Chapter 72: Both Impressive and Beautiful

Yao Jia turned to look at Meng Xingzhe, noticing that he was staring at her without blinking.

His brows were furrowed, and his expression was tense. Though he said nothing, his eyes were filled with shock.

In that moment, Yao Jia felt a surge of inexplicable guilt and pity.

She had scared him.

On Sunday night, as Yao Jia was still tormented by that kiss and unable to find peace, her phone rang.

The caller ID displayed “Human Resources Department Lu Fangfei.”

She quickly answered, fearing that something had gone wrong with Lu Fangfei’s sister again.

Lu Fangfei’s voice came through the phone, cautious and slightly panicked, but it wasn’t about her sister.

“Yao Jia, my supervisor urgently informed me that I need to work overtime to handle this month’s performance evaluation for your Customer Service Department. After I completed it, he told me that I calculated Meng Xingzhe’s performance incorrectly. He took a day off without providing a leave certificate, and they are treating it as an Unauthorized Absence, planning to terminate him!”

After hearing Lu Fangfei explain the situation, Yao Jia felt a jolt in her heart.

“It sounds like my supervisor is adamant about firing Meng Xingzhe. I was thinking if I tell Meng Xingzhe now, maybe he can still provide the proof and turn things around? But I can’t reach him; his phone is off, and I’m out of town on a business trip this weekend, so I can’t go to your dormitory to find him directly. This matter can’t be leaked to too many people, or my supervisor will come after me. So I thought it best to tell you, and you can quickly discuss it with Meng Xingzhe and figure something out. Otherwise, by Monday morning, the personnel decision might be announced!”

Yao Jia listened, her mouth slightly agape.

She remembered that on the morning Meng Xingzhe didn’t go to work, Lin Qian had indeed reminded her to tell Meng Xingzhe to submit a leave certificate. She had even messaged him about it at the time.

But he didn’t follow up, and she forgot to remind him again. They both forgot to patch up this issue.

But it was just one absence; at most, it should only affect his salary…

She grasped this key point and quickly asked Lu Fangfei, “That’s not right. I remember the company’s rules stated that it takes three Unauthorized Absences to be fired?”

Lu Fangfei sighed, “The rule changed last weekend, from three times to just once. It was personally approved by Deputy General Manager Qiu, and a red-letter notice was sent to several major departments within the company.”

Hearing this, Yao Jia felt something was off, but she couldn’t pinpoint what.

She temporarily set aside her doubts and thanked Lu Fangfei for leaking such confidential Human Resources Department information to Meng Xingzhe and herself in advance.

Lu Fangfei said, “Yao Jia, don’t mention it. You and Meng Xingzhe helped me so selflessly before. If I can repay you in some way, I’m truly happy to do so!”

After hanging up, Yao Jia fell into deep thought.

The change from three times to once seemed rushed, as did the performance evaluation targeting the Customer Service Department, and the decision to terminate staff seemed even more hasty. It all seemed like it was aimed at Meng Xingzhe.

But then she thought, Meng Xingzhe is just a small customer service representative. Why would anyone target him? Perhaps Deputy General Manager Qiu wanted to address the issue of Unauthorized Absence itself, maybe to warn all employees that from now on, Unauthorized Absence would not be tolerated.

And unfortunately, Meng Xingzhe was the monkey caught to be made an example of, to kill one to warn a hundred.

Yao Jia thought, no, she couldn’t let Meng Xingzhe lose his job. Even though he appeared glamorous and stylish, he was actually just a top-tier pauper. He still owed her money.

He had lost his investment in his house, and if he lost his job now, where would he live, how would he survive?

Moreover, firing someone for one absence seemed excessively harsh for employees.

She decided she had to protect Meng Xingzhe.

But the rule change was personally approved by Deputy General Manager Qiu. The only person with more authority than him seemed to be her father.

Yao Jia thought for a moment and first sent a message to Lu Fangfei, asking about her third-month performance evaluation results.

