Chapter 238 237: So-called Good Sisters

Tang Shuang looked at Mu Lin, still standing outside the door. He had a man in his grasp—the one Zhong Haoyu had just delivered.

He was the one who had gotten the photos and information from Qiao Xi.

Zhong Haoyu had already given the man a "pep talk" on the way over, so he was well aware of how terrifying Mu Lin could be.

Mu Lin had intended to warn him not to try anything clever, but the man beat him to it, pledging his loyalty and leaving Mu Lin with a rather odd expression on his face.

"Get in there. It's time for your performance."

The thug charged in and kicked Qiao Xi right on her expensive business suit.

"What are you doing?!"

Qiao Xi looked up at the thug.

She never paid thugs any mind, let alone bothered to remember their faces, so she had no idea who he was.

"You dare to mess with Miss Tang? Do you have a death wish?"

"I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"

Qiao Xi felt like she was going crazy. 'What is wrong with the person Tang Shuang brought? Has he lost his mind?'

"Help! Someone's attacking me! Somebody, save me!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs.

A moment later, a large group of security guards swarmed the area.

Mu Lin blocked the doorway. "And where do you think you're going?"

One guard paid him no mind and tried to force his way in. Mu Lin sent him flying more than ten meters with a single kick, and the man slammed into a wall.

The guard immediately coughed up blood.

His fighting prowess instantly terrified the other guards who had been about to charge in.

They were just hired to fill the ranks; very few of them could actually fight.

And even if they could, would they stand a chance against someone like Mu Lin?

It was too much to ask.

Mu Lin said coldly, "Anyone who dares take one more step forward will end up just like him."

Instantly, no one dared to move.

Although the captain in charge was afraid, he had a greater responsibility to uphold.

He had no choice but to step forward.

"Friend, this is a place of business. It's not right to cause a disturbance here, is it?"

Mu Lin replied, "That's right, it isn't. Got a problem with it? Go ahead and hit me."

His brazen attitude left the security captain helpless. Worse still, Mu Lin had demonstrated strength that far surpassed his own. Rushing forward would be suicide.

Qiao Xi cried for a while, but when she saw that the security guards weren't coming to her rescue, she wiped away her tears and said:

"Shuang, we're as close as sisters. Why are you slandering me with these lies?"

Tang Shuang almost laughed when she heard the word "sisters." 'If Qiao Xi really saw me as a sister, how could any of this have happened?'

'How could my legs have been broken?'

'If Mu Lin hadn't stepped in to help, I would have been crippled for life.'

"I have proof! It's useless to play dumb! Don't make me call the police!"

Qiao Xi's conscience was screaming, but she knew she couldn't lose face. If she backed down now, she would be truly finished.

"Go ahead, call the police! Call them! Have them come arrest me!"

Tang Shuang sneered. "Oh, that day will come. But for now, I just want to ask you one thing: why did you betray me?"

Qiao Xi continued to play dumb. "What are you talking about?!"

Tang Shuang said, "You were the one who told Manager Cui I was resigning. I only told you!"

But Qiao Xi put on a look of someone who had been misunderstood. "It's so hard to find a job these days! I just wanted Manager Cui to try and talk you out of it. If it was about the salary, maybe you could've gotten a raise, you know?"

Tang Shuang's sneer deepened. "You almost sound reasonable, but I don't believe a word you say, you lying bitch!"

Suddenly, a man's grating, duck-like voice sounded from outside the design department.

Mu Lin turned his head and saw a dapper-looking rich kid.

"The design department is a crucial part of this company! How can you let it become such a mess!"

Only after he spoke did Manager Cui realize the department itself wasn't in disarray. Instead, several uninvited guests were at the door, and Qiao Xi was on the floor, apparently having been assaulted.

Manager Cui was furious. He turned and saw the security guards standing outside, pointed at them, and roared, "Does the company pay you to just stand there and watch? Useless trash!"

Mu Lin, however, remained calm. He addressed Manager Cui levelly, "You're Tang Shuang's supervisor?"

"That's right. What's it to you?"

Manager Cui's face was thunderous. "Tang Shuang wants to resign. Why are you interfering?"

