Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s-Chapter 542 - 526 Premeditated Child Abduction (1)

Jin Zhi had never worked as a sales clerk before and was unfamiliar with the skincare industry, so Tian Sangsang had to patiently teach her step by step. Once Jin Zhi was trained, things would be much easier for Tian Sangsang, allowing her to focus on her pregnancy and relax a bit.

Just reviewing the accounts daily would be sufficient.

But what kind of person was Jin Zhi? Her first impression was quite good, but other traits would require observation over time.

"Thank you, Boss! I’ll definitely do my best!" Jin Zhi couldn’t believe she had passed so easily. She had become an employee of Yipin Xiangju! Amidst her excitement, she mostly felt nervous. She swore to herself that she would learn diligently and not squander this rare opportunity. She also understood that the boss probably let her stay because of Zhao Chun’s recommendation, so she needed to work hard and not embarrass him.

Actually, she could have avoided mentioning Zhao Chun earlier, but in that fleeting moment, she couldn’t help herself.

The young woman was trying hard to suppress her emotions, her words tinged with enthusiasm, and her voice slightly trembling.

Tian Sangsang raised her eyebrows, her expression looking as delighted as if she’d just received a red envelope.

"Sangsang." Before his figure appeared, Zhao Chun’s cheerful voice pierced through the curtain.

Jin Zhi’s body tensed up, her nerves suddenly taut.

Tian Sangsang lifted the curtain just in time to bump into him as he stepped inside.

Speak of the devil.

She winked playfully at him.

Oh my, he had even dressed up specifically to come here today.

Tailored trousers, crisp white shirt, a fair and clean complexion—he looked undeniably dashing.

Zhao Chun: "?"

Moving further inside.

Tian Sangsang quickly grabbed his sleeve and pulled him outside the door.

With a teasing smile, she said, "Mr. Zhao, you’re in an especially good mood today, aren’t you?"

Zhao Chun, puzzled, admitted truthfully: "It’s true, I am feeling pretty good."

She extended her hand towards him, her lips curling into a grin:

"Well, since you’re in such a great mood, how about giving me a red envelope as a gesture? Boss Zhao?"

It was clear she was genuinely happy.

For a moment, Zhao Chun froze, then pulled some money out from his pocket, counted it quickly, and looked visibly dissatisfied.

He pleaded, "This amount is too small, I can’t give this to you. How about I give you two red envelopes after you give birth?"

"Don’t even think about skimping out on it! Aren’t those two red envelopes ones you owe me anyway? I deserve one for today!"

Tian Sangsang sighed, "Honestly, you really chose the right place by coming to me."

Nothing good ever happens without a catch. Zhao Chun decided to flee: "I’d better go buy groceries. What do you feel like eating today?"

"Stop trying to change the subject!" Tian Sangsang fixed her gaze on him, noticing his shifty expression. "Guess who’s inside?"

There was a sudden jolt in Zhao Chun’s chest, making him almost blurt out "Kunling."

"It’s Jin Zhi."

"Jin Zhi?" Zhao Chun was momentarily stunned, scratching his head, "Who’s that?"

"She came to apply for a job today, claiming you recommended her." Tian Sangsang remarked, "I thought she seemed quite capable, so I decided to keep her on to help out."

"Oh!" Zhao Chun suddenly remembered, "That’s the girl I rescued yesterday. She said I recommended her?"

"Didn’t you?" Tian Sangsang asked.

Sort of but not really. Zhao Chun felt a little uneasy.

What he did yesterday was give the girl an address, stressing that whether she got the job or not depended on herself. But now she’d made it sound like he personally vouched for her—it completely changed the meaning.

"Boss."

Jin Zhi summoned her courage and stepped forward from inside, bowing politely: "I’ll head out now and come back tomorrow for work."

"Where do you live? I’ll have Zhao Chun drop you off." Tian Sangsang offered.

