Debunking rumors

That morning after the Mid-Autumn Festival family dinner, Lan Tongtong and Mo Zhichi walked side by side into the project office, a sight witnessed by many early-rising colleagues. It was a common occurrence, but for those with a keen eye (especially those with nothing else to do), it became fodder for discussion.

The first place where the rumors started to ferment was in the Finance Department. Ms. Wang, who was known for her "information" and her love of matchmaking, was chatting with people from other departments one day when she lowered her voice mysteriously:

"Hey, did you guys notice? Early in the morning on the second day of Mid-Autumn Festival, Lan Tongtong came from the direction of Mr. Mo's house, and she came with Mr. Mo! The two of them looked... quite familiar with each other!"

A seemingly casual gossip, coupled with an ambiguous tone and a meaningful look, immediately ignited everyone's curiosity.

"Is this true? That can't be right? Mr. Mo is such a serious person!"

"Lan Tongtong? The one in the information room? They are of different generations!"

"Hey, what's impossible about this? Lan Tongtong is good-looking and young, and Mr. Mo has been single for so many years..."

"No wonder Lan Tongtong was transferred back to the data room from the beam yard so easily, and she can even help with measurement. It turns out there's this connection!"

People tend to believe rumors that are dramatic and satisfy their curiosity. Soon, the rumor that "Lan Tongtong and Mr. Mo are together" spread like wildfire throughout the project department. The versions became increasingly outrageous:

Some said that they had seen Lan Tongtong coming out of Mr. Mo's office at night, disheveled;

Some said that it was for Lan Tongtong that Mr. Mo got rid of Liu Feng, who had previously made things difficult for her;

Some people even said that seeing Lan Tongtong's close relationship with Mr. Mo's daughter Mo Xiaochi, she looked like a "stepmother".

By the time these rumors reached Lan Tongtong, she had become the center of attention. She could feel the strange looks and whispers from the cafeteria. When she went to other departments to do work, their attitudes became more subtle, with a mixture of inquiry and an inexplicable "politeness." Even Old Chen in the reference room looked at her with a more complicated expression.

Lan Tongtong was furious and anxious, but even more so, she felt a sense of grievance and powerlessness. She wanted to explain, but she didn't know where to begin. The more she tried to explain, the more likely it was to make things worse. She felt an invisible pressure, a suffocating pressure.

Project Manager Liu Chao and Chief Engineer Zhang Xiao had naturally caught wind of the rumors. Liu Chao privately muttered to Zhang Xiao, "Lao Mo and Lan Tongtong? That's... unlikely, right? Lao Mo isn't that kind of person. But... there's no smoke without fire." Zhang Xiao frowned, "These guys are so idle! But... Xiao Lan has been going to the Director's Office quite frequently lately."

The gossip within the project department hadn't subsided over time; instead, it had intensified. Those vivid "details" and "speculations" entangled Lan Tongtong like a spiderweb, leaving her feeling like she was constantly being judged by countless people.

That afternoon, Lan Tongtong was sorting documents in the document room when the project department secretary □□—an old comrade who usually didn't talk much and was mainly responsible for party building and ideological work—appeared at the door of the document room with a serious expression.

"Xiao Lan, are you free now? Come to my office." Secretary Li's tone was calm, but with an unquestionable tone.

Lan Tongtong's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding washed over her. She put down her work and followed Secretary Li into his simply furnished office, adorned with a Party flag.

"Please sit down, Xiaolan." Secretary Li pointed to the sofa and sat down behind the desk, crossing his hands on the table with a serious expression.

"Secretary Li, is there something you want to talk to me about?" Lan Tongtong asked nervously.

Secretary Li pondered for a moment, seemingly weighing his words, then got straight to the point: "Xiao Lan, you've heard the rumors about you and CEO Mo in the project department lately, haven't you?"

Lan Tongtong's face turned pale instantly, and her fingers twisted together involuntarily. The thing she was most worried about had finally happened.

"Secretary Li, those are all rumors! They're not true at all!" She argued eagerly, her voice trembling with excitement. "I was just delivering information for work. For the Mid-Autumn Festival, Brother Mo... Mr. Mo saw that I was alone and invited me to his house for dinner. That's all! There's nothing wrong between Mr. Mo and me!"

Secretary Li raised his hand and pressed it down, signaling her to calm down. "Xiao Lan, don't get excited. I'm not here to talk to you, to judge you. As the secretary of the project team, it's my responsibility to care about the growth and reputation of young comrades."

He paused, then said earnestly, "On our project, the environment is relatively closed, and interpersonal relationships are simple, so even the slightest disturbance can easily spread widely. Girls on the construction site must be especially mindful of influence and know how to protect themselves. Stay out of the way of others."

