The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 92

Returning to her rented apartment, Tang Jing could barely hold on any longer. But the overwhelming stench of alcohol and perfume on her was unbearable, so she headed straight for the shower.

Standing under the showerhead, she tilted her head back slightly, letting the warm water spray over her face, clearing some of the fog in her mind.

While showering, she faintly heard her phone ringing outside. She figured the only people who’d call her at this hour were her parents after all, the other person was already blackout drunk.

She quickened her pace, finished washing up, slipped into a nightgown, and wrapped her damp hair in a towel. Stepping from the steamy bathroom into the air-conditioned room, she exhaled in relief and picked up the phone she’d tossed onto the bed earlier. Sure enough, there was a missed call but it wasn’t from her parents. It was an unfamiliar number.

She raised an eyebrow, initially ignoring it, but the same number called again.

Probably not a scam call, no scammer would call twice in an hour, targeting the same victim.

She answered without speaking, and a cautious, probing voice came through. “Hello, is this Xi Ran?”

Recognizing the voice she’d heard just two hours ago at the bar, Tang Jing smirked silently, though her eyes remained cold. “Zhang Mei. What do you want?”

Zhang Mei hadn’t expected Xi Ran to recognize her voice instantly. She felt a mix of bashfulness and excitement. “Xi Ran, I didn’t think you’d remember me!”

Tang Jing replied coolly, “Get to the point.”

Xi Ran might have been gentle with people, but not everyone received that kindness especially when it came to Xia Yunwei and her friends. In Xi Ran’s world, Xia Yunwei had been led astray by them.

But in Tang Jing’s opinion, Xia Yunwei had always been rotten at heart, she just hid it well.

Zhang Mei had sneaked into the bathroom to make this call. She’d eagerly volunteered to take Xia Yunwei home just to fish Xi Ran’s number from her phone. After Xi Ran left earlier, Zhang Mei couldn’t shake her frustration. If Xia Yunwei treated Xi Ran so terribly, she must not love her anymore so why not hand her over?

If Xia Yunwei didn’t want Xi Ran anymore, she shouldn’t keep her trapped. Look at how Xi Ran had been ruined because of her.

The more Zhang Mei thought about it, the more she resented Xia Yunwei. When He Manman and the others asked who’d take Xia Yunwei home tonight, Zhang Mei jumped at the chance, just for this moment.

But hearing the icy tone on the other end still stung. “Xi Ran, why stay with Xia Yunwei when she treats you like that? Come with me instead. I can give you everything.”

Tang Jing almost laughed. What kind of scumbag talk was this? Did she think Xi Ran was some kind of commodity?

Staying in character, Tang Jing replied politely but distantly, “I’m sorry.”

Stealing a friend’s girlfriend was no different from what Xia Yunwei had done just another flavor of scumbaggery.

Besides, she didn’t believe Zhang Mei truly liked Xi Ran. She just wanted a taste of something new. Once the novelty wore off, she’d discard Xi Ran just like Xia Yunwei had.

Birds of a feather flock together, that saying couldn’t be more accurate.

Zhang Mei wasn’t ready to give up, but just as she was about to speak again, Xia Yunwei started retching loudly outside. Panicked, she scrambled up from the toilet seat and hastily hung up.

Listening to the busy tone on the other end of the phone, Tang Jing directly added the number to her blacklist.

It was already 2 a.m., but she couldn’t sleep. Deciding to make use of the time, she sat in front of her computer and drafted a resume. After finishing the electronic version, she sent it to the HR email of Leqing Co., Ltd.

Once everything was done, she yawned and forced herself to lie down in bed.

This body was too fragile right now, it needed proper care for a while. The first step was getting enough sleep.

The next day, Tang Jing slept in until she naturally woke up. Glancing at her phone, she saw it was already noon. Stretching lazily, she got out of bed and went to freshen up.

While brushing her teeth, her darkened phone screen suddenly lit up. She glanced at it, and her eyes brightened when she saw the notification. Clenching the toothbrush between her teeth, she immediately picked up the phone to read the message.

To her surprise, the resume she had submitted in the early hours of the morning had already been approved. They asked her to come in for an interview first thing tomorrow.