Lu Fangfei quickly replied, [Yao Jia, you’re amazing, you’ve turned the tables!]

Then she sent a screenshot of the evaluation results.

The results surprised even Yao Jia herself.

After being at the bottom in the first evaluation and in the middle in the second, her third evaluation results tied her with Tian Huasheng and Tong Yumo for first place! She even surpassed the excellent veteran employees Hao Lidan and Hou Wenwen.

In an instant, Yao Jia’s heart surged with joy and excitement.

She had managed to climb from last place to first!

Thinking back to when she first started, she hated the job so much she was almost despairing. She was ostracized by colleagues who didn’t like her, berated and complained about by unreasonable customers, and harshly criticized by Li Wangli, who told her to quit if she couldn’t handle it…

It turned out that enduring all the weariness and difficulties, and being willing to settle down and work hard, she could indeed become one of the best at the top of the pyramid!

Yao Jia joyfully printed out the performance evaluation results, took a deep breath to calm herself, and went to the study to find Yao Bingkun.

Yao Jia stood in front of the large mahogany desk, watching her father review her performance evaluation results.

After a long moment, her father looked up.

His face was as stern and severe as always, with a demeanor that suggested he wasn’t the easiest person to get along with.

But this time, his eyes and brows showed a hint of undisguised satisfaction. “Well done.”

Yao Jia felt fireworks going off in her heart. Her usually stern father was formally and openly acknowledging her for the first time!

“You’re becoming more like your sister,” Yao Bingkun added.

“…”

The fireworks in Yao Jia’s heart dimmed halfway.

She thought, forget it. Today isn’t about arguing over whether she’s like her sister; each person’s excellence is their own.

The focus today was on whether Meng Xingzhe would lose his career. She held back and didn’t argue.

She said, “Thank you, Dad.” Then she cleared her throat and asked, “Do you remember the bet we made?”

Yao Bingkun looked at her, his voice deep, “What bet?”

Yao Jia immediately became a bit anxious, her hands gripping the edge of the desk, her body leaning slightly forward. “The bet that if I could work in the Customer Service Department for three months without being fired, you would grant me one request, and I could do whatever I wanted! You said, with your status, you wouldn’t go back on your word at the last minute! If you’ve forgotten, I’ll call Mom to testify for me!”

Yao Jia saw a faint smile appear on her father’s face.

“Oh, I remember. That did happen,” Yao Bingkun said, feigning authority.

“…” She breathed a sigh of relief. But now she felt like her father hadn’t forgotten at all and was just teasing her.

“So now,” Yao Bingkun tapped the performance evaluation results on the desk, asking Yao Jia, “are you here to claim your bet?”

Yao Jia nodded.

“Then tell me, what do you want to do?” Yao Bingkun asked in a deep voice.

Yao Jia looked at him, took a silent breath, and said, “I want to use this bet, not for myself, but for a colleague named Meng Xingzhe.”

When Yao Bingkun heard this, his brows furrowed tightly. “Meng Xingzhe? A man?”

Yao Jia nodded.

Yao Bingkun adopted the classic fatherly interrogation mode with his daughter: “How old is he? When did he arrive at the customer service center? What kind of person is he? What’s his family background? And what’s your relationship with him?”

“…” Yao Jia confirmed that, aside from the title of Chairman, her father was just like any other ordinary dad, getting anxious about any male who appeared around his daughter.

“I have no special relationship with him.” She paused, realizing that wasn’t quite right, and corrected herself, “Oh, not exactly. We’ve sworn brotherhood. He’s my sworn elder brother.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw her father’s expression turn into a series of ellipses that conveyed confusion and surprise.

Yao Jia was a bit apprehensive, unsure if her explanation of their sworn brotherhood would be met with her father’s ridicule.

But after holding her breath for a moment, she saw her father’s smile deepen. “I thought that was something only our generation did. I didn’t expect you young people, even those born in the ’90s, to still do this.”

