Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1556 The Fox Borrows the Tiger's Power

At six o'clock in the afternoon, Qiao Hailun shut down her computer on time. She closed her laptop, put her phone in her bag, stood up, and picked up her coat hanging on the back of her chair, all in one smooth motion. Several colleagues around her looked up, their gazes falling on her, some with envy, some with jealousy, some with resentment, and some with complex, indescribable expressions.

A sense of smugness welled up inside Qiao Hailun, and a slight smile appeared on her lips as she walked out of the office area step by step in her high heels.

She heard hushed whispers behind her, but she didn't turn around.

Li Dongming witnessed this scene from his office. He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, coffee cup in hand, watching Qiao Hailun's figure walk down the corridor and into the elevator. His fingers tightened, his knuckles turning white, and the coffee cup creaked slightly. He took a deep breath, forcing himself not to smash the cup; this was the third time today he had felt the urge to break something.

Once Qiao Hailun disappeared from sight, Li Dongming could no longer hold back. He put down his coffee cup, strode out of the office, crossed the corridor, pushed open the door to Xiao Yang's office, and barged in.

"How about we transfer this young lady to your group?" He stood at the door, his voice low, but each word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth: "I really can't stand it anymore."

Xiao Yang was sitting behind his desk reading documents when Li Dongming suddenly barged in, startling him. He looked up and saw Li Dongming's furious expression, immediately understanding the situation. Knowing he was in the wrong, he quickly stood up and put on a smiling face.

“Brother, I know you’ve been wronged.” He walked around the desk and pulled Li Dongming to sit down on the sofa. “Come on, have a cup of coffee to cool down.”

As he spoke, he personally brewed a cup of coffee and handed it to Li Dongming.

Li Dongming slammed the cup down on the coffee table, his anger still simmering.

"You saw it all, what time is it now? Mass layoffs!" His voice rose several octaves: "Everyone is working overtime, except her. She slacks off at work and leaves on time, not wanting to stay a minute longer. If everyone were like her, how am I supposed to manage my employees?"

Xiao Yang sat next to him, nodding repeatedly, looking guilty.

"Dongming, you're my own brother. It's not that I don't want to transfer Qiao Hailun over." He said with a bitter face, "It's just that my performance isn't as good as yours, and I have more people to be laid off this time. I only have a few hardworking and reliable people left. If I lay off another one, the project will be impossible to complete."

Li Dongming leaned back on the sofa, arms crossed, and remained silent.

Xiao Yang gritted his teeth, as if he had made a huge decision: "If all else fails, then do this—you get all the credit for Tan Min's case, and I won't take the bonus. How about that?"

Li Dongming had been waiting for these words. He didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone flat: "You said it yourself."

"As long as you take good care of Qiao Hailun, this bodhisattva, I'll do anything." Xiao Yang clasped his hands together and bowed repeatedly: "Please, brother."

Li Dongming finally gave up. He stood up, straightened his suit, and went out the door. The moment the door closed, Xiao Yang leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh.

Although he had done all the preliminary work for Tan Min, he hadn't been able to secure a contract. Giving the sales to Li Dongming was a convenient way to go. As long as he could cling to Qin Hao and introduce him to a few more clients, what did this loss matter? Of course, the prerequisite was that Qiao Hailun had to stay. He picked up his phone and sent Qiao Hailun a message, revising the wording several times before finally sending just four words: "Have fun."

Qiao Hailun only replied with one of the emojis she received.

Meanwhile, Qiao Hailun had already stepped out of the building. The setting sun bathed the entire office building in gold, and the traffic on the street moved slowly in the afterglow. She stood by the roadside, her eyes searching for that familiar car.

Looking up, she saw the U8 parked silently by the roadside, massive and still. Qiao Hailun's eyes lit up, and she immediately jogged over. Her high heels clicked rapidly on the ground. She opened the car door, got into the passenger seat, and the moment she closed the door, the whole world went silent.

