Return to the City: The Strongest King
Chapter 370 - 371: Can I Still Catch Up With You?

Chapter 370: Chapter 371: Can I Still Catch Up With You?

The office door was knocked, and Su Yao hurriedly tried to withdraw her hand, but Song Xiaodong just smiled slightly and said, "Don’t be nervous, I’m massaging your hand. What are you afraid of? Come in."

Su Yao’s face flushed at this moment. Normally, she wasn’t this timid or shy, and she was quite purposeful in her actions, knowing what to do and what not to do. This was also why she and Zhou Peng had dated for almost a year without substantial progress.

But now, she felt somewhat like a shy high school girl.

Chen Fei pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing Song Xiaodong and Su Yao sitting on the sofa, with Song Xiaodong still holding Su Yao’s hand, he felt a bit awkward and said, "Deputy Manager Song, I...should I come back later?"

"No need, just say what you have to say." Song Xiaodong still held Su Yao’s hand as he spoke indifferently.

Chen Fei walked over, his gaze fixed on Song Xiaodong, and after hesitating, he said, "Deputy Manager Song, I’m still quite worried. Zhao Dongliang is really not someone to mess with, and he has Vice Chairman Su Yuanhe backing him. With you having hit him, he definitely won’t let it go."

Having been in the workplace for two years, Su Yao was startled. With the Vice Chairman’s backing, if they targeted Song Xiaodong, and since Song Xiaodong was just a deputy department manager, he would definitely be at a disadvantage.

However, on second thought, Song Xiaodong was Miao Qingqing’s boyfriend. Zhao Dongliang might have the backing of a Vice Chairman, but how could he outweigh Miao Qingqing? With this thought, she felt reassured.

Song Xiaodong glanced at Chen Fei, still massaging Su Yao’s wrist, and said, "What can he do if he doesn’t let it go?"

Chen Fei anxiously said, "He might not be able to do much by himself, but if Vice Chairman Su Yuan speaks up, then, Deputy Manager Song, your position might be at risk. You should really start pulling some strings now to suppress this matter."

"It’s okay, I’m not afraid of making a big deal out of it. Yue Dongliang came to my office to harass my secretary, and I didn’t even send him directly to jail, which is already giving him face."

"Deputy Manager Song, things in this company are really not that simple. Vice Chairman Su now has a lot of power. Most of the directors and senior management support him. His word alone is enough to decide the fate of a mid-level manager."

Song Xiaodong smiled slightly, taking his time to respond, "Chen Fei, I appreciate your concern, but surely Su Yuan, even if he wants to trouble me, needs a valid reason. If he fires me just because I beat up Zhao Dongliang, could he really justify it?"

"Well...that makes sense, but still, Deputy Manager Song, you better be careful. If they want to trouble you, it’s too easy. They just need to frame you, and that could get you kicked out of the company."

Song Xiaodong shook his head and said to Chen Fei, "Alright, I have an idea about this matter, so you don’t need to worry. Go back to your work and remember, matters concerning the HR department are for us in HR to handle. Other departments don’t come here to strut around and give orders."

Seeing Song Xiaodong’s composed and confident demeanor, Chen Fei opened his mouth but eventually said no more and turned to leave.

As soon as Chen Fei left, Su Yao cautiously said, "Dongzi, it seems like the corporate environment is quite complex now, and Chairman Miao doesn’t seem to have full control over the company either."

The way Su Yao addressed Song Xiaodong changed with the circumstances; during personal conversations, she called him Dongzi, and during work, it was Deputy Manager Song.

Song Xiaodong smiled slightly, "Your observation is quite meticulous."

At Song Xiaodong’s praise, Su Yao immediately stood taller, her confidence buoyed, and said, "I’ve also worked here for two years, and although my last company wasn’t big, it was a joint-stock company, so I understand the struggle among shareholders. Miao Qingqing is the chairman now, but her foundation is shallow, and Su Yuan, definitely the second-largest shareholder, has deep roots here. He probably has his eyes set on the chairman’s position, aiming to push Miao Qingqing out."

"You’re guess is not far off. That’s more or less the situation, but exactly what is going on, I don’t know."

Su Yao frowned slightly and said, "Then it’s definitely going to be difficult. I think Miao Qingqing should start by connecting with some directors to secure the majority’s support. Then she needs to start adjusting the senior management, especially the heads of important departments. She needs her own people in those positions; otherwise, over time, she might be marginalized, and her chairman’s position could be jeopardized."

Song Xiaodong shook his head, sighed, and said, "How has the company come to resemble the Court, with all these factional and interest disputes? Can we still do our jobs well, can we still make money like this?"

Su Yao quickly said, "If it were a small company, we generally wouldn’t encounter this situation, but with a large conglomerate like Qingyuan Group, such problems are unavoidable because the interests involved are too significant. Everyone wants to maximize their own interests; it’s probably just human nature."

Song Xiaodong smiled slightly, "You make a lot of sense, and I feel like having you as my secretary is underusing your talent."

Su Yao clenched her fist and said, "Dongzi, you should know that I am an ambitious person, but now I understand one thing, I will work diligently with you, and I believe you won’t let me down."

Song Xiaodong patted Su Yao’s hand and then released it, saying, "Of course, I won’t let you down. I brought you here to be my secretary temporarily, so don’t worry. Now, check your hand. Is there any discomfort left?"

Su Yao instinctively raised her hand and looked at it, then said quite astonished, "It’s completely healed; just a while ago it was still bruised. Dongzi, you really have some skills."

Song Xiaodong smiled slightly, "I have many tricks up my sleeve."

Su Yao sweetly smiled, "Dongzi, you’re becoming more and more mysterious to me. Also, I feel you’re moving farther and farther away from us classmates."

Song Xiaodong said, "Really? I’ve always seen you all as classmates."

Su Yao shook her head, looking a bit despondent, "It’s not the same. It feels like you’ve reached the pinnacle of life, while we are still wandering at the base of the mountain. The difference is just too great; I really don’t know if I can ever catch up with you."

Just then, the office phone rang. Su Yao hurried to answer it, and her expression changed immediately.