The Scheming Ex-Husband's Courtship-Chapter 484 - 431 I am a Married Man

Chapter 484: Chapter 431 I am a Married Man
When Bai Chengxi said "I’m here to pick up my wife," Tong Bi had a bad premonition, which only grew stronger when Zhuo Yuqing walked past under the envious gaze of everyone around.
She never imagined that Zhuo Yuqing was really Bai Chengxi’s wife, and that he had even come to the magazine office publicly to defend her.
Standing at the door, Tong Bi felt as though she was stepping on cotton, barely able to keep her balance.
Could it be that Bai Chengxi had overheard her words earlier and, to vindicate Zhuo Yuqing, made such an honest disclosure in front of everyone? How much he must like Yuqing, to reveal their low-profile marriage simply for the sake of clearing her name.
Yet what frightened her even more was that Bai Chengxi demanded President Yu to thoroughly investigate the person spreading rumors behind the scenes—if it traced back to her...
Just as Tong Bi was about to sneak away, she was suddenly glued by a searing gaze, followed by the calm voice of Bai Chengxi: "President Yu, the words I heard just now came from this employee of yours."
Following his gaze, President Yu saw Tong Bi hurriedly trying to escape and his face darkened. He cursed her inwardly as a bitch; not only had she threatened him, but now she was causing trouble. If Bai Chengxi was truly offended, their magazine would no longer be able to survive in this circle, and closure would be imminent.
"Tong Bi, come over here," President Yu said sternly.
The entire room watched on with interest, as many were somewhat aware of the relationship between President Yu and Tong Bi. Seeing his fierce demeanor, many speculated whether they were having a falling out.
Reluctantly, Tong Bi approached with a stiff smile: "President Yu, what’s the matter?"
"Bai Chengxi says he personally heard you spreading rumors about Yuqing; is that true?" President Yu looked at Tong Bi with disdain from the bottom of his heart. Helpless due to her possession of his private photos, he dared not fire her on the spot and had to swallow his anger.
"Bai Chengxi must have heard wrong. I’ve always been on good terms with Zhuo Yuqing. How could I possibly spread rumors about her behind her back?" Tong Bi said with a smile: "It must be a misunderstanding."
Zhuo Yuqing was thoroughly disgusted by her pretentious behavior. "Always on good terms"—she had the audacity to say such things. It seems that you really are invincible if you have no shame at all.
Bai Chengxi didn’t even look at Tong Bi, instead turning to President Yu: "There’s nothing wrong with my ears."
Given Bai Chengxi’s current status, he would not falsely accuse someone for no reason. It’s beneath him.
Therefore, everyone present believed what he said, and many had heard rumors that Yuqing had climbed the ranks unethically. However, most people, being wise, chose to just listen without taking it to heart.
Between Bai Chengxi and Tong Bi, President Yu, of course, would not side with the latter. He turned to Bai Chengxi with an apologetic and flattering smile: "Please don’t be angry, Mr. Bai. It is my poor management that such an incident occurred in the magazine. Rest assured, I will deal with this employee seriously."
"What exactly do you mean by ’seriously’?" President Yu had simply said that without thinking, but Bai Chengxi was not intending to let it go.
President Yu paused momentarily, meeting Tong Bi’s somewhat aggrieved gaze but turning a blind eye to her plea. With a determined heart, he said harshly: "Tong Bi, starting from tomorrow, you will be transferred to the printing department. When you come back will depend on your performance."
The printing department was the hardest and most miscellaneous department in the magazine. Being relegated there, as the leading figure in the headlines, was akin to being demoted. Moreover, with the deputy editor’s election imminent, her sudden transfer meant she lost even the basic qualification to compete.
Upon hearing this, it was as if Tong Bi had been struck on the head with a baton, her head buzzing and she took a long time to regain her senses.
"President Yu, you want to transfer me away? To the most strenuous printing department?" Tong Bi’s voice trembled, reflecting her years of hard work at the magazine,
"Don’t say any more; this is my decision. Get ready for the department transfer." President Yu looked at her coldly, "Alright, you can go off work now."
"President Yu, you can’t do this. How can you transfer me to the printing department just based on someone else’s word? Besides, even if I did say something about Zhuo Yuqing behind her back, it doesn’t need such a severe punishment, right?" Tong Bi felt indignant and discontented.
President Yu was already too lazy to argue with her, and smiling at Bai Chengxi he said: "Mr. Bai, I hope you will continue to take good care of our small magazine in the future."
Bai Chengxi was quite generous. Although the resolution was not entirely satisfactory to him, he reluctantly accepted it. Keeping such a petty person by Zhuo Yuqing’s side would, with her naivete and lack of guile, lead to her being schemed against sooner or later. Thus, he chuckled lightly, "As long as my wife is fine, everything else is negotiable."
