26 In Need Of A Companion For The Ball (1)

"No offense, but Zhou Feng will be having an annual ball in three days, so if you're unable to complete your tasks, I'm afraid that I can't let you attend."

The morning meeting had, unfortunately, become a roller-coaster of ups and downs. The participants seemed quite perturbed by the announcement.

Xiao Lan began venting her anger as soon as the manager left the room.

"What is happening? That is so unfair! The fat man always uses our tasks to hold us in check, but look at him! He never works! He's been flirting with Ms. Su all day every day!"

Xiao Hong chimed in, "That's right! The manager never attends to his actual duties. It's only been three months since Ms. Su joined the company, but she's already made rapid advancement in her career, simply by having an affair with the manager. Although she's a department director, many from her department remain unconvinced by her capability."

Ning Youyou quietly listened. It would be her first time attending the company's annual ball. Xiao Hong and Xiao Lan had joined the company much earlier, so they had been to the ball once. Hence, there were many things that they knew better.

The annual ball was actually a celebration to honor and reward those who had performed outstandingly over the past year. A dinner followed the event.

The principal office of Zhou Feng Corporation would financially support all expenses of the annual ball, which was scheduled to be held at LOVE Hotel, the most luxurious five-star hotel in S City.

The entire hotel would be booked solely for the employees of Zhou Feng Corporation. As a subsidiary company, employees of BLOVE were invited to join the ball as well.

The annual ball had been going on for years, so it became quite an understanding to the attendees to bring a partner to join them for the night.

The mutual understanding soon became an applied rule among the employees. It had become an event in which people competed for supremacy to see who had better partners.

Meanwhile, attending the annual ball alone would end up making one a laughing stock. In a company of such a size, there were candidates everywhere. It would be one's failure if he or she ended up going to the ball alone.

"I really don't think that it's much of a problem to attend the ball alone." Ning Youyou found the hidden rule a little against her will. The thought of finding a partner gave her a headache.

However, Xiao Lan shook her head at the idea.

"Youyou, you've underestimated the rampant problem in our workplace. You should know that many people are waiting eagerly to avenge their insults from last year."

"Last year, some girls decided to bring their male counterparts from the office to go to the ball together with them. The pairs were humiliated, as people commented that their partners were not good enough. This year, those girls decided to spend some money to hire someone good looking to be their partners."

Ning Youyou could not believe what she had just heard. In fact, she found their actions rather hard to swallow.

Xiao Hong shrugged her shoulders before adding, "I'm actually quite troubled. I attended the ball alone last year, and they made an issue out of it. I was even made to drink as a forfeit for being alone. What a shame."

Just as they started sharing, the conversation was soon interrupted.

"Hey, you girls seem rather unoccupied. Have you finished your work already? It seems like you never take the manager's words quite seriously."

The woman who chipped in was Su Tingting, the manager's sweetheart.

Su Tingting was dressed in professional business attire, but her skirt was obviously much shorter as compared to the rest of them.

Ning Youyou could tell from her indifference that she did not come to befriend them.