“???” Yao Jia was utterly surprised. Could it be that her seemingly stern and traditional father had once had a youthful, passionate phase too?

Perhaps her occasional bursts of youthful enthusiasm were inherited!

Putting away his smile, Yao Bingkun asked seriously, “So, tell me, what promise do you need to fulfill for this sworn brother of yours?”

Yao Jia immediately recounted the whole situation about how Deputy General Manager Qiu had changed the regulations, leading to Meng Xingzhe facing dismissal on Monday.

“The promise I need to fulfill is to ensure that Meng Xingzhe isn’t fired.”

Yao Bingkun looked at her, not immediately agreeing or refusing her request. Instead, he asked, “Are you sure you want to use this opportunity for Meng Xingzhe? Haven’t you always wanted to do design work? If you use this chance now, what will you do for yourself?”

Yao Jia smiled. “Dad, I’ve recently realized that what I truly want isn’t design.” She paused and continued, “Do you know why I want to help Meng Xingzhe? Because he taught me many things. He advised me not to confront my parents head-on and taught me how to communicate effectively with you and Mom, which is why our relationship has improved so much recently. He also made me, someone who was aimless like a salted fish, start thinking about goals. He made me seriously consider what I truly want to do. He made me grow up!”

Yao Bingkun looked at her, silent for a long moment, but his eyes showed he was moved.

“Is he really such a person?”

After a pause, he asked, “Then what do you truly want to do?”

Yao Jia said, “During my three months in the Customer Service Department, I’ve experienced many grassroots struggles at work and realized how hard it is for you to support such a large company. I also discovered that I haven’t forgotten what I learned about business management in college. When I occasionally apply that knowledge, it brings me joy and a sense of accomplishment. Once, while having hotpot, Meng Xingzhe asked me to seriously think about what I truly want to do and what kind of person I want to become in the future.”

She looked at Yao Bingkun, took a deep breath, and said firmly, “I’ve thought about it seriously. I believe what I truly want isn’t to draw or design. Those were hobbies I developed to rebel against you. What I really want is to join Kunyu, to become your strong right hand. In the future, I want to be a responsible, capable, and visionary business leader like you!”

She spoke with such passion that she was almost out of breath by the end.

After she finished speaking, she saw her father’s eyes redden slightly. He lowered his head.

When he looked up again, apart from the faint redness at the corners of his eyes, he had regained his dignified demeanor.

“Alright, alright.” But his voice carried a nasal tone, “You don’t need to clock in at the Customer Service Department tomorrow. You’ll move directly to the office next to mine. From tomorrow, you’ll be Little General Manager Yao of the company. After starting work in the morning, I’ll give you time to handle Meng Xingzhe’s situation. After that, you’ll follow me to visit various departments, to understand the company’s operations and processes. Moreover,” Yao Bingkun’s voice was deep, his gaze sharp, and his expression resolute, “I want everyone to know that you are the future successor of Kunyu Electric.”

Yao Jia resolved the issue of Meng Xingzhe almost being fired amidst Li Wangli’s trembling and cold sweat.

She didn’t concern herself with the blurry, fearful look in Li Wangli’s eyes, nor with how he might be reflecting on the harsh, dismissive, and discouraging words he had once said to her, wondering if he would face severe consequences.

Yao Jia wasn’t petty enough to start settling old scores just because she had revealed her true identity. But she wasn’t so magnanimous as to tell Li Wangli outright that she wouldn’t hold grudges. Letting him live in anxiety and fear for a few days seemed like a fitting consequence for him.

She met Meng Xingzhe’s shocked and surprised gaze and quickly whispered, “Wait for me in the hallway.”

She knew the customer service colleagues were still gathered outside, watching her in astonishment. Their curious eyes were practically burning holes into her. She needed to address their confusion first.

Meng Xingzhe looked at her for a moment, said nothing, and left Li Wangli’s office. As he walked out, he kept his gaze straight ahead, not even acknowledging Tian Huasheng’s concerned and inquisitive look.

