Chapter 19: Could It Have Been Beaten Raw?
Eldest Miss Ming still kept that bowl of mung bean sweet soup at arm's length. At home, she only drank high-grade tonics like premium bird's nest.
Here, she was reduced to sipping sweet soup made from beans bought at thirteen yuan a catty.
The more Ming Ruixi dwelled on it, the angrier she felt. How had an exalted heiress like her fallen into such dire straits?
Angry as she was, Ming Ruixi picked up the bowl anyway. Ladling a spoonful into her mouth, she found it delicately sweet; the mung beans were simmered down to a soft, silky puree with a smooth red-bean-paste texture. Ming Ruixi couldn't help recalling the pressure cooker she had seen humming on the stove that afternoon—had Yu Xian simmered this whole pot especially for her?
Aside from herself having the largest area of skin exposed to oil paints, there wasn't anyone else under this roof.
Ming Ruixi couldn't wrap her head around what Yu Xian meant by treating her so well one moment and torturing her the next. She chalked this bowl of mung bean soup up to merely Yu Xian's routine maintenance of her human canvas.
After finishing the soup and blow-drying her hair, Ming Ruixi headed over to Yu Xian's bedroom.
She had no idea why Yu Xian had summoned her there.
If she was going to be a canvas, wouldn't they go to the art studio?
Knock, knock, knock—
"Come in."
Ming Ruixi pushed the door open. She saw Yu Xian bent over her desk, writing something with a pen in hand. Her silhouette was lean, but her shoulders and neck held an elegant, striking posture—upright, unyielding, neither servile nor haughty.
"Come here. There's something I need to talk to you about." Yu Xian nudged her chair back slightly, gesturing for the young lady to step closer.
For reasons unknown, Ming Ruixi felt a sudden jolt like standing before a strict school dean. Pressing her lips together, she asked, "What is it?"
Yu Xian revealed a handwritten sheet of paper on the desk. On it, she had neatly outlined three professions, detailing their respective salaries, working hours, work locations, and personal recommendations.
"Eldest Miss, I can shelter you temporarily, but I can't keep you here forever. These are a few job openings I looked into for you today. I filtered out the three most decent and relatively relaxed options."
Ming Ruixi said nothing, though her expression tightened slightly. Seeing that she didn't show an immediate, violent aversion, Yu Xian continued: "The first one is a cheongsam runway model. A local boutique in town is looking for models for fashion walks. Given your figure and conditions..."
Yu Xian paused. The young lady's looks and proportions were undeniably exceptional. Recalling the measurements and height requirements the shop owner had asked for earlier, Yu Xian had answered affirmatively without a single second of hesitation.
Having painted thousands of life studies, she could read human body proportions at a mere glance, not to mention she had already felt them firsthand.
Frowning slightly, Yu Xian pushed forward with the breakdown: "Your build meets their modeling requirements. The pay might be somewhat low and isn't settled monthly, because runway shows aren't held every day. It's paid per appearance—roughly five hundred yuan per session. These shows usually take place during holidays and festivals."
The nearest upcoming festival would be the Mid-Autumn Festival, which wasn't far off by the calendar.
Earning money just for that day offered a solid return for the time spent, along with flexible hours.
Seeing that Ming Ruixi remained quiet, Yu Xian moved to the second option: "The second is a retail sales role at a shop selling beaded gemstone bracelets. You would introduce and promote bracelets to tourists and customers. The position includes room and board on a monthly basis. If you don't like their meals or dorms, you can apply to continue staying and eating here with me, and they will reimburse you with a monthly housing and meal subsidy. The salary reaches around 5,300 yuan. It's a standard nine-to-five shift; Mondays and Tuesdays are fixed off-days, though weekends don't allow days off due to peak tourist crowds."
This job required quite a bit of talking, but at least it was indoors, sparing Eldest Miss Ming from pounding the pavement under the scorching sun.
"The third is a waitress at a café. You've likely seen this one already—the duties mainly involve taking customer orders and serving coffee, nine-to-five."
In truth, she had considered introducing a server opening at a local teahouse as well, but thinking about how it required standing on one's feet all day and clearing dirty dishes from sticky tables, she ultimately dropped the idea.
Having finished her breakdown, Yu Xian turned her gaze toward Eldest Miss Ming: "What are your thoughts?"
Eldest Miss Ming straightened her back, closed her eyes, and upon opening them again, let her long lashes cast a gaze dripping with cold disdain: "No thoughts at all. Yu Xian, this lady can't work these kinds of jobs. They're filthy and exhausting, and on top of that, you have to flatter and please others while walking on eggshells around their moods. Does this lady not care about her own pride?"
Working for others, catering to customers, pleasing strangers, and taking orders while swallowing insults—none of that was ever going to happen.
