Surprise Resignation of Female Substitute Secretary

Chapter 13

After standing there dumbfounded for a long time, he finally realized that Su Tao had kicked him out.

Xie Jin, wearing a bathrobe from the hotel, stood outside the door, attracting sideways glances from passersby.

He used his hand to cover his face and knocked on the door twice, lowering his voice, "Open the door."

There was no response from inside.

His cell phone was also left inside, so he could only continue knocking on the door, "Little Taozi, stop messing around. Let me in first, and we can talk slowly."

He seemed to be talking to thin air, with no response at all.

Not until Jin Chuiwen rushed over with newly bought clothes on Xie Jin's orders, did Xie Jin give up knocking on the door. He let Jin Chuiwen book the room next door, and left Su Tao's door with a dark expression.

The coldness exuded from the Antarctic-themed room was no match for the black-faced boss sitting across from him.

Jin Chuiwen didn't want to know so much about his boss's private life. He was just trying to think of an excuse to leave.

The tapping sound from Xie Jin's knuckles on the table stopped abruptly. Jin Chuiwen, who had just got up, was so frightened that he sat back down again.

"Why did she suddenly become like this?"

"Huh?"

Jin Chuiwen was confused by the boss's disjointed question.

But with his extraordinary comprehension ability, he instantly understood the boss's words. After thinking about it, he replied, "Maybe she's in a bad mood. Women always have a few whimsical days every month."

"She's never been whimsical before. She's always been very obedient." Xie Jin disagreed.

Jin Chuiwen secretly glanced at the boss. He had been kicked out, yet he was still so confident that she was obedient?

"Then, could it be that you did something to anger her?" Jin Chuiwen didn't dare to speak too bluntly, so he just went along with the boss and continued to analyze roundaboutly.

Xie Jin fell into deep thought, lowering his eyebrows and eyes. His long eyelashes covered his eyes. After pondering for about a minute, he finally looked up, "The last time I went to a gathering and didn't accompany her, she started disobeying after that."

Jin Chuiwen slapped his thigh and confidently found the crux of the problem, "That's it. She wants you to spend more time with her."

Xie Jin frowned in thought, then nodded, feeling it made sense: "Get me two tickets to the Maldives tomorrow. Arrange ground transportation and tour guide. Book it for tomorrow morning."

As smooth as arranging work.

Jin Chuiwen opened his mouth hesitantly and asked in a small voice, "Shouldn't you discuss it with Secretary Su first?"

Xie Jin looked at him puzzledly, "Discuss what? I've arranged everything she likes. She listens to me."

Jin Chuiwen: "..."

Boss, the fact that Secretary Su is still willing to be with you is probably only because of your looks and money.

Who could put up with this if it was a normal romantic relationship?

Jin Chuiwen silently criticized in his heart.

Seeing Jin Chuiwen's hesitation, Xie Jin glared at him coldly, "Any problem?"

Jin Chuiwen put away his thoughts and immediately replied, "No, I'll go arrange it right away."

-

The long conference table in the large conference room was lined on both sides with the company's top management, including top management from several branch companies.

This was the first time Su Tao saw Ruiqi Pictures' Wu Xieyu.

He was a man in his forties, not very tall, wearing glasses, and looked very shrewd.

She sat in the back row behind Xie Jin, with a small table attached to her chair.

The assistant secretaries all sat behind their respective bosses. Only the seat behind Wu Xieyu was empty.

His secretary was Qin Xuexi, and she was the only one not present, which was very conspicuous.

Su Tao withdrew her gaze and concentrated on her computer, glancing up at the presentation PPT from time to time. Her fingers kept tapping busily on the keyboard.

Xie Jin sat sideways with his line of sight falling directly on Su Tao.

He rested his elbow on the armrest, fingertips touching his lips, eyes slightly narrowed, as if studying something.

Everyone seemed to be listening carefully to the colleague giving the presentation, but their attention was actually on the president.

The way the president looked at the new secretary was too frightening, as if he wanted to eat her up.

The top management from the branch companies didn't understand the rumors within the headquarters. They were just wondering if this little secretary had offended him? She looked quite well-behaved.

