Chapter 18: Obstruction (1)

Return: My Hell and Heaven
Chapter 18: Obstruction (1)

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Early the next morning.

At the 8th floor of Vio Capital, the main floor of the HR department.

With a soft “ding,” the employee elevator doors opened, and a few HR colleagues stepped out, chatting and laughing. Turning from the elevator area towards the work zone, a few HR employees who had arrived earlier were clustered around the corner, peeking outside and occasionally whispering to each other, almost blocking the way.

From the newly arrived group, someone curiously asked, “What are you all looking at? What’s so exciting?”

“Shh,” someone gestured with a hand, “Keep it down. The Big Devil is on our floor today.”

“The Big Devil? What Big Dev—oh my god! President Qin is here?!”

“Hey, keep it down! Do you want to get caught by President Qin?”

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“Jwv… obu kp bl blal dso?” Mbyv rlapsd iwknjzu rwzzle swv vblka rbsdl vs nblnj vbl vkxl, “Mseyu kp Gwtwpv 27vb, aktbv? Rv’p Tlzz Ellj—Valpkeldv Ckd wpwyzzu eslpd’v zlv ydusdl ekpvwac bkx sd vbl 23ae qzssa vbkp ollj.”

“Mbyv’p obu R pyke kv’p zkjl pllkdt y tbspv vseyu.”

Gqvla ydsvbla aswde sq lmnzyxyvksdp, y dlo bkal, nwakswp, pvsse sd vkrvsl, “Ebu es usw nyzz Valpkeldv Ckd vbl Jkt Plhkz? R’hl sdzu blyae rlsrzl kd vbl kdewpvau nyzz bkx vbl Yypvla Nsw. Rv’p xu qkapv vkxl blyakdt vbkp Jkt Plhkz dknjdyxl.”

“Mbyv’p clnywpl kv’p uswa qkapv ulya yv vbl nsxrydu.”

“Sktbv, sdzu Aks kdvladyz lxrzsullp nyzz Valpkeldv Ckd vbyv, yde sdzu ewakdt vbkp prlnkqkn vkxl, Tlzz Ellj. Gp qsa obu…”

“Rv’p Tlzz Ellj, obyv svbla alypsd es usw dlle?”

“Zlyb, ewakdt vbl ollj pvyavkdt Gwtwpv 26vb, Valpkeldv Ckd cypknyzzu zsnjp bkxplzq sd vbl 23ae qzssa yde eslpd’v pbso wr. Pwakdt vbkp vkxl, vbl 23ae qzssa kp zkjl blzz, yde bl’p vbl elxsd twyaekdt kv. Mbspl obs ktdsaydvzu oldv wr vs ekpvwac bkx ewakdt Tlzz Ellj, olzz, vbl taypp sd vblka tayhlp kp vball xlvlap bktb cu dso.”

“Tkpp… pswdep pnyau.”

“You’re wrong. The backstory isn’t scary; it’s actually quite touching.”

“Hmm?”

“I heard August 26th is the birthday of President Qin’s first love, and August 29th is her death anniversary.”

“Ah? She’s dead?”

“Yeah, so after that…”

“Hey, so why is President Qin here today?”

“Not only is he here, but he went to Minister Luan’s office.”

“Tsk tsk, is this finally his second spring?”

“I don’t think so. Even though there have been rumors about them, President Qin looks gloomy today. I felt like I could hear thunder when I got within three meters of him.”

“Hahaha, you’re exag—Minister Luan!”

As soon as “Minister Luan” was uttered, all the gossiping and whispering employees straightened up, their expressions turning serious.

Luan Qiaoqing had just exited the elevator with a stern look on her face. She frowned, “What are you all standing here for?”

Someone cautiously pointed towards the minister’s office, “President Qin… President Qin.”

“What about President Qin?”

“Well, President Qin is in your office, waiting for you. Seems urgent.”

Luan Qiaoqing froze for a moment, then her expression changed slightly. She quickly walked through the path the employees made for her and headed straight to her office.

Luan Qiaoqing walked into the office, the frosted glass door blocking the curious gazes from outside.

