Monday, May 8, 2023. Clear skies, 12~26°C.

Linjin Tower, Jinxiu Commerce, HR & Admin Office.

"Yes, Director Ren! Tang Song personally declined our offer. I had already raised the annual salary to the maximum and even mentioned stock options, but he wasn't interested."

"The layoff at that time was decided after discussions between Director Chen and General Manager Li. Of course, since it was just an ordinary developer, I also agreed to it."

"It's true that I wasn't fully aware of the technical department's employees and their situations. That's my oversight."

"Understood, I'll handle it."

Xu Lin hung up the phone, her face grim.

She had assumed that Tang Song's repeated refusals would bring the matter to a close. At most, the person handling it might face some repercussions, and they would soon move on to selecting a new CTO, allowing the situation to settle quickly.

She hadn't expected the board to take such an interest in the matter.

A task force was set up last Friday, and they interviewed the entire technical support department.

Now, on the first day of the workweek, both the President, Feng Zhongping, and Chairman, Ren Huining, had called her with stern tones.

Issues previously hidden were now coming to light, such as the SCM system development, Tang Song's technical prowess, and his unfair treatment.

Xu Lin licked her dry lips, her face turning pale. She had a bad feeling that this situation might escalate.

Smile Capital was no soft lamb—it was a fierce tiger. With critical departments like HR and finance under scrutiny, there was a good chance they were considering personnel changes.

With such a convenient excuse, she feared she might be the first to go.

Sitting in the corner, Tian Jing stuck out her tongue, feeling slightly disappointed.

Tang Song should have returned as the CTO. The company has been in turmoil since the holidays, and I've been so busy as the payroll manager that I haven't even had time to ask Tang Song for guitar lessons.

But she had bought a guitar and planned to invite him over when her family wasn't around—to teach her the finger techniques.

Thinking about it made her feel flustered, and she quickly shook her head to dispel those thoughts.

Tian Jing picked up her phone and opened WeChat.

She first messaged Tang Song, updating him on the current situation in the technical support department.

Then, she opened the lively chat group, "The Beauty of the Second Time."

Sunny Sunny was recounting her recent experiences: while providing legal aid to a fashion company, she was harassed and pursued by a senior executive, who had dined and drunk with the woman behind the scenes. His affair with the CEO's lover eventually led to the CEO buying shares in the fashion company, becoming the majority shareholder, and forcing the executive to beg for forgiveness.

However, during the process, they had a fierce argument... The CEO threatened to shut down her law firm, forcing Sunny Sunny to be his exclusive pet.

Seeing this twisted and bizarre story, Tian Jing's eyes lit up.

She eagerly joined the group chat and offered advice. Despite being inexperienced in relationships, she loved to get involved in the excitement.

"Knock, knock, knock—" The office door was knocked.

Tian Jing quickly straightened up, pretending to focus intently on the Excel file on her computer.

Shortly after, the Chairman's assistant entered and said, "Director Xu, there's a leadership meeting at 10:00 in the main conference room. Please make sure to attend."

Xu Lin's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly replied, "Got it. I'll prepare right away."

...

"Buzz, buzz, buzz—" Tang Song's phone vibrated wildly.

He signaled to his colleagues and stepped out of the conference room to answer the call.

A familiar middle-aged male voice greeted him warmly, "Hello, is this Tang Song? Haha, I'm Feng Zhongping."

"Hello, President Feng." Tang Song's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked at the audience with a look of astonishment.

He had a good impression of Jinxiu Commerce's CEO.

A 40-something returnee with a master's degree and years of overseas work experience, he was a true workaholic. Under his leadership, Jinxiu Commerce improved its benefits package.

With an excellent reputation, he was a highly competent CEO.

Feng Zhongping's tone was warm as he said, "Tang Song, I've come to understand the situation regarding the SCM system and the issue with Chen Yunqiang. I'm deeply sorry for the unfair treatment you've experienced, and the company will handle this matter appropriately. On behalf of the company, I sincerely apologize to you."

"Thank you, President Feng. Jinxiu Commerce is a great company, and I've always been grateful to it." Tang Song himself had no grievances against Jinxiu Commerce.

The management was humane, the work was stable, and the salary was decent.

"That's good to hear. I'm calling to invite you to serve as the company's Technical Advisor and part-time CTO, with a salary on par with full-time employees." Feng Zhongping paused, giving Tang Song time to process the offer before continuing, "Chen Yunqiang has violated company policy and is currently undergoing the resignation process. We'll hire a new director for the Technical Support Division, so you'll only need to oversee the overall direction."

Tang Song was momentarily stunned—another part-time job? The most update n0vels are published on novel·fıre·net

However, the so-called Technical Advisor position was just a nominal role, as there would be a dedicated director handling the specific tasks.

Such favorable conditions and absurd terms were undoubtedly the result of Smile Capital exerting pressure on the board to make a compromise.

Secretary Jin might have even orchestrated it.

