Chapter 59: She’s Back Again

Yao Jia restrained herself, trying not to retort to everything Yao Bingkun said. She made herself count to three in her mind before speaking, hoping to quell the urge to snap back.

To her surprise, the meal passed peacefully and without incident.

For instance, when Yao Bingkun asked, “How’s work going lately?”

Normally, she might have replied, “Well, I can’t compare to my sister.”

And that would have successfully ignited her father’s temper.

But this time, she controlled herself, counted to three, and responded calmly, “It’s going well, I’m getting the hang of it.”

She noticed that Yao Bingkun’s expression remained calm, showing no signs of anger.

She felt like she was starting to find an effective rhythm for conversation.

“I have no problem sticking it out for three months to win our bet,” Yao Jia added.

With the second month’s performance review approaching, she felt her ranking would likely improve from the previous month.

“And after three months?” Yao Bingkun asked in a low voice.

Yao Jia paused. Initially, when she made the bet with her father, she intended to work for three months, win, and then pursue what she truly wanted to do. Back then, she thought her passion was drawing or design. But since joining Kunyu’s Customer Service Department, she hadn’t picked up a pencil even once.

Now, she doubted whether she really liked design.

“There’s still a month to go, let’s talk about it then,” she thought, adopting a more laid-back attitude.

But this remark tested the edge of Yao Bingkun’s temper.

Yao Bingkun immediately frowned, the air around him seemed to pressurize and swirl towards anger. “Is that all the ambition you have? Just coasting through life?”

In the past, hearing such reprimands from Yao Bingkun would have set Yao Jia off.

—Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not my sister.

But this time, she held back. She remembered Meng Xingzhe’s words—parents are naturally older than us, how many more years can they accompany us?

Fine, she would back down first, she wouldn’t argue.

She reminded herself that she was here for effective communication, she mustn’t argue.

“I’m not just coasting, I just haven’t decided what I want to do after winning our bet,” Yao Jia replied calmly.

Gan Yu looked at her in surprise, amazed that her usually rebellious daughter hadn’t turned into a firecracker this time, nor had she provoked her father into an explosive argument. Their family had avoided a blow-up.

She had prepared a lecture for her daughter: don’t always talk to your father like that, he’s your elder after all, don’t start fighting with him as soon as you come home.

But this time, she didn’t need to use those prepared words.

Pleased, she picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and placed it in Yao Jia’s bowl, then turned to Yao Bingkun and said, “Yao Jia is right, let her finish the three months first. What’s the rush? Let’s eat, eat!”

Yao Bingkun’s anger dissipated as quickly as it had come. The three of them continued eating amicably.

Yao Jia found it truly amazing; when she put away her rebelliousness and didn’t provoke Old Yao, Old Yao didn’t seem as volatile as she had thought.

She felt this meal was the most peaceful and harmonious one she’d ever had with her family.

After dinner, Yao Jia said to Yao Bingkun, “Dad, I’d like to have a more formal talk with you, is that okay?”

Yao Jia rarely visited Yao Bingkun’s study; it was the patriarch’s exclusive domain, and no one was allowed to enter lightly.

After Yao Jia requested a “formal talk,” Yao Bingkun pondered briefly and then led her to the study.

…Yao Jia thought, this is indeed very formal.

Yao Bingkun sat down in the large leather chair behind his mahogany desk, asking with authority, “What do you want to discuss?”

Standing in front of his desk, Yao Jia gathered her thoughts and said, “This morning…”

“I saw you,” Yao Bingkun interrupted her, “So, the person causing a scene at the company entrance was from your department?”

Yao Jia paused, then nodded.

“Human Resources Department’s Zhang Xirun told me they’ve already terminated that person,” Yao Bingkun said, his gaze sharp and commanding, “Are you here to plead for her?”

Facing her father’s authoritative gaze, Yao Jia felt a wave of pressure. For the first time, discussing company matters directly with Yao Bingkun, she felt the weight of his authority as the head of the company.

