After signing the contract and paying in full, he finally had a home of his own in Qingzhou City.
A sprawling 217-square-meter garden apartment. This was something he couldn't have even dreamed of before getting the "system." Earning enough for a place like this on a salary would have taken forever.
A home like this wasn't meant for the average buyer.
Liu Shasha also breathed a sigh of relief after he made the full payment. For someone his age to buy a residence like this, and with cash, felt a little surreal.
She had been a bit worried at first. If Yang Hui had taken advantage of her in the apartment and then didn't buy it, he would have gotten away with it for nothing.
She even wondered if he had just come to fool around, with no actual intention of buying a house.
After everything was settled, she took the initiative and whispered, "You can call me when you have time!"
He flirtatiously traced a finger across her palm. "Goodbye!"
"Let me get you a parking voucher."
"No need. I took a taxi."
Liu Shasha's words, however, reminded him that he probably needed to buy a car. It would make getting around much more convenient.
「Ruijing Trading Co., Ltd.」
That morning, hardly any of the employees were in the mood to work. Everyone was gossiping about Yang Hui's resignation.
It was just too bizarre!
Who gets confirmed for a promotion to Regional General Manager, only to resign immediately and not even show up at the company the very next day?
Something fishy was definitely going on.
All sorts of rumors were flying around. One vivid account claimed he had gotten Yang Na pregnant and she had reported him, because someone had seen her leaving Yang Hui's office the day before with her eyes swollen from crying.
Others said Yang Hui had been caught doing something that harmed the company's interests, so he was "persuaded" to resign.
Then, another version of the story emerged from the Channel Development Department.
The story went that Yang Hui was the original choice, but the CEO admired Fang Zheng's talent. Worried that Fang Zheng would quit in a rage if Yang Hui was promoted, the CEO intervened in the appointment and insisted that Fang Zheng take over as General Manager instead.
Unable to stomach the loss of face, Yang Hui had resigned.
This version seemed plausible, so many people accepted it as the truth.
Manager Fu from HR sneered with contempt as she read that version in the group chat. 'Fang Zheng is as shameless as ever,' she thought. But she wouldn't expose the lie. There was a high chance Fang Zheng would become the general manager, and she didn't dare get on his bad side.
Around noon, an email was sent to the entire company.
[Announcing the appointment of Fang Zheng as the interim General Manager of Ruijing Commerce, Qingjiang Province, effective June 1st!]
That settled the matter of the new general manager, for the most part. People were a little puzzled by the "interim" title, but luckily, someone from the Channel Development Department was quick to explain that this was standard procedure. An email confirming his permanent status would be sent in three months.
It was a sign of how seriously and cautiously the company treated the position. In reality, it was just a formality.
"Yang Na, President Fang wants to see you!"
In the Operations Department's office area, Yang Na had been in a foul mood all day, constantly getting distracted.
The person calling for her was an employee from the Channel Development Department.
"What for?"
Her response was ice-cold. She naturally had no love for Fang Zheng, who had always been at odds with Yang Hui.
"He said it's about work. Why don't you go and see for yourself?"
She didn't want to go, but Yang Hui had left in such a hurry. Before he left, he had recommended her to take over as Operations Manager and had already handed over all his work to her.
Even though she had also put in her resignation, she would likely have to act as the interim manager for a while, at least until a replacement was found.
Not wanting it to affect her work, Yang Na reluctantly went to Fang Zheng's office.
KNOCK KNOCK.
"Come in!"
Fang Zheng's voice was brimming with excitement. The email from headquarters had come through, sealing his victory. He had finally landed the position he had been dreaming of!
He wouldn't officially take over as General Manager until the beginning of next month, and for now was only in the process of transition with President Zhao. But, as was customary, he had already begun to get involved in some of the region's affairs.
Fang Zheng's eyes lit up as he watched Yang Na walk in.
A see-through knit top and high-waisted, straight-leg pants.
The elastic knit fabric clung to her figure, and the high-waisted pants accentuated the curve of her waist.
It had to be said, Yang Na had always been the most beautiful and elegant woman in the company. Fang Zheng had long coveted her, but he'd never had the chance to make a move.
Now that he was the Regional General Manager, the first thing he wanted to do was get his hands on the Operations Department.
For one thing, he needed to control the company, and that meant having its most important core department firmly in his grasp.
For another, it had been Yang Hui's old department. Fang Zheng was paranoid, worried that Yang Hui had set a trap for him, so he was determined to install his own people there.
And finally, there was the long-coveted Yang Na herself. He figured that now he was the Regional General Manager, wouldn't Yang Na hurry up and cozy up to him, just like Qin Hong did?
"Yang Na, come, have a seat!"
Fang Zheng flashed what he believed was a kind and amiable smile, oblivious to how repulsive his long, horse-like face looked to Yang Na.
'Manager Yang's face, on the other hand, was a feast for the eyes.' When he stared at her mischievously, she would feel a hot flush all over.
A single glance from Fang Zheng, however, just made her feel sick.
"I'm fine standing. Was there something you needed, Manager Fang?"
'Manager Fang? Not President Fang?'
He was quite particular about titles, but he could forgive a beautiful woman.
"Well, with Yang Hui gone, you're now the acting Operations Manager. As you know, that's one of the most critical positions in the company. Since I'm about to take over the branch, we'll need to communicate frequently to ensure our work together is effective."
"I'll communicate with you when there's a work-related matter."
Yang Na replied coolly.
The implication was clear: 'Outside of work, I have nothing to say to you. I'll come to you for work matters, which is what I'm doing right now.'
He nodded slightly.
"After work tonight, let's get together. We have a lot we could discuss!"
She scoffed inwardly. 'He should take a good, long look in the mirror. Does he really think that just because he's the Regional General Manager, everyone is going to come crawling and kiss his ass?'
"Sorry, I don't eat in the evenings."
"Then how about we go to a bar for a drink?"
Fang Zheng wasn't discouraged.
"Sorry, Manager Fang. When I go to bars, I generally prefer to go with people my own age. We have more in common to talk about."
His expression soured instantly. He could clearly tell that Yang Na was mocking him for being old.
"Yang Na, I was planning to make your acting Operations Manager role permanent as soon as possible. A lot of people have their eyes on that position, you know. Never mind all the promising candidates in your own department; managers from other departments are also looking to transfer into Operations for career growth."
'Is he trying to threaten me with this?'
She knew that Fang Zheng wasn't yet aware that she'd already resigned. The email about his appointment had just been sent out, so HR probably hadn't had a chance to brief him on recent personnel changes.
"Thank you for your kind offer, but I think you should focus on getting rid of your own 'interim' title first. As for the Operations Manager position, if you can arrange for someone else to take over as soon as possible, I'll be so grateful I could treat you to a boxed lunch!"