The Scheming Ex-Husband's Courtship-Chapter 447 - 397: Come Home Early

Chapter 447: Chapter 397: Come Home Early
(The main text of the novel takes a pause here, and now we start the story of Old White and Yuqing.)
Every year, by the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, Zhuo Yuqing would have already returned to her home in A City to celebrate the New Year with her parents and younger brother. However, this year was different. She had a job, and everything had to revolve around work. Originally, she had no duties during the New Year holiday, but just as she was ready to book a ticket back to A City, her editor-in-chief notified her that she had to be on duty on New Year’s Eve.
"It must be that wicked woman Tong Bi behind this," Liu Lian, who didn’t have to work, complained on her behalf. "Who would want to stay in the magazine office on duty during the New Year? I saw the duty roster earlier, and your name wasn’t even on it. You’re from A City and seldom go home to be with your parents. Not letting you go back during New Year’s is simply inhumane."
Although Zhuo Yuqing was not as angry as Liu Lian, she still felt pretty depressed. Her father had urged her to come home quickly when he called today, and she didn’t even know how to broach the subject with him. If she really angered him, she feared she might never be allowed to work away from home again.
However, she was now the daughter-in-law of the Bai Family. According to tradition, her first New Year after getting married should also be spent with her in-laws. The problem was that she hadn’t figured out how to break the news to her family yet. Her parents would surely be furious if she got married without even a heads-up.
She had acted impulsively at the moment without considering the consequences. Now, just thinking about it gave her a terrible headache. With Zhuo Yao’s temperament, the chances of him agreeing were probably only one percent.
Having the duty roster as an excuse, she could then go to the Bai Family to celebrate the New Year. Still, having never spent the New Year away from her parents for over twenty years left her feeling a bit melancholic.
"Yuqing, ask President Bai to talk to the magazine’s boss and get you out of duty," Liu Lian suggested as she poured her a cup of coffee. "President Bai can just feed him a few news stories and that will keep him busy for a year. Let’s see if he dares to push you around after that."
"Forget it, if I don’t stand duty, someone else has to. If sacrificing me warms millions of homes, so be it," Zhuo Yuqing joked, twisting her mouth. She wasn’t ready to bring Bai Chengxi into every little issue. Although they were married in name, Bai Chengxi didn’t have much affection for her. It didn’t seem right to trouble him all the time.
After having their coffee, the two returned to work. As soon as Zhuo Yuqing sat down, she received a call from Bai Chengxi’s grandmother and quickly took her phone to the hallway.
"Grandma."
"Oh, Yuqing, tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. When are you and Chengxi planning to come home?"
"Grandma, I’m afraid I’ll be late. I have to stand duty tomorrow."
The old lady was not pleased when she heard this, "What kind of lousy leadership is that, making people work overtime on New Year’s Eve? They may not want to celebrate, but my granddaughter-in-law needs to come back for the New Year."
Zhuo Yuqing tried to comfort her grandmother with a smile, "Grandma, don’t be upset. That’s how our magazine works; we have to the news even during New Year, just like he has to film during the holiday, and if the artists are working, we have to work too."
The old lady was a reasonable person. After hearing Zhuo Yuqing’s explanation, she softened, "Alright, grandma respects your work, but don’t tire yourself out."
"I understand, thank you, Grandma."
"Don’t worry, I promise I’ll handle it," Zhuo Yuqing ended the call, unable to suppress a laugh brought on by the old lady’s childishness.
"Are you the one responsible for this?"
Tong Bi spread her hands, "Don’t accuse the innocent; this was decided by the higher-ups, it has nothing to do with me. You’re just unlucky, that’s all."
"Tong Bi, you really have nothing better to do," Zhuo Yuqing said, uninterested in continuing the conversation and turning to leave.
Suddenly, Tong Bi stepped forward and blocked her way, the smile falling off her face, "I heard you’ve submitted an application too, competing for the deputy editor position."
"Do I need your permission?"
"Heh, I advise you to just give up voluntarily. Don’t overestimate yourself. That position is tailor-made for me. You’re applying is just cannon fodder. Why bother?"
Zhuo Yuqing stared at her immaculately made-up face and suddenly laughed, "If it is tailor-made for you, why are you afraid?"
"Who said I’m scared?" Tong Bi’s face darkened a shade.
"If you’re not scared, then why come to me? You could simply do nothing and wait quietly at home for your promotion and pay raise."
Feeling as if she was being seen through, Tong Bi seemed both annoyed and embarrassed, glaring fiercely at the girl in front of her who appeared so calm and unflappable. Ever since Zhuo Yuqing had joined the company, Tong Bi had taken a dislike to her because everyone behind the scenes had started referring to Zhuo Yuqing as the beauty of the company, a title that had once been Tong Bi’s exclusive tag. She had always been praised as the flower of the magazine, relying on her beauty and talent, but Zhuo Yuqing’s arrival had stolen her limelight. Moreover, Zhuo Yuqing had also scored several headline news pieces, which shook the foundations of her "number one sister" status. Plus, considering Zhuo Yuqing’s popularity, Tong Bi couldn’t help but see her as a thorn in her side.
