Financial Workplace Survival Guide – CH 067

Chapter 67 ☆, A Bloody Love Story.

Mary and Xin Xin exclaimed in unison, “How is this possible?”

Zhang Qiao gave a wry smile. “Actually, their relationship is not that secret. Their phone wallpapers are even couple-themed. They even went on a trip together during her vacation. The reason we did not think much of it was because we called Yang Manman and got through; she told us to give the keys to Fang Keyan. Not many people know about this, since it would not be good for her image. If we said we were meeting Fang Keyan, we’d inevitably have to mention their relationship…”

As soon as he explained, Xin Xin and Mary understood. First, Fang Keyan was not young and had a family. Second, once the reasons were explained, proving that Fang Keyan had committed rape would become much more difficult.

Nobody wanted to cause any unnecessary trouble.

On the other hand, they also understood why Su Qi had never worried about Yang Manman’s safety.

Xin Xin and Mary looked at each other, unsure how to comment on the matter for a long time.

Mary snapped out of her daze, reached out, and patted Zhang Qiao on the back. “Okay, do not be sad; it is not your fault.”

This was a comforting gesture that could be categorized as friendship, but Zhang Qiao suddenly hugged Mary without saying a word and said sullenly, “I’ve been so unlucky ever since you left me.”

Zhang Qiao’s show of weakness left Mary at a loss.

But in that moment of hesitation, Mary’s bloody moment arrived.

In the dim light, a slender man walked slowly over.

“What a coincidence, I never expected to run into you.”

What a coincidence that Han Canghai would appear at a bar.

On one side was her ex-ex, a love that felt like a white moonlight; on the other was her ex, with whom she still harbored fantasies. For some reason, although no one spoke, the atmosphere instantly became tense and confrontational.

Xin Xin glanced nervously at Mary.

Mary remained calm and greeted Han Canghai with a smile, “Teacher Han, what a coincidence.”

Her voice carried a hint of peachy playfulness, without the slightest unease, reluctance, or pretense.

Previously, Mary had told Xin Xin that she had decided to no longer make success in love her life’s pursuit, which Xin Xin did not really believe. But at this moment, she understood what Mary meant.

In the past, Mary always tried her best to make Han Canghai happy. She treated Zhang Qiao the same way, showing her boyfriend the same thoughtfulness, charm, and personalized tenderness.

This kind of behavior, which did not require much genuine effort, had become a habit for her.

But now, she was much more at ease. She no longer tried to make the other person happy, nor did she care much about the subtle atmosphere.

The ability to read the air and the subtle emotions of others was a gift from heaven. But Mary intended to give up this gift.

“Zhao Ningyan, why are you not replying to my messages?” Han Canghai asked, his voice hoarse and tinged with anger.

Mary took out her phone to check and confirmed that Han Canghai had indeed sent a message before she left work; it was just a few words without any emotion.

“Are you busy? Want to have dinner together?”

But by then, they had already planned to pick up Zhang Qiao, so Mary did not see it.

“I forgot to check my phone, sorry.” Mary smiled again.

This statement contained neither arrogance nor remorse; it was simply a plain statement of fact.

Han Canghai’s breath hitched. Under the bar was orange-yellow lights, he saw Mary’s natural smile and her body unconsciously moving closer to Zhang Qiao. It was a sense of security that people who had been intimate with each other did not realize.

All of this made him feel…

It was always glaringly obvious. If he could, he would like to hold onto his proud self-esteem, leave behind a sarcastic remark, and then turn and leave.

But as if frozen in place, he dared not move, as if turning his head would be the last time they met.

Zhang Qiao was not exactly a cunning person, but in his quick assessment of the situation, he realized that, at least for the moment, victory was on his side.

So he stood up very politely and gentlemanly and invited Han Canghai in a tone of ownership.

“Are you Ningning’s friend? Would you like to sit with us?”

Xin Xin was shocked. She had worked with Zhang Qiao for so long, and she never expected him to have such a skill. He must have met Han Canghai, or at least heard of him.

Mary did not intend to refuse, but she still politely declined Zhang Qiao’s suggestion.

“Alright, stop fooling around. Teacher Han could not have come to the bar on his own. It is probably on business. Let him go home.”

This was true. Looking from afar, Xin Xin saw a group of people chatting, including her old acquaintance Gao Ling, who was sitting next to a beautiful woman. Xin Xin was certain he had seen her, but she pretended not to recognize him and did not mind.

However, to everyone’s surprise, after thinking for a few seconds, Han Canghai said very confidently, “It is okay; I will tell my colleagues, and I will go with you.”

Han Canghai kept his word, turned around to greet her, and naturally sat down next to Xin Xin.

“What are you talking about?” The sun seemed to rise in the west as Han Canghai initiated the conversation. Even when he was with Mary, Xin Xin had never received this honor.

Before anyone could answer, Zhang Qiao continued, “We didn’t talk much, just some work-related matters. I haven’t even had a chance to say hello yet. What is your name?”

Han Canghai said coldly, “My surname is Han, Han Canghai.”

