Lin Xiao was utterly devastated, experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions in just a few dozen seconds.

He didn’t know how Liao Yongmei became the HR Deputy Director of Lemeng. It seemed that her family background was especially strong, otherwise how could the female boss tolerate her being in charge of recruitment for the Fourth Division?

Lin Xiao forced himself to stay focused; no matter what, he couldn’t let Jian Hang down.

His lack of ability was his own problem. If Liao Yongmei just didn’t like him and deliberately rejected him, then that’s Liao Yongmei’s problem.

He was so shocked that he forgot to greet her, and it was too late to make up for it now.

This was Lin Xiao’s first proper job interview; he hadn’t even gone through the formal process when he went to work for Yinlin before. He spent the entire morning researching important points and watching videos on how to pass job interviews.

She glanced at his resume; the ID photo looked very different from his real appearance, and only someone familiar with him could recognize him at a glance. “From investment banking to FMCG, that’s quite a leap in industry.”

She looked up at him and asked, “If you got a job at a new company and found out that you knew the boss, and that you had even dealt with them before, how would you get along with them peacefully?”

“If I’ve dealt with this boss before and they’re still willing to hire me, it means they’ve turned the page on this matter. The question then becomes whether I can maximize my interests, my boss’, and the entire team’s in my future work.”

Liao Yongmei glanced at him and continued with the next question, “You applied for the position of Marketing Planning Supervisor, but you have no work experience in this area.”

“After I decided to apply for Lemeng, I made a proposal, but it’s not fully developed.” Lin Xiao took out a bound proposal from his bag and handed it over.

He worked on the project proposal all night, giving up his time for playing games.

Liao Yongmei took it. Such a long proposal could not be read in half an hour, and even if it was read, it would not be digested. “Okay, I will keep the proposal. You can go back and wait for my notification.”

“?”

So fast?

He has prepared answers to many questions, but she hasn’t asked them yet.

Lin Xiao walked out of the Lemeng Building and sent a message to Jian Hang: [Boss, my job application is probably doomed.]

……

Jian Hang was buying a drink at a convenience store when she saw the message. She simply replied, [Hmm]. She didn’t know what Liao Yongmei intended, nor was she clear about Lin Xiao’s performance during the job interview, so she couldn’t give a definite answer.

The cashier scanned the code and said, “Five yuan.”

Jian Hang paid the bill and took her iced drink out.

Zheng Yanshu was standing at the door with a cigarette in his hand. When he saw Jian Hang take out another bottle of beverage, he put the cigarette in his mouth.

He really didn’t want to drink any more beverages. After leaving Lemeng, she stopped at four or five stores along the way, buying a bottle at each one and then letting him drink it.

Jian Hang then handed him the iced drink, saying, “Shake it vigorously first, and open it immediately when it foams.”

Zheng Yanshu didn’t take it. “The bottle is full of gas. If I open it and it sprays me with the drink, I won’t be able to go back to work!”

Jian Hang stared at him. “So, how do we solve the bottle pressure problem caused by bubbles?”

Zheng Yanshu was stunned for a moment; he had never thought about this question before.

“Let’s go eat.” Jian Hang put on her sunglasses and walked ahead casually.

Zheng Yanshu followed her, “Where should we eat?”

“I’ll take you to eat liangpi.”

“Where is the store?” he asked, then turned on the navigation.

“It’s nearby,” Jian Hang said. “I’ll drive.”

They switched places; she got into the driver’s seat, and Zheng Yanshu moved to the passenger seat.

Jian Hang was still thinking about the bubbles. “At the first meeting in July, someone from the R&D center should attend. I wonder if Mr. Ji will be there.”

Zheng Yan paused in fastening his seatbelt. As far as he knew, every year after a new product was launched, Ji Xianggu would personally attend the senior management meeting to see the sales performance of each new product and the reaction of each region to each flavor.

He turned to look at Jian Hang, “What do you want to do?”

Jian Hang started the engine, “The taste of our Division’s carbonated drinks must be improved.”

“Jian Hang.” Zheng Yanshu would call him by his first name when he was angry. “If you anger President Qin again, things will not be easy for our Fourth Division. Without funding, no matter how good our products are, we will have no market.”

He reiterated, “The R&D center is President Qin’s bottom line; he won’t allow any business unit to interfere. Once you interfere, the other three Division General Managers will follow suit, and then how will he manage the company?”

Jian Hang corrected, “It’s not about interfering, it’s about discussing and solving problems.”

