The Early Spring - Chapter 23

Chapter 23 - Congratulations

Shang Zhitao walked to the entrance of the company, saw Luan Nian walking out of the cafe, and turned tail to run.

I mustn't give the boss a chance to make a move on me. Having feelings for him was just a passing thought, but if he wants to sleep with me, that means getting down to business.

Though I might get promoted and heavily utilized as a result, I'd lose my self-respect. But getting heavily utilized actually sounds pretty good, no?

Shang Zhitao’s less-than-efficient brain was filled with all sorts of messy thoughts, and as she ran, she couldn't help snorting with laughter at herself.

Running fast, she swiped her card, dashed into the elevator, and hurriedly pressed the close-button. Reaching her workstation, she tossed her backpack beside her, curled up inside her chair, and started working.

As a nobody, Luan Nian wouldn't constantly assign her tasks anyway. The new head of the planning department was about to arrive, and once the new boss was in place, Lumi and Shang Zhitao would completely stop interfacing with Luan Nian. Shang Zhitao was filled with anticipation for that day.

It was almost as if Luan Nian were a flood or a ferocious beast.

Luan Nian came out of the cafe, saw Shang Zhitao scampering away like a rabbit, and wondered what foolishness she was up to this time. Arriving at the office, he found it completely empty—he was inside his office, while Shang Zhitao was outside. Shang Zhitao arrived first every single day, and Luan Nian was starting to appreciate her diligence.

Some people's diligence was just a passing three-minute enthusiasm; once they felt their position was secure, they slackened off. Other people's diligence was lifelong, seeing things through from start to finish no matter the circumstances. Shang Zhitao probably belonged to the latter category.

During yesterday's work review, Alex had introduced the marketing department's work and, when discussing staffing, specifically mentioned Shang Zhitao, saying they were prepared to talk to her about concluding her rotation. In other words, Shang Zhitao had successfully passed probation.

As Alex spoke about this, Tracy kept her eyes fixed on Luan Nian. She assumed Luan Nian would object as he had in the past, but he didn't even raise his head, acting as if the work Alex was reporting had nothing to do with him.

Tracy was a little puzzled and asked Luan Nian, "Luke has no opinion?"

"With you acting as a tyrant hiding the sky with one hand, I wouldn't dare." Luan Nian said with sarcastic insinuation. Tracy was a human resources director directly appointed by headquarters; whoever served as Lingmei’s China head had to tread lightly around her. Luan Nian didn't tread lightly, but he never forgot to mock her.

"I thought your lack of opinion was because you recognized Shang Zhitao's capability, as well as my eye for talent."

"My lack of opinion is purely because Shang Zhitao is your person."

"Shang Zhitao is not my person," Tracy retorted.

Luan Nian merely shrugged, signaling that this communication was pointless. He had zero interest in who passed probation; his immediate priority was dealing with the sales team's new performance model. Lingmei's sales team consisted of heavyweights in the industry, and this group was brimming with arrogance from top to bottom, making them difficult to manage. They could hit their targets, but they also hoarded clients, preventing any major breakthroughs in business. Luan Nian had discussed reforms with Tracy, and Tracy's only response was: "Keep the team turnover rate capped at thirty percent. Otherwise, I will definitely give you a failing grade on your 360-degree evaluation."

Luan Nian knew Tracy was serious. She needed team stability, and if large-scale personnel fluctuations occurred, she would be the one held accountable.

"Then I'll process Shang Zhitao's probation regularisation normally." Tracy said again.

"When other people pass probation, why don't you ask me?"

... "There's no reasoning with you. Can the two of us rationally communicate about Shang Zhitao just once? You always wear such a stern face; whenever employees have performance talks, everyone says they're terrified of you."

Luan Nian didn't care for these tedious formalities. Whether Shang Zhitao passed probation or not had no impact on him, and whether other people were afraid of him didn't affect his mood either, so he stopped discussing the matter with Tracy.

Shang Zhitao knew nothing of this; she was about to be sent out on an assignment. She was being dispatched to a mountainous region to follow up on the shooting of an advertisement—colloquially known as doing odd jobs. The marketing department always had to send someone out on these occasions, and when everyone looked up the location, they all clicked their tongues and refused to go. It was already starting to snow over there; the mountains were cold and gloomy, and the rats grew up to thirty centimeters long. Let alone the girls, even the guys didn't dare go. Someone cast a stealthy glance at Shang Zhitao, feeling that since she hadn't passed probation yet, she ought to accept this trial, and secretly hoped she would step forward. Shang Zhitao caught that look and genuinely stepped forward. "Uhm... should I go? It's just that I've never shadowed a shoot before, so I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"You go? What do you even know? For a job like this, I think sending a male colleague is most appropriate." Lumi was clipping her fingernails while kicking Shang Zhitao under the table. Is this girl out of her mind? Can't she tell other people are bullying her?

"You don't understand anything at all. This is an account for our biggest client! What if you mess it up?" Lumi added another jab. "If it gets messed up, none of us are going to hear the end of it."

Alex, however, didn't see it that way. Shang Zhitao was a newcomer, and she had to shadow every kind of project—that was a given. So he asked Shang Zhitao, "Are you certain you're willing to go?"

"If she goes, then we'd better double the travel budget." Lumi sighed. "I'm going too." Lumi always considered herself Shang Zhitao's mentor, and she harbored a bit of brash, chivalrous loyalty toward her. The so-called chivalrous loyalty meant that she had to shield her own people.

Shang Zhitao cast a grateful look at Lumi. "Thanks, Lumi."

"Don't mention it."

Shang Zhitao had no idea how many perils awaited her on this trip; she simply felt this was work, and she needed to try everything in order to understand the essence of her job. Because she respected her work so much, her work did not shortchange her either.

