Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Four: Rumors Will Only Be Stopped by The Wise
After coming to a conclusion, the discussion group quickly quieten down, and everyone started leaving the group chat.
However, the incident didn’t end that simply.
Because amidst the “serious” discussion, two ladies with the same hobby came to a consensus.
On the same night, a “secret organization” quietly emerged among the employees.
……
Yan Jin quickly realized that something fishy was going on with his subordinates.
This fishy feeling was not because his employees were more laidback after they having been left without a leader for the past two months. On the contrary, since his return to the office, he was surprised to find the entire company filled with vitality. It was especially so during meetings that he found more people willing to speak their mind. Perhaps during that chaotic period, all of them felt the burden on their shoulders and were more willing to give their best for the company.
What Yan Jin meant was how they were acting strange psychologically.
If it were someone else, they would never have noticed it.
Cautious and conscientious employees handed in their reports on time and actively engaged during meetings. Departments dutifully handled their own matters and if they had extra time, would even extend their help to other departments – all these were the best practices that many companies could have only dreamt of.
However, Yan Jin was not the average person.
His sensitivity towards the change in human’s emotions was practically a superpower. So, he quickly realized how the people around him was behaving strangely.
The first to be exposed was Secretary Fang.
One morning, Secretary Fang informed Yan Jin of his daily schedule as usual. However, when she mentioned the the “welcome party”, Yan Jin could clearly notice an indescribable malice in her words.
“What are you dissatisfied with?”
“……Hm?” Secretary Fang was a little confused after being interrupted suddenly.
“What’s wrong with the welcome party? Is there anything dissatisfactory with Fishy?”
Xiao Yu and Fishy (Xiao Yu) were homophonic to begin with and sound very similar to one another. So, despite calling his lover by his nickname in front of these people who were completely unaware of the meaning, they would not have caught on.
From a certain perspective, Yan Jin did not rejoice but felt that it was a pity not being able to show off his love for another person…
“Oh, you mean the mystery designer? How could I be dissatisfied with him. We are all glad that we could make him join YL without much effort.”
Secretary Fang’s explanation was logical, except that any note of admiration was lacking in her tone.
One didn’t need to be Yan Jin to be able to tell that there was something wrong going on with Secretary Fang’s tone.
Yan Jin watched her silently for a moment and replied in a calm but imposing manner, “You may take your leave and let Shao Yue enter.”
Secretary Fang left as instructed with a final glance as she closed the door.
That glance made Yan Jin understand something very terrifying, Secretary Fang was dissatisfied with him, not Xiao Yu.
…… Why?
Yan Jin couldn’t figure it out.
Before Shao Yue got to the office, Yan Jin also met up with two representatives from HR and the director of the designing department. His main intent was to speak with those in senior management about whether there were any major changes during his absence. Shao Yue was excluded because he was afraid that he may interrupt the discussion.
Unfortunately, the discussion was fruitless.
Not only did the three of them meet his gaze, but they they also replied half-heartedly. Yan Jin didn’t even have to hear them speak to recognize the depressing atmosphere.
The recruitment proposal that the HR representative brought even had the company’s mailbox indicated.
Yan Jin straight away threw the proposal into the trash bin before he began to speak, but he was taken aback by the complicated expressions on their faces.
They were expressions filled with bewilderment, displeasure, hate and inexplicable respect and admiration.
Unable to comprehend the situation, Yan Jin suppressed his urge to reprimand them and graciously let them go back to their work.
After everyone had left, Chairman Yan was struck dumb.
What’s wrong with them? They were fine yesterday?
Shao Yue who arrived later answered his doubts.
“…… I can’t believe the conclusion you all came to.” Yan Jin was so speechless that he did not even have the energy to ridicule them after he had learnt everything.
“Oh? That’s not the case? But it did seem like it though.”
Shao Yue had his gossipy face on.
“Control those crazy imagination of yours. Don’t think that I have no idea what you guys have been doing behind my back.”
Yan Jin tapped the desk surface lightly as he silently threatened.
Shao Yue smiled obediently.
He had guessed long ago that a group chat excluding Yan Jin would have been created.
In fact, in the beginning, when the young ladies had pestered him to join the chat group, he had wanted to reject them. He had known Yan Jin for a very long time, so he was very clear of what Yan Jin could do. Those things that were done behind Yan JIn’s back would always be presented as documents on the chairman’s office desk by his “secret authorities”.
