The Female Lead of the Abusive Novel Can Hear My Heart's Voice - Chapter 3

At an age when others were still studying and worrying about the future, 20 year old Xia Mucai had already begun to take over the Xia family company. Her father’s reward for her admission to university was to be parachuted in as the company’s Vice President.

Knowing the plot, Xia Mucai gazed at the Xia family company’s skyscraper in the city center, which could serve as a city landmark. This building would later be completely taken over by the male lead and turned into a light up sign for confessions and events.

She merely sighed, “What a pity, what a pity.”

The company’s 50,000 employees would lose their jobs, and what did social turmoil have to do with the male lead? He simply disliked the Xia family, and by extension, he disliked the Xia family’s 50,000 employees, disregarding everything.

A clear, cold voice interrupted her thoughts. “Vice President, where would you like to go and play today?”

“Go and play where?” Xia Mucai was stunned for a moment before realizing. The original owner of this Vice President position was useless; she came to the company only to ask her assistant to take her out to play. The only use she had was leaking company secrets to the male lead. It was a pity that such a good talent was wasted this way.

Xia Mucai, who knew the plot, knew that the elite-dressed female assistant in front of her was the one who almost saved the collapsing Xia family company in a last ditch effort. Unfortunately, she encountered a pig headed teammate, the original owner, who told the male lead everything, and the male lead eventually crushed this female assistant with violent means.

Seeing the assistant, she felt a little shaky, inexplicably carrying a hint of guilt.

“Mo Qi, I’m not going anywhere today. I want to stay in the company and familiarize myself with the business.”

Xia Mucai felt a little guilty saying this, like a habitually non-studying delinquent suddenly announcing they were going to do homework. Who would believe that?

Fortunately, Mo Qi had excellent psychological fortitude. Hearing Xia Mucai’s words, she was only momentarily stunned, quickly recovering.

“Understood, Vice President. Shall I take you to see the office?”

Xia Mucai wasn’t genuinely planning to do anything in the company; she wouldn’t know how to even if she tried.

“No need, I’ll go look at what the various departments are busy with myself.”

“Very well.”

The assistant stepped back, and Xia Mucai walked inside under the watchful eyes of the two security guards at the door.

“I heard a new intern joined the company next door. Guess what happened.”

Upon arriving at the pantry, Xia Mucai overheard the morning gossip.

“What happened? Did the intern at the company next door have strong business capabilities and get promoted all the way to director?”

The gossip monger smiled and shook her head, looking mysterious.

“Then was she too useless? We see plenty of interns like that.”

[Intern at the company next door…] Xia Mucai immediately thought that the company next door was the male lead’s company, and the intern was the female lead. [It can’t be that much of a coincidence, can it?]

Xia Mucai’s hand trembled as she held the teacup, almost spilling the scalding hot water on herself.

She quietly sat on the sofa, listening to the people getting water chat.

“Ahem, I also heard it from my friend at the company next door. On the intern’s first day of work, she bumped into the Vice President, and the hot water spilled right on his collar, successfully catching the Vice President’s attention.”

“Tsk tsk tsk, what a skill. Instead of improving her business capabilities, she specializes in these shady tricks.”

“I bet that intern will be a manager of some department soon.”

The three people getting hot water chatted animatedly, one after another. They were talking about others not working properly, but they themselves were just slacking off.

Xia Mucai put down her teacup, crossed her legs, and suddenly said, “Go back to work once you’ve finished your water. The company is not a place for idle chatter.”

The three people looked simultaneously at Xia Mucai sitting in the corner. They only then realized that their Vice President had been sitting there, listening to their gossip for half the morning. They scurried away like mice caught in the light.

Seeing everyone gone, Xia Mucai slumped bonelessly onto the coffee table. “The company is so boring.”

Xia Mucai clearly knew about the incident the three people discussed; it was the scene of the first meeting between the male and female leads in the original novel. The domineering CEO male lead was thus deeply, yet unknowingly, attracted to the female lead.

“Should I go find the female lead to play with?” The moment this thought arose, her pupils excitedly turned into slits.

