Chapter 26 p1: Transmigrated as the Abusive Story’s Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character
Xin Yao sat in her office, gazing at the afternoon sunlight streaming through the window, still feeling slightly disoriented.
Just last night, a mere twelve hours ago, she had been entangled with a ferocious snake demon in a dark cave.
Now, back in the human world, sitting at her familiar desk, everything felt strangely foreign, as if the previous night had been a fleeting dream.
Pei Yu hadn’t lied. Perhaps due to the extended duration of their intimacy, the snake demon’s demonic energy had nourished Xin Yao, preventing her from feeling exhausted.
Despite the intense and unrestrained passion of the previous night, Xin Yao was surprisingly energetic, arriving at work on time and feeling perfectly fine.
She was amazed by her own resilience.
Speaking of which, during a brief respite last night, they had discussed the supposed invigorating properties of snake venom.
Xin Yao hadn’t understood at first, then, realizing what Pei Yu was suggesting, she had glared at the faint pink line on Pei Yu’s abdomen, hidden beneath her scales, her throat tightening.
The snake was becoming increasingly shameless! She had vehemently refused, almost kicking Pei Yu off the bed.
Pei Yu, however, had seemed quite disappointed.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
A crisp sound echoed through the room, jolting Xin Yao out of her reverie.
She turned to see someone knocking on her door. Collecting her thoughts, she called out, her voice steady, “Come in.”
Her secretary entered, holding a stack of documents, and proceeded to update her on the company’s affairs during her absence.
There was nothing major to report.
“President Xin,” the secretary said, “have you made a decision about the second secretary position? When should we inform the candidates?”
Ah.
The past few days with Pei Yu had been so chaotic, and Wang Dui Dui had been unusually quiet, that Xin Yao had completely forgotten about it.
She had to get back on track with her mission. She couldn’t keep getting sidetracked by the snake demon!
Xin Yao leaned back in her chair, considering for a moment.
“Let me think about it. I’ll let you know when I’ve made a decision.”
“Yes, President Xin.”
After the secretary left, the room fell silent again.
Xin Yao tapped her fingers on the desk, then picked up her phone and sent Pei Yu a message.
[I still want to meet with Liu Yue.]
Pei Yu, who must have returned to the company after her prolonged absence, replied instantly.
[Do you want me to accompany you?]
Xin Yao sent a sticker.
[Cat wagging its tail.jpg]
[No, it’s okay. I just wanted to let you know. I have some questions for her.]
Pei Yu’s reply was swift.
[Okay. Let me know if anything happens.]
Xin Yao thought their brief exchange was over, but after a few seconds, another message popped up. It was a sticker from Pei Yu.
[Cat wagging its tail.jpg]
Xin Yao paused, amused.
She imagined Pei Yu, dressed in her business suit, sitting at her desk with her usual aloof expression, selecting and sending a cat sticker.
A smile touched her lips.
President Pei was rather cute.
It was an ordinary day for both Xin Yao and Pei Yu.
The winter afternoon sun was weak, the wind cold, the city bustling with activity.
People rushing to work, grabbing lunch, or just waking up.
Each person, each scene, weaving a tapestry of human life.
And far from this bustling city, on a remote mountaintop, stood an ancient Taoist temple.
Inside, amidst the swirling incense smoke, sat a young Taoist priest, his hair streaked with silver, his eyes dark and cold, devoid of emotion.
He looked down at the world below, his lips parting slightly.
“Demon, I’ve finally found you.”
The next day, Xin Yao met with Liu Yue at a restaurant.
Liu Yue, of course, had readily accepted the invitation, even eager to meet.
Xin Yao arrived first, choosing a private room for their conversation.
Liu Yue, seemingly unaccustomed to such upscale establishments, despite her efforts to appear calm, betrayed her nervousness with every gesture.
As she sat down across from Xin Yao, her eyes flickered nervously.
She knew that under normal circumstances, the results of a job interview wouldn’t be delivered in this manner. She probably hadn’t gotten the job.
But President Xin must have a reason for this private meeting.
Sensing her unease, Xin Yao smiled gently.
“Miss Liu, you seem nervous. Don’t worry. I just wanted to chat with you.” She handed Liu Yue the menu. “What would you like to eat?”
Liu Yue, too preoccupied to think about food, ordered a couple of dishes at random and returned the menu to Xin Yao.
Then, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she asked, “President Xin, is this meeting about the job?”
