Divorcee O Finds Me Irresistible - Chapter 1

The red light turned green, and a green sportbike roared past the cars crawling forward in the four lanes, its thunderous engine drawing all eyes at the intersection. Fu Shuang, who was helping an elderly woman cross the crosswalk, was irritated by the noise and muttered under her breath, “Show-offs never end well.”

But few shared her sentiment. Behind her, a young elementary school student pointed at the rider’s retreating figure, his face filled with envy and awe. “What a cool female rider!”

Fu Shuang glanced up at the speeding green “bug” and noticed long hair fluttering beneath the white helmet. Her eyes brightened slightly.

She is pretty cool, she thought, retracting her earlier remark.

“Thank you, dear,” the elderly woman said, her wrinkled hand patting Fu Shuang’s arm. Her eyes twinkled with warmth as she added, “Go on now, young people are under so much pressure at work. Don’t let me hold you up.”

Fu Shuang checked the time. She was already late for her interview. “Goodbye, Grandma!” she called out, before dashing off in her Mary Jane shoes.

At the Jingnan Road intersection, just 800 meters from Xu Qing’s workplace, two striking green figures suddenly appeared in her line of sight. Xu Qing startled, slammed on the brakes, and prepared to make a U-turn and flee.

Before she could turn the handlebars, the morning rush hour traffic had already blocked her retreat. Meanwhile, the traffic police officer on duty had sprinted over, shouting at her to stop.

Xu Qing resigned herself to her fate, removed her motorcycle helmet, and signed the ticket, her face grimy with dust.

The more carefree she had felt riding her motorcycle earlier, the more humiliated she felt now being reprimanded.

Motorcycles were banned in Shengyuan City’s urban areas, but traffic police usually turned a blind eye. Enforcing helmet regulations for electric scooters was generally more cost-effective. But there were always exceptions, like today.

The 200 yuan fine was equivalent to a day’s wages, a thought that stung.

After completing the formalities, the officer returned Xu Qing’s driver’s license and instructed, “Be careful in the future. Motorcycles are prohibited in the city center. You can pay the fine online later. You’re free to go now.”

Xu Qing nodded obediently and thanked him, but after taking a few steps, she realized, Why did I thank him? For fining me?

This job is turning me into a dog, she thought bitterly.

Her workplace was over ten kilometers from her apartment, with no direct subway line. Driving was slow and congested, so she had specifically bought a motorcycle for commuting.

In this northern city, rain was rare, so she didn’t have to worry about getting wet. She also avoided the morning and evening rush hour jams. Until today’s encounter with the traffic police, it had been the perfect solution for her commute.

Now she had to consider other options.

Xu Qing arrived at work twenty minutes late, but to her surprise, she was still the first one there.

This was a common occurrence. Her department had only three employees: Xu Qing and two others who had gotten their jobs through connections. Xu Qing herself was also somewhat of a “connection hire,” but as a graduate of a prestigious university with a master’s degree from abroad, she possessed both connections and genuine skills. This meant that whenever tasks came down from above, they inevitably landed on her desk.

Over time, Xu Qing had learned a few tricks for slacking off. For instance, the Section Chief had asked her to draft a special project investment proposal yesterday. She finished it before leaving work and planned to submit it in a couple of days.

The morning passed uneventfully. Not even a colleague stopped by for a chat. Xu Qing brewed tea, watered the plants, browsed the internet, cleared out her computer’s junk files, and waited for lunchtime.

The cafeteria was bustling with activity, and the food was as abundant as ever: crispy golden-fried chicken cutlets, glistening braised pork with a perfect balance of fat and lean meat, headless and tailless fried yellow croaker drizzled with sauce, large and pristine boiled shrimp, and even a dozen vegetarian dishes—vibrant green vegetables, tofu crispy on the outside and tender inside—each dish tempting her to take seconds.

According to the rules, each person could choose only two meat dishes and two vegetarian dishes. After selecting three dishes, Xu Qing hesitated between braised pork ribs and boiled shrimp. Seeing her indecision, the cafeteria auntie simply scooped both onto her plate, her warm smile shining through her mask. “You’re so thin—you need to eat more!”

Xu Qing: “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it! Which department are you in? Do you have a boyfriend? If not, I can introduce you to someone!” the auntie said, seizing the opportunity.

Xu Qing chuckled awkwardly. “Haha, no need. My family has already arranged someone for me.”

