Jiang Nan Fang appeared calm, as if everything had been arranged.
"It's simple. Stay at Grei if you can. If not, you can leave with me."
"No one is Zhan Bei Jue's lifelong laborer. People die for wealth, birds die for food. We are all adults, can't he understand this logic?"
Her words left everyone speechless.
Indeed.
They were all adults.
In this era where morality was worthless, expecting others to self-regulate and not cause trouble for oneself.
Wasn't that the thinking of a kindergartener?
Everyone's minds began to stir.
"But..." Engineer Li frowned.
"I can't leave right away. My contract with Zhan Shi still has half a year left."
"In half a year, your project will be halfway done. If I join then, will I still get equity?"
Engineer Zhang chimed in, "Yes, I can't leave immediately either. My situation is even longer; I just renewed my two-year contract."
Everyone looked at each other, seemingly facing the same issue.
But Jiang Nan Fang remained calm, clearly having anticipated this problem.
"As long as you're willing to follow me, these are not issues."
"Those who are willing to go, sign this contract today and go to Vice President Gao to resign tomorrow."
"If you can resign, I'll give you half a month to hand over your work. If you can't resign, I have solutions for that too."
"One, you can be absent without leave, violating company policy, and let them proactively dismiss you. Of course, I will compensate you for the lost salary."
"Two, apply for contract termination. If termination fails and you are sued by legal affairs, I will handle the lawsuit for you."
"As long as you trust me and are willing to follow me, I will protect you no matter the cost."
The next morning, the Quality Department needed a document and called the Technical Department to consult Engineer Li, who was in charge of the product. They called several times, but no one answered.
Thinking the entire Technical Department was empty, the Quality Supervisor went upstairs himself.
Upon arriving at the Technical Department, he found that except for Engineer Li, all other engineers were at their stations.
This was too irresponsible.
The desk phones rang beside them repeatedly, and everyone pretended not to hear?
"Where is Engineer Li? Why isn't he answering the phone?"
No one responded to his question.
In a fit of anger, the Quality Supervisor went to Vice President Gao's office to complain.
Soon, Vice President Gao arrived with his team.
"Where is Engineer Li? Why haven't I seen him all day today?"
Someone replied, "I don't know, we haven't seen him either."
"What kind of answer is that? You haven't seen him? Did he not come to work today?"
"We are here to work, not to tail him. Who knows if he requested leave from you?"
"..."
Vice President Gao had to call Engineer Li himself.
Engineer Li said, "I'm sorry, Vice President Gao. I'm in my hometown right now. My grandfather fell ill suddenly last night, and I'm his only grandson..."
"You didn't say anything about going home. When will you be back? Submit a leave request."
Engineer Li said, "Alas, I was just about to tell you, I can't go back."
"My parents dislike that I'm not married at my age and already disagreed with me living alone in Nancheng. Now that my grandfather is ill, they're forcing me to stay."
"I am the only son and grandson in the family, and it's difficult to refuse. Vice President Gao, how about I write a resignation letter and you approve my return to my hometown?"
Well.
What kind of situation was this, resigning just like that!
But honestly, the Technical Department didn't lack him.
Since he had family matters, Vice President Gao didn't want to make things difficult.
Thus, Engineer Li left smoothly.
With his lead, in the following week, some people deliberately took days off, some were lax in their work, and some used excuses to ask Vice President Gao for a raise, making exorbitant demands.
For a time, the Technical Department was in chaos.
The following Monday, at the weekly meeting, Vice President Gao was furious.
"What is going on? Just because we sold nearly ten billion worth of products last year and were industry models for a year, you've gotten arrogant?"
"Don't forget! The products weren't designed by you! The orders weren't signed by you! Your wings aren't strong enough to act recklessly, so all of you, tread carefully!"
"We've been colleagues for so many years, and I haven't treated you unfairly, have I? Why didn't I realize you were so heartless before?"
"You want to mess up a perfectly good Technical Department? You don't even want your nest anymore? Are you rebelling?"
Someone retorted, "We are heartless? It's true the best-selling products last year weren't our original designs, but without our cooperation, could they have yielded such quick results?"
"Exactly. The mold drawings were all modified with our cooperation, and all the later tooling was done by me. For that product, I don't know how many nights I stayed up, how many overtime hours I worked, why is there no credit at all?"
"They were all busy with new products, but the old products were my and Engineer Li's responsibility."
"Grei has over four hundred products of various sizes. Each of us is responsible for over two hundred, busy with trivial matters every day, why don't you see it?"
"After working for so many years, apart from receiving an extra month's bonus last year, my salary has never increased. I've wanted to quit for a long time."
Everyone had their grievances, everyone had their emotions.
Vice President Gao finally understood.
This wasn't just occasional bad moods and dissatisfaction; this was planned and premeditated.
They wanted to collectively force his hand!
"So what are you all trying to achieve by causing trouble for a week? Salary increases? A collective raise?"
"My dear sirs, please use your brains. Even if I wanted to help you get a raise, is this the right time to talk about it?"
"We just lost a major project that brought fame to the company, and then we turn around and ask the president for a collective salary increase. You might as well throw me onto a fire!"
Vice President Gao indeed had his difficulties.
But this was not an excuse for them to be considerate.
No one had such noble integrity as to forgo high salaries to watch him play the victim every day.
"I have a new girlfriend, and I need to support her every month. I also have mortgage and car loan payments. If my salary isn't increased, I really can't survive."
"Vice President Gao, if you really can't increase it, please let me go."
"Me too. My family members are often sick, and I still have mortgage and car loan payments. The pressure is too great..."
"I've also hit a bottleneck. I really can't develop good projects, and working every day is very painful. I want to take a break from work and relax for a while..."
Vice President Gao was so angry he felt like spitting blood.
"So if I don't agree to give you a salary increase today, you won't stop?"
"Fine. Tell me, how much do you want? I'll try my best to negotiate."
Everyone looked at each other, no one spoke up.
Vice President Gao asked Engineer Zhang, "Don't look at others. You speak. How much a month can support your family?"
Engineer Zhang scratched his nose, and after a long pause, hesitantly extended a finger: "This much."
Vice President Gao's sharp gaze swept over everyone.
"It seems you've all agreed, and none of you will accept less than this amount, right?"
Everyone remained silent.
Silence was consent. Fine.
The next morning, Zhan Bei Jue was listlessly eating breakfast while browsing news on his phone.
The butler reported, "Young Master, Vice President Gao is here."