During the morning meeting, Lin Siya met everyone in the company. It really was a small place—barely a dozen people.
Besides Yuan Xin, the boss, and a young administrative lady who also handled finances, the rest were split into three departments: Marketing, Customer Service, and Maintenance.
The company specialized in surveillance and security systems—installing cameras, anti-theft devices, and providing remote monitoring services.
The Marketing Department, led by Manager Li Xiaoyu, had two staff members responsible for sales and client outreach.
The Customer Service Department had four people—two on day shift, two on night shift—handling after-sales issues, night monitoring, and assisting clients with remote troubleshooting.
The Maintenance Department was headed by Manager Chen Yi, who doubled as the technical lead, with four technicians in charge of equipment installation and upkeep.
Over half of them were people Yuan Xin had known from her school days—kids who'd once run wild with her, now in their twenties. The company might be small, but it was young, vibrant, and full of loyalty.
After the meeting, Ah Xin handed Lin Siya a company handbook.
Lin Siya read it carefully from start to finish. It wasn't thick, but it told her everything she needed to know—and she quickly understood why Yuan Xin had placed her in Marketing. It was the department with the most potential, the one that suited her best.
"How's it going?"
Manager Li Xiaoyu stopped by, smiling. She remembered Lin Siya from the day before. Though she didn't quite understand what Yuan Xin was thinking, if the boss had brought her in, she would treat her well. Back in school, Li had been a little delinquent herself—always tagging along after Yuan Xin. Most of them hadn't been good students. If Yuan Xin hadn't taken them in later, they wouldn't even know where they'd end up. This company wasn't just a job—it was their home.
"I think I get it now," Lin Siya said. "My job is to promote and sell our products, right?"
"Right," Li Xiaoyu nodded. "The more clients you bring in, the more you earn—and the more profit the company makes. If you can secure large clients, like chain stores or shopping malls, and sign long-term contracts—three years or more—that's even better."
"I'll need to understand our products first," Lin Siya said seriously. "How they work, how they're installed, what advantages they have over competitors… and their weaknesses too."
Li Xiaoyu's eyes lit up.
She'd gone through plenty of salespeople, but not one had shown that kind of attitude. Most wanted to go straight to pitching after skimming the materials. Lin Siya, on the other hand, wanted to understand the product inside and out.
"Good. Spend the morning with Customer Service—learn about the software, usage, and client issues. In the afternoon, follow the maintenance crew to observe installation on-site."
Lin Siya smiled. "Got it. Thank you, Manager Li."
From her office, Ah Xin could see everything through the window. Her lips curved into a faint, warm smile. When Lin Siya sensed her gaze and looked up, their eyes met.
Lin Siya lifted her chin, flashing a confident, radiant smile that said clearly: I'll do my best.
The old, arrogant Miss Lin had changed. She was still proud—but her pride had softened into determination.
She was bright, charming, and quick to adapt. Within an hour in Customer Service, she was chatting easily with the two girls there.
When they were too busy—or had to step away—she even picked up the ringing phone herself and, based on what she'd observed, helped resolve simple client issues.
The two Customer Service girls immediately warmed up to her. Once they found out she was from Marketing, their admiration only grew—after all, Marketing was the company's core. Without clients, the company wouldn't survive.
By late morning, Lin Siya had started asking sharper, more technical questions. The girls were happy to explain—software functions, setup processes, troubleshooting steps, and more.
By noon, she had a solid grasp of the product line—and even installed the company's remote-monitoring app on her phone. A productive morning indeed.
At noon, while the Customer Service girls rotated out for lunch, most of the others had already gone to eat. They invited her to join, but she smiled and said she wanted to review her notes first.
"It's almost one o'clock, Siya," one of the girls said before leaving. "You're new—don't overwork yourself. Take care of your health."
Lin Siya smiled and shook her head. "I'll be fine."
Just then, Ah Xin walked in, holding a lunch box. She came straight up to Lin Siya's desk.
"Eat."
Lin Siya blinked. "You bought that… for me?"
