Yuan Haiqiang was still stammering, fine beads of sweat trickling down his forehead.
Under Tang Qi's relentless questioning, his will finally shattered completely.
His face fell, and then his legs felt like they had lost all strength. He collapsed to his knees!
"President Tang! President Tang!" he cried with a mournful face, "I was wrong, I know I was wrong!"
"I was just confused for a moment. I didn't want to do this, but Luo Zhongtian said he would beat me to death if I didn't. I had no choice!"
Tang Qi looked down at him coldly, "What a joke. Didn't you just swear that you had a conscience?"
"Where is your conscience now? Did a dog eat it?"
Yuan Haiqiang continued to wail, "President Tang, I really didn't mean to!"
"Considering my years of service to the company, please spare me this once. I promise I will never dare to do such a thing again!"
"Again?" Tang Qi's aura was completely devoid of warmth.
"You have no 'again.' Get out of here now!"
"If you don't leave, I'll call security to escort you out!"
With that, Tang Qi picked up the phone on her desk, looking as if she was genuinely prepared to summon security.
At this point, Yuan Haiqiang knew that he had no chance of turning things around.
His face was almost devoid of color. He stood up, glared fiercely at Wu Tian, and then slammed the door shut as he left.
Seeing him go, Tang Qi sat back in her chair, fuming, "I can't believe such a scumbag appeared in our company. It's infuriating!"
Wu Tian said, "You should keep a sharper eye out from now on. What happened today is minor, but if someone like this appears again, it could be a major problem."
Tang Qi spat a few times and then gave Wu Tian a sidelong glance, complaining, "What are you saying? You're such a jinx. Can't you wish something good for me?"
With the matter resolved, Wu Tian's mood naturally improved considerably.
His face regained its smile, "Aren't I doing this for your own good?"
"For my own good? How is this for my own good?" Tang Qi stood up and walked over to Wu Tian.
"If you truly wanted what's best for me, you'd come and manage this company with me."
"That way, you could help me correct my mistakes, couldn't you?"
Looking at Tang Qi's sparkling eyes, Wu Tian smiled and shook his head, "What are you talking about? This is your Tang family's business. What place do I have here?"
Tang Qi immediately replied, "Isn't that simple? You could become part of our family!"
As she spoke, Tang Qi opened her arms and suddenly embraced Wu Tian gently, burying her head in his chest.
She said softly, "Wu Tian, I like you. Can we be together?"
This sudden confession caught Wu Tian off guard.
Inhaling the faint fragrance from Tang Qi, his mind went blank.
He stammered, "Wh-what are you saying all of a sudden? Can you give me some time to prepare?"
"Then how much time do you need?" Tang Qi said, "Wu Tian, I really like you so much."
"This is the first time I've ever liked someone. I know I can't leave you for the rest of my life."
Wu Tian remained silent for a long moment, then sighed and said, "Tang Qi, life is long. Don't make such hasty decisions about your future!"
It wasn't that he didn't like Tang Qi, but he simply had no intention of being in a relationship.
Moreover, he had slept with Zhou Qian, and things were already complicated with her. How could he get entangled with Tang Qi?
Hearing Wu Tian's words, Tang Qi's tone became a little dejected, "You're not going to agree to be with me, are you?"
Wu Tian didn't want to hurt Tang Qi, so he said, "It's not that I won't agree. It's just that I don't know what to do right now."
"Give me some more time to calm down. Maybe when I've calmed down, you'll realize that you don't like me that much after all!"
Wu Tian had only intended to comfort Tang Qi.
However, to his surprise, Tang Qi suddenly pushed him away and said with mock anger, "What are you talking about!"
"I, Tang Qi, am a devoted woman. If you think I'll fall for someone else, then I'm sorry, you're mistaken!"
"Just you wait and see. Two years, three years, five years, ten years. As long as you haven't made up your mind, I'll wait!"
"If you dare to reject me then, I'll make you pay!"
Seeing Tang Qi like this, Wu Tian understood that she was deliberately trying to ease the tension and provide a way out for both of them.
He couldn't help but smile and say, "We'll talk about the future when the future comes."
"For now, it's better if we remain friends. That way, we can avoid awkwardness."
After saying that, Wu Tian sighed inwardly.
He had unexpectedly incurred a significant emotional debt!
Afterward, Wu Tian left Tang Ren Catering.
He hadn't driven there, so he stood by the roadside waiting for a taxi, intending to take a bus home from the station.
A taxi quickly pulled over to the side of the road. Just as Wu Tian was about to get in, someone slapped the hood of the taxi.
The taxi driver poked his head out, ready to unleash a torrent of curses.
However, the scene before him made him swallow his words.
Wu Tian turned his head and his brow furrowed slightly.
The person blocking the taxi was Yuan Haiqiang, and behind Yuan Haiqiang were five or six men who looked like thugs.
Yuan Haiqiang shouted at the taxi driver, "Hey, I need to talk to this person. If you don't want trouble, then get lost!"
"Otherwise, do you believe I'll smash your piece of junk car!"
The taxi driver drove for a living and knew this was not something he could get involved in, so he naturally dared not say anything more.
He spun the steering wheel and stepped on the gas, quickly driving away from the scene.
Yuan Haiqiang walked up to Wu Tian, his face grim, and said, "Kid, we meet again."
Seeing this setup, Wu Tian knew that Yuan Haiqiang must be holding a grudge and had come to cause trouble.
He said coldly, "You still have the nerve to show your face to me? Haven't you suffered enough?"
"Pah!" Yuan Haiqiang spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the ground.
"Kid, don't think that just because you have that woman Tang Qi backing you, I'll be afraid of you."
"Now I have nothing to do with Tang Ren Catering. That bitch Tang Qi has no hold over me!"
As he spoke, Yuan Haiqiang's face contorted with resentment.
He looked at Wu Tian and said coldly, "You got me fired today, kid. Let's see how I deal with you!"