Chapter 286: The Suspicious Man in the Crowd

They think you have their backs no matter what, so they just follow you blindly without taking the initiative."

Qian Meng squinted suspiciously at Li Min. "Do you do the same?" she asked. "How do you know this so well?"

Li Min shrugged. "I am diligent in my work because I get my work ethic from my brother. But there have been times when I have wanted to take advantage of how casually you speak to people at work."

Qian Meng smirked. "Like the vacation you took for working long hours."

Li Min held her hand up in surrender. "People like working in the company because of the welfare programs. But we are not running a non-profit organization. It's okay to treat your employees well, but don't go overboard with it and make them think they don't need to put their 100% every day."

The air from her lungs whooshed out. "Why is it that when you said it… it was so much easier to understand?" she grumbled to herself. 

"Someone said the same thing to you?" Li Min asked. 

"You heard that?" Qian Meng scolded. "Don't eavesdrop."

"Sorry. It's a habit. The lower your voice is, the more curious I get about what you are saying. It's become a habit now," Li Min snickered. 

"At least treat me as your boss," Qian Meng groaned. 

"Then stop cosplaying as the head of the worker's union," Li Min said, not mincing her words. "I saw it today." She smirked. 

"What is with all these obnoxious people?" she groaned. 

"Mr. Mo must have told you this…" Li Min trailed off. "I assume his method of doing so wasn't the best and it offended you."

Qian Meng couldn't deny that it had. 

"Well, it's always more offensive when you like the person more. Your parents criticizing you is much worse than your teacher. It's like being humiliated in front of your crush. It's understandable."

Qian Meng glared at her secretary. "Are you psychoanalyzing me or something?"

Li Min blinked innocently. I have no idea what you are talking about.

"Talking about humiliation. I just looked at the cost of the new security training. Wasn't it a little over the top?" Li Min asked as they arrived in her office. 

"It was. But it was necessary. It's better to be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen," she responded sagely.

"Makes sense," Li Min replied. "The PR team just informed me that the articles about the relaunch are coming out. Do you want me to forward the links to you?" Li Min spoke up as she looked at the screen of her cellphone. 

"You guys monitor it. Apparently, I am an overprotective hen when it comes to these things. I'll take everyone's advice and let the employees work like slaves," she joked. 

"Understood, Boss," Li Min said with a hint of a smile. "Your kickboxing class will start in an hour. Don't you want to get ready for it?"

Qian Meng perked up and looked at the clock. "Right. I need to go." The pent-up energy in her body needed to be released in some way or the other. Kickboxing was the best way. 

Then, she wouldn't have to round-house kick Mo Qingchen for his attitude problems whenever she wanted to.

Qian Meng got up and got ready for the walk. Something about it made her angsty. In the back of her mind, she already knew something was wrong. She was terrified. 

Mo Qingchen's call came in just in time.

"How is your day going?" he said. 

Qian Meng didn't know how to respond even though he had been the first to reach out with an olive branch. 

"It's been okay. Just busy," she spoke, trying not to let the tension in her body show. 

Mo Qingchen stared at her through the screen for a moment before nodding. "You're going out somewhere?" he asked finally. 

"Yeah. The gym. I have the kickboxing class," she informed. 

"Make sure you wear a jacket out. It's breezy outside," Mo Qingchen cautioned as she walked out of the room. 

"I'm feeling a little sweaty today. A little breeze to clear my mind would be good."

"Are you planning on walking there?" he asked with furrowed brows. 

"I can't ask you to drive me a hundred meters from my office, can I?" she scoffed. "It's one of the busiest streets in the city. I can manage to walk that much."

Mo Qingchen hesitated a moment and Qian Meng already knew what he was going to say next. 

"Keep your keys in your hand and your purse in front of you. Be alert. I don't like the thought of you going out alone. There is no light and too many people."

Qian Meng sighed and moved her face closer to the screen. "Mo Qingchen," she began, her voice low. "Stop it. I will be fine. I am going to walk a hundred meters. I am sure it won't take long."

"It's not a hundred meters. It's a lot more than that," he protested.

"Okay, I need to get going," Qian Meng said immediately.

It was quiet at first as she walked along the footpath. There was a chill in the air but it wasn't unpleasant. She preferred cold to hot any day. Her preference for a drink would testify to that.

But there was something eerie about the chill in the air. She felt like she was being watched. She kept glancing over her shoulder as she walked, watching the people around her. 

There was one figure in the crowd that she didn't like. Their demeanor left Qian Meng with an unsettled feeling in her gut. The man looked like he was hiding something. Despite the wind, there was no need for someone to wear such a bulky jacket or have their hands tucked into their front pocket so conspicuously. Among the people in the road, he stood out sorely. 

She realized that she'd had enough. With a deep sigh, she stopped and went into a small store that sold juice.