Chapter 3 — I Stopped Meeting Clients After Work

Luu Phuong opened another file. Cold face.

"The company's Board of Directors, after studying, decided as follows:

Thematic bonuses and commissions of the KS Group project will be divided equally among six team members. Considering that comrade Luc Vien has a larger workload than other members, the company specially added an overtime allowance worth 1,000 yuan to demonstrate the principle of fairness." A contract worth 80,000,000 yuan. I took three flights to Seoul. Edited fourteen versions of the plan. Staying awake countless nights. It's 1,000 yuan. I bowed my head and looked at the menu on the table. Today's celebration party... The cost per capita is even higher than that amount. The corners of Trieu Bang's mouth almost stretched to his ears. He is smiling. It's the kind of laugh that can't be contained. Ly Duong took out his phone and texted someone. Maybe the content is just:

"Done!"

Vuong My Ky and Tran Tuyet pretended to drink water. But their glasses have long been empty. As for Ton Hao, he directly leaned back in his chair. Cross your legs to form five. A look so triumphant that he didn't even bother to hide it. Those five people at this moment were no different from a group of robbers who had just finished dividing the spoils. It's a hostage tied to a chair. Chu Kien Quoc looked at me. There was a flicker of scrutiny in his eyes. He was waiting for my reaction. He thought I would be mad. Will hit the table. Will curse. Will shout:

"I quit my job!"

He can then logically write a chapter using a familiar set of arguments:

"Everyone, look at her, that's her temperament. No wonder all her colleagues have their opinions."

Then nail this down to:

"Luc Vien was too emotional, fortunately the company promptly adjusted."

I understand him too well. Six years working at Hang Dat. I understand Chu Kien Quoc better than anyone. It's not that he didn't know what kind of people the other five were. He knows. Knows better than anyone. But he didn't care. What he cares about is only one thing. That is the management cost. Luc Vien alone was dissatisfied. Affects a person. Five employees were dissatisfied. Affects the whole team. In his eyes, taking my benefits and dividing them among the other five people to appease them... Was the most profitable deal. As for whether I leave or not? He believes I won't. Because in his opinion, these past six years I have poured a lot of effort into building customers and relationships in the industry. All are closely tied to Hang Dat's foundation. Leaving Hang Dat... I am nothing. At least he thinks so. The entire banquet room was silent for about half a minute. Everyone is waiting for me to speak up. I picked up a cup of tea that had already cooled. Slowly take a sip. I only said one word. Zhou Kien Quoc was clearly stunned. Trieu Bang was also stunned. They had prepared a lot of words to deal with an angry Luc Vien. But I wasn't prepared for the situation when I said:

"Luc Vien, do you... have nothing to say?"

Zhou Kien Quoc asked. I put down my cup of tea and stood up.

"Director Chu, I accept this 1,000 yuan overtime allowance."

My voice was strangely calm. So calm that even I felt strange.

"But there is something I want to confirm with you."

Chu Kien Quoc nodded.

"You say it."

"That means according to company regulations, employees are not allowed to handle outside work business hours, right?"

Chu Kien Quoc burst out laughing.

"That's right."

"We always promote work-life balance."

"If you work, you must know how to rest properly."

I nodded.

"So from today, I will seriously implement this rule."

"We will not meet customers after work hours."

"Do not respond to emails."

"Don't answer work calls."

"Is that okay?"

Chu Kien Quoc was stunned for two seconds. Then burst out laughing.

"Of course!"

"That's right!"

"Work is work, life is life."

"Luc Vien, you should have been like this a long time ago."

He thought I was going into the water. I thought I thought it through. I thought I accepted this result and decided to "integrate into the group". He even patted my shoulder.

"Don't think too much."

"The company will not mistreat you."

I just laughed. Don't say another word. Then turned around and walked out of the party room. The hallway outside is extremely quiet. The sky was gradually sinking into night. I took out my phone. Open a chat with Park Jung Hoon. The last message appeared before my eyes. That was the text message he sent at three o'clock in the afternoon:

"Miss Lu, I've arrived in Beijing and am adjusting to the time zone. Is there any problem with the meeting at eight o'clock tonight? The location you decide is fine."

My fingers hover over the keyboard. About ten seconds passed. Then I started typing.

"Mr. Park, hello.

Sorry, tonight's meeting had to be canceled. Our company recently issued new management regulations, prohibiting employees from meeting customers or handling work outside of working hours. You worked hard from Korea to get here, I think you should rest well and adjust to the time zone first. For further connection work, please contact our company during business hours from 9 am to 6 pm on working days. The company receptionist will arrange other colleagues to assist you. I wish you all the best." I reread it three times. Not a word of complaint. Not a word of anger. Every word, every sentence... Just seriously implementing the company's regulations. I pressed send. The message quickly displayed the status of being viewed. Park Jung Hoon's profile picture showed the input line. Then disappeared. He didn't answer. I turned off the phone screen. Standing silently in the hallway, taking a deep breath. Outside the glass window. Beijing's neon lights were lighting up one after another. Night Beijing has never lacked excitement. But the silence right now... Makes me more alert than ever. The sweat I've shed. The humiliation I've swallowed before that "collective petition" is not worth a penny. If you want to be fair.