Although Tong Bi had connections with the boss, the decision to promote someone to deputy editor would be made by the entire board. While the boss had the influence to lobby, he didn’t have the final say. To be on the safe side, she had to weaken her competitors as much as possible. Among them, Zhuo Yuqing was her biggest threat.
"Zhuo Yuqing, if you don’t enter the competition for the deputy editor position, I’ll give you a big scoop that will make headlines," Tong Bi attempted bribery after her threats did not work.
"Getting nervous? Losing your confidence?" Zhuo Yuqing snorted coldly, "I’m not interested in any big news. Keep it for yourself to make the headlines."
Before Tong Bi could react, Zhuo Yuqing had already turned around and returned to her office, leaving Tong Bi stomping her feet in frustration, a look of unwillingness on her face.
This won’t do, she absolutely cannot let Zhuo Yuqing join the competition as well; she was determined to get that promotion.
Zhuo Yuqing didn’t take Tong Bi’s warning seriously. After returning to her seat, she submitted her application for the deputy editor, although she wasn’t very confident herself. It was Liu Lian who kept encouraging her to try.
As work was about to end, she received a WeChat message from Bai Chengxi: I’ll come to pick you up.
"No need, I still have some work unfinished, and it might be after eight," Zhuo Yuqing looked at the mountain of work in front of her and rubbed her sore arms.
Fearing that he would get upset, she quickly added another message: Drive safely, get home early.
After looking at it again and again, she felt that the phrase "get home early" was too intimate. After pondering, she decided to delete it, leaving only the first half of the message.
"Did grandma say you’ll have to work overtime tomorrow?" Bai Chengxi had received a call from Mrs. Bai today, which started with a scolding that left him dizzy and confused, not understanding what he had done to offend the old lady. Later on, she explained the reason, and he found out that Zhuo Yuqing was supposed to work overtime on Chinese New Year’s Eve. Mrs. Bai wanted her grandson and granddaughter-in-law to spend the New Year’s Eve together with her, so she was blaming him for not taking care of Yuqing’s work, allowing her to work overtime.
Bai Chengxi could understand Mrs. Bai’s feelings; he, too, wished Zhuo Yuqing could come home for the New Year.
"Mm, is grandma unhappy?"
"Not at all, she just wants you to come back."
Zhuo Yuqing felt a bit guilty. The old lady had been looking forward to having a granddaughter-in-law for so long, and now that she finally did, they were not going to spend their first New Year’s together, which was inevitably disappointing for her. In Aus City, the Spring Festival is the most valued traditional festivity, and to the elderly Mrs. Bai, with her advanced age, New Year’s Eve is of significant importance.
"Then I’ll go talk to the president," Zhuo Yuqing decided to face rejection for the sake of Mrs. Bai, even though she knew it was probably pointless.
Bai Chengxi just replied with a single word "busy" and went silent.
Zhuo Yuqing put down the phone, glanced at the computer clock showing half an hour before the end of work, and tidied up the files on her desk before heading to the president’s office.
Zhuo Yuqing didn’t have much interaction with the president, and employees at their level rarely had the opportunity to talk to the president.
As she knocked on the door, she was full of nervous apprehension; she wasn’t used to asking favors, especially when she knew it would be in vain.
After taking a deep breath, Zhuo Yuqing finally knocked on the door.
"Come in," the president’s voice sounded from inside.
Zhuo Yuqing pushed open the door and said, "President."
The president looked up, and, to her surprise, nodded and smiled at her, "Little Zhuo, what brings you here?"
Zhuo Yuqing noticed the president was sitting on the sofa with two cups of tea on the coffee table. She looked around but didn’t see anyone else, only the restroom door was closed.
After stuttering for a bit, Zhuo Yuqing finally explained her reason for visiting. Just as she was bracing for the president’s lecture, to her amazement, the president readily agreed, "Just for that? Sure, I’ll have someone arrange it right away. You go home for the New Year, there are elderly at home, and not going back would be unfilial. I, for one, dislike unfilial people the most."
Zhuo Yuqing blinked her eyes, still stunned by the president’s words. The surprise was too sudden - was she just lucky, or was the president in a particularly good mood?
"Thank you, President." Zhuo Yuqing bowed happily and walked away joyfully.
It wasn’t until she left that the president shook his head helplessly. He had just received a call from the CEO of Xingdong Media, and while he thought it was about something important, it turned out the CEO only asked not to let Zhuo Yuqing work overtime on Chinese New Year’s Eve. Was such a trivial matter really worth a direct call from CEO Bai?
The president couldn’t help but speculate about the relationship between the two, sensing that there must be some secret "affair" between them that he was unaware of.
Right after Zhuo Yuqing left the president’s office, she ran into Tong Bi. Seeing Zhuo Yuqing, Tong Bi’s facial expression changed dramatically; she walked over quickly and raised her hand to deliver a slap,