Such good news made Tang Jing decide to treat herself to a nice meal outside. But just as she opened the door, she ran into Xia Yunwei. The smile that had been tugging at her lips instantly vanished.

“Going out for something?” Xia Yunwei brushed past her with practiced ease, slipping off her high heels and walking barefoot into the apartment.

In the past, the original owner would have worried about her catching a chill and hurried over with slippers. But Tang Jing had no intention of serving any woman other than her senior martial sister.

Even if she couldn’t change the original plot right now, she could at least avoid unnecessary interactions. Besides, Xia Yunwei wouldn’t care either way, would she?

Indeed, Xia Yunwei didn’t seem to mind. She plopped onto the sofa and tilted her chin up, commanding, “I’m thirsty. Get me some water.”

“What do you want?” Tang Jing placed a bottle of mineral water in front of her and sat down across from her.

“Can’t I come see you without a reason?” Xia Yunwei had drunk too much last night and still had a headache. The first thing she did after waking up was come looking for Xi Ran. She hadn’t expected that, despite her plan to get Xi Ran drunk, she had ended up drunk herself instead.

According to Zhang Mei, Xi Ran had left afterward as if nothing had happened.

It was beyond Xia Yunwei’s expectations that the other woman could hold her liquor so well. But if that was the case, why had Xi Ran always claimed she couldn’t drink whenever Xia Yunwei pressured her before?

“Xi Ran, have you been playing me for a fool?” Xia Yunwei slammed the water bottle onto the coffee table in anger, causing water to splash out and spill onto the surface.

Tang Jing frowned slightly at the now-damp tablecloth.

Unable to contain her rage, Xia Yunwei gripped the bottle tightly, water spilling out as she glared at Tang Jing. “You told me you couldn’t drink. So what was last night? You downed so much and didn’t even flinch. You actually dared to lie to me.”

“And what about you?” Tang Jing met her gaze.

“What?” Xia Yunwei faltered for a moment.

Tang Jing’s eyes darkened as she stared at her. “You said you’d love me forever. But did you ever?”

Xia Yunwei loosened her grip on the bottle, momentarily stunned before her face twisted in fury. “I’m talking about the drinking! Why are you bringing up love? Haven’t we already broken up? Why are you asking such childish questions?”

“If we’ve broken up, then why are you here?” Tang Jing countered.

“I—” Xia Yunwei choked on her words before pointing angrily at Tang Jing, then at the apartment. “Are you kicking me out? Don’t forget who found this place and who pays the rent every month!”

“The home furnishings, utilities, property fees, and living expenses here, I paid for all of them.” Tang Jing continued in a calm tone.

On the surface, it might seem like Xia Yunwei spent the most money, but in reality, the only thing she contributed to this household was the monthly rent. The rest was all covered by Xi Ran.

But Xia Yunwei couldn’t care less about these details. In her mind, these expenses were trivial.

Xia Yunwei sneered, “So since you couldn’t get money from me, you started targeting my friends?”

Xia Yunwei’s circle of friends were all from wealthy families. They often kept lovers on the side, discarding them once they grew bored.

Tang Jing frowned, feeling like she was once again spewing baseless nonsense, and stood up. “Just leave.”

Xia Yunwei had only intended to provoke her, but seeing her reaction, she assumed guilt and narrowed her eyes mockingly. “Xi Ran, I never thought you’d actually go behind my back and approach my friends. Who was it? He Manman? Liu Ting? Or” She paused, recalling Zhang Mei’s expression last night, and scoffed. “Zhang Mei?”

“No wonder that little bitch Zhang Mei was so frantic when I kept pouring you drinks last night. So you two were already involved?”

The more absurd her accusations became, the less Tang Jing felt like arguing. “If you say so.”

“What do you mean, ‘if you say so’? You hooked up with her shouldn’t I be furious? Xi Ran, where’s your shame? How dare you cheat on me!” Enraged, Xia Yunwei grabbed a water bottle from the table and hurled it at her.

Tang Jing hadn’t expected her to go this far. The remaining water in the bottle splashed all over her, half of her face drenched.

Her expression darkened as she glared at Xia Yunwei. “Are you done?”

“Done? You cheated, and now I’m the crazy one?”

