"What is it?"
After Lu Xing and Meng Yiren left, Tang Xiaomin stood while Yan Jue sat.
At this moment, they looked like a superior and subordinate, not on the same level at all.
"Your studies are busy. I want to give the position of Chief Embalmer to Yiren. You… have no objections, right?"
Tang Xiaomin forced herself to remain calm, but her heart was in turmoil.
"No."
"I'm here to discuss the same matter. Since you've already arranged it, I'll hand over my work as soon as possible."
"Mm."
He responded with a faint hum, nothing more.
Tang Xiaomin turned and walked calmly to the door before stopping again.
"Right, from now on, Tang Ye will be responsible for picking me up from school. So, you don't need to make two trips to school every day."
"Okay, I understand."
Without uttering any sensitive words, it felt as if everything had been said.
Leaving the office, Tang Xiaomin, with a complex mix of emotions, went to the Funeral Department.
Upon arriving at her office, Meng Yiren was already waiting for her.
Her attitude remained respectful, and she always kept her head down when speaking to Tang Xiaomin.
"Miss Tang, President Yan asked me to take over your work. However, I'm not very familiar with this job. I hope you can teach me patiently."
Tang Xiaomin walked forward and scrutinized Meng Yiren from head to toe.
She had a delicate face, a melon seed-shaped countenance, and a pointed chin. At first glance, she had a rather cute appearance.
Being stared at like this by Tang Xiaomin made Meng Yiren feel immense pressure and discomfort.
"Miss Tang, I know this might displease you, but this is President Yan's decision. As you know, I have no choice but to accept his arrangements."
"Heh, I certainly know you have no choice."
As she spoke, Tang Xiaomin applied slight pressure, tilting Meng Yiren's chin up and scrutinizing her with a gaze that pierced the soul.
In the Underworld, she was infamous as the Kidney-Gouging Queen; she could deal with anyone she pleased, and no one could control her.
Even if Meng Yiren held an important position in the Underworld, she couldn't match Tang Xiaomin's aura.
After all, she was a woman cultivated by Yan Jue himself, her temperament most similar to his.
Seeing her was like seeing him.
Meng Yiren's fear at this moment was no less than when facing Yan Jue.
"Miss Tang… don't… don't do this."
"Do what? What are you afraid of?"
At this moment, anger flared in Tang Xiaomin's eyes.
Meng Yiren trembled, wanting to explain herself.
The next second, with a bang, she was sent flying backward, crashing heavily against a wall. The wall cracked, and dust billowed everywhere.
A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.
Tang Xiaomin, who had appeared before her at some point, looked down at her with disdain.
"If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have spared you before."
At this moment, Zhong Li suddenly appeared, blocking Tang Xiaomin.
"Miss Tang, please show some mercy. Yiren she…"
Meng Yiren grabbed Zhong Li's trouser leg.
"No need to explain to her. Regardless, it's President Yan's decision, isn't it?"
"Even you, you can't refuse, can you?"
This last sentence was directed at Tang Xiaomin.
To Tang Xiaomin, this was naked provocation.
Her gaze narrowed, and a strange smile curved her lips.
"Get out of the way."
Knowing her well, Zhong Li understood that she was now furious.
"Miss Tang, I'm sorry."
The next second, Tang Xiaomin suddenly attacked, delivering a fierce kick to Zhong Li's face.
Zhong Li didn't dodge, taking the full force of Tang Xiaomin's kick, and met a similar fate to Meng Yiren, crashing into another wall.
"Miss Tang, why must you do this?" Meng Yiren said helplessly.
"Why?"
"I'll show you right now what 'why must you do this' means."
Ignoring Meng Yiren's fearful gaze, Tang Xiaomin grabbed her and, without hesitation, flung her towards the window.
With a crash, Meng Yiren shattered the glass and fell straight down.
Even then, Tang Xiaomin wasn't finished. She flew out after her.
With a kick in mid-air, she savagely sent Meng Yiren plummeting further.
After a loud thud, a crater appeared outside the Funeral Department's office building.
Meng Yiren lay there, barely alive, her delicate face bloodied and stripped of its cuteness.
Immediately after, a stack of documents was seamlessly thrown onto her.
At this point, Tang Xiaomin had calmed down. Standing before the deep crater, she said lightly.
"The work is handed over to you. Do a good job."
Tang Xiaomin left, resolute and without a second thought.
Zhong Li, in a disheveled state, ran back to report.
"President Yan… Miss Tang… she beat Yiren. She's severely injured. She left, and she looked very angry."
Yan Jue closed his eyes heavily.
"Get out."
"Yes."
As Zhong Li reached the door.
"Wait."
"She… she didn't cry, did she?"
Zhong Li shook his head.
"No, she didn't cry, but she looked like she wanted to kill someone."
She was actually a very jealous person, intolerant of even the slightest offense, and had a fiery temper.
Her beating Meng Yiren was entirely within his expectations.
"Better than I imagined."
Yan Jue felt an overwhelming sense of suffocation at this moment.
"President Yan, why must you do this?"
Yan Jue was forcing himself to stay in the office, resisting the urge to go see Tang Xiaomin.
He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to resist comforting her and explaining himself.
"She must hate me to death now. Even if she finds out one day that I'm gone, she won't be too heartbroken."
"President Yan, you'll be alright."
Alright? How could he be alright?
He was a traitor to the Underworld, guilty of grave sins, and he had transformed the Underworld beyond recognition.
His sins were so profound that they were an affront to heaven's principles.
He was deeply worried that Tang Xiaomin might do something foolish when that day arrived, and he couldn't bear to watch her suffer eternal damnation with him.
Closing his eyes, he was overcome with unbearable sadness.
"Let it be. From now on, if she comes looking for me, tell her I'm not here."
At this moment, a sense of loss unexpectedly washed over him.
"Whenever she was angry before, I was the one who went to find her. If I don't look for her, maybe she'll never come to me. Let it be."
Forcing himself to stay in the office and not seek her out was his final act of resolve.
…
In the hospital, Meng Yiren had several fractures and was confined to a wheelchair.
Lu Xing rushed around, paying her medical bills and handling her admission.
Late at night, Zhong Li visited her with fruit.
"Yiren, I brought you some fruit. Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll go buy it for you."
Meng Yiren hadn't expected Tang Xiaomin to be so ruthless when she turned on her. After being beaten, she was extremely dejected.
"Isn't President Yan with you?"
"Alas, you know how busy President Yan is with work."
Meng Yiren accepted the pear Zhong Li handed her and took a bite, finding it tasteless.
Yan Jue had asked her to take over Tang Xiaomin's work. He knew she was angry, yet he still sent her, perhaps even anticipating that Tang Xiaomin would retaliate with violence.
What was she?
Just a cannon fodder in their emotional game?
Lu Xing tried to console her, "President Yan said that once your injuries heal, he will grant you your freedom. You can go wherever you wish."