Chapter 23.1

The following afternoon, Jiang Zhendong sought her out again. His proposal was for her and Fang Hongshen to analyze and draft requirements simultaneously. The final decision would be made through a multi-department review, and the product team would subsequently make adjustments.

Song Wei began her preparations. Being new to virtual technology—and even more so to medical technology—she knew she had to work harder than others to catch up.

The team members were tied up with their own projects, leaving only Yao Miaoxuan available. This made advancing the work even more challenging.

Song Wei created a detailed schedule and sent it over. Yao Miaoxuan didn’t have much to say this time but looked up to ask, “Are you really planning to compete with Fang Hongshen?”

“Yes.”

Glancing at the meticulously detailed schedule—breaking down tasks into half-day increments—Yao Miaoxuan was convinced: she really was determined to compete.

Two weeks earlier, they had done a competitive and needs analysis for the Xingfu Jiaoyu Technology project. That groundwork made Yao’s current tasks slightly easier, but the day was still a blur of activity until she clocked out at six.

She stole a glance at Song Wei, who was focused on her computer, typing away diligently.

After sharing an office for a week, spending eight hours a day in close proximity, Yao Miaoxuan begrudgingly admitted that she couldn’t match Song Wei’s work ethic. Song Wei’s complete lack of idle time was something Yao Miaoxuan couldn’t replicate.

By now, Yao Miaoxuan had pieced together Song Wei’s daily routine: arriving on time, grabbing a cup of coffee, attending meetings when necessary, and then working non-stop until lunch at noon. Even during lunch, she took only short breaks, leaning back in her chair to rest briefly, before diving back into high-intensity work until six.

Occasionally, someone would come by to discuss matters with Song Wei. While their discussions were not kept private, Yao Miaoxuan found herself unable to fully understand the technical jargon.

This left Yao Miaoxuan feeling uneasy. After a year in the company, she realized she hadn’t seen a project through from start to finish. Meanwhile, colleagues like Ji Yao and Dong Ruicheng—who joined around the same time—were already managing projects independently.

This week had been emotionally turbulent for Yao Miaoxuan, from feeling targeted when Song Wei moved into her office, to the odd sense of being overshadowed, and now to being involved in a major project like Changyan under Song Wei’s lead.

Li Cheng would never have let her handle something like this…

Yao Miaoxuan zoned out for ten minutes. At six, she packed her bag to leave. Unlike before, she now had to notify Song Wei, “Manager Song, I’m heading out.”

Song Wei glanced up, “Have you finished your work for today?”

“…”

“Send it over.”

“…There’s a bit left.”

“Then why are you leaving?” Song Wei pinched the bridge of her nose, her tone tinged with fatigue. “I planned the schedule based on your progress. Four hours this afternoon should have been enough to finish it.”

Yao Miaoxuan was speechless. “I…”

“Work overtime.”

Yao Miaoxuan set her bag down without arguing and obediently resumed working.

Midway through, she overheard Song Wei on the phone, “I’ll be working late tonight, so I won’t be home for dinner.” Pause. “No need to pick me up. I’ll take a cab.”

Yao Miaoxuan guessed it was a family member on the other end, but the tone didn’t quite fit for a parent. Maybe it was her boyfriend? Or husband? Ji Yao hadn’t mentioned her being married, so it was probably a boyfriend.

With only a little work remaining, Yao Miaoxuan focused and finished within an hour. She sent the results over to Song Wei.

Song Wei reviewed them for a while before commenting, “Not bad. Just pay more attention to formatting and font consistency next time.”

“Okay.”

A couple of minutes later, Song Wei looked up and noticed Yao still sitting there. She smiled faintly, “Not leaving?”

Yao Miaoxuan stood up, “Aren’t you leaving?”

“I still have work.”

“Oh, alright. I’ll head out then.”

“Alright. Thank you for your hard work. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

At the door, Yao Miaoxuan turned back to see Song Wei already engrossed in her work again.

Her emotions were complicated. Why put in so much effort? There was no way she could beat Fang Hongshen anyway.

She couldn’t understand it.

…..

After two consecutive days of working late and arriving home at 10 p.m., Song Gao Yi had something to say every evening.

If Chen Jubai happened to be there, they would both get scolded together, with the usual topics: health, diet, and the harm of late nights.

Song Wei retorted, “Didn’t you and Mom work long hours too? You’ve done plenty of overtime yourselves.”

Song Gao Yi grew even more frustrated. “That’s different! You two are newlyweds, and you’re already spending so little time together. What about the future?”

Song Wei froze, her thoughts scrambling before blurting out, “We see each other at work during the day and sleep together at night. Our relationship is great.”

The two men in the living room went silent.

Realizing her words, Song Wei’s face turned red, and she fled to her room.

Thankfully, when Chen Jubai joined her later, he tactfully didn’t bring it up. As they lay in bed preparing for sleep, he asked, “How’s work going?”

“Progressing steadily.”

He hummed in response, then added, “You mentioned wanting to meet my friends. Tomorrow is Saturday—how about dinner in the evening?”

