Chapter 5: 05. First Earnings For A Balance Bike.

Chu Zhichen observed as the car exited through the garden gate, causing a crushed clematis to fall under the tire tracks. He bent down to retrieve it, holding it in his hand as if he had grasped an opportunity. 

First, he laid the groundwork by expressing his willingness to make amends to Li Zangqiu. Then, almost overtly, he proposed joining the company. Li Zangqiu must understand the significance and have the authority to make arrangements. Yisi's executives and Mrs. Chu were present during this crucial moment. 

Chu Zhichen saw this as the perfect opportunity to seek direct support. However, he didn't anticipate Li Zangqiu feigning ignorance and allowing Xiang Mingzhang to make the decision. 

How "loyal" is his Uncle Li? 

Chu Zhichen couldn't be certain. He may have had suspicions, but fortunately, Xiang Mingzhang agreed to his inclusion in the company. 

Mrs. Chu expressed her delight, saying, "It must be because of my pleading and heartfelt words." 

Chu Zhichen smiled and replied, "Thank you, Mom." 

Mrs. Chu inquired, "But what exactly will you be doing in the company?" 

Chu Zhichen had been studying diligently lately, and fortunately, Chu Shihui, who had a major in computer science, had shared a lot of knowledge with him. Initially, the functions of computers seemed like a tale from the Arabian Nights. The first time he touched a computer, he was startled but managed to conceal his surprise. 

Although hard work could compensate for his lack of expertise, within just one month, he could only grasp the surface level and was still not proficient enough for a technology company. 

Considering his current status, he couldn't disclose his business school education abroad, as nobody would believe him if he did. 

Therefore, he made the decision to obediently accept the assigned tasks, even if they began with trivial chores. 

On Monday morning at nine o'clock, Chu Zhichen was driven to Xiang Yue Communication. 

It was the peak hour for employees entering the park, with the gates wide open and vehicles of all kinds pouring in. Many employees arrived on balance bikes and skateboards. 

To enter the office building, one had to display their work ID card. Chu Zhichen, however, was only allowed entry to the visitor center. Shortly after, a capable lady named Guan, Xiang Mingzhang's assistant, arrived to receive him. 

"Apologies," Assistant Guan said with a polite smile, "Mr. Xiang attends a meeting at Xiang Yue Group every Monday and is not at the company." 

Chu Zhichen inquired, "Isn't this Xiang Yue?" 

Assistant Guan clarified, "To be precise, this is Xiang Yue Communication, often referred to as Xiangyue. But there was an old Xiang Yue before this, and I will introduce it to you when there is an opportunity." 

Chu Zhichen recalled Mrs. Chu mentioning that the Xiang family had been involved in the trading business, and with the emergence of the internet, Xiang Mingzhang had founded Xiang Yue Communication on his own. 

Assistant Guan assigned Chu Zhichen to a reception room, placing a glass of iced latte on the table before gracefully departing. 

As the time passed, Chu Zhichen took out his learning materials. The first reading was for learning, the second was for reinforcement, and the third was for enjoyment. He preferred hot coffee, so he hadn't touched the iced latte, and his throat grew dry. 

Finally bored, he picked up a promotional magazine from the table. According to the content, Xiang Mingzhang founded this company when he was a sophomore in college, at the age of 19. It has been 14 years since then. 

Having read the magazine from cover to cover, Chu Zhichen patiently waited for five hours until Assistant Guan reappeared and informed him that Xiang Mingzhang had returned. 

Chu Zhichen was led into the office building, taking the elevator to the ninth floor where the sales department was located. Xiang Mingzhang's office was also on this floor. 

The entire office area was spacious and featured a sleek and modern design. For convenience, there was a separate spiral staircase leading to the pre-sales consulting department on the eighth floor. These were two interconnected departments vital to the business. 

Chu Zhichen's presence in the crowd was immediately noticeable. As he followed Assistant Guan, he received many curious glances from those they passed. 

Once inside the president's office, Assistant Guan stepped back and closed the door behind her. 

Xiang Mingzhang, who had been engrossed in his computer screen, waited until Chu Zhichen approached before raising his head and saying, "You've been waiting for quite some time, please have a seat." 

Chu Zhichen calmly sat down and said, "If this is a test of my patience, I can wait for you for another five hours, but I would appreciate a glass of water." 

There was a temperature-controlled wine cabinet against the shaded wall, and Xiang Mingzhang purposely fetched a bottle of purified water for Chu Zhichen. He wanted to see how determined this young master Chu was. 

