sister’s head. He saw several weak, thin capillaries, as well as two Meridians where the flow was obstructed.
’That must be what’s affecting her mental acuity,’ he thought.
Cheng Yuan smiled and shook his head. "My little sister is the smartest girl I know. You’re probably just stressed from studying and a bit tired. Let me help you clear your head, and you’ll be fine."
"Clear my head? How?"
"Just close your eyes and sit up straight. I’ll take care of it."
"Okay."
Cheng Qianqian obediently sat up straight and closed her eyes.
Cheng Yuan raised a hand to his sister’s head and gently began to massage her temples.
As he massaged, he channeled a stream of True Qi into her, clearing her Meridians and widening the constricted capillaries.
’The brain is incredibly fragile. If it weren’t for his Double Pupil and abundant True Qi, he would never dare attempt something like this.’
Even so, he was extremely careful, terrified of harming his little sister.
Cheng Qianqian felt a pleasant warmth spreading through her head, like a gentle current flowing within.
The sensation was difficult to describe.
It was both tingly and felt a little full.
Fifteen minutes later, the thin capillaries had been widened and the blocked Meridians were clear.
Cheng Qianqian felt as if a switch had been flipped in her brain. Her thoughts were suddenly crystal clear, and her mental agility had noticeably improved.
Suddenly, she even had ideas for those few Olympiad math problems that had been stumping her!