105: Tit for tat, Liu Ruyan and Gu Xiaoxiao's open and covert struggles!

Liu Ruyan lightly tossed her long hair, her gaze lingering on Gu Xiaoxiao for a moment before she put on that seemingly warm demeanor again.

She gently placed her hand on Gu Xiaoxiao's shoulder and said with a smile, "Older Sister Gu, look, Dihao Group is full of elites. I'm really afraid I won't be able to keep up. You're experienced and must have handled many tricky situations before. You'll have to teach me a lot in the future."

The corridor lights were stark white, making both their faces appear a little pale.

Gu Xiaoxiao subtly flinched her shoulder, discreetly avoiding Liu Ruyan's hand. The smile on her face became even more strained as she softly replied,

"Miss Liu, you are too modest. You clearly have outstanding abilities. I just started a few days earlier, and I will do my best to help wherever I can."

Her gaze nervously scanned the surroundings, and when she saw the abstract painting on the wall, she felt that the twisted lines perfectly resembled her own chaotic thoughts at that moment.

Liu Ruyan's lips curved into a smile, but the chill in her eyes deepened. Her hand slid down, casually fiddling with the lace trim on her skirt as she said nonchalantly,

"I heard Older Sister Gu has worked with President Lu for some time. President Lu, he appears stern, but his thoughts are hard to guess. You must understand his temperament. In the future, if I accidentally offend him, you'll have to give me a heads-up."

As she spoke, she tilted her head slightly, her gaze provocatively fixed on Gu Xiaoxiao, trying to extract useful information from her reaction.

Gu Xiaoxiao's heart tightened. Her hands instinctively clenched into fists, then quickly loosened. Her fingers nervously tugged at the hem of her clothes, and her eyes darted away, not daring to meet Liu Ruyan's gaze. She stammered,

"I... I don't have that ability. President Lu has his own considerations when he does things. We just need to do our jobs well."

Her voice grew softer and softer, as if swallowed by the oppressive atmosphere. She caught a glimpse of the gloomy sky outside the window from the corner of her eye, and the gloom in her heart felt even heavier.

Liu Ruyan snorted coldly, her voice so low that only the two of them could hear: "Hmph, that had better be the case. I'm warning you, you'd better not have any other ideas about President Lu, otherwise..."

She narrowed her eyes slightly, a sharp glint flashing within them. Her lips, painted with vibrant lipstick, were pressed together, and her chin was slightly raised. Even her originally soft facial features seemed to take on a hint of severity.

Liu Ruyan leaned closer to Gu Xiaoxiao. The sweet, cloying scent of her perfume now seemed aggressive. She lightly tapped Gu Xiaoxiao's chest with her finger, lowering her voice, but every word was like a knife:

"This Dihao Group is not a place you can casually mess around with. Don't think that just because you're back, you have a chance, understand?"

Gu Xiaoxiao was slightly stunned, not expecting Liu Ruyan to drop the pretense so quickly. She clearly hadn't fully reacted yet.

But she also had a stubborn streak in her bones. Being threatened so directly ignited a sense of defiance deep within her.

She took a deep breath, lifted her face, and her formerly timid eyes now held a hint of determination. She met Liu Ruyan's gaze and softly but firmly retorted,

"Miss Liu, you've gone too far with your words. I came back for work, not for anything else. If you have this much free time to speculate about me, you might as well worry more about business."

As she spoke, she gently brushed away Liu Ruyan's finger from her chest and took a small step back, her back straight, as if to regain some Aura in the confrontation.

A hint of surprise flashed across Liu Ruyan's face; she seemed not to have expected Gu Xiaoxiao to talk back.

Then she sneered, crossed her arms, and looked Gu Xiaoxiao up and down: "Oh, it seems I underestimated you. You've got spirit. However, here, President Lu's thoughts are the most important. If you're sensible, you'll behave and not ask for trouble."

Her speaking pace was not fast, but it carried an undeniable sense of oppression. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, whether from anger or the tense atmosphere.

