At dawn, the neon lights of Jianghai City flickered in the cold wind, and the parking lot beneath Douhai Corporation glimmered with a metallic chill.

  Lin Xue parked her old electric scooter at the front entrance. Wrapping her thin coat tightly around herself, she stared intently at the company doors.

  Screech— A sharp brake pierced the silence as a sleek Porsche Panamera came to a halt right in front of her. The window slowly rolled down, revealing a face heavy with makeup and arrogance. It was Su Nan, a livestream host with a sharp tongue and sharper heels. She looked Lin Xue up and down with disdain, her lipstick-bright lips curling into a sneer.

  “Hillbilly. Blind, are you? Blocking my way like that!”

  Lin Xue took a deep breath, suppressing her irritation, and replied calmly, “Don’t you know traffic rules? Vehicles turning should yield to straight-moving traffic. Or are traffic laws too complicated for you?”

  “You—” Su Nan was momentarily speechless. Fuming, she flung open the door and clacked over in her ten-centimeter heels, towering over Lin Xue.

  “Security! Get this nobody out of here! She’s a disgrace!”

  A few security guards rushed over, faces full of contempt. The lead guard shoved Lin Xue rudely, cursing under his breath, “Get lost already! Do you even know where you are? You don’t belong here!”

  The electric scooter shook violently under the shoving and nearly toppled over.

  Just then, a man in a tailored suit stepped out from the building—it was Zhou Yuan, the company secretary. He was supposed to greet the new CEO that morning but had seen Lin Xue on a scooter and assumed she was a nobody applying for a job. His face twisted in annoyance.

  “What a ruckus! This is a workplace, not a marketplace.” Arms crossed, his tone was dripping with contempt. “Get this troublemaker out of here. Don’t dirty the company entrance.”

  Lin Xue bit her lip and said evenly, “I’m here to assume my position as the new CEO. Please verify that.”

  Zhou Yuan let out a loud, derisive laugh. “You? CEO? Riding that piece of junk? Wearing clothes like a beggar? If you’re the CEO, then I’m the Emperor of Heaven! Security—get her out of here. Now.”

  The guards became even more aggressive. One sneered as he reached for her phone. “Still pretending to be some rich lady? I bet you’re just a scammer. If you don’t leave, don’t blame us for getting rough.”

  No longer able to stay silent, Lin Xue quickly pulled out her phone and dialed the Lin family steward.

  Amidst the whistling wind, her voice was clear and firm:

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Uncle An, I’ve arrived at the company entrance. Secretary Zhou Yuan not only failed to greet me but also joined the security guards in assaulting me. What do you suggest I do?”

  A calm but urgent voice responded, “Miss, please wait. I’ll take care of it immediately.”

  Zhou Yuan, hearing the call, merely smirked. “Still playing your little drama? Let’s see how far you take this.”

  The guards laughed along. Su Nan crossed her arms, watching with amusement.

  Moments later, Lin Xue’s phone rang. Zhou Yuan picked it up without thinking.

  A harsh voice blasted from the speaker:

  “Zhou Yuan! Do you have a death wish?! That’s Miss Lin, the Lin family’s heiress and Douhai Corporation’s new CEO! You’d better apologize right now, or you’ll never work in any of the Lin family’s businesses again!”

  Zhou Yuan’s face turned ghostly pale. Sweat poured from his forehead, and his legs began to tremble. He nearly collapsed.

  Su Nan’s jaw dropped in shock, her arrogance vanishing instantly.

  “L-Lin… President Lin, I… I didn’t realize…”

  The guards exchanged terrified glances, frozen in place.

  Su Nan stammered, her face ashen. “Zhou Yuan, what are you talking about? She’s just some hillbilly trying to apply as a streamer! Look at her! How could she possibly be the CEO?”

  Smack!

  Zhou Yuan slapped her hard across the face.

  “Streamer? That’s Miss Lin—the Lin family heiress and our new CEO! Su Nan, how dare you speak to her like that?!”

  He turned, groveling. “President Lin, do you have any other instructions?”

  Without sparing him a glance, Lin Xue’s gaze swept across the silent crowd. Her voice was calm but commanding:

  “Su Nan, you’re fired. Pack your things and leave the company—now.”

  “You can’t fire me! I’m this company’s top streamer! I have millions of followers—you need me!”

  Lin Xue’s lips curled into a cold smile. “The company needs talent, but it needs respect and professionalism even more. Clearly, you lack both.”

  Su Nan’s mind went blank. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed to the ground, unable to meet Lin Xue’s eyes.

  “L-Lin… Miss Lin… I was wrong. Please forgive me, I beg you...”

  Zhou Yuan, relieved to no longer be in the direct line of fire, quietly sighed.

  “Should’ve stayed in bed today…”

  Lin Xue turned to him. “Secretary, arrange for someone to oversee her departure and ensure everything is properly handed over.”

  Zhou Yuan nodded quickly. “Yes, President Lin.”

  As for the guards and Zhou Yuan himself—she believed she’d already made her point. As a leader, she knew when to punish, and when to show restraint.

  Without another word, she watched coldly as Su Nan was dragged away. Only when her figure disappeared into the distance did Lin Xue adjust her clothes and step into the building.

  As the elevator slowly ascended, Lin Xue’s heart beat faster and faster.

  It had been three years since she’d left her family. She hadn’t set foot in a building like this for a long time.

  When the elevator doors opened, the corridor was quiet, bathed in soft, bright light.

  At the door to her new office, Zhou Yuan gently pushed it open, still shaken.

  Lin Xue gave him a curt nod and entered. Zhou Yuan handed her a file folder.

  “These are the company’s key documents and access permissions. Please review them. If you need anything, just let me know. I’ll step out now.”

  Lin Xue accepted the folder and flipped through the contents carefully—organizational structure, financial reports, business strategy. Everything mattered.

  “I’ll pretend today’s incident didn’t happen. Just do your job properly.”

  “You can go now.”

  A few minutes later, Zhou Yuan knocked again and re-entered the office.

  “President Lin, Ye Fei from the Ye Group is here to discuss a business partnership.”

  Ye Fei? Liu Ruyan’s husband? The name alone made her scowl.

  Lin Xue chuckled coldly. “Tell them to get lost.”

  “…Understood.”