Not a Scummy Alpha, But a Sweet Puppy (Transmigration Into A Novel) - Chapter 9

What a shameless, bald-headed creep!

Resting her hand on the chair armrest, Jiang Zhenmian turned slightly and smiled sincerely. “Brother Su is right. In just two days at the company, I’ve already learned how to make coffee. That’s such a valuable experience. I never learned that in my twenty-odd years before. This feeling of progress is wonderful.”

Brother Su, far from being offended by her sarcastic tone, actually seemed pleased with himself. “In the workplace, in society, you have to be sharp. When your seniors assign you tasks, you need to complete them diligently. They give you work because they have expectations of you, because they see your potential.”

“And another thing,” he added, his eyes narrowing as he raked Jiang Zhenmian up and down with a greasy gaze. “Why are you coming to work without makeup, Xiao Jiang? Every professional woman wears makeup. It’s a sign of respect for your superiors. You’re quite pretty, you know. It’s a shame to waste such a face by not dressing it up properly.”

What kind of feudal relic spouts such male-gaze nonsense? Did they bury a 5G tower on his grave? How else did this ancient mummy crawl out, still wrapped in his foot-binding cloths, and shamble into modern society pretending to be civilized?

The sky had cleared, the rain had stopped, but without his brilliant guidance, society would regress fifty years. Even the atomic bomb’s development was modeled after the shape of his head. How else could you explain his colossal ego?

Jiang Zhenmian desperately wanted to grab her forty-meter-long cleaver and slash his face open, peel back his skull to see if his brain had rotted and grown green mold, the kind that had squeezed out all his hair, leaving him with that half-bald look.

Stay calm! Stay calm!

I’m here to fit into this family, not tear apart this farce. I’m here to fit into this family, I’m here to fit into this family…

I can’t act like a rebellious young woman. Deep breaths, deep breaths…

Jiang Zhenmian held her breath, mentally reciting the core socialist values several times, barely managing to swallow back the “friendly remark” that had nearly slipped out.
She stared at the man across from her for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “I never realized Brother Su was not only the deputy group leader but also the company’s image ambassador. You’re so dedicated, managing your responsibilities with such meticulous order. It’s truly eye-opening for a newcomer like me.”

“I really want to help, but I’m just not able to,” Jiang Zhenmian said, frowning slightly. “Sister Zhang needs the design draft by tomorrow. I’ve been working on it since morning, even working overtime at home. There’s just no time for anything else.”

“Here’s an idea,” she continued, smiling sweetly, seemingly oblivious to how provocative her words sounded. “Once my design draft is approved and I get promoted to deputy team leader, I’ll have people working under me. I can assign one of them to help you, Brother Su. What do you think?”

“It’s not urgent, just a couple of days,” Jiang Zhenmian drawled. “Brother Su, your proposal isn’t time-sensitive, is it?”

Her tone shifted. “I’m guessing it’s not. After all, if it were urgent, you wouldn’t have asked a newbie like me, right?”

Whatever she said struck a nerve. Brother Su’s face twitched, his smile becoming a mere mask, devoid of genuine warmth. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, young lady. Everyone here has earned their promotions through years of hard work and experience. You’ve barely arrived and you’re already aiming for team leader? That’s a bit…”

Jiang Zhenmian interrupted him, her eyes wide with feigned curiosity. “So, Brother Su, how many years did you have to work before you got promoted to deputy team leader?”

How many years had he endured? How many years? A flicker of resentment and humiliation flashed in Brother Su’s eyes. His uncle, the deputy director of the Management Department, had specifically arranged for him to work at Gu Corporation. He’d assumed having connections would make things easy, and at the very least, he’d become a team leader. The Art Department was Gu Corporation’s most crucial division, and even a team leader there earned far more than junior managers in other departments.

But the manager was utterly impervious to bribery. She refused invitations to dinner and rejected gifts, insisting solely on merit and completely disregarding personal connections.
He’d worked there for a full five years! Five years! And only now had he been promoted to deputy team leader. Did anyone know what those five years had been like for him?

And now this snot-nosed kid, barely out of college, was being made deputy team leader, his equal.

The department had long finalized the plans for the new Classic of Mountains and Seas series. He’d even secretly submitted his designs to Manager Zhang, only to have them rejected on the spot. She’d said his designs lacked originality and were completely substandard.

Wang Lin had been standing at the door at that moment, having just delivered some documents. He was certain she’d overheard everything.

When he emerged from the manager’s office, he noticed everyone’s expressions were off, as if they were secretly mocking his humiliation.

He was determined to settle this score. First one woman, then another, both trampling over him and throwing their weight around. This one was no different.

Brother Su glanced at Jiang Zhenmian’s face. That short, androgynous haircut made her look like some pretty boy, utterly lacking in feminine charm. He’d heard Manager Zhang, who was over thirty and dressed to the nines every day, had never had a boyfriend. Maybe she was into this kind of thing. Disgusting.

He fantasized about pinning both women beneath him, a mental image that momentarily eased his anger.

