The next day, when Xia Ning goes to work, she finds that Li Shi is absent.
People in the company discuss secretly and Xia Ning pretends that she doesn’t notice that.
Who knows what Li Shi wants to do? Anyway, whatever moves she may take, Xia Ning will deal with them.
She sits in her office. Gu Ruoruo brings a cup of cappuccino. She puts it on Xia Ning’s desk, “Sister Xia, how do you like my coffee?”
Xia Ning is a little surprised, “you silly. You make coffee for me every day. It surely tastes good.”
Gu Ruoruo mysteriously smiles, “I added something in it. You may taste it first.”
Added something?
Xia Ning wants to ask. But she finds it smell sweet. She decides to taste it first.
It is sweet with rich flavor. It feels smooth…
Xia Ning brightens her eyes, “It is chocolate. Right?”
Xia Ning curls her lips, “It is not funny. You guess it so easily.”
“You Silly, I used to like putting chocolate in my coffee to keep it sweet. So, I know it once I drink it.”
“Oh. I see.” Gu Ruoruo thinks for a while, “Sister Xia, I heard that you had a physical fight with Jingsi. Did you?”
Xia Ning stops drinking, “Hum. I slapped her.”
Gu Ruoruo twitches her eyebrows, “Sister Xia, why did you slap her?”
Xia Ning puts down the coffee. She stares at Gu Ruoruo, “Ruoruo, are you coming to question me?”
“I…No.” She has got along with Xia Ning for quite some time. She knows that Xia Ning won’t hit people unreasonably. In the past, she must have come directly to question her. However, she thinks she should make it clear what happened first, “I just want to know the reasons. Can Sister Xia tell me honestly?”
Xia Ning thinks for a while, “Ruoruo, sometimes, things happen and we can’t tell them clearly and briefly. What I can tell you is that she always blamed me for the problems between her and her husband. She spokes bad words. So, I slapped her.”
Gu Ruoruo seems to understand. She thinks for a while, “I see. However, Sister Xia, you need to pay attention to the problem. After all, it is suspicious.”
Xia Ning rolls her eyes, “What is suspicious? I stay with my husband every day. How can I have time to interfere in other people’s business?”
It reminds Gu Ruoruo. She nods, “You are right. Commander Yi is so mighty and overbearing. He checks on you every day. To be honest, Sister Xia, you don’t have the chance to do that. It is surprising…”
“Ruoruo, I think if you go on thinking, you will be able to write a detective story.”
“Will I? I really want to be a writer.”
They are talking when Xia Ning’s phone rings. It shows the number of the Justice Bureau.
Justice Bureau!
Will it be about Li Shi?
Thinking of this, Xia Ning waves at Gu Ruoruo. Gu Ruoruo understands. She turns to go out.
“Hello…”
“Is that Director Xia Ning?” A male voice is heard from the other end of the phone.
“Yes. May I ask who is that?”
“Let me introduce myself first. I am the secretary to Deputy Director An. My surname is Li. Director, actually. I am calling you now to ask for a long leave for a woman named Li Shi in your department.”
Xia Ning lifts her eyebrows, “Ask for a long leave?”
“Yes. Li Shi is a distant relation of Deputy Director An. Because there is some emergency at home, she needs to leave for quite a long time. She doesn’t have the time to call you. So, I call to inform you.”
“Oh. Then, how long will it be? What’s wrong with her family?”
“Thank you for your concern. There is nothing serious. But she has to go home to handle something. She won’t have any time recently. As to stuff like written request for leave, Director Xia, would you help to handle that? Our Deputy Director An says that he will explain to you face to face if he has time.”
“There is no need. Deputy Director An is busy every day. I see. I will handle the procedure. Thank you for your calling.”
“That’s all right. If Director Xia has any questions, you can contact me with this number. I have other things to deal with now. I may hang up.”
Then, he hangs up.
Xia Ning puts down her phone and thinks about what Secretary Li just said.
Li Shi has some emergency at home?
Oh. Seemingly, Deputy Director An has done something.
Last night, Yi Yunrui told her about this. Li Shi is Deputy Director An’s lover, while Deputy Director An has a wife and children. What Li Shi has done is embarrassing Deputy Director An. To sustain his positive image, Deputy Director An has to deal with the problem as soon as possible.
So, it is just as Yi Yunrui and Gu Luan said. Li Shi is not to stay.
Yesterday, Yi Yunrui was here. He saw Li Shi come to make the fuss. He texted Deputy Director An with his phone at once.
She saw the content of the message.
It was like this: Deputy Director An, I am in my wife’s office now. I learn your taste now. I admire you very much!”
It seemed that the message didn’t talk about anything. However, it was believable that Deputy Director An surely found out what happened.
Well. On the next day, Li Shi just disappeared.
She doesn’t want to know what happens to Li Shi.