Chu Zhichen moistened his lips and handed over his resume, which Chu Shihui had sarcastically filled out for him. Despite its poor quality, he still brought it following the proper procedure. 

Xiang Mingzhang accepted the resume, glanced at it briefly, and set it aside. He knew that Chu Zhichen's academic performance was lackluster, having attended an unknown university abroad with a library funded by the Chu family. It seemed he had studied European art history, a costly pursuit with limited practicality. 

Xiang Mingzhang said, "Take your time, get acquainted with the environment of the sales department first." 

Chu Zhichen inquired, "Don't you have a specific role for me?" 

Xiang Mingzhang crossed his arms and replied, "Yisi is currently transitioning its business and may relocate to the business park for convenience in the future. It would be better if you familiarize yourself with Xiangyue for now. Is there an issue? Don't you like it here?" 

In a concerned tone accompanied by a firm posture, Chu Zhichen responded, "No, I will follow your arrangement, Mr. Xiang." 

Xiang Mingzhang instructed Assistant Guan to assist Chu Zhichen with settling in. As they left the office, Xiang Mingzhang glanced at the bottle of purified water and the amber-colored glass bottle left on the table, reminiscing about the champagne he had consumed at Chu's house that day. 

Xiang Mingzhang's mind was filled with contemplation. 

Shortly after, Peng Xin knocked on the door and entered the office. Having spent over half a month in the hospital, he hadn't taken a vacation and had returned to work the previous week. When he saw Chu Zhichen in the office just now, he thought he was hallucinating. 

After closing the door, Peng Xin asked directly, "Mr. Xiang, are you planning to bring Chu Zhichen into the company?" 

Expecting this reaction, Xiang Mingzhang let out a faint "hmm." 

"No, what can he contribute?" Peng Xin vividly remembered his encounter with Chu Zhichen, "By placing him on this floor, are we considering him part of the sales department? What position should we assign him? Can we control him if he causes trouble?" 

"You don't need him to accomplish anything, and you don't need to worry about him. If no one pays attention to what he says, who will he influence with his nonsense?" Xiang Mingzhang pondered the face in his mind, "Just treat him as a figurehead, since he is quite handsome anyway." 

The company had stringent employment policies, and Peng Xin hesitated to accept this approach. "But... are we just keeping him around for nothing?" 

Xiang Mingzhang gazed at his computer screen, reviewing the reports from Yisi over the years. 

In terms of business, many clients had been lost, but the original database still held significant value. The two companies operated on separate systems, making it challenging to integrate and connect them. Therefore, a group of individuals had been assigned to handle this task. 

In terms of personnel, after Chu Zhe's passing, he had reorganized the teams, retaining many key members. Some individuals could rise or fall to create a spectacle. 

It would take some time, so Xiang Mingzhang discarded the remaining half bottle of water and Chu Zhichen's resume into a drawer, stating, "Whether it's for nothing or not, I don't know." 

Hearing the sound of a dull "dong" as the items hit the bottom of the drawer, Peng Xin felt that a final decision had been made. He understood that Xiang Mingzhang had other considerations, and promptly adjusted his hair, knowing what needed to be done. 

News of Chu Zhichen's employment spread rapidly, reaching at least two floors above and below. 

Embarrassingly, nobody knew his specific position. The personnel department hadn't made an announcement, the system lacked information, and within the sales department, from the director to the team leaders, nobody extended a warm welcome. 

As the end of the work day approached, Peng Xin approached Chu Zhichen and greeted him, saying bluntly, "Long time no see, do you remember me, Peng Xin?" 

Chu Zhichen stood up, noticing that Peng Xin had come out of the "Director's Office," and replied, "Director Peng, it's nice to meet you." 

Peng Xin took a deep breath. Was it because of Chu Zhichen's appearance and demeanor? He felt that Chu Zhichen had changed significantly since they last met. Smiling, he said, "Just call me Brother Xin. Nowadays, directors in the business world are like trendy pets name in the community, everyone adores them." 

After exchanging pleasantries, Peng Xin had completed his task. Although he hadn't offended anyone in terms of etiquette, in reality, he hadn't done anything. From then on, he treated Chu Zhichen as if he were air, and his colleagues followed suit. They respected Chu Zhichen and acknowledged his presence. 

Chu Zhichen didn't mind. He simply wanted to focus on doing his job well. 

However, the problem was that there was nothing for him to do. 

Project groups, meetings, project discussions, customer interactions, even running errands in the printing room—none of these tasks involved him. While everyone else was busy, coming and going, Chu Zhichen found himself completely isolated. 

