Chapter 24: Seeking Trouble Where None Exists

Jiang Xue sat directly opposite Jiang Li, her gaze filled with a trace of disdain as she looked at the person across from her.

Jiang Li waved her hand, and Lin Fan nodded. "Very well. I will process Miss Jiang Xue's onboarding. From this moment on, you are a designer in the Design Department. I expect you to abide by company regulations."

Jiang Xue crossed her legs with a sneer. "Are you lecturing me, Assistant Lin? Don't forget that I grew up in the Jiang family. Although I have been serving as the secretary to Qin Mu of the Qin Group, I am fully aware of how things work here. My surname is Jiang, after all. When my father inherits the Jiang family estate, I, too, will be a shareholder of this company."

Hearing this, Lin Fan curled his lips, nodded without another word, and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, Jiang Li was analyzing the situation in her mind. Jiang Xue could only act with such arrogance and aggression because she surely knew some inside information. If Jiang Jinxiu had no direct heir, then his cousin, Jiang Jintao, would naturally be the one to inherit the Jiang consortium. This meant that Jiang Jintao’s children, Jiang Hao and Jiang Xue, were potential heirs, which gave her the leverage to be so brazen.

But was the death of her father, Jiang Jinxiu, truly an accident? Jiang Jintao and his family were the ones who stood to gain the most. Could it have been a premeditated plot? Jiang Li knew she had to find evidence to prove it. Keeping Jiang Xue close was the best strategy; after all, Jiang Xue was prone to fits of rage, and Jiang Li was certain she would eventually reveal a flaw.

"You, what are you spacing out for?" Jiang Xue began stirring up trouble, as usual. Jiang Li chose to ignore her. "Are you deaf? I told you to pour me a cup of coffee. Do you really think you'll still have a job here after the shareholders' meeting next month, once Grandfather announces the inheritance?"

Jiang Li forced herself to remain calm, knowing that only by provoking Jiang Xue could she gauge the true attitude of the department. She stood up and swept the teacup Jiang Xue had thrust at her onto the floor, where it shattered into pieces. With a cold expression, she said, "I am working. Do not disturb me. If you have nothing to do, then leave."

Seeing the broken cup, Jiang Xue’s eyes widened in fury. "Who do you think you are? How dare you drive me away and break my cup? Supervisor! Who is the supervisor of the Design Department? Are you just going to let this happen?"

Just then, a man in his forties walked over with a swagger. He wore a crisp black suit, his hair slicked back, his features sharp and rodent-like. Jiang Li couldn't help but wonder if he was here for a comedy sketch.

"Here, here! Miss Jiang, why are you here? You should have told me you were coming! I just heard from Assistant Lin that you would be joining our department—what a fantastic addition! I’ve been losing my hair over a design project, but with you here, I can finally rest easy!"

Hearing the supervisor's praise, Jiang Xue arched her eyebrows triumphantly. "What is your name? I feel like I recognize you. You certainly know how to speak well; stick with me, and promotions and raises will be guaranteed."

At the mention of promotions and raises, the supervisor beamed. "Of course, of course! Miss Jiang, you must have a lot on your mind, so it's no wonder you forgot. I am Sun Hao, and I’ve been in the Design Department for ten years. Rest assured, our department has plenty of experience—everyone here is a veteran."

Jiang Xue nodded. "A lot of veterans, you say? It seems the hiring standards of the Design Department have been dropping. How could someone like her, a graduate from a second-rate university with no experience, even get in? Pathetic."

The office atmosphere, which had been pleasant with air conditioning, afternoon tea, and snacks, turned sour as Jiang Li found herself surrounded by a swarm of people.

"Jiang Li shares our surname, but she was brought in by the Chairman. Who knows what her background is?"
"A second-rate university graduate getting into our department? Did you pull some strings? What can you actually do? If you're useless, you'd better leave now."
"Exactly. Sister Jiang Xue has been a secretary at the Qin Group for years; she’s the kind of designer this department actually needs. You’re already offending her—do you not want to keep your job?"
"Did you just come here for the free afternoon tea? Let me tell you, without real talent, you'll be kicked out sooner or later."

Listening to their back-and-forth, Jiang Xue felt emboldened. "Colleagues, Jiang Li is my aunt's cousin. She… well, I’m embarrassed to even say it, but she got pregnant out of wedlock, and no one even knows who the father is."

"My god, her private life is so chaotic! Oh, I remember seeing her photos. She used to dance in a bikini outside a bar in Yun City, and she was even domestically abused by her husband."

"Yes, a red bikini! I saw it too. Jiang Li, how can someone like you deserve to be in the Jiang Group? Working with you makes me feel ashamed."

The gossip made Jiang Xue even more smug. Her goal was to drive Jiang Li away and ensure she had no chance to see Qin Mu, who was due to arrive at the Jiang Group to discuss a partnership. She decided to continue the smear campaign. "Everyone, stop. My cousin is actually quite pathetic. She picked a completely unreliable husband, and they even sold their own daughter..."

"Slap!" A loud, crisp sound echoed through the room. Jiang Li, unable to bear it any longer, struck Jiang Xue across the face. "Jiang Xue, that’s enough! If you keep spreading these lies, do you really think I won't have the police take you in for questioning? I’ve already reported Yoyo’s case to the police, and you seem to know quite a lot. Would you like to go and give a statement?"

"You!" Jiang Xue clutched her red, swollen cheek, glaring at Jiang Li in a frenzy. "You hit me again! Jiang Li, do you think I won't tear you apart?"

At that moment, Lin Fan and Qin Mu appeared at the doorway. Seeing Jiang Xue in such a rage, ready to attack Jiang Li, Lin Fan’s fury erupted. "That is enough, Miss Jiang Xue. If you continue to disrupt the Chairman’s orders, I have the authority to have you removed immediately."

Jiang Xue retorted defiantly, "Lin Fan, know your place! If you keep siding with her, do you think I won't tell Grandfather to have you fired as well?"

Lin Fan chuckled coldly. He stepped back and looked toward Qin Mu. "Mr. Qin, I didn't expect a high-level executive from your Qin Group to have such little character. Do you have anything to say about this?"

Qin Mu’s gaze locked onto Jiang Li. His initial flash of excitement was quickly replaced by disappointment, though he struggled to maintain his composure. He had assumed Jiang Li would be devastated by the incident with Yoyo, but seeing her here, seemingly focused on work, he concluded that she simply didn't care. The child wasn't his, and Jiang Li was nothing but a loose, unfaithful woman; why should he continue to harbor any affection for her?

He walked straight up to Jiang Li, his voice heavy. "I don't believe my fiancée, Jiang Xue, is spreading lies or slandering you. Some people have indeed done such things, haven't they? I remember very clearly that my father passed away in a car accident while riding in a car driven by Miss Jiang Li. And in that hotel, Miss Jiang Li did indeed conceive a child after carrying on with a stranger."