She didn't pull the seatbelt herself, but instead turned to look at Qin Hao. Qin Hao understood, smiled, turned to himself, pulled the seatbelt across her chest, and fastened it. The seatbelt crossed her chest perfectly, outlining her full curves.

Helen Qiao lowered her head, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Sometimes it's actually quite amusing. From a young age, her development was better than other girls, to the point that she suffered from being too well-developed ever since middle school. Running was uncomfortable, and even the slightest movement in her school uniform risked the buttons popping open. During PE class, boys would always secretly stare at her while she did sit-ups. She was very distressed and wished she could wrap herself up like a mummy. But unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better, and now she's actually won Qin Hao's favor because of her good looks.

"Where are we going?" Qiao Hailun asked curiously, looking out at the street scene. The car was driving along the Pearl River, the setting sun turning the river surface orange-red, and the cruise ships were moving slowly in the middle of the river.

While steering the car, Qin Hao smiled and said, "Let's go change your clothes first, and then we'll go to a cocktail party."

"A cocktail party?" Helen Qiao immediately perked up, her eyes sparkling. "Is it the kind of place frequented by high society people and socialites?"

Qin Hao chuckled: "I don't know if there are socialites or not, and it's not certain that there are high society people either. But you definitely need to have a certain amount of assets to receive an invitation."

Seeing Qiao Hailun's expectant look, Qin Hao couldn't help but pour cold water on her enthusiasm: "Actually, this kind of party might be a bit boring for you, and you might not want to attend next time."

"As long as you're here, I'm never bored." Qiao Hailun gave Qin Hao a flirtatious wink, her eyes sparkling and her lips slightly pouting.

Qin Hao's hand paused on the steering wheel. He turned his head and glanced at her, his eyes carrying a dangerous glint. Qiao Hailun immediately realized she had gone too far, quickly sat up straight, and pretended to look out the window at the scenery.

Half an hour later, at the entrance of the Dior boutique.

The two saleswomen respectfully saw Qiao Hailun and Qin Hao out, bowing slightly and smiling sweetly: "Mr. Qin, Ms. Qiao, please take care, and welcome to visit us again next time."

Helen Qiao wore a custom-made black evening gown, the skirt reaching the floor, the waist cinched tightly, revealing her fair shoulders and collarbone. The neckline was just right, revealing glimpses of skin. Her hair was styled in an updo, exposing her slender neck, and she wore a pair of diamond stud earrings, a set she had bought from the jewelry store next door.

She carefully sat in the passenger seat, afraid of wrinkling her custom-made evening gown. After settling in, she gently smoothed the hem of her dress, pulled the seatbelt to her chest, and turned to the side, trying to prevent the strap from pressing against her dress.

"Since you cherish it so much, don't take this dress off tonight." Qin Hao started the car, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the nice weather.

Qiao Hailun blushed as she looked at Qin Hao's mischievous grin. She lowered her head and cautiously pleaded, "Could I change into something else? This is my first evening gown."

"No way." Qin Hao said sternly, "If you break it, just buy another set."

"Oh." Qiao Hailun quickly took out her phone and snapped several photos of herself. Front, side, back—she carefully checked each one, deleting and retaking any that didn't look good. This was her favorite outfit so far, but unfortunately, she could only wear it for a short while before it was ruined. She silently lamented the price of the dress: 368,000 yuan, almost three years' salary for her, and it was now a disposable item—truly outrageously extravagant.

Guangzhou International Finance Center, Four Seasons Hotel venue.

The red carpet stretched from the entrance to the sign-in wall, flanked by rows of flower baskets, the air filled with the scent of lilies and roses. Several security personnel in black suits stood nearby, their expressions serious. Qiao Hailun held Qin Hao's arm tightly as they walked step by step down the red carpet. The lights shone on them, and reporters on both sides snapped photos, their flashes crackling.

Qiao Hailun exuded the aura of a female celebrity walking the red carpet. She straightened her back, slightly raised her chin, and wore a polite smile. After walking a few steps, she couldn't help but quietly lean close to Qin Hao's ear and whispered a question.

