Yu Yao almost spilled his drink when he heard the company name that Li Da Zhan will work with.
"Are you kidding me? You will work with Flamingo?" he shouted. He was lucky because with loud music played in the LED Club right now, his reaction will not affected to others. Plus they at their usual place where no one can trespassed without their permission so they free to do whatever they wanted.
The sun had set a few hours ago. Li Da Zhan had nothing to do in the meantime after he had finish preparing the things he needs to bring during his trip to the city B three days from now. Therefore, when he received call from Long Wei to hang out at LED Club, he never hesitated to say yes. Beside, he knew his friends wanted to know the progress of his project.
"Yes. Why?" Li Da Zhan asked him casually, while playing with his glass in his hand.
Flamingo was the name of the interior design company own by President Zhang's son. As far as Li Da Zhan knew, the Flamingo was an exclusive company which won many awards for their great achievements. With those advantages, Li Da Zhan definitely clueless with Yu Yao's reaction.
Long Wei also curious with Yu Yao, but he waited for that man to explain himself. "Is that company not suitable for Da Zhan?"
Yu Yao put his glass that contain whiskey on the rectangle table in front of him and clear his throat. He bend his upper body towards Li Da Zhan who sitting at couch on his left.
"The company is excellent. But the people in there I'm worried about."
"What do you mean?" Li Da Zhan raised his eyebrows.
"My second older brother said, there are two important people in Flamingo that you need to worry about. First is the CEO, and the second one is the chief manager. And among those two, the chief manager is the worst." he said that by displayed the people with his thumb and point fingers, with serious face.
Li Da Zhan started to show interest about the hidden story in that company. Anyway, it will be his head up for him later.
"Go on."
Yu Yao nodded firmly, "That chief manager is too cold-hearted. She won't tolerate even if it's only a small mistake."
"It's given. She has big responsibility towards the clients. Of course she wanted it to be perfect." Long Wei interfered. He understood that chief manager point of view. And he expected Li Da Zhan to understand it too.
"But she is the worst. The employees under her received hard time. I never knew this kind of person even exist."
How convincing Yu Yao told the story, his expressions and body languages made Long Wei and Li Da Zhan looked at each, looking restless.
Long Wei shifted his focus to Yu Yao, "By the way, how your second older brother knew all of that?"
"His girlfriend worked there, as the assistant for that chief manager."
"Aaaa... It's explain everything." Long Wei leaned to the couch, and his arms rest on top of it. He grinned.
Li Da Zhan scoffed with Yu Yao's explanation. No wonder Yu Yao knew loads of things about the company that was far from his circle.
Looking at Li Da Zhan and Long Wei's face, Yu Yao suddenly realise something. He quickly shook his head.
"No. No. Not his girlfriend that telling my older brother."
"Then? Who?" Li Da Zhan asked before take a sip of his wine. Eyes still fixed at Yu Yao.
Yu Yao sighed. "Whenever my older brother came to the company to fetch his girlfriend, he heard other staff talked about the chief manager. How she rejected one of her employee's design mercilessly despite that staff work for so long to finish it."
Yu Yao took a bite of the snack on the plate on the table. "However, his girlfriend always defend the chief manager."
"It's quite intriguing. But what about the CEO?" Li Da Zhan had enough information about chief manager, he wanted to know about the other one. The boss. "Do your older brother knew anything about him?"
"Yup." Yu Yao nodded. "My did tell me about the CEO Zhang. He is a mysterious type, not so friendly even to the chief manager. Sheng-ge told me, CEO Zhang always keep things serious, and he never get involved with his co-workers. I wonder how his company can be so popular with this kind of people as the leader."
Long Wei scoffed. He gave meaningful gaze towards Li Da Zhan, "This is your opportunity to find out."
The corner of his lips curled up. His phoenix eyes gleaming with anticipation on what will happened when he met the duo at city B, in the next few day.
"We shall see the real truth from Yu Yao's story."
They toast their glasses and enjoying the night to the fullest, let the upbeat music arranged by the dj to entertain them before each of them facing reality, a series of circumstances which they did not know what it bring to them.
***
The chief manager Yu Yao talked about just returned from her hometown, but rather than rest and enjoying the last day of her vacation, she rather continuing her project that she left untouched.
