Chapter – 54
“It’s not necessary.” Ning Xuechu stood still and began organizing her things.
Her desk was in a separate cubicle. Wan Qin had helped her decorate it in a cute, cozy style, even placing a small fish tank on the desk, where two goldfish swam back and forth.
Opposite her was Du Rong’s desk—simple and austere, completely different in style from hers.
In the entire office, there were only Wan Qin and her.
“Where is everyone else?” Ning Xuechu asked while tidying up.
“They’re in a meeting. President An is in there too,” Wan Qin said softly, pointing toward a tightly closed door.
Ning Xuechu’s heart skipped a beat. She paused her movements and smiled gently. “Why is President An having a meeting here?”
“I don’t know either. Probably something important,” Wan Qin replied.
Ning Xuechu immediately understood—this Omega held the lowest status here, responsible only for daily trivial matters.
It was obvious that this Omega was warm and simple-minded. When she looked at Ning Xuechu, there was none of the disdain or jealousy others often showed.
“How long have you been working here?” Ning Xuechu asked.
“Two years,” Wan Qin answered proudly, her smile unwavering.
As Ning Xuechu packed up, she chatted casually with Wan Qin and gathered quite a bit of useful information.
This department was rather special—almost half of the company’s Omegas were concentrated here. Especially the manager, Du Rong, who was the only Omega in the leadership team.
It was said that An Jianqing had pushed through all objections to hire Du Rong and personally supported her rise to the manager position.
“Manager Du respects President An the most. In this department, no one is allowed to discuss President An. If she hears it, you’ll be in serious trouble,” Wan Qin whispered as a reminder.
She was about to mention company gossip but suddenly remembered that the newcomer in front of her was An Jianqing’s rumored lover, so she immediately shut her mouth.
“Alright, I understand,” Ning Xuechu said, finally finishing and sitting down comfortably.
The meeting room door opened. An Jianqing came out first, followed by a serious-looking woman.
“President An, Manager Du,” Wan Qin immediately greeted respectfully.
“Sis… President An, Manager Du,” Ning Xuechu greeted them with a smile.
When she said “sis,” Ning Xuechu noticed a flash of surprise cross Du Rong’s face.
“Xuechu, are you done settling in?” An Jianqing walked over with a smile, glanced at the desk setup, and asked, “Do you like it?”
“It’s very nice—really cute,” Ning Xuechu tilted her head and smiled sweetly.
“That’s good. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask Manager Du. She’ll teach you properly,” An Jianqing said, then looked at Du Rong. “Manager Du, I’ll be leaving Xuechu in your care.”
“Yes, President An,” Du Rong replied coolly.
Hearing this, everyone immediately realized the rumors were true. The way they looked at Ning Xuechu now carried an extra hint of respect.
“Hello everyone, my name is Ning Xuechu. Please take care of me from now on,” Ning Xuechu said with a slight bow and a bright smile.
“Secretary Ning,” everyone replied politely.
Seeing this, An Jianqing smiled with satisfaction. “Xuechu is new. I hope everyone will look after her.”
“Of course…” everyone answered nervously—except Du Rong, who remained expressionless.
“President An, in this department, no matter who it is, mistakes are punished according to the rules. There will be no exceptions,” Du Rong said coldly.
The smile on Ning Xuechu’s face froze slightly. She looked timidly at An Jianqing.
“I believe she won’t make unnecessary mistakes,” An Jianqing said, her gaze sharp.
She understood Du Rong’s temperament. Du Rong was dissatisfied with this decision, believing Ning Xuechu lacked the ability to be a secretary.
Du Rong lowered her eyes and said nothing.
She hadn’t expected An Jianqing to openly protect a newcomer like this—such favoritism already exceeded company regulations.
This was also the first time An Jianqing had broken the company’s fairness and rules.
All for an ordinary Omega.
*
There was much more to learn in the new department, and the work was far more complex. Ning Xuechu almost had to work overtime every day.
After everyone else left, she stayed behind to finish unfinished tasks.
Du Rong assigned her many tasks each day—far beyond what a newcomer should handle.
Ning Xuechu could vaguely sense Du Rong’s hostility. Every time Du Rong looked at her, there was coldness mixed with a hidden trace of disdain.
Ning Xuechu typed at the keyboard, doing final wrap-up work.
“Still not finished?” a gentle female voice sounded behind her.
Ning Xuechu immediately turned around and stood up happily. “Sis, why are you here?”
“I saw the office lights were still on, so I came to take a look,” An Jianqing said, glancing at her watch. “It’s already nine o’clock.”
“Sis, you should go home first. I only have a little left,” Ning Xuechu said with a smile.
“I’ll wait for you. We’ll go back together,” An Jianqing said, pulling over a chair and sitting down.
Ning Xuechu’s heart tightened. She pressed her lips together and said softly, “Sis, if you don’t avoid suspicion like this, other colleagues might misunderstand.”
“Misunderstand what?” An Jianqing asked with a smile, clearly unconcerned.
“They say… they say I’m your lover…” Ning Xuechu lowered her head, her voice extremely quiet.
As she spoke, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she didn’t dare meet anyone’s eyes.
An Jianqing froze, not expecting Ning Xuechu to bring up the rumors so directly.
The atmosphere instantly became subtle.
Some things could be ignored if left unsaid—but once spoken aloud, they seemed to change in nature.
An Jianqing couldn’t help recalling that lingering kiss when she was drunk. A blush crept onto her fair face. She coughed lightly and said, “Xuechu, don’t pay attention to those rumors. What you need to do is focus on your work and adapt to your position as soon as possible.”
