My Straight Girlfriend with Skin Hunger Syndrome - Chapter 129

Chapter 129: Extra 1.1: Qi Hongyue x Wen Can: “You Did It.”

Qi Hongyue and Wen Can first met amidst utter chaos.

It was a completely professional setting, during normal working hours, surrounded by colleagues. Yet the team leader—the woman with whom Wen Can had once shared a secret, emotionally fraught history—suddenly splashed a cup of coffee all over her.

The dark brown stain spread vividly across her white blouse. Despite the sweltering summer heat, the coffee was scalding hot, hitting her squarely in the chest and igniting a searing, irritable fury within Qi Hongyue.

Wu Qin glared at her, her eyes bloodshot. Already pale and slender, she now trembled, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. When she spoke, her voice trembled with boundless rage and indignation, a sight that would have stirred pity in anyone who witnessed it.

“You’re just an intern! Where did you get all these schemes and tricks? You begged to join the DN project, calling me ‘Big Sister’ every half hour at night, promising you wouldn’t cause any trouble for the company…

“And now? You’re taking credit for my proposal, skipping the proper channels to curry favor with the higher-ups! You didn’t just steal it—you even sabotaged the key data! If President Li hadn’t caught it during a last-minute review, could you even begin to comprehend the damage you would have caused the company?!”

“You mess up and show no remorse! I give you a few words, and you threaten to spread rumors about me? Go ahead, tell your baseless lies—see who believes you!”

Qi Hongyue frowned, glancing down at her phone. During her meeting, someone had tampered with it, completely erasing her chat history with Wu Qin.

The data in her proposal had been similarly manipulated. It was accurate before she uploaded it, but the numbers were altered once it was on the company’s intranet.

Truly despicable tactics—disgusting, but effective.

Clearing her name would require a thorough investigation, but the current level of damage wasn’t serious enough to warrant the company’s resources and time to uncover the truth. Canxing Company wouldn’t care about an intern’s reputation, and her colleagues, after watching the drama unfold, would inevitably side with their supervisor, who held some authority.

Wu Qin was determined to get what she wanted. She had likely been plotting this ever since Qi Hongyue confronted her and their relationship fractured.

Qi Hongyue turned her gaze back to Wu Qin, the once-beloved “Big Sister” from next door whose warmth had once captivated her. Though her face remained the same, the person she once knew had vanished long ago.

Her features twisted grotesquely, her eyes like black holes seething with filth. Her shrill voice pierced Qi Hongyue’s eardrums, unrelenting: “How could someone so young be so vicious? When I saw you were from my hometown, I thought I’d take care of the newcomer. But you twisted everything into tools to manipulate, kidnap, and hurt me! How could I have been so foolish…?”

This is absurd, Qi Hongyue thought, a sudden urge to laugh welling up inside her.

She tugged at the corner of her mouth, and Wu Qin’s tirade faltered for a moment. But it immediately intensified, the coffee cup slipping from her trembling hand and shattering on the floor. She stumbled, nearly fainting.

Two colleagues rushed forward, wedging themselves between the women and shoving Qi Hongyue backward.

One helping her up, one shouting for help, another dialing a phone—what a spectacle!

The conference itself wasn’t particularly critical, but it was significant enough. Many industry peers were attending, making it akin to a small-scale networking event.

Wu Qin’s public outburst wasn’t just about getting Qi Hongyue fired and ruining her internship. It was also about smearing the naive newcomer with dirt. HR professionals from companies across the industry would share information about the spectacle, one rumor spreading to ten, then to a hundred. In future recruitment, they’d never choose a rookie with such a blemish.

No one would care about the truth.

Qi Hongyue lowered her gaze and let out a long sigh.

Just as she’d told Ying Yuan, If something you once cherished isn’t entirely broken, you might still hesitate. But if it’s rotten to the core, there’s nothing to hesitate about anymore.

Or even to dwell on it.

Every second spent clinging to it only proved she still cared. Seeing the faces of her former colleagues only amplified the memories.

A waste of time, a waste of emotion.

Qi Hongyue turned and began packing her personal belongings from her desk.

Amidst the commotion, she neatly arranged her things into her backpack.

The Department Manager, looking as if he carried the weight of the world, approached to manage the situation. He escorted Wu Qin to the break room, instructed colleagues to return to their posts, and then turned to the remarkably calm Qi Hongyue. “Come with me to my office.”

“There’s no need,” Qi Hongyue said. “My word alone carries little weight. If further details are required, I’ll compile the information and send it to your company email.”

The manager eyed her skeptically, utterly baffled. “You’re not going to defend yourself at all?”

Qi Hongyue glanced down at her stained shirt. “It’s quite disgusting and uncomfortable to wear. Right now, all I want is to go home and change.”

The manager: “……”

Qi Hongyue slung her neatly organized bag over her shoulder. “Calculate my wages according to company policy. We can handle the handover online. Since my internship isn’t complete, I don’t need a certificate. Thank you for your support this past month. Goodbye.”

She turned and walked away decisively. The manager actually hurried after her, keeping pace beside her and whispering:

“You can’t just leave things unresolved like this. If there’s something the company should know, report it and we’ll investigate thoroughly. I still recognize your abilities. If this misunderstanding can be cleared up…”

Qi Hongyue smiled faintly. “You still want me as an employee?”