She stopped at the door entrance, hesitating for a few seconds before cautiously speaking to the figure facing away from her. “Brother, why did you… suddenly come down?”

Qin Lou didn’t turn around. He was looking out the window, his voice hoarse and tired. “I came down from the tech department.”

Luan Qiaoqing’s expression changed slightly.

Qin Lou asked, “Yesterday, when I called you to ask if anyone had been to the 23rd floor, you said no.”

Luan Qiaoqing clenched her fingers, staying silent.

“And then today, the tech department tells me that the missing elevator surveillance footage from yesterday morning was deleted on your orders.”

“…I’m sorry, brother,” Luan Qiaoqing closed her eyes briefly.

“I don’t need ‘sorry.'” Qin Lou turned around, his face pale, eyes dark and gloomy. “I gave you privileges not for you to hide things from me—especially not things related to her!”

Fear flashed in Luan Qiaoqing’s eyes, but she gritted her teeth. “This has nothing to do with sister. It was me who went up yesterday. I just had the footage deleted because I was afraid you’d blame me!”

Qin Lou’s eyes widened in shock.

After a long moment, he almost forced out each word from his throat. “Is that all?”

“What else could it be?” Luan Qiaoqing exploded,
“Brother, what are you fantasizing about? She’s been dead for nine years! Why do you keep clinging to this? Can’t you let yourself go—”

She couldn’t finish her sentence. Seeing his expression twisted in near unbearable pain, she couldn’t bear to continue. Her eyes reddened, and she turned her head away, unwilling to look at him.

Nine years, yes, it’s been nine years.

Back then, the Ponzi scheme case had shocked countless people due to the amount of money involved and the wide-reaching impact. Many families were ruined because of it… but time is always the fastest “cure.”

Nine years, and it seemed everyone had forgotten about it.

Except for Qin Lou, who never got over it. He didn’t even want to move on. Every year, he reminded himself of it over and over—in the most bloody and painful way possible.

Luan Qiaoqing couldn’t help but glance at his wrist, where his shirt was stained with dried dark red blood.
Her heart filled with pity, and just as she was about to soften her tone and say something to comfort him, the glass door behind her was suddenly knocked on.

An assistant, eyes filled with fear, peeked in. “Minister Luan…”

Luan Qiaoqing took a deep breath. “President Qin and I are in the middle of something. Can it wait?”

“But, it’s Mr. Yu from Junsheng Law Firm calling. He seems to be inquiring about their lawyer, Qin Qing—”

“I know!” Luan Qiaoqing hurriedly interrupted the assistant, glaring at them, “Put the call through.”

The assistant, looking wronged, withdrew. “Okay.”

Luan Qiaoqing didn’t dare to look at Qin Lou—she feared her current gaze might reveal something to him. She quickly walked to her desk and picked up the landline phone.

“Mr. Yu, hello, this is Luan Qiaoqing.”

“Good morning, Minister Luan. I apologize for calling so early, but I just received word from the secretary’s office—could you tell me if there is any dissatisfaction with Ms. Qin Qing’s resume that led to her dismissal?”

“…” Luan Qiaoqing glanced sideways behind her, her fingers tightening around the phone cord. “I just felt that Ms. Qin, as a returnee, might not necessarily fit into the domestic market philosophically, and there might be conflicts with our company’s corporate culture. I hope Mr. Yu could consider replacing her with someone who has extensive experience working in domestic enterprises—”

“Minister Luan, you’re being naive.” Yu Qisheng laughed loudly on the other end of the phone. “The role of Assistant Compliance Officer originally came from overseas. If your company and others in the industry want to add such positions, isn’t the essential purpose to better and faster integrate into the international market and fill in competitive gaps? Vio is already an international-level venture capital firm. For you, as the HR Director, to express such views seems a bit shallow, doesn’t it?”

“…”

Yu Qisheng’s words were blunt, and if Luan Qiaoqing hadn’t been wary of Qin Lou behind her and felt guilty, she might have been tempted to argue back. But Qin Lou was still there, so she gritted her teeth and forced a smile. “It seems, Mr. Yu—”

“Here’s my proposal: if you’re concerned about Qin Qing’s qualifications, why not institute an evaluation?”
Yu Qisheng continued, undeterred. “A specific assessment for her alone. Wouldn’t that be more appropriate?”