Meeting his gaze, she nodded.

“Are you close with her?” Yao Bingkun asked.

Yao Jia replied, “Not particularly. But I’m here to plead not because of our relationship, but because I think firing a female employee for concealing her marital status is excessive.”

Yao Bingkun frowned.

Yao Jia took a deep breath, then spoke with determination, “Dad, I think the company’s policy of ‘not hiring married female employees’ is problematic. It’s blatant workplace gender discrimination! I’m a woman myself, and if I were job hunting and faced with such a rule, I’d have to remain unmarried to keep my job. Do you think that’s okay? Wouldn’t you and Mom be worried if I stayed single forever? With empathy as my parent, don’t you think restricting marital status in company policy is absurd?”

She used a strong word, bracing herself for Yao Bingkun’s reaction.

But surprisingly, Yao Bingkun restrained himself, only frowning slightly more. He didn’t slam the table or tell her to stop, instead motioning for her to continue.

Yao Jia took a silent breath and continued, “As a woman, no matter what I choose to do in the future, I will inevitably become a working woman. I don’t want to be pigeonholed into unequal treatment in the workplace because of gender issues.”

She paused, then emphasized, “Moreover, this policy itself is flawed!” She recounted what Meng Xingzhe had once said, “It involves gender discrimination. If someone reports us to the labor department, the company will be penalized. If Kunyu fires female employees because of this policy, and they unite to sue the company, the impact would be very negative. If the media blows it up, our products might even be boycotted, and the resulting lawsuits would severely affect Kunyu’s prospects for going public!”

Yao Bingkun looked at Yao Jia, speaking in a steady voice, “I’m well aware of the risks this policy entails, but do you know how high the hidden costs would be without it? The company isn’t trying to discriminate against female employees, but sometimes married and pregnant female employees really hinder operations.”

He paused, then surprisingly explained patiently to Yao Jia, “Have you calculated how much leave a female employee needs? Marriage leave, prenatal checkups for the first child, maternity leave for the first child, prenatal checkups for the second child, maternity leave for the second child; once they have children, they’re constantly taking leave for family reasons. Today the child got into a fight at kindergarten, tomorrow they ate something wrong, and more leave is needed. The company pays the cost of hiring one person, but that person does less than half the work, causing delays in the workflow. So, how do you propose we avoid this situation?”

Yao Bingkun looked at Yao Jia, his gaze piercing, “Don’t just point out problems and dissatisfaction. If you’re going to raise issues, give me a solution as well.”

Under Yao Bingkun’s intense gaze, Yao Jia involuntarily swallowed.

At that moment, she seemed to forget they were father and daughter, only remembering they were in a superior-subordinate relationship.

“I actually have a not fully developed solution,” Yao Jia said, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides to dispel a nervousness she couldn’t quite explain. The kind of nervousness that comes from not knowing whether what she was about to say would be encouraged or criticized.

“It’s not fully developed because it’s currently just a theoretical idea. Theoretically, I think it’s feasible, but in practice, it depends on you.”

Yao Bingkun gestured for her to continue.

Yao Jia said, “The main conflict between the company and female employees now centers on maternity and breastfeeding leave. The company has to hire someone to cover their work during leave, but hiring new people is troublesome, and new employees need time to familiarize themselves with the job and workflow, which is cumbersome.”

“When it comes to employees on leave, taking maternity leave isn’t without its own burdens. They worry that after having their child, their position might be gone, completely taken over by someone else. By the time they return to the company, they might find themselves marginalized. Once their labor contract expires, it could mean official unemployment, as the company is unlikely to renew the contract with a sidelined employee.”

As Yao Jia spoke, she took out her phone from her bag. “This is actually a lose-lose situation for both the company and the female employees. So recently, I was thinking, is there an effective human resources solution that can address the difficulties faced by both the company and the employees? That’s when I found this.”

She unlocked her phone, opened a document, and handed it to Yao Bingkun.

Yao Bingkun took the phone to read.

Yao Jia continued speaking.

