Chapter 136 - Department Meal

In the private room, the dishes and chilled red wine were served.

Hu Jing sat at the head of the table, with Ye Fan to her right and Fang Yueyun to her left, while Ma Zhengyou sat directly opposite Hu Jing.

Hu Jing elegantly lifted her wineglass, her nails painted red, and stood up to address everyone present, “Today, our Human Resources department is fully assembled.

I’m delighted to work with all of you and hope that going forward, our department will be harmonious and united in serving the company, recruiting more outstanding talent.”

“Though we were transferred from the headquarters to the new company, which might seem like a demotion, it is in fact a great opportunity.

Surely you all know that the group places immense value on our company, investing over three and a half billion.

In truth, our company’s future will determine the life or death of the group.

Therefore, you were brought here because you are valued and trusted by the group.”

“At the moment, our department may only have four people, but soon we will welcome many more colleagues, a multitude of talent, to recruit various qualified and talented individuals for the company.

And those of you here are pioneers, the veterans!”

“Tonight’s dinner is the first meal of our newly formed family.

To our new family, to the company, to the group, and to a better life tomorrow, cheers!”

As Hu Jing concluded, her voice grew impassioned, and her beautiful eyes shone with a dazzling light.

Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun were already so enchanted by Hu Jing’s speech that they trembled with excitement, shouting loudly, “To our new family, to the company, to the group, and to a better life tomorrow, cheers!”

Ye Fan was unaffected by Hu Jing’s words, but he wouldn’t spoil her performance, so when Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun excitedly howled, he also called out the slogan as if to blend in.

Clang clang clang…

After a series of clinking glasses, the four stood and downed a glass of red wine each, then sat back down.

With a glass of red wine in her belly, Hu Jing’s fair face instantly flushed a rosy hue, her beauty so enchanting it was almost otherworldly.

Ma Zhengyou, sitting directly opposite her, was utterly mesmerized, staring foolishly for a while before he came to his senses.

After eating a few bites of the dishes, Hu Jing struck up a conversation with Ye Fan.

In front of the two juniors, she courteously gave Ye Fan face, saying that she would need his strong support and for him to play an important role in future work.

During the chat, she also habitually threw Ye Fan a few coquettish glances.

Ye Fan smiled faintly and politely toasted Hu Jing in return, after which she drank half a glass of red wine.

Having toasted with Ye Fan, it was then Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun’s turn to toast Hu Jing.

Hu Jing handled it with ease, offering words of encouragement that left Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun excited and pledging their absolute loyalty.

However, Ye Fan noticed that whether it was Ma Zhengyou or Fang Yueyun’s toast, she only took a small sip of her wine.

After toasting Hu Jing, Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun continued to toast Ye Fan, the deputy manager.

Although they were aware that Ye Fan held a deputy position and was obviously inexperienced, they did not dare underestimate him and treated him with full respect.

Anyone with sense knew Ye Fan had strong backing.

What they thought in private, however, was unknown.

Ye Fan was not interested in playing office politics like Hu Jing and was quite straightforward, even uninterested in hearing the words of flattery and loyalty from Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun.

He simply smiled faintly and said, “Enough talk, all is said in the drinking, cheers!”

He downed a glass of red wine with both Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun.

Even though Ye Fan didn’t say anything flattering, the fact that he straightforwardly drank a glass with them pleased Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun.

They knew Ye Fan’s sincerity was genuine, that he didn’t act high and mighty because of his connections but was rather honest with them.

They found themselves having more fondness for Ye Fan, this nepotistic leader, at least not disliking him.

Hu Jing watched coldly, eyes assessing how Ye Fan managed his relationship with Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun, and she couldn’t help but raise her estimation of him.

Leaders with connections like Ye Fan often face various forms of resentment from subordinates—the milder form being behind-the-scenes criticism and disdain, and the more severe involving outright disrespect to their face.

For leaders with nepotistic ties, getting along well with subordinates can be achieved in one of two ways: either impress them from the start with astounding abilities, making them overlook the nepotism or even consider it a plus, or be like Ye Fan—very low-key and down-to-earth, letting subordinates gradually accept his presence and then demonstrating the relevant abilities to ultimately earn their recognition.

If one starts off arrogant but incompetent, it’s very easy to draw the resentment of subordinates, and later on, even if one possesses substantial abilities, it might not be possible to showcase even a fraction of that due to subordinates’ passive-aggressive behavior.

An hour later, the dinner came to an end, and next up was the trip to the KTV.

In the KTV room, Hu Jing assumed the role of microphone hog without dispute.

Ye Fan listened attentively to Hu Jing sing and found her singing ability to be just average, but it seemed she had frequented KTV quite a bit—as she knew every song and was mostly on pitch.

Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun took turns with the other microphone to provide backup singing.

Of course, “backup singing” didn’t quite capture it, as Ma Zhengyou was very eager to sing with Hu Jing.

The guy was so smitten by Hu Jing that he wouldn’t recognize his own mother.

As for Ye Fan, he simply claimed he couldn’t sing and sat on the sofa, chatting, drinking, and playing dice with Ma Zhengyou or Fang Yueyun whenever they were free.

After singing non-stop for an hour and a half and nearly setting their throats ablaze, Hu Jing finally put down the mic and took a break.

Only then did she remember that since entering the KTV room, Ye Fan hadn’t even touched the microphone.

“Ye Fan, why don’t you sing a few songs?” Hu Jing offered the microphone to Ye Fan.

Ye Fan shook his head with a wry smile, “Spare me, do I look like someone who can sing?”

“Hehe, that won’t do,” Hu Jing said with a sly smile.

“When you’re at KTV, how can you not sing a single song?

Don’t you agree, everyone?”

“Absolutely!” Ma Zhengyou and Fang Yueyun immediately chimed in, “Manager Ye, sing one for us; let us hear your vocal talent.”

Ye Fan waved his hands, “I really can’t sing, you go ahead.”

“Giggle, in a KTV, how many people can truly sing?

As long as you’re having fun, that’s what matters, and we’re all friends here.

Doesn’t matter if you’re off-key or not musically inclined,” Hu Jing laughed.

“If you really don’t sing, who would dare invite you to KTV again?

You’d be cutting yourself off from the people.”

“Is it that serious?” Ye Fan said, thinking to himself that Hu Jing was clearly forcing him to sing, intending to embarrass him in front of his subordinates to knock him down a peg.

Well, actually, he never had much authority to begin with.

Hu Jing nodded earnestly, “Of course, it’s serious.”

“Alright then, I’ll sing one.

No matter how it goes, you all have to cheer and applaud,” Ye Fan said resignedly.

“Giggle, that’s more like it,” Hu Jing chuckled, “What song will it be?

Xiao Ma, go help Ye Fan pick a song.”

Ma Zhengyou immediately ran to the song-selection machine.

“Manager Ye, what song?” he called back to Ye Fan.

“How about Xu Wei’s ‘Hometown’?” Ye Fan suggested.

(Many thanks to ※颩♂樣嘚尐年 for the reward.

Thank you all for your support.)