Bai Tao sat bored at her workstation, glancing occasionally at the clock on the wall, eagerly awaiting the end of the workday. Just then, her phone's WeChat notification chimed unexpectedly, and it was a message from Luo He.
Seeing the notification, Bai Tao furrowed her brows, muttering to herself: Everything was calm this afternoon, so why is there trouble now right before quitting time? However, when she opened the message, her conflicted expression was quickly replaced by surprise.
Well, that was fast! Bai Tao was taken aback. Especially when she saw the three bold exclamation marks at the end of Luo He's message. A smile crept onto her lips as she thought, This guy must be furious! It looks like I'm just one step away from "getting him angry" enough to fire me.
Bai Tao didn't reply immediately. Instead, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She knew this was a crucial battle and couldn't afford to make any mistakes. After thinking for a moment, Bai Tao quickly typed on her screen: "How could that be? I didn't say that! How could I say such a thing?"
Soon, Luo He's reply came: "Afraid to admit it? Want to face me directly? Bring along your colleagues and let's see if they are more afraid of you, the 'rich second-generation' who's faking it, or of me, the CEO."
Bai Tao blinked and quickly replied: "Emmm... President Luo, I was just joking, it was just a joke, please don't take it seriously."
"Jokes aren't something you throw around casually. You're an adult, you should know that when adults speak, they need to be responsible for their words." Luo He's words carried an unshakable authority.
Bai Tao secretly rejoiced; it seemed like Luo He was truly angry! "President Luo, please have mercy, I won't do it again. It was really just a joke," Bai Tao replied, all the while plotting in her mind: The more I insist it was just a joke, the more it will drive Luo He crazy.
"You're not a child anymore, you should understand that if you make a mistake, you must take responsibility for it," Luo He replied, not seeming to intend to let her off the hook easily.
"Alright... If you really think this joke was unacceptable, I can't do anything about it." Bai Tao continued to act stubborn, maintaining the "unrepentant" persona.
"So, you're ready to take responsibility?" Luo He pressed.
"Otherwise? I just made a joke, and now you're blowing it out of proportion. I can't do anything about it. You can do whatever you want—execute me or punish me, I'll accept it." Bai Tao gritted her teeth and fully embraced her role as the stubborn one.
"Good, at least you have some backbone. I've made my decision!"
Bai Tao's heart raced. She gripped her phone tightly, eagerly waiting for Luo He to say the words "You're fired." However, the next message from Luo He left her dumbfounded: "Wait, you're coming to dinner with me."
Bai Tao stared at her phone screen, her eyes wide, her face filled with disbelief: Dinner...?! I was eagerly waiting to get fired, and now you're talking about dinner?
It was then that Bai Tao finally came to her senses: This guy wasn't angry at all! He's just messing with me again! "I have to go home after work!!!" Bai Tao replied in frustration, adding three exclamation marks at the end of the message.
After sending the message, Bai Tao kept her eyes on her phone, eagerly waiting for Luo He's reply. But after waiting for a while, there was no response. She thought to herself that Luo He wouldn't reply anymore, so she put her phone away. Just as she did so, the WeChat notification sounded repeatedly.
Bai Tao was puzzled as she opened her phone and found that she had been @-mentioned in the family group chat. She clicked into the group, only to be bombarded with messages from her family, all criticizing her.
[Mom: @Bai Tao, Luo He is working so hard, why aren't you staying late to help? Today, you should stay and help him, and from now on, you should take on more of his workload!]
[Dad: Exactly, you're not a kid anymore. Stop slacking off at work. @Bai Tao]
[Aunt: @Bai Tao, you need to work harder. It's fine while you're in the dating phase, but you're younger than Luo He and joined the company later. Your position is lower, but you need to step up.]
[Uncle: Come on, Tao, you've always been smart. With a little more effort, you can become a manager within five years. I believe in you.]
[Cousin (Xie Xiaoran): Wow, Bai Tao, being demoted one level by your boyfriend, shame on you!]
[Grandma (voice message): What's all this talk about striving and not striving? Don't work too hard, my big grandson. So what if you become a manager? The key is your health. But if Luo He is staying late, you better take care of him, alright?]
Bai Tao was both angry and helpless. Even her most caring grandma had been "brainwashed" by Luo He! She knew there must be more to the conversation in the group. Scrolling up, sure enough, she found what she was looking for.
After Bai Tao had refused Luo He, he had gone into the group chat to "complain." When her mom asked if he was planning to leave work, he replied that he was too busy and had to stay late. Her mom urged him not to overwork and to delegate tasks to his subordinates. Luo He, however, said he didn't feel comfortable leaving things to others. Her mom then asked how many people were staying late, and Luo He replied that he was alone.
Her mom sent three confused emojis, then suggested that Bai Tao stay to help. Luo He, ever the gentleman, said there was no need for Bai Tao to stay and that he could handle it alone.
Bai Tao could practically hear her mom's heart melting from the screen. She must have thought Luo He was thoughtful and considerate. Then, her mom began @-mentioning Bai Tao, urging her to stay late, and the rest of the family joined in.
Bai Tao rubbed her temples in frustration. She had to admit, Luo He really knew how to win people over! Her family had fallen under his spell. At this rate, if she didn't stay late to help him, she'd be the "enemy" of the whole family.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]