Chapter 25 He hugged Yi Sheng even tighter.

The weather forecast predicted bright sunshine when I woke up in the morning, but it gradually got dark before lunchtime.

When Bai Ye was having lunch, she glanced at the weather forecast and it had completely changed; it was going to rain heavily for the next few hours.

During her lunch break, Bai Ye was drowsy but felt a tightness in her chest and had an inexplicable premonition; in short, she didn't feel well.

The cases that Qiu Dabai had originally turned down came to her in the morning.

Qiu Dabai slammed the stack of completed documents on the table in front of all the designers and questioned her, "Xiao Bai, didn't I ask you to do these cases?"

"And now? You're letting someone else do it?!"

"Now that you've been promoted to a celebrity designer, you're putting on airs!"

"Do you think you're the only celebrity designer in the store? Aren't all the others obediently following orders?!"

The stack of documents slammed onto Bai Yeke's desk, the splash sending her hair flying. She instinctively closed her eyes, slightly startled.

Bai Ye opened her eyes, turned her head to look, and frowned.

Seeing her honest appearance, Qiu Dabai always knew in his heart that she was a naive and obedient girl, and that she wouldn't go crazy if she was scolded after gaining power. So he scolded her even more skillfully.

"how do you say?!"

Bai Yeke stood up and looked at Qiu Dabai seriously. "Designer Qiu asked me to do this, but it was a private conversation and it wasn't really a work assignment. Besides, I didn't agree to it."

In fact, she is not responsible for this.

"Afterwards, I reported the situation to the manager. I was indeed too busy and unable to handle it. The manager reassigned the work based on the actual situation."

"Oh!" Qiu Dabai was most annoyed by these young people who pretended to be reasonable, acting all serious but actually completely ignorant of social etiquette. "So, it's because I was tactless and put too much work on you?"

This kind of rhetorical question is very selective in terms of one's mindset.

These are clearly unreasonable things and behaviors, yet they attempt to distort the truth through such rhetorical questions.

Bai Ye gritted her teeth.

Isn't that exactly what you did on purpose?

Even if she wasn't sure last time, now that you're causing trouble, she can be absolutely certain.

The other designers remained silent, some watching the spectacle with amusement, others feeling indignant but helpless. Even He Xin frowned, daring not to speak out in anger.

Bai Yeke had always been relatively unknown, and this was the first time she had encountered such a seasoned veteran targeting her, leaving her feeling quite helpless.

But she insisted, "I have completed the work report and coordination on my end."

She avoided the rhetorical question.

"Ha." Qiu Dabai retorted, "I handed it over to you without reporting to the manager or properly handing it over, is that what you mean?!"

That's exactly right.

But Qiu Dabai's shamelessness and bluntness made it even harder for the usually polite Bai Ye to say anything.

"I think I'm fine." Bai Ye was less assertive, but she was unwilling to accept unfair treatment for this reason. "I can't judge how Designer Qiu is doing."

"They keep calling him 'Designer Qiu' without even calling him 'teacher.' They've really grown up and now that they're a star designer, they don't respect us old folks anymore!"

One sentence after another, Qiu Dabai's attitude was very clear: he wanted Bai Yeke to bow down, otherwise he would not stop.

Upon hearing the news, Zhang Xiaoli rushed over quickly, and her first action was to pull the sliding door shut behind her.

"What are you all doing?" Zhang Xiaoli had a headache just looking at the two of them facing off.

She tried to mediate, saying, "Wasn't the matter from last time already rearranged?"

She first addressed Qiu Dabai, saying, "The work is all done, why bring it up again? Aren't we all just doing this for the job? Xiaobai is a young designer, you should be giving him more guidance, why are you acting like this?"

To be fair, she turned to Bai Yeke and said, "Xiao Bai, you too, Teacher Qiu is a veteran in the store, there's no need to argue with him."

He's very good at mixing mud and mud.

Bai Ye took a deep breath and decided that since her boss had intervened, she should just let it go.

But to everyone's surprise, Zhang Wuliao spoke up again. He walked over and said, "Manager Zhang, isn't it a bad idea to take sides?"

"Teacher Qiu also wants to improve the work in the store, and giving the young people some responsibility is a good way to guide them."

"If you say that, we won't be able to say anything to the staff in the store anymore."

Qiu Da, having come to pay respects to his senior brother, immediately declared righteously, "That's exactly what I'm saying."

Zhang Xiaoli's face immediately darkened. She hadn't expected that this duo would openly defy her mediation.

"Alright, that's enough," Zhang Xiaoli said, suppressing her anger. "Let's get back to work, we can talk about this later."

The matter was put on hold for the time being, and it remained so until the lunch break ended.

Bai Yeke was half asleep when she heard the rain pattering down.

When she opened her eyes, lightning flashed and then a rumble of thunder sounded. Her heart pounded, and she was fully awake.

She glanced at her phone; Yi Sheng had sent her a message.