He couldn't crack the barrier, couldn't blend in, because it was a barrier that had been imposed from top to bottom, authorized by the department director, with Xiang Mingzhang's tacit approval. 

Everyone wondered how long Chu Zhichen could bear this treatment. 

Three or four days later, Chu Zhichen found his equilibrium and began going to work at the company on time each day. He brought books and study materials to read during his downtime and never left early. 

He observed attentively, familiarizing himself with the daily work of each position and the interpersonal relationships among his colleagues. He realized that the sales and pre-sales teams occupied four floors and that the personnel on these floors were considered the core of the company. 

Currently, there were four ongoing projects, one of which was in its final stages and involved a top financial company as the client. 

When others saw Chu Zhichen, they marveled internally—why hadn't he left yet? 

In Chu Zhichen's mind, after earning his first significant sum of money, he wanted to buy a balance bike. 

In the afternoon, the sun cast a bright light, but the glare was making it difficult to the eyes. And Chu Zhichen was positioned near the office area's edge, close to the French windows in the half-circle corner. He got up and pulled down the blackout curtain, but as he did so, he noticed a commercial vehicle parked downstairs. 

Assistant Guan entered the office and reminded Xiang Mingzhang, "Mr. Xiang, it's time to go." 

Xiang Mingzhang stood up and buttoned his suit, ready to leave. 

At the beginning of the year, Xiang Yue had signed a contract with a long-time collaborating financial company to carry out customized development based on an existing project. The plan was ready, and the first round of interactive communication was completed, focusing on some details. Today was the second round, and if it went well, the finalization would take place. 

This company had recently gained investment from Japan, making it crucial to have representatives from Tokyo present. 

Xiang Mingzhang planned to bring a project salesperson and a technical expert. He suddenly remembered that the company they were collaborating with had Japanese translators. If he had a translator on his side, the communication would be more effective, and the review process would be more thorough in the future. 

As he walked out of the office, Xiang Mingzhang casually inquired, "Does anyone here speak Japanese fluently?" 

Manager Ko, who had studied in Japan, was on a business trip, leaving everyone else dumbfounded. 

The content of these meetings was of great importance, requiring complete focus and no room for errors. If a mistake were to occur and impact the communication, the responsibility would be significant. 

Moreover, Xiang Mingzhang was known for his strictness, asking specifically for "proficiency." No one could guarantee that they met those criteria. 

In the silence, Chu Zhichen raised his hand and said, "I can speak Japanese." 

Xiang Mingzhang remembered Mrs. Chu's prophecy that Chu Zhichen wouldn't last three days. He had placed Chu Zhichen in Xiang Yue to test him, to see if this individual was serious or not. 

Having spent nearly a week enduring the mistreatment, Chu Zhichen hadn't given up or left. Xiang Mingzhang's opinion had shifted slightly. After all, waiting for five hours might make one thirsty, but turning a blind eye for five days was an entirely different matter. 

At that moment, Chu Zhichen appeared composed and calm, as if everyone was eagerly awaiting some unexpected turn of events, and he merely assumed the role of an elegant Clivia plant. 

Xiang Mingzhang asked, "Are you absolutely sure?" 

Chu Zhichen had no other option but to learn Japanese, even though he hadn't shown any initiative in this regard. However, he had patiently waited for an opportunity to prove himself, so of course, he wasn't going to let it slip away easily. 

"Yes, I'm sure," Chu Zhichen replied confidently. 

Xiang Mingzhang nodded and said, "Let's go then." 

Chu Zhichen gathered his belongings and followed Xiang Mingzhang into the elevator. Two of their colleagues stood at the back. Chu Zhichen walked a bit slower and positioned himself side by side with Xiang Mingzhang at the front of the elevator. 

As the elevator descended, Xiang Mingzhang recalled Chu Zhichen's resume. He remembered that the "Language" section only mentioned English. He gazed at Chu Zhichen playfully through the elevator doors. 

Chu Zhichen noticed Xiang Mingzhang's intense stare. What did this man mean by fixating on him? 

The last time Xiang Mingzhang had such a playful look was when he had asked Chu Zhichen to fetch his golf clubs. 

Could it be...? 

Frowning slightly, Chu Zhichen turned slightly and took the briefcase from Xiang Mingzhang's hand. He spoke clearly, "Mr. Xiang, I'll take care of it." 

Xiang Mingzhang's fingers instantly loosened, leaving him startled. 

He suddenly remembered that Chu Zhichen didn't have a specific position, making it inconvenient to introduce him in an official capacity. 

What he had just done had reminded him of this predicament. 

"In case anyone asks," Xiang Mingzhang said, "just say you're my secretary."