The next day, Xia Ning comes to the company early. Ou Yixuan has already made arrangement for the Chief Editor Office and for her working desk too. Xia Ning is uncertain. She comes to the office half an hour earlier to check if there is anything to follow up.
She is clear what it means to be the assistant to Xiao Tingting.
The office hour starts at half past eight and Xiao Tingting arrives at eight fifteen. She sees Xia Ning who says hi to her with a big smile, yet, she walks straight past her without a look.
Xia Ning blinks. Well, here starts the test from the organization.
When it is time to work, Ou Yixuan holds a meeting and specially introduces Xiao Tingting to everybody. Xiao Tingting is nice to everyone, except to Xia Ning.
Xiao Tingting is so indifferent to Xia Ning that Li Baoer frowns. In an instant, she understands how Xia Ming felt yesterday.
When coming back to the Chief Editor Office, the first thing Xiao Tingting drops to Xia Ning is telling her to re-organize the general information for the current working staff in TIME ERA TV Station
This general information, as requested by Xiao Tingting, needs to precisely show the details of three family members of the staff. It is not much different from a census.
Other information can be filled in little by little, but under the item of salary, Xiao Tingting throws a big difficulty to her and leaves her in great embarrassment.
Holding the data sheet, Xia Ning goes to the Finance Department, “Chief Editor Xiao would like to have the salary sheet of the working staff.”
The Financial Director hesitates for a while, “Chief Editor Xiao does not inform us about this sheet. May I give her a call and check?”
Xia Ning nods. The Financial Director calls Xiao Tingting and hardly has any conversation before hanging up.”
“General Editor Xiao said she did not ask for the sheet. Assistant Xia, I think you need to double check with her.” The Financial Director looks at her with alarm.
It seems that Xiao Tingting really sets her up. Xia Ning responds and turns back to leaves.
“Huh. She has just got the promotion and at once shows her identity. How dare she mention Chief Editor Xiao…”
People of the Finance Department are whispering. Xia Ning feels so bad.
Just at the moment, Xia Ning’s phone rings. It is from Xiao Tingting, telling her to make a cup of coffee and take it to the office.
Xia Ning makes the coffee and brings it to Xiao Tingting. Xiao Tingting takes a sip and pours it, “It is not sweet enough. Make another one.”
Xia Ning adds some sugar in the coffee and gives it to Xiao Tingting, but Xiao Tingting pours it again, “It is too sweet. Try again.”
And it repeats, Xiao Tingting tells Xia Ning to make a new cup of coffee again and again for all kinds of excuses. This making coffee stuff makes Xia Ning walk more than a dozen times.
Finally Xiao Tingting doesn’t torture Xia Ning with the coffee issue, but then she tells Xia Ning to learn the real truth of every piece of news, which is not considered to be Xia Ning’s work. With the order, Xia Ning starts running her legs for investigations among every scene, institution and residential area in B City.
Her feet get blistering and swollen. She comes back to the office exhaustedly, yet, she has to handle all kinds of “unexpected situation” as requested by Xiao Tingting. Ever since she becomes the assistant to the Chief Editor, she cannot get back to Yasi Villa until 23:00, almost every day.
She has to get up around six o’clock to wash and dress, and go to work.
In the whole month, her sleep time is no more than 5 hours on average every day.
“Hey! Great Assistant Xia, when will you have time to go shopping or to have dinner with me?” Li Baoer slips to Xia Ning when Xia Tingting is away.
Xia Ning shakes her head, “It doesn’t seem possible for now. I have got a lot of work to do…”
“I say, Little Ning, did you ever measure your weight?”
“Huh?” Xia Ning puzzles and looks up at her.
“Didn’t you notice you lose all your weight?” Li Baoer turns her eyes, “What kind of assistant you are? It is definitely chronic suicide!”
“Not that serious.” Xia Ning smiles. She knows the sufferings, but not for telling.
“I wonder why you have to force yourself so hard. Do you really want to be promoted?”
Xia Ning pauses for a while, sips her lips and signs.
To be promoted? Well, that is a day dream.
Xiao Tingting will not give her the chance, and neither Ou Yixuan nor Zheng Ran will do.
It has been a month and she truly realizes what Zheng Ran meant.
Her mother-in-law Zheng Yao doesn’t like her. Her aunt Zheng Ran doesn’t like her either. One time, she tried and called Zheng Ran “Auntie”. Zheng Ran’s face darkened at once and gave her a big scold.
It is no doubt that she will not have any good expectation in TIME ERA TV Station. There won’t be any promotions.
