At this moment, Yuan Jia bit her lips as she glare at Song Shi Cheng while clenching her hands. After quite some time had passed, she finally furiously said, "You are truly shameless and despicable!"
"Thank you for your compliments. A lot of people had told me the same thing." Song Shi Cheng just smiled graciously. "Now let's us discuss something more worthwhile. For instance, how do you plan to pay off these debts of yours?"
Yuan Jia warily asked, "What do you have in mind?!"
"You're dirt poor anyway. So, you'll become my personal assistant and the debts will be slowly deducted from your salary."
"Don't even think about it!"
"If that's the case, you should immediately pay off your debts along with the accrued interests."
Song Shi Cheng was getting more comfortable now at acting villainy. Using a carrot and stick approach, he lifted two fingers and smugly said, "You have two choices now. I'm not a very patient man. So, please decide quickly."
Yuan Jia was completely disheartened. Although it was said that she had two choices, reality was, she could only chose to submit.
In order to treat her father's illness, Yuan Jia family had ended up accruing hundreds of thousands of dollars in debts. As a fresh graduate, how can she even begin to raise such a large sum of money?
Yuan Jia had suddenly thought off Ye Tian, the great hero who had helped her out twice. Apparently Ye Tian was now working for a very successful tycoon. He might just be able to loan her that amount of money.
However, Yuan Jia quickly dismissed this idea. Because of her strong principle and ego, it wouldn't allow Yuan Jia to so easily ask others for help. Not to mention, she is at most a friend Ye Tian had met a few times. How could she even begin to make such a request?
However, if Yuan Jia was to submit this coercion, she most likely wouldn't have a stable life in the future. More importantly, she might end up being defiled with a single misstep!
Song Shi Cheng could immediately make a guess when he saw the hesitation and struggle Yuan Jia was experiencing. He knew there's no way this heroine would be able to put down her ego easily and request for help, especially when it comes to borrowing money from Ye Tian who's just a normal friend.
At the same time, Song Shi Cheng couldn't simply rely on coercion alone, he will need to offer some incentives as well. "As my personal assistant, you'll be getting a salary package in line with Feng Hua Group's standard. You should know our salary package is above market rate when it comes to fresh graduate. If what you're worried about is I have ulterior motive, that's just pointless. Think about it, if I'm interested in you, is there a need for me go through such hassle and keep you beside me? I have more efficient means to employ."
"Will you be so charitable? Is this what you mean by a pragmatic revenge?" Yuan Jia sarcastically asked.
"Exactly! I won't make a move on you but that doesn't mean I won't make your life miserable. It's much more interesting for me to keep you by my side and torment you slowly." Song Shi Cheng just phrased it plainly with a laugh. He wasn't in a hurry to change her bad impression of him. He just wanted to keep her close for the time being. "Be a bit more optimistic about the whole matter. It's your own fault that you ended up owing me so much money. Now, it's a matter of course to pay the proper price. In this day and age, isn't it quite common to suffer some ill treatment while working for others? As long as you're obedient and dutifully accomplish your assignments, I will be merciful."
"You're the most disgusting man I have ever met!" Yuan Jia was frustrated by Song Shi Cheng's roguish and shameless behaviour yet she didn't have any recourse for it.
Song Shi Cheng didn't bother bickering with her and directly asked Dou Bin, "I know you have a wide network of contacts. Do you know any dependable collection agency?"
"Don't!" Yuan Jia panicked the moment she heard Song Shi Cheng was planning to hire a collection agency. She feared her parents might end up getting harassed.
"If that's the case, you better decide quickly. My time is precious." Song Shi Cheng gave her his ultimatum.
Yuan Jia hesitated for a moment before closing her eyes in despair.
Song Shi Cheng couldn't help chuckling when he saw Yuan Jia's action. "Congratulations! One day you'll come to realise you had made a wise decision today."
"Shouldn't it be utmost humiliation instead?" Yuan Jia sullenly smirked.
"You can think whatever you want, Little Yuan Jia. Only time will tell you the truth." Song Shi Cheng had vividly and thoroughly put on an impudent expression similar to when a villain had achieved their ulterior motive. "Uncle De, please have lunch prepared. I would like to spend some time to get to know better these two future employees of mine."
"I will do as Young Master instructed!"
*****
Taking advantage of the fine weather, the lunch was being hosted in the back garden.
Just a short while after they had started eating their lunch, a servant had rushed over to report, "Young Master, there's a person name Ye Tian who had come to visit you."
The moment the name was heard, Chui Zi, Uncle De and their bodyguards immediately turned vigilant.
"Is it you what had asked him to come here?" Song Shi Cheng glanced at Yuan Jia.
Yuan Jia nodded as she said with hesitation, "I will go out and give him an explanation."
