Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Is the Physical Examination Report Too Embarrassing to Show?

“Heh, maybe he’s just playing with her and doesn’t want to take responsibility!”

“If she really is a lover kept by someone in high management, don’t worry, that child won’t come to term! Don’t forget, she’s a divorcee with a kid. Women like her are just for fun–who would want to take over that mess?”

The health check report was passed around between rows of colleagues.

Hands kept reaching out to grab the report and have a look.

A male colleague joked: “Who knew? I thought she was some fresh graduate, but turns out she’s almost 30! She’s packaged herself well, making herself look so youthful!”

“Could she really be a high management’s little lover? Heh, what a player. There’s something different about divorced women. There’s a wild streak in their bones.”

“Woman at thirty, a wolf; at forty, a tiger; at fifty, sitting on the ground can suck soil! Haven’t you heard this saying? Lonely and in need of warmth, she must feel so empty and cold.”

“Once a woman is divorced, she lets herself go completely, usually very open about playing around!”

Some female colleagues made sarcastic comments with mock gravity: “What good stuff could come from a divorced woman? Must be something wrong with her, or her husband wouldn’t have divorced her!”

“Maybe she’s not content with marriage, secretly cheating and got caught!”

“So, when choosing a wife, you’ve got to pick someone who’s good for daily life, not too pretty. Otherwise, she might mess around outside and give her husband a green hat!”

“Ha ha ha! You guys don’t get it, divorced women are always longing for love! The more a woman has been through divorce, the more she yearns for a sincere love.”

In the midst of this mocking banter, some colleagues couldn’t stand it anymore and suddenly spoke up righteously: “This newcomer might be connected, but since joining our department, she hasn’t done anything outrageous! There’s no need to peek at someone’s health report behind their back when they’re not around!”

“Yeah! Is there any need for these mockingly twisted words? So what if she’s divorced? So what if she’s 30? Everyone’s polite to her face, but behind her back, they talk like this!”

“What kind of behavior is this, saying one thing to her face and another behind her back? Even if she is really pregnant, it’s none of your business! Why are you meddling?”

“Rummaging through someone’s bag is so tasteless! And gossiping behind her back really lowers your value!”

“We’re all colleagues in the same team, why are you targeting her like this?”

The colleague who rummaged through the bag returned Lin Qi’s health report to her bag and scoffed, “You all are so kind-hearted! ‘Connected and so what?’ How you take it lightly! The newcomer joins the company, gets special treatment, caring superiors, punch out on time! Sitting on a high salary and enjoying an easy life! And you? Slaving away, don’t you feel pathetic? Instead, you pity the well-fed master. Truly pathetic!”

Another female colleague stood up: “What do you mean? What’s this about slaving away? We work hard and earn our rightful pay! That’s fair and square. I’m not defending anyone, I just can’t stand what you’re doing! This is Huace Group, where you’re supposed to work, not some imperial harem. Who are you trying to scheme against by forming cliques and outcasting others?”

The two factions were at loggerheads.

Han Na was trembling and didn’t dare speak.

The colleague who rifled through Lin Qi’s bag, the project team leader named Maeve, was also her half-superior. She was strong-willed and incredibly harsh on her subordinates.

The woman standing opposite was Zhou Xiaoying, a long-time employee of the project team, known as the Iron Lady, fierce and upright, who couldn’t stand people who formed cliques and engaged in petty behavior.

Maeve returned to her seat, speaking coolly: “Wondered who was being so indignant? Turns out it’s old Zhou. What’s this about? It’s like pots calling the kettles black, two divorcees each with a child, finding solace in each other?”

Zhou Xiaoying, 26, had been married for four years and had just recently divorced, having gone through a harrowing custody battle not long ago.

Maeve had often gossiped about her in the office, exploiting her sore point of being divorced with underhanded remarks.

Zhou Xiaoying said, “Is getting a divorce illegal? Is it an unforgivable sin? Don’t think I don’t know! You’re irked by Lin Qi because you have a crush on President Qi, and you’re jealous that Lin Qi is close to him, so you’ve always been scheming against her behind the scenes! Maeve, I suggest you save yourself the embarrassment. People like you hoping for President Qi’s attention? As if you’re worthy.”

Maeve was flushed with anger: “What are you implying?”

The two confronted each other across the air, the tension crackling.

Zhou Xiaoying continued: “All that eagerness to serve tea and curry favor with President Qi, did it do any good? So, seeing the newcomer getting special treatment from President Qi, you turned green with envy?”

Maeve: “You…!”

Before she could finish.

The glass door of the project team was pushed open.

Lin Qi hurried in.

She had forgotten her voice recorder.

Just after returning to her seat, she sensed something was off and looked up to see Zhou Xiaoying and Maeve with flushed faces, as if they’d just quarreled.

Han Na said in shock, “Lin Qi, you came back? Weren’t you at a training class?”

Lin Qi replied, “I forgot my voice recorder. There are still more than ten minutes before the training, no rush.”

Suddenly, she noticed her bag looked rifled through, her heart skipped a beat.

Lin Qi looked around and picked up her bag.

The report was haphazardly stuffed back in, surely someone had taken it out to look and then shoved it back.

Lin Qi turned to Han Na.

Han Na guiltily fidgeted with her eyebrows.

Lin Qi lowered her voice and asked, “Nana, did someone go through my bag?”

Han Na was a new employee too, now under Maeve’s management, and didn’t dare to offend her, keeping completely quiet.

Lin Qi knew Han Na didn’t want to offend anyone.

But she was certain someone had secretly gone through her bag!

Feeling guilty, Han Na suddenly picked up a pen and stealthily wrote a note, passing it under the table to her.

Lin Qi took it.

The note read, “Someone went through your bag and saw your health report.”

Han Na didn’t mention who it was, clearly cautious and fearful to say it outright.

Lin Qi passed back a note, “Thank you.”

She was already grateful that Han Na had written this note to warn her.

Lin Qi stood up abruptly and said coldly, “Whoever went through my bag, come forward!”

Silence in the office!

Nobody expected Lin Qi to be so direct and confront the situation head-on.

Maeve’s face turned ashen, she glared at Han Na bitterly.

Han Na buried her head even lower.

Lin Qi continued: “You won’t admit it? There are cameras in the workplace, when the time comes, I’ll just ask President Qi to check the surveillance and the truth will come out!”

Maeve couldn’t hold back: “You don’t have to always mention President Qi! He’s so busy, is your trivial matter worth alarming President Qi? Is going through your bag such a big deal? Did you lose anything valuable? Or is it that your health report has something you don’t want others to see!?”