The black sedan rolled to a slow stop in front of Lingfeng Media's front steps just after 6 p.m.
Bai Zhiqi exited the building with her usual calm grace. The day had been productive—quiet, even. She'd spent most of it reviewing operations reports and preparing a feedback sheet requested by Director Su. Lin Ke'er had invited her for dinner, but she had politely declined, choosing instead to return early to the condominium.
As she approached the sleek vehicle, the driver stepped out and respectfully opened the back door.
"Miss Bai."
She nodded, not used to the attention but too tired to protest. She slid into the backseat without a word.
What she didn't see—just a few feet behind a nearby pillar—was Zhao Min, phone in hand, snapping a photo with a smug expression.
Click.
Bai Zhiqi in a chauffeured car. A luxurious, personalized plate. Obvious, too obvious.
By the time the car disappeared down the street, Zhao Min was already uploading the photo to Lingfeng Media's internal social circle—a chat forum meant for event announcements and casual banter. She added no caption. She didn't need to.
The image spoke volumes.
***
The next morning at 8:40 a.m., Bai Zhiqi entered the 15th floor as usual, dressed in a crisp navy blouse and cream trousers. Her hair was tied back neatly, her eyes focused.
But something felt… off.
People were whispering.
She caught the tail ends of phrases as she passed:
"…CEO's pet…"
"…slept her way in, obviously…"
"…such a pretty face, but who knew?"
Lin Ke'er wasn't at her desk. Zhao Min, however, was seated with an air of triumph, sipping from her custom mug and watching the buzz unfold like an orchestrated performance.
Bai Zhiqi paused in front of her own desk. A junior assistant named Qiao Wei glanced up, her expression torn between pity and curiosity.
"You've seen it, right?" she asked under her breath.
"Seen what?"
Qiao Wei hesitated, then opened the internal chat on her desktop and angled the screen.
There it was. The image of her stepping into the car. The plate and luxury seal clearly visible.
The post already had 40 comments.
*[Lu Ying]: Tsk, no wonder she got in so easily.*
*[Tao Zhen]: Who gets a personal car after two days? Even Director Su doesn't.*
*[Anonymous]: Connections run deep, huh? Must be nice.*
Bai Zhiqi read each word, each line, without flinching. But her pulse pounded beneath her skin.
"Who posted this?" she asked quietly.
Qiao Wei didn't respond—but her eyes flicked toward Zhao Min.
Bai Zhiqi's gaze followed.
Zhao Min caught her stare and offered a saccharine smile. "Morning, Miss Bai. Hope the ride was smooth."
Bai Zhiqi walked away without a word, heading straight for the archives room. Ke'er found her ten minutes later, arms crossed and lips pressed thin.
"I just saw the post," Ke'er said, clearly frustrated. "I'm having IT flag it now. We'll request deletion."
Bai Zhiqi calmly closed the file in her hand and turned.
"Don't. Let them watch."
Ke'er blinked. "Are you serious?"
"I've been silent before, and it cost me everything," she said, voice low and unwavering. "Let them watch now. Let them talk."
Ke'er stared at her, then exhaled. "You're stronger than I thought."
As the day went on, Bai Zhiqi didn't falter. She worked, presented her report to Director Su, and took on extra review tasks before lunch. Whispers still circled—but they didn't dare confront her directly.
By 4 p.m., someone posted in the same group chat again.
*[IT Admin]: Please refrain from uploading private, unverified images to the company group. Violators will face formal warnings.*
And beneath it:
*[Anonymous]: But the picture's still true, right? That's what CEO Ji's car looks like.*
Only this time, there was a response from a verified admin:
*[Han Su]: The company vehicle was dispatched for business reasons. Miss Bai has been formally assigned to work under CEO Ji's guidance. All staff are reminded to uphold professional standards.*
Han Su.
The chat fell silent.
In her seat, Zhao Min's confident smirk faltered slightly.
At her desk, Bai Zhiqi's lips curled into the barest smile.
The war had only just begun.