Xin Yao paused, then shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Miss Liu, but we’ve decided to offer the position to another candidate.”
Despite her earlier suspicions, Liu Yue’s face fell, her eyes filled with disappointment, her body slumping slightly, as if she had been dealt a heavy blow.
But she knew that if Xin Yao had invited her here, there might still be a chance, another opportunity.
A flicker of hope rekindled in her eyes.
Xin Yao observed her carefully.
“This job seems very important to you, Miss Liu.”
“Yes,” Liu Yue forced a smile, her beautiful face even more pitiful. “The salary and benefits at Xin Corp are excellent, and that’s very important to me right now.”
Xin Yao, recognizing the familiar desperation, had a sudden realization. “Are you short on money, Miss Liu?”
There was no point in hiding it. Liu Yue nodded. “Not just short. Desperate.”
So, the “scent of desire” Pei Yu had mentioned wasn’t directed at Xin Yao herself, but at her wealth and status.
Xin Yao’s mind raced.
Liu Yue wasn’t innocent at all. Her relationship with Xu Qing in the original story must have been motivated by financial gain as well.
Seeing Xin Yao lost in thought, Liu Yue’s eyelashes fluttered, a look of vulnerability in her eyes, her voice soft and pleading.
“So, please, President Xin, give me another chance. I’m desperate. I’ll work harder than anyone else.”
Xin Yao snapped out of her reverie and looked at Liu Yue.
Liu Yue was undeniably beautiful, her innocent face and tearful eyes evoking a protective instinct.
If not for Pei Yu’s warning, Xin Yao might have been swayed, believing she had misjudged Liu Yue.
But knowing the truth, looking back at Liu Yue’s performance, Xin Yao could see the subtle cracks in her facade, the slight overacting of a novice.
Xin Yao didn’t have time for this charade. She smiled faintly.
“Miss Liu, let’s be honest with each other.”
“Hmm?” Liu Yue, still maintaining her pitiful expression, was confused.
Perhaps influenced by Pei Yu, Xin Yao’s approach became more direct.
She opened her bag and took out a card, placing it on the table.
“If you need money, I have a proposition for you.”
“But first, I’d like you to be completely honest with me.”
Liu Yue’s eyes fixed on the card, her gaze unwavering.
Even after Xin Yao finished speaking, she continued to stare at it.
Then, slowly, she looked up at Xin Yao, the bright restaurant lights reflecting in her eyes.
The pitiful expression on her face vanished, replaced by a blank mask.
She wiped away her tears, leaning back in her chair, her gaze now cool and calculating, a lazy smile playing on her lips.
Her demeanor had completely changed.
If she had been a bright, cheerful sunflower before, she was now a wisp of smoke, alluring and dangerous.
“When did you figure it out, President Xin? Was I that obvious?”
Xin Yao considered it seriously. “Not really. Perhaps I’m just not easily fooled. And you were a bit too eager in the office.”
Liu Yue chuckled. “I couldn’t help it. I’m desperate. It makes me a bit reckless.”
She stood up, leaning forward, her chin resting on her hand, her eyes fixed on Xin Yao.
“You were staring at me, President Xin. I thought you were interested. I figured I’d take a chance. If you took a liking to me, it would have been a huge win.”
Xin Yao shook her head. “If this job is so important to you, you should have been more focused on the interview, not on me.”
“Small-town girl,” Liu Yue said, scoffing, the self-deprecating humor laced with bitterness. “Never seen the world. Just a few cheap tricks, trying to sell myself, to please you. How embarrassing.”
Xin Yao didn’t judge her. Instead, she asked, “Are you tired?”
“Tired? That’s nothing,” Liu Yue sighed dramatically. “Being broke is what’s truly tiring. You’re a rich lady. You don’t know what it’s like to struggle.”
“My life is a mess. Just trying to survive. I’m desperate for money. I’ll do anything.”
“You could slap me across the face right now, throw money at me, and I’d thank you with a smile.”
A rich lady?
Coincidentally, Xin Yao wasn’t a rich lady.
She didn’t know what Liu Yue’s life was like, but she was confident that she had suffered just as much, if not more.
No one understood the desperation of poverty better than her.
In a way, she and Liu Yue were similar, yet fundamentally different.
Liu Yue’s eyes were dull with exhaustion, her desperation making her ruthless.
Xin Yao, despite facing similar hardships, had never lost the light in her eyes.