He couldn’t touch the manager, but what about some lowly clerk with no connections?

And come to think of it, Jiang Zhenmian wasn’t bad-looking at all.

Brother Su’s expression shifted from dark to sunny, even managing a smile. “Forget about it. Just embarrassing stuff. The manager’s assignments are obviously more important. Since you’re busy, I’ll find someone else.”

“Oh, right, the department’s having a get-together this weekend. You should come too. Officially, it’s only for full-time employees, but seeing how confident you are, your promotion next month is practically guaranteed. Coming early won’t hurt. It’ll be a good chance to get to know the rest of the team.”

Wang Lin, sitting beside her, looked surprised. After watching the live broadcast like a deaf-mute for so long, she finally showed a flicker of emotion. “Isn’t this… inappropriate?”

“Hey! What’s wrong with it?” Brother Su asked, his face darkening. “Do you think Xiao Jiang doesn’t deserve to be promoted?”

“Of course not,” Wang Lin replied, meeting their gazes. Her brow twitched, and she smiled warmly. “Then Xiao Jiang should come. I’ll send you the exact address later. Just come straight to the office, and you can ride with me.”

Jiang Zhenmian glanced at Brother Su, then back at Wang Lin. “Wow, thanks, Sister Lin! You even drive? That’s amazing!”

Brother Su gave her one last meaningful look before turning and strolling away.

Jiang Zhenmian picked up her stylus, twirling it between her fingers. Her eyes narrowed slightly. “System, this Su Qiwen… I get a really bad vibe from him.”

“Can you sneak into his phone and check him out? I don’t trust him. He was so angry his face turned as red as a jujube bun, but he held it in.”

The System was aghast. “What? Was he angry just now?”

Jiang Zhenmian: What a useless AI…

System: “Though I could, I can’t. It violates the rules. The System cannot provide excessive assistance outside the main storyline.”

Jiang Zhenmian’s eyes widened, adopting the tone of a malicious mother-in-law. “What use are you to me, then?!”

The System replied uncertainly, “To keep you company and chat?”

Jiang Zhenmian: “I’ll just call Xiao Yi on my phone right now. You’ve got a replacement!”

The System remained unfazed. “A mere smartphone AI, barely even evolved, just a rigid program? How could it possibly compare to me?”

Jiang Zhenmian: “It can’t compare, but what useful functions do you have that it doesn’t?”
System: “Of course I do. I can issue tasks.”

Amid Jiang Zhenmian’s sudden stiffness, the System stated mechanically, “According to the original timeline, you should now be starting to flirt with Gu Zhibai. Please say the line, ‘The moonlight is beautiful tonight.'”

Jiang Zhenmian said with disgust, “How cliché. This scumbag’s taste is truly awful.”

“Don’t worry,” the System said. “You’re the one who’s about to embarrass yourself.”

Jiang Zhenmian: ??

“You’re a natural at this chatting thing, kid.”

This minor incident was utterly insignificant in Jiang Zhenmian’s career. Her temper flared quickly but faded just as fast. If she wasted her days getting angry at idiots, she’d never get anything done and would probably rage herself to death by eighty.

She used to stew over her anger for ages, unable to grasp why anyone could think like that. It genuinely baffled her.

Eventually, she learned to let it go, deciding to respect the diversity of human nature.

As a normal person, she couldn’t empathize with the mentally challenged, nor did she need to understand them. All she had to do was wield her righteous hammer, unleash her grand life philosophies, and teach them a lesson in basic human decency. That was enough.

Jiang Zhenmian: Well, I can’t help being so kind. Good people like me, who love to teach others, are a rare breed these days.

She paid Su Qiwen’s hostility no mind whatsoever. It was the System’s mission that truly worried her.

The moon is beautiful tonight. A classic line from the writer Natsume Sōseki, it had become increasingly popular over time. Many people only knew it as a romantic confession, a substitute for “I love you,” without understanding its deeper meaning or the subtle, unspoken emotions it conveyed.

Even the most romantic words, repeated too often, become as trite as a pop song.

The Original Host, that deadbeat scum, had undoubtedly used this line to flirt with and test Gu Zhibai.

The mere thought of this person daring to covet Gu Zhibai filled Jiang Zhenmian with fury. The idea of having to utter those words herself, like stuffing garbage into her mouth and then sincerely praising its deliciousness, only intensified her anger.

Such situations would only become more frequent in the future. Rather than stew in resentment, she needed to find a solution.

Jiang Zhenmian rubbed her face, exhaled deeply, and pondered how to deliver the line without sounding flirtatious.

Who flirts after knowing someone for just a few days? she thought. I’m no player, and I don’t want a fling. Confessing your feelings is a serious matter, not something to be taken lightly.

Having made up her mind, her eyes hardened with determination. She swiftly typed and sent the message.

The reply came almost instantly: three dots.

“It’s cloudy today.”
Jiang Zhenmian: “Yeah, look at that dark cloud. Doesn’t it look like black sesame paste?”

Support Not a Scummy Alpha, But a Sweet Puppy (Transmigration Into A Novel)