Chapter Ninety-Five: The Office Housekeeper

Wang Yue looked at Ruan Mianmian with undisguised disdain in her eyes—she truly made no effort to conceal it. She didn't bother giving her the slightest bit of face. And Jian Yanzhi, for his part, seemed to have no intention of coming to her rescue; he acted as if he hadn’t noticed anything at all, though one couldn’t tell if that was deliberate. The scattered curious glances from around them threatened to drown Ruan Mianmian in their scrutiny.

Still, as long as she herself didn’t feel embarrassed, it was others who would be left awkward.

“Though Team Leader Wang doesn’t seem entirely pleased with me, I must say I’m quite satisfied with the Design Department!” Ruan Mianmian smiled sweetly and continued, “Thank you, General Manager Jian, for arranging such a wonderful position for me. I promise to do my utmost and lead by example!”

As she finished speaking, Ruan Mianmian deliberately winked at Jian Yanzhi, shifting the responsibility for this situation squarely onto his shoulders. As expected, Wang Yue’s expression changed; her gaze toward Ruan Mianmian softened slightly.

“So it was arranged by General Manager Jian. In that case, I have no objections,” Wang Yue said, forcing a smile in Ruan Mianmian’s direction as she glanced at Jian Yanzhi. Then, extending her hand toward Ruan Mianmian, she added, “Welcome, Director Ruan, to the Design Department.”

Ruan Mianmian glanced down at Wang Yue’s outstretched right hand, then her face lit with a dazzling smile—crimson lips, jet-black hair, eyes brimming with charm. “Sorry, I don’t feel like shaking hands right now!”

A couple of suppressed laughs sounded from somewhere behind her, making the atmosphere even more awkward.

Wang Yue’s face turned icy and unsightly. Jian Yanzhi also frowned in disapproval, his gaze full of reproach. Ruan Mianmian, however, acted as if she hadn’t noticed, strolling inside as she asked, “Which one is my workstation?”

“Director, over here!” a kind-hearted and pretty young woman pointed to a spot in the corner that looked as though it had stood unused for a long time. In other words, the Design Department hadn’t had any new hires in ages—or perhaps none who had lasted.

“Thank you,” Ruan Mianmian winked at her with a roguish air, but it was precisely this unrestrained, unaffected demeanor that quickly won her a number of admirers. Several people already greeted her with friendly glances.

“All right, get familiar with the environment here first. I have a word or two for Team Leader Wang,” Jian Yanzhi said to Ruan Mianmian before leading Wang Yue out of the office.

The two stood in the hallway, whispering for quite some time—most likely about Ruan Mianmian, though what else could it be? The receptionist who had been so excited earlier returned to her station, looking dejected as she resumed her work.

Seated at her new post, Ruan Mianmian took in her surroundings. Her workstation was hardly an office—just a single cubicle, a far cry from the office on the thirty-second floor. And right behind her sat Wang Yue’s office. Taking advantage of the lull, Ruan Mianmian sneaked a peek inside.

A single glance was enough to ignite her irritation. The luxury of that office was nearly on par with Jian Yanzhi’s general manager office! Fuming, Ruan Mianmian returned to her modest cubicle just as Jian Yanzhi and Wang Yue came back.

Wang Yue wore a polite, respectful smile—the flustered look from earlier already gone. “That’s settled, then. I’ll get back to work. Make sure you learn from Team Leader Wang, and don’t cause any trouble, all right?” Jian Yanzhi told Ruan Mianmian gently.

Wang Yue squeezed her fingers so tightly her knuckles turned white, yet her face was fixed in a benevolent smile. “Don’t worry, General Manager Jian, you can count on me.”

Listening to this hollow routine, Ruan Mianmian couldn’t help but smirk, her red lips curling. She looked up at Jian Yanzhi impatiently and said, “You’d better go, don’t disrupt everyone’s work.”

Jian Yanzhi shot her a sidelong glance, half admonishing, but turned and left. As soon as he walked out, Wang Yue’s smile collapsed—she shot Ruan Mianmian a cold sneer. “What are you all gawking at? Don’t you have work to do?”

The whispering employees hastily returned to their seats. Ruan Mianmian could tell that Wang Yue was flaunting her authority to show her who was boss.

Bang! A door slammed behind her, a clear venting of frustration. Ruan Mianmian paid it no mind. Some timid employees glanced nervously at the now tightly closed door, the tension in the air palpable.

Ruan Mianmian curled her lips and said in a low, teasing voice, “It’s nothing, really—no need to panic.” At her words, a few people couldn’t help but laugh, and the atmosphere finally relaxed.

Shaking her head, Ruan Mianmian mused that this so-called “Sister Hua” was not only ruthless, but a veritable iron-fisted matron.

Before long, she saw the receptionist from earlier hurrying into Wang Yue’s office, emerging with another thick stack of documents in her arms. The young woman’s expression was blank—she was clearly used to this sort of thing.

From her desk, Ruan Mianmian could see the entrance. The young woman buried herself in paperwork, her face nearly hidden behind the files. Occasionally, other staff would drop off documents for her to print or handle. She accepted them politely, but once they left, her spirits visibly drooped—only to rally again a moment later with renewed energy.

Watching the girl quietly pep herself up, Ruan Mianmian couldn’t help but smile knowingly. The whole morning passed, and the girl never had a moment’s rest; in fact, the pile of documents on her desk only grew.

At lunchtime, as employees gathered in small groups to eat, the receptionist was still busy sorting through files. The sound of a door opening came from behind, and Wang Yue approached, her expression cool. “Director Ruan, would you like to join us for lunch?”

“No, thank you,” Ruan Mianmian replied bluntly.

Wang Yue, who hadn’t meant her invitation sincerely, strode off with hauteur, saying nothing more.

Seeing the time, Ruan Mianmian got up and headed for the exit. At the door, she turned and called out, “Hey, want to grab some lunch?”

The receptionist looked up in confusion, but when she saw Ruan Mianmian, a shy smile appeared on her face. “I’ll go in a bit, Director. You go ahead.”

Ruan Mianmian took a couple of steps back to the desk, idly flipping through some of the files. “Why are all these documents here with you?”

The girl smiled faintly and said softly, “I haven’t been here long and don’t know much yet, so I help everyone out with odd jobs. The team leader said it’s a good way to gain experience.”

“And you actually believe that nonsense?” Ruan Mianmian rolled her eyes in disdain. “They’re just tricking you into being the office workhorse—doing all the grunt work, and happily, at that.”

Of course, this sort of thing happens in almost every company. The girl hadn’t expected Ruan Mianmian to be so blunt and blushed in embarrassment.