“An evaluation?” Luan Qiaoqing frowned. “A dedicated assessment just for her doesn’t seem quite appropriate, does it?”

“Hahaha, ‘appropriate’ is an interesting word coming from you, Minister Luan. It seems you thought yesterday’s decision was appropriate? Well then, I won’t waste any more of your time. I’ll call President Qin directly and ask for his opinion.”

“No, you can’t!”

Luan Qiaoqing’s immediate and firm refusal surprised even herself.

After blurting it out, she realized she had been too emotional and impulsively turned to look behind her.
Qin Lou lifted his gaze, staring at her with deep intensity.

Feeling a pang of guilt, Luan Qiaoqing quickly turned away and lowered her voice. “Alright, as you said, Mr. Yu, I’ll arrange an interview for Ms. Qin. I’ll inform you of the details later. Is that acceptable?”

“Of course. Have a pleasant day.”

“…Likewise, Mr. Yu.”

Luan Qiaoqing hung up the phone, her face grim.
Once the call ended, Luan Qiaoqing composed herself before turning back.

Qin Lou watched her tense and uneasy figure, narrowing his eyes slightly. After a few seconds, he casually asked, “Whose call was that?”

Luan Qiaoqing smoothed her hair and turned back, forcing a strained smile. “It was from Junsheng Law Firm.”

“What did they want?”

“Well, their new consultant’s resume has some issues, and we’re discussing the matter.”

After vaguely explaining, she cautiously observed Qin Lou’s expression—

He looked indifferent, as if he didn’t care about any of it. It seemed he wasn’t bothered by the situation at all.
“I won’t disturb your department’s work then. Carry on.”

“Alright, take care, Brother.”

“…”

After Qin Lou left, Luan Qiaoqing sat at her desk, biting her nails. After a long, fierce contemplation, she pressed the button on her desk.

Shortly after, her assistant hurried in.

“Minister, did you need me?”

“I need you to contact the Risk Management Department and the Legal Compliance Department, borrow a few staff members, and pull a few from our own department to form a temporary team.”

The assistant hesitated. “What’s the temporary team’s task?”

Luan Qiaoqing gritted her teeth. “The task is to discuss how to make an interviewee break down psychologically and not be able to answer any professional questions.”

The assistant hesitated. “A stress interview? But it’s not time for large-scale recruitment yet. Isn’t it too early to prepare now?”

“Don’t waste time. The sooner, the better. I want to see a formed team by this afternoon.”

“Understood.”

Accustomed to the occasional tantrums of this parachuted minister, the assistant knew how much the “Big Demon King” on the top floor favored this minister. He could only agree reluctantly and went out to make preparations.

Alone in her office, Luan Qiaoqing dug out a photocopy of Qin Qing’s resume. She clenched her fist, glaring fiercely at the woman’s smiling photo.

“You wait for me! Trying to cause trouble in our company, there’s no door, no window, not even a dog hole for you!”

On the other side, at Junsheng Law Firm.

After hanging up the phone, Yu Qisheng turned his office chair and smiled at the woman sitting on the sofa area.

“You really understand your cousin.”

“I’ve always known that Qiaoqiao is very naive.”

“It seems that over the years, Qin Lou must have put in a lot of effort to take care of her.”

“…,” Song Shu remained silent on the sofa, her smile faint and unchanging.

Yu Qisheng observed her silently for a few seconds. “You still haven’t let go of Qin Lou until now—even though you know it was his family who caused you to end up like this?”

“It has nothing to do with him.”

“How can it not? Qin Lou is now the head of the Qin family. If you want to dig into the roots of the Qin family, Qin Lou will inevitably be a hurdle you have to face. Are you really confident that you won’t hesitate when facing him?”

“I won’t.”

Song Shuyi almost immediately answered Yu Qisheng’s question. In that moment, when she raised her eyes, the coldness in her usually gentle eyes startled Yu Qisheng.
But soon, that hint of coldness dissipated, replaced by a gentle smile from the woman.