A life of tranquility: It's raining so hard. I'll pick you up after get off work, don't run away.

Coconut Cola: Okay, thank you.

Bai Yeke's mind was in turmoil, and Yi Sheng's thoughtfulness made her somewhat stunned.

There is so much malice in the world, always coming out of nowhere and without reason. The more down on their luck someone is, the more they like to cause trouble for others.

Yet some people, standing at such a high vantage point, may seem aloof and cold, but their kindness is so subtle and delicate.

Just before the end of the workday, this farce finally unfolded with yet another act.

Bai Ye received a message asking her to have a short meeting after get off work.

The meeting consisted of only her, the two-person team, Manager Zhang, and the store manager.

"The first person I need to criticize today is Manager Zhang," the store manager said seriously from the start.

Zhang Xiaoli sat expressionless, looking at the store manager with a heavy expression.

"As a department head, I failed to mediate changes in departmental relationships in a timely manner, which caused resentment among employees," the store manager pointed out Zhang Xiaoli's mistake.

Zhang Xiaoli had nothing to say, and only expressed her sadness and obedience through silence.

The store manager then turned to Bai Yeke, saying, "The one with the biggest problem this time is designer Bai."

!

Bai Ye's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at the store manager in disbelief.

The store manager's usual gentle and mild demeanor disappeared, replaced by seriousness and a businesslike attitude.

However, this statement is neither fair nor impartial.

“I’ve looked into the details. Designer Bai is indeed very busy, and I understand.” The store manager frowned slightly. “However, you still need to take the tasks assigned by senior colleagues seriously. Our company culture emphasizes camaraderie among colleagues. As a younger colleague, you must respect your senior colleagues, understand?”

Bai Yeke's mood grew heavier as she listened.

She wouldn't openly contradict the store manager at the meeting, but the store manager ended the meeting with a question.

Why must she bow down to that duo?

They were the ones who started the trouble, and she didn't even care.

Outside the meeting room, it was noisy as everyone rushed to leave work. The sound of rain was sometimes loud and sometimes soft, and the traffic on the road was constant.

No one spoke in the meeting room; everyone was waiting for her answer.

Bai Ye closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again and softly replied, "I understand."

"Ha." Zhang Wuliao and Qiu Dabai sat on the other side of the conference table, their expressions mocking.

"I see. Xiao Bai has shown her attitude." The store manager then turned to the duo, his face not looking too good. "As long-time colleagues, you should focus on helping each other. There's no need to stoop to her level."

Bai Yeke's fingers curled at her side, her breathing became heavier, and she stared intently at the table.

"Heh, that's right," the two replied with a half-smile.

They were very pleased with themselves; they had won.

"Alright, everyone can go home now."

Bai Yeke walked out of the conference room. It was too dark outside, and the bright white lights in the lobby were uncomfortable for her eyes.

She was somewhat disoriented, but then she suddenly noticed that the only people sitting at the table were Yi Sheng and Lü Feiteng.

Yi Sheng's expression was indifferent. Lu Feiteng took a towel from somewhere and tried to hand it to Yi Sheng, but Yi Sheng refused to take it.

Lu Feiteng didn't press the matter, so he just smiled and continued sitting there.

Bai Yeke walked over. She was already in a bad mood, and seeing this scene made her even more uncomfortable.

"Can you stay away from her?!" Bai Yeke's voice was usually gentle, but now it was cold and hard.

Lu Feiteng's smile froze instantly; this made him lose face in front of Yi Sheng.

However, he couldn't bring himself to show his bad side in front of Yi Sheng, and he couldn't get angry at Bai Yeke.

He glared at Bai Yeke, then got up and left.

Yi Sheng frowned slightly as he looked at her, then quickly got up and led her away. "I... ignored him."

Although this explanation was completely unnecessary from Yi Sheng's perspective, he still said it.

At this moment, Bai Yeke had no energy to appreciate the special feelings Yi Sheng had for her.

She simply followed Yi Sheng outside.

It was indeed pouring rain outside the shop. Yi Sheng opened her umbrella and leaned over.

Bai Ye heard Yi Sheng let out a soft sigh, and she looked up at Yi Sheng a beat later.

The next second, Yi Sheng didn't say anything to her. He just held an umbrella in one hand, put his arm around her with the other, and held her arm tightly on the other side, leading her quickly through the rain.

The temperature is still quite high now, but it's only September. In previous years, this kind of heat would last until November, so Baiye can still wear short sleeves.

The wind whipped the rain through the umbrella and patted my arm, but it wasn't actually cold.

But the warmth of Yi Sheng's fingertips on her arm, the warmth of her being forced to lean against Yi Sheng's chest, was a very clear warmth.

In the blink of an eye, they were back in the car.

Yi Sheng handed her a towel and took one for himself to wipe his body.

Bai Ye moved a little slowly, wiping while looking out the window. After the car started moving, she took out her phone.

