In the conference room of the planning department at Xingmang Advertising, morning light filtered through the blinds, casting long, narrow shadows across the floor. Shu Jin sat by the window, absentmindedly spinning a pen between her fingers, her gaze unfocused on the projection screen.
“Any ideas for the new product promotion plan?” Department Supervisor Li Wei stood at the front, her voice crisp and decisive. She wore a well-tailored navy suit today, her makeup refined, small pearls dangling from her ears.
Colleagues spoke one after another. When it was Shu Jin’s turn, she was still staring blankly out the window. Only when the colleague beside her nudged her elbow did she suddenly snap back to reality.
“Ah? What?” Shu Jin straightened up in a panic. The notebook in front of her was still completely blank.
A faint crease appeared between Li Wei’s brows, but it quickly disappeared behind a professional smile. “Shu Jin, tell us your thoughts on this project.”
Shu Jin opened her mouth, only to realize she had no idea what had just been discussed. She stammered, “I think… we could refer to some previous successful cases…”
The perfunctory answer plunged the room into an awkward silence. Li Wei gave her a long look but didn’t press further, instead calling on the next colleague.
After the meeting, people gradually left the room. Shu Jin lowered her head and hurriedly gathered her things, eager to escape the suffocating space.
“Shu Jin, wait a moment,” Li Wei called from behind.
Shu Jin’s body stiffened slightly. She turned around, forcing a smile. “Supervisor Li, is there something you need?”
Li Wei stepped closer, her tone carrying just the right amount of concern. “You haven’t been in a good state lately. Did something happen? If you need help, you can talk to me.”
The words seemed to flip a switch. Shu Jin’s eyes reddened instantly. She thought of Jiang Yi’s coldness over the past two days, of Gu Chen waiting for her at the hotel, of the home she could no longer enter after the locks had been changed…
“It’s nothing,” Shu Jin lowered her head, her voice catching slightly. “Just… a small conflict with my husband.”
A glint flashed in Li Wei’s eyes, but she quickly concealed it. She gently patted Shu Jin’s shoulder, her voice growing softer. “Arguments between couples are normal. But… you’ve seemed restless lately. Could it be that CEO Jiang…”
Shu Jin took the bait. She bit her lip and said with grievance, “He’s just too controlling. I only helped a friend find a temporary place to stay, and he exploded, even talking about divorce…”
Li Wei’s fingers tightened slightly, though her face still carried a gentle smile. “CEO Jiang probably cares about you too much. But honestly, a man as successful as him… it’s hard to avoid a bit of male dominance.”
It sounded like mediation, yet it subtly rubbed salt into the wound. Shu Jin grew more agitated. “Care? If he really cared about me, he wouldn’t be buried in work all the time, with no time to stay with me!”
At that moment, Shu Jin’s phone vibrated. She glanced at the caller ID, her expression shifting. She hurriedly said, “I need to take this,” before rushing out.
Watching her retreating figure, Li Wei’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smirk.
She recalled the business gala three years ago when she first met Jiang Yi. He had stood in the center of the hall, conversing calmly with elites from all walks of life, every gesture radiating the charm of a mature man. From that moment, Li Wei had developed a deep interest in this young and accomplished entrepreneur.
Unfortunately, he had already married someone as ordinary as Shu Jin. Li Wei had never understood how a man like Jiang Yi could choose a woman who had nothing but looks.
And now… an opportunity seemed to have appeared.
During lunch break, Li Wei deliberately sat in a corner of the staff cafeteria, quietly observing Shu Jin. She saw Shu Jin sitting alone by the window, constantly checking her phone. Her expressions shifted… anxious one moment, sweet the next, then suddenly downcast.
“Look at her… she must be waiting for her lover’s message,” a sharp voice whispered beside Li Wei. It was Wang Xiao, the office gossip, who had appeared at some point.
Li Wei shot her a stern look. “Don’t talk nonsense.”
“I’m not,” Wang Xiao lowered her voice. “Yesterday I saw Shu Jin getting out of a strange car. The driver was a young man… quite handsome too.” You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Li Wei’s heartbeat quickened, though her expression remained composed. “Maybe it was a relative.”
“A relative?” Wang Xiao scoffed softly. “What kind of relative holds her waist when she gets out of the car?”
Just then, Shu Jin suddenly stood up, phone in hand, and walked quickly toward the restroom. As she passed their table, Li Wei clearly heard a man’s voice from the phone, “Baby, did you miss me?”
Li Wei and Wang Xiao exchanged a glance… both instantly understanding.
That afternoon, the atmosphere in the planning department turned subtle. Colleagues looked at Shu Jin with curiosity and suppressed amusement, whispering among themselves.
Shu Jin clearly sensed the change. Sitting at her desk, she felt as if she were sitting on needles. Her face grew paler and paler. Every time her phone rang, she would panic and quickly silence it.
From behind the glass partition of her office, Li Wei watched the scene with satisfaction. She picked up her phone and opened her contacts, scrolling to a number she had long treasured… Jiang Yi’s private phone number, which she had gone to great lengths to obtain at an industry forum.
“CEO Jiang, this is Li Wei from Xingmang Advertising,” she carefully composed the message, her wording precise and professional. “Regarding the cooperation project you mentioned last time, there are some details I would like to report to you. May I ask when you would be available?”
The moment she pressed send, a confident smile spread across her lips.
Meanwhile, Shu Jin hid inside a restroom stall, quietly crying into her phone. “Gu Chen, what should I do? It feels like everyone at the company knows…”
Whatever Gu Chen said on the other end made her emotions surge. “You’re right! Jiang Yi is doing this on purpose to embarrass me! He knows I care about my reputation the most…”
Outside the stall, Li Wei touched up her makeup in front of the mirror. Listening to the muffled sobs inside, her smile deepened.
This play… was becoming more and more interesting. And she… would soon become one of its most important players.