My Iridescent Dream - Chapter 3

With the police mediating, we signed an agreement and settled the matter.

Ma Zhiming wouldn’t be locked up.

I’d coaxed so much out of Nalan Tumi. I ought to give her something in return.

But sparing him a few days in detention didn’t mean I was letting him off.

Before Nalan Tumi could relax, I said, “I can find you a job. Interested?”

She almost forgot to breathe.

“Wh… what sort of job…?”

I glanced at Ma Zhiming’s livid face. “He won’t be held in administrative detention, but everyone at the company already knows about the sexual rumors he spread. Rest assured, he’ll be fired. Once HR calls him in, he’s done. Without an income, how will he support the two of you? So…”

I stepped closer, leaning toward her. “I’m offering you a job. Do you want it?”

Nalan Tumi’s mind was mush.

She couldn’t understand why I was going to all this unnecessary trouble.

I showed Ma Zhiming no mercy, yet at every turn I left her room to maneuver.

She couldn’t work out what I wanted.

I knew she couldn’t make a decision now.

I lowered my voice. “You have me on WeChat anyway. Contact me if you want work.”

I smiled at her and walked out of the police station.

—

Ma Zhiming was fired, just as expected.

I stood at the company entrance to see him off.

I was positively beaming. He didn’t even dare look at me.

Coward.

After he left, I began counting down.

A week at most.

Less, if Ma Zhiming’s temper was bad enough.

Sure enough.

On the fourth day, Nalan Tumi messaged me.

“Miss Jun, you said you could help me find a job. Does the offer still stand?”

Reading it, I thought my heart would batter its way out of my chest.

I restrained myself and replied, “Come to the office.”

Nalan Tumi arrived shortly afterward.

I’d told reception to expect a visitor, so nobody stopped her. She reached my office without trouble.

“Miss Jun…”

I glanced at her.

“Sit.”

I indicated the sofa.

Head lowered, she went over and sat.

I walked to the coffee machine. “Coffee?”

She shook her head. “No, thank you.”

“Nothing to drink?”

“No.”

I smiled. “It makes me look rather rude if I don’t offer you anything.”

She was speechless.

Eventually, she said, “Water would be fine.”

I set an unopened bottle of purified water in front of her.

Then I sat beside her.

She hadn’t expected me to sit so close. Instinctively, she tried to shift away, but the sofa arm was beside her.

Nowhere to retreat.

I pretended not to notice her discomfort.

“What qualifications do you have?”

Nalan Tumi pressed her lips tightly together.

She clutched the skirt over her knees, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

“A… junior college diploma.”

I sipped my coffee.

“Have you considered upgrading to a bachelor’s degree?”

“Not at the moment,” she said, head down.

“Would you consider it if you had the opportunity?”

“…I suppose so?”

“So is that a yes or a no?”

Her cheeks turned scarlet.

She thought I was humiliating her over her education.

But she endured it.

“Yes.”

“Mm.”

I put down my cup. “What did you study?”

“Something food-related…”

She seemed ashamed to say it.

I said evenly, “Your major doesn’t matter, anyway. After four years as a homemaker, finding work won’t be easy. Companies question even a one-year gap, let alone four.”

She said nothing.

Clearly, she knew it was true.

I picked up my cup again. “There’s a position available. It definitely won’t pay as much as Ma Zhiming’s old job, and it’s demanding. You have to be on call twenty-four hours a day. If you take it, you won’t be able to keep being his nanny every day.”

“What position?” she asked.

“I need a personal assistant.”

I gave her a small smile.

She blinked in surprise.

“I-I’ve never been a personal assistant…”

“If you don’t want the job, you can leave.”

I pointed to the door.

She panicked. “No, that’s not… I mean, I… I…”

I watched her quietly and waited.

After stumbling over “I” for a while, she finally lowered her head in defeat. “I’m just not confident I could be a good personal assistant to you.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know how to do anything…”

“A one-month trial. If you can’t manage, I’ll find someone else.”

I stood and went toward my desk.

Behind me, she asked, “Miss Jun, why would you want me as your personal assistant?”

I paused.

Turning my face slightly, I smiled at her. “Your lunchbox told me you put care into looking after someone. I like that care.”

Without looking at her again, I sat at my computer.

“I’ll send you the salary and benefits on WeChat. You can go now, Miss Nalan.”

She stood.

“Miss Jun, I… I haven’t agreed yet.”

“Think it over at home. Let me know before next Monday. If I haven’t heard from you by then, I’ll assume you’re not coming and find someone else.”

I looked up at her. “Goodbye, Miss Nalan. I look forward to good news.”