“What do you mean by signing? Answer me!”Li Baoer is anxious, “Are you tired and mad? Where is Commander Yi? Why don’t you please him and ask him to give you a good arrangement?”
Talking of Yi Yunrui, Xia Ning’s face freezes. She shakes her head with certainty, “He is he, I am I. Boer, I still have a lot of work to do. You should be off now.
Li Boer wants to say something else, but she turns her head and sees Xiao Tingting coming from far. She leaves at once, “Ning, good luck.”
“Pah.” Xiao Tingting throws the material to Xia Ning, “Have a special interview with the president of Yaoxing Multinational Group, Li Dezheng. Get it done in five days.”
Li Dezheng? Xia Ning pauses.
This President Li is an upstart coming out of half the way. It is said that he used some special means to accumulate his primitive funds. He is of bad temper and drove away many reporters.
She finally is going to the muddy water.
But five days…
“Chief Director Xiao, could you give me some more days? It is quite difficult to interview President Li…
“Didn’t you finish the interview with Mr. Dai in three days? I give you five days, it is more than enough.” Xiao Tingting interrupts, not waiting for her finishing, “If you cannot finish it on time. A month salary will be deducted.”
Deduct a month salary?!
It an abuse of her power! Or what?
Xia Ning thinks she should try to argue, “Chief Director Xiao, if I cannot finish the interview, it may be my personal work capability problem, but I don’t think it reasonable to deduct a month salary because of it.” If it works as Xiao Tingting’s rule, how can a TV station keep its reporters?
“Do you think it too much or too little for punishment?” Xiao Tingting raises her eyebrows.
“Too much. I will try to finish the interview with President Li. However, I hope Chief Director Xiao would have a second consideration about the punishment.”
“So it is my standard.” Xiao Tingting said dismissively, rubbing her nails, “I want you to keep in mind, Xia Ning, a lot of people want to be the assistant to the Chief Editor. TIME ERA TV Station chooses the best one. If you cannot do it, you don’t do it.
What Xiao Tingting said means: finish the task, or, quit!
Xiao Ning feels tight inside, as if there is a breath in the chest running up to her brain, roaring. She knows, in the whole month, Xiao Tingting did all the things to torture her for the purpose of kicking her away.
Xia Ning clenches her fists and tries to control herself. It is no use to argue with Xiao Tingting at the moment. Xiao Tingting is her boss. She will lose any arguments. “OK. I will give you the report for the exclusive interview. I get to go to work.” Xia Ning says and prepares for her work.“One minute.” Xiao Tingting looks at her long fingers, “I don’t have any snacks here. Go to buy some. Here is the list; get all of them.”Dropping a piece of paper on Xia Ning’s desk, Xiao Tingting turns back and walks away.Dozens of snacks are listed on the paper. Xia Ning reads and takes several deep breaths to keep her emotion stable. It seems that in the following five days, except for the exclusive interview with President Li, she still needs to take all the tortures from Xiao Tingting. Taking the paper, Xia Ning estimates the time it will take to buy the snacks and has a quick look at Li Dezheng’s information. She plans t
Yi Yunrui’s voice is soft. Xia Ning is warm inside. She wipes her tears, “Hum, I know. Don’t worry. I am fine.”In an instant, Xia Ning knows that she can live through.Because he is here for her.“You are not in good health. Go to bed earlier. About your job at the TIME ERA TV Station, do you want me to arrange it for you?”“No need. I am young. I can handle it.” Listening to his voice, Xia Ning feels much better, “I get to the company. Do you have any other things to tell me?”The other side is silent for a while, “No, there isn’t.”“Well. So it is. Bye.” Xia Ning hangs up the phone and releases a deep breath.It will be OK. She will be OK. She will certainly get the exclusive interview with Li Dezheng done.There must be something she missed.Thinking of this, Xia Ning takes out Li Dezheng’s information and looks it over again and then her eyes lighten.
