This Time, She Confesses First - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

On the night Jing Huan received the offer from Kangtai Group, Jing Zhengrong video-called her for over an hour, cautioning her about things to note when entering the workplace: she couldn’t be as simple and casual as she was in school. She had to learn to be cautious in her words and actions, learn to read the boss’s expression, and speak and act with proper measure. She must diligently complete her own duties, but should manage fewer things that weren’t her business and avoid being a busybody.

And matters between leaders fell under “things that shouldn’t be managed.”

Therefore, Jing Huan did not mention Wang Shengke’s words and actions outside, nor did she deliberately criticize his moral corruption or flatter how sharp Ke Qingyun’s tongue was, which could put a person down until they couldn’t lift their head. Gossiping was a major taboo in the workplace, and Ke Qingyun was currently just her superior.

“Ms. Ke, I’ll head out first.” Jing Huan waited for nearly half a minute, and seeing no further instructions from Ke Qingyun, she consciously started to leave.

Unexpectedly, Ke Qingyun called out to stop her, “You’ll come with me to the welcoming dinner tonight.”

Tonight’s dinner was mainly to welcome the leaders from Beijing. Several high-level leaders from the campus would be present. As an assistant, Jing Huan certainly needed to attend. She had to book the location in advance, confirm the dishes and drinks, and also drive the entertained Ke Qingyun home. This was work that had been reported yesterday.

Thinking Ke Qingyun had forgotten due to being busy, Jing Huan repeated the summary, “I already booked a private room at Renda Hotel the day before yesterday, seating for thirty people. The dishes and hotel are based on—”

“I know,” Ke Qingyun interrupted her. “I mean, you’ll join me at the table for dinner.”

Jing Huan froze. Accompanying the boss at social events was part of an assistant’s job, but it depended on the situation. When accompanying minor leaders, Jing Huan would handle trivial tasks like ordering, pouring water, and settling the bill. But this time, they were all major leaders; it seemed inappropriate for her, an assistant, to take a seat.

Seeing Jing Huan’s difficulty, Ke Qingyun smiled, encouraging her, “It’s no different from the previous banquets. Don’t worry and go.”

Jing Huan braced herself and said, “…Okay.”

Ke Qingyun was hosting the dinner, so they arrived earlier. Other leaders arrived one after another later, including Wang Shengke. When he saw Jing Huan, he smiled broadly and said, inexplicably, “This outfit is quite feminine.”

The leaders next to him immediately looked over, their expressions playful. Jing Huan’s smile was stiff. Enduring the discomfort, she said, “Thank you.”

The dining table was large, but not so large that you couldn’t hear others speaking. Ke Qingyun was smiling and chatting with the leader next to her, but upon hearing this remark, her smile gradually faded. She slightly raised her eyes and looked across the table. Jing Huan was pouring water for the leaders at the table. After making a round, she sat down somewhat nervously next to Ke Qingyun.

The topic of conversation ended, and the leader next to her turned to chat with Yao Jie. Ke Qingyun straightened her body and slowly leaned towards Jing Huan, “We can start serving the dishes now.”

“Okay.” Jing Huan quickly stood up to inform the waiter.

Everyone seated here had ulterior motives. Before the real point was made, there would be ten or even twenty sentences of nonsense as a preamble, and then the actual point would be brought up seemingly naturally.

Jing Huan disliked this feeling; it was too hypocritical. Fortunately, this had nothing to do with her. She was just an assistant, only needing to do the job of serving tea and water. Playing mind games with this group was Ke Qingyun’s job.

But she never expected the topic to be redirected to herself. Jing Huan didn’t even hear the preparatory nonsense and only heard Ke Qingyun call her name.

In front of the many leaders, Ke Qingyun and Yao Jie acted like a comedy duo, praising her, an inconspicuous assistant, as a high-end talent who graduated from a prestigious university, was knowledgeable, well-cultivated, and had unlimited potential.

Half-true and half-false, Jing Huan felt guilty, but seeing the approving and admiring glances of the other leaders, she could only silently accept this honor. Just now, when everyone was discussing work and life, no one paid attention to Jing Huan, merely treating her as the server responsible for tea and water.

But when “assistant” became “Ke Qingyun’s assistant.”

People started talking to Jing Huan, smiling and sharing about their own assistants, saying they were also recent college graduates, discussing the pros and cons of their assistants’ work, suggesting Jing Huan and her assistant should add each other on WeChat, as they were both young people, to facilitate sharing work experience and progressing together. Other leaders expressed great interest in Jing Huan’s university, jokingly calling it the alma mater they had dreamed of in their youth but couldn’t get into due to insufficient scores, complimenting Jing Huan as a talented young woman and praising Ke Qingyun’s good judgment.

A person feels awkward because they are unfamiliar with the environment or the people, or because they are overlooked and feel out of place, leading to stiffness and discomfort. But when someone could bring up familiar topics, creating a common language and interest, Jing Huan’s body and mind relaxed. She was no longer sitting on pins and needles. When picking up food, she secretly glanced at Ke Qingyun out of the corner of her eye. The one who started this whole affair of praising her as a successful person was also chatting and laughing pleasantly with others.

But there was always someone to spoil a comfortable atmosphere. Someone started a discussion about the regional differences between the North and South. People with substance would generously talk about geographical, cultural, and environmental differences, while those with empty heads would only say: “The South is too hot in the summer. It’s hot even in a T-shirt. Looking across the street, all you see are women wearing shorts and vests.”

