novelraw Chapter 25 Fearless
Chapter 25 Fearless
"No, no, no, that’s not it at all," Liang Qingren said, hastily shaking her head in denial.
The little one in Wu Tian’s arms giggled.
She’s actually a little scared of this adorable child. She has absolutely no idea how to handle this little cutie.
Now that the little one had his drink and Liang Qingren had gathered some groceries, she and Wu Tian were ready to leave the corporation. It was the end of the workday; what was the point of staying?
But just as they reached the first floor, a crowd of people immediately surrounded them. Their target was Liang Qingren, and every one of them wore a fawning smile.
"Miss Liang, congratulations! You’re the president’s secretary now."
"That’s right! Please look after us in the future."
"Miss Qingren, I always knew you were destined for greater things. I wasn’t wrong."
The people who had gathered were all there to congratulate Liang Qingren on her promotion. Some of them held positions higher than hers and were senior executives themselves, but Liang Qingren was now part of the president’s inner circle. A casual word from her to Qin Yuhan could cause them trouble, so they felt compelled to flatter her.
Their behavior made Liang Qingren feel both flattered and uneasy, hammering home the harsh reality of society. Before she was a secretary, these same people spoke to her with a completely different attitude. Back then, they would say things like, "Come out to eat with me. You won’t make it in this corporation without me looking out for you."
"Heh, not going on a date with me? Fine, then your problems are your own."
The stark contrast made Liang Qingren see these people for who they truly were, which in turn made her appreciate Wu Tian even more.
Too bad he already has a child.
"Miss Liang, Mr. Wu, I was wondering if you have some time," a man in his thirties wearing glasses spoke up, his smile radiating friendliness. "I’ve already booked a table to celebrate Miss Liang’s promotion and to welcome Mr. Wu to the corporation. I hope you won’t refuse."
But his manner made Wu Tian frown slightly. As the saying goes, people don’t just show up for no reason. And as another one goes, beware of unsolicited kindness—it’s either a trap or a trick. This middle-aged man definitely has ill intentions.
"Who is he?" Wu Tian asked Liang Qingren in a low voice.
"Him? That’s Mr. Chen Cheng, the vice director of the Marketing Department," Liang Qingren whispered back.
Wu Tian nodded. Seeing him ask, Liang Qingren seemed to understand. She whispered again, "Do you think something’s fishy? We don’t have to go, you know."
However, Wu Tian’s expression was calm, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. But the shift in Liang Qingren’s expression didn’t escape Chen Cheng’s notice. He immediately added, "It’s not just me. The folks from Human Resources, Finance, and Publicity are all coming too."
"Yes, we’re going too!"
"That’s right, let’s all go together!"
The others chimed in, completely unaware of what Chen Cheng was planning. They were just echoing him, being used as pawns without a clue.
"Let’s go, Qingren," a girl from the Planning Department added. "I’m going too."
"Juan’er, you’re going too?"
Liang Qingren hesitated. The girl named Juan’er walked up and took her hand. "You can’t work all the time. You need to relax."
Helpless, Liang Qingren looked at Wu Tian.
Wu Tian, however, had noticed the subtle exchange of glances between Juan’er and Chen Cheng, and a cold smile formed in his heart. I, Wu Tian, have always lived by the creed: if a god stands in my way, I’ll slay the god; if a buddha blocks my path, I’ll slay the buddha. I’d like to see just what kind of game this Chen Cheng thinks he’s playing. Skill breeds confidence, and I fear nothing.
"Alright," Wu Tian nodded.
Only then did Liang Qingren agree. "Okay, I’ll go too."
A hint of a smile touched Chen Cheng’s eyes. He and Wei Chunhua were actually quite close in private and had even been to hotels together a few times. When Wu Tian hit Wei Chunhua, Chen Cheng had been upset but didn’t dare do anything about it. That changed when Wei Chunhua’s sister, Wei Chunli, called him. She wanted him to lure Wu Tian to the Lanling King Hotel in Yang City, where she and her underworld boyfriend would teach Wu Tian a lesson. This plan required Chen Cheng’s cooperation, which led to the current scene.
As for the exchange of glances with Juan’er? It was because she, like Liang Qingren, was an intern fresh out of university, but she was already in an ambiguous relationship with him.
Just as the group stepped out of the corporation building, they found a heavy drizzle coming down.
"Now what?" Liang Qingren said. "Maybe we shouldn’t go after all."
Chen Cheng grew anxious. How could they not go? Wei Chunli had repeatedly warned him that he had to succeed, or her underworld boyfriend, ’Big Blade’ Liu Wu, would come looking for him to settle the score.
"No, no, no! We all drove here today. Besides, the Lanling King Hotel is very close," Chen Cheng said with a laugh. "A little rain is nothing."
As senior executives at Qin Corporation, they earned a minimum of fifty thousand a month, not including commissions and other income. The cars they drove were impressive. They weren’t as extravagant as those of the rich second-generation kids, but they were still vehicles ordinary people couldn’t afford—cars like the Audi A6L, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, with the cheapest being a Volvo S90.
The best car belonged to Chen Cheng: a black Mercedes-Benz GLS, a large automatic SUV.
A smile played on Wu Tian’s lips. I bet the money for this car was embezzled. Should I ask my wife to investigate him?
Juan’er grabbed Liang Qingren’s arm, insisting they ride in Chen Cheng’s car. This delighted Chen Cheng. He certainly had designs on Liang Qingren himself. He wouldn’t dare try anything forceful, but if he could gently coax her and get her to develop a good impression of him, his wishes might just come true. The thought filled him with joy.
Soon, everyone had piled into the cars, filling all the seats. Only Wu Tian was left standing.
Chen Cheng slapped his forehead as if in sudden realization.
"Oh, my! Mr. Wu, we completely forgot about you. You know, ladies first. Why don’t you ride in the trunk? It’s quite spacious back there."
He intended to humiliate Wu Tian but maintained a benevolent, kind-hearted expression.
"That’s not right," Liang Qingren immediately spoke up for him.
"It’s no big deal," Juan’er said from the side. "He’s a grown man. There’s more than enough room for him and the child in the trunk."
On the surface, Juan’er was the friend who had started at the corporation with Liang Qingren as an intern. In reality, she deeply disliked her. Juan’er had hooked up with Chen Cheng to make her job easier, but Liang Qingren had remained untainted and had even landed the secretary position. Juan’er resented this and secretly hoped Chen Cheng would corrupt Liang Qingren, too. It was the only way she could feel better about her own choices.
"Yeah, just ride in the trunk. It’s not a big deal."
"That’s right," the others chimed in with a roar of agreement. Their loyalty was to Chen Cheng, not to Wu Tian, the newcomer.
Wu Tian’s eyes grew cold. This Chen Cheng is courting death. But I can’t let the baby see a bloody scene.
With that thought, he pulled out his phone.
Chen Cheng and the others watched curiously. What was Wu Tian doing? Hailing a ride?