"Why are there reporters at the reception?"

Qin Hao smiled casually: "The organizers spent so much money, they must have gotten something in return. Everyone in the world is driven by profit. The purpose of wealthy people spending money is always related to fame and fortune."

As they spoke, the two arrived at the autograph wall. The organizer's logo was printed on a white backdrop, and several waitresses in formal attire stood nearby with pens and drinks. After signing her name, Qiao Hailun stood in front of the backdrop and posed for several photos. The flashes made her eyes blurry, but she tried to keep them wide open and maintain a smile.

After taking the photo, she walked over to Qin Hao, thought for a moment, and cautiously asked, "Can I take a picture and post it on my WeChat Moments?"

"Of course." Qin Hao smiled. "Do you need me to take a few pictures of you separately?"

When Qiao Hailun realized her little scheme had been exposed, she blushed deeply. She lowered her head and whispered in defense, "I was just worried about it having a bad influence on you."

"Hmph, don't think you can get away with this." Qin Hao pretended to be fierce and threatened, "I'll deal with you when we get back."

Qiao Hailun's heart skipped a beat, knowing that tonight would be another sleepless night. Blushing, she took out her phone and snapped a picture of the backdrop, then another of the red carpet, and finally a selfie with Qin Hao on her arm. She stitched the three photos together and captioned it: "First time attending a high-end cocktail party, a little nervous."

The moment she sent it out, a strange sense of satisfaction welled up inside her.

Meanwhile, inside Ruijing Consulting's office, the lights were still on. Most of the employees in their cubicles were still at their posts, the sounds of keyboards clicking and phones ringing intermittently. Some were munching on bread while typing, some were staring blankly at their screens with coffee cups in hand, and some had dozed off for a few minutes before getting up again to continue working.

Sasha was exhausted from proofreading data for a long time. She rubbed her eyes, shook her aching wrists, and picked up her phone to open WeChat. The first post on her Moments was from Qiao Hailun—a black evening gown, a red carpet, flashing lights, and that man.

"This class is impossible to continue!" she blurted out.

A colleague leaned over for a look and sighed, "That's right, while we're working overtime like crazy, Helen Qiao is already walking the red carpet."

"By the way, have you guys noticed that it seems like the big boss from headquarters is also attending this party?" Another colleague pushed up his glasses and lowered his voice mysteriously.

"The big boss at headquarters? You wouldn't happen to be talking about CEO Puyol, would you?"

"Who else could it be but him? I booked his plane ticket for him." The colleague raised his eyebrows smugly.

"So, does that mean Helen Qiao is already able to sit at the same table with the big boss and chat casually?"

"I used to think that Helen Joe just found a rich boyfriend, but now it seems that being rich is just one of his many advantages, right?"

A cacophony of voices rose and fell, messages flooding the group chat. Sasha scrolled through a few, then placed her phone face down on the table and continued checking the data. But the numbers kept jumping around in front of her, and she couldn't concentrate on them.

It wasn't just the drudges in their cubicles; Li Dongming also saw Qiao Hailun's posts on WeChat Moments. He was sitting in his office, holding his phone, the screen displaying the photos Qiao Hailun had posted. His finger swiped across the screen, zooming in, zooming out, and zooming in again.

He was startled.

He is now a senior partner and vice president of business at Ruijing Consulting's mainland branch. Coincidentally, the branch's CEO recently retired early due to health reasons, leaving the position vacant. Li Dongming has been frantically improving performance in order to advance further. However, he also knows that this position isn't just about performance; gaining the trust of the big boss, Puyol, is even more important.

Unfortunately, he never found a suitable opportunity to meet this big boss. Puyol was based in Europe most of the time, only visiting China once or twice a year, and each time it was a brief visit, leaving him no chance to speak. And now, Puyol was at this very party. Right there in Qiao Hailun's social media circle.

With this in mind, Li Dongming quickly made a video call to Qiao Hailun.

It rang several times before being hung up.

He paused for a moment, then dialed again. The call was disconnected again.

