Pei Yuzhang hesitated, wondering if she should step inside. Zhao Manlin hadn't noticed her yet and continued complaining to her colleagues:
"She has a thing for pretty Omegas, but even Alphas aren't safe around her. I'm warning you all—stay away from her if you can."
Someone joked, "Come on, Manlin. You're overthinking it. She might not even be interested in our department. Isn't that blind makeup model, Liu Huanran's girlfriend, the pretty one?"
Zhao Manlin's expression shifted slightly.
"Really? That's juicy. I remember she was eyeing Liu Huanran the last time she was here."
"Miss Pei sure doesn't discriminate, does she?"
Since it was early and they thought no one was around, the group felt free to chat openly, teasing and joking with each other.
Pei Yuzhang couldn't listen any longer. If she didn't interrupt soon, her reputation would be in shambles. Clearing her throat, she pretended she had just arrived, walking leisurely from the elevator.
The first to notice her was an employee sipping soy milk. They nearly choked and quickly nudged the person next to them, who began tidying up their desk.
Yue Rong had a cafeteria, and with the high hygiene standards at a cosmetics company, eating breakfast at one's desk was technically against the rules. However, some early arrivers liked to chat over breakfast before cleaning up. Most supervisors turned a blind eye to it.
Pei Yuzhang, keeping with the original character's persona, entered the room with a serious expression. The smell of food hit her as soon as she opened the door, and she frowned:
"Why are you bringing breakfast to the office? Eat in the cafeteria next time."
The group had just been gossiping about her, and since eating at their desks was against the rules, no one dared to speak up. They either stashed their food away or threw it out, quickly returning to their workstations.
Pei Yuzhang, who disliked wasting food, was left speechless.
Zhao Manlin, noticing her entrance, coughed lightly. Seeing that Pei Yuzhang was neatly dressed, even wearing the company uniform, she realized that Pei Yuzhang might actually be serious about working today. But whether this would last or was just for show remained to be seen.
Testing the waters, Zhao Manlin said, "Since it's your first day, how about I walk you through the job responsibilities?"
Pei Yuzhang, armed with a notebook and pen, spent a full two hours in Zhao Manlin's office, listening attentively as she explained the workflow.
The planning department at Yue Rong wasn't responsible for product development; they mainly focused on promotional activities, working closely with the marketing department. The two departments, though distinct, often collaborated due to their small size.
In simple terms, the planning department handled event planning, and the marketing department carried out the promotions. Zhao Manlin initially kept it brief, not expecting Pei Yuzhang to really pay attention. When she saw Pei Yuzhang scribbling on her notepad, she assumed it was out of boredom and suggested, "Why don't we wrap up for today?" But Pei Yuzhang's glance urged her to continue.
Zhao Manlin, who had been with the company for years, was a keen observer and knew not to cross Pei Yuzhang, the boss's daughter, even if she didn't particularly like her. So, she continued explaining everything thoroughly.
After two hours, Pei Yuzhang had to attend a morning meeting, while Zhao Manlin headed to the product department to check on new developments. Before leaving, Zhao Manlin sneaked a look at the notes Pei Yuzhang had left on the desk.
The handwriting was messy, with circles and symbols that Zhao Manlin couldn't decipher. She couldn't tell if Pei Yuzhang was here to flirt or to actually work.
When Pei Yuzhang arrived at the morning meeting, she noticed a tense atmosphere. Though it was a routine meeting, a heavy cloud of worry hung over the room.
After about ten minutes, she realized why—this was the turning point for Yue Rong as described in the original storyline.
Pei Jinhuai had taken over the company while still in university, full of youthful energy. She would personally oversee product testing late into the night. But after a heartbreak and health issues following childbirth, her drive waned. After a failed creative project that caused tension with the executives, she started to distance herself from the company.
In this era of ever-changing beauty products, Yue Rong had a solid reputation, but had been weakened by the flu epidemic that had caused many companies to fold. People were too busy or sick to wear makeup, often needing to wear masks for long periods, which significantly reduced the demand for beauty products.
Now that the flu era had ended, Yue Rong was struggling to recover, with product sales stagnating this quarter.
Lipsticks and foundations were constantly being reinvented, but there wasn't much variation. Yue Rong prided itself on strict ingredient standards, which meant they couldn't lower prices to compete with cheaper brands.
