After Breaking Up With the Scheming Bad Woman 1

Chapter 1: My Sister Won’t Let Me.

After nearly half a month of continuous rain following the New Year, the sky finally cleared, becoming limpid and clean, a brilliant azure as if freshly washed.

The sunlight seemed reluctant to work, lazily shining on every visible corner of the city. It fell into small puddles on the ground, drew near the tender green shoots sprouting by the roadside, and even let a circling bird carry it on its back.

But the bird nearly collided with the glass facade of an office building in Jingcheng’s financial district.

Fortunately, it stopped just in time, flapping its wings to fly elsewhere.

Huai Xing’s workstation was by the window, and she had just finished organizing a set of data.

She watched the bird fly into the distance and breathed a sigh of relief. The company had specially treated the glass; otherwise, a bird-related fatality would have just occurred right before her eyes.

She let out a slow, leisurely yawn, a mist of sleepiness just beginning to pool in her eyes.

Beside her, Ren Jiao, an intern just like her, let out a wail audible within a one-meter radius. “I hate Valentine’s Day so much!”

Huai Xing’s crescent-moon brows arched slightly as she looked at the calendar on her desk.

Today was February 14th, 2020. The words “Valentine’s Day” were clearly marked under the date, and the entire day was circled with a pink heart, making it exceptionally eye-catching.

Holding the opposite sentiment, she turned her head, her lips parting slightly. “What’s wrong?”

Ren Jiao clutched her phone, her expression indignant. “What did this single dog do to deserve this? All my favorite restaurants are fully booked! Isn’t today just a normal Friday? Wuwuwu…”

“But…”

Huai Xing pressed her lips into a smile, her voice clear as she reminded her, “Our team has a dinner tonight, Jiaojiao. The team lead already booked the restaurant.”

In the past two years, e-commerce had boomed, significantly impacting brick-and-mortar stores.

“Lan Ling” was a high-end domestic womenswear brand. By promptly adjusting its physical store strategy, strengthening online channels, and shifting to an integrated online-offline model, it had avoided a major blow.

Just two weeks ago, right after work resumed post-holidays, “Lan Ling” had interviewed new hires.

The Marketing Department’s Team 2, where Huai Xing and Ren Jiao worked, had taken them both on as interns. In another half a month, they would become permanent employees.

Hearing this, Ren Jiao grew even more listless.

She sighed dramatically. “I usually count Friday nights as part of the weekend, and now it’s been taken over by a team dinner. Don’t you think a team dinner on a Friday night is a huge invasion of personal space and time? Or rather, any dinner after work is.”

Listening to her colleague’s hushed voice, Huai Xing’s gaze fell back on the calendar.

Her lashes fluttered twice. She pursed her lips, then picked up a ballpoint pen and drew a cross over today’s date, just as she had for the past half-month. She answered Ren Jiao’s question unhurriedly, “I don’t feel that way, for now.”

Her eyes lowered slightly, her tone unconsciously tinged with a hint of loneliness. “I’m all alone when I go home.”

Ren Jiao propped her chin on her hand and couldn’t help but ask, “What about your sister? She’s still not back?”

Their workstations were next to each other, and they had started on the same day.

They knew some basic information about each other: age, alma mater, whether they were an only child…

Ren Jiao was an only child, but Huai Xing had a sister who was six years older.

Huai Xing: “Yeah.”

She offered a faint smile, not intending to continue the topic. Picking up her cup, she stood. “I’m going to get some coffee. Do you need anything?”

“Thanks!” Ren Jiao didn’t stand on ceremony, handing over her own cup with a brilliant smile. “Just warm water is fine.”

Being in the fashion industry, “Lan Ling”’s office was decorated with a distinctive flair. Most of the furnishings in sight were related to clothing.

The path from Huai Xing’s desk to the pantry offered a view of a display window area, which showcased the company’s award-winning designs over the years. A little further on, one could see the reception and guest area.

At this moment, a man was sitting upright in the guest area.

He wore a well-tailored suit and gleaming handmade leather shoes, holding a bouquet of vibrant roses. A delicate designer bag sat beside him. It was obvious he was waiting for someone.

Given that it was Valentine’s Day, such a scene was not surprising.

Huai Xing didn’t look for long. She entered the pantry with the two cups. Feeling a bit drowsy, she went straight to the coffee machine, planning to make herself an iced Americano.

