My American magical life
Chapter 408 - 408 49 That's the Great Sky Net

408: Chapter 49 That’s the Great Sky Net 408: Chapter 49 That’s the Great Sky Net “Daqi, how are things going between you and Ai Guobei now?

The news online is so mixed, I don’t even know what’s really happening.

The most absurd one I saw was that Ai Guobei was hugging your legs, begging for your forgiveness.

These people really have a talent for making things up.”

Cheng Daqi was focused on driving, while Zhao Hongjin, having touched up her makeup, started asking questions.

However, her question was so amusing that CEO Cheng couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Haha, it’s not made up.”

“Huh?

What’s not made up?” The girl with peach blossom eyes was a bit stunned, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.

“But this should be a secret, there were only four people in the office at that time.

Ai Guobei didn’t want to go to jail, so he was very sincere in his pleas.” CEO Cheng replied with a smile.

Zhao Hongjin didn’t expect the stories on the internet, which were grasping at straws, to actually reveal the truth.

She fell silent for a moment, then asked.

“So, what do you think?”

“Think about what?” CEO Cheng wasn’t too keen on discussing this.

Ai Guobei is just a Joker, a dead Joker, he disliked the man.

“To let him go or to continue with the lawsuit, you don’t really want to see him go to jail, do you?”

Although Zhao Hongjin was abroad, she never stopped following CEO Cheng’s affairs and had seen the analysis posts online.

Ai Guobei had released the recording of his phone call with Accountant Jia.

Experts had examined it and confirmed the recording wasn’t faked; the voice indeed belonged to Accountant Jia.

“It’s not about what I want, it still depends on the court’s judgment.” Cheng Daqi was somewhat evasive.

“Daqi, ‘Spare the rod and spoil the child.’ He’s wrong, and he’s a despicable person, but…

I don’t mean to lecture you, but there’s really no need to push things to the extreme.”

Zhao Hongjin and Sun Dongxin both ended up advising CEO Cheng to back down, and not by prior arrangement.

It was not because they were sanctimonious or didn’t want CEO Cheng to prosper, but because they had the insight to know that even if Cheng Daqi really managed to put Ai Guobei behind bars, it wouldn’t bring any additional benefits.

The outcome of this matter was already decided, Cheng Daqi had won, there was no need to pursue it any further.

‘It’s good to pursue a retreating enemy with remaining courage one must not lose one’s reputation trying to emulate an overbearing king.’ This saying isn’t wrong, but the practical approach in Chinese philosophy of ‘Forgive where forgiveness is possible’ also has its merits.

In plain terms, both Zhao Hongjin and Sun Dongxin cared about Cheng Daqi, and they both hoped CEO Cheng could go further and reach higher heights.

“Hahaha, suing is one thing, but he might not necessarily lose.

Let’s just start the process with the lawsuit.”

Cheng Daqi stopped the car and turned to look at Zhao Hongjin.

This matter would generate more buzz later on, Cheng Daqi wanted to make the most out of it.

Zhao Hongjin knew CEO Cheng wasn’t inclined to back down.

She sighed and handed CEO Cheng a small box.

“Here, you can wear sunglasses when you go out now.

You’re a celebrity now.”

Huh?

“You’re quite polite, coming all the way back from Saint Rodu and even bringing me a speciality?”

Sunglasses are hardly a local speciality, CEO Cheng was just teasing.

Zhao Hongjin pouted and retorted.

“Exactly, Saint Rodu’s speciality sunglasses, they overproduced them when they were filming The Matrix, and I specifically went to steal one from the Hollywood movie museum for you.”

“I’m touched, it’s just…

Isn’t it too precious?

I don’t feel right accepting it.”

CEO Cheng, with Zhao Hongjin in tow, entered the villa and gestured for a servant to come to get the luggage with a laugh.

“It’s fine, you wear them.

Just make sure to salute them before putting them on each time, to show your submission to the control of the almighty SkyNet.”

Zhao Hongjin chuckled at her own joke, and Cheng Daqi laughed too, quite relaxed.

“The more you talk, the more mystical it gets.

I dare not wear it now; I should find a box to enshrine them and have people offer incense to it daily—after all, it is the great SkyNet.”

“Hahaha, you’re much better at this than I am, Daqi.

It’s not that I didn’t get you a present.

You rushed me to return, it was all so sudden, there wasn’t enough time.”

CEO Cheng poured Zhao Hongjin a cup of tea, chuckling.

“I’ve been in the country for too long.

This online live recruitment is the last major project I’m preparing.

Once it’s done, I can return to the States earlier.

Try this, this batch of Da Hong Pao is the real deal.”

The mention of Da Hong Pao annoyed Zhao Hongjin, and she glared at CEO Cheng indignantly.

“I used to know that people could be wicked, but with you, I’ve seen just how wicked they can be for the first time.

You could even pass off Tie Guanyin as Da Hong Pao.

Daqi, in that case, my Matrix sunglasses are nothing special.”

“Ah, let bygones be bygones; let’s look ahead, look ahead.” CEO Cheng replied with an apologetic smile.

“But about something like the live recruitment event, Daqi, am I really fit to share the stage with you and CEO Sun?”

Zhao Hongjin, a newbie, was genuinely lacking in confidence.

Sun Dongxin was a top-level business tycoon, CEO Cheng used to be a wanderer, but now he had become a start-up star.

She was just an ordinary little internet celebrity; how could she qualify to sit on a panel with such big shots?

“If I say you’re qualified, you are, and CEO Sun thinks so too.”

Cheng Daqi actually had a series of plans in mind.

