The rain drizzled softly against the glass windows of the café where Jiang Yuxi sat, her laptop open in front of her. The warm scent of coffee filled the air, but she barely noticed it. Instead, she was focused on the long list of job postings on the screen, scrolling through one rejection after another.
Marketing assistant? Requires prior experience.
Event coordinator? The position has already been filled.
Publishing firm? Looking for fresh graduates only.
With each listing, her frustration deepened. It wasn't that she lacked the qualifications—she had studied business and public relations—but none of it seemed to matter.
She checked her email, hoping for some positive news. Her heart sank as she read the latest response:
"Dear Ms. Jiang, thank you for your application. Unfortunately, at this time, we have decided to move forward with other candidates. We wish you all the best in your job search."
It was the same polished, empty rejection she had received multiple times already.
Yuxi shut her laptop, rubbing her temples. She had known this wouldn't be easy, but she hadn't expected doors to close in her face before she even had the chance to prove herself. It was as if her name alone was enough to decide her fate.
A voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Miss, would you like a refill?"
She blinked up at the barista, then shook her head. "No, thank you."
Her fingers tightened around the coffee cup as she thought about her next step. Maybe she needed to start somewhere smaller. A boutique company, a start-up—anywhere that wouldn't care about who she was married to.
But deep down, she knew the reality.
Even if she found a job, would she be allowed to keep it?
By the time Yuxi arrived at her next interview, the gray clouds outside had darkened, mirroring the unease settling in her chest. This time, she was meeting with a fashion company, one she had admired for its fresh approach to branding.
She sat stiffly in the interview chair, facing a middle-aged man in a sharp gray suit. He skimmed through her resume, nodding slightly at her qualifications.
"You have an impressive academic background, Miss Jiang," he said, flipping through the pages.
Yuxi smiled slightly, hopeful. "Thank you. I'm eager to learn and contribute."
The man nodded, but his gaze lingered a little too long on her name. His lips pressed together. "However, I do have some concerns. Our company values discretion, and we tend to avoid… complicated associations."
The polite tone barely masked the underlying message.
Yuxi's heart sank. "I assure you, my personal life won't interfere with my work."
The man offered a practiced smile. "Of course. But given your connection to the Gu family, we must be mindful of potential conflicts. I'm sure you understand."
Yuxi clenched her fists beneath the table. Another rejection. Another place unwilling to see her as anything other than Gu Zeyan's wife.
She forced a polite nod. "Thank you for your time."
As she walked out, she overheard the whispered conversation between the staff.
"That was her? The Gu family's daughter-in-law?"
"Why would she even need a job? It's just for show."
Their laughter trailed after her, each word another cut to her pride.
By the time Yuxi reached home, exhaustion clung to her like a heavyweight. She barely had the energy to push open the grand doors of the Jiang estate. But the moment she stepped inside, she knew she had made a mistake returning.
Yang Meilin sat on the living room couch, a smug smile curling her lips as she scrolled through her phone. "Ah, Yuxi," she drawled, setting it down. "You look… tired."
Yuxi ignored her and made her way toward the stairs, but her stepmother wasn't finished.
"I heard you've been running around the city, begging for work," Yang Meilin continued smoothly. "It's quite amusing, A Gu family daughter-in-law working like a commoner? How laughable."
Yuxi's jaw tightened, but she refused to take the bait.
Yang Meilin let out a sigh, shaking her head dramatically. "Tell me, Yuxi, did they turn you away because they were afraid of offending Gu Zeyan, or did they simply not see you as competent?"
Yuxi halted mid-step. The sharp sting of those words settled deep in her chest, but she pushed forward, refusing to let her stepmother see her falter.
But then, another voice cut through the silence.
"Your mother's hospital bills won't pay themselves."
Jiang Haotian stood near the entrance, his eyes cold as they settled on his daughter. "You should know where your priorities lie."
The words struck harder than any insult Yang Meilin could have thrown.
Yuxi turned to face him, her heart pounding. "I do know where my priorities lie," she said firmly. "That's why I need to work."
Her father scoffed, stepping forward. "You're being foolish, Yuxi. Do you think any company will hire you? You're Gu Zeyan's wife. You're either a pawn in his world or nothing at all."
Her fingers curled into fists. "I won't be controlled by him."
Jiang Haotian let out a cold laugh. "Won't be controlled? The only reason you have a roof over your head, the only reason your mother is still breathing, is because of him. You think you can escape that?"
Yuxi bit the inside of her cheek, the bitter truth settling deep in her bones.
She wanted to scream, to argue—but what could she say? She had fought so hard to prove her independence, yet every door had slammed in her face.
And Gu Zeyan?
No doubt he was watching her struggle, waiting for the moment she would have no choice but to turn to him.
But she wouldn't give in.
Not yet.
Taking a deep breath, Yuxi turned away from her father, retreating upstairs before they could see the crack forming in her armor.
She would find a way out of this.
She had to.