Zheng Yanshu chuckled, “What misunderstanding do you have about the word ‘discussion’? What you’re doing isn’t discussion, it’s a forceful threat. I advise you not to play with fire. Closing down distributor accounts and interfering in the R&D center are two different things.”

Jian Hang didn’t argue with him and turned on the car’s music.

Zheng Yanshu couldn’t listen to anything, so he turned off the music and looked out the window. For some reason, he had a strong premonition that Jian Hang was really going to that strange old man, Ji Xianggu.

Even if Qin Moling tacitly approved of Jian Hang’s actions regarding closing the distributor accounts, he certainly wouldn’t tolerate her interference in the R&D center’s affairs.

He dared not imagine how chaotic the situation would be at the meeting.

But Jian Hang was the kind of person who wouldn’t give up until she hits a brick wall, so it was pointless to try to persuade her.

Grandpa’s shop wasn’t far from here, just a five-minute drive. After finally finding a parking space and parking the car, Jian Hang got out with an umbrella and gave another one to Zheng Yanshu.

Zheng Yanshu refused, “I don’t need it.”

He frequently visited the market and didn’t have the habit of carrying an umbrella.

He was familiar with this area; when he first arrived at Lemon, this was the area he was in charge of.

Zheng Yanshu asked, “Is it the jianbing guozi shop on the left side of the street?” That shop is famous for its liangpi.

Jian Hang nodded, “Yes, that’s the one.”

There was no one at the shop entrance; the two hundred servings of liangpi for today had already been sold out.

Grandpa and Grandma were eating watermelon in the shop, and there was another person in the shop eating liangpi.

“What a coincidence?” Jian Hang asked in surprise.

Tan Feng smiled and said, “That’s right. I haven’t been to the store in a long time.” His gaze fell on the man behind her.

The man was about the same height as him and wore gold-rimmed glasses.

Zheng Yanshu also glanced at Tan Feng.

Grandpa and Grandma hasn’t seen their granddaughter for several days. Grandma quickly put down the watermelon and said, “Come in quickly, it’s hot outside. Come in and eat some watermelon. You silly child, you didn’t even tell me you were coming. I didn’t prepare any of your favorite fruits.”

“Aren’t there watermelons?” Jian Hang said. “I was just passing by on my way to see the market.”

She introduced Zheng Yanshu to them. “He’s my colleague. Sales Director, Zheng Yanshu.”

“These are my grandparents. This is my friend, Tan Feng, the head of Yinlin Capital’s branch.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“I’ve heard so much about you.”

Tan Feng stood up, and the two shook hands with feigned politeness.

Grandma cut a piece of watermelon for Zheng Yanshu and a small piece for Jian Hang, saying, “It’s chilled, so eat less of it. Moling told me to make sure you don’t eat anything cold.”

As soon as Grandma finished speaking, Tan Feng and Zheng Yanshu both looked at her, then quickly looked away.

“Zheng Yanshu and I haven’t had lunch yet.”

After finishing the watermelon in his hand, Grandpa said, “I’ll make you some liangpi.”

Zheng Yanshu pointed to the sign at the door, “Isn’t it sold out?”

“Today’s sales target has been met,” Jian Hang said, “but there’s still some left in the refrigerator.”

“You’re using scarcity marketing even when selling liangpi?”

“Mm.”

Zheng Yanshu had nothing to say and lowered his head to eat watermelon.

“Lin Xiao resigned.” Tan Feng didn’t know Lin Xiao had applied for a job at Lemeng. “I approved his resignation letter this morning.

“He’s not suited for venture capital; he’s just wasting his time there. He should do something he’s better at,” he added.

Jian Hang asked, “Didn’t Lin Xiao mention where he’s going to apply for a new job?”

“No. I’m not familiar with him.”

As he spoke, Tan Feng placed an empty plate in front of Jian Hang.

Jian Hang was removing black watermelon seeds and she put them in the plate.

As she picked the watermelon seeds, she said, “He went to Lemeng to apply for a job. I don’t know if he got it or not.”

Tan Feng: “…”

He has neither the time nor the inclination to criticize his former subordinates.

Tan Feng reluctantly said, “A change of environment is quite nice.”

“Lin Xiao isn’t entirely useless; he just needs some discipline.” She pushed the plate towards Zheng Yanshu. Zheng Yanshu didn’t use the plate; instead, he used a toothpick to pick the watermelon seeds into the nearby trash can.

He hasn’t eaten a watermelon with seeds for many years, especially one with large, black, and plump seeds.

Zheng Yanshu didn’t know who this Lin Xiao that they were talking about was, but he felt that Lin Xiao was a spoiled rich kid who might become his colleague in the future.

Marriage First, Love Later translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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