“Doo doo doo”

Her phone in her pocket vibrated. Xia Mucai fumbled around and finally found the phone just before the call disconnected, answering it.

The caller ID displayed Mo Qi.

She didn’t know what the capable and sharp assistant wanted.

“Hello, Mo Qi.”

Even if she was flustered, the other party concealed any negative emotions very well. Mo Qi began, “Vice President, Mr. Teng from the company next door said he wants to talk about cooperation with the person in charge. The last project, you said you would be responsible for…”

Project person in charge… Xia Mucai pondered for a long time. There was such a thing. The original owner wanted to show off in front of her adoptive parents and took over a company project. She certainly wouldn’t be responsible for anything. With Mo Qi around, she only needed to sign, and everything else was taken care of.

Talking about cooperation meant sitting there as a mere decoration, and since she had nothing else to do, Xia Mucai immediately agreed.

“I understand. Come and pick me up.”

“What…”

Mo Qi on the other end of the phone sounded a little surprised, making Xia Mucai feel uneasy. “What’s wrong, Mo Qi?”

“No… nothing.” Xia Mucai finally understood why the other party sounded a bit flustered when calling. “The Vice President has grown up.”

What was that supposed to mean? The assistant sounded like an aunt or older woman who had watched her grow up. But the other party was only about 30, so young to say something like ‘the Vice President has grown up.’

Xia Mucai hung up the phone with a faint frown.

After waiting for 5 minutes, Mo Qi came to find her, carrying a thick stack of sealed documents. Xia Mucai was puzzled, “Mo Qi, is this negotiation very important?”

She saw how much the assistant had prepared. If she messed it up, all the painstakingly organized documents would be wasted.

“Very important.”

Why didn’t she tell her earlier!!!

Xia Mucai gasped, instantly breaking out in a cold sweat. Just as she was about to find an excuse, like saying she had a stomach ache or something, to avoid attending, Mo Qi’s latter half of the sentence almost made her choke.

“Because this is the Vice President’s first negotiation, it’s an important moment for the Vice President’s progress.”

It was a good thing she hadn’t taken another sip of water, or she definitely would have spat it out.

“Mo Qi, finish your sentences next time. You scared me into thinking it was really important, and I almost ran away.” The assistant really kept her on edge.

“Don’t worry, Vice President. I’ve got everything covered. You look very cute like this, Vice President.”

The assistant usually looked serious and unsmiling, but unexpectedly, she was such a warm and approachable person.

Xia Mucai stood up and gave a couple of playful ‘hmphs,’ crossing one arm over the other, holding an arrogant, head held high, severe superior posture, “Is this how you flirt with your superior?”

She had the distinct air of a child secretly wearing an adult’s high heels; her words and actions were utterly childish.

“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. The Vice President being cute is a fact, I’m just speaking the truth.”

Forget it. Being a cute person was better than being a wicked one. At least, in Mo Qi’s eyes, the original owner’s reputation was acceptable.

Entering the elevator, Mo Qi said, “Vice President, these are the documents for the person in charge of the other company. Teng Jingsi is the future successor of the Teng family. The Teng family and the Xia family have a deep relationship, and their projects primarily consider each other first.”

Xia Mucai knew all of this. The Xia family had once helped the male lead, the Teng family. While it might not be a favor, at least based on decades of interaction, the male lead still resolutely destroyed the Xia family.

She didn’t know where the emotion came from; perhaps it was the original owner’s. Knowing this, the original owner felt that her kindness towards the male lead was like feeding it to a stray dog. Influenced by this emotion, Xia Mucai’s hand uncontrollably trembled.

She soothed the original owner’s emotions. [Alright, alright, it won’t be that bad. I’ll get some face back for you.]

For this negotiation, Xia Mucai was unprecedentedly serious.

“Mo Qi, do I need to do anything later?” Xia Mucai asked with a serious expression.

She held the male lead Teng Jingsi’s file that Mo Qi handed to her a paper that looked very much like a resume.

