Tomorrow as Bright as Day – Chapter 61
Chapter 61
Mark slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching against the asphalt with a sharp, piercing sound.
Face full of apology, Mark cast an embarrassed glance toward his boss in the passenger seat.
Liang Jiancheng remained expressionless and said nothing.
“…Heh.” The tension gradually dissipated, and for the first time, Mark found his boss’s words both awkward and oddly amusing, A sense of warmth and familiarity stirred in him. After some thought, he worked up the courage to say, “Mr. Liang, you must be pursuing her a little too cautiously.”
There was no flattery in that remark—only honest words.
Even if he wasn’t Mr. Liang’s subordinate, speaking purely from a man’s perspective, with Liang Jiancheng’s qualifications, winning Miss Ming over should not be difficult. Mark didn’t know Miss Ming well; his only impression came from colleagues enthusiastically recounting her standout performance at last year’s year-end banquet—
A bold and beautiful young woman.
He truly believed Mr. Liang could easily win her heart. This wasn’t a slight against Miss Ming, but a realistic assessment: in Haigang, men like “Mr. Liang” were exceedingly rare, while women like “Miss Ming” were comparatively more common.
So if Mr. Liang really was pursuing her and hadn’t succeeded yet, the only possibility was that his boss was being too cautious!
Mark’s easy conclusion amused Liang Jiancheng. He tossed back a personal question instead: “Mark… are you very experienced in pursuing girls?” ”
Actually, Mark and his boss, Liang Jiancheng, were about the same age, but because one was the boss and the other was the assistant, they have a very different temperament.
…Of course!”
Mark suppressed his smugness, the corners of his lips lifting slightly as he answered modestly, “Everyone has their own specialty. Mr. Liang and I excel in different areas. I’m better at pursuing women—but Mr. Liang is surely more accomplished in other fields.”
Liang Jiancheng hadn’t had such a relaxed conversation in a long time, and naturally replied, “Then what do you think I’m good at?”
Mark said ingratiatingly but objectively, “Mr. Liang is good at being pursued by women.”
Liang Jiancheng: “…”
Mark kept smiling.
Actually, there wasn’t much gossip about Miss Ming in the Zhongjin Tower. After all, Miss Ming was just an ordinary sales rep. What people discussed far more enthusiastically was this boss of theirs.
There were rumors about Mr. Liang almost every day.
Handsome, from a good family, and extremely charming. If he were a woman, Mark would be attracted to him too. That’s what he thought to himself.
But it was also true that a man like Mr. Liang was difficult for ordinary women to get close to—unlike Mr. Huang or Mr. He, who were far more “approachable.” Mr. He at least still picked and chose, while Mr. Huang was practically a breeding boar.
No wonder Mrs. Huang couldn’t keep her own boar in check—she could only blame the tender cabbages outside for being too fresh.
“Mr. Liang, do you need me to handle those negative rumors about Miss Ming?” A good assistant should always learn to share the boss’s worries and think ahead.
Unexpectedly, Liang Jiancheng immediately rejected it.
“No need.”
“Is it not necessary?” “Mark asked tentatively.
“No, I don’t really trust your abilities in this area. I’ll handle it myself.”
Mark: …
The bitterness of being an assistant is that you have to consider your boss’s feelings in everything you say and do, but your boss never considers yours.
Still, Mr. Liang was already quite gentle and well-mannered by most standards… even if, at times, the shrewdness and cool detachment of someone in power inevitably showed through.
“Understood. If there’s anything Mr. Liang needs me to do, just say the word.”
“I will.”
…
After seeing Mrs. Huang off, Ming Xi returned to her workstation and was soon called to He Yuan’s office.
He Yuan gestured for her to sit on the sofa. There was a small refrigerator in the office. He Yuan personally took out a bottle of water from it, handed it to her with a smile, and said, “Ming Xi, don’t take Mrs. Huang’s behavior to heart. She’s been going through menopause these past few years, and Mr. Huang doesn’t give her any face. What happened today—it’s not you who looked bad, it was her. Just treat it as… a cornered dog lashing out.”
He tried to lighten the mood with humor, but Ming Xi couldn’t bring herself to smile. She didn’t deliberately put on a stern face, yet her dissatisfaction still seeped naturally into her posture and movements.
He Yuan was a sharp, genuine man. Toward Ming Xi, he was not only patient, but openly appreciative.