"Damn it, answer it now!" He stared at his phone screen, his eyes bloodshot. He furiously tapped the screen and dialed again.

The call was still disconnected.

Li Dongming was so angry he almost crushed his phone. Just as he was about to break down, Qiao Hailun sent him a message.

"Mr. Li, it's after get off work hours now. Can't we talk about this tomorrow when we're at work?"

Li Dongming nearly lost his temper on the spot. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and typed with trembling fingers: "Are you at the Four Seasons Hotel?"

"No comment."

Li Dongming stared at those four words, his chest heaving violently. He almost smashed his phone on the spot, but remembering that Qiao Hailun had Qin Hao as her backer, he could only suppress his anger. He gripped the phone, his knuckles white, and typed each word one by one.

"Could you help me get an invitation? This is very important to me, and I will reward you handsomely once it's done."

He sent the message, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and waited for a reply.

At the party, Qin Hao was already surrounded by a lot of people.

With the economic downturn of the past two years, business has been tough. Xingyao Selection not only clears out inventory quickly but also enjoys a good reputation, generating a certain brand effect. These business owners naturally want to take this opportunity to become familiar with the brand. Some handed out business cards, some added each other on WeChat, some came over with wine glasses to offer toasts, and some pulled Qin Hao aside to discuss cooperation.

Helen Qiao stood to the side, a glass of champagne in her hand, a polite smile on her face. She couldn't understand what they were talking about—supply chain, ROI, private traffic—she recognized each word, but put them together and didn't understand. She could only keep smiling, nodding occasionally, pretending to listen.

Her phone vibrated. She looked down and saw it was a message from Li Dongming. She thought for a moment; after all, he was her boss, and it wouldn't be good to make things too awkward. So she walked over to Qin Hao, leaned close to his ear, and whispered something.

Qin Hao was chatting with a fashion business owner. After listening to her, he nodded to the group of people, picked up his wine glass, and walked to the side.

"Hey, what's up?" He leaned against the pillar and took a sip of his drink. "Feeling too bored and want to go home?"

Qiao Hailun shook her head and repeated Li Dongming's request.

Qin Hao smiled after hearing this. "Alright, I'll take care of it. Go eat something first, so you don't run out of energy and beg for mercy later."

"Ugh." Qiao Hailun blushed and turned to walk towards the buffet area.

A few minutes later, Qiao Hailun returned with an invitation. She took a picture and sent it to Li Dongming, then went to the entrance of the venue and handed the invitation to the security personnel.

"Mr. Li, the invitation is at the front desk. Just give your name when you arrive." After sending this message, she put her phone away.

Upon seeing the photo of the invitation, Li Dongming breathed a sigh of relief. He leaned back in his chair, clasped his hands together, and bowed to the sky, saying, "Thanks, I'll be there right away."

Qiao Hailun pursed her lips and walked towards the buffet area on her own.

Just as Qin Hao said, she understood almost nothing about what the people at the party were talking about. Terms like "secondary market," "valuation model," and "exit mechanism" were like gibberish. At first, she managed to keep up, but after a while, it all became boring. She picked up a plate of food, found a corner to sit down, and began to focus intently on eating.

Smoked salmon, caviar, roast beef, cheese platter, chocolate fountain… each dish was exquisitely crafted, like a work of art. She tasted them one by one, taking more of what she liked and pushing aside what she didn't. She felt it was better to eat more so she'd have the energy to deal with Qin Hao's antics later. Sometimes she wondered how Qin Hao could have so much stamina, always managing to keep her sore and weak before finally giving up.

Just as Qiao Hailun was lost in thought, Li Dongming had already appeared at the party.

He was wearing a dark gray suit, his hair styled with gel, and he looked quite energetic. Holding a glass of wine, his eyes searched the crowd. Soon, he found his target—a tall, gray-haired foreign man chatting with several people in front of a floor-to-ceiling window.

Puyol.

Li Dongming took a deep breath, picked up his wine glass, and walked over. His steps were steady, and a perfectly measured smile graced his face, like an old friend approaching naturally.

