Chapter 1
Jiang Xichu’s chest rose and fell heavily, and she paced angrily around the office thrice; only then did she return to Chen Man’s desk, her hands pressing against the desk, fingers gripping the edge; she said, angrily, “How is it that you can’t understand what I’m saying? That piece of land can’t be invested in; ten years ago it was the site of a chemical plant’s draining pipe—if you were to buy that, you’d have to compensate an absurd amount!”
Chen Man looked at her coldly, and said, “I already said I’m preparing to buy that piece of land; so what if it’s not good quality? I’m not wanting to grow farm crops on it!”
“Then what are you preparing to do with it? I’m telling you, what can you even do with that land?!”
Jiang Xichu glared; someone without knowledge would think that she was the General Manager; not to be outdone, Chen Man returned her glare, and after a long while, she let out a cold scoff, and said, “I’m not telling you.”
Jiang Xichu choked on a mouthful of blood.
Outside the General Manager’s office, the rest of the secretaries pricked their ears up, attentively listening and debating what they were saying.
Secretary Zhou said, “Secretary Jiang’s far too brave, isn’t she?”
Secretary Yang said, “Xiao Zhou, you arrived late, so you don’t understand; in our office, Secretary Jiang and Manager Chen are on equal footing.”
Secretary Li said, “You’re talking nonsense; Secretary Jiang’s status is clearly above Manager Chen’s.”
Secretary Zhou was silent: “...”
She had only been employed two months, and although she’d been prepared for the workplace relationships to be countless times more complicated than in university…this was too complicated!
Secretary Yang patted her shoulder sympathetically, and in passing, said amicably, “Secretary Jiang and Manager Chen were high school schoolmates and university peers, and they’ve worked together since they graduated; when the two of them talk, you should never go and get involved.”
Young Secretary Zhou nodded, confused, and said, “I understand. Then isn’t Secretary Jiang and Manager Chen’s relationship quite good?”
Secretary Yang smiled dismally, indicating the General Manager’s office with her chin, and said, “Listen to that; could it be called a good relationship?”
The office door was made of genuine wood, and as a result, the soundproofing was very good, but even so, it was possible to clearly hear the sounds from within, which could be classified as Secretary Jiang’s roar. “Aaaah, you’re infuriating! I don’t care anymore! Chen Man, just wait until you lose everything!”
It fell silent inside for three seconds, and then Secretary Jiang’s voice came through once more, saying, “You’re asking what I’m doing?! I’m going to deliver you the proof!”
Hearing these words, all of the secretaries promptly returned to their own work, each one looking solemnly and earnestly at their computer screens, the pattering of their typing ceaseless. Jiang Xichu emerged from the office, casting a glance at her coworkers, and then laughed rather affably, saying, “I’m going to the national tax office; I won’t be coming back for lunch, so you’d all better rest up in the midday.”
The other secretaries were silent: “...”
Everyone forced a smile and exchanged pleasantries with her, until Secretary Jiang left, and then they were all relieved, wiping away the sweat on their foreheads. More terrifying to the group of secretaries than a temperamental General Manager was an even more temperamental Head Secretary who had direct control over them. Maintaining the necessary affable smile and special temperament of a secretary, Jiang Xichu descended from the twenty-third floor to the first floor; standing alone in the elevator, the anger in her heart had more or less subsided. She thought it over; the company wasn’t hers, and the money wasn’t hers either, so what did she have to be upset about? Anyway, she’d already given her opinion; whether or not to listen was Chen Man’s business. If Chen Man listens, everyone will be satisfied, and if she doesn’t…then she’s a great, unparalleled fool!! Secretary Jiang thought, externally calm and collected, and internally putting her hands on her hips. She exited the first floor lobby quickly; today, she was wearing a chiffon work dress, its material so slippery her shoulder bag kept slipping down; as Jiang Xichu walked out, she simultaneously overdid it as she supported the strap of the bag.
“Ah! Help, help! Murder!”
