Monday morning came before Ru Yin Yue knew it, and she was about to call Xia Ning Xue to discuss with her about any new jobs – especially since Si Zha Nan had promised her – when the husband in question showed up at the dining room before she could have breakfast.
"Make sure you go to the company," he ordered her coldly. Ru Yin Yue stared at him for a moment, confused.
"The company? You mean Si Corporation?"
"What other company could I possibly be referring to?" Si Zha Nan snorted. "I told you that I'll get you a new job today."
"Yes, you did, but Si Corporation isn't a media or music company." Ru Yin Yue continued to stare at her husband, bewildered. Si Zha Nan's lips curled into a sneer.
"I never said that the job I'll be giving you has anything to do with music."
"You…!"
"It's all right if you refuse. You don't have to come to work. You'll just have a black mark on your resume saying how you got fired on your first day of work for not showing up."
"Zha Nan, you're going too far!" Ru Yin Yue rose to her feet, slamming her hands against the table angrily. "You know that my specialization is music. What other jobs do you want me to do? You can't just randomly apply for one that isn't suitable for me…"
"Isn't suitable? Oh, but this job is very suitable for you." Si Zha Nan grinned mockingly. "I've arranged for you to be my secretary. You'll be responsible for arranging my schedule and sorting out information. If you do choose to take this job, report straight to the human resource department."
Then he strode out of the house, heading to his Lamborghini and driving away without another word. Ru Yin Yue watched him leave the premises of Crescent Villa, stunned.
Inside the car, Si Zha Nan fumed to himself. Originally he thought he could stay away from the woman he hated by immersing himself fully into work, but his mother had pressured him to give her a job. At first, he thought of lifting the ban on Ru Yin Yue, but when he saw her playing the piano that day, he got furious.
Not to mention, she embarrassed him in front of their ex-classmates that night in Sophia Bar. He was still simmering with resentment. And despite being a supposedly successful CEO of a multibillionaire corporation, Si Zha Nan was a petty, childish and bad tempered person who could really hold a grudge. He didn't want to see Ru Yin Yue happy. He didn't want her to get her way. Not after she destroyed the relationship between him and Zhou Ni Yao – how could she be allowed to be happy and succeed in her career after causing such misery to him and Ni Yao?
No. she must pay for her sins. He was going to punish her. So he was going to ensure she didn't get a job in music. He was going to do everything within his power to block her career.
If he and Ni Yao couldn't be happy, then Ru Yin Yue had no right to be.
However, there was a limit to what he could do to Ru Yin Yue. If his mother found out, he would be screwed. On the other hand, if he told his mother that he arranged for his wife to work as his secretary, mom would undoubtedly be delighted. It wasn't what Ru Yin Yue wanted, but mom would see this is progress in their relationship.
Little did she know, there would never be any development in this relationship. It was doomed to fail from the start.
Fortunately, Si Zha Nan saw this as an opportunity for revenge. He could think of several ways to torment this thieving witch at his company, far from his parents' eyes. He would make her suffer.
Thinking about this, he drove to the company, a sneer curling his lips.
Back home, Ru Yin Yue found herself in a dilemma. She didn't want to be a secretary. She wanted proper music work. She had studied six years in the Royal Academy of Music. She had graduated with mastery (Grade Eight and above) in music. Her ambition was to perform in the royal theater in front of thousands. To become a renowned musician.
Yet Si Zha Nan was clearly getting in her way.
Taking a deep breath, she assessed her options. Si Zha Nan's warning was right. Even if she refused this, the black mark that it would leave in her resume would hurt her chances of finding a job in future. Concert organizers and music companies were slightly strict on how clean they want their performers' records to be. Especially one like her who hadn't even started much in her career. Two years might seem like a while, but the number of performances within that period wasn't enough to establish her reputation as a proper musician just yet. Honestly, Si Zha Nan's actions were damaging her even further. The blacklist could be fatal to her career.
"Ma'am, I've prepared you a light breakfast." Auntie Yi approached her, gesturing to the sandwich and milk on the table. "Make sure you eat something before you go to work."
"Thank you."
Ru Yin Yue nodded gratefully as she went to the table. Evidently auntie Yi had heard everything and knew what was going on. Fortunately, auntie Yi and her daughter, Yi He Lan, treated her very well in this household, their attitudes toward her kind and sincere. They made living with the obnoxious Si Zha Nan tolerable.
If it wasn't for them, Ru Yin Yue would have left the Crescent Villa long ago. The mother and daughter pair at least gave her hope that there was still some good people left in this world.
