Chapter 68 - She Had Changed
The staff of Jingsheng Enterprise had come to admire their new President. He was extremely capable and resolved several issues within the company and outside smoothly. He ensured that all staff received a salary hike. Not to mention the fact that he was easy on the eyes, being so handsome.
However, the President was a mysterious man whose routine was never revealed. Management level staff almost never had a chance to meet their idol. The President’s office had limited access and no one was allowed to walk in there without prior approval.
Therefore, everyone envied Shangguan Ning, who was assistant to the President. They couldn’t help but wish that they were in her shoes.
Shangguan Ning,on her part, was obviously aware of the scorn she drew from the women in the company. From the day when she started work at Jingsheng, she realised that all her female colleagues secretly vyed for Jing Yisheng.
Some wanted to pry about Jing Yichen’s interests, some wished to deliver presents to Jing Yichen through her, whilst some were trying their best to understand her relationship with Jing Yichen...
She kept a calm exterior through all of this and dealt with them with a smile. Inside though, her heart was in constant turmoil.
How could this man, with such an indifferent attitude, be so attractive to girls? She was so jealous. At the same time, she feared that these women would ostracize her, if they were to ever learn that they were married, lived together and shared the same bed every day.
Therefore, she insisted on not entering the company with Jing Yichen, when they got to work every morning.
Every time it was Tiger, who drove the car to the neighbouring compound, where she got off the car, and waited until Jing Yichen entered the company. Only then did she walk in to the company herself.
Jing Yichen didn’t interfere with her decision. He wanted her to take her own time to come to terms with their relationship.
After all, sooner or later, it would be common knowledge that she was his woman.
When he saw Shangguan Ning get off the car this morning in her short skirt and black heels, he frowned.
Why hadn’t he noticed before that the skirt of the women’s uniform at Jingsheng Enterprise had been so short, that her legs were left exposed.
There was no way he would allow that to continue. He reminded himself to speak to the head of the administrative department. He would see to it that the skirt would be made knee-long or simply replaced with trousers.
With well polished hands holding onto a coat and a handbag, Shangguan Ning entered the front hall and exchanged New Year’s greetings with two of her colleagues.
After exchanging a few words with Shangguan Ning, one of them said, “A man is asking for you. He said that he is your friend. He is waiting in Guest Room No.7.”
Shangguan Ning was slightly startled. Who would be asking for her?
Seeing her confusion, Anna explained, “He said his family name is Xie.”
Shangguan Ning understood instantly – it must be Xie Zhuojun.
She really disliked him and his name. However, she thanked Anna with a smile and started to walk towards Guest Room No.7. She pushed open the frosted glass door and spotted Xie Zhuojun, who was dressed in a coffee-brown suit. He looked radiant and handsome.
For some reason, the same face that made her heart skip a beat a few years ago, now made her squirm. At this moment, however, she felt calm and peaceful. It was as if the slap she gave him, several days ago, had helped her vent her anger and appease her heart.
In spite of the fact that she had given him her all, this man never treated her with the respect and gratitude which she deserved. No doubt then, that she could never realise her own potential. She had liked him then but she was a different person now.
She never had been in love before. He had been in coma when she was engaged with Xie Zhuojun. As soon as he woke up, he had fallen in love with Shangguan Rouxue. They had had a short courtship period, but their relationship wasn’t that deep at all.
It was just that after taking care of him for so long, she had already treated him as her own family, and she had assumed that it had been love.
Seeing Shangguan Ning stare at him this way, Xie Zhuojun misunderstood. He thought that she still had some feelings for him.
He coughed to grab her attention. He then pulled out a cheque from his wallet and handed it over to Shangguan Ning.
“I got you a small present. Please accept it and don’t bully Xue in the future. You and I are not meant to be together. You shouldn’t blame others for it. I don’t love you. I never will. If you were to get along with Xue, then we could still interact. I will treat you like my sister and take care of you.”
Every word that Xie Zhuojun said, repulsed her. Shangguan Ning was no longer lost and thinking of the past. She looked sharp and in control. She looked at the cheque and spotted the 2 million yuan written there. She sneered. She tore the cheque and threw it on Xie Zhuojun’s face.
“Two million yuan? Is that all? ” Shangguan Ning had thought that her slap might have injected some sense into him.
It had managed to absolve her grudges against him. At this moment though, she was seething with anger and felt like giving him two more slaps.
“Mr. Xie, if you really want to compensate me, please show some sincerity. If you can’t be sincere, please stay away from me, otherwise your girlfriend would assume that I am clinging to you. I don’t think she would be able to handle that.”
Xie Zhuojun’s face flushed with embarrassment. Shangguan Ning didn’t stop there.
She said calmly, “There are fewer than five people who know that I am working at Jingsheng. How did you come to know of it? Have you got someone to spy on me? Or was it your girlfriend who told you about it?”
“Xue is worried about you. She cares about you. That’s why she took the effort to find out where you worked.” Xie Zhuojun explained.
He tried to suppress his anger and defend Shangguan Rouxue.
Shangguan Ning replied calmly, “Being worried is just an excuse you use to intrude into my life. My life is so much better without the likes of you and Shangguan Rouxue. Haven’t you realised that by now?”
Xie Zhuojun froze at the realisation. She was right.
He was unable to accept it. This wasn’t the Shangguan Ning he knew. The old Shangguan Ning would have been living an unhappy and unstable life without him, pining for him all the time.
Shangguan Ning said, “This is my work place. Please don’t come here ever again.There’s nothing left to say between us.”
Her tone was calm and peaceful. She was not angry or bitter. She was unaffected by him and Xie Zhuojun felt really unimportant. She had changed so much that he had no idea who she was anymore. She wasn’t like this before. Back then, she would easily adjust to his ways but not this time. Xie Zhuojun grew uncomfortable.