Chapter 317 – My Dear CEO Wife – Wen “the Resentful Woman” (17)
Wen Changrou informed the HR department, and soon an HR staff member arrived at the design department with a standard professional smile and an empty cardboard box in her hands.
Before everyone’s eyes, she handed the box to Zu Shuang and delivered the final message from the Wen Corporation: “Ms. Zu Shuang, please pack up your belongings and leave before noon. Then sign this resignation form — once that’s done, your departure process will be complete. Your salary for this month will be paid on the company’s regular payday.”
As the saying goes, “One doesn’t hit a smiling face.” The HR lady’s expression and tone were perfectly polite and procedural, utterly devoid of emotion.
Feeling countless eyes on her, Zu Shuang could only swallow her anger, clutch the box, and return to her desk.
Finally, the low-level “green tea girl” was leaving — thank goodness.
That was the collective thought of the design team. Since Zu Shuang was definitely on her way out, there was no need to keep harping on her past behavior. As she started packing up, everyone simply lowered their heads and busied themselves with their own work.
No one paid attention to her anymore. Once Zu Shuang had signed her resignation form, the HR lady took it away to finish the formalities.
Seeing that no one was watching, Zu Shuang tightened her grip on the mouse and opened an encrypted folder.
Her lips curved upward. She copied all the contents of that folder onto her USB drive. Once done, she deleted every trace of her login records, closed the computer, and slipped the USB into her bag.
Carrying her box, Zu Shuang looked completely different from when she had returned earlier from Wen Changrou’s office. Now, with just one hour left before leaving, her mood was surprisingly cheerful — she was even humming a tune.
As she walked past the other designers, they looked at her as though she’d gone mad. Fired, yet still this happy?
When HR handed over the official resignation certificate, Zu Shuang’s connection to the Wen Corporation was completely severed.
Standing in front of the company’s headquarters, Zu Shuang turned back to glance at the towering building. Then she pulled out her phone and dialed the number of a manager from Liu Corporation.
“Manager Liu, this is Zu Shuang. Your company has shown great sincerity, and I truly believe it’s a place where I can achieve great things… but I do have one small condition.”
On the other end of the line, Manager Liu chuckled.
“Oh? And what might that be?”
Zu Shuang raised her hand and hailed a taxi, which stopped right in front of her.
She opened the taxi door, sat inside, and spoke into her phone.
“The Wen Corporation’s design drafts for the international design competition this fall — would you be interested in those, Manager Liu?”
Manager Liu had wanted to recruit Zu Shuang precisely for that reason. Now that she had taken the initiative to bring it up, how could he refuse?
“Of course, of course. Ms. Zu, when would you be available? Let’s arrange a meeting to discuss the details in person.”
After Zu Shuang left, Wen Changhe arrived at the company’s design department — with Bai Tang in tow.
The designers and the department manager all thought the same thing: Seriously? We just got rid of one, and now another one’s coming?
Bai Tang really was there to start work. Originally, Wen Changhe had wanted to keep him by his side as an assistant — the job wouldn’t be tiring, and he could see Bai Tang anytime.
But Bai Tang refused. He wanted to realize his own value and had earnestly asked to be assigned to the design department instead.
In his previous life, he had worked with food, running a dessert shop. In this life, he wanted to try something new.
Wen Changhe introduced him, “This is our new designer, Bai Tang. Manager Luo, please arrange a desk for him.”
Last time, it had been Wen Changrou who’d forced someone into the department. Now it was Wen Changhe’s turn.
Although no one liked it when higher-ups pushed their own people in through the back door, what could they do? Wen Changhe was the big boss — even more intimidating than Wen Changrou.
At the entrance of the department, Bai Tang smiled and said, “A He, you should get back to work~”
Wen Changhe ruffled the boy’s hair, pulled him close, and planted a quick kiss on his lips.
“Alright. If anything comes up, call me anytime. I’ll pick you up after work.”
“Mm-hmm~” The boy’s eyes curved as he smiled, nodding obediently.
The front of the department was made of clear glass, so everyone inside saw the affectionate little scene perfectly.
Manager Luo was crying inside. First Zu Shuang was best friends with Vice President Wen, and now Bai Tang is the president’s lover. Why is our design department suddenly so popular?
Of course, grumbling was one thing — no one actually dared say it out loud.
Fortunately, Bai Tang had a gentle disposition. As Manager Luo introduced him around, he greeted everyone with a bright, sweet smile. Soft-spoken and well-mannered, he gave everyone the immediate impression that he wasn’t the troublemaking type.
Manager Luo took all of this in and made up his mind — as long as Bai Tang wasn’t difficult to get along with, it didn’t matter even if he wasn’t particularly talented. At worst, he could just assign him some simple tasks like organizing design cases and reference materials.
Bai Tang was given a desk in a quiet corner — the spot was tucked away, farthest from the main hallway door, peaceful and free from disturbance.
Like a little squirrel who loved tranquility, he was quite pleased with the setup. Turning around, he gave Manager Luo a sweet smile, two small dimples appearing on his cheeks.
“Thank you, Manager Luo. Is there anything you’d like me to do?”
That smile completely unsettled Manager Luo’s composure.
Trying to sound gentle, he said,
“You’ve just arrived, so take some time to get familiar with how the department operates. Go through our past case files, and if you’re interested, you can also take a look at the current projects we’re working on.”
“Okay~”
Bai Tang cheerfully saw him off, then sat down at his new desk, curiously touching this and looking at that.
It was his first day working at a company, starting from the bottom — everything felt so fresh and exciting.
He turned on the computer, and whenever he didn’t understand something, he would ask the two AI systems.