“This is a comprehensive human resources service company. They can provide targeted personnel replacement services. For example, we can sign a human resources service contract with this company, outsourcing some business positions and repetitive labor roles to them. Then, if female employees at Kunyu take maternity or nursing leave, this service company will arrange for a qualified replacement to fill the position in a timely manner. This person is not directly related to Kunyu; they sign a contract with the HR company. Kunyu pays the HR company, which in turn pays wages to these replacements, trains them, and assigns tasks. Once our employees return from maternity leave, these replacements can end their collaboration with Kunyu and be reassigned by the HR company to other companies in need.”

The more Yao Jia spoke, the clearer her thoughts became. Even when Yao Bingkun looked up from the phone to focus intently on her, she didn’t feel nervous.

“This approach solves a significant part of the company’s problem with work being delayed due to employee leave and the hassle of hiring and training new staff. The HR company pre-trains the replacements. It also alleviates the fear among female employees of getting married or having children, worrying about losing their jobs or being marginalized after returning.”

She finished and looked at Yao Bingkun.

After a moment of contemplation, Yao Bingkun asked, “Is there anything else you want to add?”

Yao Jia was a bit puzzled and anxious, unsure if she had said something wrong that made Yao Bingkun dissatisfied and unwilling to listen further.

But then, with a frown, Yao Bingkun said, “If there’s more to say, bring a chair over and sit down. Aren’t you tired of standing?”

Although he said this with a frown, for some reason, Yao Jia felt a bit happy inside.

After all, her father noticed she might be tired from standing.

She dragged a chair over and sat at Yao Bingkun’s large mahogany desk. “Dad, I actually have another idea. It might be a bit bold.”

Yao Bingkun placed her phone on the desk and pushed it back to her.

“Go ahead,” he said succinctly.

Yao Jia said, “Didn’t you just mention that apart from long leaves, female employees are often distracted by young children at home? They frequently have to run to the kindergarten, which results in taking more leave and disrupting the workflow. What do you think about this idea?”

She hesitated before continuing, “Could we set up an employee kindergarten on the top floor of Kunyu Building? I’ve checked, and there’s a large area currently used as an employee activity space that is mostly empty. With proper soundproofing, it could be converted into a kindergarten. This way, employees with children, regardless of gender, can handle any special situations quickly and conveniently, minimizing disruption. Plus, with their children nearby, they can work with peace of mind and a sense of belonging.”

For someone like Chen Luoxi, if Shanshan were in the same building’s employee kindergarten, she’d feel more at ease, and her work efficiency would likely improve.

Yao Jia spoke with enthusiasm and then looked at Yao Bingkun.

Her father appeared to be in thoughtful contemplation.

As Yao Bingkun remained silent, Yao Jia grew increasingly anxious and nervous.

The confidence she had in her idea began to wane, replaced by a growing uncertainty about its merit.

After a while, Yao Bingkun looked up at Yao Jia.

In that moment of eye contact with her father, she had the illusion of seeing a faint smile on his face.

“The HR service company you mentioned, I’ll arrange for someone to look into it tomorrow. As for the employee kindergarten proposal, it’s a good idea. I’ll consider it.”

After a pause, he looked at Yao Jia and said, “These past two months at work haven’t been wasted. You’ve improved.”

Yao Jia was taken aback. She was so surprised she forgot to be happy.

Did she actually hear a compliment from her father?

She almost felt like it was a momentous occasion.

But her father’s next comment was a bit of a letdown—

“You’re starting to resemble your sister.”

“…”

Yao Jia thought, well, he’s older, he’s the elder, so today she’ll let it slide and not argue with him about that comment.

She didn’t rebelliously retort, just smiled.

“Then, about the Customer Service Representative our department had dismissed today by the Human Resources Department…”

“I’ll have Zhang Xirun revoke the dismissal decision,” Yao Bingkun said.

Yao Jia was so happy she nearly pounded the table.

