E-Ladies: Navigating the Wired World
Chapter 160: Episode 160: Why is it so hard to have a few comfortable days?1

Chapter 160: Episode 160: Why is it so hard to have a few comfortable days?1

"Actually, I could go anywhere, as long as I can get a job. Otherwise, the tuition... you know?" Yang Xiyuan said with an embarrassed smile.

"Okay, come and go through the hiring process tomorrow. We work just up the street at the Silver Web Building! Here’s my business card, just ask for me at the front desk when you arrive!" Wei Jingzhu passed over his business card.

And so, Yang Xiyuan joined Wei Jingzhu’s team in a rather theatrical fashion. In the next few days, Guo Yu and Jiang Wei, who were introduced by Zhou Xueyin, also joined the team, and the 6-person game channel team was successfully reformed.

Every day after work, the five of them, led by Zhou Xueyin, would study Japanese, rain or shine, with an unmistakable zeal.

However, these good days vanished after the National Day holiday week. To be precise, it was Zhou Xueyin’s good days that disappeared with the arrival of a new vice president.

After the holiday, Liu Ruidong made a special trip to the 20th floor to hold a meeting for them.

"With Liu Feifei’s resignation, the vice president’s position has been vacated. Therefore, I am here to introduce Zhang Yongzhong as the new vice president! Please welcome him!" Liu Ruidong led with a happy round of applause.

But those sitting in the meeting room could not muster any happiness or smiles.

Talking about the previous appointee, Liu Feifei, even though she was a woman, she did not violate Zhou Xueyin’s initial promise to hire only female employees.

But this time, they directly appointed a male vice president, and one who was a greasy middle-aged man nearing fifty at that. It felt as if 51buy was being treated like a dump.

Yet Liu Ruidong was now the president of the group, and what he said was final. If there was any resentment on their part, in the next second, the company might no longer belong to them.

At the very least, in the half-year since she joined the group, she had the final say on matters.

But with the appointment of a middle-aged man who, just by looking at his face, seemed difficult to speak with and hard to communicate with, it was likely that many things would no longer be up to her anymore.

Oh, right! Like the sudden appointment of this vice president. This was arranged without her consent...

Zhou Xueyin faintly felt that the future of 51buy was hanging by a thread...

"Um, let me say a few words, ha," Zhang Yongzhong said with a peculiar accent, his speech somewhat slurred, "the first thing is, now that I am the vice president..."

"The donkeys and horses can take a break..." Zhang Jingwan joked quietly, finishing the sentence.

"Who said that? I’m speaking here. Who’s interrupting? Have you no manners? Stand up, let me see who it is. If no one stands up, then tonight, everyone will stay late with this person who interrupts so casually!" Zhang Yongzhong said intensely, clearly not in a joking mood.

Can’t he take a joke? What’s the point? Coming here to show us who’s boss? Isn’t he just a vice president? So humorless?

Zhou Xueyin glanced at Zhang Yongzhong.

Perhaps she had become too accustomed to laughing and joking during meetings, as long as the problem was solved, without caring about the approach. However, it seemed that this middle-aged man was not so casual, and she would have to pay more attention during meetings in the future...

"No one standing up, is that it? Fine, tonight everyone will stay late together! Even if we just sit there, we’ll keep company with the one who’s been interrupting so casually!" Zhang Yongzhong again asserted his authoritative image.

"It was me! My bad... I was too casual before, sorry about that!" Zhang Jingwan stood up nonchalantly, apologizing insincerely.

"You... what’s your name?" Zhang Yongzhong looked like he wanted to scold her more severely for her lack of respect, but when he sized up Zhang Jingwan, he changed his mind, and his tone suddenly became gentler, "After all, I’m the deputy general manager, right? You should at least show me some basic respect!"

"My name is Zhang Jingwan... I won’t answer back next time!" Zhang Jingwan glanced at Zhang Yongzhong and noticed that this man was ogling her with a lecherous gaze, which made her shiver, and without waiting for his permission, she sat down.

"Perfect, each of you should introduce yourselves. It will help me know what you all do and give me a basic understanding of you all."

Apparently, this self-introduction was a routine activity for every new leader upon taking office.

So, starting with Zhang Jingwan, each person gave a brief introduction of themselves.

However, unlike the last time they introduced themselves to Chen Lu, Zhang Yongzhong frequently asked questions like, "Do you have a boyfriend? When are you getting married?" that problem...

This made everyone quite disgusted. What did one’s dating or marital status have to do with work?

Though resentful, to prevent Zhang Yongzhong from prying further, everyone proactively disclosed these details.

Finally, it was Zhou Xueyin’s turn: "I’m Zhou Xueyin, the general manager..."

However, before Zhou Xueyin could finish, she was abruptly interrupted by him: "I know who you are, no need to continue... Alright, now that I’ve met everyone, it’s time for you all to get to know me!"

It’s impressive how elders can be so imperious, forbidding others to cut them off, yet they can interrupt others without restraint. Demanding respect from others while failing to show any in return? Unbelievable.

Sure enough, that initial aversion was not without reason...

"My name is Zhang Yongzhong, and before coming here, I was in charge of the Zhongonline software channel. I was appointed here as deputy general because of my outstanding performance by Mr. Xiaodong himself! You can call me Old Cicada, or Yong Ge if you like." Due to Zhang Yongzhong’s slurred speech, everyone unanimously mistook ’Old Cicada’ for ’brain-damaged’.

But afraid of being punished with overtime work, everyone suppressed their laughter and tried hard to compose themselves.

Then, Zhang Yongzhong spent nearly an hour talking about the glorious deeds of his time at the Zhongonline software channel.

But Zhou Xueyin knew very well, if the channel hadn’t been performing poorly, why would they have dispatched him to her small forum to be the deputy general manager?

Through these two instances of parachuted deputy general managers, Zhou Xueyin also realized that the group indeed wanted to further control them.

Only this time, the intention was a bit too obvious, directly parachuting in a male leader...

"Next, what I want to talk about is integrating 51buy swiftly into the CBIS Group led by Zhongonline. To start, the working hours will be changed to alternate weeks, no more weekends off! And then..."

As soon as Zhang Yongzhong uttered those words, the company was in an uproar. How could weekends off, advocated even by the state, be changed to alternate weeks under his management?

"Hold on, Yong Ge... Cicada... We at 51buy can meet the group’s sales targets without the alternate weeks schedule. There’s no need to keep up with their overtime culture, right?" At this moment, Zhou Xueyin felt it was necessary to stand up for the employees’ benefits.

"You wait, let me finish what I have to say first, then you can protest!" Zhang Yongzhong seemed to completely disregard Zhou Xueyin and continued, "Also, as I understand, you have team budgets, right? No need for any Friday afternoon tea time, and don’t come to work on Fridays in peculiar attire either. Now that you’re under group management, you should align with the group’s standards! Understand? As for the funds, I’ll take care of them for now. I’ll be in charge of the monthly team building from now on!"