“Shh, little sister, stay calm and listen to me,”

Manager Zheng, with good temperament and manners, said. “I’ve been in entrepreneurship since graduating from college, it’s been five years now. Honestly, conflicts within teams are normal. I’ve seen cases where disagreements lead to flipping tables and storming out, but once the anger subsides, we still cooperate. Just like how there are conflicts between parents and children, let alone a group brought together for mutual benefit but unfamiliar with each other?”

“They’re ganging up on me, a clueless rural woman,” Hongjie exclaimed. “They think I’m slow and will hold them back, so they’re trying to sideline me by any means!”

Qiao Wanqing thought she’d seen shameless behavior before, but this was beyond belief.

Chen Yu was furious, ready to explode. “When have we ever sidelined you? We’re pulling all-nighters designing and writing copy. Do you think we have time to plot against you like you imagine?”

Hongjie sneered dismissively. “Who knows?”

Qiao Wanqing added, “Hongjie, you need evidence for your claims. When did Chen Yu and I ever sideline you or intend to do so?”

“Isn’t it today?”

“Today’s supposed to be sidelining? Are you out of your mind?” Chen Yu mocked.

“How can you speak like that, young lady? Have you no respect for your elders? I could be your mother!”

Chen Yu was about to retort when Manager Zheng gestured with a “shh” motion, signaling them to quiet down.

“Enough, enough. We’ve identified the conflict. If we continue arguing, it’ll turn into a shouting match. We should focus on resolving this issue properly.”

Manager Zheng still carried authority, and everyone fell silent, wearing serious expressions.

“Here’s the deal,” Manager Zheng continued, noticing their demeanor and knowing further lectures wouldn’t help. “I suggest that from now on, acknowledge this conflict: one about job performance and the other about perceived group ostracization. Focus on doing your work well and try to avoid forming cliques. Work together and adjust to each other.”

“As for today’s matter,” Manager Zheng paused, considering his words. “Hongjie, apologize to Wanqing and Chen Yu. Chen Yu, apologize to Hongjie. Can we shake hands and make peace?”

“Why should I apologize to them?” Hongjie became instantly displeased. “I thought as a leader, you would find a fair solution. Your bias is showing. Are you favoring them just because they’re young and pretty, especially trying to please a beauty like Wanqing? Maybe you’re even interested in her!”

Manager Zheng remained silent.

Qiao Wanqing was infuriated.

She raised her engagement ring. “Hongjie, I’m already married with children. Chen Yu hasn’t even graduated. Your thoughts are not only despicable but also defamatory. We could sue you for this.”

Qiao Wanqing, with a flushed face from anger, continued, “We did exclude you today, Manager Zheng. Anyway, Chen Yu and I won’t work in the same group as her. Either we go, or she goes. You decide how to solve this.”

Without waiting for Manager Zheng’s response, they left together.

Reasoning with such an obstinate person was futile, and it wasn’t worth their time.

Qiao Wanqing and Chen Yu didn’t return to the startup center.

Instead, they went elsewhere with determination.

Later, Manager Zheng privately messaged them, asking them to return in the afternoon after discussing team changes with other members.

Now, everyone has settled in reasonably well, with clear divisions of labor.

However, switching teams wasn’t as simple as they thought.

Qiao Wanqing thanked Chen Yu by taking her to an early-opening coffee shop nearby.

After coffee, realizing it was still early morning, she sent Chen Yu back to the hotel to rest.

Qiao Wanqing then hailed a ride to Gu Yanqing’s company to check on him and his son.

She had never been to Gu Yanqing’s company before but had the address.

At the security checkpoint, they recognized her from a recent anniversary celebration, so she was warmly welcomed inside.

“Madam, you’re here.” The receptionist smiled when she saw Qiao Wanqing. “Are you here to see President Gu?”

“Yes, can I go up directly, or do I need an appointment?”

She recalled from novels that seeing a CEO often required an appointment.

“No need, President Gu is on the 16th floor. Follow me, I’ll take you to the elevator.”

“Great, thank you.”

Qiao Wanqing followed the receptionist to the elevators.

The building had six elevators, and she noticed that the others were open for general use.

However, the receptionist led her to the innermost one and swiped a card from Qiao Wanqing’s chest, presumably for the exclusive elevator.

“Please, Miss Qiao.” The receptionist pressed the button for the 16th floor.

“Thank you again,” Qiao Wanqing said as she stepped inside.

The elevator smoothly ascended to the 16th floor.

As she exited, she ran into Wang Xiao, who was waiting for the elevator.

Wang Xiao: …

He wanted to bolt.

Why was she silently appearing here?

Qiao Wanqing wanted to laugh at her luck too.

Why did she have to meet Wang Xiao here?

But then she figured he probably didn’t want to see her either, which balanced things out in her mind.

“Miss Qiao,” Wang Xiao greeted awkwardly, “Are you here to see President Gu?”