Jiang Xichu suddenly raised her head, looking towards where the sound had come from; the people entering and exiting at the door scattered and fled in all directions, and the elderly leisurely crossing the street were nearly frightened out of their wits; a woman was clutching her stomach, struggling to crawl forward, and behind her was a man dressed in an unsophisticated manner, a sushi knife dripping blood in his hand. He was attacking indiscriminately, and because he'd exploded abruptly, none of them had the time to react, and could only run around like headless chickens; having managed to cut down three women, with a glance, he caught sight of the neatly made-up, pretty Jiang Xichu.
Chen Man looked at her coldly, and said, “I already said I’m preparing to buy that piece of land; so what if it’s not good quality? I’m not wanting to grow farm crops on it!”
“Then what are you preparing to do with it? I’m telling you, what can you even do with that land?!”
Jiang Xichu glared; someone without knowledge would think that she was the General Manager; not to be outdone, Chen Man returned her glare, and after a long while, she let out a cold scoff, and said, “I’m not telling you.”
Jiang Xichu choked on a mouthful of blood.
Outside the General Manager’s office, the rest of the secretaries pricked their ears up, attentively listening and debating what they were saying.
Secretary Zhou said, “Secretary Jiang’s far too brave, isn’t she?”
Secretary Yang said, “Xiao Zhou, you arrived late, so you don’t understand; in our office, Secretary Jiang and Manager Chen are on equal footing.”
Secretary Li said, “You’re talking nonsense; Secretary Jiang’s status is clearly above Manager Chen’s.”
Secretary Zhou was silent: “...”
She had only been employed two months, and although she’d been prepared for the workplace relationships to be countless times more complicated than in university…this was too complicated!
Secretary Yang patted her shoulder sympathetically, and in passing, said amicably, “Secretary Jiang and Manager Chen were high school schoolmates and university peers, and they’ve worked together since they graduated; when the two of them talk, you should never go and get involved.”
Young Secretary Zhou nodded, confused, and said, “I understand. Then isn’t Secretary Jiang and Manager Chen’s relationship quite good?”
Secretary Yang smiled dismally, indicating the General Manager’s office with her chin, and said, “Listen to that; could it be called a good relationship?”
The office door was made of genuine wood, and as a result, the soundproofing was very good, but even so, it was possible to clearly hear the sounds from within, which could be classified as Secretary Jiang’s roar. “Aaaah, you’re infuriating! I don’t care anymore! Chen Man, just wait until you lose everything!”
It fell silent inside for three seconds, and then Secretary Jiang’s voice came through once more, saying, “You’re asking what I’m doing?! I’m going to deliver you the proof!”
Hearing these words, all of the secretaries promptly returned to their own work, each one looking solemnly and earnestly at their computer screens, the pattering of their typing ceaseless. Jiang Xichu emerged from the office, casting a glance at her coworkers, and then laughed rather affably, saying, “I’m going to the national tax office; I won’t be coming back for lunch, so you’d all better rest up in the midday.”
The other secretaries were silent: “...”
Everyone forced a smile and exchanged pleasantries with her, until Secretary Jiang left, and then they were all relieved, wiping away the sweat on their foreheads. More terrifying to the group of secretaries than a temperamental General Manager was an even more temperamental Head Secretary who had direct control over them. Maintaining the necessary affable smile and special temperament of a secretary, Jiang Xichu descended from the twenty-third floor to the first floor; standing alone in the elevator, the anger in her heart had more or less subsided. She thought it over; the company wasn’t hers, and the money wasn’t hers either, so what did she have to be upset about? Anyway, she’d already given her opinion; whether or not to listen was Chen Man’s business. If Chen Man listens, everyone will be satisfied, and if she doesn’t…then she’s a great, unparalleled fool!! Secretary Jiang thought, externally calm and collected, and internally putting her hands on her hips. She exited the first floor lobby quickly; today, she was wearing a chiffon work dress, its material so slippery her shoulder bag kept slipping down; as Jiang Xichu walked out, she simultaneously overdid it as she supported the strap of the bag.
