The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 860 - 859: The Clown Jumps on the Beam

"Mai Qiu."

Du Juan interrupted her assistant’s complaints, "Go and call Sister Wu in."

"Oh."

Thinking that Du Juan was about to assign work, Mai Qiu opened the office door without much thought and called Wu Yongmei, who was immersed in her work at the secretarial position, into the office.

"Director Du, did you need me for something?"

Du Juan didn’t respond to Wu Yongmei’s question but looked at Mai Qiu, "You’ll hand over your current tasks to Sister Wu, and once you’re done, go to the HR department to process your resignation."

"Director Du, do you have other arrangements for me?"

Mai Qiu could hardly hide her delight, thinking that Du Juan was finally going to promote her.

Du Juan did not answer immediately but asked Wu Yongmei to step out first.

Although Mai Qiu had many flaws, they had been together in a master-servant relationship, and she still wanted to give the other party as much dignity as possible.

"Mai Qiu, I don’t want an assistant by my side who likes to stir up trouble and engage in scheming."

The joy on Mai Qiu’s face slowly congealed, "Director Du, what do you mean?"

Du Juan looked at her, "I’ve already instructed Manager Bai to compensate you based on your years of work in the food factory with an N+2 settlement."

Mai Qiu finally understood.

Her eyes were wide-open, seemingly in disbelief, "You want to dismiss me? Why? What did I do wrong?"

"In the past, I thought you were just a chatterbox who liked gossip, and I tolerated these little faults of yours, after all, nobody’s perfect. But now you have completely lost your focus on your work, spending all day disliking this and that, causing strife. As your superior, I have also reflected on whether it was my failure to manage you that indulged you."

Hearing these words, Mai Qiu was truly panicked.

"Director Du, I didn’t mean it, I just didn’t want you to be bullied so I nosed into other’s business. If you don’t like it, I can change, I promise I won’t speak ill of others behind their backs anymore, please don’t send me away, I don’t want to leave you."

"You’re not lacking in ability, and you’re perceptive, I think you’ll have better opportunities for development in a new place, at a new position. This is a decision I’ve made after careful consideration, go and hand over your work to Sister Wu, to the outside I will say you resigned on your own."

Seeing there was no room for negotiation, Mai Qiu had no choice but to turn around and leave the office.

The work that needed to be handed over was pitifully little, it could be explained in just a few sentences.

Ever since Wu Yongmei joined the company, a large part of the work was assigned directly to Wu Yongmei by Du Juan.

It was only at this moment that Mai Qiu realized that Du Juan had long been considering her dismissal.

After completing the resignation procedures, as she passed by the administrative office, she heard people inside discussing:

"Why did she suddenly resign? Could it be she wants to go back to the food factory? The food factory not only pays well now, but they also provide social security and pensions, I even want to go back."

"Forget it, they’ve already announced they’re not hiring this year."

"Then why did she quit? Could it be that she’s going back home to get married and have kids?"

"Don’t spread this around, she was dismissed by Director Du."

"Ah? Why though? Hasn’t she been with Director Du for several years?"

"I don’t know, but a couple of days ago when I went to get materials from Manager Bai, I heard Director Du instructing Manager Bai about the severance pay, I was still wondering who it was then, who would’ve thought it’d be her."

Hearing various discussions emanating from the office, Mai Qiu subconsciously clenched her fist.

...

After work, as she neared home, she saw someone waiting at the entrance from a distance.

"President Shen."

Shen Mingzhu felt a bit surprised to recognize Mai Qiu but didn’t show it on her face.

She sat in the car, looking at the other party through the window, "What’s the matter?"

Mai Qiu’s eyes were tinged with red, her expression revealing a trace of shame, "I want to come back to work at the food factory, is that possible?"

Shen Mingzhu raised an eyebrow, "You’re not with Director Du anymore?"

Mai Qiu, wiping away tears in grievance, said, "I said some things that Director Du didn’t want to hear, and she fired me."

After saying this, she eagerly expected Shen Mingzhu to ask her what she had said.

She had already thought of her excuse.

"I’m sorry, the food factory currently has no vacancies, and there are no plans for hiring this year either. You should ask around at other companies."

Having said that, Shen Mingzhu pressed the remote for the courtyard gate and drove her car into the garage.

After parking the car and coming out, she noticed that Mai Qiu hadn’t left yet.

"President Shen, I need to get something off my chest. In fact, from the time you returned to the food factory, Director Du has been harboring a lot of dissatisfaction towards you behind your back, even saying that you wanted to ’use someone to grind your axe and then kill the donkey,’ intentionally forcing her out so you could take over and wield power..."

She spat out all the usual criticisms of Shen Mingzhu in one go,

But she shifted the blame entirely onto Du Juan’s head.

She had been by Du Juan’s side, contemplating and toiling on her behalf; she had neither recognition nor thankless efforts.

If it weren’t for her persuasion, the other party would not have left the food factory to start a business.

Now that she had become a big boss, yet she wanted to burn bridges with Mai Qiu and force her out, how could Mai Qiu swallow such a grievance!

"I advised Director Du not to harbor resentment against you. You are her benefactor, her teacher; she should be grateful to you. Because I said these things, I angered Director Du. She felt that I was not on her side and fired me on the spot."

After blackening Du Juan’s name, she didn’t forget to sell a bit of her misery.

Everyone knew that Shen Mingzhu was kind-hearted and generous, donating to schools and children in the mountains every year. Maybe she would take pity on her plight and let her return to the food factory?

She had been an executive assistant for so many years and was considered a rare talent.

Back at the food factory, even if she couldn’t be Shen Mingzhu’s assistant, she’d more than suffice as a department head.

The food factory not only offered good salaries and benefits but also provided social security and pensions.

If she could return, she would definitely work earnestly until retirement and not go anywhere else!

Thinking this, Mai Qiu couldn’t help but cover her face and weep bitterly, hoping to move Shen Mingzhu.

"How preposterous, I’ve given my heart and soul all these years, bringing them from the countryside to the city to make money; I never expected to raise an ingrate!"

Seeing Shen Mingzhu getting angry, Mai Qiu secretly rejoiced that her plan had succeeded, but Shen Mingzhu’s next words startled her:

"No, I need to call her over and ask her myself, where exactly have I done her wrong!"

Saying so, she took out the mobile phone from her bag.

Mai Qiu’s heart raced with anxiety: If the two confronted each other, drum to drum, bell to bell, wouldn’t her lie be exposed?

She had come to Shen Mingzhu to twist the truth, partly out of revenge on Du Juan, and partly in hopes of currying favor with Shen Mingzhu to return to work at the food factory.

In her opinion, a dignified person like Shen Mingzhu wouldn’t easily make a scene.

Knowing her sister-in-law’s resentment and dissatisfaction, Shen Mingzhu would likely just keep it to herself.

"President Shen, please don’t call Director Du. If she knows I’ve come to tattle, she definitely won’t let me off lightly!"

"Don’t be afraid, I’ll back you up. If it’s as you say, I’ll take care of your employment issue."

Seeing that the phone call was about to be made, Mai Qiu jumped nervously, "It’s not necessary!"