novelraw Chapter 270: Wen Ruan’s Emotional Breakdown
Chapter 270: Wen Ruan’s Emotional Breakdown
11:00 a.m.
Light and Shadow Media (Beijing Branch)
General Manager’s Office
“Wen Ruan has a boyfriend? Since when?” Liu Chuanzheng paused his work and looked up in surprise at Li Meiling.
“Around early May, I think. He’s a wealthy tall, rich, and handsome guy, reportedly the CTO of some big company. And he’s only 25. They’re inseparable,” Li Meiling replied, her heavily made-up eyes flashing with jealousy. “But honestly, I think he’s just playing around. The two of them are worlds apart. Besides, I’ve never seen Wen Ruan post about him on her social media, which makes it pretty clear their relationship isn’t proper.”
Li Meiling, around the same age as Wen Ruan and still unmarried, couldn’t help but compare herself to her.
Having worked at Light and Shadow Media for seven years, she remained just a regular market analyst.
Wen Ruan, on the other hand, had joined two years ago and was already the leader of Planning Group 3.
Whether it was looks, figure, education, competence, or position, Wen Ruan outshone her in every way.
Even their salaries and benefits were worlds apart.That disparity gnawed at her endlessly.
To vent her frustration, she often made snide remarks about Wen Ruan in the office.
But ever since Wen Ruan’s boyfriend made a high-profile declaration during a team-building event, it felt like she had swallowed a bitter pill.
That tall, rich, and handsome boyfriend had even gifted Wen Ruan with an LV bag and a Rolex, making her the center of attention at the company.
Li Meiling had reluctantly accepted all of this, limiting her bitterness to occasional sarcastic comments behind Wen Ruan’s back with colleagues like Zhong Ying.
But the most unbearable blow had just landed.
Word had it that once Wen Ruan returned from this business trip to Beijing, she would be promoted to Planning Manager, a position just below the director level, officially making her a mid-level manager—and Li Meiling’s superior.
Now, seeing how even Liu Chuanzheng, the deputy general manager, was actively warming up to Wen Ruan during this visit to the Beijing branch, Li Meiling’s jealousy burned like a wildfire.
She had spent several sleepless nights consumed by resentment and finally couldn’t resist coming to stir the pot.
“Tap, tap, tap—” Liu Chuanzheng lightly drummed his fingers on the solid wood desk, muttering to himself, “Boyfriend… improper relationship…”
“Exactly, President Liu,” Li Meiling chimed in, feigning concern. “I’m not saying anything bad, but she travels all the time, goes on these cycling trips, and spends money like water. Her lifestyle, well… Let’s just say it raises questions. But I don’t want to gossip too much and damage workplace harmony.”
She sighed dramatically and adjusted the straps of her off-shoulder dress, leaning suggestively against the desk.
Pushing out her chest and accentuating her curves, she tried to appear as alluring as possible.
At 30-something, Li Meiling was already feeling the pressure of a midlife crisis.
She had her eye on Liu Chuanzheng. If he showed interest, she wouldn’t hesitate to dump her current boyfriend.
With his support, she might finally climb the ladder to a mid-level management position.
Liu Chuanzheng glanced at her briefly, handed her a document, and casually patted her waist. “Alright, Meiling, I understand. This analysis report is decent. Tomorrow, come with me to Meigou Tech and help take minutes for the meeting.”
Li Meiling’s face lit up instantly. She hooked her arm around Liu Chuanzheng’s and leaned closer, her voice syrupy sweet. “Thank you for your trust and support, President Liu. I promise I won’t let you down!”
After exchanging a few more flattering words, Li Meiling happily walked out with the report in hand.
Her hips swayed dramatically as she left, oozing flirtation with every step.
Liu Chuanzheng withdrew his gaze, pondering for a while before smirking faintly.
He opened WeChat and pulled up Wen Ruan’s profile.
…
The Beijing branch of Light and Shadow Media was modest in size, with only around 20 staff members.
Apart from HR and finance, most employees were involved in advertising sales.
The office itself, however, was in an excellent location—a Grade-A office building near Tuanjiehu subway station. With over 140 square meters of space, the environment and facilities were high-end and impressive.
In a corner workspace.
“Wenzhe, I’ve sent you the budget allocation for the media placement on [Google Adwords-Madhouse]. Combine it with what you’ve done for [Clicksmobi], and we’ll finalize it in the afternoon meeting,” said Wen Ruan as she stood up from her desk, stretching her arms high.