“Ah! Help, help! Murder!”
Jiang Xichu suddenly raised her head, looking towards where the sound had come from; the people entering and exiting at the door scattered and fled in all directions, and the elderly leisurely crossing the street were nearly frightened out of their wits; a woman was clutching her stomach, struggling to crawl forward, and behind her was a man dressed in an unsophisticated manner, a sushi knife dripping blood in his hand. He was attacking indiscriminately, and because he'd exploded abruptly, none of them had the time to react, and could only run around like headless chickens; having managed to cut down three women, with a glance, he caught sight of the neatly made-up, pretty Jiang Xichu.
Crouching at the door of the Underworld Population Registration Agency, Jiang Xichu and the young lady at her side made small talk.
“How did you die?”
“I was swimming with my friends and ran into a school of sharks.”
“And then you were bitten to death?”
“Actually, no,” the young lady said, shaking her head innocently, “the sharks didn’t see me, but when I was fleeing, I accidentally swam behind the tail of one of the sharks, and when it moved its tail, I was struck dizzy.”
“...”
Jiang Xichu, sympathetic, said, “How wretched; but at least that was alright—you died painlessly.”
The young lady smiled, revealing two pearly eye teeth, and said, “Ah, that’s true; what about you, how did you die?”
When she explained her situation, the young lady fell silent, and then said, “It seems like you’re even more wretched than me.”
“It’s all unexpected disasters; let’s not compare,” Jiang Xichu said, patting her legs, which had gone numb from crouching, and continued, “then again, the handling of affairs here is really too poor; I’ve been waiting at the door for half a day; how hasn’t there been any sign of activity? Even the National Tax Bureau is quicker than this.”
“It’s all unexpected disasters; let’s not compare,” Jiang Xichu said, patting her legs, which had gone numb from crouching, and continued, “then again, the handling of affairs here is really too poor; I’ve been waiting at the door for half a day; how hasn’t there been any sign of activity? Even the National Tax Bureau is quicker than this.”
Having just finished speaking, a white-shirted young man walked out from inside the office, and said, “Jiang Xichu, come in for registry.”
Jiang Xichu promptly stood up, and the young lady smiled at her as she waved her hands, saying, “See you later.”
Jiang Xichu followed after the young man inside, where there was an old gentleman as well, wearing a pair of reading glasses, who had just been reading her information aloud with squinted eyes. “Jiang Xichu, female, twenty-seven years old, from Huai City; cause of death: revenge against society; assets after death zero, assets during life…also zero.” Having finished reading, the old gentleman shook his head regretfully, and said, “You youth, idling away; look, there’s not the slightest bit of savings left—what did you waste that many years on? Savings are unexpectedly zero, dear, and you lived far too wretchedly too…”
Having listened in bewilderment for quite a while, Jiang Xichu finally heard something she understood, and she furrowed her brows. “But that’s not right, I had money; I saved over two-hundred thousand.”
The white-shirted young man at her side flipped through the folder in his hand, and said dispassionately, “It’s already gone; your stepmother moved all of your savings to her card.”
Jiang Xichu stilled, and then said, “But that’s not right, I can’t truly have no money; I died, and the company put the rest of the salary I hadn’t earned into my other card; my stepmother didn’t know about that other card, so it shouldn’t have been touched, should it?”
The white-shirted young man riffled through the folder, and said callously, “No, your boss didn’t arrange it for you.”
Jiang Xichu’s eyes widened, and she said, “That’s not possible! I’ve already been dead half a month, and I know our company’s financial efficiency best; financial transfers are very quick!”
The white-shirted young man gazed at her expressionlessly, and said, “There really isn’t any; if you don’t believe me, look yourself. After you died, your company didn’t give you a cent of money, reimbursements, financial support for consolation—nothing at all. Let me look again; yes, your burial was arranged by your boss; it was quite simple and crude; no one participated, and no one burned joss paper for you, so, your post-mortem assets are all zero.”
