Chapter 27 Part 3

After saying that, Liang Shi paused briefly, then laughed before the editor-in-chief could retort. “Never mind. Someone like you probably doesn’t understand what dignity is.”

Editor-in-Chief: “…What the fuck are you even talking about?!”

“Just the truth,” Liang Shi said. “The truth is always hard to hear.”

The editor-in-chief exploded. “Get out! Get out of the magazine department!”

“No, wait. Get out of Dongheng!” she roared. “Scum like you don’t deserve to be here!”

“I’m not leaving,” Liang Shi said, pulling out her phone. “I recorded this entire meeting. Your every word and action has been captured. I’ll submit the recording to the CEO’s office and let them decide. I believe Dongheng won’t keep someone like you around. As for today’s topic meeting with the general manager, I suggest we use the planning team’s marriage feature: Must You Have a BARE When You Get Married? And to position Dongheng’s consumer base, the subtitle could be: Everyone Deserves One BARE in Their Lifetime.“

BARE was Dongheng’s luxury brand, renowned internationally. Its Chinese transliteration was Bali, which people jokingly called “Paris.”

“Who do you think you are?” the editor-in-chief sneered. “You really think you’re somebody? Who gave you the authority to set the topic? Did I approve it? Do you know who BARE’s target consumers are? Rich people! A single BARE scarf costs at least ninety thousand yuan. Do you think ordinary people can afford that? This topic was already used at COCI’s new product launch five years ago. What, does Dongheng need to chew someone else’s gum? Is it in the business of picking up trash? If you can’t come up with anything original, shut up! Get out!”

“Just because it’s been used before doesn’t mean we can’t use it again. We can surpass it, take it in a different direction. Why does it have to be limited to ‘someone else used it, so I can’t’? BARE’s pricing is high, but can’t ordinary people aspire to things that are expensive? Everyone is a potential customer. If she has no money today, that doesn’t mean she’ll never have money. Besides, giving everyone a dream of luxury, supporting everyone’s right to own luxury goods. As a company, we should have vision, not build walls around ourselves.”

The editor-in-chief was about to rail against her “nonsense” when applause suddenly broke out from the back row.

Crisp claps rang out across the office area, not especially enthusiastic, and coming from only one person.

The rhythm was slow and unhurried, carrying a note of appreciation.

“Who’s that? Are you sick—” The editor-in-chief started to snap, then looked up and saw General Manager Liang. She caught herself just in time, an awkward expression plastered on her face.

Liang Shi turned around. She saw not only Liang Xinhe, but Xu Qingzhu.

Liang Xinhe’s two assistants had come along as well.

“Still want to curse at me?” Liang Xinhe approached with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, looking at the editor-in-chief. “I never knew Editor-in-Chief Sun carried such a big official air.”

“No, General Manager, please let me explain. It’s because this newcomer doesn’t understand the rules, and the magazine topic still hasn’t been settled. Without a good topic, I was anxious…”

“That’s enough. No need to explain,” Liang Xinhe said. “I only care about results. Has the magazine topic been settled?”

Editor-in-Chief Sun’s face fell. “Not yet.”

“So what were you all doing just now? An internal topic meeting?” Liang Xinhe asked.

“Yes.” Editor-in-Chief Sun’s earlier domineering attitude did a complete one-eighty. She became instantly deferential; bowing and scraping wouldn’t be an exaggeration. “Settling a topic is inherently difficult, and the deadline is approaching, so our discussion got a little heated.”

“Is that so?” Liang Xinhe still smiled, but no one would have called it friendly. “I’ve been here a while. It sounded like you were berating the new girl the entire time.”

“No.” Editor-in-Chief Sun forced a smile. “The newcomer’s ideas were just too naive. I was teaching her.”

“Oh? Really?” Liang Xinhe reached out and patted Editor-in-Chief Sun’s shoulder. “I had no idea Editor-in-Chief Sun was so helpful and caring toward subordinates.”

Editor-in-Chief Sun bobbed her head. “Just doing my part.”

“Then how come I heard you telling her to get out?” Liang Xinhe’s gaze turned razor-sharp in an instant.

Editor-in-Chief Sun: “…Those were just words spoken in anger.”

“What’s the newcomer’s name? Has she introduced herself?” Liang Xinhe turned to Liang Shi. “Have you talked with everyone?”

Liang Shi coughed softly. “Not yet.”

Who had had the time to deal with her all morning?

“Done any work?” Liang Xinhe asked.

Liang Shi shook her head. “No.”

“Been assigned any tasks?” Liang Xinhe pressed.

Liang Shi shook her head again. “…Still no.”

Liang Xinhe stood significantly taller than Editor-in-Chief Sun. The male Alpha was nearly six-one, and he looked down at her from above. “Didn’t you say the magazine department was short-staffed? I specifically sent someone over for you, and this is how you manage people? I was told you were good with people and had strong capabilities. That’s why I offered you an annual salary of four hundred thousand. My expectations weren’t even that high. I didn’t ask you to outdo Haiwei Jewelry’s publications or reach the top tier. Just produce a digital magazine. You can’t even do that? Did I overestimate your abilities?”

“N-no…” Editor-in-Chief Sun stammered, at a loss for words, feeling utterly defenseless.

“The magazine department has been so busy, I haven’t had time to arrange things for her yet,” she said trembling.

She couldn’t afford to lose this job.

