Chapter 3 — My Nameless Occupation

"Do you truly call this lacking technical substance?" Shen Yi looked at me with unblinking intensity. "Ms. Su, Heng Yuan possesses a fully integrated operational support system, and the core architect of that system is you, yet your position is merely that of an administrative specialist. Do you realize what that signifies?"

"What does it signify?"

"It means that for the past twelve years, the Heng Yuan Group has been purchasing the output of an Operations Director for the price of an entry-level clerk."

I lifted my glass and took a slow, deliberate sip of water.

"Ms. Su, let me be blunt—I am not inviting you here to work as an Administrative Director."

I set the glass down.

"Then for what?"

"An Operating Partner."

The conference room descended into a heavy silence for several seconds.

"Let me show you this." He opened his laptop and pulled up a proposal. "This is the new business sector we intend to launch: building operational frameworks for small and medium-sized enterprises. We intend to package the work you performed at Heng Yuan into a marketable product to sell to companies with fifty to three hundred employees."

I scanned the framework. He had clearly conducted a meticulous study of everything I had accomplished.

"A base salary plus a commission structure. We guarantee an annual income of four hundred thousand for the first year, and once this business unit turns a profit, you will receive a percentage of those earnings."

Four hundred thousand. My annual salary at Heng Yuan was only one hundred and forty thousand.

"Mr. Shen, I will need some time to consider this."

"Of course. There is no rush."

Exiting the Shui He building, I stood before the glass facade of the office tower, bathed in the brilliant afternoon sun. My phone began to chime; it was Chen Lei. I ignored it. The phone rang again, persistent. I finally answered.

"Ms. Su, there has been a major incident."

"What happened?"

"Director Ha attempted to reprimand Vice President Chu during the meeting, demanding that all departments provide evidence of their current workload. Vice President Chu countered by saying that these tasks were inherently the responsibility of the individual departments and did not require an administrative specialist to overstep their bounds. His exact words were: 'The greatest problem with Su Wan in this company is that she meddles too deeply and has no clear understanding of her own station.'"

I leaned my back against the cold stone wall, listening as he recounted the scene.

"And then?"

"Then Ms. Zhao from the marketing department stood up. She stated that since no one else touched the event calendar you usually manage, the new product launch next week would have clashed with the investment conference if not for your intervention. She told the room that if that constitutes 'overstepping,' she would welcome Su Wan to continue overstepping as much as possible."

"What did Director Ha say?"

"Director Ha said nothing at all. Vice President Chu’s expression was quite ghastly."

I hung up the phone. Standing under the blinding sunlight, a sudden question struck me: In these past twelve years, at what point did I transform into someone who did everyone else's job for them?

Upon returning home, I read through the cooperation agreement Shen Yi had sent with meticulous care. The terms were explicit: a guaranteed base salary of four hundred thousand per year, and once the profits of this new sector exceeded two million, I would be entitled to a fifteen percent share. The title was Operating Partner, carrying full decision-making authority. I dialed Shen Yi.

"Mr. Shen, I have a few questions."

"Ms. Su, please, speak freely."

"First, where does this title of Operating Partner stand within the company’s hierarchy?"

"It is on par with my own position. You will participate directly in the company's executive business decisions."

"Second, who is providing the startup capital for this new venture?"

"The company provides the capital. You do not need to invest a single cent. The capital you contribute is your ability and your experience."

"Third, on what basis do you assume this venture will succeed?"

A low laugh echoed from the other end of the line.

"Ms. Su, there are over forty million small and medium-sized enterprises in China, and eighty percent of them lack any structured operational framework. The fact that you shouldered the burden of eight departments at Heng Yuan alone is not because you are merely 'very good' at your job; it is because the work you do is fundamentally essential. Heng Yuan simply never realized how much it was truly worth."

I fell silent, lost in thought.