However, the idea of a group chat like that was not a bad thing in the first place. Secondly, it did sound really interesting. In the end, Shao Yue ended up joining that group chat.
Just as he expected, Yan Jin did find out about what they had done very quickly, but he did not expose them. Even if Yan Jin did not like these “youngsters’ game”, he was not horrible enough to stop them just because of his preference. Plus, the group chat was indeed harmless, which was why he allowed it to continue.
Yan Jin obviously did not expect that the small thing that he had let go off because of a moment of soft heartedness, had led to such a huge misunderstanding.
“Which means to say, it’s untrue?” Shao Yue asked curiously.
“What?”
“The car accident was not just a show you put up?”
“Nonsense.” Yan Jin’s scowl angrily, “It’s one thing for those youngsters to fool around. How could you play along with them?”
Shao Yue answered innocently, “But I’m a youngster too. Men are like fresh flowers at age forty – I’m still a budding flower.”
Yan Jin refuse to interact with him and threw a pile of documents at him.
Shao Yue did not avoid in time, and was smacked with a pile of A4 papers right in his face. He screamed dramatically, “Dammit! A gentleman uses his tongue not his fists! How could you throw hidden weapons at me?!”
“Look at what crap they wrote. It’s fine to fool around after working hours, but such a small thing affected their working ability?!”
Shao Yue clicked his tongue and randomly pulled out one of the A4 papers. He laughed, “This is not our department’s report. It belongs to the HR and thus is none of my business.”
Yan Jin gestured for Shao Yue to leave.
“Hold on, don’t try to brush it off.”
Shao Yue was not in a hurry to leave. He shook off the A4 papers on him and took two steps forward. “Let’s talk about what’s going on with that car accident. If you had explained earlier, none of this would have happened.”
“Accident.”
“Huh?”
“Accident.”
“Ah?”
Yan Jin picked up a file just beside his hand.
“Hey, hold on hold on, I really don’t get it.” Shao Yue surrendered with both his hands raised in the air. “You can’t mean to say that the crash was just an accident?”
“How else?”
“Damn. That’s not reasonable.”
Shao Yue was now really surprised.
“You guys are the ones that are unreasonable. Would I really go that far to win someone over?” Yan Jin put down the file. He could not understand what his employees had been thinking all day long.
“Well…” Shao Yue hesitated and spoke again with a tone filled with doubt. “It’s true that you wouldn’t go to such extent if it was the past you. But when I connect the dots of the whole incident, the more I think, the more reasonable it seems.”
“There’s other plots involved? Explain clearly.”
“I shall declare outright that I did not leak out this information to them, so don’t accuse me.”
“Spill it.” Yan Jin’s patience was at the breaking point and once it went beyond that point, he would not care who he was dealing with.
Would it be difficult to understand something in detail? No.
It was only a QQ group chat. He could directly get Liu Ye to check on it and within hours he would get every detail of it.
As for the rest of them, he would let the Yan family’s undercover spies to investigate. It would only take a few days for them to report in fine detail to him.
As for Shao Yue, for slacking at work, he should be sent to Africa as a mining worker.
Shao Yue sensed a foreboding uneasiness when Chairman Yan suddenly change his aura. He did not hesitate anymore and immediately corrected his attitude. He respectfully answered, “This is what I thought – if it’s really for the sake of a genius designer, it’s true that you probably wouldn’t go to that extent and do such an outrageous thing. After all, YL is just… you know. But this is Xiao Yu we’re talking about. Not only was his identity Mr. Mystery, he is also your lover.”
“So?”
Shao Yue shrugged his shoulders. “So I think the accident was just a method you used to woo him and from the results it seems like it has been successful.”
“…… It’s really not the case. It was just a normal accident. At least it seems like it at this point.” Yan Jin did not want to elaborate further with Shao Yue about the accident. He changed the topic and asked him something that he was more worried about, “And that is what had been causing all of you to be so inattentive?”
“More or less.” Shao Yue suggested, “Do you want me to clarify on your behalf? Otherwise they probably won’t be in the mood to do their work properly.”
Yan Jin took a deep breath and replied, “No need.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because gossip and rumors will only be stopped by the wise.” Yan Jin let out a long sigh and continued worriedly, “Rather than explaining and making things more complicated, I might as well wait and see.”
