Volume 1, Chapter 39: Speculations of Colleagues

"What did I do to Yu Lingyan?!"

Lin Chen pointed at himself, his face full of disbelief.

A colleague chuckled. "Didn't you go out for field work with her yesterday? You didn't even come back after work. Those who know, know."

"But you've got guts, kid. Yu Lingyan is the niece of the Finance Department Director and a renowned beauty in the entire department. You actually dared to do that—bravo!" He gave a thumbs-up.

Lin Chen's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Stop spouting nonsense! I went out for field work at four and finished at six. Why would I come back to the company?"

"Besides, she left as soon as we finished our business, and I went home to be with my wife. What could I have possibly done, for heaven's sake!"

The colleague curled his lip. "Still harping on about a wife? Everyone knows you just made up some imaginary wife because you didn't want to date."

"Anyway, I’m busy! Go see Director Shen, but don't say I didn't warn you—prepare yourself mentally!" He shook his head with a look of pity as he walked away.

This new guy, despite the suspiciously generous benefits the company offered him, was still just a newcomer who hadn't even passed his probation. Yu Feng, while not a shareholder, was a veteran of the company and held a significant position. For Lin Chen to bully her niece the moment he arrived—was he tired of living?

Lin Chen watched his colleague walk away, completely bewildered.

Jiang Yao popped up from out of nowhere and gave a thumbs-up. "Son, you're a legend! You haven't even been here a few days, and you've already bullied a female colleague until her eyes are red."

"Father bows to your prowess!"

Lin Chen snapped out of it and punched him on the shoulder. "Shut it! Do I look like that kind of person?" He didn't bother with further talk and headed straight for Shen Wei’s office. He wanted to see what on earth this was all about.

...

Inside the office, Shen Wei looked at the stern-faced Yu Feng and couldn't help but sigh.

"You came to me yesterday asking to borrow someone, and I thought it was strange that you needed help with collections. Turns out you were just trying to play matchmaker for your niece?!" Shen Wei felt both a headache and anger building. "Director Yu, you’re not a child. Don't you have any sense of what is appropriate and what isn't?"

"To put it bluntly, this is an abuse of power, do you understand?" He glanced at Yu Lingyan, who was sitting to the side, and his head throbbed even harder.

She was crying so much her eyes were swollen like walnuts. Could Lin Chen have really done something to the girl? If that were true, he would be in serious trouble!

Yu Feng’s face darkened. "What abuse of power? He is unmarried, she is unmarried. He was driving the company car, and Lingyan needed to make a trip. I was just giving the young people a chance. Is that a problem?"

"And look at the result! My niece comes to work today with her eyes swollen like this. Who knows what kind of bullying she endured? I must settle this account!" She added, "Even if Lingyan wasn't my niece, I would still seek justice! Otherwise, if this sets a precedent, which young woman in this company will ever dare to take a company car out again?"

The louder she spoke, the more Shen Wei’s head ached.

What a mess! Thinking of Lin Chen’s true status, he sighed and lowered his voice. "Director Yu, don't blame me for not being transparent with you. This Lin Chen isn't just an ordinary employee..."

"I know, the old lady sent him in!" Yu Feng interrupted. "But so what? If he was sent by the old lady, shouldn't he still follow the rules?"

She had checked Lin Chen's resume yesterday. It was a mediocre school, but as luck would have it, she had a friend who was a teacher there and had called to ask about him. He was from out of town, from an ordinary background, and had performed averagely at school. In short, there was absolutely no way he had any special connection to the old lady. As for why she had shoehorned him in, it was probably because he’d done some small good deed she happened to witness. Regardless, her niece had been bullied, and this matter would not end here.

Shen Wei looked toward the door with a grimace. Why wasn't Lin Chen here yet?

Speak of the devil. A knock at the door was followed by Lin Chen’s voice: "Director Shen, you wanted to see me?"

"Lin Chen, you're finally here!" Shen Wei jumped up. "Tell me, what exactly happened after you and Xiao Yu went out yesterday?"

"Why did the girl come back with her eyes swollen from crying?"

As Lin Chen entered, he was met with the sight of a frazzled Shen Wei, a livid Yu Feng, and Yu Lingyan, who was looking at him with red, swollen eyes but a smug expression.

What a nightmare!

"Lin Chen, I’m asking you!" Yu Feng said coldly. "What did you do to Lingyan last night?"

Lin Chen leaned back defensively. "What do you mean by 'what did I do to her'?"

"If you didn't do anything, why are her eyes swollen from crying?"

"How should I know?!" Lin Chen felt like his head was about to explode. He looked up and caught Yu Lingyan’s triumphant gaze. He immediately flared up. "Yu Lingyan, you better be clear—what did I do to you yesterday?!"

He hadn't even touched her in the car. When they arrived at the other company, she went upstairs to collect the payment, and he waited in the car. When she came back out, she left without even getting back into the vehicle. They had spent less than an hour together in total—how could this be pinned on him?

Yu Lingyan remained silent until now. "You hurt my self-esteem."

"????"

This time, not only Lin Chen but even Shen Wei was full of question marks.

Yu Feng was also confused. "Lingyan, weren't you bullied by him?"

"I was bullied!" Yu Lingyan said righteously. "I lowered myself, took the initiative to show interest, and asked him to dinner!"

"Not only did he reject me, he kept saying he had a wife and claimed he wasn't interested in someone like me. In the end, he wouldn't even drive me home and just took off!" She grew more indignant as she spoke. "Setting aside the fact that we were out on company business and you were supposed to drive me home, even if it were a private matter, as a man, shouldn't you have at least some manners?!"

Lin Chen laughed in anger. "First of all, just because you show interest doesn't mean I have to accept it. Who do you think you are?"

"Secondly, I do have a wife. And even if I didn't, what does that have to do with you?"

"Finally!" He slammed his hand on the table. "I never disparaged you by saying I wasn't interested in 'someone like you.' I refused to have dinner because I wanted to go home to my wife and avoid impropriety!"

"And as for not driving you home, didn't you run off on your own? What, was I supposed to kneel and beg, saying, 'Princess, please get in the car'?"

What an insufferable 'princess'—it was enough!

Yu Lingyan was stunned by his outburst. When she finally came to her senses, tears gushed out, and she looked at Yu Feng. "Auntie, look at him! He dares to treat me like this right in front of you!"

"Fire him!!!"