“First, we broke up a long time ago. Who I’m with is none of your business. Second, ” Tang Jing’s lips curled into a cold smile. “Weren’t you so eager to push me toward your dear friend Zhang Mei last night? Why the tantrum now? Upset that I didn’t play along, that I wasn’t humiliated, or that I actually got together with your friend and now you can’t handle it?”

“You!” Xia Yunwei stared at her, stunned.

Tang Jing grabbed a tissue and wiped the water from her face, speaking deliberately. “Since we’re already broken up, let’s not keep in touch. Just go.”

Xia Yunwei snapped back to reality. Seeing that infuriatingly composed expression again, the one that never cracked no matter the situation, felt like fuel to the fire raging inside her. She let out a furious scream. “You don’t get to decide when we’re over, dream on!” Her eyes burned with madness as she glared at Tang Jing. “Xi Ran, I’ll make sure you suffer slowly.” With that, she strode to the entryway, slipped on her heels, and slammed the door behind her.

The loud bang echoed through the entire building.

With her gone, Tang Jing no longer had to keep up the act. She surveyed the wrecked living room and let out an irritated tsk.

The moment Tang Jing had declared they should cut ties, the system had issued a warning. But as Xia Yunwei ranted, the warning abruptly stopped.

[System: …]

The warning had been triggered because, in the original storyline, Xi Ran plagued by depression had remained silent. She would never have repeatedly shut Xia Yunwei down the way Tang Jing just had.

Tang Jing explained, “Xia Yunwei doesn’t know whether I have depression or not, and even if she did, she wouldn’t care. Besides, based on the original plot summary, I already knew she wasn’t the type to let things go easily.”

The system had no choice but to remind her, 【Xia Yunwei’s remorse value -50%】

An additional 20% drop from the original level, yet Tang Jing remained completely unfazed.

After changing her clothes, she went out as usual to grab a meal. On her way back, she stopped by the supermarket to stock up on groceries for the next few days. After all, the original owner’s savings were running low, and until she secured a job and received her paycheck next month, she had to be frugal with her spending.

When Xi Ran and Xia Yunwei were together, Xia had indeed spent money on jewelry for Xi Ran. However, Xi Ran had hardly worn any of it. Now, Tang Jing gathered all the pieces into a box, planning to return them when she had the chance.

As for the apartment, although she had been covering all expenses except rent, she no longer wanted to live there.

Early the next morning, Tang Jing stepped out dressed in a white chiffon blouse, black tailored trousers, and low-heeled sandals. Her hair was tied into a low ponytail, and she wore light makeup, a look befitting a professional workplace.

She boarded the crowded subway during rush hour and arrived in front of Yueqing Tower.

It was peak office hours, with employees streaming into the building. Some cast curious glances at her unfamiliar yet strikingly beautiful face.

Among the crowd, someone recognized her and hurried over excitedly, “Xi Ran!”

Tang Jing searched the original owner’s memories and quickly identified the person. “Yang Pan.”

Yang Pan studied her closely, smiling. “It really is you!” Then, frowning slightly, she asked, “But how did you lose so much weight?”

Tang Jing simply smiled without elaborating.

Sensing her reluctance to discuss it, Yang Pan tactfully changed the subject. “So, what brings you here today?”

“An interview.”

Yang Pan’s face lit up. “Are you coming back to work?”

“Yes,” Tang Jing replied with a smile. “A working girl’s gotta earn her keep, after all.”

Yang Pan, also a fellow wage-earner, laughed in agreement.

“Come on, let’s go in together.”

“Alright.” Tang Jing nodded.

Since Yang Pan had to clock in, she escorted Tang Jing to the HR department before leaving. Not that Tang Jing needed the guidance, the original owner had worked here for two years, after all.

Knocking on the door, a voice inside called out, “Come in.”

Pushing the door open, Tang Jing saw a woman seated behind the desk, eyes fixed on her computer. Upon seeing Tang Jing, she gestured to the chair opposite with a smile. “Have a seat, Xi Ran.”

“Si Si-jie,” Tang Jing greeted warmly.

Jiang Sisi remarked dryly, “I thought you’d really given up work for that so-called girlfriend of yours.”

Her tone made it clear that the two knew each other perhaps even better than Yang Pan did.