Zhang Qiao said, “Oh, I’ve heard so much about you. My name is Zhang Qiao; you may not know me.”

Another snub. Zhang Qiao was a newcomer, so Han Canghai naturally did not know his background, only that he was Mary’s new lover. Zhang Qiao did not actually know Han Canghai very well, but he had heard of him to some extent.

Han Canghai nodded. “Your company has a lot of people, so it is normal that I don’t know them.”

Zhang Qiao’s expression turned cold.

Xin Xin exchanged information with Mary through her eyes, only to see Mary watching the two men childishly arguing with great interest.

That was really a twisted sense of humor.

That was the end of the business for the night; what followed was nothing but pointless probing. It was a back-and-forth, a battle of wits. Finally, when it was time to take Mary home, the two put on another well-rehearsed push-and-pull.

“I live nearby,” Han Canghai said.

“I am familiar with her neighborhood; you know she moved, right?” Zhang Qiao said.

“No need to see me off; I will ride in Xin Xin’s boyfriend’s car.”

In the end, Mary got into the car that came to pick up Xin Xin, leaving the two men who disliked each other alone.

Many years later, Mary was far removed from the Mary in Xin Xin’s memory.

Xin Xin suddenly realized that that night was probably the moment when Mary’s disappointment in men reached its peak. She finally broke free from the superstition of love and understood that no one in this world could keep another person’s passion alive forever.

Love was not the meaning of a person’s life.

But back that evening, Mary only felt bored.

Zheng Zaochuan glanced at the two people still standing in the rearview mirror and asked casually, “What? Zhao Ningyan’s romantic entanglements? Did the two of them get into a fight?”

Xin Xin smiled and looked at Mary, who was sitting in the back row with her eyes closed. “Not yet, but soon. It is a good thing you came; otherwise, they might have been fighting until dawn to see who she was taking home today.”

Zheng Zaochuan laughed and commented, “Boring.”

Xin Xin subconsciously retorted, “How is it boring? In the past, the competition for the perfect opposite sex in one’s mind could lead to a duel between two men. Did you know that Pushkin died in a duel to win the heart of his lover?”

Zheng Zaochuan sneered and mocked, “Is love a matter between two people or three? Love is not like fighting over something, where two people fight and the winner gets it. They are fighting to the death; should they not at least ask the female protagonist’s opinion?”

Xin Xin thought about it and realized that Mary was right.

“Hey, what are you thinking? Do you still like Han Canghai? Can you give me the answer? Which of the two do you like now?”

Mary chuckled sleepily, “Xin Xin, I am sleepy. I need to think about this. I think I understand you a little now. People’s senses can deteriorate; there is no reason why they suddenly deteriorate.”

Xin Xin did not understand Mary’s utterly exhausted confusion and considerately said, “Go to sleep; I will wake you when we get there.”

Overall, Xin Xin and Zheng Zaochuan were the same type of people.

They were both very realistic and concrete people and were more likely to use rational thinking. When it came to whether they liked someone, they almost always needed a very long time to observe and evaluate and even needed to repeatedly verify their feelings through various examples before they could be sure of their feelings.

But Mary was not that kind of person.

Her preferences had always been keen, disordered, and wild.

But she said she had forgotten how she used to feel. That very night, as she watched two men engage in an incredibly childish struggle over her, she felt for a moment as if she were a stone, a pearl, or something utterly worthless.

They were just fighting; her presence or absence did not matter. At that moment, she realized that all along, she had been nothing more than an object in love.

This made her previous efforts seem ridiculous.

Mary’s mother was a very beautiful and sweet woman. She was a nurse by profession and later switched to television. She was awarded the title of “Flower of the Provincial Capital” in Mary’s birthplace. After competing with many others, she finally became the city’s spokesperson.

For a long time when Mary was a child, she saw photos of her mother hanging in various promotional activities.

Later, Mary’s mother married her father.

Mary’s father’s family had some existing business, and he later expanded his own territory to achieve financial freedom. Growing up in this environment, Mary’s father loved her mother very much, and even now, their affection for each other was no less than that of young people.

Mary’s mother, besides being beautiful, had her own way of dealing with men. This kind of romantic myth was rare nowadays, and Mary used to think her mother was just lucky.

As Mary grew up, her mother passed on all her wisdom on how to get along with one’s lover to her.

“Treat a man like a dog. Give him food if he wants to eat, water if he wants to drink, and pet his head if he wants to be petted. If one day he finds someone else, think carefully about what he needs. He will eventually come back. But remember, do not give up the love that should belong to you for the sake of your pride. You can lose anything, but you cannot lose control of the relationship.”

Mary had always believed in this theory in every relationship she had ever been in, and it had brought her a great deal of success in winning the affections of others.

If she had married Han Canghai back then, she might have, like her mother, diligently managed her marriage and relationship. She would have made maintaining the enduring passion in her love a lifelong pursuit, and on the day of her death, her epitaph would simply say that she possessed the most moving love in the world.

Unfortunately, in this emotional setback that felt like a severe cold, she suddenly lost her sensitivity to love.