Although busy beyond belief, Tang Nannan managed to handle it all without a single mistake.
The supervisor reported to General Manager Ma, who then called Mrs. Gao from his office.
"You know, this girl is actually quite capable. It's hard to find fault with her for now. I've tried every trick I could think of. If we continue like this, the intent to target her will be too obvious, and it will reflect poorly on you, Mrs. Gao. I suggest we find other ways."
Mrs. Gao hadn't expected that Tang Nannan, who had been pampered since childhood, would be so adaptable. She could only resort to her ultimate move.
On the third day, Tang Nannan finally calmed down a bit.
General Manager Ma no longer assigned her any bizarre tasks. She quietly spent half the day going through documents at her workstation, and she had nearly finished understanding several of the company's major ongoing projects. As it neared the end of the workday, General Manager Ma called her into the office.
"Xiao Tang, you can leave early today. Come to my house."
"It's my son's 15th birthday today, and I'm hosting a birthday party for him at home with a few of his classmates. The housekeepers are overwhelmed, so I need you to help out."
"Don't worry, your trip won't be in vain. Take a taxi, and we'll reimburse you for it tomorrow."
Having been at the company for a few days, Tang Nannan finally heard something she wanted to hear, and she felt a little happy.
On the way, she messaged Hu Jiasheng that she might have to work overtime again tonight. Hu Jiasheng acknowledged it and told her to call him after she was done, and he would pick her up.
Tang Nannan arrived at General Manager Ma's house and indeed, several maids were rushing around frantically.
Various dishes were laid out in the kitchen, resembling a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast.
There was even a pastry chef.
"Young Master particularly likes the extra-long potato strips made by Master Li. The longer, the better he likes them, so prepare plenty of mashed potatoes."
"Xiao Tang, go wash these potatoes, roll them into strips, and then mash them later. Time is tight, hurry up! Otherwise, General Manager Ma will be unhappy if she sees nothing is ready when she returns."
As she spoke, an aunt "plunked" half a bag of muddy potatoes in front of her.
They were the kind just wholesale from the market, packed in mesh bags with large holes.
There were dozens of them.
Tang Nannan also liked to eat shredded potatoes, but washing and peeling potatoes was always a tedious task, so she ate them less in the past two years. Today, she could satisfy her craving and make up for the past two years' worth.
Seeing everyone diligently performing their duties and busy as if their lives depended on it, she couldn't complain.
She dragged the potatoes to an empty space behind the kitchen, turned on the faucet, poured them into a large plastic basin, and began washing them by squatting down.
Rubbing off the dry mud from each potato by hand was too slow, and her hands hurt from scrubbing so many.
She wanted to borrow a brush from the chefs, but everyone told her:
"Miss Ma and the Young Master have very strict hygiene requirements. They detest it when we use all sorts of tools. We usually wash and prepare things with our bare hands. You'd better wash them clean, or she'll throw a fit."
There wasn't a suitable small stool for her to sit on, so Tang Nannan squatted on the ground, washing them one by one. When her legs went numb, she would stand up to stretch.
After one wash, she had to discard the muddy water and rinse them again. Just washing the outer skin made her back ache.
Then, she had to peel them one by one.
Time flew by. Tang Nannan, afraid of holding everyone back, peeled the potatoes quickly, not caring if the thickness was uneven. This had its advantages and disadvantages, as it was easy to cut herself. The area between her left thumb and index finger quickly got several cuts.
Ignoring her injuries, she hastily finished peeling the potatoes, washed them again, and then started shredding them.
When General Manager Ma returned home, she saw Tang Nannan with a few strands of her long hair falling onto her forehead, engrossed in her work. She let out a cold laugh and took a photo to send to Mrs. Gao.
Soon, the young master returned, bringing with him several other wealthy second-generation friends of the same age.
The setting sun's last rays filtered through the distant mountains, creating a breathtaking scene.
They were playing on the lawn, drinking beverages, chatting, and having a great time, a stark contrast to the busy scene in the kitchen.
Watching their lively backs, Tang Nannan was momentarily stunned. She remembered a time when she was also one of these carefree youths.
She didn't have much time to dwell on sadness because shredding potatoes was also a task that easily injured hands. A slight distraction, and she got a few more cuts on her hands.
She rinsed the shredded potatoes, put them in a basin, and painstakingly moved them into the kitchen. Someone else directed her to put them in a steamer, watch the time, steam them until soft, and then mash them.
In short, Tang Nannan was busy non-stop until the meal was ready. When she finally stopped, her hands were numb. Her arms ached and were sore, feeling completely alien.
She took out her phone to check the time; it was already past eight in the evening. It had been a full four hours since she arrived at four in the afternoon.
Tired and hungry, she wanted to stop for a drink and rest. General Manager Ma, dressed in a high-end evening gown, with her hair styled and wearing beautiful makeup, swayed elegantly to the kitchen entrance.
"Xiao Tang. Why are you hiding here slacking off? We're short-handed in the front hall, come and help!"
Tang Nannan was speechless.
"Look how dirty your clothes are. How can a young girl be so sloppy?"
Because of washing the mud off the potatoes and repeatedly pouring the dirty water, her clothes were splattered with mud, and there was yellow mud on the soles of her shoes. General Manager Ma looked her up and down with disdain and urged her.
"Quickly wash your face, wipe the dirt off your clothes with a towel, and come with me."
Tang Nannan comforted herself inwardly: I'll endure, I'll tolerate, I'll persevere! Once I've gained enough experience at your company, I'll be able to transfer to another one, and I won't stay here for a second longer. This is simply too bullying!
She rushed outside, washed her face hastily, tied her hair back again, patted the mud spots off her clothes, and cleaned the soles of her shoes before heading to the front hall.
As soon as she entered, she was greeted by the scent of expensive perfume and elegant hairstyles, the clinking of glasses, the sound of music, and a room full of young men and women toasting each other. The immense environmental contrast made her feel like a clown.
Tang Nannan lowered her head and walked along the wall, reminding herself that she was just a server, and no one would notice her. She just needed to serve drinks, and she would be able to leave soon.
Unexpectedly, General Manager Ma kept an eye on her the entire time, directing her here and there.
"Tang Nannan, come here, serve these drinks, and follow me."
"What are you standing around for? Go get two more glasses of champagne for Mr. Yang and Mr. Wang."
"Tang Nannan, come here!"
"Tang Nannan..."
With so many calls, naturally, people started to notice her. A young couple stood directly in front of her, scrutinizing her, and then asked General Manager Ma.
"Why does General Manager Ma's assistant look so familiar? Her name sounds familiar too. Do I know her?"
Tang Nannan lowered her head even further, wishing she could burrow into the ground.