Then she remembered two other matters and said, “Dad, can I ask how the issues with the refurbished machines and fake refrigerators are being handled?”

Yao Bingkun frowned, his expression turning serious, and rather than informing Yao Jia, it seemed more like a reminder: “These matters aren’t simple. I’m arranging an investigation. You should stay out of it and avoid discussing it with others. Remember, always be discreet in your dealings.”

From her father’s tone, Yao Jia sensed the gravity of the situation and nodded obediently.

Seeing her compliance, Yao Bingkun’s expression softened slightly. “It’s good that you’re learning to see things through to the end.”

“?” Yao Jia was almost dumbfounded by another unexpected compliment from her stern father!

She hadn’t anticipated receiving such validation in ten or twenty years; was today a special occasion?

At this moment, Gan Yu brought in a plate of sliced fruit. “Don’t just chat, have some fruit.”

She set the plate down and stayed, sitting on the sofa nearby to listen to the father-daughter conversation, ready to intervene if things got heated.

But she was surprised by the pleasant atmosphere of their chat tonight.

Yao Bingkun looked at Yao Jia and asked, “Anything else? Besides these two issues, are there other concerns?”

Yao Jia nodded. “Yes!”

She recalled the security guard who was clueless in the morning, the Customer Service Supervisor, Cao Chun, who accused her without investigation, and Tong Yumo’s mention of her connections.

“I think there are management issues in some departments. The security staff aren’t fulfilling their duties, and the Customer Service Supervisor’s abilities don’t match her position. I also suspect there’s a lot of nepotism within the company. I’m concerned that these unqualified individuals got in through connections. If these ties aren’t addressed, Kunyu’s future is worrisome.”

This was something Yao Jia had heard from Meng Xingzhe, and she had taken it to heart.

Once again, Yao Bingkun frowned, looking stern.

Yao Jia thought he might get angry.

Instead, he sighed and said, “So rooting out these individuals requires evidence. Simply making claims won’t do much.” He looked at Yao Jia and said, “Try to find evidence of nepotism within your Customer Service Department. Consider it a small test during your tenure.”

Yao Jia smiled and agreed, “I’ll treat it as a little challenge.”

She hadn’t expected her conversation with her father to be so harmonious and smooth, almost like a festive gathering.

Since the discussion went effortlessly and without wasting much time, Yao Jia checked the clock; it wasn’t even ten yet.

She thought for a moment and said, “I don’t have anything else. Do you or Mom have anything to tell me? If not, I’ll head back to the dormitory.”

Gan Yu stood up from the sofa, a bit surprised. “It’s so late, are you sure you want to go back to the dormitory? Why not stay at home tonight?”

Yao Jia hesitated for a moment.

Suddenly, for some reason, the image of Meng Xingzhe’s fearful expression about a power outage flashed through her mind as she was leaving.

“Forget it for tonight. I’ll just go back to the dorm. It’s closer to the office, and I can sleep in a bit longer in the morning. I’ll go home for the weekend instead!”

Gan Yu thought for a moment and agreed. Yao Jia grabbed her bag and was about to leave.

But Yao Bingkun called out to her.

“Wait a moment, I have something to discuss.”

Yao Jia sat back down, looking at her father.

Her father cleared his throat and said flatly, “It’s not a big deal. I’ve asked someone to contact that Fang Jin. We’re planning to invite him to be the spokesperson for Kunyu Electric’s kitchen appliances.”

Yao Jia was both surprised and delighted. “You know about Fang Jin?”

Yao Bingkun frowned slightly, looking serious. “Why wouldn’t I know?” He paused, his expression growing even more severe. “Isn’t his poster on your wall? I’ve had someone gather information on him. You weren’t exaggerating. He’s indeed inspiring and well-regarded, making him a suitable spokesperson.”

Yao Jia realized it was true. She had argued with Old Yao several times over the posters on her wall.

Old Yao had accused her of being idle and only interested in idolizing celebrities.

She had insisted she wasn’t idolizing; she just found Fang Jin’s story inspiring.

