Chapter 31: Stealth Recording Pen

The restaurant was still bustling, with employees chatting with their lunch companions while eating.

At this moment, someone suddenly shouted, “Manager Liu is here!” and the entire restaurant instantly fell silent.

Tang Liyue had never seen such a scene before. She quietly asked Miao Miao, “Is… Manager Liu really that terrifying?”

Miao Miao also lowered her voice and replied, “Of course. This female devil has 365 days a year where she’s in a bad mood. If anyone crosses her, she’ll slap them in the face or start cursing their entire family from the 18th generation.”

Tang Liyue didn’t doubt Miao Miao’s words at all.

Because, living in the Yu family for so long, Tang Liyue had never seen Zhao Zhiliu in a good mood.

Either she was insulting people with sarcasm or directly slapping people or whipping them.

Tang Liyue asked, “Doesn’t the employee turnover rate then become really high?”

Wang Hao Ran, sitting opposite, spoke up, “The turnover rate is not high. There’s no job in the world with better benefits than those at the Yu Group. Plus, after getting slapped or scolded by Zhao Zhiliu, you’ll get a generous consolation fee.”

Li De adjusted his glasses and let out a sarcastic laugh, “Because the female devil doesn’t lack money. After slapping or scolding you, she’ll use money to trample on your dignity and self-respect.”

Tang Liyue’s face scrunched up at the thought.

However, she quietly responded, “For most adults, money is indeed more important than dignity and self-respect…”

At least, for her right now, making money was the top priority.

As long as it didn’t violate morals, laws, or ethics, dignity and self-respect could be put aside for the time being.

Everyone at the table agreed with Tang Liyue’s statement.

Because most people in this world are ordinary, and by the time they reach this age, they can’t even afford a car or house. Even if they can afford it, they’ll be stuck paying off loans, waking up every day with the burden of debt.

And as they get older, they may have elderly parents and children to support, with the weight of a whole family resting on their shoulders.

At times like this, talking about dignity and self-respect seems a bit laughable.

Miao Miao continued, “So, no one wants to provoke Zhao Zhiliu, but we also don’t want to quit, so we just avoid her as much as possible.”

Li De added, “But the female devil’s assistant in our group is a tough one! She’s been working as the female devil’s assistant for three years!”

Tang Liyue couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up, “She’s a warrior!”

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed.

Everyone instinctively fell silent.

Tang Liyue also lowered her head, trying to reduce her presence to the minimum.

However…

They were sitting at the spot by the floor-to-ceiling windows, which was just too conspicuous.

The moment Zhao Zhiliu stepped into the restaurant, she immediately spotted Tang Liyue.

At first, Zhao Zhiliu furrowed her brow, uncertain.

But after looking again, she immediately recognized that it was Tang Liyue.

Zhao Zhiliu coldly asked, “The long-haired girl over there, when did she start working here? What position does she hold?”

A 25-year-old female assistant walked up to Zhao Zhiliu.

The assistant, named Wang Qing, was wearing glasses with over 800-degree lenses. She glanced at the table of “group friends” in the distance and whispered, “Manager Liu, her name is Tang Liyue. She just started today as the CEO’s assistant.”

CEO’s assistant?

Yu Mo Yuan never uses female assistants. Why did he make an exception for Tang Liyue?

Zhao Zhiliu’s eyes darkened, and then she sneered coldly, “Call her to the private room. I need to speak with her.”

“Yes, Manager Liu.”

Zhao Zhiliu turned and headed into the restaurant’s private room.

Wang Qing quickly walked over to where Tang Liyue and the others were sitting.

Miao Miao leaned over and whispered to Tang Liyue, “That’s the female devil’s assistant, Wang Qing. You can call her Qing Qing Jie.”

Tang Liyue nodded and moved to the left with Miao Miao to make space for Wang Qing.

However, when Wang Qing approached, she didn’t sit down. Instead, she looked at Tang Liyue with a troubled expression.

“Assistant Tang, did you offend the female devil?”

Tang Liyue blinked, confused. “Huh?”

Wang Qing sighed, “The female devil asked you to go to the private room. She has something to say to you.”

The moment Wang Qing finished speaking, everyone at the table’s expressions changed. They were all worried for Tang Liyue.

Tang Liyue also panicked, but there was no way to avoid it now, being caught meant she couldn’t escape.

“I’ll go there first. You all continue eating,” Tang Liyue said.

Wang Qing spoke again, “If you’re in trouble, just post an emoji in the group, and I’ll rush in and tell the female devil that we need to have a meeting to interrupt her.”

Usually, after being interrupted, Zhao Zhiliu wouldn’t bother continuing to scold.

Tang Liyue gave Wang Qing a genuine smile, “Okay, thank you, Qing Qing Jie.”

Tang Liyue stood up and headed toward the private room to meet Zhao Zhiliu.

Li De sighed leisurely, “Sigh, we’ll have to watch a new friend suffer.”

The mood at the table shifted. There was no more lighthearted chatter.

In the Private Room.

Tang Liyue was already sitting across from Zhao Zhiliu, hesitating about how to address her.

In the manor, in front of everyone, it was natural to call her “mother.”

But now, in the private room with just the two of them, she couldn’t bring herself to say that. Zhao Zhiliu probably wouldn’t want to hear it either.

After thinking for a moment, Tang Liyue spoke up, “Madam.”

Zhao Zhiliu, with an emotionless face, took a sip of soup. “Why suddenly call me Madam? If this gets out, people might think I don’t treat you well, the future daughter-in-law.”

Tang Liyue froze, completely taken aback by Zhao Zhiliu’s words.

When has she ever treated her well?

But Tang Liyue didn’t dare to retort and simply said, “Mother.”

Zhao Zhiliu seemed satisfied with this and hummed in acknowledgment.

Then she spoke, “Did Yu Mo Yuan ask you to be his assistant?”

Tang Liyue shook her head, “I applied myself through a job posting on the recruitment website and got hired.”

“Oh, how’s your first day? Do you need me to make your status as the young madam public, so everyone will respect you?”

“No!”

She was hardly a “young madam.”

Besides, Zhao Zhiliu had never considered her a real daughter-in-law. In Zhao Zhiliu’s mind, Tang Liyue was nothing more than a “surrogate.”

Zhao Zhiliu just didn’t want the scandal about “forcing her son to have a baby” to get out. So, to the public, she spread the rumor that Yu Minchuan had secretly married.

Tang Liyue and Yu Minchuan never registered their marriage. Only the Yu family knew about it, but no one else did.

No one even knew who Yu Minchuan married in secret.

That’s why Tang Liyue didn’t want Zhao Zhiliu to reveal it, she was afraid that once it was made public, her new friends would distance themselves from her.

Zhao Zhiliu’s attitude was so unusual, there must be something going on.

Tang Liyue quickly wanted to escape, so she directly asked, “Is there something you need to tell me, Mother?”

“You’re quite clever.”

Zhao Zhiliu put down her chopsticks, “I need you to steal something from Yu Mo Yuan.”