Chapter 32 No one underestimates this anymore…
Zheng Xiaotian reluctantly handed over his phone, as if afraid she would see through him.
Xia Zhiyao took it, her fingertips slid across the screen, and soon, a familiar contact message popped up, hanging coldly and conspicuously at the top of the chat box.
[Zhiyao, I'm very satisfied with your work with Zheng Xiaotian. He's indeed capable in his work, and I hope you can cooperate well with him.]
She stared at the words, her eyes flickering slightly. In her father's dictionary, the word "satisfied" was practically synonymous with the highest level of approval. And this time, that evaluation had fallen upon Zheng Xiaotian.
She slid down.
However, there's one thing I must remind you: Zheng Xiaotian's personal reputation has always been poor. You'd better avoid having too much personal involvement with him.
You should be aware of his past, especially the controversies surrounding his relationships. Don't get yourself into unnecessary trouble.
There was no emotional fluctuation in the words, no beating around the bush whatsoever; the structure was clear: first affirmation, then reminder, followed by setting boundaries, and finally a subtle layer of deterrence. The logic was rigorous, yet the emotion was as detached as a cold-toned data chart.
But she knew very well that behind such words lay a habitual yet awkward concern. He would never say "I'm worried about you," but only "Don't let anything happen to you."
She stared for a long time. "Guess what my dad said?" She looked up at Zheng Xiaotian, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.
He rested his chin on his hand, as if he had been waiting for this question, and smiled lazily: "While affirming my work ability, you also criticized my personal conduct?"
She gave a soft "hmm," her tone tinged with a hint of sarcasm: "You really do have self-awareness."
Zheng Xiaotian took the phone, his eyes filled with his usual sarcasm, and added to himself, "No matter how hard you work or how polite you are, it can't compare to a bad reputation."
As soon as he finished speaking, he laughed nonchalantly: "Zheng Xiaotian, well, he's bisexual, he doesn't refuse anyone who comes his way, he sleeps with whoever he catches..." He said this without any psychological burden, as if he himself was the source of the joke, and also an outsider telling the joke.
He spoke casually, a cynical smile playing on his lips—a half-truth, a half-joking pretense, a kind of composure that knew he would be misunderstood but was too lazy to explain.
Xia Zhiyao watched him laugh freely, the corners of her lips slightly curving upwards, but there was a hidden sharpness in that smile: "You are quite frank."
Zheng Xiaotian shrugged, looking resigned: "It's all because of my face, I'm too handsome, there's nothing I can do. You know, when someone like me meets a handsome man or a beautiful woman, I can't just let them be heartbroken, can I? That would be too inhumane."
"If you had any humanity, you wouldn't just sleep with anyone you see." She replied coldly, but didn't pursue the matter further.
Seeing that her tone had relaxed, he naturally withdrew his smile and looked at her face, seemingly casually, yet deliberately probing around some unresolved issue: "But seriously... after this ended, didn't you develop any new goals?"
Xia Zhiyao did not answer immediately. Her gaze drifted to the window, where sunlight streamed through the half-open blinds, cutting out a thin white line that quietly spread across the hospital room floor.
"Why are you asking this?" Her tone was calm, but there was a hint of wariness hidden in a way that was not easily noticed.
Zheng Xiaotian didn't rush to speak, but just looked at her, as if waiting for an answer he wasn't sure he would get.
He looked down and fiddled with his phone, as if weighing whether to speak up. In the end, he suppressed the thought, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips, and adjusted his tone back to a relaxed one: "Just curious. You can't stay single forever, can you? It makes me feel sorry for you."
She didn't reply, but turned her face slightly to the side and closed her eyes.
In that instant, Zheng Xiaotian suddenly recalled Zhang Luyuan's phone call: "She said she slept with another man, was it you?"
The voice on the other end of the phone was extremely cold, like an undercurrent frozen in ice, carrying an explosive feeling of extreme restraint.
He remained silent for only a second before hanging up the phone, offering no explanation or defense.
If silence could bring her peace, he would rather remain the "most ungentlemanly friend."
He put away his phone, leaned back in his chair, and looked past her to the window. The winter sunlight streamed in softly, like a thin layer of gold leaf on the air.