Yue Rong was stuck in the middle—unable to break into the high-end market and unwilling to lower prices to compete with budget brands targeted at students.
Eventually, a manager named Miao proposed a new plan to cut costs by altering the product ingredients. But the quality control wasn't up to par, and that batch of foundation, which was supposed to be a lightweight, breathable formula, caused long-term allergic reactions for many users. This led to a major PR disaster for Yue Rong, even getting them called out on a national consumer watchdog program.
This scandal would break out months later, but by then, Pei Yuzhang had already pushed Liu Huanran to the breaking point, causing her to leave the company.
Liu Huanran then seized the opportunity at her new company, launching a series of products that filled the gap left by Yue Rong. These new products were heavily inspired by Yue Rong's previous designs, marketed as affordable alternatives, and they eventually drove Yue Rong into the ground.
Liu Huanran, who worked in the product department, was also at this morning meeting. When the topic of sluggish sales came up, she eagerly volunteered to speak, proposing a bunch of ideas that borrowed heavily from other brands—like Doumi Beauty's original mermaid shimmer lipstick, which she suggested using as a blush in a new product launch, along with bundling old products for discount promotions.
Pei Yuzhang was deeply disappointed.
She had expected Liu Huanran, as the protagonist, to have some brilliant insights.
But Liu Huanran's idea was nothing more than plagiarism, dressed up as "inspiration."
When Pei Yuzhang first read this part of the story, she thought Liu Huanran's business ethics were questionable. But after seeing her behavior toward Yu Zhiwan, she revised her opinion—the protagonist was a total scumbag.
In the original story, there were even scenes where Liu Huanran would leave a pregnant, rain-soaked Omega to pass out on her doorstep, only to walk away coldly. Then, after a lengthy redemption arc, the tables would turn, with Yu Zhiwan eventually taking her back.
Even if Liu Huanran did reform later, could it ever make up for the harm she had caused Yu Zhiwan?
The answer was clearly no.
**
After starting her new job, Pei Yuzhang found herself too busy to relax. It took her a full week of hard work just to get a grasp on the company's operations.
Working in an office was nothing like patrolling the streets or fighting on the battlefield. It was a war without gunfire. After submitting a report on her second day, she cracked down on the widespread practice of eating breakfast in the office, fining dozens of employees across various departments. With over a hundred fines, the income from penalties alone amounted to several thousand yuan.
This didn't earn her any friends in the planning department.
Pei Jinhuai and Fan Zhaozhao returned home over the weekend and arranged for a family dinner to help everyone bond. During the meal, when Pei Yuzhang reported on her work, Pei Jinhuai was momentarily taken aback before gently patting her daughter's shoulder:
"Xiaoyu, it's fine to make a big splash when you start a new job, but you shouldn't burn too many bridges. If you're just here to play around, that's one thing, but if you want to stick with it, you need to be careful not to make enemies."
Pei Jinhuai knew her daughter's temper all too well—arrogant and not easy to get along with. If she started off by fining so many people, it was unlikely she'd make any friends.
Pei Jinhuai had never expected much from her daughter, but was moved to tears just seeing her willing to work instead of being unemployed. She was ready to indulge her in almost anything.
Just as Pei Yuzhang was about to respond, Jiang Wenxiu, who had been engrossed in a game on her handheld console, looked up and casually remarked:
"If someone doesn't like it, just beat them up."
Fan Zhaozhao shot her a look, scolding:
"Why are you talking like that? We're having dinner, and you're still playing games—"
Jiang Wenxiu stowed away her gaming console, sneaking a mischievous grin at Pei Yuzhang as she did. After being taught a lesson by Pei Yuzhang the other day, Jiang Wenxiu had become more polite, though it was hard to tell if she was genuinely respectful or just pretending. The parents didn't catch the sarcastic tone in her voice, and Fan Zhaozhao offered some polite praise while serving more food to Pei Yuzhang.
Pei Yuzhang quietly observed Fan Zhaozhao.
Fan Zhaozhao, Pei Jinhuai's new partner, was an Omega with a soft and charming appearance, especially her beautiful peach-blossom eyes, which could look both happy and angry. She spoke gently to Pei Jinhuai, and the two of them seemed to share a deep affection.