“The Vice President doesn’t need to do anything, just hold the fort. Vice President, knowing the other party’s information is the key to knowing yourself and your enemy, ensuring a hundred victories in a hundred battles.”

Xia Mucai flipped through the one page file. The content on the paper was neat and concise, not dense. Even the male lead’s one-inch photo was attached. She sighed, Mo Qi was truly meticulous.

Just hold the fort, huh? She could certainly do that.

In the dimly lit, unlit VIP reception room, the man’s chiseled face leaned close to the woman’s. He stared at her with the most vicious eyes, his voice icy,

“You deliberately approached me just to get classified information from the Teng family, didn’t you? I know who you are, the true daughter of the Xia family.”

Xia Chi endured it, taking a step back, remaining silent.

She wasn’t trying to steal any documents; she was just looking for a job since she didn’t have one. Xia Father and Xia Mother were ultimately biased towards Xia Mucai, giving their adopted daughter the position of Vice President, while ignoring their biological daughter.

She thought her parents must have a reason for doing this. She could achieve financial freedom with her own two hands. Hadn’t she already joined a Global 500 company? Her future was bright.

All of this was planned step by step, ever since she swore to the orphanage director that she would repay the orphanage’s kindness when she grew up.

“Everyone in the Xia family is brainless and stupid. Your parents are, and so is that unrelated younger sister of yours.” Teng Jingsi looked as though he was about to pinch Xia Chi’s chin. The moment his movement was a little too big, the person in front of him subconsciously took a step back, much like the white rabbit he used to keep.

“I’d like to see what your Xia family will think if I humiliate you, a Xia family member, right here in your company.”

“Clack” The light in the VIP reception room turned on. Xia Mucai pushed the door open and walked in.

It seemed she had come at the wrong time. Was the male lead flirting with the female lead in this manner?

Four pairs of eyes met, and the atmosphere was instantly awkward.

“Ahem, um… please have a seat.” Xia Mucai said to the standing Xia Chi. Business was business, and personal was personal. Besides, in the original plot, the female lead followed the male lead.

Teng Jingsi gave Xia Chi a look, signaling her to sit down. Only then did Xia Chi sit down on her own territory.

“Mo Qi, pour tea for the guests.” With that, Xia Mucai also found a spot to sit, being open and generous, not timid or hesitant.

The assistant beside her smiled faintly and knowingly, respectfully saying, “Yes.”

“Wait, I’ll have my secretary pour the tea.”

Clearly, Teng Jingsi wanted to give Xia Chi a hard time. Xia Mucai’s mouth twitched. She had said it before the male lead was seriously mentally ill.

“Vice President Teng, this is the Xia Corporation. Wouldn’t you be overstepping your bounds by doing that? If word gets out, people will say that our Xia family company is stingy and lacks hospitality.”

Xia Mucai didn’t mean to argue at all; she was merely stating a fact, saying that what Teng Jingsi was doing was wrong.

However, this only provoked Teng Jingsi into thinking, “See, the Xia family is getting anxious.”

His family had always told him that the Xia family was utterly despicable and shameless, having bankrupted the Teng family and then extending a helping hand like a savior. The Xia family lacked a male heir, one like him, a successor. Doing this was simply to wait for him to grow up and then morally bind him, making him the Xia family’s son-in-law.

He had heard his grandfather say since childhood that he must be good to the Xia family’s daughter and not treat the Xia family poorly.

Be good to the Xia family? He wanted the Xia family to cease to exist!

Mo Qi brought the tea. Xia Mucai leisurely lifted her teacup, took a small sip, and looked at Teng Jingsi with the look one gives to a mentally challenged child.

[Is the male lead okay? The original book explained that the male lead’s family education was extremely twisted.]

Xia Mucai used the lid of the fine teacup to skim the tea, blew on it briefly, and then slowly sipped her tea.

Her expression was indifferent, not at all suggesting she was thinking about anything. Her clear and somewhat naive eyes also implied she wouldn’t be thinking anything deep.

Little did she know, her inner thoughts were racing like horses, and only Xia Chi, sitting opposite her, could hear her inner monologue clearly.