After tapping a dozen times, he finally shifted his gaze away from Su Tao's face. He suddenly shouted at the Marketing Director who was giving the presentation, "Get to the point!"

The Marketing Director was so frightened that he dropped the remote control in his hand. He looked to Jin Chuiwen for help in a fluster.

After handling some non-job-related tasks for the president a few times, Jin Chuiwen had now been hailed by everyone as the president's number one confidant.

They all thought he understood the president's mindset better, so when the president got angry, he was the first person they thought of.

Jin Chuiwen was about to break out in a cold sweat. He did know a little more than others, such as only Su Tao could pacify the president when he got angry.

But he couldn't say that in public. If he did, how could Su Tao keep working here? Recently, there were already quite a few unsavory rumors about her.

He secretly glanced at Su Tao. She was still busy taking meeting minutes, completely oblivious to his plea for help.

"You have one minute left. Can you continue?"

When Xie Jin's predatory gaze swept over, the helpless Marketing Director's back was already drenched in sweat.

"P-President, I'm reporting in order of the agenda. I..."

"Are you saying you don't know how to highlight key points?"

Although Xie Jin's speech speed wasn't fast and his voice wasn't loud, he had a gripping charisma. The Marketing Director not only felt his scalp tingle, but also felt every body hair stand on end.

Everyone present had no mind to see his predicament, because they could very well be next.

Xie Jin's eyes fell back on Su Tao's face. She was sitting there serenely taking minutes, the picture of discipline and dedication. A strand of hair had fallen, resting against her fair, almost translucent skin. She looked tranquil and beautiful.

But Xie Jin knew she was still angry, even rejecting him.

He just wanted to end this lengthy meeting quickly. He had to ask her properly, exactly how had he offended her?

"Everyone is limited to three minutes. Give me key point summaries!"

With Xie Jin's order, everyone lamented in their hearts.

Three minutes? They had each prepared 30 minutes of content! How were they going to survive this?

As it turned out, condensing a 30-minute presentation into three minutes did effectively highlight the key points. Everyone clearly and concisely listed a few main points and gave a brief account of those points.

What's more, the president was reasonable and didn't count discussion time.

Unconsciously, a lot of time was saved and the meeting efficiency greatly improved.

The meeting, originally scheduled for a whole afternoon, finished in less than two hours.

Moreover, everyone's minds were unusually clear, and they could surprisingly remember most people's presentations.

The top management who had been quietly complaining about the president before the meeting, after it ended, took the initiative to praise the boss.

Xie Jin remained seated and didn't move. No one was willing to stay with the big boss in the same room a moment longer. Before long, the conference room was empty.

Only Xie Jin and Su Tao remained, along with the Marketing Director who had been scolded by the boss and volunteered to stay and clean up the projector, hoping to redeem himself.

"Just collect a secretary's salary from finance at the end of the month, Director Wang." Xie Jin's cool voice frightened the Marketing Director who had been tidying up enthusiastically.

"Why?" He asked feebly.

Jin Chuiwen, who had just reached the door, turned back when he heard this conversation. He looked at the current atmosphere, shook his head helplessly, hurried over to pull the Marketing Director out, and closed the conference room door tightly.

Su Tao had just finished packing up her computer. Looking up, she met Xie Jin's lowered brows and oppressive aura filling the room. Even in the spacious conference room, she felt stifled.

She got up from her seat with her laptop, intending to leave. Passing Xie Jin, her wrist was forcibly grabbed and her whole body pulled to sit on his lap.

Su Tao struggled to get up, but Xie Jin took away her laptop and put it aside on the conference table. Pressing both arms on the edge of the table, leaning forward, he pinned Su Tao against the edge of the table.

"Xie Jin, let go. We're in the company." Su Tao turned her head away from his approaching face, a flash of disgust in her eyes.

"Little Taozi, even if you're angry in the future, don't do like last night again, or I'll really get angry."

Su Tao closed her eyes briefly, enduring and said, "Let go of me first."

"I had Jin Chuiwen book plane tickets to the Maldives tomorrow. Go home and pack your bags. We'll leave early tomorrow morning."

"Let go of me first." Su Tao said again.

"Still angry?"

Su Tao was silent.

"Still breaking up?"

Su Tao's clear eyes suddenly looked at him, calm as a deep pool, drawing him in.