Zhao Hongjin’s four video accounts had already posted dozens of videos.

In this raw era of short videos, relying on her high-quality video content, exceptional editing skills, her own good looks, and natural talent, she had accumulated a total of over a million followers, an impressive achievement.

At Shanhaiguan, Cheng Daqi had been the only one holding up the fort, which seemed a bit thin—it was time for Zhao Hongjin to step onto the stage and formally enter the public eye.

“This could work, right?

Hahaha.”

Zhao Hongjin thought of the comedy skit by the comedian Lao Zhao.

“Somewhat so, your capabilities and achievements have already reached a height many people can’t match in their entire lives.

What do you want to eat tonight?

Pick anything, and I’ll take you to experience the culinary pinnacle of Egret Island.”

CEO Cheng wanted to show Zhao Hongjin the beautiful Egret Island, as it was her first time visiting the city.

“I feel like eating spicy hotpot, the old-fashioned Northeastern kind, and it would be best if there were youtiao included, mildly spicy, is that okay?”

Zhao Hongjin had long passed the phase of wanting to eat expensive, fancy foods—she just wanted to eat what made her happy.

“Saint Rodu has Northeastern spicy hotpot too, but it’s not very authentic and it’s quite unsatisfying to eat.

I’ve even bought spices to try making it at home but didn’t do a good job either.”

Seeing Zhao Hongjin practically drooling at the thought, CEO Cheng’s eyes twinkled, and he replied.

“I’ll just take you to the company then, tour Shanhaiguan first, and when the chefs at Dongxin’s cafeteria have it ready, we can eat right away.”

CEO Cheng’s style was always like this, striking two birds with one stone.

“Bro, I’ve been on a plane for over a dozen hours, my head is aching from sleep, and now you want to take me to the company…”

Zhao Hongjin gritted her teeth in frustration, thinking, Cheng Daqi, oh Cheng Daqi, you really don’t treat me like an outsider.

“The chefs at Dongxin’s cafeteria are very skilled, I wouldn’t dare claim they are five-star level, but their skills definitely far exceed the standard line.”

CEO Cheng was adept at skirting the question.

“What about Lisa?

Isn’t she with you?”

Zhao Hongjin noticed that they had already been chatting in the living room for over ten minutes and the blonde foreigner hadn’t appeared yet.

“She filmed a lot of videos in Hua Country and after posting them on TikTok, they generated quite the buzz.

However, her fans hope she could take a trip to XJ.

I had Shanhaiguan staff accompany her for filming, and by the time she’s done filming everything, we will have almost finished up our business here, then we can head back to Saint Rodu together.”

——————————

In companies that are slightly larger and have more mature business models, there always exists this kind of person.

They rarely show up, but their legends always circulate within the company, and even the boss has to greet them with a smile.

These people either have outstanding business skills and can land very important deals, with a firm grip on valuable customer resources, or they have high technical proficiency, always fighting at the forefront of the company’s toughest projects, making them rarely seen at the headquarters.

For Shanhaiguan, Zhao Hongjin was such a person.

When the staff at Shanhaiguan realized that they had such a deity in their company, they couldn’t help but feel unlimited reverence—simultaneously managing four accounts and maintaining high quality in each video’s content.

Hardworking would have been enough, but she was also beautiful—so beautiful that the female employees at Shanhaiguan all looked up to her.

Hard work and beauty weren’t uncommon, after all there are talented people in the world, but Zhao Hongjin was only nineteen years old—now that was truly awesome.

There was another nineteen-year-old girl named Cao Yueyue, but Xiao Cao regarded Zhao Hongjin as an idol in her heart.

However, when Cheng Daqi really brought Zhao Hongjin to Shanhaiguan, even Xiao Cao was still overawed by Sister Zhao.

“Bro, is your company always this busy?

It’s over seven now, and there isn’t a single empty seat?”

Zhao Hongjin whispered, her voice light and airy, as she followed CEO Cheng into Shanhaiguan.

However, she noticed something off about Shanhaiguan.

“On one hand, we have flexible work schedules, so many people come to work at around ten or eleven in the morning—and they still get a free lunch at Dongxin’s cafeteria.

On the other hand, Shanhaiguan offers substantial overtime pay.

As long as the work is effective, overtime pay is granted immediately.”

Cheng Daqi knew his employees all too well.

They’d come in at eleven, settle down comfortably after clocking in, and get their thoughts together for today’s work, then have lunch and play with their phones for a while.

By the time they started working at one-thirty in the afternoon, they would have already slacked off for two and a half hours.

Then they’d work from one-thirty until nine at night, snag a couple of hours of overtime pay, enjoy a night snack provided by the company, comfortably take a taxi home.

Considering a total of seven and a half hours of actual work time per day, their real salary is calculated as if they worked for twelve hours—what a win.

“Daqi, why are they all looking at me?

It’s making me a bit nervous.”

Of course, they have to stare hard at you, you’re a legendary figure in the company, a nineteen-year-old short video genius girl.

Of course, CEO Cheng wouldn’t say that; if he did, Sister Zhao might just give him a piece of her mind.

“Maybe they think you’re a new cleaner I’ve hired, wondering how the cleaning lady turned out to be quite decent-looking.”

“Tch, you’re the one that’s decent-looking, don’t speak ill of others, can’t you be serious for once?”

Caught out by Sister Zhao, CEO Cheng awkwardly assumed the role of the big boss, and he started to introduce Zhao Hongjin.

“Stop looking, this is Zhao Hongjin, the most successfully cultivated internet celebrity at Shanhaiguan, who flew back from Saint Rodu today to prepare for tomorrow’s recruitment livestream.”