Old Yao had complained about the colorful posters on the walls, and she had retorted that it was art…

They had once fiercely argued over Fang Jin, yet now Old Yao had taken the initiative to learn about him and even arranged for him to be a spokesperson.

Yao Jia felt an urge to return to the dormitory quickly. She wanted to thank Meng Xingzhe for teaching her how to communicate with her parents, helping her realize that they truly cared about her.

“Dad, is it because I like Fang Jin that you want him as a spokesperson?” Yao Jia couldn’t help but ask, a hint of excitement in her voice.

Yao Bingkun cleared his throat. “It’s getting late. If you’re heading back to the dorm, you should go now. It’s not safe to be out too late. I’ll have the driver take you.”

He paused and added, “Don’t get complacent because of today. You need to keep working hard. Understand that this level of achievement is nothing to boast about.”

Yao Jia quickly stood up.

She felt that the pleasant atmosphere should end here. Lingering might lead to another argument—Old Yao seemed ready to repeat his old lectures, likely comparing her achievements to her sister’s.

Having finally cultivated some harmony tonight, she decided to quit while she was ahead.

She said goodbye to Yao Bingkun and Gan Yu, “I’m leaving. Goodbye, Mom and Dad!” Then she dashed out the door with her bag.

As she drove away, Yao Bingkun finally relaxed, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. Standing at the door, he watched the car disappear and said to Gan Yu, “Look at her. Working at the grassroots level, she’s found many issues and even has ideas for solutions.”

Gan Yu smiled with satisfaction too. “Yes, she’s mellowed out, no longer arguing with you. I’m surprised you two didn’t fight today!”

Yao Bingkun sighed, “It wasn’t in vain sending her to the Customer Service Department. That job is perfect for tempering stubborn kids.”

Gan Yu and Yao Bingkun leaned on each other, smiling more contentedly than ever.

Yao Jia felt joyful on her way back to the dorm. She remembered the last time she left home, the sky was bright, but her heart was dark, and she had held back tears the entire way.

This time, it was the opposite. The sky was dark, but her heart was bright. Even the stars and moon seemed brighter than usual.

She was suppressing an inexplicable joy and excitement the whole way.

By the time she got back to the dorm, it was nearly eleven. She opened the door quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone who might be asleep.

But when she entered, she found Meng Xingzhe still awake, sitting on the couch watching TV. Surprisingly, it was a cartoon. She doubted he was really watching it.

On the coffee table in front of him were several empty beer cans, the cheap kind he usually disdained.

He was holding another can in his hand.

As she changed her shoes, she accidentally dropped her keys with a clatter.

Meng Xingzhe immediately turned his head.

He seemed surprised to see her, his mouth slightly open.

He stared at her and asked, “Why are you back?”

His tone was odd, not disdainful but rather surprised, maybe even a bit happy?

What was that about?

Yao Jia laughed and teased him, “This is my dorm. Of course, I can come back whenever I want!”

She changed her shoes and walked to the couch, eyeing the empty beer cans. “What happened? Did your blind date dump you, and now you’re drowning your sorrows?”

She laughed and sat down next to Meng Xingzhe. Seeing an unopened beer on the table, she picked it up, opened it, and turned to Meng Xingzhe, suddenly serious. “Meng Xingzhe, here’s to you!”

She took a sip of the beer. Then she said, “I sincerely thank you. I followed your advice and didn’t confront my parents. My dad really listened to me. Although he still can’t resist comparing me to my sister, I’ve decided not to mind it for now. I’ll let it go and keep an open mind. Meng Xingzhe, thank you for helping me resolve my issues with my family and teaching me how to interact with them again!”

After expressing her gratitude, she gave Meng Xingzhe a radiant smile.

Caught in her smile, Meng Xingzhe almost dropped his beer.

Looking at her smile, he thought she was really something. Why did she have to be so dazzling in the middle of the night?

The inexplicable sourness that had been churning in his stomach all evening seemed to dissipate in an instant.