For auntie Yi's part, despite the young master's attitude toward his own wife, she regarded Ru Yin Yue as her own daughter. Unlike the young master's previous girlfriend, his current wife was polite, humble and gentle. She didn't order auntie Yi and her daughter around, didn't threaten them or put on airs. She was very glad that the young master married this new madam, but she couldn't help but feel her heart ache whenever she saw how the young master ill-treated his newly wedded bride.
The young madam did not deserve such abuse. In fact, auntie Yi was astonished at how readily the young master hurt her. She didn't believe in the rumors and gossip, despite what Zhou Ni Yao told the young master, or what the young master himself said. She had met the madam in person, she got to know the young madam, and she could judge for herself the real character and personality. Right now, the madam had given her no reason to suspect her as a fraud or scheming green tea.
Sometimes, it was best to decide for yourself what kind of person was in front of you instead of blindly listening to gossip. Auntie Yi couldn't believe that a man as intelligent and astute as the young master wasn't aware of such a simple principle. That stinky demoness from before had really poisoned his mind with her nonsense.
She felt sorry for the madam, who had to put up with all this nonsense.
Ru Yin Yue quickly chewed on the sandwich and downed the glass of milk before heading upstairs to her room to get dressed appropriately.
Fortunately, her mother-in-law had taken her out for shopping on Friday, so she had formal business clothing that she could wear to her husband's company. Once she was done, she descended, dressed in a smart blouse and business skirt, complete with high heels.
"Ma'am, you're going to work now?" Auntie Yi glanced disapprovingly at the door. "I can't believe the young master didn't wait for you. You are both going to the same company, so why would he just go to work on his own first? The least he could do is give you a lift."
"I'm guessing that Zha Nan doesn't want people to know about our marriage. He doesn't want to make the news public. If I show up to his office in his car, people will start gossiping and spreading rumors."
Ru Yin Yue didn't know whether she was sounding bitter or defending her husband. Maybe both.
"So what if they know the truth?" Auntie Yi shook her head and snorted. She didn't understand why these young people were so concerned with their images. She only acknowledged Ru Yin Yue as the legitimate wife of Si Zha Nan, and thus she wondered why the young master would want to keep their relationship hidden from everyone. Just announce it publicly to everyone and let them know Ru Yin Yue was officially the young madam of the Si family. They already had the marriage certificate and had gone through the wedding ceremony. What was the problem?
Ru Yin Yue herself didn't know the answer to that. She simply smiled and clasped auntie Yi's hands warmly.
"Thank you. I'll be back for dinner. If not, I'll let you know so that you won't have to cook my share. I'll be heading off now."
"Have a safe trip."
Nodding, Ru Yin Yue then called a taxi and had the driver bring her to the Si Corporation's main office building. While she boarded the taxi, auntie Yi watched from afar, feeling exasperated. She wondered why the young master hated his wife so much, to the point that he couldn't even get along with her normally.
This abuse was bordering on absurd.
In the main office building of the Si Corporation, there was a commotion in the human resources department. The staff there was the first to hear the news of a new secretary and they couldn't help but gossip among each other. Even though Si Zha Nan hadn't actually said it outright, the staff had heard rumors that the new secretary had a deep relationship with him.
"The president's lover?"
"It's said that the president personally picked her himself. He arranged to have her work in his office."
"Whoa…so they have connections?"
Unaware of this gossip, Ru Yin Yue took the elevator and crossed the corridor to the office of human resources. She knocked on the door and stepped inside when the head of department raised her head and called her in.
"Yes, ma'am? Can I help you?"
"I'm Ru Yin Yue. I was told to report here…"
"Oh, you're the new secretary." The head of the department of human resources was an experienced middle-aged lady who had worked for the Si Corporation for over a decade and a half. She nodded, her expression stern not because she didn't like Ru Yin Yue, but because she was a blunt and frank person who preferred going straight to the point.
Over the years, she had dealt with hundreds, if not thousands of personnel coming in and leaving the Si Corporation, almost as if they were moving through a revolving door. Ru Yin Yue might be a fresh face, but there was no guarantee that she would be working here for long. Either she survived the climb up the corporate ladder or she would eventually leave for greener pastures.
The head of HR didn't know, and didn't care.
"Here are some documents and a training manual. If possible, read up on them, they describe the tasks you're expected to do. Your office is located in the president's office, so once you're ready, head up there immediately." The head of HR paused for a moment and glanced about the office, her gaze resting on a young woman a few desks away. "Hong Cai Qian, once Ru Yin Yue is ready, show her the way to the president's office."
"Okay." Hong Cai Qian sounded reluctant, but she complied. Ru Yin Yue glanced at the flashy young lady, who had put on a ton of makeup, and instantly had a bad feeling about all this.