Jin Zhi looked startled, shaking her head slightly: "How could I trouble Mr. Zhao? I can go back on my own." Saying that, she lifted the hem of her dress and walked out of the store.

"Aren’t you going to give her a ride?"

Zhao Chun tilted his chin arrogantly:

"I barely know her; we’re practically strangers. I’m not going to play the good Samaritan."

Alright then. Tian Sangsang realized she had misunderstood.

This certainly didn’t give off an air of budding romance.

"What do you think of her? Can she help you?"

Zhao Chun replied seriously, "If you’re hiring someone, you should go for someone capable. Don’t keep her just because she said I recommended her."

Tian Sangsang pouted, "Boss Zhao, you certainly think highly of your reputation. Do you think I’d hire based on personal connections?"

Zhao Chun looked visibly relieved.

"The girl seems pretty good—polite and industrious. That’s why I hired her," Tian Sangsang explained slowly. "I noticed her shoes were worn out, barely holding together. She didn’t even own a proper pair of shoes. Her family conditions probably aren’t very good, which means she has a lot of room for growth."

"She lives in that red-light district of Beijing. I saw it yesterday—it really is run-down," Zhao Chun added, still unsettled.

"Isn’t that far away?" Tian Sangsang was shocked, "It must take her at least half an hour to walk from there! I’ll observe her for now, and if she seems genuinely capable, I’ll let her live upstairs here in the future."

On this point, Zhao Chun readily agreed.

**

The hospital room door opened, but the woman leaning weakly on the bed, pale-faced, didn’t notice.

White-haired parents burying their black-haired child—what mother could endure such pain?

Having suffered the unbearable loss of her son, Ye Binyi had been hospitalized for days. The only reason she was still alive was that she clung to a faint hope—to see his body, dead or alive. Even though the reality was that her son had been killed in an explosion, leaving almost nothing behind.

"Aunt Ye." Hua Jun stood at the door, carrying a fruit basket in one hand, gently knocking on the door with the other.

Twice, no response from inside; three knocks later, Ye Binyi finally turned her head slowly.

"Ah Jun, you’re here." Her lifeless eyes regained a barely perceptible glimmer, eagerly fixating on Hua Jun.

"I’m here." Hua Jun’s eyes immediately welled up with tears, his heart feeling stabbed.

Aunt Ye had gone so thin, she looked like a dried corpse—no trace of her former elegance remained.

Her sunken cheeks made her appearance heartbreakingly pitiful.

"Why did you take so long to come?" Her voice was faint and wispy.

"I was late, Aunt Ye." Hua Jun placed the fruit basket on the table, then sat beside her, gently hugging her emaciated frame, tears streaming down uncontrollably. "Aunt Ye, it’s not that I didn’t want to see you, it’s that I didn’t dare. I was terrified that seeing you would crush me, and that seeing you would remind me of Jinghuai."

Hua Jun’s feelings for Ye Binyi were genuine—perhaps even more so than Jia Wenxiu’s.

"Everyone says Jinghuai is gone. It’s all so sudden. How can I accept this?" Strong as Hua Jun was, he broke down sobbing at this moment. "Even though I wasn’t with him, I sincerely wished for his health and a long, prosperous life. I wanted him to live well."

When visiting Tian Sangsang earlier, Hua Jun hadn’t felt the urge to cry. But seeing Ye Binyi now, he couldn’t hold back. If anyone loved Jinghuai as much as he did, it was Aunt Ye. Together, they embraced in devastating sorrow, sharing the weight of each other’s pain.

The death of this man was a searing tragedy for both of them.

"Ah Jun, thank you for thinking of him. I truly appreciate it." After crying her fill, Ye Binyi patted his shoulder gently, offering comfort. "Jinghuai not marrying you was his loss, and also ours."

Dry lips moving slightly, Ye Binyi continued, "It’s a blessing you came to see me today. Otherwise, I truly wouldn’t be able to go on. I’ve lost everything—only you understand my heart."