Everyone had their own way of surviving. There was no high or low, just a struggle to live.
Xin Yao, who had never disliked Liu Yue, felt a surge of sympathy for her.
“You might not believe this, but I understand you.”
“Would you mind explaining why?”
“Why not? You’re paying me. You’re the boss,” Liu Yue said, readily revealing her vulnerabilities. “Of course I’ll tell you.”
“It’s a simple story. My mother abandoned me at birth. My father was a gambling addict. He died and left me with a mountain of debt.”
“My grandparents raised me, and we’ve been scavenging and collecting scraps to pay off his debts. We’re still not done, and now they’re both sick.”
“Every day I wake up to debt collectors at my door and hospital bills on my phone. That’s my life.”
A few simple sentences summarized Liu Yue’s twenty-plus years of hardship.
Xin Yao understood why she was so willing to share her story.
It was a small price to pay for a chance at financial relief.
Xin Yao pushed the card towards her.
“There’s 200,000 in here. If I’m satisfied with the results, I’ll transfer another 800,000. Interested?”
Liu Yue immediately straightened up, her casual demeanor vanishing, her hands fidgeting nervously.
“Considering this offer would be an insult! What are your orders, boss? Are you thirsty? Would you like some tea?”
Xin Yao wasn’t amused by her sudden change in attitude.
It was a mirror image of her own behavior in front of Pei Yu!
Perhaps she had been too harsh with President Pei, always kicking her out of bed.
She kept her thoughts to herself, turning her attention back to Liu Yue.
“Do you know Xu Qing? What do you think of him?”
To her surprise, Liu Yue’s first reaction was one of confusion.
“Xu Qing? Who?”
So, she didn’t even know who he was!
Her interest in him must have been purely mercenary.
But Xin Yao doubted Liu Yue knew about Xu Qing’s past.
While she claimed to be willing to do anything for money, she was also shrewd and cautious. She wouldn’t associate with someone capable of murder.
If she was caught trying to extort him, she might become his next victim.
Xin Yao rubbed her temples, realizing she had to explain who Xu Qing was.
“He’s the one whose father died in an accident, and whose mother died of illness. Your childhood sweetheart?”
“Childhood sweetheart…?” Liu Yue thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers. “Oh, right, the one who received a settlement.”
“Childhood sweetheart? He was just a neighbor.”
“So,” she tilted her head, glancing at Xin Yao’s expression, “I don’t know him well, but if you want my honest opinion, he’s an arrogant, delusional idiot. He acts all high and mighty, but he’s actually just incompetent.”
Despite her flaws, Liu Yue was a good judge of character, far more perceptive than Xin Wanyin.
Xin Yao smiled faintly.
“That’s the man my sister is currently dating. I heard he used to like you.”
Liu Yue’s eyes lit up with understanding. “Oh, the rich family disapproves of the gold-digger. You want me to break them up?”
“Yes and no,” Xin Yao shook her head. “Coincidentally, Xu Qing’s father died on a Xin Corp construction site. He joined the company, and now he’s dating my sister. I suspect he has ulterior motives.”
“I want him away from Wanyin, and I also want proof of his wrongdoing. If he’s playing games, I won’t let him off so easily.”
“So, I want you to get close to him, to see if you can find out anything.”
Liu Yue, without hesitation, gave her a thumbs-up.
“Got it. Leave it to me, boss.”
She grabbed the card from the table.
“I’ll be in touch. I’ll take this as a down payment.”
The smooth conversation put Xin Yao in a good mood. She leaned back in her chair, smiling.
“Alright.”
Liu Yue finished her meal, even taking an unopened bottle of wine with her as she left.
Xin Yao, seeing it, simply shrugged, letting it go.
With the business concluded, she sent Pei Yu a message.
[I’ve talked to Liu Yue. It went much better than expected.]
[Cat peeking.jpg]
Pei Yu’s reply was swift.
[Cat wagging its tail.jpg]
[Okay.]
She didn’t ask why Xin Yao had insisted on meeting with Liu Yue. If it was something Xin Yao wanted to do, she would support it.
After putting down her phone, Pei Yu called her secretary.
“Inform everyone that the meeting can begin.”
Matters concerning Xin Yao had become her top priority.
Meanwhile, Xin Yao’s focus was entirely on her mission.
Because Liu Yue was working fast!
Motivated by the promise of money, she had quickly contacted Xu Qing.
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