Lingling didn't think there was anything wrong with what she said. She had heard such things too often; it was normal questioning.
"You dare to reject Zhou Yang and even punish him? I want to play with you. You are good kids." Lingling spoke very frankly. She watched Zhou Yang being taken away by the principal and was overjoyed.
Even if Zhou Yang bullied her again after returning to class after the exchange meeting, she wanted to have a day of happy and unrestrained life.
Ruan Ruan had seen Lingling being bullied. She didn't understand why a boy would bully a girl like this. "Sister, you are welcome to play with us."
Lingling gave all the snacks in her arms to Ruan Ruan. "Thank you, little sister. Just call me Lingling."
Ruan Ruan introduced them to her. "My name is Ruan Ruan, this is An An Ge Ge, and that is Xiao Luo Ge Ge and Qi Qi Ge Ge."
The children quickly started playing together.
"Mom and Dad, we're going to play over there!"
An An and the others were led by Lingling to her secret base to play. Huo Rou and the other parents found a place to sit and chat.
"An An's mother, you work for Yuda Security Company. Have you ever been to the headquarters?"
Xiao Luo's parent asked, "I heard that the technical consultant for your Yuda Artificial Intelligence was involved in that personal operation a while ago. I admire him greatly."
Qin Ningyi looked at Huo Rou's calm profile and she smiled. "No, I've only been at Yuda Security for a short time."
"Speaking of which, Qin Zong's company should have its own security team. Why not join Qin Zong's company? That way, you can be together day and night."
Huo Rou subconsciously glanced at Qin Ningyi when he said this. Meeting his interested gaze, she couldn't help but laugh. "The security of Qin's Group is just one company. What I do is bigger: cybersecurity."
"Yes, you could say it's national security. At Yuda Security, I can contribute more to the development of national cybersecurity and help friends at the same time. It's quite good."
Everyone present, except for Lingling's mother, were elites in their respective industries and came from wealthy families. No one expected that someone who looked so gentle and weak could say such a thing.
Her heart was not just for the immediate affections and life.
It was for national security.
Although what they did, more or less, affected the country's economic development, their starting point was more about their own interests.
Even if they occasionally did charity, it was a routine action, and it was small money.
They actually felt that Huo Rou's words were too high-minded, but they couldn't say it out loud due to Qin Ningyi's presence.
However, when they looked into Huo Rou's eyes, they saw a belief and determination there.
Qin Ningyi was also touched. He looked at Huo Rou. Was this really her true thought?
He had been influenced by his grandfather since he was a child and had a special sentiment for the country.
Even though he was no longer in the military, he wanted to do as much as he could for the country within his abilities.
Therefore, over the years, Qin's Group, in addition to real estate, had also developed skincare products. With the research of skincare products, they had established a dedicated laboratory and collaborated with many pharmaceutical laboratories.
They had also contributed to China's pharmaceutical industry.
So, Huo Rou also had such a belief.
He wanted to know where she learned to shoot, and whether the gun was pointed at other countries.
But as he approached Huo Rou to say something, a cold snort came from beside them.
Huo Nanru appeared before them, her makeup exquisite, with disdain on her face. "Director Huo, aren't you going a bit too far with your words?"
"If you're going to pretend, at least make it seem more realistic."
She had heard that Huo Rou was personally poached by Mr. Xiao Yuda to join the company, and that it took a high salary to get her.
Now she was taking the money and claiming she came to the company not for money, but out of patriotism.
Taking a high salary and talking about patriotism – that was too hypocritical.
She didn't believe that anyone could give up a company like Qin's Group and a man like Qin Ningyi to pursue some patriotic belief.
"Pretend?" Huo Rou pursed her lips and smiled. "Whatever you think."
This made Huo Nanru even more angry. What was Huo Rou's attitude? How could a third party who managed to climb her way up dare to speak to her like this? Wasn't she afraid that she would reveal her relationship with Xiao Yuda to Qin Ningyi?
Huo Rou might not care, but Qin Ningyi was unwilling to have Huo Rou spoken to like this. "As a Chinese person, isn't patriotism the most basic thing?"
There was nothing wrong with that statement. The people around them all lowered their eyes and quietly watched the drama unfold.
"You're even defending her, President Qin. You should see through this fickle woman as soon as possible."
Qin Ningyi frowned. "What did you say?"
"The company has long been spreading photos of her and President Xiao. President Xiao is already married. She didn't join Qin's Group just because President Xiao had already paved the way for her, allowing her to be directly appointed."
Huo Nanru felt that Qin Ningyi was being wronged. With his status, what kind of woman could he not have? Why would he get entangled with a woman like Huo Rou?
"Heh." Huo Rou was amused to the point of anger. Talking to her man like that in front of her was indeed remarkable.
"Always thinking of people in such a dirty way. What could there be between me and Xiao Yuda?" Huo Rou couldn't understand it at all. What had she done to make everyone in the company think there was something going on?
Being beautiful was a sin. As long as a beautiful woman was in a technical position, there would always be such rumors, but she rarely encountered them.
"Who would believe that?" Huo Nanru didn't believe her explanation at all. In her eyes, Huo Rou was a despicable woman.
"Whether you believe it or not is your business, but don't say it to me, or I might be tempted to teach you how to behave." Huo Rou smiled gently, but a storm was brewing in her eyes.
She didn't want to get involved in pointless interpersonal disputes, but if someone insisted on arguing with her, she wouldn't mind settling it with her fists.
Huo Nanru saw the ruthlessness in her eyes and was intimidated.
Her son ran over from a distance. "Mom, I'm done! Let's go!"
No matter what, Huo Nanru didn't want to talk about the sordidness of the adult world in front of her son. She glared fiercely at Huo Rou, then gave Qin Ningyi a sympathetic look, and left with her son.
"I..." Huo Rou was a little annoyed. She just wanted to work and live in peace. Why did someone have to be so disruptive?
Qin Ningyi gently stroked Huo Rou's soft hair. "It's the least worthwhile thing to be upset by these groundless rumors."
"You're out with the kids. Are you two hiding to date?" Wang Qian made a rare joke.
Huo Rou only then noticed that the other parents who had been nearby were now whispering among themselves at a distance.
"Where's Ruan Ruan?" Wang Qian looked around but couldn't see Ruan Ruan. "I'll tell her about the follow-up to Zhou Yang's matter. The little girl must want to hear it."