The Sickly Girl Becomes a Scum Alpha - Chapter 43

Chu Ci looked at Cao Xi’s dramatic expression and managed a faint smile. “What are you doing? It’s not like I’m about to disappear…”

“Pfft, pfft, pfft!” Cao Xi jumped up instantly. “Don’t say such unlucky things. Chu darling will definitely live to be a hundred, definitely…”

“If you’re so sure I’ll live to be a hundred, then cheer up. It’s just a minor cold; why are you acting like this?”

Chu Ci reached out and gave Cao Xi’s drooping face a playful tug. She knew Cao Xi truly cared about her, and she didn’t want the girl to be so distressed on her behalf.

Cao Xi forced another smile that looked more painful than crying. “If you’re going to lie, at least put some heart into it. I’m at least a bit smarter than a fool; how could this possibly be just a cold?”

“It’s a bit more serious than a cold, but I’ll be fine soon.”

“Stop lying to me. Do you dare show me your physical exam report?”

Chu Ci: …

“Relax, I’m not in immediate danger. It’s a minor ailment that can be treated, so don’t worry too much,” Chu Ci said, realizing Cao Xi wasn’t going to be easily fooled this time. She patted her friend’s shoulder. “But you have to keep this strictly confidential, okay?”

“Mhm, mhm…” Cao Xi nodded halfway before stopping. “Wait, I don’t even know what’s wrong, so what am I keeping secret?”

“The fact that my health isn’t great, obviously. I don’t want people making a big deal out of it. Jiang Xun looked at it; it’s not a huge problem, but I need long-term rest and recovery. If people keep disturbing me, it’ll be hard to get better.”

By the time Chu Ci finished speaking, her breathing had already become slightly uneven.

After confirming several times that Chu Ci really wasn’t in a life-threatening state, Cao Xi raised her hand solemnly. “I swear, this will absolutely not leak from my mouth!”

“Good. Now stop looking at me like I’m an endangered species. Just act like you always do. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

Her eyes felt a bit dry. After speaking, Chu Ci slowly closed them. “I’m going to rest for a bit.”

“Mhm, mhm!”

Cao Xi agreed immediately. Seeing Chu Ci leaning back in the chair with her eyes closed, she hurriedly had someone bring a blanket and carefully tucked her in.

Chu Ci drifted in and out of a daze, unsure how long she had been resting. When she slowly woke up, she didn’t yet have the strength to open her eyes, but she felt a slight itch under her nose.

At first, she thought it was her imagination, but after a moment, she realized it wasn’t.

Opening her eyes with a touch of helplessness, Chu Ci looked at Cao Xi, who was cautiously placing an index finger under her nose to check for breath. “I’m still alive.”

Cao Xi flinched, quickly withdrawing her hand guiltily. “Who told you to sleep so quietly? If you snored or something, I wouldn’t have to keep checking, would I?”

Chu Ci: …That’s really not necessary.

Supporting herself against the chair to sit up, she rubbed her temples. “What time is it?”

“Almost twelve. Hungry?” Cao Xi removed the blanket from Chu Ci.

“Not really. Is Jian Sui still busy?”

Before Chu Ci could stand up, Cao Xi handed her a cup of warm water.

“Yeah, she just went to the office with Tang Ze. Honestly, Jian Sui’s quite capable. I remember she graduated at the top of her class in financial management? She’s pretty impressive.” Cao Xi propped her chin on her hand. “Why did you suddenly decide to bring her here? Wouldn’t it be better to have her work with you at the Chu Group?”

“Going to the Chu Group might not be appropriate at this stage. I’ll consider it later.” Chu Ci had thought about it, but with Chu Xiong there, it would be difficult to settle Jian Sui in properly.

Just as they were talking, a knock came at the door. “Ms. Chu, Ms. Cao, Chairperson Jian and President Tang are waiting for you in the cafeteria. I’m here to escort you.”

Cao Xi glanced at Chu Ci, who had already stood up. “Let’s go then.”

As the three headed toward the cafeteria, Cao Xi frowned slightly. Tang Ze’s office and lounge weren’t far at all; why had Jian Sui gone to the cafeteria with Tang Ze first, leaving Chu darling behind?

Mindful that there were people around, Cao Xi suppressed her dissatisfaction and didn’t let it show.

When they arrived at the cafeteria, they saw Tang Ze casually picking out food. Although she was the General Manager of Shengyun Investment, she had no airs and ate the same food as the employees, chatting with people around her while she stood in line. It was thanks to her firm hand over the years that the company had survived Zhao Zhu’s mismanagement.

Cao Xi’s face immediately soured, and she whispered to Chu Ci, “We’re eating at the cafeteria?”

“What’s wrong with it?” Chu Ci didn’t see the issue.

“This isn’t the same as your Chu Group cafeteria, okay?!” Cao Xi felt Chu darling didn’t realize the severity of the situation.

Their arrival drew a lot of attention. Cao Xi, having a bit of an “idol burden,” instantly dropped her sour expression. Tang Ze saw them too, feeling slightly surprised. She had assumed these two top-tier socialites wouldn’t bother coming here; the idea of them eating at a cafeteria was somewhat amusing.

“Ms. Chu, Ms. Cao.” Regardless of her thoughts, Tang Ze stepped forward to greet them. She had a rough idea of the person Cao Xi had been buying for and had guessed it was Chu Ci. Her gamble had paid off.

