I spoke with the duty manager for a moment, then returned to the office. Lan Ya was looking at the day's reports. "Possibly due to the influence of the Crown Prince," she said, "business today has been very poor. Our occupancy rate is just over fifty percent, which has never happened before."
I grunted. Nan Cheng Kang Gong held significant influence in Rui Cheng. It was normal for our club's business to be affected if we angered him.
"This is a good opportunity to recruit and train new staff," I said. "The rough stone market will require a large number of personnel. I'll handle this. We'll have a meeting before closing to announce it."
Lan Ya replied, "Alright. We can have a few people seconded from each department to form a new team and familiarize them with the business quickly. Also, inform HR to recruit more new employees."
She picked up the walkie-talkie and instructed the duty manager to notify all employees to gather in the lobby before closing for a meeting.
"From the suburbs," I said, "you can pull Wen Si Qiang out and put him under my supervision. He might be useful. If he stays with Zhou Ying Ying, something will happen to him sooner or later."
Lan Ya responded, "I was just thinking about that. I also feel the two of them won't have a good outcome. I was planning how to separate them, and your suggestion is feasible. After all, Wen Si Qiang has worked with you before, and you know him well. As long as he is controlled, Zhou Ying Ying will lose her right-hand man."
Yes, Zhou Ying Ying's involvement in drug trafficking was bound to happen. If she got another accomplice, she would become even more formidable, and dealing with her might become more difficult.
Lan Ya picked up the phone and notified Zhou Ying Ying and Wen Si Qiang to attend the meeting.
"Hua Zi," Lan Ya said, "you will preside over today's meeting. You need to learn to step forward. You'll be shouldering the responsibilities in the future. My senior sister is a woman, and although I have a man's heart, I am still fundamentally a woman. One day, when I was with you, I realized a truth: perhaps it's more suitable for me to be a woman. So, you need to strengthen yourself quickly. I will be the woman behind you."
I walked over and looked at this slender, tall woman, as if I had never seen her before.
Last year, at the school gate, I was being bullied by the scoundrel Zhou Ying Ying. She stepped forward and shielded me like a mountain, standing up for me. Meanwhile, I was in tattered clothes, speaking submissively, a complete pushover. Now, after only a few days, she wanted to hide behind me and be the woman behind me.
I felt a bit intimidated. I had never feared powerful enemies. Even when Wu De tortured me last night, I felt no fear. But now, with Lan Ya's soft lips nudging me to step forward, I felt immense pressure.
I was accustomed to having Lan Ya support me. Now, her words felt like Mount Tai pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe.
She stroked my face, perhaps sensing my unease. "I'll give you time to adjust," she said. "You are a capable person, and I believe you can do better than me."
After speaking, she hugged me tightly. I hugged her back stiffly, as if I had never known her.
Slowly, I was melted by her. I sought her with my passionate lips, searching for the world that belonged to me.
Just then, the phone on the office desk suddenly rang. Lan Ya hastily broke free from my arms and turned to answer it.
She kept saying "en," her expression particularly grave. It was so late; what important matter could have occurred?
After hanging up, she walked over to me. "As we imagined," she said, "Kang Gong has been released!"
I was dumbfounded. After only a few days, the other side was so unreliable! Arresting and releasing people like it was child's play.
Lan Ya continued, "Kang Gong is willing to donate all three warehouses and five logging sites from the other side, keeping only two warehouses and one logging site. He also promised to only export through the port in the future and close all smuggling routes. The other side agreed to his terms, fined him a huge sum, and released him. The government on the other side has been in civil war for years. Money is the biggest bargaining chip; anything absurd can happen as long as there is money."
I nodded. Kang Gong's move was a strategic retreat to save his own life. His comeback was only a matter of time. Donating a few warehouses and logging sites was nothing; as long as he kept the seeds, it wouldn't take long for him to dominate the northern Myanmar line again!
However, for us, this was undoubtedly adding insult to injury. Our future enemies would not only be the insignificant Crown Prince but also the cunning and experienced Kang Gong.
Kang Gong was the truly formidable enemy.
I felt a chill creeping up my spine, as if a pair of cold eyes were staring at me from behind. This news, even more so than Lan Ya's burdening me, made me feel that my backbone needed strong support lest I collapse.
Lan Ya came over and hugged me. Looking at my helpless eyes, she said, "Hua Zi, the stronger the enemy, the straighter I must stand. Enemies will not pity us because we are weak. On the contrary, the stronger you are, the more they will value you, even respect you! We have no choice; it's either life or death! I believe you will definitely choose life. And if we must die, we will die standing, not live kneeling!"
I nodded. Yes, we had no choice. We would rather die standing than live kneeling!
I checked the time; it was past midnight. I could hear the music and singing outside fading. We prepared to go downstairs for the meeting.
At this moment, Zhou Ying Ying entered the office with Wen Si Qiang.
Lan Ya said, "Brother Bao is preparing the rough stone market. During the preparation period, Li Hua will be responsible for training new employees. We discussed at our last meeting that each company should second a group of people to be managed and trained uniformly by Li Hua. Wen Si Qiang is back, and he has worked with Li Hua before. I want to have him assist Li Hua as his deputy. Zhou Ying Ying, you don't have any objections, do you?"
Looking at Zhou Ying Ying's expression, she was clearly reluctant. However, Lan Ya was the boss, so she had to endure it no matter how unwilling she was, not daring to say a word of refusal.
Zhou Ying Ying replied, "Boss, you can arrange these things as you see fit. What objections could I have? Besides, I hope he can do great things with Director Li. He doesn't have much future with me."
Lan Ya didn't look at Wen Si Qiang. There was no need to seek his opinion on these matters. He was insignificant, and it wasn't his turn to have his own ideas yet.
Wen Si Qiang was good in this regard; he knew who he was. He was the one who had once defecated on my neck. Later, when he partnered with me, he still put himself in a subordinate position, obeying my every word without any dissent.
"Time is almost up," I said. "Let's go down for the meeting."
Lan Ya nodded, and the few of us walked downstairs.
Wen Si Qiang followed me silently. From now on, he belonged to me.
I quietly asked him if his accommodation was arranged. He said he was still staying in his old place and assured me that he would be available whenever called.