Speaking of which, Mr. Peng hadn’t closely examined his new secretary before.
Now, looking up, he gave her a thorough once-over.
Twenty-six years old, a graduate from a prestigious university, performing excellently since joining the company. After the previous secretary left, she was selected to be his new one. Not strikingly beautiful, her professional skirt suit gave her a sharp, capable air. Her makeup was subtle, her lipstick shade well-chosen, and… that was it. She’d been professional since becoming his secretary, but over time, it seemed she’d crossed a line.
“It’s rare for you to care so much about Guoqing. Let me give you two options.”
Mr. Peng set down his documents, a smile on his face, his tone unusually gentle. The secretary’s heart fluttered.
Despite her efforts to stay composed, her cheeks reddened slightly.
Mr. Peng was undeniably charming. Unlike some nouveau riche, he carried none of that crass vibe.
In comparison, Mrs. Peng, who’d left a “glorious record” at the company, was an outright shrew. Besides a face sculpted by beauty salons, what about her was worthy of Mr. Peng?
A full-time housewife like Mrs. Peng, even if spared from chores, should at least raise her child well!
The son she raised was a complete mess, the epitome of a spoiled rich kid, a “dog” to Mr. Peng’s “tiger.”
Recalling her interactions with Peng Guoqing, the secretary felt uneasy.
She genuinely felt Mr. Peng deserved better, not deliberately badmouthing Peng Guoqing.
If Peng Guoqing, unsupervised in Rongcheng, caused big trouble for Mr. Peng, how could she, as his secretary, not think ahead for him?
Mr. Peng’s response showed he took her concerns to heart.
Suppressing her shyness, she kept it professional. “Mr. Peng, just tell me what to do.”
She said that, but if Mr. Peng asked her to go to Rongcheng to look after Peng Guoqing, she’d find a way to refuse.
Mr. Peng leaned back, hands clasped. “You’ve done well at work, so I’ll let you choose. One, the company’s expanding to Southeast Asia, and I’d send you there as a manager, but you’d need to stay for at least three years before returning to headquarters. Two, go to the finance office tomorrow for a year’s salary as compensation, but I want your resignation letter by morning.”
The secretary’s shyness and joy froze, her flushed cheeks turning pale.
“Mr. Peng, why—”
He waved her off. “Don’t ask why. You’re smart enough to know. Now, get back to work!”
Either choice meant she’d still work today. Capitalists’ hearts were that ruthless; secretaries were hired to work, not to be paid for nothing.
Only those with blood ties, or Mrs. Peng, could spend his money without working.
The secretary left the office, her steps unsteady, nearly tripping at the door. She glanced back multiple times, but the charming Mr. Peng was like a cold statue, showing no pity or intent to keep her.
Unable to hold back, she covered her face and cried.
Colleagues exchanged glances.
They were used to such scenes!
They thought she was honest, but apparently not?
This time, Mrs. Peng hadn’t even stormed the company before Mr. Peng sent her packing. Curious, some colleagues approached under the guise of comfort, offering tissues. The secretary, full of resentment, needed someone to vent to.
Southeast Asia was tough, and three years away from headquarters was a no-go. She’d take the compensation.
Since she was leaving, she let her emotions spill.
She’d gone to great lengths to arrange Peng Guoqing’s transfer, reminded Mr. Peng to care about his son’s education—where had she gone wrong?
The colleague comforting her had a vivid expression, as if force-fed a fly, unable to swallow or spit it out.
With parents who didn’t worry, why was she meddling?
Working as Mr. Peng’s secretary, did she also want to play “housekeeper” in private?
No wonder Mr. Peng sacked her. But, curiously, Mr. Peng was vigilant, not falling for her advances. So why did Mrs. Peng always cause a scene?
Even stranger was Mr. Peng.
If he wanted to appease his wife, why not hire a male secretary?
One leaves, another comes, all female—a fixed Mr. Peng with a revolving door of secretaries!
In the break room, employees bet on whether the next secretary would be female.
As for why, no one could guess. One employee chuckled, “Stop guessing. How else is Mr. Peng the boss and we’re the workers? Maybe it’s his and his wife’s marital fun!”
Whether it was their fun, outsiders didn’t know. When Mrs. Peng heard her husband’s secretary was replaced again, she dolled up, visited the company, and sized up the new secretary from head to toe, making her shoulders tremble.
Boring!
Mrs. Peng didn’t even enter her husband’s office. Leaving the company, she called Peng Guoqing.
Peng Guoqing was in class when his phone rang.
The teacher paused, and the whole class stared.
Old habits die hard. Peng Guoqing grabbed his phone, intending to slip out the back door to answer, but the teacher threw a chalk piece at him, then beckoned. Peng Guoqing, clutching his chalk-hit face, was confused.
Wang Shuang snickered, kindly explaining, “He wants you to hand over your phone!”
Not only had Peng Guoqing transferred to the top provincial school, but by sheer coincidence, he was in Wang Shuang’s class!
Wang Shuang wasn’t thrilled.
In the same class, Peng Guoqing could track his every move. Whenever Wang Shuang went to Class 16, Grade 2 to find Xie Qian, Peng Guoqing shamelessly tagged along.
Except today.
Peng Guoqing was kept after school, ordered to write a self-criticism to get his phone back.
With his temperament, except around Xie Qian, where he played meek, he wasn’t fazed by threats!
No writing, absolutely not. He didn’t care about the phone; he could buy a new one. Defying the teacher meant his one-page self-criticism turned into reading it aloud at Monday’s flag-raising ceremony!
Refuse?
Fine.
The top school didn’t need troublemakers. If he couldn’t handle it, he could go back where he came from.
Wang Shuang nearly died laughing.
The enemy was so weak; why had he been nervous? No need for Wang Shuang to act—Peng Guoqing was sabotaging himself.
Stung by Wang Shuang’s taunt, Peng Guoqing snapped to his senses.
Why had he transferred to Rongcheng?
To change!
If Xie Qian didn’t accept him and he slunk back to the capital, wouldn’t it all be for nothing?
In the capital, Tai Wu and other rich kids scorned his sneaky transfer, vowing to cut ties. The fired secretary, after taking her compensation, called to curse him as a spoiled waste.
“I deeply recognise my mistakes and promise…”
At Monday’s flag-raising, Peng Guoqing read his self-criticism loudly before the whole school.
The spring breeze lifted his black hair. He wasn’t irredeemable. If he truly wanted to change, it wasn’t too late.
Wen Ying glanced at Xie Qian, unable to read his thoughts, but she had a hunch: if Peng Guoqing kept at it, Xie Qian would likely give this rich kid a hand!