“President Tang.” Chu Ci nodded slightly as she offered her hand. Cao Xi followed suit, and they walked toward the tables together.

“The braised eggplant here is decent, and the honey-glazed wings aren’t bad either,” Tang Ze introduced the dishes. Cao Xi looked pained, clearly resistant to the cafeteria spread.

“Where’s Jian Sui?” Chu Ci didn’t care what she ate, but she was confused by Jian Sui’s absence.

“Just now… oh, here she comes.” Tang Ze looked around and spotted Jian Sui walking out from the back kitchen.

Jian Sui was carrying a tray with several exquisite dishes. The golden, tender shrimp and egg custard in the center was mouth-watering, and though the other ingredients were simple, they emitted an aroma that piqued the appetite.

As Jian Sui set the tray on the table, Cao Xi’s eyes lit up. “Jian Sui, where did you get that food? I want a portion too.”

Chu Ci knew at a glance that Jian Sui had cooked this herself. No wonder she hadn’t come over with them. Pushing the salivating Cao Xi aside, Chu Ci and Jian Sui began setting out the dishes. “This is a special meal Jian Sui made just for me. You don’t get any.”

Cao Xi’s hand froze mid-reach, and she looked at Jian Sui in astonishment. “Jian Sui, your cooking is this good?”

Jian Sui set the tray aside. “It’s not that great; I’m still learning.”

Chu Ci sat down in high spirits. Watching Cao Xi head to the line with a huff, she found the scene strangely comical.

Jian Sui joined Tang Ze and the others to get food from the cafeteria line. The three returned quickly, with Jian Sui sitting next to Chu Ci and Cao Xi sitting directly across from them.

Looking at Chu Ci’s exquisite dishes and then at her own large tray of mass-produced food, Cao Xi’s previous dissatisfaction about Jian Sui not waiting for Chu Ci turned into pure jealousy.

“I want a ‘Wife-Limited’ set meal too…”

Chu Ci took a smug bite of the smooth egg custard. “The ‘Clean Plate’ campaign is popular now. Remember to finish everything on your tray.”

Cao Xi stared at her overflowing tray. If she finished all this, wouldn’t her calorie count explode? “Chu darling, you don’t love me anymore!”

Chu Ci: T^T

“If you don’t finish it, I’ll hang a photo of you with your leftovers in the cafeteria as a negative example.”

Had Cao Xi not said that last part, Chu Ci might have let her off. Left with no choice, Cao Xi turned her frustration into appetite and battled the food in front of her. Surprisingly, she found her first cafeteria meal quite tasty, even if she ended up stuffed.

After lunch, Chu Ci had to return to the Chu Group. She intended to just say goodbye to Jian Sui, but Jian Sui followed her out.

Chu Ci was caught between laughter and tears. “I’m not a child; you really don’t have to stay with me every second.”

“It’s fine. Working remotely is the same,” Jian Sui said, carrying her laptop as she sat beside Chu Ci in the car.

Unable to win the argument, Chu Ci waved to Cao Xi. “We’re heading off.”

Cao Xi, clutching her waist from being so full, gave Chu Ci the middle finger. Chu Ci rolled her eyes in return.

They arrived at the Chu Group during the lunch break. Chu Ci looked at the stack of files and was thinking about a nap when Cheng Feng walked in with a document. He was surprised to see Jian Sui. “Ms. Jian is here too?”

“Assistant Cheng.” Jian Sui sat on the sofa, opening her laptop and nodding in response.

Chu Ci looked over. “What is it?”

“Boss, I’ve organized the applications for your private assistant. Take a look and see if any are suitable, or if you want to conduct interviews.”

Cheng Feng’s main duty was handling Chu Ci’s work affairs; he couldn’t cover all the minor details. A temporary assistant had been handling things, but a permanent hire was needed.

“Leave it here. I’ll look at it later.” Chu Ci wanted her nap. Working overtime was not in her vocabulary.

“Alright.” Cheng Feng left the file. He was busy running between the Chu Group and Bamboo Dream.

Chu Ci strolled toward the lounge. Just as she was about to ask Jian Sui if she wanted to rest together, she saw Jian Sui pick up the file.

“You’re hiring a private assistant?”

“Yeah. Cheng Feng can’t handle the daily schedule and trivia alone, so I plan to hire someone else.” Chu Ci patted the soft duvet, feeling sleepy.

“Shall I look through them for you?” Jian Sui opened the file.

“Sure. Just pick one and tell Cheng Feng. But aren’t you going to nap?” Chu Ci looked at the workaholic Jian Sui. Who actually asked for more work?

“It’s fine. I don’t have a habit of napping. You go ahead and sleep.” Jian Sui sat on the sofa, spreading out the candidate profiles.

Clearly, even without Chu Ci’s current soaring reputation, the name of the Chu Group alone was enough to attract a massive number of applicants. These were the ones Cheng Feng had already meticulously screened. Looking at the credentials, it was hard to believe these were just for an assistant position.

Every candidate was impressive—young ones fresh from master’s and doctoral programs, and older ones with rich experience. All were elites from top-tier universities.

Rubbing her temples, Jian Sui narrowed it down to three resumes. Each had specific strengths, but since resumes can be embellished, she felt a face-to-face interview was necessary.

Having finished, Jian Sui went to put the file back on Chu Ci’s desk, but she accidentally noticed something tucked into the corner of the folder.

Hesitating for a moment, she reached out and pulled the item out.

It was a detailed inventory list.