Chapter 97

Qin Xiaomeng had just begun to explain herself to Chu Tianhe when the department manager, face twisted with anger, abruptly cut her off. In front of everyone, he slapped Qin Xiaomeng down with his words, freezing her expression in an instant.

“See? Didn’t I say so?”
“A woman like her should be fired!”
“What else can she do besides seducing men?”
“On her very first day, she dared to offend Miss Li. If she’s not fired, who should be?”

As the manager’s words fell, Chu Tianhe had not yet spoken, but a torrent of gossip and curses erupted throughout the office. Nearly everyone began to point fingers at Qin Xiaomeng, their words dripping with malice.

“Enough! Shut up, all of you!”

The insults had already kindled a fire in Qin Xiaomeng’s heart. Now, to be demeaned in front of her brother-in-law was simply unbearable. She could no longer contain herself and broke out with a furious roar.

“Tch, as if someone like you could keep us quiet.”
“After seeing how you drank yourself silly yesterday, it’s clear what kind of woman you are.”
“A pure and elegant façade, but in reality, utterly shameless!”

Qin Xiaomeng’s rebuke silenced most of the crowd. After all, since the company had already decided to fire her, there was little point in continuing the tirade. Only a few female colleagues who had joined her for drinks the previous night remained relentless, refusing to let her off.

They knew perfectly well that the harsher they berated Qin Xiaomeng, the happier Li Ruofei would be. This was their way of currying favor with her.

Li Ruofei herself watched on with a satisfied smile, clearly enjoying the scene.

Suddenly, as the four women’s insults reached a fever pitch, Chu Tianhe raised his hand in a flash. Four crisp slaps landed in succession, sending the women staggering backward until they collapsed, sitting on the floor.

“Watch your mouths!” Chu Tianhe’s brow was furrowed, his eyes flashing with a chilling light as he swept a cold gaze over the four women. His voice was low and grave: “Did the men who dined with Xiaorou yesterday come in today?”

The four women, smarting from the blows, were about to lash out in anger. But hearing Chu Tianhe’s question, they froze for a moment. Only then did they realize that the five male colleagues who had drunk with Qin Xiaomeng the night before were all absent from work today.

“They won’t be coming,” Chu Tianhe said coldly, his gaze icy and filled with murderous intent as he stared them down.

The dread he exuded was directed solely at these four women. Though Chu Tianhe didn’t spell out why the men weren’t coming, the lethal glare in his eyes was answer enough.

In an instant, the four women fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

Chu Tianhe’s gaze was simply terrifying.

The four women were instantly cowed by Chu Tianhe, their hearts gripped by fear.

“Manager Zhang, is it?” Chu Tianhe’s gaze now turned to the department manager. Under that frigid stare, he asked in a voice cold as death, “It’s not impossible for the company to fire Xiaorou, but there should at least be a reasonable explanation, shouldn’t there?”

“Manager Zhang, would you care to explain?”

Although his tone was calm, the chill and menace in Chu Tianhe’s voice chilled Manager Zhang to the bone, making sweat bead on his forehead.

Manager Zhang had no idea who Chu Tianhe was or what his background might be, but the sheer force of his presence and that cold, piercing gaze were more than enough to strike terror into anyone’s heart.

“Because she offended me. Isn’t that reason enough?”

Before Manager Zhang could reply, Li Ruofei lifted her chin, her expression haughty and condescending as she cast a disdainful glance at Chu Tianhe.