Plunder-Chapter 178: Love You Openly and Honorably
"What gives you the right to hit someone?"
With one hand covering his face, Qiao De looked at Jin’an with both anger and confusion.
The person who had previously treated him with courtesy had now laid hands on him.
Qiao En was even more shocked; she never expected the always emotionally restrained Jin’an to lose control like this.
"Director Zhou, please go back to your office first."
Qiao En reached out to push Jin’an.
In a company like this, there were many gossips.
Some senior executives had not left the meeting room yet and were now craning their necks to watch the commotion as Jin’an hit Qiao De.
"Apologize!"
Jin’an shouted fiercely.
His handsome face was livid, his body wrapped in a cold air, yet the fury kept burning right above his head.
"Why should I apologize to her? She’s just a secretary, nothing but a gofer."
The words were spoken in a low voice, but Qiao En heard them.
So did Jin’an.
"Slap!"
Another slap landed on Qiao De’s face.
He had a fiery temper and having been slapped twice by Jin’an, he could no longer keep his cool.
"You’re hitting me again?"
As he spoke, he pointed at Qiao En and was about to curse.
"For such a woman, you actually hit me?! Jin’an, you’re cutting off the bridge after crossing it. She’s just your woman, right? After getting in your bed, you just—"
Before Qiao De could finish his sentence, Jin’an’s sinister fist had already smashed towards him.
Qiao De was no match for Jin’an, and the punch knocked him to the ground instantly.
A tooth fell out of Qiao En’s mouth.
The pain brought tears to his eyes.
"You’re bullying me!"
He roared with a crying tone.
From start to finish, Qiao En stood by, watching the scene unfold with a cold indifference, maintaining her silence.
Qiao De was too reckless, and indeed, he needed to learn a lesson.
"Whether she’s my woman or not, you have to respect her. To disrespect her is to slap me in the face," Jin’an said in a deep, low voice, carrying an innate oppressiveness that compelled Qiao De not to act rashly anymore.
Qiao En knew that with Qiao De appearing at Nanchen, her relationship with Jin’an couldn’t be kept secret any longer.
Nanchen had a rule that forbade relationships between employees; if discovered, one must leave.
As the CEO of Nanchen, Jin’an getting involved with his own secretary was surely laughable.
In the meeting room, those gossiping ears had already heard the commotion outside. They now gathered together, whispering among themselves.
"Assistant Cheng, what are you dawdling for? Get him out of here."
The moment Jin’an gave the order, Cheng Lu immediately contacted security.
Soon, two security guards came up, ready to forcibly remove Qiao De.
In that moment, he panicked.
"Director Zhou, I’m sorry, I was impulsive just now. I apologize, isn’t that enough?"
"Secretary Xu, please forgive me for my minor offense. I was offensive toward you and spoke rashly, please don’t hold it against me, alright? I will be careful next time, I promise," Qiao De pleaded shrewdly, knowing when to bow his head.
But Qiao En was not swayed by pity.
"Qiao De, may you learn from this pitfall and understand how to handle such matters in the future. I agree with Director Zhou’s decision; you are indeed unsuitable for Nanchen."
She chose to stand by Jin’an.
"What are you waiting for?"
Jin’an barked again.
Despite Qiao De’s pleas, it was all in vain as he was dragged away.
"Notify HR—Qiao De’s probation will not be extended."
Upon receiving Jin’an’s instructions, Cheng Lu acted immediately.
After dealing with Qiao De’s situation, Jin’an turned around and immediately caught sight of the curious eyes in the meeting room.
With one icy look, those people quickly pulled their heads back.
He walked towards Qiao En and openly took her hand.
"Come on, I’m taking you to the hospital."
The coffee was scalding hot, and had already blistered Qiao En’s hand.
"No need, I’ll go by myself."
Qiao En refused.
But Zhou Jin’an insisted, "Let’s go."
He held her hand, walking her all the way outside.
In the elevator, Qiao En tried to pull away, but Zhou Jin’an turned to look at her, "Are you scared?"
How could she not be scared?
Qiao En disliked being the subject of anyone’s gossip. Today’s incident would inevitably spread throughout the company; how was she supposed to handle herself afterward?
Zhou Jin’an was the maker of the rules, but he had been the first to break them. How was he going to explain this to everyone?
"Aren’t you scared?"
Qiao En retorted.
Zhou Jin’an’s lips curled up, revealing a relaxed smile.
"Scared, yet not scared."
He was the CEO of Nanchen, a shackle he had always placed upon himself. He demanded excellence from everyone else, and he was just as strict with himself.
For someone at the pinnacle, to break his own rules, isn’t he bound to face criticism from everyone? Would it not be a challenge to his authority?
But besides being the CEO of Nanchen, he was also himself.
He was a man of flesh and blood, with desires and emotions. He had the right to choose the woman he liked.
Qiao En was his resolute choice. As his other half, regardless of the role, she deserved open and legitimate recognition, something he, as a man, had to do.
"What do you mean?"
Qiao En smirked, asking curiously.
The burn on her hand was painfully hot, yet her heart felt oddly cool.
In the elevator, Zhou Jin’an suddenly leaned in and pecked Qiao En on the lips, catching her off guard.
"Zhou Jin’an!"
Qiao En’s ears turned red, and she quickly pushed him away.
He, on the other hand, laughed like a triumphant boy.
Thereafter, he took hold of Qiao En’s hand firmly.
"From now on, I want you to proudly be my woman, Zhou Jin’an. I won’t allow anyone to disrespect you. I will protect you, and never let you be wronged again."
Such affirmation from a lover was a tremendous surprise for Qiao En.
She looked at Zhou Jin’an, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.
She was deeply moved.
But she was also scared.
"Now is not the time."
"No, the time is now."
Zhou Jin’an said stubbornly.
"Mr. Zhou, you’re already twenty-nine, not a three-year-old child. You can’t be so capricious."
Qiao En timely sounded the alarm for him.
But the grip Zhou Jin’an had on Qiao En’s hand tightened.
"I’ve never been capricious my whole life; just let me be capricious this once with you."
"What if they bring up the rules?"
As a large company, it was normal for Nanchen’s employees to have romantic relationships, but because of the existing rule, all love affairs had to remain hidden.
"Then I’ll change the rule."
Zhou Jin’an was a man of action. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
Having said that, he immediately set out to do so.
"I will issue a new company policy, stating that employees engaged or married to each other will receive a blessing gift package from the union. Employees in a relationship can stay, as long as they keep work and private life separate."
He personally called the HR Director.
Qiao En laughed.
But her heart was filled with even greater warmth.
The elevator doors opened, and Zhou Jin’an led Qiao En out, walking boldly.
Many people looked their way, yet the couple only had bright smiles on their faces, showing no fear or embarrassment.
In the parking lot of the Nanchen Building, Zhou Jin’an opened the car door and sat in the driver’s seat, only to unexpectedly find that the Maybach was having issues.
He hurried out to check and discovered that all four tires had been deflated by someone.
His eyes darkened—it spelled misfortune for someone.