“Wise indeed…”
“Moreover,” Yan Jin palmed his forehead, “The current situation is beneficial for Fishy.”
Shao Yue nodded his head in agreement: “A lot of them in the group chat agreed to treat Xiao Yu nicely in order to make up for your horrendous, devil-like actions. Hahaha, I think that sounds workable. Very workable. For the sake of your lover, you shall sacrifice yourself.”
Yan Jin: “……”
“Oh right, aside from those I mentioned, there’s also some hostile voices too.” Shao Yue did not sound as light-hearted anymore. He spoke earnestly as if he was dealing with proper business. “I initially planned to report to you within the next few days that a unique group of people has emerged from the group chat. They are fascinated with the idea of you and the mystery designer as a couple. And so, you know, they clashed with those people with ulterior motives. I would say it’s an unexpected surprise.”
The unique group obviously referred to the fujoshis. Over the past few days, they had been promoting and recruiting more people of the same hobby. If a normal employee came across what they had shown, they probably would take a look and brush it off. If they could not accept it, they would at most laugh it off. However, for those people who had gotten into arguments with that group of people, they were most probably people who had ulterior motives for Yan Jin.
YL had been very careful when they were recruiting employees. They would do their best not to hire those who had hopes of crawling into their chairman’s bed. But occasionally, there would be special circumstances that would happen, and they would get hired.
The moment these people make the slightest move that resembled seducing Yan Jin, regardless of their identities, they would be terminated immediately.
After several rounds of dismissals, those that escaped and had survived so long were considerably highly-professional.
Even Shao Yue did not expect them to be fished out by such an incident.
“Hah. They probably let their guards down knowing that I’m not in the group.”
Yan Jin crossed his hands on the desk as a deadly look flashed in his eyes. “It’s about time they reveal themselves. I’ll think of a way to let Fishy report to work a few days later. We need to clear up the mess before he gets here.”
“Roger that.”
Shao Yue saluted on the spot. When he lowered his hand, he said gleefully,
“Letting so many people put in so much effort, someone sure is, gravely sinful aren’t they…”
“Shut up. You may get lost.”
……
That night, Yan Jin took out his precious collection of white wine, planning to kill two birds with one stone.
Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Four: Rumors Will Only Be Stopped by The Wise
After coming to a conclusion, the discussion group quickly quieten down, and everyone started leaving the group chat.
However, the incident didn’t end that simply.
Because amidst the “serious” discussion, two ladies with the same hobby came to a consensus.
On the same night, a “secret organization” quietly emerged among the employees.
……
Yan Jin quickly realized that something fishy was going on with his subordinates.
This fishy feeling was not because his employees were more laidback after they having been left without a leader for the past two months. On the contrary, since his return to the office, he was surprised to find the entire company filled with vitality. It was especially so during meetings that he found more people willing to speak their mind. Perhaps during that chaotic period, all of them felt the burden on their shoulders and were more willing to give their best for the company.
What Yan Jin meant was how they were acting strange psychologically.
If it were someone else, they would never have noticed it.
Cautious and conscientious employees handed in their reports on time and actively engaged during meetings. Departments dutifully handled their own matters and if they had extra time, would even extend their help to other departments – all these were the best practices that many companies could have only dreamt of.
However, Yan Jin was not the average person.
His sensitivity towards the change in human’s emotions was practically a superpower. So, he quickly realized how the people around him was behaving strangely.
The first to be exposed was Secretary Fang.
One morning, Secretary Fang informed Yan Jin of his daily schedule as usual. However, when she mentioned the the “welcome party”, Yan Jin could clearly notice an indescribable malice in her words.
“What are you dissatisfied with?”
“……Hm?” Secretary Fang was a little confused after being interrupted suddenly.
“What’s wrong with the welcome party? Is there anything dissatisfactory with Fishy?”
Xiao Yu and Fishy (Xiao Yu) were homophonic to begin with and sound very similar to one another. So, despite calling his lover by his nickname in front of these people who were completely unaware of the meaning, they would not have caught on.
From a certain perspective, Yan Jin did not rejoice but felt that it was a pity not being able to show off his love for another person…
“Oh, you mean the mystery designer? How could I be dissatisfied with him. We are all glad that we could make him join YL without much effort.”
Secretary Fang’s explanation was logical, except that any note of admiration was lacking in her tone.
