The sun hung low in the sky by the time Yuxi finished her first grueling day at Gu Corporation. The moment she shut down her computer and prepared to leave, she felt a presence lingering nearby.
Lifting her gaze, she found Zhao Liying standing at the doorway of the office, watching her with a calm yet calculating expression.
"Mrs. Gu," Zhao Liying addressed her smoothly, stepping forward. "A moment?"
Yuxi straightened, adjusting the strap of her bag before nodding.
She followed Zhao Liying into a private corner of the office, away from the curious stares of lingering employees.
Once they were alone, the older woman leaned against the desk, arms crossed.
"I have a piece of advice for you," Zhao Liying began, her voice deceptively polite. "Gu Corporation is a battlefield. A place where only the most capable survive. It is not…"—her gaze flickered over Yuxi—"a playground for privileged wives who want to experience a working woman's life for fun."
Yuxi's grip on her bag tightened.
She had expected hostility from her colleagues. She had expected resistance.
But to hear Zhao Liying say it so directly was still a sharp blow.
"So that's how you see me?" Yuxi asked, keeping her voice even. "As someone just playing around?"
Zhao Liying smiled, but there was no warmth in it.
"Isn't that what you are?" she countered smoothly. "Let's be honest, Mrs. Gu. No one in this company believes you're here because of your ability. You are here because of your name."
Yuxi felt a flicker of anger.
She had anticipated this—people assuming she was nothing more than a decorative wife who had been given a job out of pity or convenience.
But knowing they thought that didn't make it any easier to accept.
"And yet," Yuxi said, tilting her chin slightly, "I'm here. Working. Just like everyone else."
"Are you?" Zhao Liying challenged. "Because from what I saw today, you spent more time fetching coffee than actually contributing to any real work."
Yuxi exhaled sharply through her nose, forcing herself to stay calm.
She refused to be provoked.
"If that's the case," she said, lifting her chin, "then I'll simply have to prove that I deserve to be here. Through effort, not my name."
Zhao Liying let out a chuckle as if amused by Yuxi's determination.
"You're ambitious, I'll give you that," she murmured. "But let me give you a reality check."
She leaned in slightly, her expression hardening.
"No one here will ever truly respect you," she said. "No matter how hard you work, no matter how much effort you put in—they will always see you as Gu Zeyan's wife first, and an employee second."
Yuxi's breath hitched.
Zhao Liying's words were calculated. Precise.
And worst of all, they carried a bitter truth.
Yuxi had already felt it today—the way her colleagues ignored her, the way her opinions were dismissed, the way they refused to see her as one of them.
Still, she met Zhao Liying's gaze without backing down.
"Then I'll change that," she said firmly.
Zhao Liying studied her for a long moment before smiling slightly.
"Then I suppose we'll see how long you last," she said smoothly.
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Yuxi standing there—angry, determined, and utterly exhausted.
That evening, Yuxi trudged back to the Gu family's estate, every muscle in her body aching from the long day.
She had barely stepped into the house when she felt a gaze on her.
Lifting her head, she found Gu Zeyan standing in the living room, dressed in a crisp white shirt, his sleeves rolled up as he set down a glass of whiskey.
His dark, unreadable eyes swept over her.
She felt self-conscious under his scrutiny—her blouse slightly wrinkled, exhaustion visible in her posture.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, Gu Zeyan finally broke the silence.
"You look like you've been through a war."
His tone was casual, but Yuxi could sense the underlying meaning.
He was watching her. Waiting.
As if expecting her to complain.
To say that she had made a mistake.
But Yuxi merely straightened her shoulders and said, "It was just the first day."
Something flickered in his gaze.
Amusement? Interest?
It was hard to tell.
He took a sip of his drink, and hen placed the glass down.
"You could've just stayed home," he remarked.
Yuxi met his gaze.
"That's exactly why I won't," she replied.
For a brief second, something like approval flickered in Gu Zeyan's dark eyes.
But then, just as quickly, it was gone.
He simply smirked slightly and turned away, his voice smooth as he walked past her.
"Then let's see how long you last."
Yuxi clenched her fists.
She had heard the same words twice today.
Once from Zhao Liying.
Now from Gu Zeyan.
Fine.
She would last.
And she would prove them all wrong.