Her full, curvaceous figure stretched gracefully, exuding an air of mature femininity.
“Got it. On it now,” replied Li Wenzhe, nodding immediately. He couldn’t help but sneak a glance at his stunning colleague.
A silent sigh escaped his thoughts.
After all, Wen Ruan already had an extraordinary boyfriend. Even Director Wang from the New Media Operations Department—a young, successful executive—had accepted defeat and stepped aside.
Speaking of which, Director Wang had handled it like a true gentleman.
Since learning that Wen Ruan was in a relationship, he had never bothered her again, maintaining a strictly professional demeanor at work.
Recently, many of the company’s single female staff had been pursuing this talented and eligible director.
The sharp sound of heels striking the floor echoed through the office.
The air was soon filled with a strong scent of perfume.
Turning his head, Li Wenzhe saw Li Meiling approaching, her hips swaying exaggeratedly.
Beside him, his colleague Xiao Hui quickly asked, “Sister Meiling, what did Liu always say? Does the analysis report need changes?”
Li Meiling raised her eyebrows and shot a glance in Wen Ruan’s direction. “Hehe, it’s already approved. In fact, Liu always asked me to join him at Meigou Tech tomorrow!”
“Can I tag along?”
“Afraid not,” Li Meiling replied with mock regret.
Xiao Hui immediately looked disappointed.
As a fellow market analyst, she had been the main contributor to the analysis report. However, as a newer employee compared to veteran Li Meiling, she didn’t dare voice any objections.
Most of the Beijing branch staff were involved in sales and execution roles, with more strategic tasks handled by the main headquarters.
This meant that even though a considerable number of staff had come for this trip, including five core members and several assistants like Xiao Hui, Li Meiling, and Zhang Xintong, they were only there to support Wen Ruan’s work and weren’t eligible to attend meetings at Meigou Tech’s headquarters.
After chatting proudly with her colleagues for a while, Li Meiling glanced at Wen Ruan and said, “Honestly, Liu always is quite capable. Do you know which media company Meigou Tech used to collaborate with?”
One colleague asked curiously, “Which one? I really don’t know.”
Seeing that everyone’s attention was now on her, Li Meiling couldn’t resist showing off. “It was Xingyun International, the media group under Tang Zong Entertainment Holdings. Of course, that’s also the company where Wen Ruan worked during her time in Beijing. I bet that’s why headquarters picked Wen Ruan to lead this project. You should thank that previous work experience, Wen Ruan!”
“Ah, so it’s Xingyun International Group!”
“A world-class unicorn like Meigou Tech would naturally work with one of the top domestic media companies. Liu always truly has skill to secure such a big client.”
“Liu always is amazing! He even managed to snatch a client from Xingyun International!”
“I heard both companies are connected to Smile Holdings behind the scenes. Their ecosystems are complementary, so I wonder how Liu always managed it.”
The group murmured among themselves for a while.
Wen Ruan also chimed in with some remarks.
Having worked at Xingyun International for five years and with her best friend Sun Simin still a department manager there, Wen Ruan was well aware of Xingyun International’s influence and stature.
Aside from costs and rebates, the media resources that Xingyun International Group could access were leagues ahead of what Light and Shadow Media could offer.
For example, when Light and Shadow Media wanted to advertise on Google or Facebook, they had to collaborate with an agency in Hong Kong, incurring a 2% service fee as a loss.
Meanwhile, Xingyun International had its own fully-owned subsidiary in Hong Kong, dedicated to handling overseas business directly.
The situation was almost surreal.
“Buzz, buzz, buzz—”
The phone on Wen Ruan’s desk vibrated.
【Beijing - Liu Chuanzheng: “Wen Ruan, come to my office.”】
Wen Ruan glanced at the message, furrowed her brow slightly, and picked up her phone as she headed toward the general manager’s office.
“Knock, knock, knock—”
“Come in!” Liu Chuanzheng called out, standing up from his chair with an eager expression, his eyes practically burning as he looked toward the door.
A moment later, a graceful and mature figure appeared.
The delicate fabric of her clothes hugged her curves perfectly.
She wore a loose, simple white T-shirt paired with a fitted brown pencil skirt, exuding both sensuality and style.
Her makeup was flawless, and her figure full and alluring, like a tulip in full bloom.
“President Liu, is there something you need from me?” Wen Ruan asked calmly, stopping just inside the door and looking at him with a neutral expression.
