chsdbacks Chapter 43 Don't Let Me Down
Chapter 43 Don't Let Me Down
Love may fade, but wages won't. Men may change, but shares won't.
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For the entire afternoon, Zeng Jia was completely absorbed in her writing, ignoring everyone else.
After Wang Haowen came back, he hovered around her several times, but she didn't even blink, completely ignoring him.
She was busy working without a care in the world when, just before she was about to leave work, Zhang Zhishan suddenly called and asked her to pick him up from the law firm.
Zeng Jia waited with driver Lao Liu downstairs at the law firm for ages before Zhang Zhishan finally came out, swaying leisurely.
After getting on the bus, he sent Lao Liu away first. Zeng Jia realized that things were a bit serious, so she quickly straightened her back and waited for the boss to speak.
Zhang Zhishan rubbed his temples, looking utterly exhausted: "Zeng Jia, we haven't known each other for very long, but to be honest, I trust you and truly consider you family."
Zeng Jia's heart skipped a beat. Why did the opening remarks sound so creepy?
"I am fortunate to have followed Mr. Zhang and had the opportunity to learn so much."
"You have a boyfriend, right?" Zhang Zhishan blurted out out of the blue.
"No!" Zeng Jia answered crisply. Yesterday, she might have had to think about it, but right now, she was definitely single.
Zhang Zhishan nodded. "No, it's not good. It saves trouble and effort. Family stuff... it's a real burden." He sighed, then changed the subject. "I want to set up a separate line for you to keep an eye on things in Hong Kong. I don't need to explain the current situation; you know it all too well. We need to have a backup plan."
Zeng Jia was completely bewildered. Was he planning to divorce Yu Li and starting to transfer assets in advance?
If you count on your fingers, she had worked at Tianyi for several years, but she had only been working alongside Zhang Zhishan for a total of five months.
After only five months of master-servant relationship, she's already being entrusted with managing his "backup plan"? This trust seems a bit too sudden, doesn't it? Putting aside whether Yu Li will discover it, the nominee arrangement is inherently dangerous, but the fact that Zhang Zhishan approached her clearly means he couldn't find anyone else.
"Mr. Zhang, I am truly grateful for your kind words. But I am not much better than you... I'm afraid I'll mess things up for you," Zeng Jiawei said timidly.
"If you want to do big things, stop worrying about the word 'fear.' There's no such thing as a sure thing in this world. Even if you go out to buy a steamed bun, it might be leftover from the day before!" Zhang Zhishan said firmly, as if the matter was already settled. "If you don't seize such a good opportunity, you're not worthy to be my secretary. But you need to be prepared that there will be so much work that you'll be overwhelmed."
"But don't worry, as long as you get through this, you'll get your share of the company, and I'll arrange an MBA for you at the University of Hong Kong. I won't interfere with your dating life, but you have to hold on for at least three years, preferably five, without getting married. If Zihau goes to Hong Kong in the future, I'll feel at ease knowing you're keeping an eye on things for me."
Zeng Jia let out a long sigh of relief. Zhang Zhishan's promises were quite tempting: a raise, shares, and an MBA from the University of Hong Kong—any one of them was enticing enough.
Moreover, Zhang Zhishan's attitude was very clear: if she dared to refuse, she would lose her position as his secretary.
She's lost her love, but can she really afford to lose her job? She really doesn't have a choice.
"Since Mr. Zhang has said so, what do I have to be afraid of? Don't worry, I will keep a close eye on Zihao and report to you immediately if anything happens."
"Zeng Jia, you absolutely can't let me down at this crucial moment!" Zhang Zhishan's smile vanished instantly. "I've staked everything on you. If you dare to betray me, you'll have no place in Beijing anymore. You absolutely can't let me down!"
Wang Haowen was on his way to Daxing Airport with Song Yaxuan, and his head was buzzing.
While he was having a Tencent video conference with Yu Li and the operations department, discussing the details of tomorrow's negotiations, he also had to listen attentively to Song Yaxuan's rambling, which sounded like listening to eight hundred ducks having a meeting.
Finally, the meeting ended and the plane was off the ground. Only then did Wang Haowen have a moment to think about whether he should send a message to Zeng Jia.
But the thought of Zeng Jia's indifferent attitude ignited a small fire in his heart. She had introduced him to this job, but he couldn't possibly report to her for everything. She would say that they would compete fairly and see who wins, but when it came down to it, she acted like a complete jerk.
And he didn't come home all night, didn't utter a sound, didn't even make a phone call. Does he even care about me?!
And what she said to her mother during the video call last night—every single word was heartbreaking. She complained that he wasn't capable enough to marry Musk, that he was putting her in his shoes, and yet her family acted like they were wronged.
Wang Haowen felt increasingly frustrated, so he simply switched his phone to airplane mode and stuffed it in his pocket. Right now, getting the brand onboarded was the priority; he'd deal with that later.
Besides, if the call goes through, and Zeng Jia gets all inquisitive, what will he say? Lie? Not worth it. Tell the truth? Zhang Zhishan will probably be furious, and he'll be seen as a traitor.
For the next three days, Wang Haowen was extremely busy, only able to rest for two hours each day. The rest of the time was spent either in meetings or meeting people, and mostly serving Song Yaxuan, his little princess.
Five-star hotels complained the pillows weren't soft enough, Michelin-starred restaurants complained the food wasn't flavorful enough, and even ride-hailing services like Didi Chuxing weren't up to par; they insisted on renting a Bentley for transportation.
But the young lady wasn't wrong either. The big brand executives who he used to beg and plead with were now all being very polite to him, asking him to join Tianyi.