"Mr. Mo is your boss, an elder. If you're close to him, it's inevitable that some people will think too much. I know you might feel wronged, but people's words can be devastating! If these rumors spread too much, it won't be good for your reputation as a girl, and it won't reflect well on Mr. Mo either."

Secretary Li looked at Lan Tongtong's pale face and spoke in a slower tone, "Xiao Lan, you're a good child. You work diligently, and we all see that. What I mean is that in the future, when you're working together, you should keep a certain distance from Mr. Mo. Keep your official duties fair and just, and minimize unnecessary contact in private. That way, the rumors will naturally dispel themselves. This is also for your own good, understand?"

Lan Tongtong felt a mixture of emotions as she listened to these words. She felt wronged, angry, helpless, and a deep sense of powerlessness. She had done nothing wrong, yet she was forced to change her behavior based on others' malicious assumptions, even alienating herself from the very person she respected and... liked.

But she knew that Secretary Li's words were "correct" to a certain extent, out of a kind of programmed "protection." She was powerless to fight against the prejudice and gossip of the entire environment.

She lowered her head, swallowed the sob in her throat with difficulty, and whispered, "Secretary Li, I understand. I will pay attention."

"Well, I'm glad you understand. You are still young and have a long way to go in the future. Don't waste your energy on these meaningless things. Go back to work and don't think too much." Secretary Li nodded.

Lan Tongtong stood up and quietly left the secretary's office. Walking down the corridor back to the archives, she felt each step weigh heavily. The secretary's "reminder" was like an invisible wall, separating her from Mo Zhichi.

Mo Zhichi naturally heard about the project secretary's conversation with Lan Tongtong and the increasingly rampant rumors. He didn't take action immediately, but like a calm cheetah, he waited for the perfect opportunity.

A few days later, on a Friday afternoon, Mo Xiaochi drove to the project department. She was there on a "special mission" assigned by her father.

She did not go directly to the director's office to find her father, but parked the car directly in front of the project department's office building, and then walked into the document room with confidence.

"Sister Tongtong!" Mo Xiaochi's clear voice came in before she even arrived. Several people who were busy in the reference room raised their heads.

Lan Tongtong was a little surprised to see Mo Xiaochi, but she still greeted him with a smile: "Xiaochi? Why are you here?"

"Hey, don't mention it!" Mo Xiaochi complained with a look of "helplessness" on her face, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for others in the library to hear clearly. "My dad insisted that I bring you something. He said that these are some books on bridge engineering left by my mom. He found them while tidying up his things and thought you might be able to use them." As she spoke, she handed a paper bag in her hand to Lan Tongtong.

This reason is reasonable. It is understandable that Mo Zhichi cares about the academic and professional growth of his juniors.

Then, as if in a good mood, Mo Xiaochi took Lan Tongtong's hand and began to "reminisce about the past" in an intimate and natural tone: "Sister Tongtong, it seems like we are destined to be together! Do you remember? We were classmates in elementary school! Although you transferred to another school after just two years, I still remember you very deeply! Back then, you were very quiet and good at studying!"

Elementary school classmates!

These four words, like a bombshell, exploded silently in the library. The people who were listening intently nearby all had expressions of sudden enlightenment on their faces!

So that's it! No wonder Mr. Mo takes such special care of Lan Tongtong! No wonder Lan Tongtong is so close to Mo Xiaochi! They're old classmates! This relationship instantly makes sense! All the ambiguity and special relationship seemed pale and ridiculous in the face of the simple, reasonable excuse of "elementary school classmates."

Mo Xiaochi was still vividly describing the interesting things in her childhood, such as Lan Tongtong helping her with her homework, going to the canteen to buy snacks together, etc. (of course, this was a script that Mo Zhichi had "processed" in advance). The details were so vivid that one couldn't help but believe it.

Lan Tongtong was stunned at first, then she understood Mo Zhichi's intention, and a huge wave of warmth and gratitude surged in her heart. She immediately nodded in agreement and responded with a smile, "Yes, I didn't expect to meet you again after all these years, and on the same project. What a coincidence."

The two chatted intimately for a while before Mo Xiaochi "retired" and left the information room to go to the director's office to find her father.

Her back and forth seemed unintentional, but in fact, it was precise. Within half a day, the news that "Lan Tongtong turned out to be an elementary school classmate of Mr. Mo's daughter" spread like wildfire to every corner of the project department.

All previous rumors and speculation were shattered by this "official" explanation. While people suddenly realized the truth, they also felt that their previous speculations were too "dirty" and were embarrassed to discuss them further. After all, isn't it normal for leaders to care about the children of former classmates?