Princess Syndrome - Chapter 73

Chapter 73: Phone

"Hey, look, President Ji is smiling at her phone again." Secretary Li said. Su Lingyue turned her head. Secretary Li raised her chin, signaling her to look quickly.

Su Lingyue: …

She looked over, and Ji Zhiyi was looking down at her phone, a smile on her face, a slightly joyful smile. Secretary Li said, "I don't think it's work-related."

Zhang Ting gossiped, "Is President Ji seeing someone?"

Su Lingyue's heart skipped a beat.

Zhang Ting asked her, "Assistant Su, has President Ji been dating recently?"

Su Lingyue retorted, "No."

Her usual tone was indifferent, her expression calm. Fortunately, she was usually confident when lying, so the two didn't notice anything amiss. Secretary Li hissed, "It's hard to say, maybe she's keeping it from us, a secret relationship."

Zhang Ting even agreed, "Possible."

How could these two guess so accurately?

Su Lingyue pressed the screen and sent a message to Ji Zhiyi: [Blinds.]

Ji Zhiyi looked up when she saw the message.

Zhang Ting was startled by the sharp gaze and quickly lowered her head. Secretary Li also pretended to be busy, looking at the computer. A few seconds later, Ji Zhiyi closed the blinds. Su Lingyue breathed a sigh of relief. Secretary Li swallowed. "That scared me."

Zhang Ting said, "I thought she heard us talking."

Secretary Li laughed at her. "President Ji's ears aren't that long!"

Ji Zhiyi touched her earlobe. Today, Su Lingyue had chosen pearl studs for her. While helping her put them on, she had kept staring at her neck, thinking of the bite mark from last night. Ji Zhiyi took a sip of water to moisten her throat.

Her hand unconsciously touched her neck.

The phone ringing made her almost drop her cup.

It was Zhang Xian calling.

It was quiet on her end. She asked Ji Zhiyi, "I just saw the news about Su Qi. Do you need me to come back?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "I've already handed the new product matter over to Secretary Wu."

Zhang Xian said, "Ah—Wu Meiyan?"

She asked, "You trust her quite a bit."

It was more that she was smart enough.

Ji Zhiyi asked, "How are things at the processing plant?"

Zhang Xian said, "We've signed contracts with all four companies. We're just waiting for the goods to arrive. You wouldn't believe how packed the warehouse is with raw materials."

And they were all second and third-grade materials.

They wouldn't even need them.

She didn't know what Ji Zhiyi was planning to do with them.

Ji Zhiyi said, "I see. Come to the company in the next two days. Temporarily hand over the processing plant matters to Factory Director Wei."

Zhang Xian knew she would be away from the company for the next two days. "Okay."

Ji Zhiyi said, "It's time to reorganize the design department."

Zhang Xian made a surprised sound. Ji Zhiyi said, "The designer for this new product has ties to Su Qi."

Zhang Xian understood. "Root them out?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "Root them out."

Zhang Xian moved her neck. "Feels good! So, are you still taking Xie Lan with you today?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "Yes."

Zhang Xian said, "You're really like a duck's beak."

Ji Zhiyi frowned. "What do you mean?"

Zhang Xian said to her, "You're so tight-lipped! Back then, I invited Xie Lan so many times, genuinely wanting to bring her into the design department as a partner, but you didn't tell me anything!"

She had thought Xie Lan agreed to join Yilin because she was moved by her persistence.

Turns out it wasn't the case.

Zhang Xian huffed. "Was it fun making me look like a clown?"

Ji Zhiyi laughed, comforting her. "I'll treat you to dinner when you get back."

Zhang Xian asked, "Really? You'll cook?"

It was hard to even have a meal at her place now. She really suspected she was keeping a lover hidden away.

Ji Zhiyi said, "Really."

Zhang Xian was satisfied. "That's more like it. By the way, do you think Zhou Shiyu will be suspicious?"

Ji Zhiyi's expression turned serious. "Even if she's suspicious, there's nothing she can do. We can only take a gamble."

Placing the bet on Xie Lan.

Xie Lan also knew the impact of this matter on her. Zhou Shiyu's money wasn't just buying her designs, but her future, her past honors, and the rest of her life.

The price was high.

Several times more than she would earn in her entire career.

But she didn't agree immediately, because the other party was Ji Zhiyi, the designer she had once admired the most. Faced with the enormous sum, she wasn't thinking about honor or the bottom line and ethics of a designer, but about the person she admired.

Bottom line?

It disappeared the moment she accepted the first design draft that wasn't her own.

If it weren't for Ji Zhiyi, she wouldn't have hesitated for so long.

And Zhang Xian thought her hesitation was because she was reluctant to leave Su Qi. She even took advantage of this hesitation to make Zhang Xian care more about her. After coming to Yilin, Ji Zhiyi's attitude made her waver again. The courtesy and importance she was shown once made her want to give up the collaboration with Zhou Shiyu.

But—Zhou Shiyu wouldn't let her go.

Xie Lan looked at her phone. A message from an unknown number read: [Yilin has already submitted the designs to Arno for review.]

Submitting for review meant the matter was settled.

She should have felt relieved, but her heart was still hanging in the balance.

She didn't know if she was worried about herself or Ji Zhiyi.

Although, she wasn't really in a position to worry about Ji Zhiyi.

Xie Lan sighed. Someone patted her shoulder. She looked up. It was the designer across from her, who had cute little tiger teeth when she smiled. She handed Xie Lan a cup of milk tea. "What's wrong? Why are you still unhappy about going to the Autumn Exhibition today?"

Xie Lan took the milk tea. "Thank you."