One didn’t need to be Yan Jin to be able to tell that there was something wrong going on with Secretary Fang’s tone.
Yan Jin watched her silently for a moment and replied in a calm but imposing manner, “You may take your leave and let Shao Yue enter.”
Secretary Fang left as instructed with a final glance as she closed the door.
That glance made Yan Jin understand something very terrifying, Secretary Fang was dissatisfied with him, not Xiao Yu.
…… Why?
Yan Jin couldn’t figure it out.
Before Shao Yue got to the office, Yan Jin also met up with two representatives from HR and the director of the designing department. His main intent was to speak with those in senior management about whether there were any major changes during his absence. Shao Yue was excluded because he was afraid that he may interrupt the discussion.
Unfortunately, the discussion was fruitless.
Not only did the three of them meet his gaze, but they they also replied half-heartedly. Yan Jin didn’t even have to hear them speak to recognize the depressing atmosphere.
The recruitment proposal that the HR representative brought even had the company’s mailbox indicated.
Yan Jin straight away threw the proposal into the trash bin before he began to speak, but he was taken aback by the complicated expressions on their faces.
They were expressions filled with bewilderment, displeasure, hate and inexplicable respect and admiration.
Unable to comprehend the situation, Yan Jin suppressed his urge to reprimand them and graciously let them go back to their work.
After everyone had left, Chairman Yan was struck dumb.
What’s wrong with them? They were fine yesterday?
Shao Yue who arrived later answered his doubts.
“…… I can’t believe the conclusion you all came to.” Yan Jin was so speechless that he did not even have the energy to ridicule them after he had learnt everything.
“Oh? That’s not the case? But it did seem like it though.”
Shao Yue had his gossipy face on.
“Control those crazy imagination of yours. Don’t think that I have no idea what you guys have been doing behind my back.”
Yan Jin tapped the desk surface lightly as he silently threatened.
Shao Yue smiled obediently.
He had guessed long ago that a group chat excluding Yan Jin would have been created.
In fact, in the beginning, when the young ladies had pestered him to join the chat group, he had wanted to reject them. He had known Yan Jin for a very long time, so he was very clear of what Yan Jin could do. Those things that were done behind Yan JIn’s back would always be presented as documents on the chairman’s office desk by his “secret authorities”.
However, the idea of a group chat like that was not a bad thing in the first place. Secondly, it did sound really interesting. In the end, Shao Yue ended up joining that group chat.
Just as he expected, Yan Jin did find out about what they had done very quickly, but he did not expose them. Even if Yan Jin did not like these “youngsters’ game”, he was not horrible enough to stop them just because of his preference. Plus, the group chat was indeed harmless, which was why he allowed it to continue.
Yan Jin obviously did not expect that the small thing that he had let go off because of a moment of soft heartedness, had led to such a huge misunderstanding.
“Which means to say, it’s untrue?” Shao Yue asked curiously.
“What?”
“The car accident was not just a show you put up?”
“Nonsense.” Yan Jin’s scowl angrily, “It’s one thing for those youngsters to fool around. How could you play along with them?”
Shao Yue answered innocently, “But I’m a youngster too. Men are like fresh flowers at age forty – I’m still a budding flower.”
Yan Jin refuse to interact with him and threw a pile of documents at him.
Shao Yue did not avoid in time, and was smacked with a pile of A4 papers right in his face. He screamed dramatically, “Dammit! A gentleman uses his tongue not his fists! How could you throw hidden weapons at me?!”
“Look at what crap they wrote. It’s fine to fool around after working hours, but such a small thing affected their working ability?!”
Shao Yue clicked his tongue and randomly pulled out one of the A4 papers. He laughed, “This is not our department’s report. It belongs to the HR and thus is none of my business.”
Yan Jin gestured for Shao Yue to leave.
“Hold on, don’t try to brush it off.”
Shao Yue was not in a hurry to leave. He shook off the A4 papers on him and took two steps forward. “Let’s talk about what’s going on with that car accident. If you had explained earlier, none of this would have happened.”
“Accident.”
“Huh?”
“Accident.”
“Ah?”
Yan Jin picked up a file just beside his hand.
“Hey, hold on hold on, I really don’t get it.” Shao Yue surrendered with both his hands raised in the air. “You can’t mean to say that the crash was just an accident?”
“How else?”
“Damn. That’s not reasonable.”
Shao Yue was now really surprised.
