Chapter 20 So it was you who stole my boyfriend!

"You're quitting?" Jian Zhen paused slightly, then quickly made a judgment, shaking her head and saying, "I haven't thought about it."

Seeing her resolute attitude, Xu Weisheng didn't press her for more details.

During the meal, Yang Damei and Zixin talked about married life, family life, raising children, and the clash of ideas between the two generations. When they couldn't reach an agreement, they each sought support from Jian Zhen and Xu Weisheng. The two of them were very tacit and pretended not to hear.

After lunch, it was already lunchtime. The group waved goodbye to the farm owner, cook, children, and the big yellow dog, and prepared to head back. Jian Zhen rode in Zi Xin's car as usual. On the way, Zi Xin gestured for her to go first, as she wanted to argue with Sister Da Mei about paying the bill. Jian Zhen understood, yawned, and walked to the car first, shrinking into the passenger seat.

Not long after, Zixin rushed back, slamming open the car door. Jian Zhen, thinking she had lost out to Yang Damei, asked in confusion with her eyes half-closed, "So fast?"

“Director Yang’s handsome boyfriend is already married.” Zixin was very unwilling, but she couldn’t complain. She could only say, “I’ll have to find an opportunity to treat Sister Damei to a meal again. You can come too.”

"It's alright." Spending a rich kid's money isn't really spending; it's contributing to the redistribution of social wealth. Jian Zhen tilted her head and squinted again.

She fell asleep too quickly and didn't hear Zixin's next "Eh"—the village road was narrow, and Xu Weisheng drove his shiny Range Rover past Zixin's little Audi, performing a centimeter-level maneuver that was almost touching the wall. Before Zixin could even feel nervous, he had already overtaken her.

Is it absolutely necessary for this car to overtake?

Just as Zixin was about to scold the driver for being rude and not giving way in his limited-edition luxury car, Yang Damei called to apologize, saying that her child was home alone and the water pipe had burst, and that she had asked Xu Weisheng to hurry up and drive.

Well, Zixin could only express her understanding. Being a single mother is not easy. Yang Damei was over forty years old when she had this child, so naturally she cherished him like the apple of her eye. She asked Damei not to worry about it and to go ahead.

The call had barely ended when another call came in a few minutes later. It was her inseparable fiancé: "Honey, someone cancelled their reservation for the main dress you liked last time. The bridal shop just called me and told me to hurry up and take you to try it on. What time are you free this afternoon? I'll pick you up."

Upon hearing this, Zixin was so excited that she almost jumped out of her seatbelt. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! You should know that these days, the effort required to organize a wedding is no less than that required for the college entrance examination. Venue, MC, band, wedding car, banquet, drinks, bridesmaids and groomsmen, and even wedding photography... If you want to do everything to your liking, you have to plan it at least six months in advance.

Her wedding date had been set long ago, but the only downside was that the main dress she tried on and loved was reserved by someone else, and she couldn't get a second one in a short time, so she had to settle for the second choice. Now that the bride had cancelled her reservation, it was like a windfall for her, and she would have to hurry up and take it.

Jian Zhen was awakened by her chattering. She scratched her head and asked sleepily, "Where's my down jacket?"

What? Zixin turned her head sharply to stare at her, and made a decision in just two seconds.

When they pulled over, Xu Weisheng's car had been waiting by the roadside for a while. When Yang Damei saw them stop, she immediately opened the car door, wrapped in a black cotton-padded coat, and hurriedly ran over. Jian Zhen also opened the door and got out of the car at the same time.

"I'm so sorry, but I've already arranged with Weisheng to take you. Don't worry, just call me if anything happens." Yang Damei gripped Jian Zhen's hand tightly, her face full of guilt.

"It's okay, you guys go first." Jian Zhen was only wearing a pure black close-fitting knit sweater. When the cold wind blew in the mountains, goosebumps rose all over her back.

After a hasty farewell, Zixin drove off with Yang Damei. Jian Zhen shivered, arms crossed, and stood rooted to the spot. Xu Weisheng, as expected, turned around and came back, the car door stopping right in front of her.

Jian Zhen gritted her teeth, opened the door, and got into the car.

The car was already warm, but seeing her pale lips, Xu Weisheng turned the temperature up a bit more and joked, "Did I even get a tenth of my conscience back?"

Jian Zhen glanced at him, rubbed her hands together, and breathed on her palms, saying, "50% is fine."

"The task is arduous and the road ahead is long," Xu Weisheng sighed calmly.

"Director Yang doesn't seem to know I know you." Jian Zhen pouted, recalling the scene of switching seats with Yang Damei just now, when the other party seemed to be reassuring her that Xu Weisheng was not a bad person.

"Isn't that what should be done?" Xu Weisheng asked with a smile, "Did you introduce me to her?"

"You're the one who asked her about me, right?" Jian Zhen's mind raced, and she said sharply, "Didn't you say that she told you about me being locked up in the dark room? If she didn't know we knew each other, why would she suddenly bring me up with you?"

Xu Weisheng couldn't help but laugh. He looked over with a smile, his eyes seeming to say, "You're really narcissistic." Jian Zhen blushed at this and turned her face away, puffing out her cheeks.

