Chapter 13

“Degenerate?”

Yang Zhao unceremoniously grabbed the woman’s hair and asked coldly, “Working by my side counts as degenerating?”

The woman screamed.

The Eldest Miss carried a mad aura that made people feel like she was capable of even murder.

Hua Man immediately thought of Zhao Yang from the banquet back then and quickly reached out to grab her. “Eldest Miss.”

Unfortunately, the Eldest Miss shot her a cold glare and said without mercy, “Shut up if you don’t want to die.”

With that, she flung Hua Man’s hand away and directly slammed the person’s head against the nearby counter.

Screams erupted around them, and quite a few people looked over.

“How does that count as not degenerating?”

“What, following you is something worth bragging about?”

“How noble are you? How many people have you played into the hospital?”

He Qiuyan was clearly dazed from the impact. A red bump swelled on her forehead, the skin broke, and bright red blood trickled down.

Hua Man’s eyelid twitched violently. She knew that if she didn’t stop this now, something serious would really happen.

She stepped forward again, gripped Yang Zhao’s wrist, and then squeezed hard.

Yang Zhao felt the pain and subconsciously let go.

“You dare to side with an outsider?!” she demanded, both anxious and furious.

And this was already the second time!

Hua Man felt it was entirely necessary to remind her, “Hitting people is illegal.”

Especially since she believed that if she didn’t intervene, this Eldest Miss might even commit murder.

With that ferocity, she really didn’t seem to care about human life.

No sooner had the words left her mouth than someone nearby spoke up weakly, “Please don’t fight anymore. I’ve already called the police.”

Yang Zhao immediately glared over.

Hua Man also turned her head to look at this brave soul who had drawn the fire for her.

It was a young woman in a server’s uniform, her eyes carrying the unique fearlessness and innocence of a university student.

“Called the police?” Yang Zhao sneered. “I have a team of lawyers who never lose. You think I’m scared of your police report?”

Hua Man’s head throbbed even harder at this outlaw maniac’s arrogant words.

Not wanting to hear any more of her ravings, Hua Man stepped forward to help He Qiuyan, who had fallen to the floor.

He Qiuyan was her university alumna, and she actually quite disliked this person.

Over the past year, the other woman had been pestering her relentlessly, trying to make her her girlfriend, claiming she was madly in love. Yet she never went a day without someone by her side, switching partners at a rapid pace—she was a notorious bisexual playgirl who devoured both men and women.

But even so, it wasn’t a reason for the Eldest Miss to lay hands on her.

Hitting someone was illegal; it could land you in jail.

“Yang Zhao! Don’t get too arrogant!” He Qiuyan clutched her bleeding forehead and gnashed her teeth. “I’m telling you, this isn’t over! You have lawyers, but do you think I don’t?!”

“Fine.” Yang Zhao nodded. “I’ll await your family’s legal team.”

With that, she turned to Hua Man. “Are you her bodyguard or mine?”

Hua Man pressed her lips tight. “You don’t seem to need my protection.”

If the other woman weren’t her employer, Hua Man would have been even blunter—the one who needed protection was everyone else.

Yang Zhao gave Hua Man a cold look for a few seconds, then ignored her and pulled out her phone to notify her team.

The police arrived quickly, and Yang Zhao was inevitably escorted to the station.

When had Yang Zhao ever suffered such grievance?

In the past, she had always acted boldly without reservation, knowing Yu Shan would cover for her. This was the first time she’d been invited for “tea.”

At the station, He Qiuyan was still clamoring that she wouldn’t settle, determined to teach her a lesson. Yang Zhao mocked her coldly, “Idiot.”

An idiot who only knew how to talk about love, oblivious to the fact that the He family had been eager to collaborate with the Yang family lately. Just recently, the two families had finalized a major deal.

Yang Zhao didn’t believe the He family would offend her over such an idiot.

Her “idiot” clearly hit the mark. He Qiuyan froze for a moment, then shot to her feet. “Yang Zhao!”

Just as she lunged forward, someone suddenly blocked Yang Zhao.

He Qiuyan’s anger stalled slightly, then realization dawned, and she exclaimed in delight, “Hua Man, you helped me back at Qingshui Ting. Does that mean I’m in your heart?”

At those words, Yang Zhao’s expression turned even icier.

Whether Hua Man truly had feelings for that idiot He Qiuyan or not, Hua Man had violated her greatest taboo.

Betrayal—the thing she despised most.

Hua Man took her salary but helped an outsider right in front of her.

Someone like that… didn’t deserve to stay by her side.

Her gloomy gaze fell on He Qiuyan’s face. Yang Zhao thought that perhaps having someone deal with this idiot wouldn’t be so bad. The cleanup would be troublesome, but if He Qiuyan ceased to exist in the world, wouldn’t that mean Hua Man hadn’t betrayed her?

“I didn’t help you.”

Hua Man’s voice pulled her back.

Liar. She clearly had.

“I just didn’t want my employer to dirty her hands over you and leave a criminal record.”

At this point, Hua Man felt it necessary to use the opportunity to reaffirm her stance. “I could never go to your side. Even if you offered a hundred times my current salary, I wouldn’t. Some things might be rude, but I still want to say…”

“Talking to you always makes me feel disgusted. Sometimes, even sharing the same air as you makes me uncomfortable. More than money, I value my life.”

