"You've lived with your parents for 20 years and learned nothing but wishful thinking and expecting things to be handed to you."
"You don't work hard yourself, just fantasize about manna from heaven, expecting others to help you without complaint. Do you think there are so many fools in the world?"
"I thought you were being bullied and I wanted to get justice for you. Now I see it's entirely your own fault."
Fine.
Zhou Jinbei admitted that to some extent, it was her own fault.
But at this point.
"Second Brother, please stop scolding me. Given our family's current situation, they'll curse me to death if they find out I'm divorced."
"Please take pity on me. Let me stay with you for a while."
"Stay with me for a while, and then what?" Zhan Beijue asked with a cold expression.
"Won't they find out sooner or later? What will you do then?"
Zhou Jinbei lowered her head.
"I don't know. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Anyway, I don't want to die so soon."
"Please, for Aunt's sake..."
Zhan Beijue raised his hand to interrupt her and then asked about her schooling.
Zhou Jinbei said again.
"I've never been good at studying. I get sleepy just looking at textbooks. You know this. I'm afraid I can't continue with school."
"Especially now, with my mind all over the place, I don't want to go at all."
"Second Brother, a diploma doesn't make much difference to me anyway. Your company is so big, there must be many job openings. Why don't you arrange something for me to do?"
She really had the nerve to say that.
Zhan Beijue sneered.
"Many job openings? Indeed. But do you know Zhan's recruitment standards?"
"Even ordinary graduates from top 985 and 211 universities can't get in, let alone you, a high school graduate."
"You can stay with me for a few days and I can give you a place to stay. But if you want a job from me, dream on."
"Then fine. Without a job, and divorced with a child, I might as well just starve to death."
Zhan Beijue thought he misheard. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her coldly.
"What did you say? Say that again?"
"Didn't he not like women? Where did the child come from?"
Zhou Jinbei regretted telling him about it for a moment.
But then she thought, she couldn't hide it forever anyway.
"Then don't worry about it. I have a child in my womb."
"If you don't give me a job, and my parents don't give me pocket money, and no one supports me, my child and I will starve to death."
Zhan Beijue was almost amused to death by her.
"You're really something else, Zhou Jinbei. You're so sharp when it comes to calculating against your own people, but you just take it lying down when you're wronged by others?"
"Jiang Sicheng is such a scumbag, and you're still having his child? You're divorced, why didn't you get rid of it?"
"This is a person, a life. How can you speak so lightly of it?"
Zhou Jinbei suddenly exuded a maternal aura, speaking righteously.
"The personal grievances between me and the child's father are from our previous generation. What right do I have to deprive the child of the right to survive, regardless of whether he's involved?"
"Besides, do you have the right to judge me? Wasn't your ex-wife pregnant again after divorcing you?"
"..."
Zhan Beijue was so choked by her that he was speechless.
Perhaps women and men think differently.
Men are more realistic, cold-blooded; if they don't love anymore, they just let go.
Women, driven by maternal instinct, are unwilling to give up their children, even after divorce, even in dire circumstances.
He wasn't surprised that Jiang Nanfang would make this choice.
But to see the seemingly unreliable Zhou Jinbei think this way was truly eye-opening.
Because of this maternal glow, and for the sake of the child, Zhan Beijue decided to take a step back.
"I'm only keeping you because I think your mind is still somewhat agile, and you have a child."
"Coincidentally, I'm short of an assistant recently. If you're okay with it, you can stay and be my assistant."
Zhou Jinbei's mouth curved into a smile, ready to cheer.
Zhan Beijue interrupted her again.
"Don't get happy too soon. Do you know what an assistant does?"
"The work isn't as simple as you imagine, and I can't tolerate any mistakes."
"If you can't do it well and I have to clean up your mess, don't blame me if I call your father directly to come and pick you up."
Zhou Jinbei guaranteed him.
"I know, I know! I may not have eaten pork, but I've seen pigs run!"
"I worked for my dad during summer vacation! I could handle him, such a picky person. Don't worry, it'll be absolutely fine!"
"Don't brag just yet."
Zhan Beijue turned and pulled a document from the filing cabinet, tossing it to her.
"This is the company's organizational structure. Read it through. By the end of the day, you have to be able to recite it back to me."
"I don't want you to be unable to recognize people when you're asked to deliver documents tomorrow and embarrass me."
It's strange.
The same words, when in a textbook, made Zhou Jinbei want to fall asleep.
But when transformed into information, into interpersonal relationships, she became very interested.
Perhaps she was born for this kind of work, coupled with the influence from childhood.
Soon, she had a clear grasp of the framework.
And she volunteered to recite it to Zhan Beijue in advance.
Not too stupid, after all.
Zhan Beijue tacitly accepted her.
"Go back, tidy up, sleep early, wake up early, and be here on time tomorrow morning at eight o'clock to start work."
"I don't want anyone to know about your past troubles, nor do I want them to know about your pregnancy. It's best to keep your mouth shut tight."
"I understand. It's not something to be proud of. Do you think I want others to know?"
After speaking, Zhou Jinbei didn't leave, her eyes fixed on him.
Zhan Beijue stared at the computer, she stared at him. After a moment, he felt a chill run down his spine.
"Still not leaving? What are you lingering for?"
"To leave with you. Aren't you going home?"
Zhan Beijue said, "No. Also, I had a bit of a conflict with your aunt, and she went abroad."
"Everyone is in a bad mood lately, and I don't want to draw trouble. So don't contact her, and don't ask about her when you go back."
"Oh," Zhou Jinbei nodded, but still lingered.
"You're not going back to live? Then where are you living now?"
"Do I need to report where I'm living to you?"
"That's not what I meant, it's just..."
The Zhan family's villa was too far from the city.
If Zhan Beijue lived in the city, it would be convenient for commuting. Could they switch?
This way, she could sleep in longer every day and save a lot on gas money for the commute.
No choice. When one is poor, their ambitions shrink. She had to be thrifty now.
Her eyes darted around, and Zhan Beijue saw through her thoughts at a glance.
"Zhou Jinbei, you're pushing your luck, aren't you? You want to switch with me? Dream on."
"I might as well buy you a new place."
Zhou Jinbei smiled, "You're so rich anyway, buying a house is like buying a toy for you..."
"Is my money falling from the sky? You only think about getting something for nothing. With such an improper attitude, I wouldn't give you anything for free."
If you're not giving it, then don't. Why be so fierce?