Shi Wei Yue had an elegantly refined face that didn’t appear sharp even when her expression was neutral. But when those eyes fixed intently on someone, there was an invasive quality to them as if she could gradually see right through her target, inside and out.
Wang Jie grew uneasy under her gaze, but the scrutiny of the others also made him flush with humiliation. He fumbled to turn off the projection, only to accidentally amplify the volume instead.
The sounds of flirtatious laughter echoed throughout the conference room. Wang Jie watched as his secretary’s expression shifted from initial respect to undisguised disgust. But what made him even more nervous was Shi Wei Yue’s faintly mocking gaze.
Having maneuvered through Yue Xing for so long, Wang Jie could tell by now that he’d been set up. But by whom? Department Head Qi? President Lu? Or someone else from a rival faction who had it out for him? He had offended too many people to pinpoint the culprit right away, he even began to suspect his own secretary might have been bribed.
“Was flirting in my office and projecting your little show for everyone in the meeting room all part of your thrill-seeking routine?”
As expected, Shi Wei Yue launched her interrogation. Anyone would be in a foul mood after coming to the company only to witness such a scene. Wang Jie guessed she might be considering disciplinary action against him and quickly seized the chance to apologize.
“I’m sorry, President Shi. I lost my head at the time. Fang Ya is a very dedicated artist, and she’s new to the company still young. The fault lies entirely with me. From now on, I’ll take the lead in rectifying our conduct. This kind of incident will never happen again.”
Wang Jie’s apology was as polished as could be, every word seemingly crafted to absolve his little lover. At the critical moment, he even appeared to “take responsibility.” But in reality, his speech was riddled with traps.
What kind of “dedicated artist” gets involved with an executive so soon after joining the company? The subtext was clear, his little lover was young, lacked connections, and was easy to control. If push came to shove, he could shift the blame onto the artist, Shang Fang Ya, then silence any internal leaks. That would be the end of it.
Having heard plenty of sophistry before, Shi Wei Yue was well aware of this old fox’s cunning. In most cases, the ideal solution might be to punish the female artist while forcing President Wang to toe the line at least ensuring he’d work diligently for a while. Not a bad trade-off.
But Yue Xing’s situation was different.
Under the original owner’s negligence, these parasites had nearly hollowed out the company from within. Once unhealthy practices took root, they were hard to eradicate especially when they had already become so deeply entrenched.
He was testing her. Shi Wei Yue understood that perfectly.
The original owner rarely visited the company, rendering her a mere figurehead in their eyes. If she compromised today or failed to handle this properly, they would look down on her, making it impossible to establish authority in the future. She’d have no choice but to watch as these people slowly devoured the company, leading it to ruin.
Shi Wei Yue wasn’t exactly a pessimist, but she always prepared for the worst. Only by anticipating the worst-case scenario and devising countermeasures could she prevent others from exploiting any openings.
Through her Bluetooth earpiece, she heard the woman’s breathing grow quieter, the movements on the other end almost imperceptible as if she didn’t want to disrupt her train of thought.
Shi Wei Yue lifted her gaze, quietly scanning the surroundings. At least half of the people present were core figures of Yue Xing. In the past, given her status, she wouldn’t have interacted with them. But now, pushed to this point, these once-unreachable figures had become the toughest nuts to crack. If one wanted to take a big leap forward, they first had to withstand the pressure that came with it.
The woman’s voice was soft, devoid of the explosive anger many had expected. Nor did she brush the matter aside with a jesting tone, as if sharing camaraderie. Her words, though not loud, were firm, just enough for everyone present to hear clearly.
“Sister Chi, send me the video you just recorded.”
The woman who had been watching the drama unfold was startled when suddenly called out. She hadn’t expected Shi Wei Yue to redirect the fire toward her. Instinctively, she tried to hide the phone she had secretly taken out, but Wang Jie, who had stood up, caught her red-handed.
The “Sister Chi” Shi Wei Yue referred to was one of Wang Jie’s subordinates, a rank below him. The two had once been involved, though the affair ended quickly. Both had families, and their dalliance had been nothing more than a fleeting act afterward, they went their separate ways.
Sister Chi had allowed the agents under her to bully artists, even forcing one to accompany clients for drinks. When the artist refused, she ruthlessly blacklisted them for a full six months her track record was riddled with misconduct.
At this moment, with Wang Jie in trouble, her recording of the incident wasn’t just for amusement. She was gathering evidence. Since the two were already at each other’s throats, Shi Wei Yue saw no harm in escalating the drama, helpfully bringing their feud into the open.
Under Wang Jie’s furious glare, Sister Chi felt caught between a rock and a hard place, her face flushing and paling in turns.
Shi Wei Yue, however, smiled at her warmly.
After her smile, it seemed the matter had concluded. Faced with Wang Jie’s probing gaze, Shi Wei Yue said nothing more, simply dismissing the meeting and sending everyone back to their tasks.
What should have been an ordinary morning meeting had turned into something far more eventful. The attendees left with mixed thoughts, some unable to resist glancing in the direction Shi Wei Yue had departed, as if trying to guess how she would handle the situation.
Wang Jie’s usual demeanor was far from likable while he had supporters, there were just as many who despised him. Watching the man hurry away, one of them sneered to their companion:
“He’s grown more and more lawless lately, really thinks he’s some kind of local tyrant. Daring to pull the tiger’s whiskers.”
The other joined in with a mocking tone: “Doing it in Shi’s office, what was he even thinking?”
The “tiger” in question, Shi Wei Yue, was in a rather good mood. Returning to her office, she didn’t immediately sit down but instead took her time examining the decor.
This office had been personally overseen by her sister, the original owner. Its aesthetic was a stark contrast to the wedding suite’s design even the transparent fish tank on the rosewood desk was studded with diamonds, a display of lavish extravagance.
No wonder Wang Jie coveted it. Shi Wei Yue glanced around casually; the place was so opulent that one could probably scrape gold dust off the surfaces just by touching them. Luxurious, yes but for someone of her stature, wasn’t it a bit excessive?
Moreover, the excessive ornamentation gave off a nouveau riche, gaudy vibe.
Lost in thought, Shi Wei Yue fell silent, momentarily forgetting she was still on a call. It wasn’t until Wen Ruxing’s voice came through the phone that she snapped back to attention.
“You didn’t call me just to gossip, did you?”
The villain was no fool otherwise, she wouldn’t have managed to target the female lead repeatedly in the story and still survive till the later stages. Neither the original owner of this body nor Shi Wei Yue was idle enough to call her and stay on the line for so long purely to share gossip.
But Shi Wei Yue wasn’t planning to openly sever ties with her either. Instead, she hinted meaningfully:
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just missed you. But someone who cheats shouldn’t get off scot-free. I plan to send the video of him to his wife.” Shi Wei Yue paused. “What do you think, darling?”