Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 31: Assumed the Role of a Mute

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Assumed the Role of a Mute

"Xia Jinhe, what kind of work is this? Didn’t I ask you to make me a cup of tea? What’s this, coffee?"

In the second floor of the office building, a company employee was scolding a chubby woman wearing a face mask.

Xia Jinhe immediately lowered her head and made an apologetic gesture. The employee didn’t even look at her, simply rolled her eyes, and waved her hand dismissively at her as if shooing away a fly.

"Alright, alright, just go and change it for me, don’t waste time. I can’t understand what you’re gesturing!"

Xia Jinhe paused, bowed to her, then turned around and left without a word.

After she left, a few colleagues gathered in small groups and started discussing Jinhe’s retreating figure.

"You guys think, what kind of background does this new clerk have? A mute and so fat, yet she managed to get into our company. Isn’t it said that the Human Resources Manager is a stickler for beauty, that one must either be good-looking or exceptionally capable to get in?"

"Xia Jinhe’s abilities are obviously lacking. She messes up even the menial tasks. You guys have no idea; last time I saw her go to print something, she didn’t even know how to turn on the printer. Even a caveman wouldn’t be as clueless as her!"

A colleague furrowed her brow, "Perhaps she has connections?"

Someone continued guessing, "Could she be a relative of the Human Resources Manager?"

"That’s unlikely. Isn’t that aging auntie known for being extremely impartial? No matter whose relative Xia Jinhe might be, she couldn’t possibly be related to her. She must be a relative of some other high-level executive in the company."

"Hey, stop guessing. If she were related to the higher-ups, wouldn’t the top brass have told us to take care of her? After all, she is mute."

"Right, she’s just a common errand girl and mute at that. She counts as a person with disabilities; let’s be a bit more tolerant toward others. We shouldn’t bother her for things we can do ourselves."

No sooner had this person finished speaking than Xia Jinhe walked past them.

The gossiping colleagues watched in silence as Xia Jinhe placed the tea on the table and turned to walk somewhere else, completely ignoring them.

The colleagues looked at each other, and someone whispered, "Xia Jinhe couldn’t have heard everything, right? Why is she so quiet when she walks?"

Another colleague responded, "Forget about it, let’s not worry about others. In the end, she’s a mute. Do you guys really fear she’ll complain to the manager? Let’s break it up..."

After He Jinxia left, she naturally didn’t hear the conversation behind her.

The pantry wasn’t far from the office area, not to mention a special water dispenser for tea and drinking water was placed right at the office entrance. He Jinxia didn’t go to the pantry but simply made a cup of tea at the water dispenser.

She had heard every word of the women’s discussion.

When she arrived at the small corner that was her office area, He Jinxia sat down. A trace of fatigue crossed the face hidden by the mask as she couldn’t help but rub her forehead at the temples.

She had been using an alias at this company for three days now, worked laboriously for three days, and began eating nutritional meals for three days. The replenishments couldn’t keep up with the consumption, and she felt utter exhaustion and hunger screaming throughout her body.

Not to mention the workouts she had to do at night. After every session, He Jinxia always felt she might faint at any second.

It was like a tiny, trembling boat on the verge of capsizing upon the raging sea.

"Ding Ling Ling—" The telephone rang. He Jinxia opened her eyes and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" A woman’s voice came through the phone.

After a while, the person spoke reluctantly, "Xia Jinhe, right? Come over to area A-3, I have some documents that need to be printed."

He Jinxia constantly reminded herself that she was mute, said nothing, and waited for the other party to hang up the phone.

"Why is it lately that every time I call the clerks over here, it’s always you who answers? Are there no other clerks available? Hurry up and come over, I urgently need the documents!" someone complained impatiently.

"Beep beep beep—" A busy signal came through the phone, and He Jinxia hung up, a thoughtful look flashing through her eyes.

She stood up, glancing at the other two clerks in the corner, both of whom were young, beautiful, and attractive girls, giggling with clear, bell-like voices as they eagerly watched a TV drama on a phone together.

One of the clerks lifted her head slightly and noticed He Jinxia’s gaze, huffed disdainfully, and rolled her eyes at her, "What are you staring at? Isn’t someone rushing you to do some work? Go on, get moving!"

He Jinxia watched them, and suddenly, a surge of anger bolted through her heart, and she couldn’t help but clench her fists a little.

It was clear that they had tampered with the phone so that calls requesting clerk assistance would be redirected to her!

They were taking advantage of "Xia Jinhe" not being able to complain, bullying her for being honest, weak, and stupid!

She was inherently a reserved person. In her previous life, she had endured tough and painful experiences. Those hardships had long since ground down the vigor and pride of her youth.

Living a second life, she felt nothing but gratefulness, not wanting to trouble others for things she could do herself.

Following the director’s instructions, she had assumed a false identity and pretended to be mute while working as a clerk at a company to experience the emotions of being discriminated against.

In fact, the idle chatter of the employees had not really affected her; it was true that she often made mistakes and indeed caused trouble for others.

But this time, these two clerks had genuinely incensed her!

At this moment, she deeply empathized with the emotions of "Chen Xiaohui" from the script.

With a slightly cold expression, He Jinxia looked at the two women and then, wearing high heels, she turned and left.

Once she had left, the clerk who had previously yelled at He Jinxia nudged her colleague and asked with some concern, "That Xia Jinhe seemed to have noticed something, should we..."

"No need!"

The clerk who was engrossed in the TV drama interrupted firmly, "You haven’t been here for long and don’t understand how things work around here. Even if she were to write a report and complain to the higher-ups, it would be useless."

"It’s a rule for the aging to establish authority over the new clerks; anyone in the workplace understands that. Besides, she’s only been here for a few days. We’re giving Xia Jinhe all these menial tasks so that she can integrate faster. We’re doing this for her own good, understand?"

The other person quickly nodded, saying sycophantically, "Understood, sis, you’re so amazing, you know everything so well!"

He Jinxia went to Area A-3 and found the staff member who needed the documents printed, then took their USB drive to the print room.

There were other employees in the print room; when they saw He Jinxia, they looked away in disapproval, ignoring her.

Several other employees soon arrived, and upon seeing He Jinxia, they blatantly cut in line.

As they walked and talked, they nudged He Jinxia forcefully, squeezing through the small gap they had pushed open.

He Jinxia frowned. If it had been before, she would most likely not have argued, but since the documents were said to be urgently needed, she reached out and grabbed the clothes of the employee who had cut in line, gesturing with her hands.

The person looked at her with annoyance, saying, "I don’t understand sign language, don’t gesture to me!"

He Jinxia’s eyes turned slightly colder, and she fixed her dark gaze on the offending clerk, but the woman ignored her, pulled a colleague waiting nearby to join her, and cut in line again, right in front of He Jinxia!