Chapter 57: No One Knows a Daughter Better Than Her Mother Part 3

Gu Xueqiang didn’t deliberately choose men or women; since she took over the core of the Gu Group, she hired purely based on ability. Whether they were from a 985, a 211, or had a vocational degree, if their ability was strong enough, she would hire them. But now, the people she had personally promoted were mostly women. And these people never deigned to rely on drinking or entertaining to get business. On the contrary, their professional skills were so strong that clients sought them out.

Her current male assistant was just “adequate.” He asked too many questions. Gu Xueqiang had originally wanted him to arrange a suitable position for Gu Qingshuang to train her, but she felt he wasn’t up to the task, so she didn’t mention it.

Training an assistant was difficult. Lin Xun had been able to start so quickly because she was smart, ambitious, a fast learner, and her personality matched Gu Xueqiang’s. Gu Xueqiang had been reluctant to give her to Ming Li, but she had hardened her heart and done it anyway.

Thinking of this, she called the secretary’s office and summoned a young woman she’d recently hired who seemed promising. Then, she called Lin Xun.

When Lin Xun’s phone rang, she instinctively trembled for a few seconds, thinking Gu Xueqiang was calling to interrogate her. But remembering Ming Li’s state and her growth over the past few days, she regained her confidence to persuade the boss.

She cleared her throat and answered warmly, “President Gu.”

“I thought you’d forgotten me by now,” Gu Xueqiang said calmly. “How are things with Ming Li? Is everything smooth?”

“Everything is going well. President Ming is very efficient and intelligent,” Lin Xun said, not holding back her praise. “Perhaps because she’s afraid of disappointing you, she’s been working a ‘007’ schedule lately. I was worried she’d ruin her health and tried to persuade her several times, but she wouldn’t listen.”

Gu Xueqiang murmured, “Are you accusing me of bullying her?”

“How could I?” Lin Xun said warmly. “You are more than good to her. That’s why President Ming is so grateful.”

“Grateful enough to play both sides? Making me think she was busy with the Xingwan acquisition while she was off dancing at the theater?” Gu Xueqiang didn’t sound angry, just calm, yet it made Lin Xun’s heart race.

Lin Xun quickly steadied herself and thought for a few seconds before saying, “If you didn’t support her, she wouldn’t have been able to do it. Without your silent approval, she wouldn’t be able to be a CEO and stand on that stage at the same time. You clearly want the best for her, so why do you always act like the villain?”

Gu Xueqiang chuckled softly. “Lin Xun, oh Lin Xun.”

Lin Xun knew she had hit the mark. She had gambled correctly.

“Have you seen her state lately? Her efficiency is incredibly high,” Lin Xun added. “So, I believe she can manage both.”

Gu Xueqiang said, “And who asked for your opinion?”

“I’m just giving you a reference point. Since I work with her every day, I’m the best judge of her productivity.”

Lin Xun’s words were airtight. She managed to reveal Ming Li’s positive transformation and reassure Gu Xueqiang that dancing wasn’t distracting her from work; instead, it was making her better.

Gu Xueqiang asked a few more questions about Xingwan. Lin Xun described several directions for the restructuring. A few points were fresh even to Gu Xueqiang, so she asked who proposed them. Lin Xun didn’t take the credit; she said Ming Li had hired some experts who proposed some ideas, but the key points were synthesized by Ming Li herself.

Lin Xun sounded a bit proud as she spoke, even offering to send Ming Li’s proposals for Gu Xueqiang to review. It felt like a teaching assistant bragging to the headmaster about a star student.

Gu Xueqiang declined. Then, she told Lin Xun to find a suitable position for Gu Qingshuang within the Gu Group, specifying that Qingshuang could only work three days a week.

Lin Xun was surprised that Gu Qingshuang had changed her mind about joining the company, but she didn’t ask why. She suggested two departments: Marketing or Operations. Both had relatively low barriers to entry but allowed one to understand the company quickly.

“As for which one, that’s for you to decide. After all, you know her best,” Lin Xun teased lightly. “No one knows a daughter better than her mother.”

Gu Xueqiang finally smiled. “True. So, I think she can rotate through both.”

Lin Xun: “…”

Talk about making the most of someone.

However, at this point, Lin Xun understood the stakes. Miss Gu had likely agreed to join the company in exchange for the President letting Ming Li dance. But Miss Gu had clearly been played by her mother.

Truly, no one knew a daughter better than her mother.

But those were the Gu family’s private affairs. As an assistant, she didn’t need to know more.

Gu Xueqiang then asked, “Has Ming Li vomited recently?”

“No,” Lin Xun replied. “Lately, her appetite has increased, and she’s exercising more. She even works out in her office more frequently.”

Lin Xun sometimes felt she had been reckless, but when she had seen Ming Li unable to keep food down and working until midnight every day, she had couldn’t help but call Gu Xueqiang to mention it. She remembered that call clearly. After hearing the report, Gu Xueqiang had been silent for a very long time.

Finally, Gu Xueqiang had asked softly, “Lin Xun, do you think I’m being too cruel to them?”

No one wanted to give a definitive “yes” to that question, especially not to someone like Gu Xueqiang.

Lin Xun had only whispered, “You are doing it for the young misses’ own good.”

“Ming Li is someone else’s daughter too,” Gu Xueqiang had said softly. “I’ve already pushed my own daughter to this point. I can’t ruin someone else’s daughter too, right?”

“President Gu,” Lin Xun had said gently. “You are a good person and a good leader.”

“But I am not a good mother,” Gu Xueqiang interrupted.

Lin Xun had replied, “No, you are doing your best to give them the best. But they are both excellent women with their own choices. You should be happy.”

Lin Xun’s words were respectful yet pointed. It was after that conversation that Gu Xueqiang began to change her mindset.