Qiu’er and Xiao A, though a bit impatient, still explained things to him — analyzing composition and teaching him about color coordination.
Bai Tang suddenly understood. Looking at the new project on the screen — one that hadn’t even started yet — an idea bloomed in his mind. The client didn’t want something too industrial; they wanted warmth and emotion.
He pulled out the drawing tablet Wen Changhe had bought for him, connected it to the computer, and pressed his lips together in concentration as he began to draw.
Bai Tang sat quietly at his desk, unlike Zu Shuang, who used to wander around instead of working — pointing at others’ screens, criticizing their designs and taste, as if her opinion were the only one that mattered in the world.
Seeing how well-behaved and focused the young man was, everyone silently breathed a sigh of relief, hoping the department could stay this peaceful forever.
After handing Bai Tang over to the design department, Wen Changhe didn’t interfere further. Manager Luo, however, couldn’t just ignore the newcomer completely — he still had to look after him a little.
Whether he did it because of the president’s personal instructions, or because he simply wanted to hear that soft, sweet voice call him “Manager Luo” again… well, only Manager Luo himself knew the answer.
But when he did take a look — he was in for quite a shock.
The boy was completely absorbed in his sketch, so focused that he didn’t even notice Manager Luo standing behind him, quietly watching for quite some time.
Manager Luo glanced at the project title and mentally compared it with the client’s requirements — and realized the boy’s idea was spot-on.
The theme was “The Animal Kingdom.” It wasn’t industrial or rigid, though admittedly, it wasn’t the most original concept either — it lacked a touch of innovation. Still, in Manager Luo’s eyes, the fact that Bai Tang could come up with something that fit so well on his very first try was already impressive.
Perhaps Manager Luo had been standing there too long, because soon other designers, unable to hold back their curiosity, came over to see what the two were looking at.
By then, Bai Tang had finished his line art.
On the canvas, it wasn’t just a simple depiction of plants and animals — it was a scene set in a forest.
Beneath a great tree stood a man dressed in animal hide, looking upward, while on one of the sturdy branches above, a young boy with furry ears and a tail lay on his stomach, peering down. The two met each other’s gaze — distant, yet carrying a faint, indescribable emotion between them.
Manager Luo found himself wondering what kind of relationship the two figures in the drawing shared.
Being naturally attuned to animals and plants, the little “squirrel” captured every detail with striking precision.
The designers exchanged glances. They had expected a decorative “pretty face,” but it turned out they’d gotten real talent instead.
Manager Luo said to Bai Tang,
“Go ahead and add color. Once it’s done, we’ll all take a look together.”
Only when Bai Tang put down his stylus did he notice that a small crowd had gathered around him.
He gave a shy smile.
“Alright, I’ll get to it right away. I’m still new to design, so there’s a lot I don’t understand. If I make any mistakes, please don’t hesitate to correct me.”
There’s a saying: you don’t realize how bad it was until you have something better.
Bai Tang’s attitude would be considered perfectly normal in any workplace — but after suffering through Zu Shuang’s reign of terror, these designers felt every workday had been like a trip to the graveyard.
Next to her arrogance, Bai Tang’s humble and polite demeanor was a breath of fresh air.
The designers weren’t petty people. They quickly chimed in with encouragement:
“You’re too modest, Bai Tang. This is really good — I couldn’t have drawn something like this.”
“How did you come up with this style?”
“Your attention to detail is amazing…”
“Let’s have lunch together later!”
Bai Tang was thrilled to have blended in so quickly. Faced with his colleagues’ warm invitations, he decisively ditched Wen Changhe’s lunch date.
At noon, he called Wen Changhe.
The man was delighted at first, thinking his beloved was calling to check in — only to find out that the boy was calling to bail on him.
“A He, I’m having lunch with my coworkers today, so don’t wait for me, okay? But make sure you eat properly too~”
Bai Tang’s tone was cheerful and playful. Before Wen Changhe could even respond, the call had already ended.
Wen Changrou entered the president’s office and immediately saw Wen Changhe sitting there like a resentful housewife, staring gloomily at his phone.
She had never seen her brother in such a state before, and it gave her a bit of a fright. Just as she was about to quietly back out of the room, a familiar deep male voice came from behind her.
“Where are you going? Come back.”
“Heh… hehehe…”
Wen Changrou obediently sat down across from him.
“Um, brother, it’s lunchtime. Do you want to eat together?”
Having just been stood up by his precious darling, Wen Changhe was at least a little comforted that his sister still cared about him. His expression softened slightly.
He picked up his jacket and said to her, “Let’s go.”
But just as they were heading out — three steps behind him — Wen Changrou casually asked, “What about Tang Tang? Isn’t he coming with us?”
Instantly, President Wen’s face reverted to that of a scorned lover.
He tossed his jacket aside, slumped down onto the leather sofa, and said, “You go by yourself. I’m not eating.”
Wen Changrou was baffled.
“???”
My brother’s not acting right.
Strange. Very strange. Could something—or someone—have gotten to him again?
She looked at Wen Changhe, who was sitting there looking utterly devastated, as though his beloved wife had just abandoned him, and the more she thought about it, the more suspicious she became.
If her brother was having an affair… what would happen to poor Tang Tang?!
Leaving the president’s office, Wen Changrou pulled out her phone and sent a message to their mother, then another to Master Li.
Today, she had decided to stand in for her parents and become the embodiment of the evil old-school socialist generation — the one that separates lovers with a stick.
Author’s Note:
Here comes Wen the Imaginative Younger Sister — and what a massive misunderstanding she’s about to cause!