"She didn't bring you up herself. I asked her what she'd been up to lately, and she said she was rushing to finish a draft for 'Mystery Valley.' I was surprised because, given her position, she wouldn't need to do these basic tasks herself anymore. After asking her more closely, I found out that she was helping out the original illustrators in the group."

Jian Zhen paused for a moment before speaking: "...At first, I also thought it was a bit unbelievable. Qi Li has inherited a lot of the management culture of Japanese companies. The hierarchy between superiors and subordinates is actually quite clear. When she said at the meeting that she was willing to be my second-in-command, I thought I was dreaming."

“Sister Da Mei…” Xu Weisheng hesitated for a few seconds before saying, “She is indeed a very nice person.”

“I know that.” Jian Zhen frowned and said impatiently, “But her kindness is generalized and indiscriminate. I’ve been at Migu for half a year, and apart from work, I don’t really have any other relationship with her. If you’re saying that she’s only doing this because she pities me and sympathizes with me, then aren’t the others also pitied and busy enough?”

Xu Weisheng raised an eyebrow in surprise, glancing at her out of the corner of her eye. She heard her stroke her chin and say, "I didn't think too much about it at the time, but after thinking about it carefully, I guess she might have intended to step down. Perhaps this position is too lonely at the top, the pay is average, and it's impossible to take care of the family. She's wanted to quit for a long time, but this opportunity just happened to come along, and if she seized it, she could retire gracefully and safely. During the two weeks she worked with me on the manuscript, the director's job was temporarily handed over to Lao Le, who is quite appreciated by the investors..."

As Jian Zhen spoke, she actually came to a fairly good understanding of the facts. Lao Le was not formally trained, but she was indeed a talent in management. Moreover, compared to Yang Damei, she did not have as many unconventional new ideas and seemed to be more obedient. One of them wanted to step down, and the other wanted to take over. Her troubles had become an unspoken baton exchange in their relay race.

Jian Zhen clicked her tongue and muttered to herself, "The truth will probably come out at the meeting next week."

"It's a waste of your talent to only be an illustrator, Qili," Xu Weisheng said with a smile.

"You know?" Jian Zhen's voice rose at the end as she turned to look at him. Xu Weisheng had a mysterious smile on his face, and Jian Zhen suddenly realized what was going on: "You didn't go looking for her just to poach her, did you!"

Xu Weisheng sincerely praised, "You are indeed the smartest woman I have ever met at this age."

Jian Zhen lay back on the chair cushion, rolled her eyes speechlessly. Who cares about adding so many qualifiers!

"Isn't your company a game company? What can you do with her if you poach her?" Jian Zhen stared at the ceiling, a sense of loss welling up inside her. It wasn't like this when "Mystery Valley" was first being cut into pieces. Now, it's only on the second episode, and one after another, they're leaving.

"Do you know what games we play?" Xu Weisheng asked.

"I don't know, You Yu just took a picture of your business card and didn't say anything else." Jian Zhen thought of something funny and burst out laughing, which puzzled Xu Weisheng, who then asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"Hey, did you know? Zixin, who was having dinner with us just now, was just poached by your HR team last month to work as a designer." Jian Zhen leaned back on her neck pillow, a smirk playing on her lips, her cunning fox-like eyes fixed on him with ill intent. "President Xu, I bet you've never shown your face at the company before. She doesn't even know you. She was just joking about you with Sister Da Mei. If you two ever run into each other at the company, she'll be scared out of her wits."

Xu Weisheng was also stunned after hearing this: "What a coincidence."

“Yes.” Jian Zhen said calmly and sarcastically, “Your company has a consistent approach to personnel management from top to bottom, treating Qili as its own talent pool.”

"It sounds like you have a lot to say."

"How could I dare? It's good enough if I can only take care of myself. As for the others—" Jian Zhen stopped mid-sentence. It was harder to say something against her will than she had imagined. In truth, she didn't want Yang Damei to leave.

The conversation was interrupted, and Xu Weisheng suddenly picked up his question again, answering himself: "Xunyou started out making situational games, and we do welcome professionals who can coordinate the visuals and plot. Director Yang is more comfortable here with a management position than being caught in the middle at Qili. Don't worry, she and I are old friends, and I won't dig a pit for her."

Before Jian Zhen could even offer her an opinion, he interrupted, "Although the salary I offered her was higher than Qi Li's, it's still reasonable within the gaming industry. So you don't need to worry about me sacrificing my own interests to help an old friend. After all, I need to make money—I just don't know if I'm among your other people?"

His use of the phrase "others" was clearly emphasized. Jian Zhen pouted, looked at the rearview mirror outside the window, and muttered, "I don't care if you make money or not!"

Xu Weisheng smiled indulgently, slowly parked the car at the entrance of the farm, turned off the engine, and turned his head to ask, "What color clothes do you want? I'll go get them for you."

The last question Jian Zhen was about to ask was swallowed back. She choked up for a moment, then didn't refuse Xu Weisheng's kindness again, and quietly said, "White, thank you."