The auntie’s face fell. “Arranged marriages? They’re never as good as finding someone yourself!”

Xu Qing: “Really?”

“Of course! I’ll introduce you to someone young and attractive—any gender you want! They’ll be way better than whoever your family picked!” The auntie declared confidently, her iron ladle swaying lightly as she piled Xu Qing’s plate to overflowing.

Xu Qing watched helplessly as her plate groaned under the weight, quickly protesting, “Thank you, but no, really, no more!”

The auntie’s ladle hesitated briefly, but Xu Qing seized the moment, snatching her plate and fleeing as fast as she could, terrified that any hesitation would give the auntie a chance to stop her.

Settling down with her tray, Xu Qing finally exhaled in relief, her mind simultaneously drifting to the thought: If I had just fled decisively when the traffic police stopped me this morning, I might have avoided all this trouble.

But what if they had chased me on their motorcycles? Would that have added another charge of obstructing law enforcement? Would they report it to my workplace? As a public servant, refusing to comply with the law would set a terrible example.

Thank goodness I didn’t do anything reckless. Otherwise, I’d never be able to explain it to my family.

As she brought a piece of braised pork rib to her mouth, Xu Qing finally managed to shake off these chaotic thoughts.

Thanks to some high-ranking official’s influence, the cafeteria food at her government office was even better than what you’d find in most restaurants. The ribs were stewed until they practically melted in her mouth, with no trace of gaminess, only the rich, savory aroma of tender meat. Xu Qing couldn’t help but speculate that the cafeteria chef’s salary must be higher than hers, a returned master’s graduate. After all, he was creating tangible value.

In the current economic downturn, even finding a decent job was a struggle for ordinary people, leading to fierce competition for the few remaining positions within the government system, the last bastion of social stability. After returning from her studies abroad, Xu Qing had interviewed at several architecture firms, but none offered even a basic salary of 12,000 yuan. Disheartened, she reluctantly followed her family’s advice and applied for a government job, landing her current position with a monthly salary of 6,000 yuan.

A secure job, easy work, and a clear path to promotion—all you need is seniority.

As for the nominal salary, who even pays attention to that?

When the time comes, you’ll get subsidized housing, a generous pension, and benefits beyond your wildest dreams!

Xu Qing had heard these promises at least a hundred times.

In truth, she understood the advantages of this “iron rice bowl” better than anyone. After all, her family had held such positions for generations. Though they weren’t high-ranking officials, they had accumulated considerable wealth, connections, social status, and more. At the very least, it had allowed Xu Qing to study abroad for years without financial worries and paved the way for an arranged marriage with the daughter of a wealthy family.

Thinking of that Young Miss, Xu Qing felt another headache coming on.

It had been nearly half a year since she returned to China, yet she still hadn’t met her rumored fiancée. At first, she could use job hunting as an excuse to delay the meeting, but now that she’d been employed for two months, how could she keep putting it off?

Her family was already frantic, and Xu Qing had opened the chat window with the Young Miss countless times, yet she still hadn’t sent a single message.

What a mess.

Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the meticulously cared-for plants on the windowsill, their leaves gleaming a vibrant green.

Xu Qing methodically cleaned the coffee grounds from the moka pot’s filter. She’d heard they could be used as plant fertilizer, so collecting them might prove useful.

“Wow, that smells amazing! Xu Qing, do you have some secret coffee-brewing technique? This is even better than what they serve at coffee shops!” The office door swung open as the first colleague arrived late for work.

“Is it already two o’clock?” Xu Qing finished cleaning the pot, settled into her workstation, and said lazily, “We need to get to work. Otherwise, it’ll be time to clock out before we know it.”

“Two o’clock already, and I still haven’t had lunch!” Fu Shuang stormed out of the office building, clutching her resume. The scorching sun made her dizzy, her pale face a stark contrast to the fury in her voice. “If they only want Beta women, they should have specified it in the job posting! What a waste of my time! I’m reporting them to the labor bureau for gender discrimination! This is infuriating!”

“And that other place this morning? I waited in line for two hours, only to find out the internship pays 60 yuan a day! No offer after the internship? What do they think college students are? Disposable toilet paper?”

A sultry laugh came through her earpiece, followed by a soothing voice: “Calm down, Young Miss. You sent out 200 resumes, right? With that many companies, surely one will take you.”

