Zhan Bei Jue put down his phone. Lu Mingzhe's nanny took a tissue and wiped his hands for him. Vice President Gao entered.
The New Year hadn't made him fatter; instead, he had become even thinner.
Seeing him enter with a troubled expression, Zhan Bei Jue immediately guessed that something bad had happened.
As expected, Vice President Gao stood before him and started to express his feelings.
"Mr. Zhan, I'm here to resign."
Zhan Bei Jue looked at him calmly and said nothing. Vice President Gao continued on his own.
"I'm getting old, my abilities are declining, and my energy can't keep up. I can't manage those young and strong lads anymore."
"Please find someone else, approve my resignation, and let me go home to enjoy my twilight years."
The downside of talking to older people is that they like to beat around the bush, always wanting others to guess their thoughts.
If anyone else had spoken to Zhan Bei Jue like this, he would have definitely lost his temper.
However, the other person was Vice President Gao.
Having been in the Zhan Corporation for almost half his life, he was a veteran, having contributed even if he didn't have outstanding achievements.
Zhan Bei Jue sighed inwardly and looked at him with a calm expression.
"What happened? Vice President Gao, if you have something to say, just say it directly."
Glancing at Lu Mingzhe beside him, Vice President Gao looked as if he had something to say but hesitated.
Lu Mingzhe, a psychologist, how could he not understand his body language?
"It's nothing, you say your piece. I'm your Mr. Zhan's friend, not a corporate spy."
Zhan Bei Jue didn't refute his words, indicating that it was true.
Vice President Gao could only recount the abnormality in the technology department over the past week.
"Everyone has indeed worked hard, especially after the new product was launched in the second half of last year, with dozens of billions in orders coming in at once."
"Every engineer was exhausted dealing with the endless minor issues. Their working hours increased, but their salaries did not."
"After a long time, everyone developed some resentment, which I understand, but I didn't expect it to be so excessive. It's like a coup, forcing me to come to you at the beginning of the year to discuss a salary increase."
"After just losing such a huge project, tell me, how can I possibly open my mouth?"
Not being able to open his mouth, he still did in the end.
Regardless of whether his resignation was a ploy or he genuinely felt troubled, Zhan Bei Jue smiled faintly.
"I don't think things are that simple."
"Oh?" Vice President Gao looked at him curiously.
Zhan Bei Jue gestured with his chin towards the chair opposite him, "Sit down and talk."
Vice President Gao sat down opposite him.
Zhan Bei Jue said, "If they were dissatisfied with their salaries and had grievances about their work, it should have been reflected in their daily work and life."
"It shouldn't have taken until now for you to notice."
"Vice President Gao, if they suddenly become emotional, and all together, haven't you considered other possibilities?"
Vice President Gao: "..."
"Besides, the Zhan Corporation has a clear salary increase system. They are not unaware of it."
"Even if they wanted to ask for a raise, they wouldn't ask for something so outrageous, knowing it violates company regulations..."
Vice President Gao finally realized.
"So, you mean to say..."
"Exactly. If I'm not mistaken, the salary increase is just their excuse. The ultimate goal is to collectively jump ship."
This was too frightening.
They couldn't even be retained with a salary increase, and they wanted to leave en masse?
If the entire technology department left, leaving him as a lone commander, how could anything get done?
Vice President Gao was furious, "Who is so audacious?"
"Knowing that Gerui is a subsidiary of the Zhan Corporation, they dare to poach people from you, are they tired of living?"
After saying that, he belatedly had another realization.
His eyes lit up, "Could it be her?"
Zhan Bei Jue's expression was calm, unreadable.
Vice President Gao was truly puzzled.
"I'm confused, completely confused by you all."
"Mr. Zhan, what exactly is your relationship with Engineer Jiang?"
"After all, we worked together before. Even if we couldn't become lovers, we shouldn't be enemies."
"Why does she have to oppose you? Poaching projects and people, just because she has Ke Jingyu backing her, she's this arrogant?"
Actually, this was a good opportunity.
Jiang Nan Fang had blocked Zhan Bei Jue's phone and WeChat, refusing to communicate with him.
If she really wanted to poach the entire technology department to help her new project, Zhan Bei Jue could take this opportunity to talk to her and communicate properly.
But then again, this felt rather pointless.
Using work to force her to bow down to him, what's the difference from taking advantage of a crisis?
She was already angry enough because of Ke Teng's matter. Although he really wanted to see her, Zhan Bei Jue would never dare to rush.
Instead, it would backfire.
He sighed inwardly again and said, "Of course, it's not an enemy relationship."
"We are friends, and possibly partners in the future. Let her do whatever she wants."
"You go to the company now, bring the entire technology department, and go find her."
"Find her? Find her for what?"
Vice President Gao was very angry, he really disliked the current arrogant Jiang Nan Fang.
"Let a bunch of us men be at her beck and call, it's too much of a blow to our dignity!"
However, Zhan Bei Jue remained calm.
"How can Huatai's technical strength compare to ours? With her alone, how could she have landed such a large project without poaching people?"
"At this time, as her godfather, if you don't help her, who will?"
"...Mr. Zhan..."
Zhan Bei Jue raised his hand to interrupt him.
"I didn't say you have to stay there forever and never come back."
"While arranging things there, you also need to take care of things here. How to balance them will depend on your personal abilities, Vice President Gao."
"If we don't have enough manpower, we can recruit more. You've been in the industry for so many years, I'm sure you already have engineers you admire."
"The Zhan Corporation is not short of money. As long as you like them, you don't need my approval, just poach them all."
"..."
To help Jiang Nan Fang, he was willing to lend her the entire technology department and then recruit new people himself.
Mr. Zhan was so happy to be a stepping stone for others, when did he become so noble?
However, Vice President Gao only dared to think this in his heart.
The company belonged to him, and he was just an employee.
He would do as he arranged.
"Understood, Mr. Zhan. I'll go back and make arrangements now."
Vice President Gao left. Lu Mingzhe tilted his head and looked at Zhan Bei Jue with a knowing expression.
Seeing his smug look, Zhan Bei Jue knew that he couldn't say anything good.
He placed his hands on the table and slowly stood up.
"If you don't want me to scold you, then shut up. After you've eaten, come out for a walk with me."
Lu Mingzhe's words were cut off by his scolding, and he couldn't help but mutter.
"Zhan, you're too much of a scoundrel."
"For your ex-wife who broke up with you eight hundred years ago, you're still acting like a sycophantic dog."
"I came all the way here to serve you, yet you're being so rude to me. How can you be so ungrateful?"
"If you don't want to stay, you can leave anytime. I'm not begging you to stay here."
Zhan Bei Jue slowly walked out.
Lu Mingzhe also felt resigned to himself.
Clearly, this guy was sharp-tongued and indifferent to him, yet he still followed him like a devoted fan, unable to leave him.
Alas, this must be what they call brine-cured tofu, where one thing conquers another.