"Anyway," he said, half-jokingly, "whenever you have a new target, remember to tell me in advance, and your brother will help you keep an eye on things."
Xia Zhiyao didn't open her eyes, only letting out a soft "hmm".
At that moment, a strange gratitude suddenly welled up in her heart, not because of the joke, but because of a kind of silent protection that he had carefully hidden behind his flippancy from beginning to end.
The IV bag was almost empty, and the last few drops of medicine were sliding down the thin needle along the plastic tube.
Zheng Xiaotian was sitting to the side scrolling through his phone when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that the IV drip was almost empty. He quickly waved to the nurse and said, "Nurse, we're almost done here. Could you please remove the needle?"
The nurse skillfully walked over and gently removed the needle. Xia Zhiyao lowered her head and pressed a cotton ball against the back of her hand. The spot where her fingertips were pressed was slightly red, and her skin felt cold from the cool air.
Just as she was about to put down the cotton ball, she heard a soft sound of the door opening.
Xia Zhiyao's mother, Fang Qing, stood there.
Her features were still bright and beautiful, her bone structure was elegant and refined, and her eyes and brows naturally carried the refined air of a scholar. However, that composure had been eroded by the hardships and weariness of life and was no longer complete. Deep lines were etched between her brows.
The beige cashmere coat accentuated her serene demeanor. The silk scarf at the collar hung loosely, and a few strands of hair were slightly disheveled in the winter wind, but instead of looking disheveled, they added a touch of earthy charm.
Her gaze first fell on her daughter's hand where the needle mark was, paused slightly, and then moved to Zheng Xiaotian beside her, her eyes calm but with a hint of scrutiny.
"Mom," Xia Zhiyao said.
Zheng Xiaotian stood up almost immediately, as if he had been switched to "polite mode": "Hello, Auntie, I am Zhiyao's classmate, Zheng Xiaotian." His smile was measured, his posture restrained, without his usual slovenly manner, but with a more obedient politeness.
Fang Qing walked over, first looked at her daughter's face, then at the needle marks on the back of her hand, making sure they weren't swollen, before turning her gaze to Zheng Xiaotian, her tone carrying the politeness of an elder: "Xiaotian, right? Thank you for coming to the hospital to be with her."
Zheng Xiaotian smiled and waved his hand: "It's nothing."
Fang Qing sat down beside her daughter's bed, and the emotions she had been suppressing began to overflow little by little. There was worry and blame in her voice, and she spoke a fraction faster than usual.
Why are you always such a worry?
"Whether it's work or life, can you please think more about your health? I know you're busy, but you can't keep pushing yourself like this..."
"And you, at your age, how could you make your daughter so angry that she ended up in the hospital?"
"Look how thin you've gotten. Now that you're back, come home with me for a few days, and I'll cook you lots of delicious food."
As she spoke, the deep lines between her brows became more pronounced, as if all the hard work and pent-up emotions of the past years were being brought to the surface.
Xia Zhiyao looked at her mother, her expression surprisingly calm. She reached out and held Fang Qing's hand, whispering to comfort her, "Mom, I'm fine. I'll be alright after the IV drip. You should worry too much and get some rest too."
Her tone was as steady as if she were advising an emotionally agitated patient, rather than a daughter responding to her mother's concerns.
Zheng Xiaotian sat to the side, watching this scene, and a strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart. Between the mother and daughter, Xia Zhiyao's demeanor was more like that of a man, as if he had taken the place of the father and assumed the role of comforting and supporting.
That composure didn't seem like something she'd put on temporarily; it was more like a habit she'd developed over many years. She was used to taking on the role of comforting and supporting others at home, putting her own emotions aside and taking care of others first.
In a sense, she doesn't lack a "reliable person," because she has long since learned to stand in that position on her own.
Fang Qing's emotions gradually calmed down. She let go of her daughter's hand and sighed, "Alright, don't cause any more trouble today. Come home with me to rest later."
Xia Zhiyao looked up at her and said in a flat tone, "I still need to go home and pack my things."
“Then I’ll go back with you to get it,” Fang Qing replied smoothly, glancing sideways at Zheng Xiaotian sitting beside her with a look that carried the scrutiny of an elder, a calm and appraising gaze.