After the weekly meeting concluded, Alex asked her to stay behind alone.

"Flora, care to guess what I'm about to say to you next?" Alex was never serious; he even blinked playfully at Shang Zhitao, wearing a child-like expression as he asked her to guess.

"Uh..." Shang Zhitao actually thought about it carefully. She hadn't made any slip-ups in her work lately, so she shook her head. "Alex, I don't know."

"Then take a look at this." Alex took a few sheets of paper out of his drawer and placed them in front of her.

Shang Zhitao picked them up and saw the massive characters "Labor Contract"—a bilingual Chinese-English employment contract. Her eyes widened as she stared at Alex in disbelief. "I..."

"Your first rotation stop was the marketing department. I've communicated with Lumi, and we both want you to stay in the marketing department. Are you willing?"

"I'm willing!" Shang Zhitao nodded like a chick pecking at rice. She still hadn't learned how to mask her feelings, feeling only sheer joy—joy so intense it made the corners of her eyes heat up.

"Then go back, sign this formal contract, and submit it to Human Resources." Alex gave Shang Zhitao a thumbs-up. "Keep it up, Flora. You know it—Beijing is a cruel city, but it's also a fair one. As long as you work hard, there will be results. Everyone has seen your diligence and sense of responsibility over the past two months and more. You earned this contract yourself."

Shang Zhitao felt like she was dreaming.

She remembered Luan Nian advising her to change jobs on her very first day of work; how panicked and trembling with anxiety she had been back then. But today, she was officially staying right here, and Alex had told her she stayed through her own hard work.

It was too touching. She even felt a slight urge to cry.

Until the end of the workday, Shang Zhitao still felt like it wasn't quite real. A myriad of emotions surged within her, and she desperately wanted to talk to someone about it.

She messaged Yao Bei: "Senior sister, are you in Beijing?"

"I'm at the Aerospace Town base. What's up, Taotao?"

"I got hired!"

"Really?!" Yao Bei typed out three consecutive exclamation marks before calling her right away. "My junior sister is just that capable, right? Let me tell you, start thinking about what you want to eat! When I get back, we're definitely going to celebrate properly!"

Shang Zhitao covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing out loud. "I want to eat Japanese food. There's a place near our company, and I've been dying to go."

"Then wait for me to get back!"

Shang Zhitao, the ordinary nobody, experienced a whole new kind of happiness.

She had shared her joy with someone, yet her own excitement hadn't dissipated. She wanted to reward herself; today truly felt worthy of a reward. Should she go eat Japanese food right now? Invite Sun Yu and the others along? But it was too late now; by the time they reached the restaurant, it would be closing. Go by myself! Right! I'll treat my good roommates to a meal this weekend!

Feeling rather cheerful, Shang Zhitao stood up at her workstation with a smile still lingering on her face, stretched her limbs, and sat back down. Then she immediately packed up her things—she couldn't wait a single minute longer. Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she walked out and bumped into Luan Nian, who was getting ready to leave for the day. Too late to dodge, Shang Zhitao could only flash a smile at him. "Off work, Luke?"

"Yeah." Not a single word more.

Shang Zhitao didn't speak either. She stepped into the elevator and stood in the corner, only to hear Luan Nian ask her, "Not eating something nice today?"

"Huh?"

"Weren't you just officially hired?"

"Oh... yes." Shang Zhitao couldn't lie; the expression on her face clearly spelled out: I'm going off to eat something delicious right now. Seeing Luan Nian watching her in the elevator mirror, she asked rather reluctantly, "Would you like to come along?..."

"Sure." ?

"You don't have to force yourself if you have evening plans," Shang Zhitao added hastily. Is there any room to back out of this?!

"Not forcing myself. No plans."

...

"Oh."

I hope you choke on your stinginess. Luan Nian laughed at her internally. He was just that kind of person—he had casually tossed out the remark to tease her, and the more reluctant she was, the more he wanted to go; the more unhappy she was, the more satisfied he felt. To put it simply, Luan Nian was just a guy who profited at others' expense through petty torment. In Tan Mian's words: down to his very bones, he was no good egg.

"What are we eating?" Luan Nian asked her.

Shang Zhitao wracked her brains trying to think of something she could suggest that would make him decline. Spicy hot pot? Crossing-the-bridge rice noodles? Cold skin noodles?

"There's a pretty good Japanese restaurant near the company. It's going to cost you a pretty penny, though," Luan Nian said listlessly. "Order the 398 tier, otherwise there's no foie gras."

"Oh. But it's right by the company. What if colleagues see us? Wouldn't it be hard to explain? It could hurt your reputation."

"You're overthinking it." Luan Nian smiled at her. "After you."

The second meal Shang Zhitao shared with Luan Nian was at that Japanese restaurant.

It was already past nine o'clock when they walked in, and the restaurant was very quiet. They found a secluded private booth to sit in, which looked out over the courtyard landscaping. The night lights were on over the garden features, complete with a little bridge and flowing water, creating an extraordinary sense of tranquility. True to his word, Luan Nian ordered the 398 tier without holding back at all, and Shang Zhitao ordered that tier as well. Since she was celebrating herself, she might as well splurge—even if this meal cost a tenth of her monthly salary, she felt it was worth it.

Luan Nian ordered sake, poured himself a small cup, and asked Shang Zhitao, "Did you finish learning to drive?"

"My Module Two test is next weekend, but I might have to postpone it because I'm being sent out on the mountain shoot for Zhicheng today."

"Going into the mountains?"

"Mhm... they said it'll take half a month."

Shang Zhitao poured herself a small cup of sake as well, took a sip, and thought: Not bad, has a decent kick. She grinned, completely unable to contain the joy welling up inside her.