Lin Mi shot to her feet, moving so fast no one had time to react. She grabbed her phone from the table and swung it directly at President Li’s greasy, oversized face—so close she could smell the alcohol on his breath.
“Ah!!”
President Li’s miserable scream exploded through the private room.
The wine glass in his hand dropped and shattered on the floor, dark red liquid splattering across the expensive carpet like blooming blood-red flowers.
He clutched his cheek, which had swollen instantly.
The phone had hit him square on the nose and mouth—blood poured from his nostrils and mixed with the blood at the corner of his lips.
For a moment, he looked downright pitiful.
“You filthy bitch! You dare hit me?!”
His eyes widened with disbelief and fury.
The room fell silent for one second—then chaos erupted.
“Lin Mi! You—you’ve gone mad!!”
Huang Wei trembled with rage, pointing at her nose.
“Kneel and apologize to President Li right now!”
“Lin Mi, are you crazy? How dare you lay a hand on President Li~”
Wu Qian clutched her chest dramatically, face full of fake horror … though a glint of schadenfreude flashed in her eyes.
There goes Lin Mi—she was doomed now.
Humph, acting all pure and self-righteous?
We’re all the same out here.
Several men finally snapped back to their senses and rushed forward, surrounding Lin Mi and blocking her path as she tried to escape.
“…”
Lin Mi’s heart pounded, her palms slick with cold sweat—but her eyes were steady.
She knew she was in big trouble, but she didn’t regret it.
If getting contracts meant sacrificing her body, she’d rather not work for this company at all.
She had been far too naive.
“Move. I’m done with this dinner. Find someone else to serve him.”
She tried to shove her way out, using all her strength, but the difference in force was too great. She couldn’t break free.
Just as she prepared to go all out—even if it meant making these bastards bleed a little—the heavy wooden door suddenly opened from the outside.
A tall, sharply built man stepped inside.
He wore a well-tailored black shirt, sleeves casually rolled up to his forearms, revealing clean, strong wrists and an expensive watch.
His deep gaze swept over the chaotic room before landing on Lin Mi—surrounded, defensive, yet unyielding.
The moment he entered, the atmosphere shifted.
His presence alone carried an overwhelming aura that silenced the entire private room.
“So lively in here?”
He raised a brow slightly, lips curved with a faint, ambiguous smile.
His tone was light, almost lazy.
President Li, who had been roaring with rage just moments ago, froze.
The moment he recognized the newcomer, his expression changed completely.
Ignoring his swollen face and dripping blood, he scrambled forward with a fawning grin.
“Director Wei—Wei! Finally! Please, come in, come in. We were just… just joking around!”
Wei Xun did not acknowledge his flattery.
His gaze drifted back to Lin Mi—meeting her eyes.
Those clear eyes now held anger, shame, and stubborn defiance.
His gaze lingered for a second on her flushed cheeks and slightly messy hair.
He understood instantly.
He knew this scene well—far too well.
Such tricks were common in their circles, and always deeply distasteful.
“Joking around?”
He let out a soft, cold laugh, strolling forward with casual elegance.
His long fingers brushed lightly against his cuff as he glanced at the embarrassed group.
“Why don’t I join the fun?”
The air froze.
Everyone exchanged panicked looks.
“…”
President Li and Huang Wei’s smiles stiffened. They couldn’t decipher his tone, so neither dared speak.
The men surrounding Lin Mi stepped back on instinct, their intimidation fading—they clearly sensed that this Director Wei was someone they could not afford to mess with.
Now!
Lin Mi seized the fleeting opportunity, shoved aside the men blocking her, and sprinted toward the door like a bolt of lightning.
As she passed Wei Xun, her footsteps faltered for the briefest moment.
She glanced up at him—quick, sharp—then dashed out without looking back.
Wei Xun watched her disappear, amusement flickering in his eyes.
Smart girl.
Then he withdrew his gaze and looked at the group inside, expression unreadable.
…
She rushed home in a cab, heart still pounding, until she reached the old apartment complex she rented. Only then did she finally relax and exhale deeply.
Familiar surroundings always brought a sense of safety.
Sitting on the small sofa in her living room, she realized she was still clutching her phone tightly.
When she opened her hand, she saw faint cracks across the screen protector.
“This shitty job—whoever wants it can take it! I quit!”
Two and a half months of exhausting long hours, still no sign of becoming a regular employee, and now she had almost sacrificed her brand-new phone.
Huanyu was ranked among the top fifty foreign companies in Rong City, a place countless job seekers dreamed of.
She herself had fought through several rounds of interviews to get hired. She had believed that with her skills and hard work, she would soon be converted to full-time and enjoy a high salary.
But society taught her the truth—professional skills alone weren’t enough.
You had to master flattery for your boss, obey every order without complaint, show two-faced diplomacy with coworkers, and when facing clients, possess the “spirit of sacrifice.”
Whatever the client wanted—you had to satisfy it.
Without these “skills,” you weren’t even worth a fart.
No matter how much overtime you worked, you could never compare to someone who buttered up leadership.
No matter how good your proposal was, it meant nothing compared to someone who drank a few extra glasses with clients.
But this job was the best opportunity available to a fresh graduate like her. Short-term, it would be nearly impossible to find a foreign company this good again.
It was a rare chance.
That was why she had endured so much.
But in the end, she still couldn’t hold back.
“Sigh~”
Putting the phone down, she stood up. Whatever happened had already happened—there was no point overthinking.
She took a long, refreshing shower, changed into loose pajamas, and lay comfortably on her bed.
Her earlier anger and lingering fear gradually faded.
Her decision to quit was clearer than ever.
But… what should she do next?
She sighed softly, picked up her phone, and habitually pressed the power button—only for the screen to flash white, then go completely black.
“No way… Did it break?”
She sat up immediately, pressing the power button down.
Earlier she’d only seen two cracks on the screen protector—did the impact damage the internal parts as well?
This phone was her parents’ graduation gift. It cost several thousand.
If it was broken… wouldn’t she have lost both her dignity and her phone?
(End of this chapter)