It was three-thirty in the afternoon, and the sun was blazing. The pantry blinds were half-drawn.

Quite a few colleagues in the pantry were just as sleepy as she was, several of them sitting on high stools with expressions more bitter than their coffee.

While waiting for the ice maker, Huai Xing found a chair and sat down. She hadn’t been at the company for long and had spent the initial period in training and getting up to speed, so she wasn’t familiar with most of the people there.

She stared at her phone, her expression unavoidably stern, and a little downcast.

She couldn’t help but straighten her back. The white blouse clung to her skin, faintly outlining the taut muscles in her arms.

The WeChat message she had sent this morning remained unanswered: [Jiejie, when are you coming back?]

Scrolling up through the chat history, she saw that ever since the other person learned she had started at “Lan Ling,” her replies had always been delayed.

Even when she did reply, they were somewhat cold.

Huai Xing took a deep breath. Her fingertips tapped the screen a few more times. After typing out the four words, I miss you so much, she hesitated.

“Xiao Huai.” Just then, a crisp female voice came from beside her.

Huai Xing immediately locked her phone, looked at the person, and smiled. “Team Lead.”

“Lan Ling” was a mid-sized company, with a few hundred people at its headquarters.

The Marketing Department was divided into three teams, each with about twenty people. In the week-plus that Huai Xing had been here, she hadn’t learned much, but she knew that their team lead, Gu Rufeng, was famous throughout the company—she had once fought a pervert who was taking upskirt photos downstairs.

Gu Rufeng sat down opposite her and glanced at the half-full cup of coffee in front of her. “Waiting for the ice maker?”

Huai Xing nodded. “Yes.”

“Then my timing is perfect. I was planning on getting a cup myself.” Gu Rufeng rubbed her temples. “Perfect weather for a nap.”

As soon as she finished speaking, another person joined them.

It was Fei Shutao, the lead of Marketing Team 1. She produced two roses and offered them to the two women with a grin. “Happy Valentine’s Day, ladies.”

Gu Rufeng shot her a look but didn’t take the flower. “How much for the bouquet?”

“Talking about money hurts our friendship, Team Lead Gu.” Fei Shutao was displeased by the question and sat down beside them. “I ordered 22 roses today. After giving them to my own team members, I had two left over, so I’m giving them to you two from Team 2 for free.”

Huai Xing looked at the rose on the table, a constant, harmless-looking smile on her lips. “Thank you, Team Lead Fei.”

In reality, she had barely exchanged a few words with Fei Shutao.

Gu Rufeng placed the rose aside and continued to rub her temples with her eyes closed.

Fei Shutao didn’t mind their attitudes and switched the topic to the man in the guest area, letting out a soft scoff. “There must be a mole in our company, right? How did someone like Li Lin get in here?”

“I know, right?”

Gu Rufeng didn’t open her eyes, agreeing with a sense of helplessness. “How long has Director Chu been back at the office? An hour? And he’s already rushed over.”

The moment the words “Director Chu” were spoken, Huai Xing’s drowsiness vanished completely. Thinking of her unanswered message, her smile stiffened slightly.

Is she still angry at me? Is that why she’s not replying?

She gripped her cup, her jaw tightening slightly. She couldn’t help but confirm, “…Director Chu is back?”

The title felt a bit awkward on her tongue; she had rarely used it.

“Not bad, Xiao Huai. How long have you been here, and you already know about Director Chu?” Fei Shutao raised an eyebrow, tossing out a question with a smile. “Seen her around the office?”

Huai Xing pondered for half a second before shaking her head. “I haven’t seen her at the office.”

Gu Rufeng was speechless. “Even the ants passing through this area have probably heard of Director Chu’s name, right? It’s not strange for Xiao Huai to have heard of her after being here for nearly half a month.”

There was a simple reason for it: Chu Wantang’s reputation for being a “beauty” was well-known in this district.

She possessed an exquisite face and a graceful, charming demeanor, and at such a young age, she was already the Director of “Lan Ling”’s Design Department.

Gu Rufeng circled back to the topic and added her own commentary, “That Li Lin guy. He could be a perfectly fine rich young master, but instead, he keeps coming to the company to corner people, making a huge scene for everyone to see. He’s got some serious issues.”

Fei Shutao glanced around and made a hushing gesture. “Shh, there’s a mole.”

