Free Web NovelChapter 19: Chapter 19: The Pumped-Up Employees
The hundred yuan in Su Chen’s hand sent everyone’s imagination running wild.
Bai Xiaobo thought long and hard, replaying the entire incident from start to finish.
"Logically, Director Li has always been a cheapskate. I thought he brought his friend to eat just to recoup the cost of that subsidy sooner. So what’s the deal with this hundred yuan?"
He Shuting stroked her chin. "Could it be that Director Li realized he was in the wrong, and that’s why he had his friend pay for the meal?"
"That’s impossible," Liu Shengnan shot down immediately. "Li Mingtao isn’t that kind of person!"
Aunt Fang was the only one to speak up for Li Mingtao. "It’s true Director Li can be a bit inconsiderate sometimes, but for a middle-aged man like him, with elderly parents and young children to support, I can kind of understand him. Especially with the company’s current situation, Director Li must be anxious, too. Losing your job at his age is a huge problem."
For recent college graduates like them, they only had to feed themselves; some even got the occasional care package from their families.
But for Li Mingtao, a single month without a paycheck meant his entire family would have to tighten their belts.
After Aunt Fang said that, no one said much more, but it was clear they were starting to understand Director Li a little better.
"Hey?" Just then, Bai Xiaobo slapped his forehead. "I think I get it now!"
Everyone’s eyes turned to him.
"Building on what Aunt Fang said, I just thought of a possibility!"
He Shuting kicked him under the table. "Can you just say it without the dramatic pause?"
"Could it be that we’ve misunderstood Director Li all along? On the surface, it looked like he was taking a day off to handle personal business, but what if he was actually out there trying to find a new path for the company? If the company really goes under, it would be a devastating blow for him!"
Bai Xiaobo’s theory was a bit cringey, but it seemed to open the floodgates. The others started seeing things in a new light, too.
Liu Shengnan said, "That actually makes some sense. Brother Chen’s cooking is so delicious. On the surface, it looked like Director Li was bringing his wife and kids to freeload, but maybe he was just taste-testing! And now look, he brought a client today!"
"Makes sense!" He Shuting tapped her bowl with her chopsticks, making a DING DING sound. "You could say we’ve closed our first deal. It’s only a hundred yuan, but it’s a good start. If we can get more business, couldn’t the company survive?"
"Exactly! We can’t let Director Li carry this burden alone. We have to pitch in too!"
"True, we’ve been coasting for over half a year. It’s time we actually achieved something!"
Su Chen folded his arms, watching these young people who were suddenly so fired up.
’Hey... could you guys maybe consider my opinion? I’m the boss, you know?’
’This damn company needs to go bankrupt already. With my system, there’s no way I’ll starve, right?’
’I really don’t want to run a company anymore. I just want to be a slacker who cooks, eats, and drinks all day...’
’The only reason I’m working my ass off from dawn to dusk is so I don’t stiff you guys on your measly subsidies!’
Clearly, the employees had no idea what Su Chen was really thinking.
He Shuting nodded, as if psyching herself up. "Starting tomorrow, I’m going to start live streaming! I’ll try to find more local customers online!"
Liu Shengnan took the hundred-yuan bill from Su Chen’s hand. "As the company’s accountant, I’ll start by recalculating everyone’s subsidies. From tomorrow on, we’ll work hard to get our company through this crisis!"
Bai Xiaobo steeled his resolve. "I’m uninstalling King right now!"
Who knows where they found the confidence, but suddenly, these young people seemed to see a glimmer of hope. Every one of them was filled with conviction and looked toward the future with anticipation.
"Then I... I’ll try to do an even better job of cleaning!" Even Aunt Fang had been brainwashed.
Su Chen opened his mouth, then closed it without a word. Saying something discouraging at a time like this would be too much of a blow to their morale.
’Whatever...’
Besides, in twenty days, the company would be facing more than just expiring employee contracts. The real problem was that the rent for this 300-plus-square-meter office floor was due.
’If I remember correctly, since the High-Tech Development Zone is a new urban area and part of a government-supported initiative, the annual rent for this floor is 300,000 yuan. After accounting for government and renovation subsidies, we’d still have to pay at least 150,000 for the second year’s rent.’
’Earn 150,000 in twenty days? What a joke...’
Since the outcome was already set in stone, Su Chen decided not to crush their newfound confidence.
He just stood up, nodded, and returned to his office.
This was the one good thing about being the boss; even during work hours, you could rest in your own office whenever you wanted.
