Charles Yin chuckled softly, "It seems Alex has really put in the effort lately. Finding an assistant who can satisfy Cici is no easy task."
Ben nodded in agreement, "That's right, Alex has indeed spent a lot of time and energy figuring this out."
"This year, I'll double the bonuses for all four of you." Charles Yin was a CEO who rewarded and punished fairly, and at moments like this, he never hesitated to be generous.
The others all thanked him happily, "Thank you, President Yin."
Now that Cecilia Gu and Charles Yin had given their approval, the news could be released.
When Victor Shen learned he could secure an admission slot at Saint Diana Academy, a prestigious school owned by the Yin Group, he was so overjoyed he nearly burst into tears.
This was the best chance to climb into high society!
Just think—who is Victor Shen?
A minor businessman with no real standing.
Even those with assets worth tens of millions or more might not get this slot!
Victor Shen was told outright that the reason he got this slot was because his daughter, Coco Shen, is now the personal assistant to Miss Cecilia Grant of the Yun Family!
It was all thanks to her that the Shen Family received this opportunity!
Only now did Victor Shen, who had always looked down on his eldest daughter, realize that the timid girl who never dared to speak up had grown into someone he now had to look up to.
When Victor Shen heard the news, his face stiffened noticeably, feeling particularly uncomfortable.
She was the child he cared least about, the one he'd kicked out of the house, and yet she brought him such an enormous surprise.
No matter how much he disliked Coco Shen, he had to put on the act of a loving father now.
So, Victor Shen reached out to Coco Shen and invited her home for dinner.
After hanging up, Coco Shen said with a blank expression, "See? That's my scumbag dad! When I was useless, I was nothing but garbage, a burden, a daughter who deserved to die. Now that I have value, he suddenly acts like a loving father and wants me home for dinner!"
Wendy clenched her fist and said, "For the sake of our revenge, endure it!"
Mia Dou grinned, "I'll go back with you. Do you think your dad will welcome me?"
"He'll definitely roll out the red carpet." Coco Shen answered with certainty. "I'm the assistant to the CEO's wife at the Yin Group—how could he not try to curry favor?"
"Then let me put my beauty plan into action ahead of time." Mia Dou pinched her chin and said to Coco Shen and Wendy, "I've been using face masks every day lately. Tell me, is my face good enough to pull off a beauty scheme now?"
Coco Shen: "Do you want the truth or a lie?"
Wendy: "I don't dare answer."
"The truth!" Mia Dou nodded vigorously.
"Maybe your status is worth more than your looks." Coco Shen teased.
Mia Dou pounced and started tickling her, "Oh really? You dare say I'm not pretty? What's not pretty about me? Tell me, tell me! If you can't answer, I won't stop!"
Coco Shen was so ticklish she couldn't take it, laughing until tears came out, "Okay, okay, you're pretty, you're the prettiest, you're the most beautiful in my heart! Spare me! Ahhh, Miss, help! Ahhh hahaha..."
Cecilia Gu watched their antics and shook her head helplessly, but she was genuinely happy for them.
Girls should be optimistic and cheerful.
If you let hatred blind you, you'll miss out on the colorful world outside.
With Mia Dou and Wendy by her side, Cecilia believed Coco Shen would soon move past her dark days.
Cecilia Gu thought happily.
Sure enough, soon all of Victor Shen’s mistresses heard the news.
It was made clear: any child of the Shen Family could compete for this opportunity.
So, the once laid-back mistresses could no longer sit still.
Who wouldn't want their child to get into a top elite academy?
Who wouldn't want their child to break out of this class and leap into the upper circle?
Even if it meant being an assistant to some young master?
It was still a chance for a huge leap in social status!
Victor Shen was instantly thrown into chaos.
Several of his mistresses living outside suddenly became unreasonable, openly and secretly pressuring him to secure the slot for their own children.
Don't forget, the elite academy never said it had to be boys—girls could qualify too.
So, everyone had a chance. It was just a matter of who would win!
Time flew by, and soon it was the weekend—the day Coco Shen was supposed to go home for dinner.
Coco Shen gave her family a heads-up that she'd be bringing a colleague along.
When the Shen Family heard, it was like Jia Yuanchun from Dream of the Red Chamber returning home—they scrubbed every corner spotless, preparing to welcome these two VIPs.
Victor Shen had made his fortune thanks to women.
He knew well how important it was for his son, Jason Shen, to marry a wife who could help him in his career.
So before Coco Shen came home, Victor Shen sternly instructed Jason Shen: if the chance arose, he must use his sister Coco Shen to get close to Cecilia Gu’s other assistants!
Jason Shen readily agreed.
He was ambitious too.
He was already too old to attend the elite academy run by the Yin Group.
But he worried that Victor Shen’s illegitimate children might get into that academy.