Liu Chuanzheng licked his lips and gestured toward the sofa in the lounge area. “Come, have a seat. Let’s chat.”
He had been lusting after this stunning woman ever since meeting her at the headquarters’ annual gala. He had been looking for an opportunity to get closer ever since.
Now, with his confidence soaring and the Meigou Tech deal on the horizon, it felt like the perfect moment to make a move.
“Clink—” He set a teacup down on the coffee table, pouring tea from a health kettle and placing it in front of her with a smile. “I’ve reviewed your proposal. It’s very well done.”
“Thank you for your recognition, President Liu,” Wen Ruan replied with a polite smile.
Though she found him unpleasant, Liu Chuanzheng was technically her superior at Light and Shadow Media, and she was still working there. She maintained her professionalism and courtesy.
The two chatted briefly about the proposal and the materials needed for the meeting with Meigou Tech.
Suddenly, Liu Chuanzheng said, “It’s almost noon. There’s a fantastic Sichuan restaurant nearby. Their twice-cooked pork is amazing. Let’s go try it together.”
“Sorry, I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately.”
“Ah, then how about Western food? There’s an Italian place I frequent with incredible pesto dishes.”
“No, thank you.” Wen Ruan shook her head gently. “President Liu, if there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work. The proposal still needs some finishing touches.”
She stood up, nodded politely, and made her way toward the door.
Liu Chuanzheng’s eyes narrowed as he called out, “Wen Ruan, if we secure the Meigou deal, you’ll be receiving a substantial bonus and a promotion when you return, right?”
Wen Ruan paused mid-step and turned slightly. “What are you implying, President Liu?”
“Oh, nothing. I just think your attitude needs some adjustment. Make sure you address that today,” he said, his tone cold and threatening as he stared at her curvaceous back. “If not, to ensure nothing jeopardizes our cooperation with Meigou Tech, I’ll have someone else replace you in tomorrow’s meeting.
“And, just so you know, I’ll soon be promoted to vice president at headquarters, taking full charge of advertising sales. I’ll also be granted partial authority over personnel management.”
Hearing Liu Chuanzheng’s blatant threat, Wen Ruan clenched her fists. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and slap him, yet the whole situation left her feeling disgusted.
Without looking back, she simply replied, “Oh,” and opened the office door, walking out.
As the glass door slowly closed behind her, Liu Chuanzheng’s expression darkened.
For the past few weeks, everything had been going his way. Even the company owner had shown him respect, largely because he was bringing in business worth at least 50 million yuan annually.
With Meigou Tech, an unprecedented major client, serving as an endorsement, Light and Shadow Media’s reputation and influence were poised to reach a new level.
This collaboration even caught the attention of Jingwu Capital, further solidifying the company’s standing.
Currently, the board of directors and shareholders regarded Liu Chuanzheng, the head of the branch, with the utmost importance.
If he expressed dissatisfaction with an employee, that person would likely be dismissed without question.
Ironically, the entire deal with Meigou Tech came about quite unexpectedly.
At a casual gathering, Liu had crossed paths with a high-ranking executive from Meigou. As was his habit, he handed over a business card and briefly introduced Light and Shadow Media’s services.
To his surprise, he later received a cooperation proposal. The other party initiated the communication, outlined their requirements, and appeared deeply committed.
Moreover, Meigou Tech specifically requested that headquarters assign a professional planning team.
They set strict criteria for the team, including years of experience and, preferably, a background working in Beijing.
Hu Chengbin and Wen Ruan were chosen for these reasons. Without such conditions, the opportunity might not have fallen to them, as the credit for this project was enormous.
Now that the proposal was nearly complete, the remaining step was to finalize the collaboration.
From recent communications with Meigou Tech, it seemed like a sure thing—success was practically guaranteed.
If Liu truly wanted to replace Wen Ruan, the higher-ups at headquarters would probably welcome it, seizing the chance to insert their own connections into the team to oversee the project’s execution.
Thinking this through, Liu slapped the armrest of the sofa with determination, his eyes gleaming sharply.
It all depended on Wen Ruan’s attitude now. If she refused to cooperate, he’d have to apply pressure.
At 30, single and childless, finding another job would be tough. He was confident she’d make the “right” choice.
“Wen Ruan, the Meigou contact just sent me a product sheet. I’ve forwarded it to your email,” Zhang Xintong said cheerfully. “Working with such a big company feels so smooth. Their team is so polite and responsible!”
“Exactly! This is my first time dealing with such a fantastic client,” another colleague chimed in.