"Mm."
Ah Xin set the lunch box down, smiling softly.
Lin Siya stared, momentarily overwhelmed. What kind of boss does this? She'd worked in multinational companies before—those bosses didn't even know half their employees' names, much less buy them lunch. Most acted like the staff's exhaustion was good for business.
"You've eaten?"
"Yes."
Lin Siya nodded, then turned to one of the Customer Service girls. "Xiao Yu, go eat. I'll watch things here."
The girl glanced at Ah Xin. Seeing her nod, she grinned. "Thanks, Siya!" And she ran off happily.
Lin Siya carried her lunch to a nearby desk and opened it. It was rich and colorful—definitely more than she was used to.
She swallowed hard. "Yuan Xin, next time don't get something this fancy. I just started working, I haven't earned anything yet. My debt to you's only going to grow."
Ah Xin's lips curved. "This one's not on the books."
"Not… on the books?" Lin Siya blinked, flustered. "That doesn't seem right."
"Company-provided lunch."
"…Really?" Lin Siya eyed her suspiciously. "We're such a small company. You can afford that?"
"Really. There's a restaurant downstairs—we all eat there. They keep a tab for us. I just grabbed yours while I was there."
Finally reassured, Lin Siya smiled and began eating. The food was simple but delicious, and the warmth in her chest spread. Looking up at Ah Xin, she said sincerely, "I'll work hard. I'll create value for the company."
"You'd better," Ah Xin replied calmly. "We don't feed freeloaders here."
Lin Siya tilted her chin, smiling brightly. "Don't underestimate me. You said you want to make this company number one in the country, right? Yuan Xin, you won't regret hiring me—you'll all be thankful one day."
"I trust my judgment," Ah Xin said with an easy smile.
Lin Siya ducked her head, a little flustered. So from the very beginning, Yuan Xin had believed in her?
When everyone else had turned her away—when no one saw her worth—this woman had.
Her throat tightened. She shoveled another bite of rice, blinking rapidly.
Since someone finally believed in her, she couldn't afford to fail.
So what if the Lin family had cast her out?
So what if Gu Yan had ruined her name?
So what if everyone called her vicious?
Was she supposed to give up living because of that?
No.
She refused to believe the world could be ruled entirely by people like them.
"Yuan Xin," she said after a pause, "you were serious about making this company number one in the country?"
"I was," Ah Xin replied simply.
Lin Siya drew a deep breath and clenched her fists. "Then let's do it."
Ah Xin just smiled, calm and unshaken—as if success was already within reach.
That composed confidence—it wasn't arrogance, exactly, but something larger.
For a moment, Lin Siya thought: maybe this woman really did have the aura of a boss… or a queenpin.
That afternoon, she followed the maintenance team to observe on-site installations, taking careful notes. Later, they went to service existing clients, troubleshooting and collecting feedback.
She worked hard—everyone noticed. Within a single day, she'd earned the company's respect.
By the end of the day, she'd compiled her notes into a neat summary. Tired but satisfied, she smiled at the glowing monitor, filled with quiet pride.
"Time to clock out."
The familiar voice made her look up. Yuan Xin stood by her desk, having just stepped out of her office.
"You're still here?" Lin Siya asked, surprised. "I thought you'd left already."
Ah Xin glanced at her screen, scanning her report. "Good work. Nicely summarized."
The praise made Lin Siya blush faintly. "It's nothing—you said the company doesn't feed freeloaders, so I figured I'd better pull my weight."
"Let me treat you to dinner," she said suddenly. She really did want to thank this woman properly.
"Do you have money?" Ah Xin asked mildly.
Lin Siya's smile faltered. "Well… I still have some left from what I borrowed. How about noodles? There's a shop I know—it's really good. Once I start earning, I'll treat you to something fancy."
"You don't mind, right?" she added nervously. "I mean, you're a boss and all, I shouldn't be inviting you to a noodle shop…"
Ah Xin shook her head. "I like noodles."
"Ah—great! Then let's go!"