Chapter 155 Out of Line
Meanwhile, food safety inspections and employee training were also being rolled out one after another.
That afternoon, the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the office window onto the desk piled high with documents.
Qiao Wanyin was sitting at her desk compiling a report on food safety rectification.
Suddenly, a noisy commotion came from outside the window.
"Director Qiao!"
Xiao Li suddenly pushed the door open, his voice urgent.
"Mr. Lin is here again! Right at the front gate, saying he wants to see you."
Qiao Wanyin paused.
She looked up, a hint of impatience flashing in her eyes.
"What's he doing here again? Didn't I already clearly refuse?"
"I brought a lot of things!"
Xiao Li took a breath, his tone incoherent.
“Each person received a set of imported chocolates, along with silk scarves and skincare products, all in exquisite packaging. He said it was a special delivery to thank us for taking care of the children.”
Qiao Wanyin gave a cold laugh.
"What good intentions could there be? They clearly have ulterior motives! The more elaborate these things are, the more complicated their underlying intentions are."
She stood up and walked outside.
As soon as I stepped out of the courtyard, I saw Lin Zhiming standing in the courtyard of the mutual aid center.
He was smiling broadly as he spoke to several female colleagues.
He was dressed exceptionally well today.
His well-tailored dark gray suit accentuated his tall and straight figure.
The gold watch on his wrist glittered in the sunlight.
He has the air of a successful person.
Several young female employees were amused by him and giggled.
She was still holding the gift box he had given her.
As he spoke, he kept glancing towards the office.
They were clearly waiting for Qiao Wanyin to appear.
Upon seeing Qiao Wanyin come out, Lin Zhiming immediately stopped smiling.
Then, adopting a friendly demeanor, he stepped forward to greet her.
"Ah Qing, are you done? You look exhausted, you must have worked so hard."
Qiao Wanyin's expression was indifferent.
“Lin Zhiming, what exactly do you want? We have already said that we do not accept any private gifts, nor do we need your sudden ‘kindness’.”
Lin Zhiming, however, pretended to be aggrieved.
"I just wanted to do my part for the mutual aid center. Everyone works so hard, and I wanted to show my appreciation. Is that wrong?"
He turned to the side and pointed to the gift boxes piled up like a small mountain next to him.
"They're all for the children, one for each of them. The teachers also received gifts; it's just a small token of our appreciation, nothing more."
Qiao Wanyin's gaze swept coldly over the gift boxes.
The boxes were exquisitely packaged, and the brand logo was clearly visible.
It's full of expensive brand-name snacks and high-end toys available on the market.
She looked at it without feeling the slightest bit moved.
Instead, they became even more vigilant.
Such high-profile gestures of goodwill are never simply acts of kindness.
"unnecessary."
"We have clear regulations here: we don't accept items of unknown origin, and we certainly don't accept donations from individuals. Take these things back with you."
Lin Zhiming's smile remained unchanged.
"Aqing, do you have to be so wary of me? I just want to make up for my past mistakes, please don't be so cold."
"make up?"
Qiao Wanyin's eyes revealed a hint of sarcasm.
"You hurt me so badly back then, almost ruining my life. Now you think you can erase everything with a few boxes of candy and a few nice words? Do you think that's possible?"
Lin Zhiming sighed softly.
His voice was deliberately lowered, carrying a hint of apology.
“Aqing, I know you resent me. Every night when I close my eyes these past years, I think about what happened back then. But now I’ve really changed. I’m no longer the impulsive and selfish person I used to be.”
“I have worked hard in the port city for more than ten years and now I have my own company. Not only is my career stable, but my social status is also not low. This time I came back to seriously plan to invest in building a factory in the mainland. It is not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a long-term plan.”
He took another step forward, his words carrying a hint of probing.
“If you’re willing to cooperate with me, or at least stop avoiding me, I can help you. For example… your husband isn’t doing well at work right now. If I put in a word for him, he might get a promotion or a better position soon.”
Qiao Wanyin's eyes instantly turned sharp and cold.
"Lin Zhiming, are you threatening me? Are you using my husband's career prospects to force me to comply? Is this your so-called 'compensation'?"
Lin Zhiming immediately shrugged, putting on a wronged and innocent look.
"What are you talking about? I genuinely want to help you, how did that become a threat? Why are you overthinking things?"
"roll."
Qiao Wanyin's tone was cold.
"If you don't leave, I'll call security right now. Don't make me look bad in public."
Lin Zhiming's expression changed slightly, and a hint of gloom flashed in his eyes.
But he quickly put on that fake smile again.
"Okay, I'll leave, I'll leave. Don't get agitated, I respect your choice."
After everyone left, Qiao Wanyin remained standing in the same spot.
Her fingers unconsciously dug into her palms, and her chest rose and fell slightly.
After several seconds, she slowly raised her hand and tidied her hair, which had been ruffled by the wind.
Qiao Wanyin was about to turn around and go back to her office.
A few hushed whispers came from behind.
"Director Qiao, really! Mr. Lin is such a distinguished person. He came to deliver the gift in person with such a respectful attitude. How could she be so disrespectful? How embarrassing!"
"Yeah, I've never even heard of that chocolate. It's supposed to be a really famous brand from Hong Kong. It's flown in by private jet, and a box costs over a thousand dollars!"
"Mr. Lin is handsome, has a good temperament, speaks politely and well, and even prepared gifts for everyone in our office, including the interns. He's so thoughtful. If you ask me, Director Qiao is being a bit too meticulous."
Qiao Wanyin suddenly stopped.
She slowly turned her head and glanced around.
Several young female colleagues were gathered at the entrance of the tea room.
She was also holding an exquisite gift box in her hands.
Seeing her turn around, the group immediately fell silent.
But the dissatisfaction and grievance in his eyes were clearly written on his face.
Qiao Wanyin didn't say anything more, but simply went back to her office and sat down.
Xiao Li hesitated for a moment, but eventually walked over cautiously.
"Director Qiao, actually... Mr. Lin didn't do anything out of line. He came today just to express his gratitude, and his attitude was quite sincere... It's not too much for us to accept a gift, is it?"
Qiao Wanyin frowned and stared at Xiao Li.
"Xiao Li, do you really know what kind of person he is? Do you know what he did back then? Do you know what price is hidden behind his so-called 'good intentions'?"
Xiao Li was taken aback, his eyes flickering.
"Isn't he... a big boss from Hong Kong? He seems quite respectable..."
Qiao Wanyin snorted coldly, her voice filled with undisguised sarcasm and disgust.
"Boss? Ha, don't mention boss! Back then, he was a liar who cheated people everywhere! He looked respectable and dressed well, but who really knew what was on his mind? It's better to be careful and not be fooled by his face."
Before she could finish speaking, footsteps came from the other end of the corridor.
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