Zheng Xiaotian understood, put down his phone, and smiled naturally: "I'll take you there. Xia Zhiyao, you're not in a hurry to start work. It won't make a difference if you take a day or two. Just focus on getting better first, and we can take care of other things later."
Fang Qing smiled, and her smile revealed that she must have been an exceptionally beautiful woman in her youth, with a gentle glow emanating from her relaxed eyes and brows.
"Since Xiaotian isn't busy, why don't you come home with us for lunch?" She spoke gently, with the hearty hospitality of a hostess. "What dishes do you like? Auntie will cook them for you."
Zheng Xiaotian was slightly taken aback. He suddenly realized that he hadn't received such sincere and natural warmth and care from his elders for a long time.
He quickly composed himself, a smile playing on his lips: "Auntie can do anything, the main thing is to nourish Zhiyao."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xia Zhiyao looked up and added casually, "He eats everything, like a pig."
Fang Qing frowned slightly: "Zhiyao, how can you talk like that?"
Zheng Xiaotian waved his hand and smiled casually: "It's okay, Auntie. We're so familiar with each other. That's just her temper."
A few days later, the Tianxing Strategy meeting started on time in the morning.
The meeting room is located on the top floor, with three floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in the full morning light of late winter. Outside the glass are the silhouettes of the city's high-rise buildings and the outlines of distant mountains gleaming in the sunlight. Below, cars stream by, and everything seems to be shrouded in a clear and restrained golden mist.
The room was so quiet it was almost still, with only the soft rustling of documents turning and the click-clack of PowerPoint presentations floating in the air.
Several middle managers occasionally exchanged glances, their eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny. After all, he was a partner who had been parachuted in; although his resume was impressive, they were unsure whether he could win people's hearts.
Zheng Xiaotian stood in front, smiling casually: "Let me introduce you, our new partner, Xia Zhiyao. She was previously the deputy director at Hay Group." As he said this, he glanced at her sideways, as if secretly observing her, but didn't explain further, simply turning to the next page, "From now on, she will be responsible for integration affairs and strategic advancement."
Xia Zhiyao stood up, dressed in a sharply tailored blue plaid suit, her white shirt impeccably tailored, her shoulder-length hair tucked behind her ears, revealing a clean jawline.
Her gaze was level, and her voice was low but crisp: "I am Xia Zhiyao, hello everyone. I have already reviewed today's topics in advance, and I have a few points I would like to add."
She opened the document, paused her finger on the page for a moment, and directly pointed out a overlooked data discrepancy in the report, then promptly proposed an actionable correction. Her tone was unquestioning, yet every word hit the nail on the head.
Halfway through the meeting, a quarterly budget was hastily mentioned. The presenter had barely uttered a few words when she calmly interjected, "These tax rate parameters are too high. They should be revised according to the latest policies; otherwise, the profit forecast will be inaccurate."
Her tone was soft, yet like a fine needle, it struck precisely at the heart of the matter. She merely pointed to the barely noticeable tiny font in the lower right corner of the PPT, as if a casual glance would reveal the logical flaws behind the formulas.
The analyst was taken aback, subconsciously flipped through the report, his expression shifting from bewilderment to panic, and whispered, "...I'll recalculate it later."
The people at the table exchanged glances. Some straightened their backs, while others quickly underlined important points in their notebooks. At the other end of the table, the person who had been looking down at the documents also raised their head, and their previous scrutiny subsided somewhat.
Zheng Xiaotian didn't speak, but raised his eyebrows and gave her a meaningful look, as if silently making a mental note: You didn't disappoint me.
She closed her pen, her posture upright. Sunlight slowly climbed along the glass tabletop, and the atmosphere had subtly changed, from initial tentative anticipation to expecting her to look at her with genuine respect.
The meeting continued until it ended, and no one underestimated the new "parachuted" boss anymore.
Xia Zhiyao didn't exchange pleasantries with anyone. She simply packed up her documents and stood up cleanly and decisively to leave. Her steps were steady and unhurried, as if lingering in the conference room for even a second would be a waste.
She pushed open the office door in the corner tower. It was surrounded by windows on three sides, offering a view as expansive as an unfolded map.