Even a fool could understand what Bai Chengxi meant: if Zhuo Yuqing was happy working here, the newspaper company could have as many benefits as they wanted. With so many top celebrities under Star Movement, just a few pieces of news would be enough for them to thrive. Conversely, if Zhuo Yuqing were to be wronged or bullied, Bai Chengxi would be the first to not let them off, and with his power, dealing with such a small magazine would be as easy as lifting a finger.
The Editor-in-Chief was a wise man and understood the principle well. He immediately nodded and bowed, spouting kind words, "Don’t worry, Mr. Bai. Yuqing has always been an excellent employee, beloved by her colleagues, with strong working capabilities. She will never suffer the slightest grievance here."
"I hope that’s the case." Bai Chengxi’s gentle gaze turned towards the person beside him, "Are you hungry? What do you feel like eating?"
In front of so many people, Zhuo Yuqing was too embarrassed to say anything and pinched his waist discreetly to urge him to leave quickly.
With a light laugh, Bai Chengxi, knowing she was shy, didn’t want to anger her. He draped an arm over her shoulder and said, "Let’s go."
"Mr. Bai, please take your time," the Editor-in-Chief said with a grin, escorting him to the door, "Some other day, I’ll invite Mr. Bai for a meal. Today, I won’t interrupt your time together."
After exchanging pleasantries, Bai Chengxi took Zhuo Yuqing by the hand and they headed for the Bentley parked by the curb.
Tong Bi, in her high heels, chased after them. Seeing no one around, her face darkened suddenly, "What do you mean by this?"
The Editor-in-Chief was not afraid to confront her. In fact, he had already come up with a strategy these past few days. They were in the entertainment news business; in this era of blending the real and the fake, any photo could be Photoshopped. If Tong Bi really used those photos to blackmail him, he could outright claim that they were fake photos she Photoshopped to gain a higher position—a cheap trick for climbing the ladder. Once the situation was reversed, he would instantly become the victim.
Tong Bi, unaware of what he was thinking, still arrogantly believed she held the upper hand, "I’ll just pretend you said those things to appease Bai Chengxi."
The Editor-in-Chief looked at her coldly, "If you don’t want to go to the printing department, you can pack up and leave the magazine. Rest assured, if you resign willingly, I’ll compensate you with three months’ salary at triple the rate, not a penny less."
Tong Bi looked at him in surprise, "Have you forgotten? I have your photos in my hands."
"Heh, Tong Bi, you’re still young. Don’t get ahead of yourself just because you have some leverage," the Editor-in-Chief remarked while patting her shoulder, "Even if you spread those photos, it’s not guaranteed you’ll get the results you want. Remember, for your words and actions to have an effect, people have to believe them. Isn’t that right? Young lady, the waters are deep, don’t wade in lightly. If you drown, no one will save you even if you scream for help."
Although Tong Bi didn’t understand why the Editor-in-Chief suddenly seemed so confident, she knew he must have devised a countermeasure. He was cunning and shrewd in this business; she couldn’t easily pin him down.
Watching the Editor-in-Chief’s retreating figure, and then glancing at the Bentley speeding away, Tong Bi, furious, grabbed her hair tightly and screamed as if in a frenzy.
She couldn’t understand why Zhuo Yuqing, who seemed so easy to bully, and herself had such different fates. They were both ordinary girls. Why was the gap between them so vast? Why could Zhuo Yuqing wear gold and silver and marry well, while she lost not only her body but also her job?
The more Tong Bi thought about it, the more she hated the situation. Helplessly, she could only swallow the silent grievances. No one knew how much she hated, how discontented, and how furious she was. What could she do, though? She had to swallow her teeth and bite back the blood; both were people she couldn’t afford to offend.
~
Zhuo Yuqing got into the car, and Bai Chengxi leaned in to buckle her seatbelt. She was still a bit stunned, foolishly staring at his face in a daze.
In truth, she had never considered revealing their relationship so soon. They had always been low-key, unassuming, and undemanding, not seeking to show off. Even if she suffered grievances, she wouldn’t think of relying on her family’s status and background to solve them.
Back when she was at school, aside from a few teachers, nobody knew she was the daughter of Zhuo Wuye, who had wealth that rivaled empires. She had faced injustice and bullying, but it was precisely because she didn’t have a grandiose identity that she could blend in with her classmates and integrate into the larger school community. Hence, her approach was the same at work; she didn’t wish to boast. Her parents’ wealth was earned by them, not by her.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Bai Chengxi suddenly leaned closer, "I am a married man, don’t so readily set your sights on me."
Zhuo Yuqing couldn’t help but laugh, she glanced at him and deliberately pressed her cheek against his, "I am also a married woman, and I think we’re a perfect match."
Su Yingluo was pushed out of the magazine office by Xiao Lan, her gaze aimlessly unfocused, when suddenly, she saw Bai Chengxi’s car.