Chapter 10: My Husband is Actually in My Company?

“Isn’t that Shen Baizhou?” Su Hongdou immediately clenched her fists. He’s in my company?

“Boss?” Liu Susu was stunned. “Do you have such strong opinions about the new program in the Sports Department?”

“No,” Su Hongdou said anxiously. “Just now, that guy… why did he go into the meeting room alone with that girl? And why were they so close?”

Liu Susu immediately tensed. Even though she didn’t understand the situation at all, that didn’t stop her from feeling nervous. She decisively said, “I’ll go ask right away!”

She ran a few steps into the meeting room and called the HR girl out, sternly questioning, “Who is that person inside? Why did you go into the meeting room alone with him? And were you really that close?”

The HR girl, Feng Yiman, was completely terrified. Facing her direct superior—the Executive Assistant to the President of Jinxiu Media, Liu Susu, whose every stomp could shake the company—she trembled and said, “H-He’s Shen Baizhou, a writer in the Internet Division. He was laid off by Supervisor Sheng, and I was just handing over his resignation matters…”

“Wait a moment,” Liu Susu said seriously. “I’ll report this right away.”

She ran back to Su Hongdou.

“…So this person is apparently a subordinate of Sheng Jiong in the Internet Division’s Writer Team 1. He was laid off and is in the process of resigning.”

Su Hongdou breathed a sigh of relief. I thought he had some unusual relationship with the HR girl…

“Su, what do you want to do with him?” Liu Susu asked nervously. It was the first time she had ever seen her boss so tense. Normally, no matter how big a problem, he would remain calm and composed.

Indeed… how should he be handled? Su Hongdou was momentarily speechless.

“I need to think carefully. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.” He looked serious.

“Yes!” Liu Susu immediately understood. “So, we won’t lay him off for now?”

“Lay him off?” Su Hongdou’s brows tightened, and his voice turned cold. “Let’s see who dares lay him off!”

When Shen Baizhou returned to his desk after leaving the meeting room, everyone looked at him with awe. After yesterday’s incident, the whole Writer Team 1 was spreading a saying: Who rules the workplace? Writer Team 1’s ‘Mei Zhou Lang’!

Zhang Xiaomei ran over and put a cup of yogurt on Shen Baizhou’s desk: “Brother Zhou, have some milk!”

Wang Xiaopang looked even more eager to please: “Brother Zhou, is the air-conditioning temperature okay? Too high or too low? I’ll adjust it for you right now!”

This was what it felt like to be ‘protected from harm.’

“No, leave it relaxed,” Shen Baizhou waved lightly. The company’s last day… he planned to leave quietly, calmly.

He glanced at his phone again—Su Hongdou hadn’t contacted him yet. They had talked so much last night, and he had subtly hinted several times that he had nowhere to stay today. He had been clear enough; Su Hongdou, being a bit melodramatic but righteous, should have invited him to stay a few more nights, right?

But the whole morning had almost passed, and he hadn’t received a single message.

“Brother Zhou, have you decided when to resign?” Wang Xiaopang asked.

“Not yet,” Shen Baizhou recalled. “It’s kind of weird. HR came to talk to me just now, said a few words, and then someone called him out. He came back looking completely different, politely telling me to return first…”

“Oh?” Wang Xiaopang was surprised. “So you’re still employed?”

“What? You’re still employed?” A shocked roar came from across the desk.

Sheng Jiong stared at Shen Baizhou in disbelief, his face dark as he shouted, “Don’t HR people understand a word? Alright, Shen Baizhou, just wait!”

He stormed out, cursing under his breath.

A while later, Shen Baizhou received a DingTalk message. This time it wasn’t from HR Feng Yiman—it was from HR Director Jiang Yichen.

“Shen Baizhou? Please come to my office.”

Tch, can’t this be done all at once? Shen Baizhou got up and took the elevator to the 18th floor.

“Brother Zhou got called again…” Zhang Xiaomei worried. “It’s not Huang Liang, right? That guy can handle both black and white matters. He better not go head-on…”

“Please don’t be Huang Liang…” Wang Xiaopang also turned pale. He glanced at Shen Baizhou’s DingTalk and breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s the HR Director, not Huang Liang.”

“Good, good… not Huang Liang…”

While they chatted, a small, pimply guy from the opposite desk approached mysteriously: “Xiaopang, why hasn’t your Shen Baizhou apologized to Supervisor Sheng yet? If he doesn’t bow, he won’t get another chance…”

This was Mai Ziqi from Writer Team 2, always well-informed.

