Chapter 282: Resurgence from the Ashes
Liu Xiangyi got into the car, and the person who came to pick her up was Xu Fang.
Xu Fang had already received instructions. When Liu Xiangyi asked about the nature of the work, she said:
“Xiao Liu, you don’t know, the work around Miss Xu is like this. When it’s busy, it’s really busy, and when it’s quiet, it’s very quiet. Miss Xu is such a smart person. If she’s willing to offer us such a high salary, it can only mean that we are worth it.”
This was something Xu Youyou had taught Xu Fang to say. Even though Xu Fang knew it was just a way to flatter Liu Xiangyi, she felt quite happy hearing it.
Liu Xiangyi, however, wasn’t as calm. After all, over the past year, her workload had been ridiculously low. She spent almost every day just killing time, and several times, she worried that her laziness might end up causing the company to go under.
“Xu Jie, can you tell me the truth? Does the boss really have that much work to do?” Liu Xiangyi asked.
Xu Fang was momentarily speechless. Last year, she had accompanied Xu Youyou abroad, but this year, most of her time had been spent domestically. She wasn’t like Xu Youyou’s all-around assistant; she felt more like just a driver. Having worked only a year as a driver with such a high salary, Xu Fang suddenly felt a bit guilty.
She took a deep breath, trying not to be led astray by Liu Xiangyi, and said, “When Miss Xu needs you, you must step up immediately. That’s why we need to solidify our foundations when she doesn’t need us.”
“Solidify the foundation?” Liu Xiangyi didn’t quite understand.
Xu Fang smiled and explained, “The boss has a huge, well-stocked library at home. She always encourages us, her subordinates, to read and study more. You’ll understand once you get there.”
Liu Xiangyi nodded, half-understanding.
It was Liu Xiangyi’s first time visiting Xu Youyou’s house, and like everyone else, she was overwhelmed by the size and luxury of it. She had to force herself not to look too shocked. Though her eyes wanted to take everything in, she didn’t dare look too much.
Xu Youyou noticed Liu Xiangyi’s restraint and felt as if she were seeing her younger self from years ago. She smiled and asked, “Do you still live in the dormitory arranged by the company? Are you used to it?”
Liu Xiangyi nodded vigorously and replied, “Boss, the dormitory the company arranged for me is already very good. They gave me a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchen and bathroom, all fully equipped. If I were to rent a place like this on my own, it would cost seven to eight thousand a month, and I definitely couldn’t afford it.”
The dormitory the company provided for Liu Xiangyi was in a great location, just a five-minute walk from work. Liu Xiangyi felt very content. After all, many of her university classmates still didn’t earn seven to eight thousand a month, but she was living in a place worth that much in Shanghai.
Xu Youyou smiled and said, “There’s one thing I need to tell you. I’m making some adjustments to your work. To make it more convenient for you, I might have you move here to live.”
Liu Xiangyi’s jaw dropped in shock. “Me? Live with the boss?”
Xu Youyou replied, “Your work will still be as an assistant. When I don’t need you, you can do whatever you like—play on your phone, read books, whatever. As long as you’re available during working hours, that’s all I ask. Outside of work hours, I have no other demands. I just worry that you might not get used to living in a different place.”
Xu Youyou’s attitude toward Liu Xiangyi was warm and affectionate, almost like she was treating her like her own child. After all, the girl had a unique constitution, and Xu Youyou worried that she might inadvertently make her uncomfortable.
Liu Xiangyi had always worked a typical nine-to-five job, with weekends off. Considering the two hours of lunch break, she was only working about thirty hours a week.
And during most of those thirty hours, she had little to do.
Now, when she heard Xu Youyou’s offer, it felt almost like being asked to change places and daydream in a new setting.
She thought for a moment and said, “Boss, having a chance to live in such a house, a place I could never have dreamed of, I really don’t have any objections… but could you please clearly tell me what I need to do?”
Xu Youyou suddenly felt that sometimes having a heavy moral burden wasn’t a good thing. But then, she thought to herself that if someone favored by fate were a bad person, that would make her even more unhappy.
Xu Fang leaned over to Xu Youyou’s ear and whispered everything that had been said on the road.
Xu Youyou quickly came up with a response and smiled, saying, “Xiao Liu, I’ve been planning to write a book on ceramic appraisal. I’ve already outlined the structure, but there are a lot of specific materials I need to compile and reference. I think you’ll be able to handle this task.”
This was the first time Liu Xiangyi had ever heard of such a specific, clear work task since joining Xu Youyou’s company. She immediately became energetic and said, “Boss, even though I’ve never done this kind of work before, since you’ve asked me, I will do my best to complete the task.”
Xu Youyou wasn’t making up these words on the spot. She really did plan to write a professional book. The appraisers in the country had become quite protective of their knowledge, and many people who wanted to enter the field didn’t know where to start.
Xu Youyou felt that since she had gained the system’s favor, she should do something that could benefit society.
“This is the outline I’ve already drafted. I remember the books I referenced, so please go through these first,” Xu Youyou handed Liu Xiangyi her manuscript.
At this point, the housekeeper, Zhang Jie, guided Liu Xiangyi to the study.
Although Xu Fang didn’t understand why Xu Youyou wanted Liu Xiangyi to be her assistant, Xu Youyou had told her that Liu Xiangyi wouldn’t affect her role as the first assistant.
“Boss, the information you asked me to check has come back. The Gu family has been in a state of imminent bankruptcy for the past year but hasn’t actually gone bankrupt. About three months ago, a Hong Kong-based capital invested in the Gu family, and now the Gu family has been revived,” Xu Fang reported.
Xu Youyou raised an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn’t expected this outcome. Even though Star Diamond had collapsed, it seemed the Gu family—who was much smaller—had somehow managed to survive.
“Hong Kong Capital? Do we know anything about them? Have you figured out their background?” Xu Youyou asked.
Xu Fang shook her head and replied, “This Hong Kong force is very mysterious. After a thorough investigation, all we could find was a name, and we vaguely know that this person is from Hong Kong. But even after asking people in Hong Kong to help investigate, we couldn’t uncover much.”
Xu Youyou frowned and then asked, “How are the Gu family’s children doing now?”
The Gu family had four children: the eldest ran a business, the second was a celebrity, the third was a painter, and only Gu Xueying, with the title of a socialite, worked in several charity foundations.
“Everyone else seems to be doing just fine, but Gu Yujing has gained considerable fame this year. He’s held several exhibitions in Europe, and his paintings are being highly sought after by celebrities both domestically and abroad,” Xu Fang reported.
