“Wei Wang, we need to have a serious talk.” I said with a straight face.
“Yeah, but I have to work now, so why don’t we have dinner after work? We’ll talk then.”
“No, I must talk it to you now. Listen, I’ll say it again, we have a working relationship now. Not only will you not be able to send flowers to me in the future, but you won’t be able to say something that is inappropriate. Do you remember that?”
Wei Wang looked at me innocently and said “But President. Yao, what are the inappropriate words? I think everything I said was quite appropriate.”
“I’m your boss, you should know that by heart. You have to treat me with respect. Don’t you ever say nonsense, like ‘you like me’, because that’s just inappropriate words.”
Wei tilted his head and said, “‘I like you’, is that an inappropriate thing to say? But I really like your type of girl. Do I have to pretend I don’t like you?”
“Anyway you’re not allowed to say those words again, or else…”
When I was speaking here, I stopped. I felt a bit tongue-tied. Because I didn’t know how I could deal with him if he kept saying like that. Could I just fire him?
Luckily, Wei didn’t pursue me. He just said he understood it and he’d try not to say anything that would upset me in the future.
Then I told him to work hard and I didn’t bother him working on the product. Then I left.
Back at the office I thought about it and wondered if I was being too sensitive. Perhaps he was just sending a bouquet of flowers to show his welcome to me, and it wasn’t an inappropriate thing to do.
As I was thinking about that, someone knocked on the door. It was Feng Shen who came in and said he had something to talk to me.
He told me that he wanted to talk to me about how to launch a new round of challenges against Lanhai Technology. He wanted to hear my opinion.
I was a little surprised. I knew that there was competition between Tongyu Technology and Lanhai Technology right now, but I didn’t expect that there would be a talk of the new round of challenges to it.
“Under Wei Wang’s leadership, our products are now getting better and better. But because Lanhai Technology researches it ahead of us, they are still ahead of us now in terms of the number of users. If we don’t act proactively, we could be out of the game at any time. Mr. Yao and I are well aware of the strength of the Lanhai Technology. We can’t let them keep getting bigger.”Feng stated his viewpoint.
In fact, I knew what he meant even if he didn’t put it in such detail. Feng had a problem with Yan Chen. And he also had been a nagging resentment about losing control of Lanhai Technology. Although it had been his fault once, Yan Chen had still betrayed him in his opinion. So no matter what, he was going to defeat Lanhi Technology.
I listened quietly, not rushing to make my attitude clear.
“Miss. Yao, we all serve the same company now.” Feng reminded me.
I nodded, “I know. I’m just wondering if we have similar features to their product, and they have a large number of repeat users, where is our advantage? How do we win them over in the competition?”
“You have no confidence?” asked Feng.
“I’m confident, I’m just not blindly confident. You say we can win, so I need to know what we win with.” I asked him rhetorically.
Feng looked at me, but didn’t say anything.
“If you want to say something, just tell me directly.” said I seriously.
“We all know the weaknesses of Lanhai Technology. It was that he trusted the competence of Yan Chen too much. If we find a way to force him to leave Lanhai Technology, the new products that the company will launch will become less distinctive and potential. That’s our chance.” Feng spoke his thoughts.
“But as you know, it’s almost impossible. For Yan Chen, Lanhai Technology is too important to him, and it’s too hard to let him leave.”
“So it’s up to Miss Yao. I’m sure with you knowledge of Lanhai Technology and Hua’s Group, you’ll be able to come up with a good plan.”
I actually knew what he meant. I worked for Hua’s Group for a long time and I certainly had network there. He wanted me to use my contacts there to force Yan Chen out of Lanhai Technology.
Whether his approach would work or not, I rejected this approach in the first place. I didn’t think we should be competing with Lanhai Technology in this way. Yan Chen was an excellent technical expert and I didn’t think we should do that to him.
But I had just started working at the company and I didn’t want to deny Feng’s offer all at once. I couldn’t have a disagreement with the vice president when I just joined the company, or I wouldn’t be able to carry out my work in the future.
“I’ll think about that.” I said hesitantly.
“Ok, Yao, I wasn’t confident that I could defeat Lanhai Technology in a short time, but since you come, I’ve gained confidence. I believe that you can give me good news.” said Feng.
“I think we’d better focus our attention on product competitiveness first. That’s why the company’s self-development is the most important, and as for using despicable means to trap others, it can only be an aid. I hope you and I will work together to make the company better.” I said bluntly.
Feng probably heard some of the displeasure in my words. After he reported to me about the recent developments of the company, he never mentioned anything about forcing Yan Chen out of Lanhai Technology.
I hardly did much on my first day at work. I just kept learning about the company and what the company’s main competitors were doing.
The end of the shift had come, and I noticed that many of my colleagues still worked overtime voluntarily, so I also worked until 19, 00, which was when I came out of the office.
While waiting for the elevator, Wei Wang came over. He wore a white sweatshirt and then carried a shoulder bag. He was very much like a college student, and was not like a technical director of a company.
I nodded to him in greeting. When the elevator came, I got in and he followed.
“Since we happen to be off work together, why don’t we have dinner together?” Wei offered an invitation.
“I already told you this morning that we only have a working relationship, and you don’t remember that?” I said with a cold face.
“I remember. I don’t deny that we aren’t in a working relationship. I just want to have a dinner with you. I can report my work to you while we eat together. You’re my boss, and my boss wouldn’t refuse to invite her technical director to dinner, would she?” Wei said with a playful smile.
“We’ll talk about work tomorrow. I have an appointment tonight.” I still said coldly.
“So when are you free?” said he.
“I don’t know.” I answered directly..
“I know you don’t want to accept on my offer, do you? We’re just having dinner, it’s no big deal. I can pay it for you. We fought together yesterday, and we’re kind of friends, right? Is it appropriate for you to refuse my invitation like this?” Wei pretended to be pitiful.
Actually, I was a little conflicted. I was wondering if I should have dinner with him. He was the main person in charge of the company’s technology, and it was necessary for me to talk to him more. And Wei is a relatively simple person, not so much of a schemer. Getting the company’s situation from him should be truer than getting it from Feng.
“Well, since you’re so sincere, I’ll accept your invitation. What do you want to eat?”
“Great. I’ll eat anything as long as it’s for dinner with you!” said Wei happily.