Chapter Ninety-Seven: She Will Do

When she returned to the office, Ruan Mianmian saw from a distance that the people inside had somehow grown lively, gathered in little clusters and talking in hushed excitement. Wang Yue was among them.

Ruan Mianmian stood in the doorway. Someone must have noticed her, because the office at once fell into an eerie silence.

Wang Yue turned and cast her a less than friendly look, then sneered and headed off toward her private office.

The others scattered in an instant, each returning to their desks.

Though Ruan Mianmian found it strange, her face remained as calm and unruffled as ever, as though nothing at all had happened.

“What were you talking about just now?”

Back at her desk, Ruan Mianmian asked the person in front of her in a casual tone.

The other person hurriedly waved it off with a smile and a shake of the head. “Nothing, nothing. Just chatting.”

Ruan Mianmian arched a brow but said nothing.

She suddenly realized that in barely the span of a noon break, the atmosphere in the office had changed again.

Those who had shown her warmth before now wore entirely different faces, as though afraid of being associated with her.

She had no idea what Wang Yue had said to them.

A faint suspicion rose in Ruan Mianmian’s mind.

Just then, a rapid series of footsteps sounded behind her.

She did not even need to look to know who it was.

“Since Director Ruan has just arrived, she surely isn’t familiar with the design department yet. During this period, let...” Wang Yue paused slightly, and Ruan Mianmian saw her gaze wavering among the employees, as if choosing someone.

The atmosphere in the office seemed to grow even heavier.

Ruan Mianmian curved her lips faintly, thinking to herself: this so-called Queen of Flowers really was not much of a player.

Then she lifted her eyes and, just as Wang Yue had done, let her gaze sweep across the room.

Everywhere her eyes passed, people avoided her stare as though fleeing a plague.

“Her.”

Ruan Mianmian pointed at random, and everyone froze for a moment.

Then all eyes turned to look behind her.

Nang Nuan stood rooted in place, startled, and pointed at her own nose.

“Me?”

Seeing the result, almost everyone let out a breath of relief.

A cool smile touched Wang Yue’s lips. She had originally intended to stuff Nang Nuan over to Ruan Mianmian, but she had not expected Ruan Mianmian to choose Nang Nuan herself.

It seemed her guess had been right after all: Ruan Mianmian had no intention of working properly. She was merely using the fact that President Jian was interested in her to put on a performance before him.

Truly shameless.

Ignoring everyone else’s gaze, Ruan Mianmian nodded at once. “Yes, you.”

Wang Yue smiled brightly and stepped forward. “All right then. Though Nang Nuan is still only an intern, she is diligent and honest in her work, so she really is a good assistant. Director Ruan has excellent judgment.”

Ruan Mianmian glanced back at her and knew she was saying that on purpose.

She nodded and said, “I trust my own judgment as well. From today on, Nang Nuan will help me get familiar with the work.”

“Of course.” Wang Yue nodded with a smile, then turned to Nang Nuan and beckoned her over. “Nang Nuan, you’re quite a promising young talent, diligent and clever too. You must follow the director closely and learn well from her from now on.”

Nang Nuan looked a little awkward, but there was a smile on her face as she hurriedly nodded. “I will definitely work hard. Thank you, Team Leader, and thank you, Director!”

Wang Yue curved her lips, nodded, then turned to leave.

“Nang Nuan.”

But Ruan Mianmian suddenly called her back, smiling. “Since that’s settled, your desk should be moved too. The seat beside me is empty. Come sit there.”

At this, Nang Nuan first froze, then quickly answered, “Okay, okay, I’ll move right now!”

With that, she scampered back to her former desk in quick, light steps to pack up her things.

At first, no one noticed anything amiss. Even when Ruan Mianmian helped Nang Nuan move her things, people only watched quietly.

But it was not long before someone caught on.

Cheng Yun nudged Chen Xiaoyu beside her with an elbow and whispered, “If Nang Nuan goes, who’s going to handle these documents from now on?”

She had just prepared a thick stack of papers to be photocopied and was instantly at a loss.

Chen Xiaoyu was clearly stunned as well, but then realization dawned on her. She pressed a hand to her forehead and said, “Right! The company hasn’t taken on any new people recently!”

Cheng Yun glanced over her shoulder and said flatly, “There are newcomers, but we wouldn’t dare order them around.”

“...”

Chen Xiaoyu looked troubled. Scratching her head, she said, “Even if Nang Nuan has changed desks, these jobs were originally hers to do. The director probably won’t say anything, right?”

The word “right” sounded very uncertain.

Cheng Yun’s eyes rolled, a smile curling at the corners of her mouth. She crooked a finger, signaling Chen Xiaoyu to lean closer, and whispered a few words into her ear.

After hearing her out, Chen Xiaoyu looked excited, though still somewhat hesitant.

“Meng Xueying may not meddle, though. What if she doesn’t go?”

“You just say it. Whether she goes or not is her business. What are you worrying about?”

Hearing this, Chen Xiaoyu immediately nodded. Seizing a moment when no one was paying attention, she quietly headed toward a certain seat up front.

The office was deathly quiet. Aside from the rustling of papers and the tapping of keyboards, there was hardly another sound.

Not long after, Chen Xiaoyu returned to her desk. Cheng Yun leaned in gossipingly and asked, “How is it?”

Chen Xiaoyu did not answer, but delight was written all over her face, and she lifted her chin to signal for Cheng Yun to look for herself.

Cheng Yun’s gaze sharpened. She saw a woman in an exquisite suit, her face heavily made up, rise from her desk and slowly walk along the aisle toward the inner part of the office.

That woman was Meng Xueying, the design department’s star designer at Broad Sea, and Wang Yue’s favorite employee.

She was not only strikingly pretty, but also outstanding in her work, and counted among the more respected people in the office.

Moreover, almost everyone at the company knew that Meng Xueying was also Wang Yue’s close confidante in private. The two were always inseparable, shopping and eating together.

It was said that when Meng Xueying first came to apply for the job, it was Wang Yue who had pulled the strings.

“Let’s just wait and watch the show!”

Chen Xiaoyu was thrilled, while Cheng Yun’s expression was far more difficult to read.

Truth be told, Cheng Yun was no worse than Meng Xueying at her work. But because of Meng Xueying’s relationship with Wang Yue, she had almost no chance to rise above the rest and was always made to feel lesser in the office.

Watching Meng Xueying’s indifferent, haughty manner now, Cheng Yun could not help feeling a little sour.

She wondered when she, too, might one day behave as freely as Meng Xueying, without having to mind anyone’s face.

“Please help me proofread this document. If there are no problems, help me send it out as well. Thank you for your trouble.”

Meng Xueying smiled brightly and directly placed the file in her hand onto Nang Nuan’s desk.