"Didn't you ask me to pack? I'm going now." Su Tao said impassively, with no discernible joy or anger.

Reluctantly, Xie Jin released his arms holding her, looking at her overly calm gaze, he suddenly felt a little panicked in his heart, but only for a moment.

He was willing to spend time with her properly, so he was sure he could coax her back.

-

Su Tao had previously written a work summary and related documents. She compressed and packaged them to send to He Xiaorui.

Then she placed her work pass in the middle of the desk, glancing over the seat she had occupied for half a year, and withdrew her gaze, leaving the office area without looking back.

On the first floor, Su Tao unexpectedly saw a pink figure standing at the front desk. Mature, capable, and slightly domineering upturned eyes.

Su Tao's gaze fell on the bracelet on her wrist, twinkling, exactly the same as the one Xie Jin gave her.

Su Tao guessed this was Qin Xuexi.

She wore a pink Chanel suit, long hair draped over her shoulders. From the side, she did look a bit like Su Tao.

Seeing the color on Qin Xuexi, she couldn't help but think of the closet full of pink in Xie Jin's villa, suppressing the discomfort in her heart, and quickened her pace.

As if sensing it, Qin Xuexi turned her head and looked at Su Tao, a flash of surprise in her eyes.

"You're Su Tao?"

Su Tao was about to reach the door when she was suddenly called out.

She stopped, turned around, calm eyes revealing nothing of her thoughts.

"Who are you?" Su Tao asked knowingly.

"I'm Qin Xuexi, Xie Jin's former secretary."

The way she called out that nickname Xie Jin intimately revealed her purpose for stopping Su Tao.

Su Tao didn't speak, her clear transparent eyes calmly gazing at someone could actually make them feel guilty.

Qin Xuexi avoided her gaze, straightened her back, raised her chin, and assumed a haughty expression: "Let me buy you a coffee."

"No need. Just say what you have to say here." Knowing her motive, Su Tao was even less inclined to beat around the bush with her.

Qin Xuexi raised her eyebrows indifferently, as if lost in memories, and began to speak unprompted:

"I started at Tianjin right after graduation. When the old president fell ill, Xie Jin had just joined the company. As just a petty secretary, I was appointed by him to ask if I was willing to face the coming storm with him. I agreed without hesitation. After two years of fighting alongside him, he finally took full control of the company. That day he actually confessed his love for me. I'm two years older than Xie Jin. I didn't agree because of that. But recently, I've thought it through. I want to accept his love."

Qin Xuexi's gaze faintly revealed a sense of superiority and some provocation. She kept raising her hand to flip her long hair, as if afraid Su Tao wouldn't see her bracelet.

"You don't need to notify me." Su Tao said coldly after a moment of silence, "It's irrelevant to me."

Her cold expression was flawless. She turned and walked away.

After leaving Tianjin Building, Su Tao flagged a taxi and gave the villa address, sinking back into the seat and closing her eyes.

Four years ago when Xie Jin took control of the company was also the day they first met.

That day he wanted to commit suicide, although he never told her the reason and she never pressed him about it.

That was her mother's death anniversary. She also happened to find out that day the real reason her father had mistreated her all these years. For some reason, she understood Xie Jin's mood to leap from the bridge.

If he really wanted to jump, she would accompany this stranger off the ledge.

Just because of this earth-shattering and soul-touching first encounter, they needed each other, they depended on one another.

She had always thought she was the most special person to Xie Jin, irreplaceable in his life.

Having been neglected since childhood, always deprived of rights, she needed this kind of singular pampering to prove she deserved to exist.

All she could give him was wholehearted love, companionship and dependence.

In return, she expected the same wholeheartedness from him.

But if his suicide that year was because of Qin Xuexi's rejection, that would be truly laughable.

Such a reason was unworthy of their spiritual bond.

Her phone received a WeChat message, sent by Xue Ge.

[Zhang Qiguang: The photo is real.]

Su Tao quietly watched as her phone slowly dimmed to black, before slowly closing her eyes, forcefully wiping away the tears on her face.

She had trapped herself for four years with her self-righteous affection, only to discover in the end that it had all been wishful thinking on her part.

She really was a joke.