He couldn’t stop them from studying, but he could pave his own way before they got access to resources.
"At least your sister knows what's up, bringing a female colleague home." Victor Shen said to Jason Shen with satisfaction. "Otherwise, I'd teach her a lesson!"
Jason Shen replied, "Dad, my sister isn't who she used to be. You should give her some respect. Don’t make things ugly."
Victor Shen stiffened his neck and said, "I'm her father. Even if she becomes a CEO’s wife, I can still discipline her!"
Jason Shen said quietly, "Maybe that day will really come. Coco Shen is always with Miss Cecilia Grant, surrounded by rich young heirs. Who knows, maybe one day…"
Jason Shen and Victor Shen exchanged a look, and both saw their own greed reflected in the other's eyes.
If that day ever really came, the whole Shen Family would be set for life!
On the weekend, Coco Shen and Mia Dou didn’t arrive early—they showed up just before noon.
In the past, Victor Shen would’ve pointed at Coco Shen’s nose and cursed her out, maybe even hit her to vent his anger.
But today, no one dared to show Coco Shen any attitude.
Not only Victor Shen, but even Mrs. Shen wouldn’t dare.
Jason Shen definitely wouldn’t.
Only the main family members were home today. All those mistresses outside were dying to get into the house and cozy up to Coco Shen.
Coco Shen drove back in a car provided by the Yin Group—even if it was just a work vehicle, it was a top-tier Mercedes.
The Shen Family was only moderately wealthy, so they couldn’t afford a standalone villa. They bought a townhouse instead, which at least counted as a villa.
At the door, Coco Shen parked and got out with Mia Dou.
Victor Shen greeted them at the door, his face clearly unhappy.
From Victor Shen’s perspective, he was head of the house—why should he stand at the door to welcome a daughter he considered a burden?
But Mrs. Shen and Jason Shen were all smiles. As soon as they saw Coco Shen and Mia Dou, they rushed to greet them: "Coco, you’re back! Come in, come in!"
Coco Shen looked at this woman and felt nothing but disgust.
If it weren’t for her, Mom wouldn’t have divorced, wouldn’t have passed away so soon.
Was she supposed to act happy?
Sorry, she couldn’t do it.
Mrs. Shen saw Coco Shen ignoring her and immediately felt awkward, so she greeted Mia Dou instead: "And you are?"
"Hello, Mrs. Shen. My surname is Dou. I’m a colleague of Coco’s, serving Miss Cecilia Grant of the Yun Family." Mia Dou handed over a fruit basket she’d picked up for a hundred yuan at a roadside stall. "Sorry to bother you."
Mrs. Shen immediately beamed, "Oh, you’re Coco’s colleague! Please, come in. Jason, go help out."
Jason Shen put on his best charming-young-heir act and greeted Mia Dou, "Miss Dou, I'm Jason Shen, Coco Shen's younger brother. Welcome to our home."
Mia Dou saw Jason Shen’s approach and understood immediately.
No need for her to use any beauty tricks.
The fish had already taken the bait.
Looks like the Shen Family really couldn’t wait.
That’s fine—it made things easier when the time came to act.
Mia Dou pretended not to notice Jason Shen’s behavior and followed with a smile into the house.
Victor Shen, as head of the household, politely entertained Mia Dou, then found an excuse to ask Coco Shen into the study.
Coco Shen was already getting impatient and followed him into the study.
As soon as she entered, Coco Shen asked, "What do you want?"
"I'm your father, and this is how you talk to me?" Victor Shen tried to act like the patriarch, slapping the table. "Is this how your mother raised you?"
"My mother is dead!" Hearing Victor Shen mention her mother, Coco Shen couldn’t hold back her anger and slammed the table in return. "When you kicked me and my mom out, you lost the right to say that!"
"You ungrateful girl!" Victor Shen raised his hand to hit her, just like he used to beat his wife and children.
But Coco Shen wasn’t the same as before.
She didn’t move, just looked at Victor Shen coldly. "Want to hit me? Go ahead, hit me where everyone can see. I wouldn’t mind letting the whole world know how Victor Shen treats the personal assistant to Miss Cecilia Grant of the Yun Family, who is also the CEO’s wife at the Yin Group!"
"You!" Victor Shen really couldn’t bring himself to hit her.
He still needed Coco Shen’s help.
Victor Shen withdrew his hand angrily and said, "Since you’re part of the Yin Group now, help your brother out. He’s a college graduate and still hasn’t found a good job. Get him something at the Yin Group. It doesn’t have to be a high position—just make him a department manager."
Coco Shen almost laughed out of anger.
Did he think the Yin Group was some kind of garbage dump?
A place for trash?
With someone as dumb as Jason Shen, he wasn’t even fit to mop the floors at the Yin Group!