"There's no need. Just allow him to enter." Song Shi Cheng was rather calm and leisurely as he ignored Uncle De's advice against it.
Thus, Chui Zi and the rest of the bodyguards could only chose to maintain a high level of vigilance to ensure their employer's safety.
It didn't take long for the servant to return with Ye Tian. Without any surprise, Ye Tian had come in with deep-seated hatred and started shouting before even reaching the table, "Song Shi Cheng!! You remorseless bastard, haven't you had it enough harassing Xiao Yan. Now you won't even let go of a young lady!"
"Who am I harassing again?" Song Shi Cheng acted innocent as he said, "Haven't everyone seen it the other day? Xiao Yan was willing to marry me. Have you also forgotten that Xiao Yan had already rejected you the other day?"
"All of us can bear witness to that!" Chui Zi and everyone else declared.
"Look, the masses have discerning eyes. Comrade Ye Tian, I could emphaticize with you. After all, your dream girl is going to marry someone else. It must have felt horrible but this didn't give you an excuse to arbitrarily cause problem here. Haven't you heard of the saying, one shouldn't go around provoking or inciting others into friction." Although Song Shi Cheng appears to comforting Ye Tian, his expression alone was as if he's asking for a beating.
Hearing that, Yuan Jia experienced an inexplicable sorrow and lost as she looked at Ye Tian. Apparently, Ye Tian already had someone he's in love with and the person was Song Shi Cheng's fiancée.
"I'm too lazy to bicker with a scum like you! There's no way I will allow Xiao Yan to marry you!" Ye Tian said in agitation and exasperation. "Also, what have you done to Yuan Jia!"
"Little Yuan Jia, besides giving you an interview and treating you to lunch, had I done anything else to you?" Song Shi Cheng seriously asked Yuan Jia.
Yuan Jia usually wouldn't have accommodated Song Shi Cheng, but given her infatuation towards Ye Tian had just been shattered, she just grunted twice in acknowledgement absentmindedly.
"Yuan Jia, quickly come over here!" Ye Tian could see Yuan Jia was behaving rather oddly, thus he assumed Song Shi Cheng had done something impropriate towards her.
"Comrade Ye Tian, how many times do I have to tell you that you're very self-centered and egocentric? Do you really think you're the reincarnation of justice in this world? That the world revolves around you or whatever you say goes? Do you think you're the protagonist in a novel?" Song Shi Cheng couldn't help grinning after he had taunted Ye Tian. It didn't need to be mentioned that Ye Tian was in fact the protagonist. However, he couldn't back down thus disgracing the infamy of an antagonist.
"Let me tell you this Ye Tian, Miss Yuan Jia had already accepted my offer. She will officially work as my personal assistant starting today. So, please stop harassing her in the future. Otherwise, I will request the prosecutor to charge you sexual harassment as well." Song Shi Cheng righteously admonished Ye Tian.
Ye Tian revealed an expression of disbelieved as he questioned Yuan Jia, "Yuan Jia, is this true? Did he threaten you in any way?"
"I have my own difficulties." Yuan Jia sheepishly said. She was unwilling to let Ye Tian knew about her destitute state.
"What difficulty do you have? Is it worth it for you to work for this scum?!" Ye Tian were irritated when he recall Yuan Jia family was rather destitute. "Is it because of money?"
Yuan Jia could only stay silent.
Upon witnessing the silence, Ye Tian's heart sank and started to reproach her, "Yuan Jia, how could make such a decision? I had always though you're someone who's steadfast with principles. You had been working diligently everyday just so you can raise the funds to treat your father. I have deep respect for your principles but now you willingly sold yourself to serve to this young master who had nearly defiled you because of money?! You have greatly disappointed my."
Yuan Jia was originally extremely upset and agitated but her expression changed the moment she heard the word 'sold.' Thus she bitterly asked in befuddlement, "Ye Tian, do you honestly think I'm such a deplorable person?"
Ye Tian quickly defended her slip of tongue, "That's not what I mean Yuan Jia. Listen to my explanation…"
"You don't have to explain further. You can leave now!" Yuan Jia's good impression of Ye Tian was also ruined. Although she was grieving, she just indifferently said, "I'm working for Young Master Song from today onward. If you're going to look at me with contempt, we'll walk our own path from today onwards. I still owe you two debts of gratitude for saving me but I will definitely repay it once I have saved up enough money."
"You won't have to owe him. I will pay you two months of salary in advance for you to clear these two debts of gratitude." Song Shi Cheng wanted to sow even more mayhem. Thus, he immediately offered the heroine a helping hand.
At this moment, the cold voice of the System was heard.
"Ding! Successfully gave the Protagonist a major slap on the face. You have successfully seized two Destiny points from the Protagonist for successfully uprooting a love interest towards him at its infancy. Please keep up with the great work!"
Wow! What a malicious System!