Shanghai,
PENELOPE
After much deliberation with my family, my dad finally agreed to let me get a job.
At first he insisted I worked at his company- Ager automated, one of China’s best automation control companies- 2years in a role, but I refused.
I knew my father so well, he would have just had me sit in a pretty office all day without giving me any real or serious task to handle, and that would be even worse than staying home all day.
Being the only daughter and the last child with 3 older brothers, my life have literally been a bed of sweet roses and I didn’t like that much, I needed to challenge myself.
I was never allowed to do anything meaningful, and was always babied even though I’m already 23.
I’ve always envied and longed to be like the women in 2 of the most popular families of Minnesota- the Luthels and the Winfreys, so industrious and independent.
So, after college I tried running away to a smaller country and live a while there in solitude, but my father found me and there I was again, asking for my freedom.
My brothers didn’t help matters as they took the roles of big brothers to a whole different level.
So, even at 23 I still never really had a life or pretty much a love life- in general, my life sucked.
That was until I blackmailed my way into convincing my parents that I’ld work for a year before getting married to whomever they’ve chosen for me, unless I’ll just have to tell the whole of China that Ager automated exports faulty products.
Since the Xiang family take great pleasure in deciding who their children’s life partners would be, mine was already decided at the age of 17.
But, unlike my cousins and aunties before me, I had the privilege of a year of freedom from my hellish family, so I took it.
I went for an interview at S. Group for the position of Creative Executive that just opened up, and I got the job.
But, the day that was my happiest was my family’s saddest and I loved it. I needed space from them, and I wasn’t turning back now.
I was also thinking of getting an apartment far from home for the next one year, completely and totally dependent on only what I earn as an office lady.
My plan was simple, get a job, move out, make friends I can drink and have hot-pots with on weekends, go clubbing and stay out late without anybody sending troops of bodyguards all over the city to search for me, and I had just a year to do all these.
I was beyond excited, not just because I was about to take my first step into womanhood, but also because I was about to meet one of my favorite celebrity in the world- my idol, Heather Winfrey.
You can only imagine my disappointment when I found out that there was a new CEO at S. Group. And worse of all, he hated everybody and always yells when something wasn’t done right.
My first week here, I had already done an all-nighter 3days in a row, and as the creative minds of the company, it sucks staying up 3nights in a roll.
But today, I still got up from bed, took a shower and hurried to work, because I wasn’t going to let a horrible boss ruin my perfect one year plan for freedom and independence.
I presented the pitch my team and I had had to redo for the 3rd time this week, while he just sat there grumpy and ready to judge.
“And what if the cost of projections declines due to the current phase in distribution, what then do we do?” he asked in a serious tone, immediately I finished my presentation.
“Well, the marketing team will have to push up the distribution channels and make it wider, that way even though the cost of projection declines, it won’t hurt us. But we cross our fingers and hope there will be no decline in the projection, Sir.” I concluded, setting relief in the hearts of my co-executives present.
I looked at him sternly, praying he doesn’t ask for a redo, and thankfully for the first time this week, I got a well-done from my overly serious, always yelling boss, Mr. Daniel Winfrey.
But right there and then, he gave another task that we had to present on Monday. I mean it’s freaking Friday, and spending my weekend doing work wasn’t part of my plan.
I have to do something about this before it turns into an every weekend thing- like, what is the hurry?
It’s always as though he’s trying to finish a year’s work in just one month, and it’s starting to take a toll on everyone at the office.
I decided to stay behind after work hours and work on the task alone, while giving my team an off from the week’s stress. No way Mr Winfrey was going to ruin my weekend and theirs too, I won’t let that happen.
I finished by 2am and was about heading out when I heard him talking to someone on the phone.
Wow, he even keeps late night at the office? What a workaholic.
“Livy, I won’t let anything happen to you, but you have to calm down and tell me what is going on?”
“You are not going to be alone, never.”
“You need to calm down and listen to me please, you can’t… hello?! Hello?! Livy?!…” he yelled through the phone.
Wow, it seems like trouble in paradise, and my curious mind couldn’t help but wonder.
Could it be his girlfriend on the phone? I wondered what she had just told him that sent him into a panic.
I was lost in my own imagination that I didn’t see him coming out of his office as he bumped into me, throwing me down on the floor.
Why is he always in a hurry all the time?
“Ms. Xiang? What are you doing here at this late hour, shouldn’t you be home?” he asked suspiciously, like I was a thief.
“Actually, I was about to head home when I saw your door slightly open and the lights were on, so I came closer to make sure you were the one in there.” I lied.
I was eavesdropping, and now I’ve been caught.
“How long have you been working here?” he surprisingly asked me.
I… have been working here for the past freaking month, how could he not know that? He employed me after all. Am I that dispensable and irrelevant?
“Over a month now, sir.” I replied feeling abashed.
Now, I’ll really get an ear full for eavesdropping on his phone call. I could tell he’s all tensed up, so a yelling is well on its way.
“Ah, so it’s been that long. How time flies when you’re trying so hard to catch it. I have stayed away too long, and now I’m afraid some damages might have already been done.” He stated, catching me by surprise.
First of all, it’s how time flies when you are having fun. And secondly, I was expecting some yelling at, not this. This is my first time seeing him tensed and calm at the same time.
Now, I was dying to know what that call was about and who that was Livy? It’s a problem I have, my curiosity most times gets the better of me, but what the hell…
“Is Livy the reason why you always act like you are running out of time every single time?” I asked.
Shit, Penelope not again…
“I knew it. Ill have you know that it’s rude to eavesdropping on your boss’s conversations. Next time this mistake repeats itself, it won’t be forgiven. I promise you that” he replied angrily.
Good job Penelope- just perfect.
Now your boss thinks you are a creep, when he’s actually the weird one.
I gave up, so I just bowed and let him have the last words as he walked out from my presence.
I might be going insane, but now I’m really interested in knowing what was going on behind that mean and rude demeanor of my boss.