Helen Jo sat in a corner, watching the scene from afar. She saw Li Dongming walk up to Puyol, bow slightly, and extend his hand. Puyol glanced at him, shook his hand politely, and then continued talking to the person next to him. Li Dongming didn't leave; he stood there, smiling, patiently waiting for his chance to interject.

She watched as Li Dongming used every means to ingratiate himself with the foreigner, every action meticulously planned, every word carefully considered. And that foreigner, it seemed, had just toasted Qin Hao and her earlier.

A strange feeling welled up inside Qiao Hailun. Looking at Li Dongming's obsequious manner, she suddenly felt sorry for him. In her eyes before, Li Dongming was an unattainable figure—a senior partner, a million-dollar annual salary, a car and a house. But now, he seemed no different in front of Puyol than she was in front of Li Dongming.

At the same time, she secretly rejoiced. If she hadn't been fortunate enough to gain Qin Hao's favor, she might have only ever looked up to Li Dongming for the rest of her life. She would have been like Sasha, working overtime until 2 a.m., and still having to go to work as usual the next day, without daring to utter a single complaint. She would have been like Tao Ling, getting fired for saying the wrong thing, without even receiving compensation.

"What's wrong?" Qin Hao's voice suddenly came from behind.

Qiao Hailun snapped out of her daze and realized that Qin Hao had been standing behind her at some point. She shook her head: "Nothing, just watching how my boss is currying favor with our big boss." Her tone was full of teasing.

Qin Hao chuckled and sat down next to her: "No matter what, he's your boss. Be careful he doesn't make things difficult for you."

"With you here, I'm not afraid of him at all." Qiao Hailun leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs, and looked completely unconcerned.

"You're just using someone else's power to intimidate you," Qin Hao said, pinching her nose and chuckling.

"I don't care, I'm sticking to your coattails for the rest of my life." Qiao Hailun wrinkled her nose, looking charmingly naive.

Seeing Qiao Hailun's shy and bashful appearance, Qin Hao couldn't help but feel a surge of desire. He grabbed Qiao Hailun and pulled her outside.

"Ah—" Qiao Hailun stumbled as he pulled her, and quickly steadied herself: "The party isn't over yet, is it really appropriate for us to leave like this?"

"If I don't leave now, I'm afraid I'll lose control." Qin Hao's voice was low and hoarse as he continued walking.

Helen Qiao was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant. Her face flushed, and she lightly punched his arm. "You're so annoying."

The two walked through the crowd and out of the venue. Behind them were the sounds of clinking glasses, laughter, and music. The elevator doors closed, shutting everything out.

Qiao Hailun leaned against the elevator wall, looking at Qin Hao's profile. His jawline was sharp, his nose high, and his eyelashes cast shadows under his eyes. She suddenly felt incredibly lucky.

"What are you looking at?" Qin Hao didn't turn his head, but the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

"Look at you," Helen Jo said. "You're beautiful."

The elevator arrived at the underground parking lot. The doors opened, and Qin Hao pulled her out. Their footsteps echoed in the empty parking lot, each beat like a heartbeat.

After getting in the car, Qiao Hailun fastened her seatbelt. Qin Hao started the car and drove out of the parking lot. The night view outside the window rushed past, and neon lights reflected colorful lights on the glass.

Helen leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Tonight, it all felt like a dream. The red carpet, the flashing lights, the evening gown, the champagne, and the man standing beside her.

A slight smile played on her lips as she drifted into a tender reverie.

The car drove along the Pearl River, where the lights on both banks were reflected on the water, shimmering in the sunlight. A cool night breeze slipped in through the cracks in the car windows.

Qiao Hailun opened her eyes and looked out the window. This city was vast, vast enough to hold everyone's dreams. This city was also small, so small that some people could only work overtime in their cubicles until the early hours of the morning their entire lives.

But she had already walked out of that cubicle.

When Qin Hao got home, he noticed that Qiao Hailun was unusually proactive that night.

...(End of this chapter)