Fu Shuang muttered, “Two hundred applications, and only a few replies. So many companies aren’t even hiring interns…”

“Keep trying, but if it’s too tough, just give up,” the woman on the other end of the line drawled. “The job market is brutal right now, especially for women. And for Omega women? It’s a whole new level of impossible. Honestly, I’d advise you to quit early and find a reliable Beta or Alpha to support you. That’s got to be easier than job hunting, right?”

After a brief silence, Fu Shuang’s tone turned icy. “Are you joking?”

“Haha, no, I’m not. Don’t get mad, Young Miss. You might not fully grasp how things are these days. I know you really want to be independent… but you have no income and no place to live. If you keep this up, you might end up homeless. I’m genuinely worried about you. What can you even do with sixty yuan a day? You can’t even afford rent! You’d have to find strangers online to share a bedroom with. And even if you scrape together rent, what about food? Does your company provide meals? If not, you’ll have to learn to cook—that’s the cheapest way to survive. Forget about makeup or clothes; you won’t even be able to afford those 300-yuan hormone suppressants. Have you ever seen those rental rooms where a dozen people cram together?”

Fu Shuang froze, not out of fear from her friend’s dire warnings, but out of anger. Was the job market for Omega women truly this bleak?

As a university student seeking an internship, securing a full-time offer during the autumn recruitment season would be ideal, but right now, she was only hoping for an internship opportunity.

As soon as she found a job, she would sever all ties with that family.

“Young Miss? Have you made up your mind?” The voice in her headset fluctuated, carrying a faint glimmer of hope beneath its hesitant tone.

Though as a friend, she could only advise Fu Shuang to make a rational decision, deep down she still hoped Fu Shuang would bravely forge her own path. What if she succeeded?

True to form, Fu Shuang wasn’t deterred by the dire warnings. Instead, her fighting spirit burned even brighter.

Standing under the blazing sun, Fu Shuang declared each word clearly: “I won’t end up on the streets, and I won’t have to share a cramped apartment with strangers. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely earn enough to support myself. Once I can do that, that family won’t be able to control me anymore. Besides interning at the company during the day, I’ll sing at a bar at night—just temporarily, of course. And this weekend, a student’s parents are hiring me as a piano teacher. The hourly rate is quite good. Just wait and see!”

“Alright, then I wish you success. If you need money, come to me. I’ll ask my brother for some help.”

“No need!”

“Eek!”

Six o’clock in the afternoon, the city lights began to twinkle.

In Shengyuan City’s most luxurious shopping mall, even the coffee shop’s decor exuded opulence. Men without Rolex watches and women without Hermès bags would feel out of place entering the café.

Fu Shuang had been sitting here for three hours, clutching her laptop. Before her sat only a paper cup of plain water.

Since three o’clock, she had only asked the staff for a cup of water, then confidently occupied the prime window seat, her head bent over her work.

The café was nearly empty. The staff stood stiffly behind the counter, their smiles strained as they stared blankly at the girl’s profile.

Fu Shuang had submitted over a dozen more resumes. Several companies weren’t hiring interns, but she had boldly applied anyway, hoping luck might favor her.

An unfamiliar number with a Shengyuan area code rang. Fu Shuang’s heart quickened. She waited a few seconds before answering, cleared her throat, and said, “Hello, who is this?”

After a twenty-minute conversation, the caller readily invited her to report to the company the next day.

“Are you saying you’re agreeing to have me intern at your company?” Fu Shuang stammered, her nerves getting the better of her.

“Come in for a few days first. We’ll evaluate if you’re a good fit. If your performance is satisfactory, we’ll consider a three-party agreement later. Interns here receive a daily stipend of 120 yuan. I’ll send you the company address shortly…”

Fu Shuang thanked them profusely. Only after hanging up did she meticulously research the company’s details.

It turned out to be a mid-sized internet company with a valid business license and registered address. Online searches confirmed its operational activities, eliminating any risk of being scammed.

“They weren’t even advertising internships! Looks like I struck gold!” Fu Shuang excitedly closed her laptop, nearly knocking over a paper cup on the desk.

Slinging her laptop bag over her shoulder, she whooped with joy. As she reached the intersection, a green motorcycle roared past. Fu Shuang watched with envy, dreaming of the day she’d earn enough to buy her own bike. She’d take her friends for rides, speeding at 120 kilometers per hour, racing through the wind.

First thing’s first: cutting ties with my family.

And that deadbeat fiancé I’ve never even met? Goodbye forever.