Just then, the ice maker finished its cycle.

The ice was ready.

Huai Xing pushed aside her thoughts and asked, “Team Lead, how many ice cubes do you need?”

“Extra ice, like at Luckin.”

“Okay.”

Fei Shutao commented, “That’s way too much.”

“You’re not the one drinking it.”

Ignoring their bickering, Huai Xing stood before the ice maker, her eyes lowered as she used tongs to put ice into the cup.

An endless chill radiated from the glass, seeping outward. The temperature of her palm gradually dropped, and her fingernails began to turn a faint purple.

She seemed not to notice.

She finished making the team lead’s iced Americano and placed it in front of her.

Gu Rufeng handed her a napkin. “Wipe your hands.”

Looking at Huai Xing’s fair, delicate hands, she remarked with a sigh, “Xiao Huai, you rarely do housework, do you?”

The sudden question made Huai Xing pause. She wiped her hands and answered truthfully, “I don’t do much.” Then she silently added, “My sister won’t let me.”

“It’s so nice to have an older sister~~~” Gu Rufeng took a sip of her coffee.

Fei Shutao seized the opportunity. “I’m three years older than you. Come on, Team Lead Gu, call me ‘Jiejie’ and let me hear it.”

Unsurprisingly, the two started bickering again.

Huai Xing’s lips curled slightly.

Carrying her coffee, she bid farewell to the two team leads and stepped out of the pantry.

Thinking about what she had just overheard, her smooth brow furrowed, and she glanced toward the guest area.

Her footsteps immediately halted.

The guest area was no longer occupied by just that rich young master named Li Lin. He was already on his feet.

And the woman standing opposite him had long, slightly curled hair that reached her back. She wore an equally form-fitting suit, its fluid lines tracing her perfect figure, outlining a silhouette that was both sharp and gracefully feminine.

Huai Xing froze on the spot, her brow tightly knitted.

She could only see the woman’s incomparably beautiful back and Li Lin’s face, which was wreathed in smiles.

Some of the water she had gotten for Ren Jiao accidentally spilled, wetting her fingers and the top of her shoe.

The sound was faint, but the woman not far away seemed to notice and was about to look in her direction.

Huai Xing hastily retreated back into the pantry.

Gu Rufeng and Fei Shutao were still arguing, now discussing the topic of office romances.

Huai Xing kept her head down, feeling a bit flustered as she wiped the water from her hands. The scene in the guest area replayed in her mind, refusing to fade.

The two team leads were still sticking to their guns.

Gu Rufeng: “Aren’t you tired of seeing your colleague’s face every day? And you have to see it after work, too? How terrifying.”

Fei Shutao: “If you’re dating, you’re not just colleagues anymore, okay? You’re comrades-in-arms who work together! How meaningful is that!”

Gu Rufeng: “That sounds even more miserable, doesn’t it? But more than dating a colleague, I really can’t understand dating a superior. Especially the ones in novels. It’s basically working your ass off during the day, and getting your ass worked at night. Aren’t they tired…”

Gu Rufeng’s words were so blunt that they hit Huai Xing’s ears, causing her to choke unexpectedly and double over the table, coughing violently.

What did I just hear?

Fei Shutao quickly handed her a tissue. “Team Lead Gu, why are you being so crude in front of a girl born in ‘00?”

Huai Xing’s fair face was flushed red, tears glistening in her eyes, but she still waved her hand to explain, “No, Team Lead Fei, I was born in ‘98…”

She refused to be made out to be two years younger; it bothered her.

“Doesn’t make a difference to me.”

Huai Xing opened her mouth, but before she could explain further, she saw both Fei Shutao and Gu Rufeng rise from their chairs and call out in unison toward the space behind her, “Director Chu.”

The crisp sound of high heels stopped behind her. Everyone in the pantry looked over.

The surrounding clamor fell silent in an instant.

Huai Xing felt as if she were enveloped by a familiar, light, woody fragrance. Every cell in her body seemed to rush toward that scent.

Her throat moved, and she turned around—

But Chu Wantang merely adjusted the cuff of her suit jacket, took a step forward, and walked straight past without meeting anyone’s gaze.

Her voice was like a freshly opened bottle of red wine, imbued with a saturated richness. “The coffee beans upstairs just ran out. I came down to borrow a cup. I hope no one minds?”