Song Yaxuan didn't even bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point about money.
Wang Haowen used to look down on Yu Li's approach of relying on connections, but now he understands that it's good to have a powerful backer. He used to laugh at "My dad is Li Gang," but now he realizes that he himself is the clown!
After three busy days, Wang Haowen returned looking presentable with dark circles under his eyes. Once the financing ceremony next Tuesday is finalized, thirty high-end and light luxury brands will immediately join Tianyi.
For the first time ever, Yu Li personally went to the airport to pick him up. Of course, she wasn't there for Wang Haowen, but for Song Yaxuan. She ordered a huge bouquet of flowers and placed it directly into Song Yaxuan's arms.
"Look at our Xuanxuan, she's so lucky! As soon as you stand there, money grows legs and comes running to you. She's my little lucky star!" Yu Li's emotional appeal was immediately on full display.
Song Yaxuan took the flowers, her chin held high, her arrogance impossible to hide: "It's just a matter of my dad putting in a good word, nothing serious. I'm happy to be able to help President Yu, aren't I?" She chattered, her eyes glancing at Wang Haowen almost imperceptibly.
Yu Li then turned to Wang Haowen, a smile on her face: "Little Wang, you've worked hard this time, you deserve a lot of credit."
Wang Haowen had a scraggly beard and looked pale; he had long lost the sharp and refined air he had in front of Yu Li.
He forced a smile: "It's nothing. As long as the project is successful and we haven't let President Yu down, that's enough."
Yu Li nodded in satisfaction and invited Song Yaxuan to dinner, ostensibly to welcome back the hero. Wang Haowen had finally shown some backbone this time, no longer standing by and serving, and was finally able to sit down at the table.
At the dinner table, Yu Li was incredibly enthusiastic, subtly trying to get Song Yaxuan and Wang Haowen together. Song Yaxuan's face turned bright red with embarrassment, and her shy demeanor clearly showed that she was very satisfied with Wang Haowen.
After a satisfying meal, Yu Li first took Song Yaxuan home, then turned around and pulled Wang Haowen into a high-end bar. Once the door to the private room was closed, it was just the two of them.
"You did a fantastic job this time, I'm very satisfied." Yu Li took a sip of Romanée-Conti, then changed the subject, "I'd like to promote you to Business Director, in charge of the Shanghai business. Do you have the guts?"
Wang Haowen's heart skipped a beat. Yu Li's offer had left him somewhat bewildered: "President Yu, am I still lacking in ability? I'm afraid I can't handle such a heavy responsibility."
Yu Li had also been staying up for several nights, and as if venting her frustration, she gulped down the alcohol, her eyes slightly unfocused. "You know, Zhang Zhishan and I have already reached a breaking point." She rarely showed a woman's weariness. "Although I'm unwilling, and the timing isn't right, I have to get rid of him from Tianyi. You should go to Shanghai first to establish yourself, as a director with shareholdings. After Tianyi is eliminated, I hope you will be in charge of the overseas market. At that time, your annual salary and shareholdings will only increase."
Before Wang Haowen could refuse, Yu Li sharply rebuked him, "Wang Haowen, don't tell me it's no good. This is settled. You're very capable and deserve to explore the wider world. A man shouldn't limit his vision to his small family business. Only by becoming a senior executive with shares in the Shanghai Tianyi branch can you truly be the Song family's son-in-law. You're giving up a chance to soar to great heights? Are you out of your mind?!"
Wang Haowen fell silent for a moment.
This was probably the first time Yu Li had ever opened up to him about the future. And Yu Li was right; he should make something of himself. If he were truly capable, would Zeng Jia still be scrimping and saving for a meager salary, or arguing so fiercely over a shabby apartment? Ultimately, it was all because he was broke.
But Wang Haowen didn't agree immediately, saying he would think about it, since his father was still at home.
After leaving the bar, Yu Li was picked up by the driver, while Wang Haowen stood alone by the roadside, watching the workers hang red lanterns in the night, starting preparations for the Spring Festival. The bright red light made him dizzy, and he suddenly thought of Zeng Jia.
He took out his phone and opened Zeng Jia's WeChat chat. It had been several days, and she hadn't made a single phone call or sent a single WeChat message. Had she really started a cold war?
Every time they argued, he was the one who would apologize first, while she never did. Wang Haowen gritted his teeth and made a voice call.
"Hold!"
A cold, discreet tone came through the receiver. Wang Haowen stared at his phone screen and burst out laughing in exasperation.
Blocked? She blocked him again?!
So he was just being delusional all this time, and the other party unilaterally announced the end of their partnership?!
If they break up, they break up. At least he won't have to work so hard to buy a house anymore.
Wang Haowen hailed a Lalamove truck, headed to Xinsi Hutong, and left with a truckload of goods. As he did so, he sent Yu Li a message: "President Yu, thank you for this opportunity. I will definitely work hard and live up to your trust."
When Zeng Jia dragged her leaden legs into the house, it was already 12:30.
She kicked off her two exhausting high boots at the door, and when she looked up, wow! Why did the room look a little empty?
She turned on the light, grinned, and laughed out loud.
Wang Haowen's stack of worn-out shoes, and all the shirts and casual sportswear hanging on the racks, are gone! The 30-square-meter pigeon coop now looks surprisingly spacious despite its bare walls!
"Fine, Young Master Wang, you've climbed the social ladder and are now packing your bags and leaving? Breaking up, huh? Fine! Who's afraid of who! The world won't keep turning just because someone's gone!"
Zeng Jia yelled a couple of times, then collapsed onto the bed, her eyelids drooping as she fell asleep.