Xu Yizhang walked alone for a long while. The smile on her face slowly faded.
She broke up.
Yes. Soon after rebirth, she had chosen to break up with the man with whom she was once ready to spend a lifetime.
But the wedding banquet has been ordered, the wedding photos taken, and friends and relatives already invited. Calling off the marriage at this time is going to be undoubtedly tricky.
But... despite knowing all that would happen in a few years, if she still plunges into it, it only shows that she is weak and afraid to face it.
Well, this marriage will fail in a few years.
She just ended it early. Better than going through all those daily ups and downs and desperate, depressing days.
As long as we bravely step out, the future will be fresh and unshackled.
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. When she opened them, her eyes fell on a giant billboard.
"The good thing about hitting rock bottom, there's only one way left to go, and that's UP! Learn from your hardships. Insist on persisting, and success is sure.”
The words seemed particularly in line with her current situation.
Xu Yizhang was silent for a long time, seeming to be comforted by those words. She then smiled and took out her mobile phone from her bag.
Turning on the phone, she dialed her close friend, Qin Zhen’s number.
It's been a few years, and she didn't know whether Qin Zhen would pick up, so she was a little nervous.
"Gouzi*, what's the matter?" Qin Zhen's vivid and crisp voice came over the phone.
[*T/N: When I googled it, I found that 狗子 (Gouzi) doesn't have any actual meaning but is commonly used as a nickname. Something like the friends’ version of how a couple calls each other ‘honey’. Hope that makes sense.]
Xu Yizhang's eyes turned hot, and she almost cried, "Gouzi, can I stay at your house for a while?"
Qin Zhen's voice changed a bit, "What's the matter? Your home is so big, isn't it enough for you to live?"
"Wellllll..." She lengthened the ending, "I broke up with Han Shen." And I don't know how to tell my parents, so I plan to avoid it for the time being.
She still didn't dare to face her parents directly, especially her father. Considering his character, he would rake her over the coals for sure.
Perhaps, people subconsciously seek advantages and avoid disadvantages.
"What's the matter?" Qin Zhen sounded confused, "Aren't you going to get married? Why are you breaking up so suddenly?" Xu Yizhang loved Han Shen desperately. How could he break up with him?
"I'll explain later." Xu Yizhang sighed and fell silent, not knowing what to say.
"Then... well, when will you be coming over? I'm still at work now. Why don’t you come to my company and wait for me, and we will go back together after I get off work at night?" Qin Zhen's tone was a little cautious, probably afraid it would be inconvenient for Xu Yizhang.
Xu Yizhang smiled. Qin Zhen was still so kind to her. A girlfriend who got your back is the best!
However, Qin Zhen's future marriage was even worse than hers.
Xu Yizhang's eyes darkened. She was determined to change the future for all of them.
She hailed a cab and went directly to Qin Zhen's company.
Qin Zhen’s company, which belonged to her cousin Fu Qiran, was on the 27th floor of the Luhua Building. The company was currently in the start-up stage.
The time after graduation is the time of intense struggle.
Xu Yizhang got out of the elevator. She approached the company’s entrance, numbered 2703, rang the doorbell, and waited.
Since the glass door at the entrance cannot be opened without an employee card, she could only stand there and wait for someone to come.
Soon, a young lady opened the door, "Welcome, who are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for Qin Zhen." Xu Yizhang reported her name.
"Qin Zhen? She’s in a meeting now. Come in first."
"Okay, thank you." Xu Yizhang came in, slightly cautious.
Since it hadn’t been too long since its establishment, the office was only about five or six hundred square meters, with 70 to 80 employees.
At this time, all the company’s employees were having a meeting in the conference room.
Through a large glass window, she could see a tall man wearing thin glasses talking. The others were sitting quietly and listening carefully to what he was saying.
The man who was speaking was Fu Qiran, the company’s boss. He was wearing a white shirt and holding a marker in his slender hand. He was writing a bunch of English words on the whiteboard.
Qin Zhen was sitting at the end of the table. She spotted Xu Yizhang and raised a hand slightly in greeting.
Xu Yizhang couldn't help laughing.
At this time, Fu Qiran noticed that Qin Zhen was distracted. When he looked out of the glass, he saw the tall and striking Xu Yizhang.
She was carrying a pretty pink bag and wearing a dark brown dress that was popular this year.
She had naturally black waist-length hair hanging over her shoulder. It neither dyed nor styled, yet unexpectedly suited her temperament. Calm and beautiful.
Then, she raised her lips and smiled at him.
Fu Qiran stood stunned, then nodded at her slightly in response.
They were actually alumni. Fu Qiran was two years her and Qin Zhen’s senior and had graduated the year before last.
Generally, ambitious people don't work for a long time, especially Fu Qiran, whose family circumstances are relatively good. If he has accumulated a certain amount of experience, he will earn a lot of money. The company has already hired 70 or 80 employees only two years after its establishment, which is very capable.
[T/N: Umm… Yeah. I couldn’t make much sense of this paragraph either. Sorry.]
*
At the end of the meeting, a group of people walked out.
Qin Zhen also came out, and a few remained in the conference room, continuing to discuss with Fu Qiran.
"Gouzi, you’re unlucky to have come on today itself. We just had a meeting, and it went on for longer than expected." Qin Zhen was holding a stack of documents. She took Xu Yizhang to her office and pulled out a chair for her to sit. "Sit here for now. I will be off work in half an hour. Wait for me for a while, and we can go have dinner together after work."
"Okay." Xu Yizhang sat down and took out her mobile to amuse herself.
Qin Zhen switched on her computer and got busy with work.
Not long after, Fu Qiran walked to Qin Zhen's side. His slender legs stopped right in front of Xu Yizhang. His legs brushed her thigh, but he didn’t look at her as if he hadn’t noticed her.
Xu Yizhang retracted her leg and looked up from her phone at Fu Qiran.
Fu Qiran didn't seem to be aware of her. He was holding a document and talking to Qin Zhen in a low voice, "Who told you to change jobs with De Lin in private?"
Qin Zhen was taken aback for a moment and explained: "De Lin said that this project was more challenging and that she wanted to try her potential."
Fu Qiran frowned, looking quite displeased. His voice was dangerously low when he spoke, "Qin Zhen, you have to understand that I’m trying to train you to be a manager in the company. This was the instruction given to me by Aunt, and it is also what she expects of you. But apparently, you are so confused that you can't even tell between the important and unimportant works that I’ve assigned you and exchange them casually with others. Then I won't be trusting you with anymore more critical jobs. "
Qin Zhen was reprimanded by Fu Qiran, and her eyes turned a little red.
Yes, she is a girl who cries very easily. But at the same time, she is also a simple girl who has no ambitions, does not like scheming, and just wants to live every day in peace.
Such a temper is really not suitable for being a manager handle such responsibilities. If it is forced into her hands, it will only suffocate her.