C10 Discussed by Others

Xiong Miao meticulously rinsed each milk bottle she had washed that morning with hot water. She then filled six bottles with water from the thermostat and prepared six bottles of milk, following her daily routine.

The little ones took their milk and began drinking in their customary positions.

Without wasting a moment, Xiong Miao headed to the kitchen to prepare the children's meal. At three and a half years old, they couldn't just live on milk; solid food was essential to satisfy their hunger. Today, she planned to make them carrot soup.

No sooner had she placed the clean carrots into the blender than her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was the landlord.

"Miss Xiong, you're three days late on your rent. I'm giving you one more day. If you don't pay, you'll need to move out. There's a long line of people waiting to rent my place," the landlord said brusquely.

Faced with financial strain, Xiong Miao couldn't afford to be confrontational. She replied with a calm demeanor, "I apologize for the delay; I've had a lot on my plate recently. Rest assured, I'll pay the rent tomorrow."

She had left her home country with nothing to her name. Abroad, she juggled multiple jobs to support herself and her child. Back home, she had no fixed assets, and the place she and the children lived in was rented.

Before they knew it, they had been in this city for three months. In the first three months, she managed with part-time work, earning just enough for the children's formula and basic living expenses.

Now, rent was due again, and she was hard-pressed to come up with the 12,000 yuan.

Being too poor to afford a nanny, she often relied on Su Mumu to help watch the child. Thankfully, all six children were relatively well-behaved and didn't wander off even when she was home.

However, this was not a sustainable way to live. Hiring a nanny was imperative; otherwise, leaving the children at home alone could lead to trouble down the line.

Xiong Miao prepared the feeding with a heavy heart, setting up the baby dining tables with care. There were six tables in total: five blue and one pink, the latter reserved exclusively for Bear. She settled Bear into her special pink table first, securing the tray and fastening the safety belt before placing the other five babies in their seats one by one.

She then served each child a bowl of the perfectly tempered carrot soup she had prepared. The little ones, still hungry despite having had their milk, eagerly grabbed their spoons and began to eat with gusto.

Standing to the side, Xiong Miao watched them with a contented smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Yet, beneath that smile, worry gnawed at her.

Should she go to work tomorrow or not?

She couldn't shake off the memory of being harassed by Zhang Huansheng on her very first day. And to think, the design company was actually a part of the Rich Corporation's Design Department.

According to special assistant Gu, the Rich Group placed a high value on the design sector, with a new product launch looming. This meant that Zhan Yeling would likely make frequent visits to the Design Department for inspections.

If she went to work, she would run into him often. It's said that if you walk by the river enough, your shoes are bound to get wet. Regular encounters with Zhan Yeling might lead him to discover her six children and attempt to take them back.

Yet, as Gu Yi had clearly stated, she had been handpicked by Zhan Yeling for her design talent; resigning wasn't an option. Not showing up at the company would surely provoke Zhan Yeling's ire.

As a mere commoner with no standing, she was in no position to challenge Zhan Yeling, who stood at the apex of the pyramid, the epitome of wealth and power. Angering him would bring nothing but trouble.

While the little ones continued their meal, Xiong Miao seized the moment to call Gu Yi. He had given her his number earlier when she was completing her onboarding process.

"Special assistant Gu, I forgot to ask earlier, is the salary for the manager of the Design Department very high?"

"It's not that high, just thirty thousand a month," Gu Yi answered.

Thirty thousand, and that's considered not high?

For Xiong Miao, a recent graduate, the thought of thirty thousand was unfathomable.

"I'll be there on time tomorrow," Xiong Miao promised, swallowing nervously.

She would simply avoid Zhan Yeling in the future; it wasn't worth quarreling with money over. In this vast world, earning money was paramount.

Subsequently, Xiong Miao borrowed twenty thousand from Su Mumu, paid twelve thousand to her landlord, and kept eight thousand for her monthly expenses.

She planned to work part-time in the evenings to earn extra cash for necessities like milk powder. Once she received her next paycheck, she'd repay Su Mumu.

With her affairs in order and the six little ones fed, a moment of tenderness unfolded.

"Mommy, are you sad?" Dabao Qianqian asked, toddling over to Xiong Miao with a concerned frown after climbing down from the dining table.

Xiong Miao looked down at his earnest face, smeared with carrot paste, and couldn't help but smile. "No, Mommy's not sad."

"Mommy, I'm Ultraman. I'll help you fight the monsters," declared Mama, the fourth treasure, brandishing his little arms with gusto.

"Yeah, tell us who hurt you, Mommy. We'll help you get them!" Junjun, the second treasure, chimed in with a determined expression, ready to take on the world.

Xiong Miao touched the bruise on her face, feeling the warmth of her children's words. "Thank you, my darlings. Mommy will be strong and not let anyone bully her."

Their understanding filled her with courage; no obstacle was insurmountable. With motivation, she was determined to maintain a strong spirit and keep pushing forward.

Typically, Xiong Miao let the children sleep in their room, returning to her own only after they were asleep. But tonight, she longed to fall asleep with her babies in her arms.

Their bed was Japanese-style, designed to be laid directly on the floor.

By day, it was stowed away in the closet, the space transformed into a playroom with toys.

At night, there was no worry about the children rolling off the bed, even with the blankets piled on.

Xiong Miao slept in the center, with the six little ones scattered on either side of her. They all snuggled into her arms and quickly fell asleep. Some stuck out their bottoms, while others lay flat like turtles, each in their own adorable pose, their even breathing signaling their journey into dreamland.

The next day, Su Mumu arrived bright and early to look after the little ones.

Xiong Miao reported to the Design Department.

That morning, to her surprise, Gu Yi was waiting for her at the Design Department.

He introduced her to her new colleagues, saying, "Starting today, Xiong Miao will be the manager of the Design Department. She will be leading you in our design efforts. I expect everyone to work with her and strive to ensure the success of this season's new product launch."

Xiong Miao then introduced herself.

Subsequently, Gu Yi showed her to her office.

As the manager, she had a private office, while the others shared a common workspace.

Once Gu Yi had set everything up, he headed back to headquarters.

Being new, Xiong Miao was not yet familiar with the internal workings and had to quickly catch up on a lot of information to keep pace with the company's operations.

After all, her thirty thousand salary wasn't for nothing.

Feeling tired after a while, she grabbed a cup and went to pour herself some coffee.

As she did, a cacophony of jarring words assaulted her ears.