The CEO Keeps Crying - Chapter 2

The atmosphere in the office was even more tense than before.

After scolding Xiao Yang, Qiu Yibai leaned over to quietly give Wang Xi a few instructions before finally heading back toward her own office. Her long black hair swung in a graceful arc, her movements sharp and decisive, her presence commanding.

But when she passed by Shen Ningxin’s desk, her steps suddenly paused. Her gaze followed.

The eyes that Shen Ningxin remembered as gentle now looked cold and appraising.

Caught off guard, Shen Ningxin quickly lowered her head, instinctively glancing at her computer screen. Seeing that the spreadsheet displayed—already triple-checked—was flawless, she let out a small sigh of relief and lifted her head again.

Her expression was awkward, caught between a smile and not smiling.

She even hesitated over how to greet her.

Fortunately, Qiu Yibai spoke first.

But the name she called wasn’t hers.

“Pei Qing,” she said instead, “come to my office later.”

“Got it,” Pei Qing immediately replied.

Satisfied, Qiu Yibai gave a small nod and walked away without sparing Shen Ningxin another glance.

So… she hadn’t recognized her.

Shen Ningxin blinked, dazed. After calming herself, she carefully recalled the morning. There was no mistake—Qiu Yibai was definitely that woman. But her aura now was completely different, a world apart.

Then again, it was reasonable she hadn’t recognized her. After all, they’d only brushed past each other once. That morning her hair had been loose; now it was neatly tied back. The difference was enough.

Nodding to herself, Shen Ningxin stopped overthinking and busied herself with work. The entire afternoon passed that way—under Qiu Yibai’s scolding.

The Foreign Trade Department was large, split into smaller divisions. One of them, the Documentation Division, handled letters of credit and liaison with banks.

The data had to be exact—down to two decimal places, not a single character out of place.

Yet one young woman there had been distracted by romance lately. In her haste, she confirmed terms with the overseas partner before fully verifying everything. By the time mistakes were discovered, it was too late—three discrepancies in total.

The letter of credit had nearly been rejected.

Fortunately, Qiu Yibai, who made a habit of checking internal correspondence even while on business trips, noticed the issue in time. She personally coordinated with the bank and importer, paid the necessary penalties, and smoothed things over.

Still, the damage was done. The client’s trust in Corey had weakened, and in the future, Corey might no longer be their first choice.

For a department still in its growth stage, losing clients was disastrous.

The poor girl endured Qiu Yibai’s storm for a long while, and when she finally emerged, her eyes were rimmed red. Colleagues cast her sympathetic glances, but no one dared approach her.

Qiu always carried an intimidating presence.

Frighteningly so.

Shen Ningxin stole a glance toward Qiu Yibai’s office, then quickly looked away. In her mind, she added a few new descriptors to her impression:

Qiu. Strict to the extreme, perfectionist, fierce yet beautiful. Yibai.

The afternoon soon slipped away. Just as she clocked out, Shen Ningxin’s phone rang—it was Meng Yao, inviting her to dinner.

“Not tonight,” Shen Ningxin yawned, rubbing her eyes. “I’m too tired. I want to go home and nap.”

“Not even if there’s a pretty girl?” Meng Yao teased.

“Nope,” Shen Ningxin shook her head.

After all… no beauty could compare to their CEO.

The bus arrived just then. After saying goodbye to Meng Yao, she hung up and boarded.

The moment she got home, she collapsed on the bed and slept like the dead.

When she finally opened her eyes, it was nearly seven.

Her stomach growled in protest. She washed her face, opened the fridge—and found only half a carrot inside.

“…”

Only then did she remember she had used up all the ingredients making yesterday’s delicate lunchbox.

With a sigh, she slipped on her coat, slung her small bag over her shoulder, and headed downstairs to buy food.

It was rush hour—office workers and students alike crowding the supermarket. At the checkout line, the crush of people nearly squeezed the life out of her.

She regretted it immediately. She should have just gone with Meng Yao for dinner…

Lost in regret, she suddenly found herself face-to-face with someone familiar.

It was Qiu Yibai.

Her heartbeat quickened. Standing at the supermarket entrance, she hadn’t even managed a greeting before Qiu Yibai’s gaze found her.

It swept over her face, then dropped, pausing on the little dog charm dangling from her bag.

