Chapter 374 Made the Wrong Move (2)

However, considering the content of the last request, he approved it with a satisfying click. Of course, it wouldn’t have mattered if he hadn’t; the CEO would have approved it in the end anyway.

The adjustment to the travel per diem was also approved. These travel expenses were manageable. For instance, while the cost per trip was higher now, the company could control the overall travel budget. If the budget was exceeded, they could simply stop authorizing business trips and force the regional department to improve its efficiency.

The request from the Qingjiang Branch was approved with remarkable speed. Everyone in the headquarters’ functional departments knew that the CEO had given Yang Hui special authority. Any request that fell within that scope was green-lit all the way; no one dared to hold it up.

Manager Fu hadn’t expected the request to go through so smoothly, either. She had initiated the process just last night, and it was already completed the next morning. At this very moment, she was in a conference room, sitting across from Fang Zheng.

Seemingly aware that the writing was on the wall, Fang Zheng had given up resisting. After provoking Yang Hui time and time again, he understood that he no longer had any future at Ruijing Commerce. Better to leave and look for opportunities elsewhere than stay and be suppressed.

He had completely misjudged Yang Hui. If he had been competent, Yang Hui might not have touched him. After all, Yang Hui was only planning to be around for a month; getting rid of a talented Channel Development supervisor would be irresponsible to the company’s future. The only reason Yang Hui was now getting rid of Fang Zheng without a second thought was because he was, quite simply, trash at his job.

In the end, the company gave Fang Zheng an “N+1” severance package. Based on his years of service, he would receive over a hundred thousand yuan, which he thought was pretty good. But Manager Fu knew that at Fang Zheng’s age, it would be difficult to find a similar job. The job market was tough. Good positions at good companies were never vacant. He wouldn’t find another supervisory role, and he couldn’t possibly take a junior position. What company would hire a junior employee in their forties? What was the point in training him? And could Fang Zheng even stomach the salary of an entry-level job?

Mid-life unemployment was the most terrifying thing. It wasn’t just about the difficulty of finding a new job. The scarier part was what came after: being too proud for a low-level job but not qualified for a high-level one. He’d end up blindly choosing a path, like starting his own business. In the current retail climate, that was a 90% chance of going down in flames.

Manager Fu watched Fang Zheng’s retreating figure. ‘If only he hadn’t provoked President Yang time and again,’ she thought. ‘If he’d boasted less and worked more, he might have been the one enjoying the new 15,000 yuan monthly salary for the Channel Development Manager after this adjustment. That kind of pay is amazing anywhere in Qingzhou. Add in the department’s bonuses… what more could you ask for?’

That afternoon, the company sent out an email with a new personnel appointment: Li Qing was appointed Operations Manager of Ruijing Commerce’s Qingjiang Branch.

A buzz of discussion swept through the company.

“The moment President Yang shows up, he starts promoting his own people. Li Qing was about to resign, and now she’s not only a permanent employee but a manager.”

“Yeah, new king, new court. Fang Zheng, on the other hand, is a total tragedy. All those times he popped the champagne at halftime just turned him into a running joke.”

“Haha, that’s for sure. He’s been office gossip for ages. It’s hilarious.”

As they were still gossiping, another email suddenly arrived: “Notice Regarding the Resignation of Channel Development Manager Fang Zheng for Personal Reasons, Effective July 2nd.”

“Damn, that was fast! They just got rid of him directly?”

“I like President Yang’s style. No beating around the bush. When he says he’s going to get you, he doesn’t hesitate for a second.”

“Hey, look. Aren’t those guys who were always buddy-buddy with Fang Zheng trembling in their boots right now?”

“I doubt it. President Yang doesn’t seem like that kind of person. Besides, there’s no need for collective punishment.”

“Who knows? Just look at Qin Hong. She’s been on pins and needles all day. Her expression got even uglier when the email about Li Qing’s promotion came through.”

Qin Hong was indeed crushed. She had been flip-flopping between Yang Hui and Fang Zheng precisely for a shot at the Operations Manager position. Her job as a supervisor in the General Affairs Department was cushy, but it only paid 6,000 yuan a month, and she was always passed over for raises. The Operations Manager role was different—a base salary of 10,000, plus other bonuses.

Now that Li Qing was officially appointed, her chance was gone. It seemed she had no choice but to stay put in her supervisor position in General Affairs. She had considered trying to suck up to Yang Hui, but what could he possibly give her now? The thought left her feeling listless for the rest of the day.

The team from the Operations Department was currently gathered in Li Qing’s office. It was the same office Yang Hui had used when he was in Operations; after he and Yang Na left, Li Qing had moved in.

“Congratulations! See? The boss was still thinking of you. He came back just to save you.”

They had all worked together for years, so even though Li Qing was a manager now, they were still casual with each other in private, telling plenty of jokes. Li Qing was usually the biggest jokester on the team, but now that she was their boss, she had toned it down a bit.

Just then, she let out a little “Huh?” after refreshing her inbox and seeing a new email. She looked closer and her eyes went wide. “Whoa!”

Everyone else immediately fixed their eyes on her. “What is it?” they asked.

Li Qing read the email subject aloud, word for word: “Regarding the Salary Adjustment Notice for Ruijing Commerce Qingjiang Region Employees.”

“A salary adjustment? Don’t we normally only get one of those at the end of the year?”

“It must be the new boss making his mark. I thought after he got rid of Fang Zheng, he’d roll out a bunch of new policies. I didn’t expect his second act would be to hand out benefits. Quick, see who’s on the list! The Operations Department is his home team, so we’ve got to be on there, right?”