After leaving her hometown, Chen Rou Jiao went straight to the airport, dropped her younger brother Chen Liang Shu who had script reading meeting the next day. So he needs to be in city A as soon as possible to get ready.
Thanks to the times she spent in her hometown, Chen Rou Jiao had a fresh started and she was able to come out with ideas to finish the design to show to her client. And this time, Chen Rou Jiao was delighted because after this project, she definitely asked for another vacation. She wanted to bring her father to Swiss, played with snow and enjoy the great cuisine the country had.
Only just thinking about that, her heart thrilled like crazy and her smile wider in front of her design.
She scanned the design, making sure there will be no mistakes anymore after she went through with all the client's demands. Starting from the color, furniture arrangement and lighting positions. Checked every single details.
She was checking it one more time when her phone rang loudly. Not to embarrased herself again, Chen Rou Jiao took some time to read the caller ID before answering.
'Xie Rong'
She then swipe the answer button, put on the loudspeaker while examine the design for the tenth time.
"Yes, Rongrong. How was your Spring Festival?"
She heard a giggled from Xie Rong. "Magnificent. How's yours?"
"Great too." Her expression plus the tone she used were indifferent about Xie Rong's question despite Chen Rou Jiao had a blast of this year celebration. Her happiness immediately plummet when she facing the troublesome design right before her eyes.
"Mmm.. You still work on that project?"
"Mn. The last try." Chen Rou Jiao pushed away the tablet on the table. Her arms were crossed on the table and she landed her chin on it while move her focus to the call. "If that client still reject this, I will let CEO Zhang take over. I am exhausted."
"That lady was eyeing on CEO Zhang from the start. I think he knew but still, he gave the project to you." From her tone, Chen Rou Jiao knew Xie Rong was annoyed by their boss.
Chen Rou Jiao scoffed. "He had the right to do that, though. We just his pawn."
"But he knew how that lady pressured you, but he still put a blind eyes on it. He is a complete idiot!" Xie Rong barked like she was the one had to face the problem.
"Heh. I dare you to say that in front of him."
"Err..."
Chen Rou Jiao beaming on Xie Rong hesitation. By the fact, she also sick of CEO Zhang's attitude towards her. If he was not her boss, with that kind of attitude, rude and annoyed, CEO Zhang already received a punch from her.
"Don't tell him about this. It's our little secret okay?" Xie Rong quickly lowered her voice, now she was more polite, begging for Chen Rou Jiao assurance.
Chen Rou Jiao chuckled. "Fine. Fine. Your secret save with me."
"Yay! Thank you Jiao Jiao. See you soon."
"Okay. See you soon Rong Rong."
Chen Rou Jiao put all things aside as she fet up from her chair and walked to the balcony. She inhaled the cold breeze that blew upon her face, then she exhaled slowly. She stood before the concrete handrails, leaning her arms on it, watching the night sky, which was total dark without any signed of moon or stars.
She ignored that because all she wanted to do was, enjoying the last free night she had before returned to the busy days as a career woman. Only one thought in her head, finish this and went to a long vacation.
***
Xie Rong smiled widely facing looking at the phone screen. Her boyfriend, Yu Sheng who sitting next to her, watching drama, were distracted on how his girlfriend's face brightened when talking with her chief manager.
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Pulled her closer to him. And Xie Rong obeyed, without saying a thing. She head leans on his chest, while her eyes still on the screen.
"You two looks great together, despite who she is in the company."
Xie Rong looked up, met his concerned eyes. She smiled sweetly to her beloved boyfriend. "She is a great person you know. Those who badmouthing her are the bad ones."
Yu Shen sneered with the endless defend Xie Rong showed for that person. Sometimes he was wondering why his girlfriend care too much about her. Even he as the passerby would be so annoyed on how Chen Rou Jiao did not care about her employees including his girlfriend.
"Yeah right. As if she care about you."
Xie Rong shook her head. Her boyfriend always judge book by it's cover without gave a chance to flip every page to know how poetic and melodious each words conveyed.
"Stop it, Sheng-ge. Let's not talk about it tonight. I don't want to miss this episode." Xie Rong made a cute face, her monolid eyes blinking cutely towards Yu Sheng.
He sighed, and finally give up to her cuteness. They continued watching the drama Everlasting Love peacefully acted by the popular actress, Bai Shu Lian.