The newly energized group cleaned up the kitchen together, then immediately returned to their workstations.
The one planning to live stream started setting up her equipment. The accountant diligently recorded everyone’s subsidies for the past two days. Meanwhile, Bai Xiaobo and another guy ran to the stockroom to take inventory.
Seeing everyone so motivated, even Xiaobin clenched his fists. ’I’ll definitely grind through three sets of practice problems this afternoon!’
By the time Su Chen woke up, feeling refreshed from his nap, it was already two in the afternoon.
’Time to start thinking about what to make for dinner...’
Su Chen walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and stretched. Looking out from the nineteenth floor, the vast Development Zone seemed somewhat desolate. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Jingzhou was in the Northwest, a province known for its energy resources. High-tech was never its strong suit. As a result, very few companies had moved into this massive Development Zone.
People had tried opening restaurants, supermarkets, and the like, but without exception, they all eventually went out of business.
If things didn’t pick up in the next few years, this whole area would likely become a completely abandoned suburb.
Shaking off these stray thoughts, Su Chen returned to his desk and started to go over the warehouse inventory. Putting together some recipes out of boredom wasn’t a bad idea either.
At first glance, the inventory was worth over a hundred thousand yuan, but in reality, not a single item could be sold.
His phone kept vibrating, interrupting Su Chen’s train of thought.
[Foodie Committee]
The only difference between this group chat and the official company one was the absence of Li Mingtao.
[Bai Xiaobo: Official announcement: Braised Pork Buns are 5 yuan each (employee price: 3 yuan). Eggplant and Potato Stew is 12 yuan per serving (employee price: 8 yuan). Price for the Fish with Pickled Greens remains the same!]
[He Shuting: 👍]
[Liu Shengnan: Seconded!]
[Aunt Fang: That’s a great price. So, should we use the standard bowls and plates from the company cafeteria to measure portions?]
[Xiaobin the Intern: That bowl is big enough. If the boss’s cooking wasn’t so incredible, I’d only eat two bowls at most.] freewёbnoνel.com
’They’ve barely been back at work for a minute, and they’ve already set the prices for every dish I’ve made so far?’
’Why does this feel like a coup?’
Su Chen replied with a thumbs-up emoji, but before he could even lock his screen, a new message popped up.
[Bai Xiaobo: @Su Chen, Brother Chen, you’re back at work! We’ve got pretty much all the ingredients prepped. The rest is up to you!!!]
’What ingredients?’
’What do you mean, "pretty much"?’
Su Chen turned off his monitor and walked out of his office to find the main work area empty. He continued on to the cafeteria—still empty. He crossed the dining hall and stepped into the kitchen.
WHOA!
Holy cow!
"Are you guys trying to work me to death?"
Su Chen pointed to the dozen-odd pork knuckles on the floor, over fifty packages of snakehead fish fillets, and a whole sack of onions. "What is all this for?"
"To make dinner!" Bai Xiaobo declared, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Look..." Su Chen was speechless. "Have you ever considered that if you make this much without any customers, you’ll be the ones left holding the bag?"
"Impossible!" He Shuting said, walking up to Su Chen with her phone. "Take a look at this."
Su Chen took a closer look.
’Why is it Li Mingtao again?’
[Shuting, you’re on good terms with the boss. Could you do me a favor and ask him? I’ve got a dozen or so friends with me who’ve heard that our company’s Fish with Pickled Greens is delicious and want to try it tonight. Can you ask if that would be convenient?]
Wait a minute... Su Chen’s brain was struggling to keep up.
’Could it be that I really did misunderstand Li Mingtao?’
’Does he actually want to bring this company back from the dead?’
’Hey, are you for real, Director Li?’
Meanwhile, after sending the message from his new company, Li Mingtao couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
’It’s all Zhou Kai’s fault! What’s with this welcome dinner nonsense! A meal like this has got to cost at least eight hundred to a thousand yuan, right?’
’They’re my subordinates, it wouldn’t be right to make them pay. Dammit... don’t tell me that idiot Zhou Kai is going to try and grab the check again?’
Just in case, to prevent a repeat of what happened at lunch, Li Mingtao thought it over and sent another message to He Shuting.
[Tell the boss to just make something simple; we’re just bringing some friends over for a taste. Oh, right, and just put the final bill on my tab.]
He finally breathed a sigh of relief after sending that message.
’Put it on my tab. That hint is obvious enough, right?’