After some thought, Tang Song replied, "Alright, President Feng, I agree to take on the role of Technical Advisor."

Since Smile Capital was now a shareholder in the company, it was technically part of his enterprise, so there was no harm in accepting a bit of advantage.

Feng Zhongping wasn't surprised by the response and warmly replied, "Great, then it's settled. Please come by the office when you have time to sign the contract. We've also entrusted Deju Renhe with recruiting the new director. Your company email has been reactivated, and you'll receive candidate information in your inbox. Feel free to share any opinions you have."

"Alright, thank you, President Feng. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Hanging up, Tang Song chuckled and returned to the conference room. "Alright, let's continue the meeting."

Gao Mengting turned the PPT to the next slide, saying, "The anchor assistant He Liting, 23 years old, has two years of work experience. She's in good shape and has a nice appearance. She occasionally steps in as a co-host. She's quick-witted and good at setting the mood during live streams."

After introducing the final candidate, Gao Mengting concluded, "These six candidates comprise the entire women's fashion group at Changyun Media. Bocai Yingrui has confirmed that they'll all be joining us."

Tang Song smiled at the team list, saying, "This is a solid, mature team. With them, our live streaming operation should get up and running smoothly."

Gao Mengting voiced a concern, "The only issue now is their notice period. Aside from Operations Manager Liu Renjie, who has already resigned, the others might be delayed by Changyun Media."

Poaching an entire team was sure to upset the company's leadership, and they might hold the employees for a month before releasing them.

"No worries, trust Bocai Yingrui!" Tang Song's tone was confident. "If they say the recruitment will be completed this week, I have no doubt they'll deliver."

Seeing Tang Song's confidence, Gao Mengting relaxed as well. She had complete trust in her partner.

...

Jinxiu Commerce.

After the leadership meeting, three notifications appeared in employees' corporate emails.

The former HR Director, Xu Lin, was reassigned as the Head of HR Planning and Development. A new director will join the next day.

Chen Yunqiang, the former Technical Support Director, had left the company, and a new manager for the Technical Support Division would be starting next week.

Tang Song was officially appointed as the company's Technical Advisor and part-time CTO, overseeing the technical team.

HR & Admin Office.

Xu Lin sat at her desk, despondent. She felt like a pawn in a larger game of capital and power struggles, caught in the crossfire of something beyond her control.

Liu Huihui's eyes sparkled as she quickly congratulated Tang Song on his promotion and new role as CTO.

Tian Jing barely managed to suppress a laugh, her mind already running wild with thoughts.

Technical Support Division Office.

Du Shaokai felt utterly defeated, sitting uncomfortably as if he had just been dealt a terrible blow. He couldn't believe how things had turned out.

At this point, he only had two options: resign or transfer.

Staying in the Technical Support Division would be unbearable, especially if he suddenly received a new request tomorrow, like developing an independent version of Taobao.

With Jinxiu Commerce on the rise, many shareholders and executives were eager to get involved. And then there was Tian Jing, the rich and beautiful woman he had been pursuing—resigning would be a tough pill to swallow.

His only option now was to transfer. His uncle was the Vice President of Channel Operations, a position one level higher than Tang Song's part-time CTO. If he could transfer to Channel Operations, Tang Song wouldn't be able to touch him.

Hu Mingli was flushed with excitement, her entire body trembling as if she had reached a peak moment.

She immediately picked up her phone and began recording her colleagues' reactions, sharing the footage with Tang Song: "President Tang, as your loyal confidant, I'll help you keep an eye on the whole team. And don't worry about Wen Ruan—I'll share any intel with you immediately."

After sending the message, she posted screenshots of the emails in her close friends' group chat, commenting, "@Zhuangzhuang, Tang Song has made it big! He's now our company's CTO, my top boss, with an annual salary starting at 500,000 yuan."

Although she knew Tang Song came from a wealthy family, drove a 400,000-yuan BMW, and had his own business, the reality of his position as a 25-year-old executive was far more impressive.

Jinxiu Commerce was a leader in Yan City's fashion industry, and with Smile Capital's involvement, Tang Song's future seemed limitless.

[Zhang Ziqi: "A 25-year-old CTO, good family background, tall and handsome—he's the epitome of the best an ordinary person can achieve. @Zhuangzhuang, you're so lucky! I'm beyond envious!"]

[Zhang Ziqi: "If you ever become rich and powerful, don't forget your friends. We're counting on you!"]

Hu Mingli gritted her teeth and replied, "Zhuangzhuang, don't forget, I introduced him to you! You both owe me!"

At almost 28, she was at the prime age for marriage and childbearing, but being stuck in a low-level tech job made her anxious about her future.

She lacked the skills and connections to move into management, which added to her constant worry.

Her two close friends, Wen Ruan and Zhang Ziqi, shared similar concerns, given their ages.

Now, with hope in sight, how could she not be excited?

"Dingdong—"

[Wen Ruan: "I'm going home to change clothes."]