She took a sip. "I'm not unhappy."

Then she looked around. "Where are the others?"

The designer mumbled, "They went out to eat."

Xie Lan nodded, seemingly unaffected. The designer across from her glanced at her. The design department was in disarray. Ever since Chen Zhiyao's position as supervisor was removed, they had started to form internal factions. Several senior employees often stuck together and formed a small group. The others also stood on their own sides. She was new and didn't have much say, but because there was no competition, everyone included her. Today, she didn't go to eat because her stomach was upset. She wasn't being isolated.

But Xie Lan was isolated.

She felt sorry for her and bought Xie Lan a cup of milk tea when she bought her own.

Xie Lan didn't care. She waited as time ticked by. People gradually returned to the office. A few greeted her, their expressions still friendly.

"The roast duck from that place was delicious. Should we order takeout from there tomorrow?"

"Sure, I like it too. Count me in tomorrow."

"Me too, me too!"

Someone asked Xie Lan, "Do you want any?"

Another person said, "Designer Xie is going on a business trip with President Ji, how could she eat this cheap takeout."

The others laughed.

Xie Lan gripped her mouse tightly, her head lowered, not saying a word.

These people were all smiles and sweet talk when there was no conflict of interest.

But the moment interests were involved.

They would immediately turn their backs on you.

She knew there was no point in being angry, but she still dug her fingernails into her palm.

The departure time was two o'clock. Su Lingyue notified Xie Lan of the time. When Xie Lan arrived downstairs, Ji Zhiyi and the others hadn't come down yet. She looked up at the company sign. The first time she saw Ji Zhiyi's work was online, the first pair of high heels from the Haoyue series, displayed like a work of art. At that time, she hadn't launched her first personal collection as a Chinese designer. It was just a pair of shoes, and the news coverage wasn't significant. It was quickly buried among the news of celebrities, but she had come across it.

And she really liked it.

After that, she had deliberately paid attention to Ji Zhiyi, wanting to get closer, but the designs she created weren't particularly outstanding. Her drafts were often rejected at the company.

Then she discovered that her friend's designs were very talented.

She had a natural gift for design.

She was overjoyed, holding the design drafts that weren't her own, gradually establishing herself in the company. When she went abroad, she even had the honor of meeting Ji Zhiyi. She became a rising star, envied by everyone.

But—Su Lingyue discovered her secret.

Only she knew how nervous she was during the confrontation.

Later, the chairman transferred Su Lingyue to a branch company and said to her meaningfully, "Actually, I don't care whose design drafts these are. What I care about is whether they can bring benefits to the company. Of course, you understand what I mean. If they cause the company to lose money, you will bear the responsibility for the losses."

Correspondingly, her previous fixed salary was changed to commission.

The chairman knew that these design drafts weren't hers, perhaps he had known all along, but he had been pretending not to know. When Su Lingyue brought it up, realizing there was a risk of exposure, he shifted the risk onto her in advance.

This concerned her reputation and future.

She would definitely do everything possible to conceal this secret.

So, they re-signed the contract.

When the chairman passed away, she breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she had regained her freedom. But the chairman was dead, not the contract. Zhou Shiyu came to her with a large sum of money and this contract to make a deal.

When Ji Zhiyi and Su Lingyue came downstairs, they saw Xie Lan standing at the entrance. Su Lingyue walked to her side. "Ms. Xie."

Xie Lan snapped out of her thoughts and bowed her head in greeting. "President Ji, Assistant Su."

Whether it was because she had a guilty conscience or was thinking about the deal with Zhou Shiyu, she was more silent than usual, so silent that Su Lingyue felt a bit unaccustomed. This person wasn't usually the most eloquent, but she was a good talker, and she used to say she liked Ji Zhiyi to everyone. Why was she a mute now that they had met?

Was she repenting for the mistakes she had made?

Since she wasn't talking, Su Lingyue also turned to look out the window. Ji Zhiyi casually spoke up. "Ms. Xie, are you not feeling well today?"

Xie Lan quickly turned her head when she heard her voice, replying hastily, "No, I'm fine."

She sat in the passenger seat, clearly seeing Ji Zhiyi's profile and slightly nervous expression. Xie Lan tensed up and said, "I was just too happy to see President Ji, I didn't know what to say for a moment."

Hypocritical.

Su Lingyue rolled her eyes at Xie Lan's reflection in the car window.

Then she rolled her eyes at Ji Zhiyi's reflection.

Caring about someone else in front of your girlfriend, and being proactive about it!

Where did her usual indifferent personality go?

Ji Zhiyi was completely unaware and continued to ask, "Are the documents prepared?"

Xie Lan said, "They're all prepared."

Ji Zhiyi nodded and smiled faintly.

Su Lingyue wanted to be angry, but felt it was too petty. But if she wasn't angry, she felt a little sour in her heart.

It was really uncomfortable.

When they got out of the car, the driver took their luggage down and sent it to the lounge. Xie Lan said goodbye to the two of them and went to the restroom. Only Su Lingyue and Ji Zhiyi were left in the lounge. The two suitcases were placed horizontally between them. Ji Zhiyi pulled her suitcase to the side and sat next to Su Lingyue. Just as she opened her mouth, "Lingyue."

Su Lingyue took out her phone. "Hello, it's me, okay, wait a moment."

She had just gotten up when her wrist was grabbed.

Su Lingyue looked down, her eyes meeting Ji Zhiyi's.

She explained, "I'm going out to answer a call."

Ji Zhiyi looked at her for two seconds and pursed her lips. "You're holding your phone upside down."

Su Lingyue: …

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