Chapter 27: Assistant to the Chief Editor

The next day, Xia Ning comes to the company early. Ou Yixuan has already made arrangement for the Chief Editor Office and for her working desk too. Xia Ning is uncertain. She comes to the office half an hour earlier to check if there is anything to follow up.

She is clear what it means to be the assistant to Xiao Tingting.

The office hour starts at half past eight and Xiao Tingting arrives at eight fifteen. She sees Xia Ning who says hi to her with a big smile, yet, she walks straight past her without a look.

Xia Ning blinks. Well, here starts the test from the organization.

When it is time to work, Ou Yixuan holds a meeting and specially introduces Xiao Tingting to everybody. Xiao Tingting is nice to everyone, except to Xia Ning.

Xiao Tingting is so indifferent to Xia Ning that Li Baoer frowns. In an instant, she understands how Xia Ming felt yesterday.

When coming back to the Chief Editor Office, the first thing Xiao Tingting drops to Xia Ning is telling her to re-organize the general information for the current working staff in TIME ERA TV Station

This general information, as requested by Xiao Tingting, needs to precisely show the details of three family members of the staff. It is not much different from a census.

Other information can be filled in little by little, but under the item of salary, Xiao Tingting throws a big difficulty to her and leaves her in great embarrassment.

Holding the data sheet, Xia Ning goes to the Finance Department, “Chief Editor Xiao would like to have the salary sheet of the working staff.”

The Financial Director hesitates for a while, “Chief Editor Xiao does not inform us about this sheet. May I give her a call and check?”

Xia Ning nods. The Financial Director calls Xiao Tingting and hardly has any conversation before hanging up.”

“General Editor Xiao said she did not ask for the sheet. Assistant Xia, I think you need to double check with her.” The Financial Director looks at her with alarm.

It seems that Xiao Tingting really sets her up. Xia Ning responds and turns back to leaves.

“Huh. She has just got the promotion and at once shows her identity. How dare she mention Chief Editor Xiao…”

People of the Finance Department are whispering. Xia Ning feels so bad.

Just at the moment, Xia Ning’s phone rings. It is from Xiao Tingting, telling her to make a cup of coffee and take it to the office.

Xia Ning makes the coffee and brings it to Xiao Tingting. Xiao Tingting takes a sip and pours it, “It is not sweet enough. Make another one.”

Xia Ning adds some sugar in the coffee and gives it to Xiao Tingting, but Xiao Tingting pours it again, “It is too sweet. Try again.”

And it repeats, Xiao Tingting tells Xia Ning to make a new cup of coffee again and again for all kinds of excuses. This making coffee stuff makes Xia Ning walk more than a dozen times.

Finally Xiao Tingting doesn’t torture Xia Ning with the coffee issue, but then she tells Xia Ning to learn the real truth of every piece of news, which is not considered to be Xia Ning’s work. With the order, Xia Ning starts running her legs for investigations among every scene, institution and residential area in B City.

Her feet get blistering and swollen. She comes back to the office exhaustedly, yet, she has to handle all kinds of “unexpected situation” as requested by Xiao Tingting. Ever since she becomes the assistant to the Chief Editor, she cannot get back to Yasi Villa until 23:00, almost every day.

She has to get up around six o’clock to wash and dress, and go to work.

In the whole month, her sleep time is no more than 5 hours on average every day.

“Hey! Great Assistant Xia, when will you have time to go shopping or to have dinner with me?” Li Baoer slips to Xia Ning when Xia Tingting is away.

Xia Ning shakes her head, “It doesn’t seem possible for now. I have got a lot of work to do…”

“I say, Little Ning, did you ever measure your weight?”

“Huh?” Xia Ning puzzles and looks up at her.

“Didn’t you notice you lose all your weight?” Li Baoer turns her eyes, “What kind of assistant you are? It is definitely chronic suicide!”

“Not that serious.” Xia Ning smiles. She knows the sufferings, but not for telling.

“I wonder why you have to force yourself so hard. Do you really want to be promoted?”

Xia Ning pauses for a while, sips her lips and signs.

To be promoted? Well, that is a day dream.

Xiao Tingting will not give her the chance, and neither Ou Yixuan nor Zheng Ran will do.

It has been a month and she truly realizes what Zheng Ran meant.

Her mother-in-law Zheng Yao doesn’t like her. Her aunt Zheng Ran doesn’t like her either. One time, she tried and called Zheng Ran “Auntie”. Zheng Ran’s face darkened at once and gave her a big scold.

It is no doubt that she will not have any good expectation in TIME ERA TV Station. There won’t be any promotions.

“What do you mean by signing? Answer me!”Li Baoer is anxious, “Are you tired and mad? Where is Commander Yi? Why don’t you please him and ask him to give you a good arrangement?”

Talking of Yi Yunrui, Xia Ning’s face freezes. She shakes her head with certainty, “He is he, I am I. Boer, I still have a lot of work to do. You should be off now.

Li Boer wants to say something else, but she turns her head and sees Xiao Tingting coming from far. She leaves at once, “Ning, good luck.”

“Pah.” Xiao Tingting throws the material to Xia Ning, “Have a special interview with the president of Yaoxing Multinational Group, Li Dezheng. Get it done in five days.”

Li Dezheng? Xia Ning pauses.

This President Li is an upstart coming out of half the way. It is said that he used some special means to accumulate his primitive funds. He is of bad temper and drove away many reporters.

She finally is going to the muddy water.

But five days…

“Chief Director Xiao, could you give me some more days? It is quite difficult to interview President Li…

“Didn’t you finish the interview with Mr. Dai in three days? I give you five days, it is more than enough.” Xiao Tingting interrupts, not waiting for her finishing, “If you cannot finish it on time. A month salary will be deducted.”

Deduct a month salary?!

It an abuse of her power! Or what?

Xia Ning thinks she should try to argue, “Chief Director Xiao, if I cannot finish the interview, it may be my personal work capability problem, but I don’t think it reasonable to deduct a month salary because of it.” If it works as Xiao Tingting’s rule, how can a TV station keep its reporters?

“Do you think it too much or too little for punishment?” Xiao Tingting raises her eyebrows.

“Too much. I will try to finish the interview with President Li. However, I hope Chief Director Xiao would have a second consideration about the punishment.”

“So it is my standard.” Xiao Tingting said dismissively, rubbing her nails, “I want you to keep in mind, Xia Ning, a lot of people want to be the assistant to the Chief Editor. TIME ERA TV Station chooses the best one. If you cannot do it, you don’t do it.

What Xiao Tingting said means: finish the task, or, quit!

Xiao Ning feels tight inside, as if there is a breath in the chest running up to her brain, roaring. She knows, in the whole month, Xiao Tingting did all the things to torture her for the purpose of kicking her away.