Granting You A Second Life

Shen Xiaosi: "Dr Li if I may?"

Li Xiuying gave a small nod.

Shen Xiaosi: "Miss Jiang your services as a personal a.s.sistant will no longer be required. I have your first and final pay cheque in this envelope." He took a white envelope pout from his inner suit pocket and placed it on the desk next to Jiang Huan. He then went around Li Xiuying"s desk to stand on her right.

Jiang Huan was slightly panicked: "Dr Li what"s going on? Why am I being fired? Isn"t this to sudden? You never mentioned that you were unhappy with my work."

Li Xiuying lent on her palm looking bored.

Jiang Huan felt panic and desperation well up inside her: "This is an unfair dismissal. Although I may have made a few minor mistakes that"s no reason for me to lose my job. I have done what"s asked of me and in most instances I have even gone above and beyond my regular duties."

Shen Xiaosi was calm: "Miss Jiang I suggest you take your cheque and leave. In the future you should be aware of your position and not overstep your boundaries."

Jiang Huan picked up the envelope and crushed it in her hand before throwing it at Shen Xiaosi: "You stop talking! Does it seem like I"m interested in anything you have to say? You"ve only just set foot in this office today and you"re behaving like your roots run deep."

Shen Xiaosi looked down at the crumpled envelope; then back at Jiang Huan.

Jiang Huan: "Dr Li I admit I made a few minor errors that caused you to become unhappy however I don"t believe that they were extreme enough to cause you to fire me. It takes time for anyone to adapt and adjust to a new job and that"s the reason why probationary periods were created. I don"t think it"s fair for you to cut my 3 months short; you haven"t given me a fair chance."

Li Xiuying looked at Jiang Huan "Why do people who commit wrongs always behave like they"re innocent? I wander if anyone has done research into it; it could be an interesting trial."

Jiang Huan saw Li Xiuying just gazing at her silently and realized that she wasn"t going to get a straight answer by talking reasonably. Her panic and worry morphed into indignation and self-righteousness. "How can Li Xiuying just sit there and ignore everything I"ve said?! I haven"t done anything to warrant this treatment!"

Jiang Huan: "Dr Li I demand you give me an adequate reason for this dismissal and if you can"t then I will leave at the end of my probation period with compensation for how you have treated me today."

Yao Changying was watching with glee: "Wow your att.i.tude did a completely 180! Your emotions changed so quickly that I almost missed it because I blinked!"

Li Xiuying smiled slightly.

Jiang Huan: "Dr Yao I think that it"s best if you leave please. Dr Li and I are trying to discuss serious matters that concern my life and livelihood. The Murong"s were right about you; you truly have no heart and no empathy and enjoy kicking people whilst they"re down."

Yao Changying put on a tragic expression: "YingYing do you think I"m missing my heart? Have I caught a case of vampirism?!"

Li Xiuying rolled her eyes.

Jiang Huan stamped her foot in frustration: "Dr Yao please leave! I"m trying to discuss my future here and you"re making jokes about vampires! Dr Li please give me a valid reason or I will have no choice

but to take legal action. Dr Li I don"t want to go to HR to report this matter but I will if I have to. Please don"t force my hand."

Shen Xiaosi: "Miss Jiang it is because of your inability to see reason that you are in your current predicament. You truly cannot see the bigger picture. Do you really think that you are able to do anything? Will HR even look at your complaint before laughing as they watch it going through the shredder?"

Jiang Huan spoke with venom as she looked at Shen Xiaosi: "Did I not tell you to keep quiet?! Do you think it"s that easy to just take someone else"s job? Of course HR will listen to me, so will the media and the lawyers and judges and so will everybody else."

Li Xiuying: "Jiang Huan." She tapped the papers on her desk that Shen Xiaosi had placed down earlier. Li Xiuying reclined back in her chair

Jiang Huan retraced her gaze from Shen Xiaosi and looked at the papers on the desk. She stepped forwards and picked up the doc.u.ments.

Jiang Huan began reading; as she read the sneer on her face morphed into shock. The colour on her face started to drain slowly; even her tan couldn"t mask her physiological response to fear.

Yao Changying pulled gently on Li Xiuying"s sleeve: "YingYing what is she reading?"

Li Xiuying: "Data on all her minor errors. Leaving early and taking days off by lying to her superiors about her grandmother"s illness. Death certificates for her Grandmothers one who pa.s.sed in 2000 and the other 1985. Additionally, there are details of her changing my schedule, adding patients to my list without permission, arranging teaching sessions without my permission, emailing people in my name without permission, going above and beyond without my permission. Also, there are phone records with highlighted sections indicating her personal calls; the call duration"s vary from 1 hour to 3 hours. This USB also has security footage from the garage that shows her leaving during her work hours and there a few recordings of her personal calls."

Jiang Huan scrunched the paper in her hands "How did she know everything?! When did she start monitoring me? Was she just toying with me all this time?"

Shen Xiaosi: "Dr Li I apologize for not adding today"s minor errors to the list. Miss Jiang Huan I will need to add another page detailing how you allowed strangers into Dr Li"s office and stood by as she was being subjected to verbal taunts and slander. Oh and I"ll also add that you watched as they tried to add spyware to Dr. Li computer."

Jiang Huan: "H...h...how did you..?"

Shen Xiaosi: "When Dr Li isn"t using her computer I have remote access to her desktop. I have 24 hour access to your computer too."

Jiang Huan"s whole body felt numb; she staggered over to her chair and sat down. In one hand she still grasped the doc.u.ments detailing her misdemeanors.

Shen Xiaosi: "Feel free to keep those doc.u.ments; I"ve sent copies to HR, the hospital"s legal representative and Elder Qin. Elder Qin was quite displeased with your behavior and disappointed in himself for having appointed you to Dr Li."

He turned slightly facing Li Xiuying: "Elder Qin has said that although he cannot undo what has been done he can prevent it from happening in the future. Jiang Huan will not be able to work as a personal a.s.sistant at any medical facility ever again this includes rural areas. He has also reprimanded the agency that recommended her."

Jiang Huan felt completely defeated: "Dr Li I know I"ve done wrong. Please don"t force me into such a dead end. How will I live if I can"t work? Please talk to Elder Qin and ask him not to blacklist me? Please."

Li Xiuying: " Jiang Huan you have no one to blame but yourself. Every step you have taken that lead to today you trod with conviction and full awareness. Don"t worry you just won"t be able to work in the medical sector."

Everyone in the room was fully aware that Jiang Huan would never find work as a personal a.s.sistant again whether in the medical sector or otherwise. Elder Qin had destroyed her future; she wouldn"t be able to find a decent job again.

Jiang Huan: "Dr Li I..."

Li Xiuying: "Jiang Huan let me remind you one last time. The flower has intentions, but the water has no feeling. While the dropping flowers pine for love, the heartless brook babbles on. The waterside flower pining for love sheds petals, while the heartless brook babbles on."

Jiang Huan just stared at Li Xiuying. "I think Dr Li has said those words to me before; she knew everything I did from the very beginning."

Li Xiuying: "Shen Xiaosi, show my former personal a.s.sistant out."

Shen Xiaosi: "This way Miss Jiang."

Jiang Huan felt reluctant to leave. She knew that as soon as she left this office it would truly sink in that it was all over.

Shen Xiaosi: "Miss Jiang please don"t force my hand. There are security guards waiting outside. Either you walk out with some dignity or you are escorted out in disgrace."