At this moment, the sunlight is blazing, streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows and illuminating the entire glass curtain wall, reflecting light so brightly it's blinding. Below, the city resembles a tireless beast, its towering buildings forming a forest, its traffic a dense vein of blood, pulsating with intense heat.
She leaned against the window, flipping through documents, but her gaze went beyond the pages, settling on the pale blue-white sky in the distance.
A soft knock came at the door.
She had barely answered when the door was pushed open a crack. It was Zheng Xiaotian, carrying two cups of coffee, his suit jacket draped over his arm, his expression as nonchalant as ever: "You haven't changed your style, still dressed for court."
"Didn't you say that it's better to dress like a director for important occasions?" She glanced at him indifferently, her voice calm.
He approached, placed the coffee on the corner of her table, and said half-jokingly, "It seems our understanding of 'director' is far from perfect."
She ignored him, only taking a sip of her coffee. Zheng Xiaotian leaned against the table, continuing to scrutinize her: "However, this does indeed look like a war is about to break out."
She raised her eyes, her tone sharp: "To do a good job, one must first have the right tools."
These words, though not harsh, exploded in the ears of Zheng Xiaotian's assistant, who had just delivered the documents at the door and was about to quietly leave. The assistant instinctively turned back to look at her, her eyes no longer showing the initial disdain, but rather a more serious gaze.
Zheng Xiaotian was slightly taken aback, the smile on his lips faded, and a certain understated understanding appeared in his eyes.
Xia Zhiyao slowly sat back in her chair, looked out the window at the metallic city lights, and said in a low voice, "I'm not sure... whether I'm back to do something or to pay off my debts."
Zheng Xiaotian was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled softly: "Then you do it first, do a little, and then think about it slowly."
She loosened her grip, gently placing the coffee on the table. After a pause, her tone abruptly shifted, returning to her usual crisp and efficient manner: "Let's get down to business. I need a reliable assistant."
Zheng Xiaotian raised an eyebrow: "You can pick any one in the company, how about mine? She's very skilled, both literary and martial."
Xia Zhiyao glanced at him, her gaze indifferent yet hitting the nail on the head: "You should forget about that one. Everyone knows that was handpicked and sent by your father; he's an assistant, bodyguard, and surveillance camera all in one."
Zheng Xiaotian clicked his tongue and spread his hands in an innocent manner: "Don't say that, I'm actually quite afraid of him."
“I’m looking for a new person.” Her tone became quiet and firm. “Someone smart, willing to learn, preferably a girl. Someone with a clean personality, doesn’t need to know too much, and has strong execution skills. I will train her myself.”
He looked at her intently, his gaze lingering for a few seconds before finally nodding, his smile fading, and he took out his phone to dial a number. "Hey, Lao Meng, come to President Xia's office."
Less than five minutes later, there was a knock on the office door, which was then pushed open to reveal a sharp and capable woman in her early thirties with short, neatly cut hair. She wasn't wearing makeup, but her skin was in excellent condition, and her eyes exuded a sharp and unyielding aura that left no room for argument.
“You always call me Lao Meng, I thought I was 60 this year.” She said bluntly, her tone indifferent, her gaze fixed on Zheng Xiaotian.
Zheng Xiaotian raised his hand in surrender with a grin: "Okay, okay, Director Meng, Teacher Meng, Sister Meng, thank you for your hard work."
She didn't bother with him at all, and turned to look at Xia Zhiyao: "President Zheng said you're hiring a new assistant?"
"Yes." Xia Zhiyao nodded, her tone clear and crisp. "Abilities can be cultivated. The person should be smart, willing to learn, and not have the typical workplace cynicism. Ideally, they should be a girl."
Meng Zhou nodded, and without any unnecessary words, said simply, "Then I'll go through a fully customized recruitment process. I'll write the job descriptions, and I'll personally oversee the resume screening. I'll send you the first round of shortlists by tomorrow afternoon."
After finishing the business, Meng Zhou looked down and pulled out his folder, casually flipping through the resume list, as if mentioning it casually, or perhaps just a casual reminder: "But speaking of which, Mr. Zheng, don't make a move on the young lady so easily."
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