CHAPTER 146: CHAPTER 144: LIFE-AND-DEATH SITUATION WITH ME WITHOUT HER

Jiang Qimeng was causing a commotion outside. In his office, Si Yuhuan rubbed his aching temples. "Let her in."

After a series of meetings, Si Yuhuan’s patience was extremely thin.

"Hmph! Did you hear that? He said to let me in!" Jiang Qimeng arrogantly shoved past Yan Qing, who was trying to block her, and stormed in.

"Yuhan, Jian Xi has already divorced you, so why is she still at Haohan Group?" She barged in and immediately questioned him, adopting an aggressive stance.

For some reason, looking at Jiang Qimeng, who was bundled up like a zongzi, only made Si Yuhuan’s headache worsen. "Jian Group and Haohan Group have a partnership," he said. "As a representative of Jian Group, it’s necessary for her to stay in the marketing department for development research. Is there a problem?"

His sharp gaze swept over her.

"But, but..." Jiang Qimeng choked on her words. "There are so many people at Jian Group, why does it have to be her specifically!"

The thought of Jian Xi’s haughty demeanor just moments before made Jiang Qimeng boil with irritation. She walked over, took Si Yuhuan’s hand, and sobbed pitifully.

"With Jian Xi here, do you know what everyone downstairs is saying about me?"

Si Yuhuan’s dark eyes suddenly flashed with iciness. "You’re badly injured and should be resting at home, not coming to the Group to listen to people gossip about you."

"Yuhan..." Jiang Qimeng looked at him, incredulous.

Si Yuhuan said apologetically, "We must prioritize the bigger picture. This is the decision of the company’s board of directors. You can understand that, right?"

Jiang Qimeng nodded obediently, her face pale. It felt as if a hand were clutching her throat, and she swallowed hard.

Now, she had neither status nor a source of income. Apart from relying on Si Yuhuan, she had nothing left. "Yuhan, I’m sorry," she said. "I was just too upset about the gossip downstairs. You will marry me, right?"

She just wanted an answer. Si Yuhuan hesitated.

Jiang Qimeng clenched her teeth, pressed a hand to her forehead, and began to feel faint.

Si Yuhuan strode over to her, his voice trembling. "Are you okay?"

Ultimately, he couldn’t bring himself to be heartless and disregard her life and death. Jiang Qimeng sensed she still had the upper hand. Feigning weakness with a delicate, frail voice, she said, "Yuhan, I’ve troubled you. I’m always thinking about those ethereal, impossible promises. Those were just casual remarks back then. Now that you’re so successful, what right do I have to keep bringing them up!"

She pushed Si Yuhuan away. "I’m sorry, I’m being presumptuous."

"No, it’s not!" Si Yuhuan seemed to have made some sort of resolute decision. "After Grandpa wakes up, I will marry you."

Si Yuhuan’s gaze noticeably darkened.

Jiang Qimeng was ecstatic. Seizing the moment, she pressed, "Really? Then promise me, you won’t have any intimate contact with Jian Xi from now on, okay? I’ll get jealous. My heart will ache. I’m truly too selfish; I just want you to be mine alone. Yuhan, I really, really love you so much."

Si Yuhuan pressed his thin lips together.

"Mm."

He had actually agreed! Emotions surged, and Jiang Qimeng’s eyes brimmed with excited tears. "Thank you, Yuhan."

She hugged Si Yuhuan tightly, attempting to kiss him, but he subtly dodged her.

Outside the door, Jian Xi stood not far away, watching the intimate scene between the two.

The heating in the CEO’s office was on, yet the air around Jian Xi felt chillingly stagnant, so oppressive it was hard to breathe. Yan Qing nodded, nervous sweat beading on his forehead. "Madam, aren’t you going in?"

"Don’t call me Madam. Call me Miss Jian or CEO Jian."

Yan Qing gave a wry smile. Then he heard Jian Xi say sarcastically, "Your Director Si is truly one of a kind. Even in a public place like the company, he doesn’t forget to flirt outrageously with women. His appetite is certainly strong."

DING. The elevator doors opened.

Coincidentally, a group of managers and senior executives were arriving at Si Yuhuan’s office for a meeting, and Jian Xi’s words clearly reached everyone’s ears.

When love rivals met, their eyes burned with jealousy. How would Director Si handle this?

Everyone exchanged glances; for a moment, no one knew whether to enter or retreat.

Si Yuhuan heard the voice first. He pushed Jiang Qimeng away, his gaze landing accurately on Jian Xi.

She must have seen everything.

With an impassive handsome face, he raised his hand and beckoned. "Everyone, come in."

Jian Xi’s heart grew cold. This man was so two-faced. Just last night, he had acted so devoted, yet it was merely the possessiveness and control issues of an overbearing man at play.

Between them, there had never been any romantic love from start to finish. She should stop being sentimental. She turned to leave.

"Jian Xi, you come in too."

Yan Qing quickly made a welcoming gesture.

Jian Xi gritted her teeth and stomped her foot as she walked in.

Jiang Qimeng, beaming with delight, also looked for a place to sit. Jian Xi raised an eyebrow at her. "Aren’t you leaving?"

All eyes once again focused on Jiang Qimeng.

Jiang Qimeng seethed with resentment, feeling her dignity utterly shattered. But remembering Si Yuhuan’s recent promise, she found her courage, lifted her chin, and retorted, "I’m also a member of Haohan Group. Why can’t I participate? Miss Jian, you’re just a minor sub-manager in the marketing department. What right do you have to order me around here?"

"I am a manager, part of Haohan Group’s management. You are an ordinary employee! Miss Jiang, please get your position straight. Your presence here is disrupting our internal operations!"

Jiang Qimeng’s eyes turned red with anger. "Jian Xi, you’re just targeting me."

"You’re right. So what?" Jian Xi said, giving her an infuriatingly sweet smile.

Jiang Qimeng turned to Si Yuhuan to complain. "Yuhan, she..."

"Mengmeng, go out."

Jiang Qimeng’s mind buzzed; she couldn’t believe what she had heard.

Si Yuhuan glanced at Jian Xi, who was smiling with smug satisfaction. "According to Group regulations, you indeed cannot be here. Yan Qing, take Miss Jiang back to rest. She’s injured, so she doesn’t need to come to the Group for work for the next few days."

With so many eyes on her, Jiang Qimeng couldn’t cause a scene. She clenched her back teeth, glared fiercely at Jian Xi, then turned a pitiful gaze to Si Yuhuan. "Then tonight, I’ll wait for you for dinner."

As if asserting her claim, she spoke without any regard for the others present. Before leaving, as she passed Jian Xi, she warned in a low voice, "Yuhan is only concerned because I was injured testing medicine for Grandpa; that’s why he doesn’t want me to come to the Group. Jian Xi, don’t get too pleased with yourself."

"’That damned old man, so troublesome.’ Jiang Qimeng’s voice suddenly streamed from Jian Xi’s phone."

Jiang Qimeng instantly bristled. She turned her head stiffly, feeling as if her blood were flowing backward.

Fear, panic, and terror washed over her all at once. She couldn’t help but tremble.

All the senior management present frowned deeply.

"Is that Miss Jiang’s voice? It sounds like she’s cursing an old man. Which old man? Don’t tell me it’s Old Master Si?"

"Didn’t she volunteer to test medicine for Old Master Si? So how could she...? Don’t tell me...?"

The various senior executives began to speculate among themselves.

Si Yuhuan stood up abruptly. "Give me the phone."

Jiang Qimeng beat him to it. She rushed over and snatched Jian Xi’s phone. "What nonsense are you playing?"