Tian Huasheng broke away from the stunned crowd and quickly caught up with him, asking in a trembling voice, “What happened, brother? Was Manager Li really going to fire you? And is it true that Jia is actually the Chairman’s daughter?!”

He had no mind to answer Tian Huasheng’s questions. His thoughts were a tangled mess. The sudden revelation had left his mind numb.

She wasn’t just a customer service representative…

She was the Chairman’s daughter…

It was laughable. That morning, he had been planning to win her forgiveness by showing her the ropes.

Why would she need him to broaden her horizons? The daughter of the Chairman could gain any experience on her own!

It was unbelievable. In Kunyu’s most basic Customer Service Department, it turned out that not only he had a hidden identity, but she wasn’t just who she appeared to be either.

While they could coexist peacefully under the guise of being mere customer service reps, could they still do so once their true identities were revealed?

No.

Of course not.

His true identity, hidden beneath his facade, would inevitably clash with the company’s interests in light of her real status!

His mind was in turmoil, unable to handle the impact of the sudden truth, and he just wanted to escape to clear his thoughts.

He strode quickly toward the exit.

Just as he was about to reach the entrance of the call center, he heard Yao Jia’s voice.

Involuntarily, he stopped, turned around, and followed the sound.

Tian Huasheng also stopped beside him and turned with him.

Yao Jia had already walked out of Li Wangli’s office and stood at the forefront of the entire call center.

All her colleagues surrounded her, forming a natural fan shape.

She stood there, radiant and poised, her every glance exuding elegance, her every gesture embodying the grace of a lady from a distinguished family.

He thought to himself how blind he had been not to notice her uniqueness before.

He watched her stand at the front and listened to her clear voice as she addressed the shocked crowd, “I’m sorry that I’m only revealing my true identity to everyone today. But I want to say that although I’m the Chairman’s daughter, I am first and foremost myself. I am Yao Jia.”

He saw her confidence, calmness, and sincerity.

“Honestly, these three months in customer service have given me unprecedented growth. Thank you to all my colleagues for your companionship, and thank you for bearing so much pressure, disdain, and criticism, for upholding the reputation of the Customer Service Department and Kunyu Electric!”

He watched her and thought, she’s grown up. It seems like just yesterday she was a hot-tempered little sister, but today she’s become a steady adult who can command respect.

So, she was the little daughter Yao Bingkun mentioned behind the ancient tree that day.

It’s laughable to think that when Yao Bingkun offered to introduce his daughter to him, he had outright refused.

And when several companies were vying for Fang Jin’s endorsement, what did he say?—Why does Yao Bingkun’s daughter have so much drama?

Who would have thought that it was all about her, all along.

The heiress of the Yao family, the little rebel of the Customer Service Department, and Yue Xuran’s girlfriend—all of these describe her.

He raised his hand to his chest, trying to ease one pain with another. He listened as she continued to speak.

“The challenges, hardships, and grievances I’ve experienced in these three months are what each of you faces and endures every day! Although I’m leaving the Customer Service Department now, I will always remember these feelings. I will never forget your struggles for a moment. I will always remember and be grateful for how you transform negative energy into a good reputation for the company!”

“In the future, I will strive to secure a better working environment and more humane benefits for everyone! Thank you all for your hard work!”

She finished speaking and bowed to everyone.

Applause erupted, led by someone unknown.

Even Tian Tian beside him was clapping enthusiastically.

“Brother, brother!” Tian Tian called out excitedly, “Jia is amazing! She’s incredible! How is she so capable? Right now, I just want to work tirelessly for her, the young mistress!”

He glanced at her again.

Yes, she really was amazing. Both talented and beautiful.

But such an amazing person belonged to someone else.

He gave her one last, intense look, as if saying goodbye, then turned and strode out of the call center.

— Translator’s Notes —

• salted fish: A popular Chinese internet slang term for a person who is lazy, unmotivated, or has resigned themselves to a passive, aimless life, akin to a fish dried and forgotten in the sun.