Extra 3: Liu & Zhang Part 1
Ten years ago, Zhang Zixin was still a young man who just came out to work in society. He submitted resumes to one company after another. Unfortunately, he had no work experience and did not graduate from a top university. Almost all the jobs Zhang Zixin could find were in small companies as an office worker. Although he had no ambitions, he still wanted to join a big company, even if it was to do menial jobs.
After all, it was easy for one to switch from a large company to a small company, but it was difficult to climb from a small company to a large company.
Just when Zhang Zixin was about to accept his fate and go to work as an office worker in a small company, he received an interview notice.
Looking at the notification in the mailbox, Zhang Zixin thought there was something wrong with his eyes.
It was from Liu Group, a big company that was well-known throughout the country. He, a fresh graduate, could actually be the CEO's secretary?
This was like a pie falling from the sky. Zhang Zixin once thought that it might be his grandfather in the sky who was watching over him.
He put on a full suit that he had spent all his savings to buy, and entered the gate of Liu Group in a nervous mood. Before that, he even specially bought a financial magazine, and could be considered barely knowledgeable of the CEO of Liu Group.
According to the information, Liu Huan was twenty-six years old, and he could almost be regarded as the second youngest boss of a large company in China, and the youngest one behind Qin Xing.
But even if he wasn't the first, Liu Huan was not someone Zhang Zixin could come into contact with.
According to the information, Liu Huan had no bad habits, did not smoke, did not like to drink, had a simple private life, kept himself clean, had no girlfriend, and had no scandals.
Judging from the magazine, Liu Huan was a serious and self-disciplined person.
After the interview, Zhang Zixin was taken to Liu Huan's office by the interviewer. Only then did Zhang Zixin realize that the magazines were all fake and deceitful, because he could smell a heavy scent of smoke as soon as he entered Liu Huan's office.
The ashtray on the desk was full.
Liu Huan's shirt was not neatly dressed, and the collar hung open sloppily, revealing his collarbone and half of his strong chest. His brows were furrowed, his hair was brushed back, and he was still smoking a cigarette. If no one told Zhang Zixin, he would definitely think this was someone pretending to be Liu Huan.
The interviewer who brought him in said to Liu Huan, "CEO Liu, this is Xiao Zhang, here to apply for the position of your secretary."
Because the secretary would be the person Liu Huan spent the longest time with in the company, so Liu Huan's approval must be obtained.
Liu Huan said impatiently: "We'll talk about it tomorrow, I don't have time today."
The interviewer took Zhang Zixin out. She liked the boy in front of her very much. She smiled kindly and said, "CEO Liu has a bad temper, but he isn't one to take the initiative to make trouble. Come back at this time tomorrow."
Zhang Zixin quickly said, "Okay, I'll come back tomorrow."
He figured that rich people must have some quirks, but as long as he was paid enough, he'd pretend he was blind, couldn't see, not to mention it was just a bad temper——so long as he wasn't violent.
On the third day, Zhang Zixin arrived as scheduled.
But this time Liu Huan was still the same as the day before, asking to continue to postpone.
This went on for a week.
A week later, Zhang Zixin couldn't take it anymore. He entered Liu Huan's office for the ninth time. Seeing Liu Huan saying the same rhetoric as before every day, he dared to go up to Liu Huan in three big steps. With his hands on the desk, he said to Liu Huan: "CEO Liu, my surname is Zhang, Zhang Zixin. I have just graduated from South China University three months ago. If you want me to be your secretary, I will make it so that you will be able to work in a better environment.”
"I'll do my best to help you."
"I believe in my ability, and I hope CEO Liu will give me a chance."
Only then did Liu Huan raise his head and look at Zhang Zixin for the first time. There was a playful smile on the corner of his mouth, as if he was mocking Zhang Zixin's boldness.
Zhang Zixin's heart was pounding in his chest, he didn't want to miss this opportunity, who knew when such an opportunity would come next time.
"That's him." Liu Huan said to the interviewer, "Let him come to work tomorrow."
The interviewer smiled: "Okay."
Liu Huan said again: "By the way, buy him a suit."
"My secretary can't wear such cheap clothes." Liu Huan turned his gaze back to the computer screen.
So Zhang Zixin had his first brand-name suit.
Of course, it would be deducted from his salary.
Liu Huan originally had secretaries, but most of these secretaries resigned by themselves.
After interviewing many applicants, Liu Huan was not satisfied, so he gave the fledgling Zhang Zixin a chance.
And Zhang Zixin also grasped it.
"CEO Liu, here is your itinerary for next week." Zhang Zixin sent the completed itinerary to Liu Huan's mailbox.
However, Liu Huan didn't even look at it: "If I need to look at the watch myself, then why do I need you?"
Zhang Zixin lowered his head silently.
Liu Huan's temper was actually not bad, he just didn't know how to respect people.
Especially the people under him.
In the first year, the relationship between Zhang Zixin and Liu Huan was that of an ordinary boss and subordinate. They didn't joke, and they seldom talked. They didn't interact with each other except for work.