Wang Shengke chuckled, his words carrying a bit of drunkenness, “Jing Huan, what clothes do you like to wear in the summer? Do you wear shorts too?”

It was another invasive question. Wang Shengke repeatedly brought up Jing Huan. Someone asked with a laugh, “Mr. Wang, are you very familiar with Ms. Ke’s assistant?”

“Of course,” Wang Shengke said, “This beauty gave me the tour when I visited Ms. Ke’s office this morning.”

The word “beauty” coming from Wang Shengke’s mouth sounded particularly disgusting. Jing Huan didn’t want to deal with him at all, but Wang Shengke kept talking about her non-stop, “They say Southern women are gentle, and Northern women are rugged. Someone like Jing Huan must be a Southerner.”

Jing Huan gave a perfunctory smile, “I’m a Northerner.”

“Then what do you wear in the summer? Hot pants?” Wang Shengke’s face was round, and his smile exuded a sickeningly greasy feeling.

Jing Huan pursed her lips, about to say she wears the clothes appropriate for the season, when Ke Qingyun suddenly looked up and said to Wang Shengke with a smile, “Mr. Wang seems to have had too much to drink. Do you need someone to take you back to the hotel?”

Everyone else at the table understood the deeper meaning of these words, giving Wang Shengke a warning look, signaling him to stop. But some people, once drunk, didn’t know their place. “How can I? I haven’t even had a drink poured by Jing Huan yet.”

“Mr. Wang appreciates you so much. Just pour him a drink, Jing Huan,” someone tried to mediate.

Ke Qingyun, however, wouldn’t allow it. She smiled and said, “No need. We don’t have that rule here.”

The atmosphere became tense again.

Jing Huan knew Ke Qingyun was angry. She was smiling, but it was just a simple lift of the corner of her mouth, and her eyes were unusually sharp, giving off a sense of pressure. This was different from her usual smile. When Ke Qingyun was in a good mood, her eyes would curve into crescents when she smiled, full of tenderness, which was particularly heartwarming.

“Ms. Ke, that’s not right,” Wang Shengke held the wine dispenser and stood up from his seat, swaying slightly as he walked toward Jing Huan. “As a leader, what’s wrong with asking her to have a drink with me?”

Everyone at the table broke out into a sweat for Wang Shengke. The leaders who came from Beijing, seeing the scene going sour, quickly advised, “Shengke, that’s enough. If you’ve had too much, go back and rest!”

Wang Shengke was unwilling, but he couldn’t afford to offend either of the two people speaking. He could only angrily leave. The small incident passed quickly, and a harmonious atmosphere returned to the dinner table. Jing Huan, however, couldn’t muster any enthusiasm. She occasionally stole a glance at Ke Qingyun. It was as if the incident hadn’t happened. She was chatting with people with a smile, calm and natural, just like the Jiejie in her memory, and yet, somehow different.

After the dinner, Ke Qingyun sat in the back seat as usual, resting her head on her palm. Jing Huan drove very slowly, afraid of disturbing Ke Qingyun’s rest. After entering the residential area, she softly called out, “Ms. Ke, we’ve arrived.”

Ke Qingyun had a terrible headache and hadn’t been asleep the whole time. Hearing Jing Huan call her, she opened her eyes, glanced out the car window, and asked, “What time is it?”

“Ten-thirty.”

Ke Qingyun nodded, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly asked, “Did Wang Shengke harass you this morning?”

Jing Huan paused, unsure how to respond. Wang Shengke’s words certainly made her uncomfortable, but how could work always go smoothly? It was normal for there to be friction between leaders, and they were still leaders. But if she, an assistant, were to complain to her superior about a Beijing headquarters leader, the nature of the matter would change.

“Why are you not speaking?” Ke Qingyun asked. “Yes, right?”

Jing Huan hesitated for a moment and shook her head, “No, he just asked me my age and if I was a student.” Jing Huan tended to forget unpleasant things quickly. She only remembered that Wang Shengke was very greasy and didn’t want to recall the specifics of what he said.

But Jing Huan’s hesitancy came across to Ke Qingyun as fear, but she was afraid to speak, which made Ke Qingyun a little irritated. Her tone wasn’t very pleasant, “Why are you afraid of him?”

“…” Jing Huan’s heart jumped. She quickly looked up. Why was she afraid of Wang Shengke? Wang Shengke was a leader from the headquarters, and she was an intern assistant. It was normal to feel a sense of awe and respect, like a freshman meeting the dean. Furthermore, she was worried that Ke Qingyun might face disciplinary action because of this.

No matter what, Wang Shengke was a leader from the headquarters. The word “headquarters” sounded authoritative and imposing, as if it could overpower Ke Qingyun. Wouldn’t Wang Shengke go back and complain after Ke Qingyun ridiculed him because of her?

Thinking that Jing Huan might have also been verbally harassed by Wang Shengke this morning, yet the person involved dared not say anything, Ke Qingyun impatiently asked again, “Why are you silent again? Turn around and answer my question.”

Her tone was very harsh.

Jing Huan didn’t understand why Ke Qingyun was so angry just because she didn’t want to offend a leader. She felt inexplicably wronged, lowered her head, and softly complained, “Why are you being so fierce?”

“…”

Ke Qingyun froze, blinking rapidly a few times.

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