“Yes, which way should I go?”

“Follow me this way, turn right, and you’ll find the Chairman’s office.”

“Thank you.”

Awkwardly ending their encounter, Wang Xiao’s elevator arrived.

Qiao Wanqing noticed him breathe a sigh of relief and said, “I’ll go about my business then, Mr. Wang.”

Qiao Wanqing nodded and followed his directions.

This floor seemed quiet, perhaps due to being President Gu’s office.

She didn’t encounter anyone on her way to the door.

She knocked lightly on the slightly ajar door and heard a childish voice from inside, “Please come in.”

Qiao Wanqing burst into laughter upon hearing the voice; it was unmistakably Kouko’s.

She pushed the door open and saw Kouko sitting like an old man in the boss’s chair, holding a cup and struggling to eat with a small spoon.

Gu Yanqing was seated on a nearby chair, working.

“Mommy!” Kouko happily shouted upon seeing her enter.

Gu Yanqing looked up, momentarily surprised, then smiled. “What brings you here?”

“Just checking up on you,” Qiao Wanqing said with a smile, walking over.

When she saw what Kouko was holding, she frowned. “Didn’t I say he shouldn’t have ice cream? Why did you buy this for him again, especially in the morning? He might get a stomach ache later.”

Last time, after eating an ice cream cone, Kouko had diarrhea because it was too cold, so Qiao Wanqing had forbidden him from eating ice cream.

Now, these two were sneakily eating behind her back.

She had initially joked about checking up on them, never expecting to actually catch them in the act.

Feeling caught red-handed, Gu Yanqing looked a bit guilty.

Actually, he didn’t buy the ice cream; it was snacks that the company staff brought over when they saw Kouko.

Many had come to see him and then gave him snacks, including this ice cream.

Though he hadn’t bought it, he also didn’t stop Kouko from eating it!

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class? How do you have time to come over?” Gu Yanqing quickly changed the subject.

Qiao Wanqing took the cup from Kouko and placed it on the table.

She grabbed some tissues and wiped off the ice cream that had dripped onto his clothes, face, and hands.

Thankfully, he hadn’t touched it with his hands; otherwise, he would have been completely messy.

“I came to see if you and your son were up to any mischief,” Qiao Wanqing glanced at the ice cream box on the table, “Gu Yanqing, don’t change the subject.”

“Well…” Gu Yanqing paused, then decided to throw his subordinates under the bus. “They bought it. Kouko insisted on having it, and I couldn’t say no.”

As if on cue, Kouko, seeing his ice cream taken away by Mommy, reached out unhappily towards where it was, but his short arms couldn’t reach.

He pouted and said, “Want to eat~ Kouko wants to!”

Qiao Wanqing sighed inwardly at this father and son.

She lifted Kouko up. “Be good, this will hurt your tummy. You can’t have it.”

“N-No hurt!” Koko protested.

“Later, Mommy will give you candy. Are you going to be a good boy and listen to Mommy?”

Caught between being a good boy and wanting the ice cream, Kouko struggled for a while, then reluctantly glanced at the ice cream box and nodded. “Good boy… Kouko.”

Qiao Wanqing kissed Kouko and then spotted a pile of snacks nearby.

She picked out a bag of cookies and handed one to Kouko.

These cookies were hard for him to bite into, but it satisfied his craving.

Perhaps it was a common trait among children, but despite his young age, Kouko already had a strong liking for snacks.

However, whenever he ate snacks, he would lose his appetite for regular meals.

Therefore, Qiao Wanqing strictly controlled his snack intake.

Kouko happily took a cookie and started nibbling on it.

Gu Yanqing patted the boss’s chair next to him. “Sit down, Madam Boss.”

Qiao Wanqing walked over and sat down on the boss’s chair where Koko had just been sitting, teasing, “The boss’s exclusive seat is something else. Sitting here feels like sitting on a throne.”

Gu Yanqing swiveled the chair around to face her. “Does Madam Boss want to experience the feeling of riding a dragon?”

Qiao Wanqing took a second to process his meaning, then blushed and said, “Get lost!”

“Not going anywhere,” Gu Yanqing said, leaning closer to kiss her.

Qiao Wanqing put her hand against his forehead. “The door isn’t closed…”

“Don’t worry, no one will come. Just a quick kiss.”

In front of Kouko, they couldn’t be too intimate.

Kouko was very observant and had a strong ability to mimic.

If he saw adults doing something, he might try to imitate it later, as his memory was excellent.

After exchanging affectionate banter for a while, they turned their heads and realized Kouko, who had been quietly eating cookies, had disappeared.

They were startled.

“Kouko?” Qiao Wanqing called out.

No response from Kouko.

Qiao Wanqing stood up and caught sight of someone under the desk.

She quickly bent down to look.

There, she found Kouko hiding.

At some point, he had taken the ice cream Qiao Wanqing had put on the table and was now secretly eating it under the desk.