Before Xi Ran left the company, Jiang Sisi had been her closest friend.

But after resigning, Xi Ran had become reclusive, cutting ties with all her old friends out of fear of facing people or stepping outside.

Now, it seemed those friends hadn’t forgotten her.

Tang Jing smiled. “Not anymore.”

“When I saw your name in my inbox this morning, I was shocked thought it might just be someone with the same name. But the photo confirmed it was really you.” Jiang Sisi studied her, brows furrowing. “Why do you look so much thinner?”

“You’ve lost a lot of weight so much that your face looks gaunt.”

“Did Xia Yunwei take care of you like this?” Jiang Sisi smacked the table angrily.

“We’ve already broken up,” Tang Jing replied indifferently.

“Really?” Jiang Sisi was actually happy for her. “Good riddance! I never thought the two of you were a good match anyway.” She glanced at Tang Jing’s expression, relieved to see she wasn’t upset, and quickly changed the subject. “Let’s talk about work.”

“Alright.”

Jiang Sisi hesitated before speaking. “The position you used to hold is currently filled.” She gave Tang Jing an apologetic look.

Tang Jing wasn’t bothered after all, she couldn’t expect her old job to be waiting for her indefinitely.

Jiang Sisi continued, “The only opening right now is…” She paused.

“What’s wrong?” Tang Jing asked, noticing her hesitation.

Jiang Sisi looked slightly embarrassed. “You know Yin Qingyue, right?”

At the mention of the name, a flicker of something passed through Tang Jing’s eyes, though her expression remained neutral. She nodded. “Yes, the general manager.”

Since her friend had worked at the company for two years before, she must have some understanding of the general manager’s temperament. Jiang Sisi decided to be direct. “The general manager’s assistant resigned a few days ago, so the position is open now. So?”

“I’ll take it,” Tang Jing agreed. “I can give it a try.”

Jiang Sisi sighed apologetically. “Xi Ran, if you go to the general manager’s office, don’t let yourself be bullied too much. If it gets bad, I’ll see if I can find another position for you.”

“It’s fine. I can adapt anywhere,” Tang Jing said with a smile.

Jiang Sisi shook her head, torn between amusement and exasperation. “You! I don’t know whether to call your temperament good or bad.”

Her friend’s gentle nature made her an easy target for bullies. Just looking at how thin she’d become, it was clear how much she’d suffered under the domineering Xia Yunwei.

At least they were broken up now. Someone like Xi Ran needed a partner who was just as kind-hearted.

But the thought of sending her friend to the general manager’s office made Jiang Sisi uneasy. Everyone in the company knew how strict Yin Qingyue was harsh on herself and even harsher on others. Assistants under her never lasted long.

With her friend’s temperament, who knew how badly she’d be treated? Jiang Sisi decided she’d have to keep an eye on other openings and transfer her back as soon as possible.

Tang Jing had no idea that before she’d even started the job, her friend was already planning her escape.

“Come on, I’ll take you to see General Manager Yin,” Jiang Sisi said.

“Alright.”

Yin Qingyue was in a foul mood. She reached for her coffee but found the cup empty. She was about to call her assistant to refill it before remembering the assistant had already quit.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she surveyed the messy desk and felt exhaustion creeping in. She removed her glasses and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes.

A knock at the door interrupted her brief respite. She sat up, put her glasses back on, and called, “Come in.”

“General Manager Yin,” Jiang Sisi from HR entered respectfully. “We have a new applicant today. Since your assistant position is vacant, I’ve brought her to you.”

Just moments ago, Yin Qingyue had been lamenting the lack of an assistant to handle trivial matters. Now, one had arrived though she still needed to assess the candidate. She nodded. “Send her in.”

Jiang Sisi gestured for Tang Jing to enter.

Tang Jing walked in with a smile and said, “Good day, President Yin.”

Seeing it was her, a flicker of surprise crossed Yin Qingyue’s eyes, followed by a hint of amusement as she looked at her and asked, “What can you do?”

“Whatever President Yin needs, I can handle it,” Tang Jing met her gaze without flinching.

President Yin’s presence was too overpowering. Jiang Sisi, standing nearby, wished she could leave immediately, but since the matter wasn’t resolved yet, she could only force a stiff smile and remain in place.