And then she smiled.

Her features were already soft by nature; the coldness of the afternoon had been carefully worn. Now, with that smile, the chill dissolved, leaving only warmth.

Her lips curved against white teeth, her eyes gleaming under the lights—strikingly beautiful.

Shen Ningxin forgot to breathe.

“Shopping?” Qiu Yibai asked gently. “Haven’t eaten yet?”

It seemed she had recognized her.

Shen Ningxin nodded quickly. “Not yet.”

“Go easy on the instant noodles,” Qiu Yibai remarked, her gaze flicking briefly to the items in Shen Ningxin’s hand. “They’re not good for you.”

She was… actually concerned about her.

“Got it. Thank you,” Shen Ningxin murmured. She stood rooted to the spot, watching until Qiu Yibai walked away, her lips curling unconsciously into a faint smile.

So even that stern CEO had such a gentle side.

The next morning passed in a blur of work.

At noon, as soon as people clocked out, they flocked toward the cafeteria in groups.

Remembering Qiu Yibai’s advice, Shen Ningxin glanced at the sandwich in her bag, then decided to head to the cafeteria as well.

She was idly chatting with her friends’ group chat when she looked up and saw the cafeteria was nearly full. Alarmed, she put away her phone and hurried to get food.

The company cafeteria had a great reputation—generous portions, tasty dishes, lots of variety.

Wang Xi had even joked to her on her first day: back when she joined, she barely weighed 100 pounds. After a few years of company meals, she was up to 150.

“Good food fattens you up,” she’d said.

Shen Ningxin chuckled at the memory, tray in hand, scanning for an empty seat.

The domestic trade staff outnumbered the foreign trade team, so the place was almost packed. No free seats nearby. She tiptoed to look further in—then spotted a rare, prime spot.

An eight-seater table, with only one person sitting there. All the other seats conspicuously empty.

That one person was none other than CEO Qiu Yibai.

“…”

According to Wang Xi, people of Qiu’s level had private dining areas. They almost never came to the cafeteria. Who knew why she was here today.

Shen Ningxin hesitated. But remembering that soft smile from last night, her feet unconsciously carried her forward.

Qiu Yibai had just returned from the factory and was wearing the blue-and-white uniform printed with “Corey Glass Beads.” Ordinary design, nothing fancy—but on her, it looked striking.

Her arms were pale, her waist slender.

Closer now, Shen Ningxin saw her meal: a simple plate of stir-fried greens, half a portion of cold bean curd strips, and a small fist-sized mound of rice.

Shen Ningxin glanced at her own tray, cheeks warming.

Quickening her pace, she stopped across from Qiu Yibai, greeting her politely with a pure smile, almond eyes curved. “President Qiu.”

Qiu Yibai paused, slowly raising her gaze. Her clear eyes swept over Shen Ningxin’s face, unreadable.

She answered softly, “Mm.”

And lowered her head to resume eating.

“…”

“…?”

Shen Ningxin blinked in confusion.

Why was her attitude so different from last night? Her eyes were cool, like she was looking at a stranger.

Was she in a bad mood?

Suddenly Shen Ningxin remembered the fierce way she had scolded people yesterday afternoon. Her first instinct was to retreat—but her disobedient body had already sat down.

Thud. Her heart sank with her.

A wave of bitterness rose in her chest. Too nervous to start eating, she pushed her tray forward a little, forcing a small smile. “President Qiu, would you… like to try my chicken leg?”

Qiu Yibai lifted her head, silent.

The atmosphere grew heavy. Shen Ningxin wished she could sink into the floor.

Half a minute later, Qiu finally spoke. Her gaze rested on Shen Ningxin’s face, growing darker.

“Your badge is crooked.”

Shen Ningxin froze, quickly apologized, and bent her head to straighten it. When she looked up again, Qiu Yibai was already on her feet.

She took a few steps, then paused beside her. The faint scent clinging to her was familiar, distinct.

“Have you forgotten what your teachers taught you?” she said, eyes fixed on Shen Ningxin’s flushed ears. “Don’t take food from strangers.”

With that, she walked away, leaving Shen Ningxin sitting there, dazed.

So… she really was a stranger??

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Author’s Note:

Shen Ningxin: headache.jpg