"Special Assistant Wang, it's already midnight. Are you pulling another all-nighter today?" The security guard on his round noticed the brightly lit office of the CEO's special assistant on the twenty-third floor and couldn't help but ask.
Without lifting her head, Wang Miaomiao, who was quickly typing on the keyboard in the office, let out a deep sigh and said helplessly, "Yes, I'm not sure how late it will be today. President Liu is waiting for this project plan tomorrow, sigh..."
"You are really pushing yourself too hard; you must take care of your health... sigh..." The security guard shook his head, slightly disapproving of her actions, but still voiced his concern before leaving.
Wang Miaomiao was quite familiar with the older security personnel at the company, being a veteran employee herself who frequently worked overtime and always exchanged greetings with them.
Wang Miaomiao's slender, fair fingers paused slightly, "Thank you, Uncle Li..." she murmured to herself, feeling a momentary warmth that came and went quickly...
She gave a self-deprecating smile before continuing her battle with the computer.
The night was deep and solemn; at some point, the sky flashed with lightning and rumbled with thunder, the wind howled, and large raindrops pounded against the building's windows, making a clattering sound.
Outside, the storm raged, but inside, Wang Miaomiao seemed oblivious, fully absorbed in her work on the computer, her brow furrowed as if encountering a bottleneck, unable to make sense of it...
Suddenly, with a loud bang, the building's lights went out, and darkness enveloped the room.
After an unknown period, footsteps echoed in the hallway, accompanied by a few beams of flashlight wavering.
"The circuit breaker tripped; is Special Assistant Wang still working? Hurry, get the power back on before the young lady gets frightened..."
"Got it..."
With the chatter of several security guards, the corridor lights throughout the building gradually turned on, and the originally dim CEO's special assistant's office was restored to brightness.
"Special Assistant Wang, are you okay?" The door, ajar, was pushed open, and Li Lu and two young security guards saw a black figure slumped behind the office desk, "Special Assistant Wang, Special Assistant Wang..."
They called out several times, but there was no response, causing them to exchange glances, faces growing serious.
With such commotion in the building, it's impossible she wasn't aware.
Li Lu had been the senior security guard of this building, having watched this young lady work tirelessly, from a small employee to the first special assistant to the CEO, a position second to none above all others. Her struggle and determination were witnessed by all veterans in the company, and now...
"Special Assistant Wang... Wang Miaomiao... Quick, call an ambulance..."
...
Wang Miaomiao gradually woke up, finding her head aching intensely, surrounded by noisy shouting, cursing, and crying.
"Wang Zhaodi, you have the nerve to fight back? See if I don't beat you to death... beat you to death..."
"Ah... help... woo woo... I won't dare anymore, woo woo..."
"Mom, stop hitting. What's wrong with Third Sister? Why is she lying on the floor?"
"Yulan, stop, what are you doing, stop."
Wang Miaomiao felt someone lifting her up, shaking her, saying, "Third Sister, what's wrong? Wake up... Mom, come quickly, look at Third Sister, she's dying..."
This damn kid, how can you speak like that.
"It hurts, don't shake me... my head hurts..." Wang Miaomiao quickly spoke up, her head becoming increasingly dizzy from the shaking, feeling she might not be able to catch her breath.
She's going to die, shaken to death by him.
"Ah?" Liu Yulan heard her son's shout, saw her youngest daughter on the ground bleeding from the head, and felt her heart tighten. She let go of Wang Zhaodi and said harshly, "Go to the woodshed, reflect on your mistakes, no dinner for you. If Miaomiao has any major issues, you won't live either."
"Alright, can you stop? Go check on Miaomiao." Wang Baoxing frowned tightly, feeling irritated and extremely displeased.
He turned to his second daughter, who was peeking from the kitchen door, and with displeasure said, "Pandi, are you home? Why didn't you try to stop it?"
Having complained, he saw his second daughter only lowered her head without responding, feeling helpless, he added, "Go invite your Grandpa Li over."
Wang Pandi didn't really want to go, but overpowered by her father's authority, she dared not refuse. Her dad was already a bit annoyed at her inaction earlier, better not to test his patience any further, or she'd be in trouble too.
"Okay, I'll go right away." With that, she ran off in a puff of smoke.
Wang Miaomiao was carried into a small dim room, laid on a bed. She closed her eyes, silently listening to the conversation in the room.
When she briefly opened her eyes earlier, she noticed she was in an unfamiliar environment. She had no idea what was happening, so she had to stay calm, assess the situation before making any decisions.
Having lived in the information-explosive twenty-first century and worked in the corporate world for more than a decade, she had developed a stable mindset in the face of changing circumstances.
"Yulan, what happened? Why is there so much chaos at home again? Sigh... You're an educated person; can't you talk things out instead of using your hands, hitting Zhaodi again. You're becoming more of a shrew... If the Li Family finds out, it'll be trouble!" Wang Baoxing stood at the door. The room was too small, with three wooden beds and heaps of clutter. Any more people inside, and it'd be too cramped.
Liu Yulan felt anger rise at her husband's questioning, "Do you think I wanted to use my hands? Go ask your precious daughter, then talk to me! Also, how am I a shrew? I married you, a coarse second marriage man, gave you children, have I ever lived a day of comfort? Now you're resenting me in our old age? Huh? Wang Baoxing, you're quite something now!"
"Pa," Liu Yulan slapped the wooden bed, ready to go up and tussle with Wang Baoxing.
"Dad, Mom, stop arguing, why is Third Sister silent again?" Wang Jia Bao saw the situation and hurriedly pulled Liu Yulan aside.
Liu Yulan gave Wang Baoxing a hard glare, turned to inspect her youngest daughter, and saw the dried blood on her forehead, now swells into a huge bruise, looking quite terrifying. Worried, she asked, "Miaomiao, can you hear mom talking? Yes? Miaomiao?"
"Should we take her to the town medical center for a look..." Wang Jia Bao suggested worriedly.
Wang Baoxing, concerned for his youngest daughter, thought about the time and said, "Even if we rush to the town now, the medical center is closed. Let's wait for Grandpa Li to check her first..."
Listening to these conversations, Wang Miaomiao felt a tumult in her heart. Although her head was still dizzy, she pieced together from bits and pieces that she had transmigrated into a book she was currently reading, becoming a minor character within it.