The burial had been arranged by Chen Man; Jiang Xichu wasn’t surprised—she’d long since cut off contact with her family, and if she’d been in an accident, the only person who could help her was Chen Man.
Jiang Xichu promptly stood up, and the young lady smiled at her as she waved her hands, saying, “See you later.”
Jiang Xichu followed after the young man inside, where there was an old gentleman as well, wearing a pair of reading glasses, who had just been reading her information aloud with squinted eyes. “Jiang Xichu, female, twenty-seven years old, from Huai City; cause of death: revenge against society; assets after death zero, assets during life…also zero.” Having finished reading, the old gentleman shook his head regretfully, and said, “You youth, idling away; look, there’s not the slightest bit of savings left—what did you waste that many years on? Savings are unexpectedly zero, dear, and you lived far too wretchedly too…”
Having listened in bewilderment for quite a while, Jiang Xichu finally heard something she understood, and she furrowed her brows. “But that’s not right, I had money; I saved over two-hundred thousand.”
The white-shirted young man at her side flipped through the folder in his hand, and said dispassionately, “It’s already gone; your stepmother moved all of your savings to her card.”
Jiang Xichu stilled, and then said, “But that’s not right, I can’t truly have no money; I died, and the company put the rest of the salary I hadn’t earned into my other card; my stepmother didn’t know about that other card, so it shouldn’t have been touched, should it?”
The white-shirted young man riffled through the folder, and said callously, “No, your boss didn’t arrange it for you.”
Jiang Xichu’s eyes widened, and she said, “That’s not possible! I’ve already been dead half a month, and I know our company’s financial efficiency best; financial transfers are very quick!”
The white-shirted young man gazed at her expressionlessly, and said, “There really isn’t any; if you don’t believe me, look yourself. After you died, your company didn’t give you a cent of money, reimbursements, financial support for consolation—nothing at all. Let me look again; yes, your burial was arranged by your boss; it was quite simple and crude; no one participated, and no one burned joss paper for you, so, your post-mortem assets are all zero.”
The burial had been arranged by Chen Man; Jiang Xichu wasn’t surprised—she’d long since cut off contact with her family, and if she’d been in an accident, the only person who could help her was Chen Man.
In the half month she’d waited in the underworld to register for, Jiang Xichu had assumed the entire time that Chen Man arranged an extremely grand funeral for her, with all her colleagues participating, and then Chen Man would have taken the microphone, and during the parting ceremony, would have told everyone, “Jiang Xichu was my closest friend, and she was also my most competent subordinate; hearing of her death, I mourned greatly; I’ve decided to give half the stocks under my name to Jiang Xichu, and let her live the life of a wealthy woman she’d craved.”
…
Every time she imagined this scenario, Jiang Xichu could roll around with joy, but now, she couldn’t feel any at all. Jiang Xichu felt her mind was a bit dizzy, and she blinked her eyes, asking, “Can the joss paper burnt by the living really be used here? Then how much are the prices here? Can eighty billion buy a mantou?”
“They can’t be used; they’re only a number, after all, letting you see how many people are thinking of you,” the young man said, sizing her up dispassionately; then he added, “the last person who received this treatment, it must have been Tojo Hideki.”
“...”
Jiang Xichu fumed with ire. “Damn! I want to go back! I have to go ask Chen Man what this lady did to offend her!”
…
Every time she imagined this scenario, Jiang Xichu could roll around with joy, but now, she couldn’t feel any at all. Jiang Xichu felt her mind was a bit dizzy, and she blinked her eyes, asking, “Can the joss paper burnt by the living really be used here? Then how much are the prices here? Can eighty billion buy a mantou?”
“They can’t be used; they’re only a number, after all, letting you see how many people are thinking of you,” the young man said, sizing her up dispassionately; then he added, “the last person who received this treatment, it must have been Tojo Hideki.”
“...”
Jiang Xichu fumed with ire. “Damn! I want to go back! I have to go ask Chen Man what this lady did to offend her!”
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