Lu Feiteng sent her a message.

Soaring to the Sky: Are you out of your mind?!

Soaring to the Sky: Haven't I spoiled you enough during this time?!

Soaring to the Sky: Look at your current situation! Who in the design department dares to stand by you!

Soaring to the sky: What's the use of your fame if you don't know how to bow to reality? You'll be taught a lesson anywhere!

As a store manager, Lü Feiteng would naturally know about the store manager's decision and that she was being criticized today.

These words have a double meaning.

It refers to both her work and her relationship with Lü Feiteng.

Bai Yeke exited the chat box without replying to him.

She was holding the empty towel when she suddenly remembered something.

No wonder Lü Feiteng handed Yi Sheng a towel when they were standing in the towering tower.

Yi Sheng walked one more trip than her and got even soaked.

She looked over and saw that Yi Sheng's suit pants were almost soaked down to his knees.

Logically speaking, Yi Sheng should have a car when she leaves home and take the elevator when she arrives at the company, so she shouldn't encounter such a situation.

It's all because of her. She's just a small shop, and she even made Yi Sheng brave the rain to go there.

Bai Ye felt guilty all of a sudden.

"Miss Yi, I'm sorry."

"Um?"

“…I made you get caught in the rain,” Bai Yeke whispered.

"You've come to your senses?" Yi Sheng chuckled.

"Um... I'm sorry." Bai Ye apologized again. The other person had kindly picked her up, and she had just given Yi Sheng a cold look. It had nothing to do with Yi Sheng.

Yi Sheng chuckled good-naturedly and stopped teasing her. "If you have anything that you find difficult, feel free to tell me."

Bai Ye is such an innocent person, her joy and sorrow are written all over her face.

Clearly, Yi Sheng sensed that something was wrong with her, but he tactfully refrained from asking further questions, instead offering a willingness to listen.

Bai Yeke naturally knew that what she had encountered was nothing more than an appetizer in front of Yi Sheng.

There was nothing to hide, and she genuinely wanted to hear what someone of Yi Sheng's status would think, so she spoke frankly.

"Yeah, it's pretty simple," Yi Sheng said.

She explained to Bai Yeke, "Your position as store manager is naturally for the sake of store development and harmony."

"If he sides with you, the duo will lose face. This is a signal. Your store's team and order were already very stable. Regardless of whether this seniority-based system is really appropriate, disrupting it rashly will cause the entire team to become unbalanced."

"While your words are currently valuable, you would never run away or cause trouble now. If you leave Santen, your current reputation will be difficult to leverage. After all, it was the collaboration between Yi's and Santen that propelled you to stardom. Moreover, in the industry, abandoning your old employer as soon as you gain some fame would be disrespectful and would be too sensitive, especially given the strong partnership between Yi's and Santen. Other brands wouldn't dare to use you."

"So, of course your store manager made you bow your head in exchange for temporary peace."

Bai Ye's frustrated mood, which had been building for most of the journey, was suddenly lifted by a few words from her.

Originally, Bai Ye was just indignant. Why was the duo being protected like this? Why should she, who was already the most valuable designer in the store, have to bow down because of such unfairness?

Is there really no path in the world that would allow her, a young designer with no connections, to have a good future?

After Yi Sheng's analysis, Bai Yeke almost had a sudden realization: she was too limited in her thinking.

But... Bai Ye was also feeling frustrated and confused. What path could she take ahead?

After parking the car in the garage, they went home, changed their shoes, and Bai Ye could smell the aroma of food.

The food that Yi Sheng had ordered was already laid out on the table.

Bai Yeke felt a mix of sadness and warmth in her heart. Although her work was so difficult and she had lost her home, she still had a place to go home to and a place where she could eat after get off work.

"Hey," Yi Sheng said from behind her.

"Um?"

You look a little pitiful.

"..."

Bai Ye felt helpless. Why did she have to say it? Saying it made her feel even more heartbroken.

"Want a hug?"

Bai Ye looked at Yi Sheng in surprise. The air conditioning had been on all the way, and Yi Sheng's trouser legs were already half dry. She half-raised her arm, not looking like an elite, but more like a slightly older sister.

"Um...um." Bai Yeke was a little nervous for a moment.

Seeing that she agreed, Yi Sheng took two more steps forward, hugged her, and patted her back reassuringly with one hand, "Sorry, I'm not very good at comforting people."

It still feels quite amazing that someone like Yi Sheng, who lives with her, would hug her and pat her back like that, and even gently apologize to her for not knowing how to comfort people.

A few seconds later, Yi Sheng loosened her grip and tried to pull away, but Bai Yeke grabbed Yi Sheng's back and hugged her even tighter.

Bai Ye didn't say anything, but simply buried her face in Yi Sheng's shoulder, breathing in the cool fragrance emanating from him. The rain outside the window was still heavy, but she felt a warm and relaxed sensation.