CHAPTER 50: “HELLO, MR. KIM!”

"Fen Su, you’re the company’s planner, right?"

The words landed with the weight of judgment. Fen Su nodded stiffly, throat dry. "Yes, Mr. Kim."

Suho leaned forward, tapping the folder Cho Rin had placed on the desk. "So you’ve had a hand in every game this company has made, big and small?"

The question tightened like a noose. Fen Su felt his pulse race. Did the new boss think the company’s failures were his fault? He wanted to explain that most of his proposals had been ignored by the old management and that he had even fought against the disastrous ’noble system’ update. But Meng Lei had always treated him well. Throwing his former boss under the bus felt like betrayal. In the end, he swallowed his protests and nodded again. "Yes, Mr. Kim."

A grin spread across Suho’s face, so sudden it nearly knocked Fen Su off balance. "Good. That means you’re experienced. And experience is exactly what I need."

Fen Su blinked. He had been bracing himself for criticism—maybe even dismissal. Instead, Suho’s words wrapped around him like an unexpected rope pulling him out of quicksand.

"I won’t be around here often," Suho continued, voice steady, almost solemn. "So starting today, I’m promoting you to company manager. When I’m not here, you’ll be the one making the calls."

The room seemed to spin. Fen Su had prepared himself for rejection, maybe even unemployment. Manager? That word hit him harder than any reprimand could have. "M-Mr. Kim... I—thank you! I’ll work hard, I swear it."

"Work hard," Suho echoed with a smile that was both encouraging and secretly wicked. Yes, work hard. Work hard at making the company lose even more money.

He flicked a glance at the calculator sitting beside Choi Yeji, his lawyer, who had been quietly observing with an unreadable expression. With a casual wave of his hand, Suho added, "The greater the responsibility, the greater the pay. Your salary was eight thousand before, right? From now on, it’s fifteen thousand."

The number hit Fen Su like a thunderclap. His jaw went slack. "Fifteen... thousand?"

"Yes." Suho leaned back, his tone as if he were announcing the weather. "Check your phone. The transfer should already be there."

Fen Su fumbled out his phone, hands trembling. A bright notification glowed across the screen: [Transfer Received: $15,000]. Real. Tangible. His throat tightened as disbelief turned into awe. Raising salaries was one thing, but nearly doubling them? On the very day he thought he might be fired?

Still dazed, he murmured, "Mr. Kim..." Isn’t this a little too early? Next month hasn’t even started yet."

"Early?" Suho chuckled, spreading his hands like a magnanimous king. "This is tradition. Salaries in my company are always paid first. Work comes later."

Fen Su’s lips parted, but no sound came out. Tradition? What kind of tradition was this? Yet staring at the young man across from him, calm as if this madness was perfectly ordinary, Fen Su felt an unexpected warmth spread in his chest. Whatever else, this new boss valued him enough to trust and reward him upfront. He bowed deeply. "Thank you, Mr. Kim. I will do everything I can to live up to your trust."

Suho nodded with satisfaction, hiding the smirk tugging at his lips. Yes, live up to it. Live up to driving this ship further into glorious debt.

Choi Yeji had been silent all along, watching the exchange with her lawyer’s sharp eye. She saw the shift—the way Fen Su’s wary caution had melted into loyalty in the span of minutes. She folded her arms, suppressing a sigh. Suho’s methods were unorthodox, wasteful even, but undeniably effective. By the time Fen Su walked out of the room, he wasn’t just an employee anymore. He was Kim Suho’s man, heart and soul.

"Next," Suho said briskly, signaling to Cho Rin.

And so it began. One after another, employees filed in—nervous, hesitant, and curious. Each one received their due compensation, followed by something utterly unexpected: next month’s salary, already transferred, and raised by thirty percent. Faces that had arrived weary and wary now lit up with smiles. They left the office practically glowing, unable to hide their disbelief. Whispers spread through the halls like wildfire. The new boss... he’s not like anyone else.

By noon, the office resembled a festival more than a workplace. Every employee had walked away richer than they had ever expected, while Suho leaned back in his chair, sipping tea as though he’d merely signed a few documents. In reality, he had just vaporized over two hundred thousand dollars of system funds with the flick of his wrist. Perfect.

Choi Yeji finally closed her calculator with a click, shaking her head in disbelief. "Mr. Kim, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re single-handedly buying loyalty with money."

Suho grinned. "Buying loyalty? No, Lawyer Choi. I’m just... investing in people."

Across the desk, Cho Rin stifled a laugh. She had seen enough to know that when her boss said ’investing,’ what he really meant was ’finding more creative ways to burn cash.’

Still, she couldn’t deny it—the employees adored him already.

And Suho? He reclined in his chair, satisfied. The system balance had dropped, the workers were loyal, and his little empire of controlled chaos was expanding exactly as planned.

Suho looked at Kim Jing’s round figure moving briskly in the canteen and let out a small smile.

The air was full of the smell of fresh paint and sawdust. Renovations were in full swing. The walls were already tiled halfway, and the ceiling beams had been polished clean. By the looks of it, the canteen would be completed within a week. Except for the cooking area, most of the dining space was already transformed.

"Boss, the measurer is here," Cho Rin whispered as she appeared at his side.

Suho nodded. "Alright, let’s go meet him."

At the entrance of the newly rented workshop, Woo Jin hurriedly stepped forward.

"Hello, Mr. Kim!"

Suho recognized the young designer from last time and returned the greeting with a nod. He noticed that Woo Jin had come alone today, with no older colleagues in sight. This must be his solo assignment.