The dinner was uneventful, with little to discuss. The parents were sweet to each other, Jiang Wenxiu alternated between eating and chatting with friends, and Fan Zhaozhao asked Pei Yuzhang a few polite questions about her life.
"Xiaoyu, have you started dating anyone recently?"
Pei Yuzhang wasn't sure what she was getting at and raised an eyebrow:
"Not yet." She paused, then asked, "Why do you ask, Aunt Fan?"
Fan Zhaozhao glanced at Pei Jinhuai, who chuckled:
"Well, you're in your early twenties now. It might be time to find a girlfriend and settle down. But having a career is important too. If you're serious about working at the company, I won't push you on the dating front."
The way she said it was a bit dismissive, as if she didn't really mean it, but Pei Yuzhang pretended not to notice.
Pei Jinhuai drove them home in her private car.
Pei Yuzhang had been staying at home recently, partly to reassure her parents and partly because it was more convenient. After getting home, Jiang Wenxiu immediately retreated to her room to play games with her friends. Pei Yuzhang pretended to go upstairs, but then doubled back to hide in a corner of the stairwell, where she could eavesdrop without being seen.
Pei Jinhuai called over Pei Yuzhang's assistant, Zhou Shuyue, for a report. The woman, who had been chatting softly with Fan Zhaozhao, raised her voice slightly:
"How could I have known Xiaoyu would go and kidnap someone? Zhaozhao, you can't let Wenxiu find out about this. She's too young to keep secrets, and if word gets out, it could be a big problem."
Fan Zhaozhao hesitated, then suggested:
"If she's that serious about the Omega, maybe you should just let her marry her?"
"You don't understand Xiaoyu. She's always had a short attention span..."
Pei Jinhuai, fully aware of her daughter's difficult personality, dismissed Fan Zhaozhao's suggestion, though it was clear she felt sorry for Pei Yuzhang.
The sudden change in Pei Yuzhang's behavior over the past few weeks had been attributed to her unrequited love for Yu Zhiwan, leading to a downward spiral.
Pei Yuzhang stifled a laugh at the misunderstanding.
At that moment, her phone vibrated in her pocket.
To avoid being caught, she had set her phone to vibrate. The voices downstairs continued, unaware of the noise, so Pei Yuzhang quietly slipped back to her room.
The call was from one of her subordinates—a lackey who had stuck by the original Pei Yuzhang for personal gain, helping her with all sorts of shady activities.
Pei Yuzhang didn't really want to answer, but after some thought, she reluctantly picked up and asked gruffly:
"What do you want?"
"Boss, the mid-year party is all set. Can we go ahead next week?"
Pei Yuzhang was confused:
"What mid-year party?"
The lackey chuckled:
"You wanted to throw this party to set up Yu Zhiwan, remember?"
Sensing she might have forgotten, the lackey played back a recording of her own voice, dripping with sleaze:
"Xiao Zhu, organize a mid-year party, call it a summer gathering, and make sure everyone shows up. Book it at the Fanghua Club—no excuses for skipping. And get some drugs ready for Yu Zhiwan's drink. I'm gonna ruin her, ha ha ha!"
The laughter that followed was loud and obnoxious, grating on the ears.
Pei Yuzhang was speechless, her lips twitching as she struggled to find words.
The original character had been so consumed by lust that she had planned to do something so heinous. But Pei Yuzhang, even in her previous life as an Alpha, had never even held an Omega's hand properly.
In a time of war, survival was uncertain, yet there were still plenty of Alphas who indulged in pleasure, desperate to pass on their genes, while others lived in drunken debauchery with Omegas.
Pei Yuzhang had always been disciplined, looking down on these pleasure-seeking Alphas who avoided the battlefield. Now, in this era of peace, the original Pei Yuzhang's obsession with an Omega was appalling.
She couldn't afford to break character, but she also couldn't bring herself to do anything illegal to Yu Zhiwan. So she quickly ordered her subordinate:
"The party goes on as planned, but drop the shady stuff. If you need drugs to get someone, that's not real skill." Pei Yuzhang tried to channel the original's tone, adding, "Besides, if that old woman catches wind of it, I'll be in deep trouble."
The lackey, after receiving the order, flattered her a bit before hanging up to carry it out. Pei Yuzhang sighed in relief, but the weight of the original character's actions left her with a headache.
How many more traps had the original Pei Yuzhang laid for her?