“Let’s put this matter aside for now. Regardless of whether you offended Mrs. Huang or not, you have absolutely no problem with me.” He Yuan reiterated his assurance.
He Yuan spoke Mandarin with a slight southern accent, his voice resonant and persuasive. In meetings, he was always inspiring, and he made a point of showing employees that they were valued. That was why, compared with Boss Huang, more people at Haiou tended to side with He Yuan.
Indeed, He Yuan not only knew how to handle people—he also understood how to play the long game.
In foreign trade, the most important thing was knowing how to use people: who was worth cultivating, and who wasn’t worth a second glance.
He Yuan was very confident in his eye for talent—just as he had “unearthed” Ming Xi, this hidden gem. He firmly believed that with proper nurturing, she would become the most sought-after female foreign trade sales rep in Haigang.
And if Ming Xi did not ultimately become his, she would very likely become his rival.
Because of this consideration, during this period he had alternated between kindness and authority, showing her particular respect and recognition. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to bring her into Haiou in the first place.
What man didn’t like a girl who was both beautiful and intelligent? Of course he wouldn’t reveal any dangerous signals too early and make her wary of him.
Instead, he needed to value her highly, treat her generously, and fully display his magnanimity and appreciation.
Ming Xi, of course, was unaware of He Yuan’s thoughts. She simply pursed her lips, not in a hurry to express her opinion, because she wanted to figure out what He Yuan was thinking first. She had already completely fallen out with Mrs. Huang and Zhao Yang, and there was no way she could continue staying in Zhao Yang’s team.
Zhao Yang had constantly targeted and suppressed her, and Mrs. Huang had threatened and slandered her.
Even if she still wished to contribute to the company, in such an environment, it was impossible for her abilities to truly flourish.
Why should she give her all to a company—and bosses—like this?
At worst, she could just leave!
He Yuan handed her the bottle of water, then sat down calmly, his manner gentle yet steady.
At this moment, the office door was tightly closed, and he decided to speak frankly:
“Ming Xi, I will soon part ways with Mr. Huang. From now on, Haiou will be my Haiou alone, and Mr. Huang will withdraw his shares from the company. Mrs. Huang is unaware of this, because Mr. Huang plans to transfer assets… I don’t agree with his actions either. After all, they’re husband and wife—dragging things to this point is ugly. But this involves the division of interests between Mr. Huang and me. I can’t exactly play the saint here. You’ve seen Mrs. Huang yourself… Some things are hard to judge from the outside—who’s right and who’s wrong isn’t for outsiders to say. What she did today put you in an unfair position. Once Mr. Huang fully exits Haiou, I, He Yuan, will judge people purely by their ability. The first person I’ll get rid of is Zhao Yang!”
What?!
Ming Xi clutched the water bottle, her heart filled with doubt and disbelief. She never imagined that simply going to work would not only lead to such a mess, but also embroil her in a company equity dispute and a couple’s covert asset transfers…
Things that could be spoken aloud—and things that clearly shouldn’t—were all laid bare by He Yuan in what sounded like a candid, sincere tone.
She… what had she done to deserve this?
Was it that He Yuan trusted her too much—or was there another motive altogether?
“Why is Mr. He telling me all this?” Ming Xi asked.
“Because I want to keep you, Ming Xi,” He Yuan said solemnly. “I truly value your abilities. The new Haiou will have a completely new foreign trade department, and I need truly talented people. Ming Xi, as long as you’re on the same page as me, I’ll reserve the position of foreign trade manager for you.
“As foreign trade manager, your base salary will increase by seventy percent, and you’ll receive commission on all future orders. I’ve carefully considered the small-department-store expansion plan you mentioned to me before—it’s excellent, and going forward, you’ll have full authority over it.”
“…”
Her experience of working at Longmao was completely different from working at Haiou. At Longmao, even though there was competition among the lower-level sales staff, it never reached the point where one had to constantly weigh personal interests against corporate power struggles.
Today, Ming Xi truly felt the pressure women faced in the workplace—and clearly saw the power battles hidden beneath the rhetoric of “profits first.” Whether it was the private dealings between Mr. He and Mr. Huang, or Mr. Huang’s secret asset transfers away from his wife…
Ming Xi, usually cheerful, fell silent.