Xia Ning takes up the office phone and calls Gu Ruoruo, “Ask Fang Zheng to come here.”
Soon, Fang Zheng is led to the office by Gu Ruoruo.
Xia Ning drinks the coffee. He looks at Fang Zheng, who looks confused. She puts on a mild smile.
“I wonder what Director Xia tells me to come here for.” Fang Zheng asks.
Xia Ning puts down the coffee. She speaks to him, “I ask you to come to tell me frankly.”
Fang Zheng hesitates, “Did anything happen?”
Xia Ning shakes her head, “Don’t worry. What I am going to ask is all about you. You can tell me frankly.”
“If it is all about me, I will surely tell you honestly.”
Xia Ning takes a file and opens it to read carefully, “You graduated from the department of journalism of Harvard University, didn’t you?”
“Hum.”
“You have worked in the company for seven years. You are a senior employee.” Xia Ning says. She closes the file, “How long have you been the assistant of Supervisor Guo?”
“About five years.”
“Five years…do you mean that it took you only two years to be promoted to be supervisor assistant from an common employee in World Era Weekly?”
Fang Zheng feels a little shy, “Hum. Yes. But Director, I earned it through my hard working. I…”
“I know. You don’t need to explain. All people in the World Era Weekly rely on their hard working. I was praising you just now. Assistant Fang, you don’t need to be worried.”
Fang Zheng gives a sigh of relief, “Sorry.”
“You don’t need to be so cautious in front of me. Well, I heard that something happened to your family recently. What’s that?”
Fang Zheng hesitates, “Director Xia, I should not mention my personal problems at work. I will take well care of that. Director Xia, don’t worry…”
“Assistant Fang, I hope you can tell me the truth. OK?”
Fang Zheng thinks for a while. He gives a light sigh, “My father passed away. My mother has only one son. That is me. Some days ago, my mother had a stroke and was in hospital. I had to work. I had little time to take care of her. My friends and relatives helped to look after her for me all the time. I feel, ah…”
Xia Ning slightly frowns, “Does Supervisor Guo know it?”
“Supervisor Guo…I think he knows a little. Anyway, based on my mother’s condition, the leave is not a matter of one day or two. It is reasonable that the supervisor doesn’t permit it. I can understand.”
“Then, how is your mother? Does she need to stay in the hospital for a long time?”
“The doctor says it is under control now. She still needs to stay in the hospital for inspection for another week.”
Xia Ning thinks for a while. She searches on the computer, “It has been seven years, it seems that you seldom ask for annual leave. You haven’t taken your annual leaves, have you?”
Fang Zheng nods, “I put work first.”
Xia Ning feels a little sad to hear what Fang Zheng says.
Fang Zheng is the only son of the family. He is the breadwinner of the family. And his mother is in poor health. To be honest, how can he not work hard under such circumstance?
Xia Ning thinks for a while, “Assistant Fang, actually I ask you here to ask for your opinion. I quitted some time ago and just came back recently. We are short of manpower in the Entertainment Department. I need someone to work for me. Can you come to help?”
Fang Zheng is surprised to hear what she says, “Director, I don’t understand.”
“I mean, I want to have one more assistant. Are you interested in that?”
Hearing this, Fang Zheng feels his heart brightened. But he turns sad again very soon. He doesn’t speak for quite a while.
Xia Ning looks at him. She can guess what he is worried about.
Fang Zheng is Supervisor Guo’s Assistant. What Xia Ning does now is obviously taking away Supervisor Guo’s assistant. Fang Zheng is put in a dilemma. If it is not handled well, Fang Zheng will become the victim.
“You are worried that it is not good to do this for Supervisor Guo. Are you?”
Fang Zheng finds Xia Ning tell the point. He responds frankly, “Yes. Director, I am only a common employee. I am the only breadwinner of my family. I feel honored that Director gives me the opportunity. All working people want to be promoted. However, I pay more attention to stability. I don’t want my mother to worry about me. After all, she is not in good health and she is old. Director…Do you understand?”
Xia Ning smiles, “I surely understand. Don’t worry. As long as you agree to come, I will take care of the Supervisor Guo’s part. You may come. I give you the promise. Once any conflicts happen, you don’t need to take the responsibility. I rarely fire employees and I seldom transfer anyone. All I require is that you work hard as you always do. I will take care of the rest things.”
Xia Ning makes it very clear. Fang Zheng feels glad. But he still hesitates. Xia Ning continues, “I know it is hard for you to make the decision at once. Well, you may reply to me tomorrow. OK?”
Fang Zheng nods, “OK. Director Xia, I will reply to you tomorrow.”
They are talking when Xia Ning’s phone rings. It is Li Baoer.
Xia Ning presses the answer button. She asks in a low voice, “What’s up?”
“Ning, have you read today’s newspaper?”
Xia Ning feels her heart tightened. Vaguely, she feels something wrong, “Why?”
