Hou Mingzhu viewed Hou Xiaolin merely as a tool, using her without any genuine familial affection.
Hou Xiaolin had indeed performed well, appearing as a shrewd woman with a hidden tenacity, capable of taking on responsibilities.
However, regardless of her performance, this woman could not replace her. She couldn't allow Hou Xiaolin, due to Ye Tiancheng's favor, to climb above her; that would be quite awkward.
"I will transfer the first payment to you, one million. But you must be careful not to spend it too conspicuously. It's best to save it and spend it all together after the matter is concluded. Otherwise, Ye Tiancheng is very cunning. If he discovers you suddenly have money, he will become suspicious, which could potentially implicate my plan. So, you need to be cautious, Hou Xiaolin. I don't want to see such a frivolous attitude from you. You'd better be serious. If there's any slip-up, your life won't be enough to compensate!"
Seeing Hou Mingzhu's fierce gaze, Hou Xiaolin stiffened, her smile vanishing. She no longer dared to be so ostentatious.
"Sister Mingzhu, I understand. I won't get ahead of myself anymore. Thank you for being willing to give me money. I will save it properly and won't expose it."
One good thing about Hou Xiaolin was that she understood instructions and was relatively obedient, not causing any unnecessary trouble. This was also because she was timid and simply didn't dare.
"Good, teachable. By the way, you are only temporarily by Ye Tiancheng's side. Don't think about successfully replacing anyone. It won't happen with your looks either, understand?"
These words were quite contradictory. Hou Xiaolin couldn't comprehend it. She had gone through so much trouble, undergoing plastic surgery and training, all to deceive Ye Tiancheng, yet now she was being told not to completely deceive him. This was perhaps what they called a woman's contradictory nature.
Before encountering the ascendant Ye Tiancheng, Hou Mingzhu could be described as quite innocent, a rich girl who only pursued profit and a life of pleasure. But after meeting the capable Ye Tiancheng, she transformed into a typically complex woman, or perhaps one could say, not ruthless enough.
Hou Xiaolin, on the other hand, didn't want to worry about so much. If there was money to spend, she would spend it quickly. Initially, she was reluctant, but now that she was gaining benefits, she instantly felt that continuing to follow Hou Mingzhu was worthwhile.
Crucially, her status by Ye Tiancheng's side was also elevated. Because Ye Tiancheng was wealthy and successful, many people fawned over him. These people were adept at judging situations and would naturally curry favor with Hou Xiaolin, whom Ye Tiancheng favored.
It was like Cinderella turning into a princess. Hou Xiaolin naturally couldn't get enough of such a good life; it was like a beautiful dream.
"Sister Mingzhu, I would never be ungrateful. Everything I have today is because of you. Even if I neglect my parents, I will never betray you."
To live a smooth life, Hou Xiaolin was quite determined, even going so far as to swear allegiance and place her parents second. This greatly pleased Hou Mingzhu; she wanted a woman who was this sensible.
"Work hard, and don't disappoint me. It's possible I'll give you houses and cars. When you transform from a nobody into a rich lady, you'll know that following me today was the right choice. Broaden your horizons, and don't be blinded by immediate gains."
Hou Mingzhu's repeated reminders were all out of fear that Hou Xiaolin might try to undermine her. Hou Xiaolin was not foolish; she understood perfectly.
"Naturally. Following you, Sister Mingzhu, brings rewards."
After leaving Hou Mingzhu, Hou Xiaolin experienced the life of a rich person. She rushed into a mall, buying bags, clothes, and shoes. Afterward, she went to a beauty salon and signed up for a membership, enjoying a pampering beauty treatment before returning.
Because she couldn't reveal how she obtained so much money, the poor Hou Xiaolin even had to store her newly purchased treasures. She didn't dare to keep the beauty salon membership card with her.
After the frenzied indulgence, it was time to get to work. Hou Xiaolin deliberately cooked a meal for Ye Tiancheng, preparing sweet and sour pork ribs, spicy duck heads, spicy stir-fried crab, crucian carp soup, and dry-pot cauliflower – all dishes Ye Tiancheng loved. After Ye Tiancheng had eaten his fill and was in a good mood, she began to feign melancholy.
"Ye Tiancheng, sometimes I feel so useless. I feel like a waste, unable to do anything, only hiding behind you!"
"Why do you say that? Is it not good to be the woman behind me?"
Ye Tiancheng completely regarded Hou Xiaolin as a substitute for his former lover. This woman didn't need to do anything; she just needed to provide companionship after he finished his work.
"I also want to have my own career. Primarily, I have good feelings for you, but I feel the gap in our statuses is too great. Others will point fingers at me. If I were also a person of status like you, then those people wouldn't gossip behind our backs. I really envy your disciple, Lin Xue."
Suddenly mentioning Lin Xue, Ye Tiancheng was taken aback. He hadn't paid much attention to this woman for a long time. However, he had heard from Xiao Pang that Li Xue was diligently cultivating every day and also helping Ye Tiancheng manage his business, proving to be a very dedicated and qualified disciple.
"Why do you envy her? Xue'er is a born workaholic; she doesn't need me to supervise her. She spends her days cultivating and working. Such a woman is born that way. You don't need to do anything; just follow me, and you'll have food and drink, enjoying any lifestyle. Isn't that good?"
Ye Tiancheng didn't quite understand Hou Xiaolin's thoughts. This woman was already quite fortunate, and he didn't know why she wasn't satisfied.
Moreover, Hou Xiaolin didn't seem like someone with much ambition. She usually didn't do any work, only cooking and tidying up when he visited. Later, she stopped tidying up altogether.