Yang Zhao’s gloom instantly cleared.

In stark contrast, He Qiuyan’s face turned uglier than when Yang Zhao had hit her. She gnashed her teeth in fury. “Hua Man! Don’t be ungrateful!”

Hua Man didn’t bother responding.

These were words she’d long wanted to say to He Qiuyan. The woman had no sense of boundaries, never considering her feelings. She’d even once confessed publicly in a large lecture hall during class, in front of teachers and students.

It was always in public, putting her in incredibly awkward situations, yet He Qiuyan felt smug, thinking it was romantic.

Many at school had mistakenly thought she was one of He Qiuyan’s girlfriends, causing her no end of trouble. If not for her advisor being He Qiuyan’s aunt, she would have said it long ago.

Now that she’d graduated, she no longer needed to hold back.

But unexpectedly, the person behind her spoke up for her. “Who’s the shameless one here? If your mouth’s idle, go lick a toilet instead of spewing like you chugged laxatives.”

Hua Man fell instantly silent and couldn’t help turning to glance at the Eldest Miss.

The barbs were clearly devastating. He Qiuyan’s face turned green with rage; she stammered “you you you” for a while but couldn’t spit out another word.

Yang Zhao’s so-called legal team arrived fashionably late.

He Qiuyan’s father showed up too. Hua Man watched wide-eyed as He Qiuyan went from haughty defiance to being forced to apologize to Yang Zhao—all in less than five minutes.

Naturally, the Eldest Miss wouldn’t let her off easily. She completely ignored He Qiuyan’s father and turned to leave.

Hua Man instinctively followed, but stopped after a few steps.

After what she’d done, could she still stay by the Eldest Miss’s side?

Both Yu Shan and the Eldest Miss herself had said the Eldest Miss hated betrayal most. No matter her intentions in stopping her today, it was betrayal.

She didn’t think the Eldest Miss would let her off.

Going back might end with her disposed of like that woman she’d seen on her first day at the Yang family residence.

After all, this Eldest Miss never cared for the law; she was a true outlaw maniac.

“What are you standing there for?”

Seeing Hua Man hadn’t followed, Yang Zhao’s face darkened. Why did she always have to turn back and call her?

“Eldest Miss.” Hua Man took a deep breath and reminded her, “It’s my off-duty time now.”

“What?” Yang Zhao froze.

“And you gave me the day off today.”

Hearing that, Yang Zhao finally realized what Hua Man meant. She laughed in anger. “Hua Man, I haven’t settled the score with you yet, and you’re pulling this?”

She took a step closer to Hua Man.

Unfortunately, the next second, Hua Man retreated a step.

She narrowed her eyes. Was Hua Man afraid of her?

“Idiot.” With her anger having nowhere to vent, she snapped, “Were you born with your brain snipped off along with the umbilical cord? Get over here!”

Hua Man: “…”

After a moment’s hesitation, she still walked closer.

She’d only just stopped when she saw the Eldest Miss raise her hand.

Hua Man clenched her fists, resisting the urge to dodge.

A slap was better than whatever other punishment, right?

But the anticipated slap didn’t land on her face. Instead, her right cheek was pinched, her face distorted.

“Hua Man, you’re getting docked pay.”

Seeing some reaction on that pretty wooden face at last, Yang Zhao satisfactorily withdrew her hand.

Hua Man had imagined being fired, various retaliations from the Eldest Miss—but never that she’d just get docked pay.

But that was exactly what happened.

She’d been docked a hefty sum. After struggling a week at the Yang family, one night had set her back to square one.

“Don’t look so down. You got docked pay, but you still have your job. The Eldest Miss didn’t punish you further—that’s already pretty good.”

In the staff cafeteria, Gao Yanhua comforted her.

Hua Man nodded perfunctorily. “Mm.”

Her headache now wasn’t the docked pay, but that after such a huge mistake, the Eldest Miss had let her off so easily.

Something unusual must mean trouble; she felt deeply uneasy.

“But weren’t you off yesterday? How’d you end up with the Eldest Miss?” Gao Yanhua gossiped. “I heard the legal team got deployed. Must’ve been big trouble, right?”

Hua Man: “Sorry, I can’t disclose that.”

Gao Yanhua was disappointed but didn’t press. She nodded. “Okay, I get it.”

“But I bet it was serious. They say the Eldest Miss came back last night looking awful, stayed up late, threw multiple tantrums—everyone was on edge.” Gao Yanhua sighed. “If the pay weren’t so good, I wouldn’t stick around.”

Hua Man didn’t respond.

She couldn’t figure Yang Zhao out at all now.

At first, she’d thought her ruthless and crazy, hard to serve. Later, she felt the Eldest Miss just had a bad temper but was decent otherwise—prone to outbursts but could be coaxed, not petty.

But now… Recalling yesterday’s behavior, Hua Man frowned in headache.

She still thought she should resign.

Anyway, no matter what, Qin Fangqin wouldn’t help her contact the dean anymore, right?

She shouldn’t pin her hopes on others.

Whatever happened to Hua Xi after this was up to fate; she’d done what she could.