Gu Xiaoxiao bit her lower lip, her hands clenched tightly at her sides, trying to steady her slightly trembling voice:

"Miss Liu, don't go too far. Everyone here works for the company. If you insist on bringing personal emotions into work, I won't be the only one embarrassed in the end."

Her gaze was cold, yet it held a hint of defiance. Her hair floated gently in the wind, giving her a somewhat cool and beautiful appearance at that moment.

In stark contrast to Liu Ruyan's alluring charm, the two stood in a stalemate under the stark white corridor lights, neither giving way, the scent of gunpowder in the air growing thicker.

Upon hearing this, the anger in Liu Ruyan's eyes intensified. She glared fiercely at Gu Xiaoxiao.

But in an instant, she realized she couldn't lose her composure in such a public place. She took a deep breath, forced out a cold smile, and said softly,

"Hmph, Gu Xiaoxiao, you certainly have a sharp tongue. However, I can sit in this position because I have my own abilities. Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit."

With that, she lightly raised her hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, attempting to conceal her inner annoyance. The exquisite ring on her finger sparkled under the light, emitting a cold, hard gleam.

Gu Xiaoxiao's heart tightened. She knew that Liu Ruyan's words were not empty threats; the other woman possessed both beauty and cunning, and likely had powerful backing.

But since she had decided not to be weak anymore, she wouldn't easily back down. She subtly lifted her chin, her gaze fearlessly meeting Liu Ruyan's, and replied in an equally hushed voice,

"Miss Liu, I have no intention of contending with you for anything. I just want to diligently do my job. If you find me an eyesore, you can certainly ask President Lu to fire me. There's no need to put on airs and try to scare people here."

As she spoke, her hands unconsciously clutched the hem of her clothes, yet she stubbornly held her back straight, like a resilient bamboo standing firm in the cold wind. Compared to Liu Ruyan's graceful charm, she exuded a tough beauty.

Gu Xiaoxiao was gambling, betting that Liu Ruyan wouldn't dare to ask Lu Chen to fire her, and also betting that Lu Chen wouldn't easily believe Liu Ruyan and dismiss her.

Liu Ruyan's mouth twitched slightly, momentarily speechless, choked by Gu Xiaoxiao's words.

She hadn't expected this seemingly gentle woman to have such a strong-willed side.

After a moment of silence, she spoke again, her tone slightly softer, but still carrying a hint of warning:

"Alright, Gu Xiaoxiao, I hope you remember what you said today. We have a long road ahead, and when it comes to work, I won't go easy."

With that, she moved her lotus-like steps, turning to leave. Her high heels clicked crisply on the floor, each step seemingly treading on Gu Xiaoxiao's heartstrings, making it difficult for her tense nerves to relax.

Gu Xiaoxiao watched Liu Ruyan's retreating figure and let out a long breath, the determination in her eyes unwavering.

She secretly clenched her fists, silently vowing: No matter how difficult the road ahead, to gain a firm foothold in Dihao Group, and for that indescribable, unclear feeling in her heart, she must face it bravely.

And what they didn't know was that their every move, every expression, every glance just now, was clearly under Lu Chen's Divine Thought... PS: I wanted to make up for it last night, but my head hurt so much I wanted to die, so I slept. I went for an IV today, and on the way back, I even encountered traffic police checking helmets. It was glorious; I got caught, and not only was I not wearing a helmet, I was also going against traffic... Because I was wearing a fleece hat, I couldn't put on a helmet, so I didn't wear one. As for going against traffic, sigh, I'm also an idiot. I clearly saw the police officer from far away, but I still rode against traffic on the sidewalk, naively thinking they wouldn't care.

I guess that police officer must have wanted to laugh, wondering why someone would throw themselves into the net to provide performance.

I'm really sick to the point of being an idiot; my brain isn't working properly anymore.

Fortunately, the police officer might have seen that I've been too unlucky recently and didn't fine me. Although he issued a ticket, it was just a warning. Otherwise, fifty for going against traffic and twenty for not wearing a helmet—I wouldn't earn that back in three days of writing, and then I would really cry...