Chapter 194: Prejudice

Yang Feng opened his mouth, but Zhao Lifei beat him to the chase. "Please don't try to negotiate further, President Yang. 14% is my final offer, take it or leave it. It's already significantly lower than my previous 30%."

Her eyes trailed over to Su Meixiu and Chen Gaonan. "And besides, it's the least you can do as compensation for the blatant disrespect your people have shown me."

Yang Feng found himself humored by the expression on her face, his sour mood becoming a bit better. She was confident and powerful in her own right, it instantly drew him towards her more and more. He realized then, he had underestimated her abilities.

His lips curved into a slight smirk, "It's a deal then."

The two lawyers he brought with him immediately pulled out a laptop and revised the entire contract on the spot. Within less than five minutes, a new stack of papers was wirelessly printed in the room and handed to Huo Qiudong who personally handed it to his boss with two hands.

Zhao Lifei flipped through it, examining every page with great interest and detail. The clock ticked on the wall, the only source of sound that could be heard in this spacious, but suffocating room.

Nearly everyone was stunned to the core, blown away by this woman's ability. She was able to intimidate Su Meixiu, make Chen Gaonan falter, and ruthlessly negotiate with their boss without breaking out in tears.

In the eyes of Yang Feng's people, she was an absolutely amazing woman. A majority of them already knew about her relationship with their boss, but seeing as she was able to not mixing her personal life with her work, they could clearly see her professionalism.

After a few minutes, she finally said, "It's a pleasure to work with you, President Yang."

She signed her name on the dotted lines on every page and then stood up, reaching her hand out.

Yang Feng gave a slight nod before firmly shaking her hand with the force that could crush her tiny ones, but she responded by giving an equally sturdy one.

- - - - -

Su Meixiu did not dare to utter a single word the entire walk to the elevator and down the office. Her head was kept low and tucked, her eyes trained to the floor.

Yang Feng's team pitied her, for they all knew she was in for a lengthy lecture for the behavior she demonstrated in front of President Zhao. Speaking of her, many of them were wooed to the bone at such a strong, charismatic woman. She had the right amount of confidence to not flinch in front of so many judging eyes, the perfect level of professionalism to keep everyone in check. They had never seen a woman like her and knowing she had the potential to become their Lady Boss made them a lot happier.

Chen Gaonan walked with a dumbfounded expression on his face. His usually strict and frigid face was nowhere to be found. He could feel his previous prejudice towards her crash and crumble onto the ground, smashed into fine dust, and blown away by the wind.

She was not a typical woman relying on his boss' power and wealth, she was not a weak little thing, nor a pushover. Seeing her and the way she behaved today gave him a rude awakening, like a smack to his face.

He insulted himself in every language he knew. Why was it that he judged her so soon?

Was it because he personally viewed Su Meixiu as the only woman that should stand by his boss' side? He was accustomed with the idea, stupid enough to listen to the foolish rumors branding her as the "Future Madam Yang."

Now that he had seen Zhao Lifei in a different light, he began to understand who really had the capacity to be with his boss and it was none other than the President of Feili.

- - - - -

Yang Enterprise.

Su Meixiu stood in front of the now daunting desk of her boss, the very one she used to admire him from. Her shoulders were caved in an attempt to make herself as small as possible. Her body was shaking, her heart palpitating, and her eyes gazing down. If she could dig a hole and crawl into it, she would be the happiest woman in the world.

The deafening silence was beginning to make her break out in a cold sweat. She could not find the courage to even breathe or utter a single sound, for that alone could set off her boss. She squeezed her eyes shut, hating how quiet it was in this room. There was not a single clock in here to evoke even the tiniest of sounds.

Yang Feng stood by the window, his back turned to the woman a few meters away from him. He stared into the city, where Feili could distinctively be seen in the far distance, his eyes thinking back to Zhao Lifei, his heart thumping fast as the image of her lovely face flashed across his mind. What was she doing now?

His lips curled into a snarl when his brain painted the image of her sitting down, Wei Hantao to her right and the male secretary to her left. The foul memory was branded into his mind, reminding him that she could easily be whisked away by someone else if he was not careful enough. He was reminded that she had many options to choose from.

"You're demoted."

Those two single words were enough to break Su Meixiu's willpower as she nearly collapsed onto the floor at his statement, her knees wobbling. "B-Boss, I won't do it again, I swear! I'll get better, I'll change—"

"You've had too many chances."

Su Meixiu pressed a hand to her lips in an attempt to block off the sob that was threatening to come out. She had been by his side for over nine years now, the decade anniversary approaching in a couple of months, but here she was, being thrown away for a mistake.

"It was only one mistake—"

She silenced when Yang Feng swiftly turned around, his eyes so hauntingly bleak, she could not find the willpower to continue on. He did not need to speak up for her to realize where she went wrong.

It was not one mistake, for she had made many in the past and he had always pardoned her for it. She had gotten too comfortable in her position as his private assistant and secretary.

She did not share the same fear as her fellow co-workers who worked diligently to ensure they would never be replaced, for she always thought to herself that President Yang would always forgive her.

She sniffled, biting hard on her bottom lip, her head dropping low as tears flowed from her eyes, dripping onto the floor. She hated crying. She hated tears. It reminded her of the past where she used to make mistakes in front of her father, her face flushing bright red when she couldn't master the moves being taught to her.

Swallowing her pride, she uttered, "What...w-will be m-my position?"

Yang Feng thought back to Zhao Lifei and the way she was willing to fight for him. She was willing to do so much, but he couldn't soothe her fear. She did not like Su Meixiu and neither did Zhao Moyao.

Yang Feng knew her well enough to know she treasured the opinion of her grandfather, yet here she was, going against Zhao Moyao's desire for the two to break-up.

"The furthest desk outside."

Su Meixiu felt her heart drop at the title. She had expected to stop being his private assistant, but still be able to keep her position by his side or at the least, be able to converse with him.

The furthest desk outside's only role in the company was to receive calls and pass on messages to the other private secretaries who would inform Yang Feng. Aside from the tiny glimpses of him when he walked in and out of his office, she would never have the opportunity to speak to him again unless spoken to.

She could not accompany him to his meetings, be by his side to fulfill his private orders, see him off, talk to him, visit his family, and so forth. Everything that she was accustomed to in the last nine years, she would have to forget and never do again. All the while, she would have to witness another person perform the same deed, doing the routine she used to do every day. She would be forced to see someone else replace her position by his side.

Her perfectly manicured fingers dug into her skin, her teeth grinding together, jaws slack, the light leaving her eyes.