“Unlike those previous companies we worked with—they were always so rude.”
Listening to her colleagues chat, Wen Ruan nodded slightly but leaned back in her chair, her brows furrowed.
No matter how she tried, the frustration in her chest wouldn’t dissipate.
Unspoken rules, workplace bullying, and toxic competition among colleagues—she’d experienced it all before, and it had left her deeply scarred.
Those painful memories were one of the key reasons she had left Xingyun International.
Now, it seemed her final stretch at Light and Shadow Media wouldn’t be peaceful either.
The familiar suffocating and oppressive feeling made her breathing shallow, and her emotions became increasingly unstable.
After hesitating for a moment, she stood up, walked into the hallway, and called Tang Song.
“Beep, beep, beep—” The phone rang for a long time before switching to voicemail. Disheartened, she ended the call.
Standing blankly in the quiet hallway, she felt lost in thought.
“Ding!” Her phone chimed with a WeChat notification.
【Siming: “Ruan Ruan, come to my place for dinner tonight, okay? We can also swing by the bridal boutique to try on the bridesmaid dress I picked for you. Hehe, your amazing figure makes it hard to judge the size, so I need you to try it on. Mwah~”】
【Siming: “Oh, and check out the wedding dress I picked for myself! The design is gorgeous. You can use it as a reference when you get married someday. 😘”】
【Siming: [wedding dress.jpg]】
Wen Ruan stared at the messages and remained silent for a long moment before typing back:
“Okay.”
【Siming: “Ruan Ruan, what’s wrong? You sound so cold! Hey, hey, we’ve been best friends for nearly ten years! Don’t tell me you’re feeling down. Spill it—I’ll listen!”】
Wen Ruan bit her lip, conflicted, before replying:
“No, just busy. Don’t overthink it.” Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs ɴovelfire.net
After sending the message, she gazed at the photo of her beautiful, joyful former university roommate.
Her trip to Beijing had stirred up old memories and a flood of bittersweet emotions, overwhelming her in an instant.
As her friends got married, had children, and their lives seemingly improved, Wen Ruan was left grappling with her own uncertainty about the future, her doubts about love, her disappointment in herself, and her guilt toward her parents.
Unbidden, tears began to roll down her cheeks, quietly falling as she leaned against the white wall of the corridor, sobbing softly.
“Ding!” Another WeChat notification broke the silence.
【Tang Song: “I’m in a meeting and had my phone on silent, so I missed your call. Wen Ruan, is something wrong?”】
A moment later, her phone began vibrating.
Caller: Tang Song
Wen Ruan wiped her tears but rejected the call outright.
Opening WeChat, she replied:
“I’m fine. I accidentally dialed you earlier. I’m busy right now.”
【Tang Song: “Alright then, carry on. I’ll get back to my meeting too. I have something very important to handle tomorrow, so I need to finalize the agreement today.”】
Reading Tang Song’s message, her tears blurred her vision once again.
“Didn’t you notice how unusual my replies were?”
“Something very important to handle tomorrow…”
“Am I important to you? Will you always love me?”
“Tang Song, I’m sorry. I’m in so much pain.”
Wen Ruan had always prided herself on being emotionally steady, but the recent string of events had thrown her off balance.
She cried in the stairwell for a while before heading to the restroom. There, she washed off her smudged makeup, composed herself, and returned to the office.
Several colleagues noticed her return, their curious eyes following her.
Li Meiling smirked, her eyes glinting with glee and satisfaction.
Wen Ruan sat at her desk, her face expressionless as she opened her laptop and stared at the document on the screen.
Zhang Xintong, glancing at her discreetly, couldn’t hide her concern. “Wen Ruan, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Wen Ruan replied softly, her tone subdued. “By the way, Xintong, could you grab lunch for me? I don’t feel like going out.”
“Of course! Same as usual?” Zhang Xintong asked eagerly.
“Mm.”
As Zhang Xintong hesitated, debating whether to message someone, her phone buzzed with a new friend request.
Remark: I’m Wen Ruan’s boyfriend, Tang Song.
Blinking in surprise, Zhang Xintong immediately accepted the request and messaged:
“Hello, Tang Song. I’m Wen Ruan’s assistant, Zhang Xintong.”
Her thoughts raced. Wow, have I just been upgraded? Now I can directly contact the boss of my boss?
I wonder if this comes with better perks. Maybe I’ll finally get tickets to Su Yu’s concerts someday!