"Ye Tiancheng, do you look down on me? Do you think I'm just an ordinary factory girl, not as good-looking as Lin Xue? But I heard Lin Xue doesn't have a high academic background either. If she can do it, why can't I try?"
Seeing that Hou Xiaolin had started comparing herself to other women, Ye Tiancheng felt something was amiss. However, he didn't want to upset Hou Xiaolin, especially since he currently had a favorable impression of her and was willing to listen to her.
"Xiaolin, you can state any request you have, and I will fulfill it!"
Since Ye Tiancheng had already made a promise, Hou Xiaolin no longer needed to employ any manipulative tactics and stated her request directly.
"I want to take over the pharmaceutical division in place of Lin Xue."
Hou Xiaolin's sudden request truly shocked Ye Tiancheng.
This was a project Ye Tiancheng had recently developed. Through unique medicinal herbs, it had gained considerable recognition, with several flagship products earning him a substantial amount of money daily.
Besides earning money, it was also a strenuous job. Ye Tiancheng primarily did not want Hou Xiaolin to suffer.
"You need to understand some knowledge about various medicinal herbs and drugs. It's very tiring and definitely not that simple. I'm afraid you'll be exhausted!"
"But I want to do something. I don't want to rely on you for everything. In the end, if I achieve nothing, will we have to part ways?"
Hou Xiaolin spoke with a touch of sadness. Ye Tiancheng understood her intention. She essentially wanted to shorten the distance between them. Ambition is a good thing for both men and women. In this world, it's always the survival of the fittest, the strong preying on the weak. If one only hides behind the strong, waiting, then when that strength can no longer be relied upon, the weak will ultimately perish.
"Alright, Xiaolin, I promise you. But you can't take over immediately. I'm afraid you should work under Lin Xue for a week first. Once you're somewhat familiar with it, then you can fully take over."
Hou Xiaolin secretly rejoiced. Ye Tiancheng's words clearly showed favoritism towards her. It was said that the pharmaceutical sector was very lucrative. Perhaps then she wouldn't have to be a parasite to Hou Mingzhu and could earn a lot of money herself.
"That's wonderful, thank you, Brother Ye."
To express her gratitude, Hou Xiaolin even stood on tiptoe and hugged Ye Tiancheng. This was her first time being so proactive. As memories of the past overlapped, Ye Tiancheng intensely missed Hou Qing'er at that moment.
When the pharmacy department first started, it was housed in the horticultural center. Now that they were making money, they rented a three-story independent building. On her first day of employment, Hou Xiaolin no longer had to pretend to be poor. She wore a Chanel outfit and strutted in, looking quite proud.
The receptionist found Hou Xiaolin's appearance unusual. When the company's CEO, Lin Xue, came to collect a package, the receptionist, Li Mengmeng, pursed her lips and started gossiping.
"General Manager Lin, did you see that Hou Xiaolin? I heard she used to work in a factory. But because she looks like our General Manager Ye's ex-girlfriend, she immediately transformed from a pheasant into a phoenix. Look at her, all dressed in designer brands, strutting around. She's wearing such high heels, isn't she afraid of twisting her ankle?"
Lin Xue's natural talent was not as great as others, so she always worked and behaved diligently, never liking to pry into others' affairs.
"Alright, get back to work. Don't worry about what others are doing; we just need to do our own jobs well."
The receptionist dared not speak further. However, Lin Xue's lack of personal ambition was not sustainable. Hou Xiaolin had only been there for two days and had already caused several incidents within the company. In the end, it was Lin Xue, as the person in charge, who had to step in to clean up the mess.
After several such instances, Lin Xue could no longer tolerate it. However, Hou Xiaolin was placed there by Ye Tiancheng. If Li Xue wanted to take action against someone under her, she had to get Ye Tiancheng's approval.
She initially didn't want to cause trouble, but after careful consideration, she felt that continuing like this was not appropriate. Lin Xue was responsible for the company and couldn't just turn a blind eye. Otherwise, it wouldn't be long before the company experienced negative profit growth.
Lin Xue took the financial statements and found Ye Tiancheng. Ye Tiancheng was currently researching new medicinal herb varieties. There were increasingly more difficult diseases in the world, and Ye Tiancheng had to work harder to alleviate all the suffering in the world and help more patients recover.
"Master, Miss Hou Xiaolin is really not suitable for working in the pharmaceutical company. Not only does she not diligently learn the knowledge I've taught her, but due to data errors and Hou Xiaolin's personal carelessness, she has caused losses to the company and also damaged the company's image externally."
"Is that so?"
Ye Tiancheng was also quite helpless about this matter, but he was reluctant to do anything to Hou Xiaolin. For a moment, he truly didn't know what to say.
"Yes, and I've also found some issues with the accounts. The best solution is to have Miss Hou Xiaolin leave the company."
"It's alright. Losing some money is not a big deal. Let it be for now."
Hou Xiaolin's happiness was paramount. Many things were already irreversible. What Ye Tiancheng could do now was to transfer all his debts to others onto Hou Xiaolin, considering it a form of atonement.
"Master, have you thought it through? Continuing like this will affect our company. Everyone has opinions about Hou Xiaolin. If this is not dealt with, I worry that these negative impacts will grow, eventually becoming uncontrollable and affecting our company's reputation."
"It's alright. Those are trivial matters, not worth mentioning. Xue'er, since you're here today, I want to take these villagers to cultivate the Water Flying Pill. You can watch along as well."