It reminds Zheng Yao, who stops and puts down the phone, “That’s right. I miss this. Then what can we do? She is too arrogant!”“Anyway, that woman is your daughter-in-law. Yunrui just married her. Let’s wait and see.” Zheng Ran pats her sister’s shoulder, “We have to believe Yunrui has the judgement.”Zheng Yao goes silent and signs at last. She shakes her head, “She is the one Yunrui chose. We cannot but wait.”Yin Jingyao darkens her face and feels full of complaints in her heart.Xia Ning, let us wait and see. Yi Yunrui’s wife will be me, only.On the road, people and cars come and go, with endless noises. “Hum, drive into No. 2, Kanghe Alley. Yes, it is.” According to the information, Xia Ning comes to a remote alley. There is some distance from here to downtown. People of B City know that this is the slum in B City.Xia Ning gets off, among the criss-cross alleys. She look
Early morning of the next day, Xia Ning goes back to TIME. Firstly, she puts a schedule on Xiao Tingting’s desk. Then, she takes the document and goes directly to Li’s Multinational Group.Seeing Xia Ning waiting early there, Li Dezheng’s secretary is shocked with surprise. Xia Ning says hi to her and asks her to inform President Li. She says nothing more. Xia Ning waits there, doing nothing for so long a time that the secretary feels embarrassed. She goes to inform Li Dezheng. It is lucky that Li Dezheng is back to the office today earlier than usual. Xia Ning has only waited for about an hour before she sees Li Dezheng get to the office.Seeing her, Li Dezheng directly tells her to enter the office.“So, have you made the decision?” This is the first question after Xia Ning enters the office.Xia Ning smiles and sits down. She is calm, “President Li, would you please give me half an hour for the interv
Xiao Tingting is in a fury. Xia Ning smiles slightly, “Chief Editor Xiao, you told me to find the way to do the exclusive interview. Now it is done. Why are you still unsatisfied?”“You.” Xia Tingting does not expect Xia Ning’s talking back. She bites her teeth, “I am asking what the hell you have done to enrage President Li?”“Nothing, I just told him to be a dutiful son.”“!” Xia Ning is puzzled about Xia Ning’s words. She did not read Li Dezheng’s material and cannot understand what it means, “No matter what, President Li is angry and you are going to get rid of it.”Xia Ning’s face darkens, “Chief Editor, I have finished the exclusive interview. President is angry because he just wants to say he is angry. I have done nothing to him.”“I don’t care!” Xiao Tingting claps her desk, “In any means, you have to get President Li away from his rage.” Xia Ning clenches her fists, restively she says, “Sorry. I
“The number you have dialed is power off…”Xia Ning frowns, Yi Yunrui turns off his phone?What happened?Feeling uncertain, Xia Ning dials again but the answer is the same.Xia Ning looks at the phone blankly for a while and signs. Maybe Army Commander Yi is too busy. Or, maybe something happened in the Army region and phones are not allowed…Anyway, if anything happened to Yi Yunrui, Zheng Yao wouldn’t have been so quiet.In this world, among the many people caring about Yi Yunrui, who she is?“Xia Ning, open the door for me!”Li Bao’er comes with her big voice. Xia Ning feels warm. She puts down the phone and goes to open the door.Li Bao’er enters with the look of coming all the way in a hurry. She goes directly to the refrigerator, takes a bottle of beverage, opens it and drinks. “Miss Li Bao’er, what have you done? How can you be so thirsty like t
“Ah! Li Baoer, get up. We are late!”As loud as a pig may shout when being slaughtered, Xia Ning risks her life to wake up Li Baoer and then goes to wash up in a hurry.Since she drank last night and feels dizzy today and she gets up too quickly, Xia Ning almost falls down to the floor after a few steps. She leans on the wall for a while and then stumbles to the washing room.“Li Baoer, get up now…” While brushing her teeth, Xia Ning shouts. She is dizzy.One minute later, Li Baoer rushes into the washing room and brushes her teeth quickly.“Are you OK? Why do you look so pale?” Li Baoer is shocked when she sees Xia Ning.Xia Ning shakes her head and goes on with her washing.Five minutes later, they hail a taxi and go to work.Sitting by Xia Ning, Li Baoer hesitates how to tell her what Xiao Tingting said. When they are going to arrive at the company, Li Bao’er says straightly, “
Xiao Tingting is overwhelmed by Yi Yunrui’s anger and dares not to say a word. She curls her lips and lowers her head. As if she suddenly remembers something, she winks at Ou Yixuan.Ou Yixuan frowns. He wants to say something when he realizes that Yi Yunrui is already staring at him.This man is born with king’s dignity. Even the boldest cannot withstand his forceful eyeing. In an instant, Ou Yixuan feels the chaos in his heart. Having been working and dealing with all sorts of people in the society for several years, he has learned to hide his emotions. He can face senior officers, the rich and the powerful with skills and ease, but he is always at a loss in front of this man, Commander of C District, Yi Yunrui. “Commander Yi,” Ou Yixuan tries hard to put on a smile on his face and says ambiguously, “I think there are some misunderstandings here. So, we are negotiating with President Li’s secretary now…Could you please wait for