Ming Ruixi held her chin high, her willful, pampered arrogance on full, unadulterated display: "Stop wasting your breath trying to persuade me! Even if they offered mountains of gold, this lady would never set foot there!"
"Pride?" Yu Xian let out a soft, mocking scoff, sweeping the sheet she had painstakingly narrowed down from dozens of job listings aside. "Come a little closer. Let me show you what real pride is."
Ming Ruixi: "...?"
Ming Ruixi met Yu Xian's gaze blankly. In that fleeting second, she realized Yu Xian's exact intentions and spun on her heel, preparing to bolt for the door.
Unfortunately, Yu Xian was one step faster. Clamping down on her slender wrist, Yu Xian pulled her off balance. Eldest Miss Ming tumbled forward, landing draped across Yu Xian's lap, followed instantly by a heavy, resounding smack right across her behind.
Wave after wave of sharp stinging followed.
"Yu Xian! What gives you the right to hit me?!" A profound sense of mortification flared from her behind. How could she dare strike her, and with such a heavy hand?
"Go ahead and hit me! Even if you beat me to death, this lady will never go!"
Ming Ruixi's pride was exceptionally stiff and defiant at the start, punctuated by non-stop furious cursing and the chiming clatter of the bell dangling by her ankle.
Yu Xian took a deep breath, her temples throbbing violently.
Two minutes later.
"Sob sob sob..." Ming Ruixi's eye rims were flushed red, tears spilling freely down her cheeks: "Stop hitting me, Yu Xian..."
"Stop hitting, it hurts... it hurts so much! You're going to beat it raw, sob sob sob... This lady will go work, I'll go work, sob sob sob..."
Yu Xian pulled her hand back: "It's only been two minutes. Last time you managed to take a full five minutes stripped bare. Perhaps I should finish the full five minutes before we talk."
Ming Ruixi frantically reached behind to shield herself while holding out her other hand to block Yu Xian: "Yu Xian, I'm begging you, please stop hitting, sob sob sob... I know I was wrong..."
Yu Xian: "Do you truly know you were wrong?"
Ming Ruixi nodded vigorously.
Only then did Yu Xian release her hold on the girl's back, letting her stand up. Picking up the sheet of paper, she said, "Tell me, what are your thoughts?"
Having regained her freedom, Ming Ruixi glared daggers at her. Raising a trembling, slender jade finger, she pointed to the first option: the cheongsam runway model.
She wouldn't have to show up for work every single day; she only had to appear when there was a runway show during festivals. It was leagues better than the other two.
Yu Xian said coldly, "Fine. I'll sign you up. The nearest show should be on the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is next Wednesday. Go back to your room."
Yu Xian straightened her chair, intending to get back to her work, only to find after a moment that Eldest Miss Ming hadn't left yet.
Turning her head involuntarily, she saw a flicker of panic and agony crossing the young lady's delicate, flower-like face.
"What's wrong?" Yu Xian frowned.
Eldest Miss Ming parted her lips slightly, a raspy tremor in her fearful voice: "It hurts so much..."
Yu Xian set down her pen, turning fully around to face her: "Where does it hurt?"
Eldest Miss Ming didn't say, merely biting her lower lip to endure the throbbing sting.
Sensing that she had likely struck with too much force just now, Yu Xian reached out intending to rub and soothe the sore spot for her. Yet before her fingers could make contact, her hand was swatted away without a shred of hesitation.
A tear-choked, delicate cry rang out: "Yu Xian, drop the hypocritical act! If it weren't for you, would this lady have been beaten in the first place?!"
Yu Xian found it almost laughable, though her gaze chilled instantly: "Do you have an objection?"
"..."
"You misheard me. This lady is heading back." Ming Ruixi loathed that petty, triumphant look on her face. Nursing a secret flare of indignation, she lifted her chin and strutted out with haughty pride.
The moment she slipped back into her room, Ming Ruixi stripped off her trousers in sheer agony. She couldn't see what the damage behind looked like.
But it truly ached, feeling as if the skin were about to split open.
Rushing over to the large mirror by the bathroom door, she had to stand on tiptoe to see, since the glass hung somewhat high. In the reflection, she could vaguely make out swollen, bright red welts.
Tears spilled over uncontrollably. Ming Ruixi had never been struck by anyone in her life—not even her own parents. She had never endured this caliber of grievance. Yet in just the few days she had stayed here, she had been starved, subjected to humiliations, spanked across her behind, and now forced out to perform menial labor.
She had the fate of a lowly maid now, a punching bag that anyone could bully!
Ming Ruixi sniffled, cupping some cold tap water to wash away the tear streaks from her face. Stepping back toward the bed, she braced herself precariously against the mattress edge, attempting to ease herself down slowly. The second her skin brushed the surface, a sharp pang of pain shot through her.
She was finished—could Yu Xian have truly beaten it raw?
Yu Xian, that despicable, petty villain!
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