The manager stammered, “Ah…”

“I’m sorry,” Qi Hongyue said, “your company isn’t within my job consideration scope.”

The manager: “……”

He stood frozen in place. Qi Hongyue, a mysterious smile playing on her lips, strode through the aisle. Most eyes in the vicinity were drawn to her, including those of rival company representatives gathered some distance away.

Wen Can was among them.

Amidst the sea of black, white, and gray suits and shirts, she stood out in a vibrant red polka-dot maxi dress. Her long, cascading curls and the crimson lipstick that perfectly complemented her dress made her look more like she was on vacation than attending a conference.

She was a dazzling presence in the crowd, and the intensity of her gaze reflected that. Her dark, expressive eyes locked onto Qi Hongyue, scrutinizing her from head to toe.

Qi Hongyue left the work area and stepped into the corridor.

Wen Can broke away from the crowd, her high heels clicking crisply against the floor.

She walked straight toward Qi Hongyue, her approach unapologetic.

Qi Hongyue stopped, adjusting her backpack on her shoulder.

Wen Can reached her and immediately asked, “Little sister, are you quitting just because you were wronged?”

Her voice was clear and bright, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

Qi Hongyue recognized her immediately: Wen Can, President Wen, co-founder of Canxing Company, one of the rising stars in the industry. She was the one who had placed the name tag at the conference.

Qi Hongyue’s lips curved into a gentle smile, as if stating something utterly ordinary: “If I can’t stand it, I’ll just quit.”

Wen Can laughed. “Resigning is worth celebrating! How about a coffee?”

Qi Hongyue glanced down at the coffee stain on her chest and sighed softly.

Wen Can followed her gaze. “Oh dear, I forgot about that. I’m so sorry!” She immediately offered a remedy for her faux pas: “You must be uncomfortable. Would you mind waiting two minutes? I have a change of clothes in my car. I can grab it for you right away…”

From the corner of her eye, Qi Hongyue noticed people sneaking glances their way.

After such a fierce argument and dramatic resignation, being approached by a rival company’s CEO with an olive branch before even leaving the building was… rather satisfying.

With Wen Can extending such a generous olive branch, refusing would be impolite.

The old people and affairs would inevitably fade away. As for the new challenges and opportunities that lay ahead, she wouldn’t waste any time.

“Alright, thank you, President Wen,” Qi Hongyue replied.

“Alright, you’re on,” Wen Can said cheerfully, her eyebrows arching as she smiled, making her even more stunning. She turned to Qi Hongyue and asked, “So… should I go down with you?”

Qi Hongyue replied, “I’ll stay here.”

“The restrooms here are quite nice,” she added, “and there’s a changing area.”

Wen Can’s eyebrows arched even higher. She drawled out an “Oh,” then gave Qi Hongyue a knowing wink, as if she completely understood Qi Hongyue’s intentions and had already placed herself firmly in Qi Hongyue’s camp.

“Then I’ll go get it right away,” Wen Can said, her gaze lingering on Qi Hongyue’s figure. “You’re so tall—even in flats, you’re taller than me. Broad shoulders, long legs… such perfect proportions…”

Qi Hongyue maintained a composed expression. “Thank you.”

Wen Can’s voice perked up. “They’ll fit.”

She left first, the hem of her red dress and the tips of her long hair swaying behind her—the most vivid splash of color in the drab office building.

Qi Hongyue waited. Wen Can had said two minutes, but it would take much longer than that to go down to the parking garage, retrieve the item, and return.

At best, it would take five minutes; at worst, ten or more. And if Wen Can wasn’t an ally but had come to sabotage her, she might make her wait half an hour.

Qi Hongyue glanced at her wristwatch, silently awaiting the answer.

Through the massive glass windows, her colleagues appeared engrossed in their work, but their furtive glances hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

Fortunately, Qi Hongyue never felt awkward about it.

At the end of her line of sight was a door that automatically opened and closed for anyone who approached.

Inside, groups of two or three people came and went, their faces familiar but not personally known.

Suddenly, a red figure flashed, and the door swung open.

Wen Can strode in with long, energetic steps, her entire being seeming to leap into view. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, her honey-colored skin glowing warmly.

When she caught Qi Hongyue’s eye, she grinned, lifting the bag she carried to signal the successful completion of her task.

Despite having only just met and exchanged a few words, she exuded an inexplicable sense of reassuring familiarity.

Qi Hongyue glanced at the time: two minutes and forty-five seconds.

How did she do it?

Lost in thought, Qi Hongyue didn’t notice Wen Can had already reached her. Following her gaze to the time on her phone screen, Wen Can accurately guessed her thoughts.

“Exactly as long as I said,” Wen Can declared with a confident grin. “I’m the kind of person who always keeps my word.”

“Mm. You did,” Qi Hongyue replied, looking up to meet her eyes.

“There’s plenty more I can do,” Wen Can declared.

She handed Qi Hongyue the clothes she was carrying. “So… after you change, can we grab coffee?”

Qi Hongyue smiled. “Sure.”

After a pause, she added, “Let’s have drinks instead.”