“I’ll ask Qingfei.”

Song Wei grabbed her phone and texted Zhu Qingfei, who immediately replied affirmatively. She then said, “Alright, tomorrow evening works.”

“Okay.”

The plan was set for 7 p.m. the next day. At 6 p.m., Yang Yingqiu knocked on the door and then entered without waiting for a response. “What’s taking so long? Xiao Chen’s been waiting for half an hour.”

Song Wei was still applying false eyelashes. Without turning around, she replied, “Relax, there’s still time. Let him wait a bit.”

She usually wore light makeup to work, but today was different. Even though it was just a meeting with Chu Qi, she wanted to look her best.

Yang Yingqiu, leaning against the table, smirked, “Putting in a lot of effort, huh?”

Song Wei blinked after finishing her left eye and started on the right. “If you were meeting my dad’s colleagues and friends, wouldn’t you put on makeup too?”

Yang rolled her eyes, “Don’t drag me into this.”

Since her marriage and since Chen Jubai moved in, the couple had moved past the tension of the New Year. Neither had mentioned divorce again, at least not in front of her.

It was a good thing, which was why Song Wei felt comfortable joking about it today.

After finishing her lashes, Song Wei adjusted them slightly and turned to her mother, “How do I look? Not overdone, right?”

Yang Yingqiu, whose features were already striking, had passed on her good looks to her daughter. Song Wei had been praised for her beauty since childhood, with or without makeup. “It’s fine. Don’t overdo it.”

Yang Yingqiu entered the room, her tone carrying a hint of inquiry. “So, what’s the situation between you and Xiao Chen now?”

Song Wei looked confused. “What situation?”

“You have your own place, don’t you? You can’t keep staying here. It’s inconvenient for everyone.”

Still not catching on, Song Wei asked, “Inconvenient how?”

Yang Yingqiu narrowed her eyes suspiciously, speaking more directly. “How far have you two gone?”

Song Wei froze mid-action while picking out a lipstick shade. Her face, unadorned except for a slight flush, betrayed her embarrassment as she stammered, “What are you talking about…”

Yang Yingqiu read her expression and seemed to understand but didn’t press. Some things come naturally in their own time. “You should consider moving out soon. We won’t get in your way.”

Living with one’s in-laws, in adjacent bedrooms no less, came with its challenges. The lack of privacy was self-evident to someone with experience, especially for a young couple full of energy. Maintaining intimacy under such circumstances was difficult.

Song Wei finally caught on but pretended not to understand. “It’s not an issue. Living here is fine.”

“You don’t plan to live with us forever, do you?”

Song Wei turned her head, her voice dropping. “It’s not impossible.”

Yang Yingqiu’s gaze deepened but ultimately, she said nothing more, choosing instead to nudge her along. “Hurry up. Don’t keep Xiao Chen waiting.”

Her makeup was nearly finished; she only needed to change outfits. With spring slowly arriving, Song Wei opted for a retro denim dress—simple yet elegant.

In the living room, Chen Jubai was adjusting the cat tree for Snowflake. The lively cat had managed to damage it in less than a month.

When Song Wei walked out, he glanced up, his gaze lingering for a few seconds before he lowered his head again. “Ready?”

“Mm-hmm.” Song Wei, flustered by those few seconds of attention, quickly urged, “Let’s go.”

As they drove, Chen Jubai offered an introduction. “You’ve met Chu Qi before, right?”

“Well, sort of. We haven’t formally met, but I’ve coordinated with Manager Dan through him.”

“We were university classmates and are quite close. His personality is lively, so don’t mind anything he says.”

“Got it.”

He continued, “And Ling Yaozhi—”

Song Wei interrupted, alarmed. “There’s more?”

Chen Jubai glanced at her. “Didn’t you say you wanted to meet them?”

“…” She had only wanted to meet Chu Qi—or rather, Zhu Qingfei had insisted on meeting Chu Qi. This… Song Wei forced herself to respond. “Right.”

Good thing she had put on makeup!

Chen Jubai went on, “Old Ling, your final-round interviewer and the senior vice president, is the oldest of us. He’s not always serious, but he’s the backbone of the company. Things only started to stabilize after he joined.”

“I’ve heard of him,” Song Wei replied, recalling what Zhu Qingfei had told her.

“And another VP, Zhuo Wan. Have you met her?”

“I’ve seen her in meetings, but we’ve never been introduced.”

“Zhuo Wan is bold and a bit prideful, but she means well. You’ll get to know her over time.”

“Got it. Anyone else?”

“No, just these three. They’re the ones I’m closest to.”

The dinner venue wasn’t far. After parking, Song Wei unbuckled her seatbelt but didn’t move.

Chen Jubai asked, “What’s wrong?”

What was wrong? She was nervous! This wasn’t just meeting friends—it felt like a formal business dinner. Everyone else was at the VP level or higher, while she was just a junior manager. Song Wei shot him a reproachful look. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Her aggrieved expression caught him off guard. He softened his tone. “It’s fine. We’re just friends here. Tonight, you’re not a colleague; you’re my wife.”