An annual salary of four hundred thousand was already at the top of the scale for this industry. She earned more than any of her former colleagues.

Everyone knew she’d landed at Dongheng, and they’d been green with envy.

Now she was shaking with anxiety and added quickly, “President Liang, I really didn’t mean to. Today was just too busy.”

“You were too busy to assign her work, but had time to tear into her during a topic meeting? Is this how you treat the person I sent you? Are you dissatisfied with her, or with me?” Liang Xinhe’s tone was even, but it made Editor-in-Chief Sun’s legs go weak.

Everyone understood now. This parachute hire had General Manager Liang backing her.

The general manager had come here to stand up for her.

No wonder the newcomer had been so fearless, directly challenging Editor-in-Chief Sun head-on. She had a powerful patron.

The crowd cast sympathetic looks at Editor-in-Chief Sun.

Moments later, those looks turned to schadenfreude.

Served her right for always being so domineering. She’d finally hit a steel plate.

“President Liang, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that today was too busy…” Editor-in-Chief Sun was still desperately trying to explain, trying to talk her way out.

Liang Shi stepped forward. “President Liang, I have a recording of today’s meeting here. You can listen to it, or I can email it to you.”

Editor-in-Chief Sun shot her a venomous glare. “Did anyone ask you to speak?!”

Liang Shi: “…I think…”

She paused and looked at Liang Xinhe.

Liang Xinhe gave her a nod of confirmation. With a hint of pride, she said, “I think so. What do you say, President Liang?”

Liang Xinhe nodded. “Go ahead.”

Liang Shi was pleased. With someone backing her up, what was there she couldn’t say?

“I don’t think Editor-in-Chief Sun is suitable to work at Dongheng,” Liang Shi said. “Her magazine philosophy doesn’t align with Dongheng’s, and the magazine department hasn’t thrived under her leadership. If you really value Editor-in-Chief Sun’s talents, you could try reassigning her to another department. But thinking it over, I can’t imagine any department that needs someone whose only skill is yelling at people.”

At this, the corner of Liang Xinhe’s mouth curved upward.

Liang Shi said, “So I’ll leave the decision to you.”

Liang Xinhe looked at Liang Shi with a mix of appreciation and gratification.

Like a proud father watching his daughter finally come into her own.

Without further ado, Liang Xinhe made the announcement: “Editor-in-Chief Sun, you’re terminated. Collect this month’s salary and severance package from Human Resources.”

“President Liang, I really didn’t do any of this…” Editor-in-Chief Sun said. “Are you really going to fire me over a newcomer? I can lead Dongheng’s magazine department to greater heights.”

Liang Xinhe regarded her. “I can swap in someone else and still make Dongheng’s magazine department better. In this world, ability alone doesn’t give you free rein to do whatever you want. Besides, in the month you’ve been here, I haven’t seen any evidence of ability.”

Editor-in-Chief Sun: “…”

She glared at Liang Shi with pure hatred. “You just wait!”

Liang Shi shrugged and shook her head in dismay.

Just the impotent rage of a buffoon.

The farce ended quickly. Liang Xinhe had everyone in the magazine department return to their posts. He told the planning team leader to bring all topic proposals to the five o’clock meeting for group discussion, and encouraged them not to be afraid, to express their opinions boldly.

Liang Xinhe’s approach was worlds apart from Editor-in-Chief Sun’s, and the planning team was overjoyed.

God knew how badly they’d been torn apart by Editor-in-Chief Sun these past few days.

One girl hadn’t slept in three days. Her eyes were red and swollen every morning because when she went home to sleep, she kept imagining someone screaming at her, too terrified to close her eyes. All she could do was cry.

Editor-in-Chief Sun returned to her office to pack up.

While packing, she spotted a résumé on the desk. It was the one Liang Shi had handed in that morning, which she’d tossed aside without even glancing at it.

Seething, she picked up the résumé, intending to rip it to pieces.

But when she saw the name, she stopped.

The name field read: Liang Shi.

Liang Shi, Liang Xinhe, Liang Xinzhou.

All surnamed Liang.

A guess took shape in her mind.

She panicked for a moment but still crumpled the résumé into a ball and threw it in the trash like garbage.

Liang Shi hadn’t expected Liang Xinhe and Xu Qingzhu to show up out of nowhere.

But she was glad Liang Xinhe had come when he did.

Otherwise, she’d have been stuck arguing with Editor-in-Chief Sun for ages.

Liang Xinhe had his assistants order afternoon tea for everyone, then walked out of the magazine department.

Leaving with him were Liang Shi and Xu Qingzhu.

Once they were out of the magazine department and in a quiet spot, Liang Shi asked with a smile, “Second Brother, what brought you here all of a sudden?”

“Your wife came looking for you, of course,” Liang Xinhe said, casting her a glance. “You didn’t think I came all this way just to see you?”

“Not that narcissistic,” Liang Shi said, rubbing the tip of her nose sheepishly, unable to suppress her smile. “But thanks anyway.”

“Don’t mention it,” Liang Xinhe said. “I was just exterminating a pest for the company.”

Liang Shi nodded. “Right, right, right.”

She could see it clearly now. Liang Xinhe was a total tsundere.

He obviously cared about his sister, but insisted on pretending he couldn’t be bothered.

“Alright, stop being passive-aggressive with me,” Liang Xinhe said. “Your wife has something to discuss with you. You two talk. I’m heading up.”