Mu Lin didn't mention the paint-splashing and door-smashing incidents. He could tell that Manager Cui saw himself as a respectable man and would likely deny those accusations flat out, which would lessen Mu Lin's leverage.

Manager Cui said, "It's none of your damn business! This is an internal company matter!"

Tang Shuang came forward and faced Manager Cui. "I'm resigning. You'd better process my paperwork immediately, or you'll regret it!"

Manager Cui roared with laughter. "In your dreams! I'm not letting you leave! Without my signature, the HR department won't process a thing!"

Even though Tang Shuang knew she didn't need to be so furious with Mu Lin by her side, she couldn't stop herself from shouting, "By what right?! Have you no shame?"

Manager Cui chuckled. "By the right of being the design department manager! By the right of holding your career in my hands!"

"And even if you do manage to get away, as long as you're still in this industry, I can have you blacklisted!"

'That's even more hopeless,' Tang Shuang thought. 'The feeling of being unable to get anywhere in the industry... it would be unbearable.'

However, she was about to become the general manager of the Celestial Phoenix Hotel. Both her industry and her position were about to change dramatically.

Otherwise, she would spend the rest of her life struggling in the palm of his hand.

"You're a despicable man!"

Manager Cui laughed heartily. "That's right, that's right, I'm a despicable man. You'll never amount to anything unless you obediently stick with me! In fact, if you were with me, you could leverage my family's influence. Your career would take off much faster."

Mu Lin burst out laughing, almost doubling over. "You... your company isn't big, your position isn't high, but your ego certainly is!"

This Manager Cui had Tang Shuang by the throat. Unless he was dealt with, there was no way she could successfully resign.

And for some reason, he had the patience to stick to Tang Shuang like glue.

'With that kind of persistence, what couldn't he achieve?'

'If Tang Shuang is to have a brighter future, this biggest obstacle in her path must be removed.'

Manager Cui glared at Mu Lin and said coldly, "And who the hell are you? This is an internal company matter. It's not your place to speak."

Tang Shuang grabbed Mu Lin's hand, pulled it firmly around her own slender waist, and declared:

"He's my boyfriend! How is he not qualified to speak?!"

The moment Manager Cui heard the word "boyfriend," flames of jealousy consumed him.

'She actually has a boyfriend! She didn't choose me, she chose someone else!'

"Qiao Xi! Get over here!" Manager Cui pointed at Qiao Xi on the floor and yelled, "Didn't you tell me she didn't have a boyfriend?"

Qiao Xi scrambled to her feet. "I only told you what I knew! I can't just invent things I'm not aware of, can I?"

Tang Shuang let out a cold snort, which made Qiao Xi's heart flutter with guilt.

Her earlier bravado seemed utterly ridiculous now.

What more needed to be said? Qiao Xi had well and truly betrayed her.

Besides, their colleagues were all around them. Everyone knew the two of them were supposedly the best of friends. But in reality, Qiao Xi had sold Tang Shuang out long ago.

How could any of them stomach something like that?

Everyone understood: unless Qiao Xi was prepared to endure the scornful looks of her colleagues from now on, her career at the company was over.

Mu Lin said, "Tang Shuang, the truth is out."

But there was no hint of a smile on Tang Shuang's face. "Yes."

Mu Lin said, "Next on the agenda: your resignation."

The moment the words left his mouth, he struck Manager Cui in the side.

Manager Cui felt a searing flash of pain in his side, followed by a strange sensation that spread through his body.

It was immediately followed by a burst of excruciating pain.

"Agh... AHH..."

Having been coddled his whole life, how could he possibly endure such pain? If he weren't concerned about his image, he would be rolling on the floor in agony.

Mu Lin stepped forward, planted a foot on Manager Cui, and asked coldly, "Are you ready to process Tang Shuang's resignation now?"

Manager Cui was seething with resentment, but the circumstances were against him. He could only cry out in pain, "I can! I'll process her resignation!"

Mu Lin kicked Manager Cui over, sending him rolling across the floor in a pathetic heap.

But then... the pain was gone.

He felt perfectly fine all over, even better than before.

Manager Cui scrambled to his feet, his eyes filled with a mixture of venom and rage. Mu Lin jabbed two fingers toward his eyes in a threatening gesture.

Terrified, Manager Cui flinched, turning his head and covering his face, not daring to look up again.