46. Stay Calm! Rock Steady! (Please vote for recommendations!)
The moment Feng Lifang saw Chen Ling’s smiling face, her previous gloom and anxiety instantly melted away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of security.
“Doujie~ Hey~”
Zhang Peng appeared from behind Chen Ling, followed by Bao Zhenhai and Bu Chunsheng.
“You’re all here?” Feng Lifang felt even more grounded, an inexplicable emotion stirring within her.
As a woman—particularly one with parents like hers—she had always worn a mask of strength and optimism. But the scars beneath that mask, she would only tend to with the utmost care when she was truly alone.
A sense of security was something she had never experienced before.
Yet, ever since that day, she would sometimes find herself lost in thought, letting her mind wander...
To be led by him like this, to hide behind him and let him block the storms and hardships for her—was this what people meant by a sense of security?
The feeling was truly wonderful.
But another voice would always remind her: he already has a girlfriend, and you’re older than him. In a few years, he will still be young, while you will have lost your youthful glow.
Weights were piling up on both sides of the scale, but which side would touch the ground first, she could not say...
“We happened to be together, so we all came,” Chen Ling nodded at Feng Lifang, “You sounded pretty anxious on the phone. Is there something you can’t handle?”
Feng Lifang nodded, gathering her drifting thoughts and stepping up to the two young men.
“Let me introduce you: this is Chen Ling, our company’s general manager.
This is Zhang Peng, deputy general manager.
Bao Zhenhai and Bu Chunsheng will be store managers.”
At the mention of Chen Ling, the two teenagers shot to their feet.
How could they have imagined that these people, who looked barely older than themselves, were all leaders and bosses?
They stood ramrod straight, visibly tense under Chen Ling’s scrutiny, but they squared their shoulders with determination.
Nervous, but not timid.
“High school students?” Their ages made Chen Ling understand at once. “Having trouble getting hired?”
Feng Lifang’s expression turned troubled. “Their attitude, learning ability, initiative—none of that’s an issue. I’ve spoken to Manager Wang twice about them, but both times I was turned down. I really have no other way. Besides...”
She handed over the résumés the two had filled out.
Chen Ling took them and glanced through.
Liu Hechu, 19, high school graduate, out of school for a year.
His work experience began at sixteen, all in part-time jobs: kitchen assistant, restaurant server, karaoke bar attendant, supermarket stocker, cashier...
In other words, ever since he’d been old enough not to be considered child labor, he’d been working various part-time jobs—he’d been out in the world for some time already.
As for Li Bailing, his situation was even more disadvantageous.
Li Bailing, 18, dropped out in the second year of high school.
His work experience was similar to Liu Hechu’s—or rather, given their circumstances, those were the only jobs available to them.
Looking further, Chen Ling understood why Feng Lifang was so insistent on the two boys.
Liu Hechu’s father was bedridden and disabled, his mother laid off, now washing dishes for a living.
Li Bailing’s parents were missing; he lived with his grandfather and a younger sister three years his junior.
Seeing Chen Ling remain silent, Feng Lifang grew anxious again. She picked up two test papers from the desk and handed them over.
“These are their entry exams.”
The questions were ones Chen Ling had written himself—not difficult, mostly covering real estate policies, customer service scripts, and some tax calculations.
These were essential basics for the training.
Neither boy had particularly neat handwriting, but their answers were steady and meticulous, each character carefully written.
Their attitude toward the test was clear on the page. While neither scored full marks, they were both competent in the core areas.
Feng Lifang leaned over, lowering her voice near Chen Ling’s ear. “Their backgrounds aren’t the best. For them, sales might be one of the only good career paths. I want to give them a chance.”
“But that’s not the main reason—I truly believe they have talent and drive!”
“Doujie,” Chen Ling finally spoke, “You’re the head of training, and you’re handling half of HR as well. If you think they’re suitable, there’s no need to ask me about something so minor.”
“But Manager Wang—”
Chen Ling smiled slightly, raising a hand to calm her, then looked at the two teenagers. “Can you tell me why you want this job?”
Li Bailing and Liu Hechu were startled, pausing for a moment.
Liu Hechu spoke first. “The harder you work, the more you earn.”
Li Bailing quickly added, “There’s room to grow.”
Hearing this, Chen Ling frowned slightly.
“Don’t give me empty phrases—tell me something real.”
The two boys were stunned again.
Their answers had already been the best their limited social experience could offer: “the harder you work, the more you earn” meant “I will work hard,” and “room to grow” meant “I’ll be loyal.”
But that wasn’t what Chen Ling wanted to hear. He tried to guide them. “If you earn money, what do you most want to do with it?”
This question completely stumped them.
“Just speak from your heart.”
“I... I want to buy my dad a prosthetic leg, and let my mom stop working,” Liu Hechu murmured.
“I want to get cataract surgery for my grandpa, and save the rest so my little sister can go to college,” Li Bailing said earnestly.
Feng Lifang, listening to their words, felt her eyes grow moist.
She was always like this—her own life in shambles, yet still sincerely caring for others.
Chen Ling showed no reaction, but glanced at Zhang Peng, who understood at once, and together they walked toward Wang Zhe’s office.
—
In his office, Wang Zhe sat with a cigarette dangling from his lips, his eyes shifting restlessly.
He was well aware that the company’s so-called general manager had arrived, and the young master was with him. Most likely, Feng Lifang was behind this.
But he wasn’t worried.
He’d fought his way up over the years—what could two greenhorns do against him?
Although he only held the title of deputy general manager, he had arranged everything inside and out in the company. In other words, everyone here was his.
What did they have to challenge him with?
Even the young master would have to respect his seniority and not act recklessly, right? Otherwise, wouldn’t the whole group fall into chaos? If the heir started dealing with old hands before even taking over, what would the other executives think? How could he ever succeed?
Penglai Group might be owned by the Zhang family in name, but it could never rely on the Zhangs alone to support a conglomerate!
All those tangled, covert alliances and rivalries—how could the young ever grasp them?
He chuckled to himself, sitting confidently, waiting for the young master to put on a show full of thunder and little rain.
And after this, that woman Feng Lifang would finally understand who truly called the shots here in this office.
Just as some illicit thoughts flickered through his mind—
Bang!
The door burst open with a resounding crash, making him drop his cigarette in fright.
Wang Zhe looked bewilderedly toward the doorway, a curse on his lips, but when he saw who it was, he could only swallow his words.
“Hey~” He quickly stood, plastering on his habitual fawning smile, bowing to Zhang Peng, “Peng, what’s got you so riled up? Did someone offend you? I’ll fire them right away.”
Zhang Peng said nothing, his face expressionless as he flopped down onto the sofa.
Chen Ling entered after him. Seeing Wang Zhe ignore him entirely to fawn over Zhang Peng, he couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.
He could mostly guess what Wang Zhe was thinking.
But after being sent off to Linjiang, if he still refused to reflect and instead tried to play the old veteran...
To Chen Ling, it was like someone dancing back and forth across the warning line, shouting, “Come on, hit me if you dare, idiot!”
How to handle someone like that?
Naturally, by granting his wish.