“You guys are the ones that are unreasonable. Would I really go that far to win someone over?” Yan Jin put down the file. He could not understand what his employees had been thinking all day long.
“Well…” Shao Yue hesitated and spoke again with a tone filled with doubt. “It’s true that you wouldn’t go to such extent if it was the past you. But when I connect the dots of the whole incident, the more I think, the more reasonable it seems.”
“There’s other plots involved? Explain clearly.”
“I shall declare outright that I did not leak out this information to them, so don’t accuse me.”
“Spill it.” Yan Jin’s patience was at the breaking point and once it went beyond that point, he would not care who he was dealing with.
Would it be difficult to understand something in detail? No.
It was only a QQ group chat. He could directly get Liu Ye to check on it and within hours he would get every detail of it.
As for the rest of them, he would let the Yan family’s undercover spies to investigate. It would only take a few days for them to report in fine detail to him.
As for Shao Yue, for slacking at work, he should be sent to Africa as a mining worker.
Shao Yue sensed a foreboding uneasiness when Chairman Yan suddenly change his aura. He did not hesitate anymore and immediately corrected his attitude. He respectfully answered, “This is what I thought – if it’s really for the sake of a genius designer, it’s true that you probably wouldn’t go to that extent and do such an outrageous thing. After all, YL is just… you know. But this is Xiao Yu we’re talking about. Not only was his identity Mr. Mystery, he is also your lover.”
“So?”
Shao Yue shrugged his shoulders. “So I think the accident was just a method you used to woo him and from the results it seems like it has been successful.”
“…… It’s really not the case. It was just a normal accident. At least it seems like it at this point.” Yan Jin did not want to elaborate further with Shao Yue about the accident. He changed the topic and asked him something that he was more worried about, “And that is what had been causing all of you to be so inattentive?”
“More or less.” Shao Yue suggested, “Do you want me to clarify on your behalf? Otherwise they probably won’t be in the mood to do their work properly.”
Yan Jin took a deep breath and replied, “No need.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because gossip and rumors will only be stopped by the wise.” Yan Jin let out a long sigh and continued worriedly, “Rather than explaining and making things more complicated, I might as well wait and see.”
“Wise indeed…”
“Moreover,” Yan Jin palmed his forehead, “The current situation is beneficial for Fishy.”
Shao Yue nodded his head in agreement: “A lot of them in the group chat agreed to treat Xiao Yu nicely in order to make up for your horrendous, devil-like actions. Hahaha, I think that sounds workable. Very workable. For the sake of your lover, you shall sacrifice yourself.”
Yan Jin: “……”
“Oh right, aside from those I mentioned, there’s also some hostile voices too.” Shao Yue did not sound as light-hearted anymore. He spoke earnestly as if he was dealing with proper business. “I initially planned to report to you within the next few days that a unique group of people has emerged from the group chat. They are fascinated with the idea of you and the mystery designer as a couple. And so, you know, they clashed with those people with ulterior motives. I would say it’s an unexpected surprise.”
The unique group obviously referred to the fujoshis. Over the past few days, they had been promoting and recruiting more people of the same hobby. If a normal employee came across what they had shown, they probably would take a look and brush it off. If they could not accept it, they would at most laugh it off. However, for those people who had gotten into arguments with that group of people, they were most probably people who had ulterior motives for Yan Jin.
YL had been very careful when they were recruiting employees. They would do their best not to hire those who had hopes of crawling into their chairman’s bed. But occasionally, there would be special circumstances that would happen, and they would get hired.
The moment these people make the slightest move that resembled seducing Yan Jin, regardless of their identities, they would be terminated immediately.
After several rounds of dismissals, those that escaped and had survived so long were considerably highly-professional.
Even Shao Yue did not expect them to be fished out by such an incident.
“Hah. They probably let their guards down knowing that I’m not in the group.”
Yan Jin crossed his hands on the desk as a deadly look flashed in his eyes. “It’s about time they reveal themselves. I’ll think of a way to let Fishy report to work a few days later. We need to clear up the mess before he gets here.”
“Roger that.”
Shao Yue saluted on the spot. When he lowered his hand, he said gleefully,
“Letting so many people put in so much effort, someone sure is, gravely sinful aren’t they…”
“Shut up. You may get lost.”
……
That night, Yan Jin took out his precious collection of white wine, planning to kill two birds with one stone.
