18
The Importance of Self-Awareness
A new week began.
Under Li Junze’s guidance, the research team’s work progressed steadily and methodically.
Lin Yuxi could feel her career gradually getting on track, moving in a promising direction.
She hadn’t heard of any moves from Fu Tingchuan’s side either—he probably mistakenly assumed that Haohao was a child from Shen Mochen’s relatives.
This way, she wouldn’t owe Mochen any favors, which was a good thing.
At noon, after finishing her meal, Lin Yuxi walked into YunTu’s R&D department and heard a commotion from afar.
“Chen Qiang! I’ve supported you all the way to your current position and taken care of your family—is this how you repay me?”
A woman’s voice, strained with emotion, pierced through the room.
Lin Yuxi paused in her steps.
Many colleagues, to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, had grabbed their laptops and fled their workstations to gather outside the department.
Qin Ruoshi was among them.
Spotting Lin Yuxi, she approached and struck up a conversation. “I heard Director Chen is having an affair, and the other woman works in our company. Look, Chairwoman Lin stormed in right at noon.”
Chairwoman Lin—Lin Fangfang.
When Lin Yuxi joined the company seven years ago, Chairwoman Lin hadn’t yet stepped back from YunTu.
Back then, Chairwoman Lin was confident and skilled in research, full of ambition—a stark contrast to the person she had just glimpsed.
Her out-of-control figure, disheveled hair, and exhausted expression…
If not for the familiar voice in her memory, Lin Yuxi might not have recognized her.
But she vaguely recalled that Director Chen’s lover was supposedly some minor celebrity, completely unrelated to YunTu.
“Why do they say the other woman is in our company?”
Qin Ruoshi didn’t know either. “Maybe Director Chen said something.”
Whatever it was, Lin Yuxi didn’t want to delay her work progress.
Carrying her bag, she found a relatively safe route back to her workstation.
No sooner had she sat down than Lin Fangfang’s voice sounded right beside her: “Are you the woman Chen Qiang is seeing?”
Lin Yuxi looked up, baffled. “Chairwoman Lin, I don’t know where you heard that rumor, but you must be mistaken. Director Chen and I have no connection beyond work matters.”
Lin Fangfang, consumed by rage and on the verge of losing control, snapped, “Still denying it?”
There were only two women in the entire department.
Aside from the one from a prestigious family, only one woman remained.
If it wasn’t Lin Yuxi, who else could it be?
Smack!
A sharp slap landed on Lin Yuxi’s face, stinging with heat.
Everyone was stunned.
Director Chen, witnessing the scene, hurried over from a distance and grabbed Lin Fangfang’s hand. “Enough, Fangfang. Let’s talk about this at home. Don’t disrupt the company.”
Lin Fangfang shook off his hand. “We’ll settle this right here!”
Lin Yuxi clenched her fist.
If the person in front of her weren’t Lin Fangfang, she would have slapped back without hesitation.
But Lin Fangfang had been her mentor when she first joined the company—or rather, her idol.
As a female leader in the R&D department, Lin Fangfang had exceptional research skills and successfully led her team in developing the first generation of YunAI.
Watching such an outstanding woman fall into the mire of domestic turmoil, Lin Yuxi felt more heartache than resentment.
She turned to Director Chen. “Don’t you have anything to say?”
Director Chen didn’t take her words seriously at all and continued trying to persuade Lin Fangfang, “Honey, I promise I’ll lay everything out for you when we get home. Let’s not let the department staff delay their work, okay?”
He was clearly planning to stick to his story and protect his mistress’s identity.
Lin Yuxi found it ironic and decided to lay it all out. “Chairwoman Lin, I have photos of Director Chen’s mistress. If you truly want to know, we can discuss it in detail after work.”
Director Chen’s face turned pale as he pointed at Lin Yuxi. “Don’t you dare slander me! There’s no other woman besides you.”
Ignoring him, Lin Yuxi calmly took her seat and immersed herself in her work.
A long silence followed.
Lin Fangfang watched Lin Yuxi working diligently, her expression complicated.
Abruptly, she composed herself, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and declared, “Chen Qiang, you have three days to pack all your belongings and move out of the house.”
Director Chen was thunderstruck. “What? Honey, you can’t believe the nonsense some outsider says! This—”
“Divorce. You leave with nothing. Do I need to spell it out?” With that, Lin Fangfang picked up her bag and walked away, her departure resolute and startling.
The decisive Chairwoman Lin seemed to have returned.
Director Chen hurried after her, shouting back at Lin Yuxi in fury, “Lin Yuxi, I’m telling you—you’re fired! Pack your things and get out now!”
Lin Yuxi had expected this.
As her direct supervisor, Director Chen’s first move without leverage was to fire her.
But she had no regrets.
Someone had to speak the truth and set things right.
With his scandal exposed, Director Chen’s days ahead would be far from easy—and that was enough for her.
Lin Yuxi stood up and began gathering her belongings from her desk. She didn’t have much, but she took her time.
It was frustrating to be kicked off a research project halfway through.
But what could she do?
Qin Ruoshi had returned at some point, her voice tinged with regret. “Yuxi, this is so unfair to you. Should I ask Tingchuan for help? He’s an investor at Yuntu—one word from him, and Director Chen would have to rehire you.”
Lin Yuxi remained unfazed. “Do you know what’s most valuable in a person?”
Qin Ruoshi was caught off guard. “What?”
Lin Yuxi gave a faint smile, slung her bag over her shoulder, and turned to leave. “Knowing one’s place.”
Qin Ruoshi’s expression darkened.
Knowing one’s place?
Was Lin Yuxi referring to herself, or was she subtly mocking her?
…
Back home, Lin Yuxi tidied up and went to the kindergarten to pick up Haohao.
Lin Chenghao emerged with his little backpack, looking surprised. “Mommy, how do you have time to pick me up today?”
“Pretty Auntie, long time no see!” a sweet voice chimed in.
It was the little girl from last time.
Lin Yuxi bent down and gently touched her cheek. “Long time no see.”
Then she turned to Lin Chenghao. “Mommy’s a free agent now. I’ll pick you up after school for the next few days, okay?”
Lin Chenghao remembered his mother mentioning once that being a “free agent” meant she had no job.
Was Mommy unemployed?
He stepped forward, pulled a bank card from his pocket, and comforted her, “It’s okay. Your precious son can earn money. From today onward, Mommy can just relax and enjoy life. I’ll take care of the family.”
Before Lin Yuxi could respond, the little girl exclaimed, “Wow, Haohao, how do you have so much money?”
Lin Chenghao, unsure of where her question came from, corrected her, “Having more cards doesn’t mean having more money.”
“But it’s still a lot,” the little girl tilted her head and said, “Just like my uncle.”
As they were talking, Lin Yuxi heard someone calling her name. She turned around to look.
Shen Mochen was walking toward them, holding a fresh-keeping container filled with cut fruit in one hand.
“Uncle!”
The little girl spread her arms wide and ran into Shen Mochen’s embrace.