She firmly believed her future would be bright. Yet beneath the seemingly calm surface, the place she now stood in was riddled with undercurrents and danger at every turn.
Suddenly, Ming Xi felt that what Sister CC had said made a great deal of sense: protecting herself had to come first.
“I’d like to go to the factory for a while—to oversee production and order follow-ups,” Ming Xi proposed, choosing a strategy of self-preservation.
He Yuan was extremely pleased with her prudent decision. He nodded.
“Alright. Once I’ve resolved everything on my end, Lamia, I’ll be looking forward to your return.”
“Mr. He, remember to settle my commission for Pierre’s order as soon as possible. I’m just an employee; money is what I value most.” Ming Xi stood up, speaking very seriously, not joking at all.
He Yuan couldn’t help but chuckle, handing Ming Xi the payment settlement slip that the finance department had brought over: “Lamia, do I look like a stingy boss? Take a look yourself—I’ve already signed it. According to the process, the money will be transferred to your account tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Mr. He.”
“Go back to work. I know you’ve got a lot on your mind. Old Li called me earlier and praised you nonstop. Talk with him more—it’ll benefit you. You can continue handling the department-store line; you won’t need to report to Zhao Yang anymore. Just come straight to me. You already have my number. I’m single now, too—my phone is on for employees 24 hours a day. If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to call me!”
Ming Xi: …
Oh.
Because of her naiveté, Ming Xi couldn’t make an accurate judgment about He Yuan at the time. It wasn’t until she completely left Haiou that she gained a clear understanding of him.
If Boss Huang’s nastiness was blatant and obvious,
then He Yuan’s was embedded deep in his bones—male selfishness, self-interest, and arrogant confidence all hidden beneath his refined, gentlemanly exterior.
Fortunately, men like that could only fool women for a while. They were incapable of truly harming them.
Because, as Maggie would later put it, to genuinely hurt a woman’s heart, a man had to have real capital.
Like Liang Jiancheng…
—
The next day, Ming Xi received her salary for the previous month, including the commission for Pierre’s order.
She didn’t go to Haiou to clock in as usual.
Instead, she went straight to the factory—and once she was there, she stayed for three and a half months.
Fortunately, she enjoyed working with products, leaving early and returning late every day, interacting with the technicians, and discussing production issues with Factory Director Li.
Autumn arrived quickly. In October of that millennium year, the sitting U.S. president, Bill Clinton, signed the bill granting China Permanent Normal Trade Relations. That same November, China’s then premier proposed the idea of establishing the China–ASEAN Free Trade Area…
Ming Xi loved Haigang in late autumn. It was the first autumn she had spent there since arriving. As the weather cooled, she bought a beige pure-wool coat. Her hair, which she had been growing out for a year, now reached her shoulders—even with a soft perm.
But whenever she went to work, she tied her curls into a low ponytail. On one hand, it made physical work easier. On the other, although no one was spreading rumors about her and He Yuan anymore, a woman who displayed too much allure in the workplace often found her professional ability overlooked.
Once she understood this, she realized that if charm couldn’t be converted into professional leverage, there was no need to display it at all.
After all, the truly charming and attractive boss worth seducing wasn’t at Haiou, but upstairs!
He Yuan said he would give her the position of foreign trade manager. Only after Haiou’s surname was changed to He did Ming Xi realize that her boss’s words were just an empty promise.
Still, at present, He Yuan treated her well enough, granting her considerable autonomy.
For example, while ordinary employees needed approval from both their supervisor and the boss to take half a day off, she only needed to inform He Yuan. Sometimes, when there were urgent matters at the factory and she couldn’t report in advance, He Yuan wouldn’t pursue the matter.
However, she didn’t want to give anyone cause for gossip, so she always followed the proper procedures when going out on business.
The incident with Mrs. Huang had passed, but it left behind a clear warning in her mind:
If she didn’t want to have unnecessary entanglements with the boss, she should try not to show her beautiful side in front of him.
So after returning to Zhongjin Tower, unless she had client meetings, Ming Xi stopped wearing makeup. She no longer dressed with the careful polish she had maintained when she first became an office worker.
Now… As long as she looked like a person, that was enough.
Occasionally, when faced with He Yuan’s observing gaze, she would just focus all her attention and energy on her work.
With Haiou’s partnership dissolved, Zhao Yang—Mr. Huang’s brother-in-law—naturally left the company as well.
