{None of them are even a fraction of her. 3}

“It’s my fault for saying the wrong thing.”
Li Xiyin sobbed quietly, as if afraid that passersby would stop and stare. “I know all too well about your past with Shen Qi, how pitiful you are, and how heartlessly he left…”

Qian Xu knew that this woman loved to play the victim, but what she didn’t realize was that “playing the victim” had always been her weapon. Sometimes, she would even take the initiative to act with “good intentions” to garner sympathy for herself, fearing that her time at Zhao Tian Group was going too smoothly.

“Pitiful?”
Qian Xu didn’t mind reiterating the words Li Xiyin had just used. “That’s a term you like to use; please don’t use it to describe your former friend.”

“I think before you applied for this position, you should have learned how not to be so ‘blunt’ in the workplace,” Qian Xu spoke rapidly, clearly no longer holding on to their past friendship. “You can state facts, but I really don’t appreciate unwarranted assumptions or distortions of the truth.”

If Li Xiyin only had a vague understanding of her relationship with Shen Qi while studying abroad, and that’s why she made such remarks, Qian Xu wouldn’t blame her. However, it was clear that Li Xiyin was well aware of the facts and yet still wanted to cast herself in the role of the “victim.”

Every step she took in Zhao Tian Group could potentially be shadowed by the perception that she was “getting back at her ex-boyfriend.”

Li Xiyin attempted to defend herself, “I was just too heartbroken for you.”

Qian Xu found this laughable: “You’re heartbroken for me, yet you hope I’m thrown into the spotlight?”

This was the company’s submarine; many people came and went, and Qian Xu found it hard to understand why her friend would so thoughtlessly choose this moment to embarrass her in front of others.

Everyone has a dark history, but her past and scars being deliberately brought up in public, especially by someone like Li Xiyin, would only exacerbate the discontent among the older executives and employees who were already not convinced by her.

Li Xiyin seemed to realize that her impression in Qian Xu’s eyes was hard to change.
She envied Qian Xu; not every woman was lucky enough to encounter the fallen Shen Qi, nor could every woman move on so quickly from a relationship to secure a job that seemed out of reach.

Was there really something unspeakably charming about Qian Xu?
Probably not.
Li Xiyin believed that whether in terms of education, appearance, or personal qualities, she was no worse than Qian Xu.
It was just that she had never had the same good fortune as Qian Xu.

“Ah Xu, it’s all my fault for being so talkative today. If you’re upset, just scold me face-to-face,” Li Xiyin’s voice was bitter, but she couldn’t help but curve her lips into a smile. “I know you’re a principled person, so you won’t let this affect the second-round interview slots…”

Li Xiyin’s words made Qian Xu realize she couldn’t let her go after all.
If she didn’t keep her, rumors might spread that this executive was obstructing her former friend.
Qian Xu had to admit that Li Xiyin’s approach was clever; she first provoked her by mentioning Shen Qi’s incident, then used grandiose language to compel Qian Xu to keep her. If it weren’t for the breakup with Shen Qi, perhaps she would remain oblivious to the fact that one of her friends harbored malicious intent.

“Your fate depends on your actual abilities and how well they match the position,” Qian Xu said with a neutral expression, “and it has nothing to do with me.”

When Qian Xu finished this statement, she knew she had to bid farewell to a friendship that had never been sincere. She recalled the early days when she and Yan Li met Li Xiyin at the agency; they hadn’t even graduated from undergraduate studies yet, but gathered together to apply for schools in the U.S., spending wonderful times together whether in the country or abroad.

But the boat of friendship seemed unable to withstand any storms.
Or perhaps their friendship had started with what seemed like an accident but was actually a heavily schemed design by one person.
—
“Manager Gu, I should have successfully passed my interview at Zhao Tian Group. Do I need to report to President Shen?”
Gu Wei remained as cold as ever: “No need.”
He paused for a moment, “Shen Qi hasn’t been in a good mood lately; instead, let’s surprise him later.”
“But I think we should at least inform President Shen,” Qian Xu said. Due to her split from Shen Qi, she hadn’t heard his voice in a long time.