Yin Qingyue tapped the desk with her index finger. “Then pour me a cup of coffee.”

“What kind of coffee would President Yin like?” Tang Jing asked calmly.

“Mocha,” Yin Qingyue parted her red lips and uttered the two words.

Tang Jing replied, “Please wait a moment.”

Soon after, Tang Jing returned with a cup of mocha. The mocha was made from espresso, chocolate syrup, cocoa powder, and frothed milk, topped with a floral latte art design.

When Yin Qingyue saw the latte art, she glanced at Tang Jing but said nothing. She picked up the cup and took a sip smooth with a hint of sweetness, yet balanced by the bitterness of chocolate, creating a rich and layered flavor.

“Hmm,” Yin Qingyue took another sip without commenting, but the relaxed look on her face made it clear she was satisfied.

Tang Jing smiled at her.

Yin Qingyue turned to Jiang Sisi and said, “You may leave. She stays.” Then she looked at Tang Jing and asked, “What’s your name?”

“Xi Ran.”

Jiang Sisi gave Tang Jing an encouraging look before stepping out.

Yin Qingyue said, “First, help me sort these materials into categories.”

“Of course,” Tang Jing stepped forward and began organizing everything methodically.

She was naturally adept at household chores, so tasks like sorting and tidying came effortlessly to her.

Seeing how quickly she had the desk cleaned up and the documents neatly arranged for easy access, Yin Qingyue raised an eyebrow. “Have you worked in this field before?”

“No,” Tang Jing replied. “It’s just a small habit of mine.”

“Mm, it’s a good habit,” Yin Qingyue nodded.

Pleased by the praise, Tang Jing smiled.

“Sit. I’ll brief you on some projects, and later you can help me gather some materials,” Yin Qingyue gestured to the chair opposite her, motioning for Tang Jing to bring it closer and sit beside her.

“Alright.”

Efficient, decisive, and without unnecessary questions Yin Qingyue glanced sideways at her new assistant. The woman had long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles. As she moved the chair, her sleeve slipped slightly, revealing delicate wrists.

Yin Qingyue tapped the documents rhythmically with her fingers, as if lost in thought.

“President Yin?” Seeing her unresponsive for a while, Tang Jing tentatively called out.

Yin Qingyue snapped out of it, and the first thing she said was, “Do you not eat much?”

The night before at the bar, she had held the other woman’s arm and noticed how thin it was. Now, in broad daylight and up close, she realized just how alarmingly slender this woman was almost like a paper cutout.

“Well!” The topic was a bit awkward. Though the person sitting across from her was her future boss, discussing personal matters right after meeting seemed inappropriate. She could only go along with the question.

After asking, Yin Qingyue felt a twinge of regret. Seeing that her assistant didn’t react much, she relaxed and dropped the subject. “Just a casual question, don’t mind it.” She then leaned slightly closer and pointed at the documents. “Now, let’s talk about this project.”

A light fragrance of perfume drifted over, warmed by the woman’s body heat, becoming subtly alluring. Tang Jing’s throat moved almost imperceptibly as she swallowed such a reaction was terribly impolite. She quickly composed herself and focused on the work at hand, following her superior’s lead.

The discussion lasted the entire morning. Along the way, Tang Jing poured water for her, though Yin Qingyue didn’t seem thirsty at all.

Yin Qingyue was even more pleased with the little assistant’s proactive attitude. She pointed to a spot near the door and said, “Your desk is over there. If you have any questions in the future, you can ask Lina.”

Lina was Yin Qingyue’s secretary, responsible for managing the CEO’s schedule, important documents, liaising with other companies, and so on.

Tang Jing walked over to the assistant’s desk, where only a computer and a file holder sat on the surface otherwise, it was completely bare.

From this position, she could see Yin Qingyue with just a slight turn of her head. Tang Jing was quite satisfied.

“Let’s go, we’re heading downstairs for lunch,” Yin Qingyue said, feeling hungry now. She hadn’t done much work in the morning, but she felt considerably more relaxed.

The two walked out of the office one after the other. Lina greeted Yin Qingyue, who nodded in response.

Lina stole a glance at Tang Jing, wondering how long this new assistant would last under Yin Qingyue’s leadership.

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