Until the end of the first year, on the 30th day of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Zixin did not go home to celebrate the New Year. His hometown was in the north, and he was reluctant to buy an air ticket——although he earned a lot, his family was not rich. His father even had a car accident while he was in high school and became paralyzed in bed.
His mother had to take care of his father and earn money to support the family.
As a result, his mother forgot to turn off the stove when she went out, and the house was full of gas smell when she came home.
Then his mother quit her job and took care of his father and him at home full-time. The money in the family was the original deposit, which could not support him to finish college, so his mother sold the house and took his father to rent a house together, and the living expenses were earned by the part-time job he found himself.
Zhang Zixin’s current monthly salary was not a small sum, but he was still very frugal. He lived in a one-bedroom rental house, and the monthly rent was only 1700 yuan. However, he had to take a 40-minute bus ride to the company and then transfer to nearly half an hour by subway.
He wanted to save money and buy his parents a house.
Or buy a big house here, and then bring his parents over to live here.
For this goal, Zhang Zixin didn't dare to offend Liu Huan at all. If he had to work elsewhere, it would be impossible for him to get such a high salary.
Although Liu Huan had a bad temper, just like the interviewer said, he would not take the initiative to find trouble.
On the night of Lunar New Year's Eve, Zhang Zixin cooked himself a bowl of quick-frozen dumplings. When he was at home, his mother used to mix special dipping dishes, but now he was alone, so he just poured a little vinegar for himself.
Quick-frozen dumplings dipped in vinegar were actually quite delicious.
Just when Zhang Zixin was about to wash up and go to bed, he received a text message from Liu Huan.
[Golden Age, Room 213, come quickly.]
Zhang Zixin: "....."
This was not working hours, was it? Shouldn't he be on vacation?
Maybe he should just pretend he didn't see it?
Another message came.
[Pretend not to see and your next month's salary will be deducted.]
Zhang Zixin felt that the title of "penny-pincher" over his head would never be taken off.
He could only accept his fate and take a taxi to the Golden Age. When he took a taxi, he saw the jumping rate on the meter and his heart hurt. He wondered if the financial department would reimburse him.
Golden Age was a high-end club.
As long as it had anything to do with high-end, it must not have anything to do with Zhang Zixin.
He had never been to such a place. When Zhang Zixin entered the private room led by the waiter, he felt that his worldview had been impacted.
Besides Liu Huan, there were quite a few people inside, men and women, wearing revealing clothes, and some of them were even hugging each other and doing some indescribable things right out in the open.
Zhang Zixin swallowed, thinking that the scene in front of him was probably the rumored luxurious life indulged by the rich?
As soon as he entered, he saw Liu Huan, who was looked obviously impatient.
Liu Huan stood up, pushed away the two beauties whose breasts were almost falling out of their clothes, and walked up to Zhang Zixin.
"Did you drive?" Liu Huan asked.
Zhang Zixin: ".....I don't have a car."
Liu Huan looked unhappy: "I give you such a high salary, yet you can't even afford a car?"
See, rich people never know the troubles of poor people.
Zhang Zixin secretly rolled his eyes.
Liu Huan turned his head to look at the people in the private room, and when he tilted his head, Zhang Zixin saw disgust on his face.
"I'm leaving first. My secretary came to find me. I have something to do back at the company. I have to go back to deal with it." Liu Huan said to those who had already lost themselves in indulgement.
Those people seemed a little dissatisfied, but they couldn't say anything, so they could only say to Liu Huan: "We'll invite CEO Liu next time."
After leaving the Golden Age, Liu Huan and Zhang Zixin stood on the side of the road waiting for a taxi.
The cold wind was blowing, and Liu Huan looked down on Zhang Zixin: "Where's your money?"
Zhang Zixin: "....It's used up."
Liu Huan looked Zhang Zixin up and down: "You don't look it, but you spend a lot of money."
Zhang Zixin smiled.
Liu Huan taunted him with a few more words. Zhang Zixin, who had endured for a year, was in a bad mood on New Year's Eve, and finally couldn't help saying, "I'm so poor I can barely afford socks! Why don't you buy me one if you care so much!"
As soon as these words came out, both of them were stunned.
Zhang Zixin was about to apologize, when Liu Huan suddenly said, "I won't buy one for you but I have a car that I don't drive, and I can lend it to you. You can pick it up at my house tomorrow."
Zhang Zixin: "....."
Did he, did he hear wrong?
Was Liu Huan mentally retarded?
Liu Huan suddenly said, "If the car wears down even a little, I'll deduct a month's salary from you."
Zhang Zixin replied without thinking: "Then I don't want it anymore. The public transport is ten or a hundred times the size of your car."
Now it was Liu Huan's turn to be speechless.
But he still asked, "What transport?"
Zhang Zixin felt that Liu Huan was a person who lacked common sense in life in a certain way.
After getting into the taxi, Zhang Zixin said, "The bus and subway."
The veins on Liu Huan's forehead popped out: "Did you put the money in the shredder?"
Zhang Zixin couldn't take it anymore: "CEO Liu! I want to buy a house!"
Liu Huan: ".....Oh."
Sitting in a taxi, the two felt that each other was very not cute at all.
Sure enough, apart from working hours, it was better not to have too many interactions.