Ming Xi ran into Sister CC, who was still working at the company, in the break room, which was somewhat amusing.
Sister CC was still as flirtatious as ever, while Ming Xi had become noticeably steadier, tougher. With one retreating and the other advancing, no one at Haiou dared casually discuss her, belittle her, or spread rumors about her anymore.
After all, not everyone could endure long stretches in a factory, focusing solely on refining products.
Not even men—let alone a young woman.
“I’ll tell you a secret…” Sister CC leaned close and whispered. “I’ve always been on Mr. He’s side.”
Oh. Ming Xi nodded, leaning slightly against the counter, taking a sip of tea, her eyes smiling as she looked at Sister CC. So that was it. She had thought Sister CC belonged to Zhao Yang’s camp.
A faint smile spread across her face, and in her eyes glimmered a subtle sense of insight—and control.
In this equity conflict between Mr. He and Mr. Huang, only she and Sister CC benefited from the misfortune. After Zhao Yang left, all the inquiry forms fell into Sister CC’s hands.
As for her—she was still waiting on the position He Yuan had promised. The only question was when it would actually materialize.
Ming Xi slowly straightened up, preparing to return to her desk, when Wu Jingjing suddenly grabbed her arm, pouting her red lips, and said, “Don’t get the wrong idea, it’s not what you think… I already have someone in my heart.” ”
“Do you?” Ming Xi raised an eyebrow lightly and joked back. “Well, I have someone I like too.”
“Who is it?” Sister CC curiously leaned closer.
Ming Xi happened to have a hundred-yuan bill in her pocket today. She took it out, pointed to the great man on the bill, and said, “It’s this man.”
Wu Jingjing rolled her eyes speechlessly.
If she had previously regarded Ming Xi as a young girl, now it was very clear that in just a few months, Ming Xi had rapidly grown into a “” in the workplace.
That was because…
She had learned the tricks that seasoned professionals excel at: being skeptical of everything, and learning to speak ambiguously until matters were truly settled.
In the workplace, before any grand future arrived, self-preservation mattered most.
After work, colleagues gradually dispersed. Ming Xi finished organizing her documents and stayed at her desk, drafting an English email to an overseas client.
He Yuan suddenly stepped out of his office, walked over, and tapped lightly on her desk. His gaze lingered for a moment on her pretty face, faintly shiny with oil, and he paused.
“Lamia, could you put on some makeup later and come with me to a dinner party?” He Yuan said in a boss-like tone.
Ming Xi: …
“They’re all leaders in the foreign trade industry. Meeting them will be good for your future development.”
He Yuan valued appearances. He always spoke and acted with the refined air of a scholarly businessman—how could he openly ask a female employee to help entertain or drink with clients?
Ming Xi narrowed her eyes slightly and said frankly, “I’m not very good at that.”
“It’s a formal dinner party. Mr. Liang from upstairs will be there too. Several foreign trade company heads have been invited. If you don’t want to go, that’s fine—I’ll take CC instead.”
He Yuan’s tone made it sound like he was giving her a rare opportunity, and if she didn’t want to seize it, so be it.
Ming Xi hesitated for a moment, then stood up. “Alright, I’ll go.”
He Yuan nodded, then glanced at her again. “Ming Xi, you’ve matured a lot lately. As your boss, I’m very pleased.”
“Thank you for the affirmation, Mr. He.”
“Being more mature is good; it means you can consider the bigger picture in the future.”
Ming Xi pursed her lips and didn’t respond further.
Since Mr. He praised her maturity; she didn’t need to answer every remark. A mature professional not only needs to be reserved in their conduct but also to act discreetly. And when faced with ambiguous situations in the workplace, they must act as if—
nothing was amiss.
…
Would Liang Jiancheng really attend tonight’s dinner?
Ming Xi sent Liang Jiancheng a text message from her desk: “Do you have a dinner party tonight?”
Upstairs in his office, Liang Jiancheng saw the text. He pressed his temple lightly, brows knitting as the logic fell into place.
Ming Xi knew he had a dinner party tonight; He Yuan must have told her. Since He Yuan mentioned it, was he planning to bring people into the circle?
Liang Jiancheng exhaled softly, leaned back heavily into his chair, which let out a faint creak. A pen rested in his hand; he spun it halfway.
With a “thud,” the pen slipped from his fingers, hit the desk, and rolling directly to the floor.