“Why should Brother Zhou apologize?” Zhang Xiaomei said in protest. “He did nothing wrong! Besides, what can Sheng Jiong do? He’s already been laid off, hasn’t he?”

“You guys are thinking too simply…” Mai Ziqi sneered. “Just resigning doesn’t guarantee compensation.”

“They’re not going to give Brother Zhou compensation?” Wang Xiaopang’s face changed.

“Compensation? You guys are so naive,” Mai Ziqi glanced around and whispered, “He won’t even get this month’s salary! And he won’t be able to work in this industry anymore—I heard Sheng Jiong already reported to Director Huang to blacklist him. After this, Shen Baizhou probably won’t survive in the film and TV world… he’ll have to change careers!”

“Ah?” Wang Xiaopang and Zhang Xiaomei exchanged glances, both looking grim. Sheng Jiong was leaving no room for mercy?

“Also, what he said yesterday went too far. I heard Director Huang was in a really bad mood,” Mai Ziqi added, looking around and speaking quietly, “probably today, Old Huang will take action himself…”

“No way?” Wang Xiaopang shivered. “Director Huang never intervenes in ordinary employees’ affairs. Are you saying today Brother Zhou might be—”

“So, I advise you guys, don’t get too close to him. If you keep orbiting around him and someone reports it, the next ones to go could be you…”

Seeing Wang Xiaopang and Zhang Xiaomei pale, Mai Ziqi straightened up, satisfied: “I’m only telling you this because we’re friends. Wait and see—when Shen Baizhou comes back, he’ll get no compensation, no salary, no bonus. He’ll probably be bruised all over! Then you’ll see what kind of face he’ll have… This is what it’s like: workplace overhaul feels good at first, but after it’s done, it’s a crematorium!”

Shen Baizhou opened the HR Director’s office door. As expected, Sheng Jiong was standing there, shaking his leg, his face dark.

“It’s him! Sister Yichen, this guy publicly insulted me and Director Huang yesterday!” Sheng Jiong pointed at Shen Baizhou. “I’ve never seen someone with such no manners!”

Jiang Yichen, in her early thirties, wore an ivory business suit, short hair, and gold-rimmed glasses—a typical corporate elite look. She glanced at Shen Baizhou, nodded calmly, and said, “Mr. Shen, please sit. I called you here to discuss your resignation.”

“I’ve been employed for over a year and a half. According to the law, compensation should be N+1, which is three months’ salary,” Shen Baizhou sat down, opened a bottle of water on the desk, and took a sip. “Compensation should be paid together with this month’s salary, right?”

“You want compensation?” Sheng Jiong snorted, looking at Shen Baizhou as if watching a joke. “You wish!”

“Compensation is out of the question,” Jiang Yichen forced a polite corporate smile. “Given your terrible behavior yesterday, you won’t even get this month’s salary.”

Shen Baizhou frowned. Not only would he not get the bonus, they were planning to withhold both salary and compensation.

“This is illegal. Aren’t you afraid I’ll file for labor arbitration?” Shen Baizhou looked incredulous.

Jiang Yichen and Sheng Jiong exchanged a glance, both smirking with disdain.

“To be honest, our company’s legal department is very influential. Go ahead and sue! Even if you win, those lawyers can drag it out,” Sheng Jiong sneered. “By the time you get your money, it might be half a year later. We’re in no rush, hahaha…”

“You guys are disgusting,” Shen Baizhou’s lips curved into a cold smile.

“Can’t handle it?” Sheng Jiong laughed, hands on hips. “Let me be clear: once you leave this room, I’ll call the police—you insulted and hit me yesterday, and there are many witnesses!”

“I hit you?” Shen Baizhou laughed in disbelief. “Something that can be verified with surveillance footage, and you dare to make up?”

“Don’t worry about whether it’s made up or real. Just know, if the ‘assault’ spreads in the circle, do you think there’s any place left for you in the media industry?”

“This is twisted!”

“Yeah, what of it?” Sheng Jiong was thrilled. He crossed his arms and shook his head. “Shen Baizhou, you were so arrogant yesterday. Come on, why not continue?”

Shen Baizhou remained silent. He took a deep breath.

“Here’s a ‘Resignation Agreement for Misconduct.’ It clearly lists how we are handling your situation. Shen Baizhou, sign it,” Jiang Yichen sneered and threw the document on the desk.

“Of course, you can refuse to sign. In that case, our legal department on the 19th floor west side will handle it. You can leave now. Remember to close the door.”