She picked up the coffee cup on the table, took a sip, and finally managed to suppress the surging emotions in her heart. Then Song Shu smiled and looked up, “I’ve been preparing for this ‘war’ for nine years. I know very well what matters more.”

Yu Qisheng frowned.

Seeing his concern, Song Shu smiled again. “And, Mr. Yu, unless you’ve experienced it yourself, you wouldn’t understand.”

“What?”

“Hatred runs deeper than love—hating oneself for being powerless, hating that the loved one didn’t die peacefully. Once you taste that feeling, you’ll remember it day and night, every day and every night.”

“…”

Yu Qisheng sensed that emotion in her words, and in the end, he chose not to touch on Song Shu’s sensitive topic.

“As for the interview, how do you plan to handle it? Even if Luan Qiaoqing is naive, she will definitely make things difficult for you.”

Song Shuyi smiled confidently, “If I can’t pass even this hurdle, then what’s the point of seeking justice for my mother?”

Yu Qisheng finally smiled.

“Even though I’ve known you for these years, I admire the fact that you can always handle everything calmly.”

Song Shu avoided eye contact, “Mr. Yu overpraises me; I am indeed not always like that.”

For instance, in those years.

And for instance, at Vio’s top floor yesterday.

On Wednesday, Song Shu received an email from Vio’s HR department notifying her to attend a solo interview at Vio in the afternoon.

Looking at the preparation time left for herself, Song Shu couldn’t help but smile. Luan Qiaoqing’s determination to expel her from Vio was clearly evident.

At 1:45 PM, Song Shu arrived fifteen minutes early at the interview venue.

The interview took place in a temporary conference room of the HR department, with Dennis, who was responsible for reception at the front desk downstairs, leading Song Shu upstairs. Throughout the journey, apart from necessary greetings, he remained almost silent, clearly having been “warned” in advance by Luan Qiaoqing.

Song Shu didn’t mind, smiling as she ascended the stairs.

Even though she was mentally prepared, stepping into the temporary conference room made Song Shu pause—half of the long conference table had only one empty chair, while the other half was filled with a whole row of “interviewers,” each with a serious expression.
Right in the middle was Luan Qiaoqing, whose face seemed to reach her toes.

“Miss Qin, please have a seat.”

Luan Qiaoqing stood up, her expressionless eyes coldly fixed on Song Shu.

Song Shu didn’t quite understand what had happened in the past few days—Luan Qiaoqing’s hostility towards her seemed to have multiplied several times, reaching a point where she didn’t even bother to hide it anymore.

Song Shu pretended not to notice, smiling faintly.

“Thank you, Minister Luan.”

Looking back, under Dennis’s sympathetic gaze, Song Shu opened her handbag and took out a portfolio—
“I have prepared my resume again. Since the email didn’t mention the number of interviewers, I only prepared six copies. Could you please submit them on my behalf?”

Dennis subconsciously took them, but as soon as he looked up, he was glared at by Luan Qiaoqing.

Dennis: “…”

When the king of hell fights, even the little ghost suffers.

In any case, Song Shu, as the interviewee, smoothly took her seat, and the solo stress interview officially began.

Luan Qiaoqing didn’t even look at Song Shu’s resume from the start—these past few days, she had been glaring at this woman who dared to impersonate her sister, almost numb to it. So today, Luan Qiaoqing remained expressionless throughout.

“Miss Qin, please start with an English self-introduction. We hope to get to know you better, so take five minutes. You have control over the content.”

Song Shu lowered her eyes.

To deliver a five-minute personal introduction in English under the stern gaze of at least ten interviewers, it was quite a grand gesture from Qiaoqiao as a first meeting gift to her sister. However, as Song Shu had told Yu Qisheng, she came back to China to crush all difficulties underfoot, so these minor challenges were nothing.

With this in mind, Song Shu smiled gently and was about to start with a simple greeting.

But before the first syllable could leave her lips, there was suddenly a commotion outside the conference room:

“Mr. Qin!”

“Mr. Qin!?”

“Mr. Qin, you—”

Everyone in the room was stunned.

Before they could react, the next moment, the door of the conference room was pushed open abruptly.

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Sansukini: Happy Weekend.

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