102. Hidden boss

Ling Ling ran to the coffee shop downstairs from the company and saw Peng Bosheng just taking an order at the front desk. She immediately rushed over, grabbed the order and paid with incredible speed, and then helped him pick up two cups of coffee. "Boss Peng, let me take you to your seat." Ling Ling said attentively. Peng Bosheng glanced at her and said, "No need, I have guests over there. I know what you are going to say. First, no; second, I will discuss business when I return to the office." Ling Ling was not at all defeated by his ruthless rejection. She continued to smile and said, "Boss Peng, you are always so insightful. You knew what I was doing before I even opened my mouth. You are truly the most discerning person I have ever met." Peng Bosheng sneered and said, "Little girl, the company has to spend real money to buy advertising space. I can't be fooled by your insincere compliments. Go back to work, or I will report you to Mei Xiao for absenteeism." Ling Ling dodged his hand, trying to snatch the two cups of coffee, and said with a flattering smile, "Mr. Peng, please don't. I'm just a nobody, so why would I need your cross-departmental supervision? Your guest is that old gentleman, right? I'll take your coffee and leave." Ling Ling quickly glanced around the few people in the cafe. Only an elegant old man sat alone by the window, his table bare of any drinks. Seeing Peng Bosheng didn't try to stop her, Ling Ling approached him warmly, "Hello, sir. Here's coffee for you and Mr. Peng." The old man had white hair and a youthful face, a kind expression, his eyes gleaming with wisdom and gentleness behind his gold-rimmed glasses. "Do you have something to ask Mr. Peng?" the old man asked. "Yes, but Mr. Peng only wants to be with you, so I didn't dare disturb him." Ling Ling said this, but she showed no sign of retreating. Peng Bosheng glanced at her impatiently, trying to signal her to leave, but Ling Ling was so absorbed in his conversation with the old man that she didn't even meet his gaze. "If it's about work, I'd be interested. I'm also from Tuowu, and I won't disclose your client information or trade secrets. Haha." Unexpectedly, the old man said this, followed by a hearty laugh. Peng Bosheng, however, began to smile awkwardly, and said to Ling Ling, slightly embarrassed, "Then tell me. What are your ideas?" Ling Ling quickly pulled a chair over and thanked the old man profusely. She clasped her hands on the corner of the table and confidently pleaded with Peng Bosheng for project resources. "I'm sorry, leaders, for taking up your precious time with this trivial matter of mine. Mr. Peng, we'd really like your help in advertising our new Beiqing shampoo at suburban bus stops or other cooperatives..."

Ling Ling ran to the coffee shop downstairs from the company and saw Peng Bosheng ordering at the front desk. She immediately ran over, grabbed the order and paid with incredible speed, then helped him pick up two cups of coffee.

"Mr. Peng, let me take you to your seat." Ling Ling said attentively.

Peng Bosheng glanced at her and said, "No, I have a guest over there. I know what you're going to say. First, no. Second, I'll discuss this business when I get back to the office."

Ling Ling was completely undeterred by his ruthless rejection and continued to smile, "Boss Peng, you're always so insightful. You knew what I was doing before I even opened my mouth. You truly have the most discerning eye I've ever met."

Peng Bosheng chuckled contemptuously and said, "Little girl, the company has to pay real money to buy advertising space. I can't let a few insincere compliments from you make me lose my mind. Go back to work, or I'll report you to Mei Xiao for absenteeism."

Ling Ling dodged his hand that was stretched out to snatch the two cups of coffee, and said with a flattering smile: "Mr. Peng, please don't. I'm just a small person, why do I need your cross-departmental supervision? Your guest is that old gentleman, right? I'll help you deliver the coffee and leave." Ling Ling quickly glanced around at the few people in the coffee shop. There was only an elegant old man sitting alone by the window, and there were no drinks on the table.

Seeing that Peng Bosheng didn't stop her, Ling Ling walked over warmly and said, "Hello, sir. This is coffee for you and Mr. Peng."

The old man has white hair and a youthful face. He has a kind expression and his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses radiate a wise and gentle light.

"Do you have something to talk to Mr. Peng about?" the old man asked Ling Ling.

"Yes, but Mr. Peng just wants to concentrate on accompanying you, and I dare not disturb him." Ling Ling said this, but her steps did not show any intention of retreating.

Peng Bosheng glanced at her impatiently, wanting to signal her to leave quickly, but Ling Ling was so focused on talking to the old man that she didn't even look at him.

"If it's about work, I'd be interested in hearing about it. I'm also from Tuowu, and I won't disclose your client information or business secrets. Haha."

Unexpectedly, the old man actually said this and laughed heartily. Peng Bosheng, on the other hand, began to smile awkwardly and said to Ling Ling a little embarrassedly, "Then tell me. What are your thoughts?"

Ling Ling quickly pulled over a chair and thanked the old man repeatedly. She clasped her hands on the corner of the table and confidently approached Peng Bosheng for project resources. "I'm sorry, leaders, for taking up your precious time with such trivial matters. Mr. Peng, for the Beiqing new shampoo advertisement, we really hope you can help realize the idea of ​​setting up human-shaped standees at suburban bus stops or other suitable scenic spots. Each standee should feature the beautiful woman's long hair, reflecting the setting sun."

Peng Bosheng took a sip of his coffee and retorted, "Your idea is nothing but highbrow. It won't generate any profit growth for the client, but it's creating so many implementation challenges and costs for our company. You said you want to erect a human-shaped billboard, and you want to support QR code delivery, which requires internet and electricity. Then I'll have to communicate with the municipal government, the fire department, and the industrial and commercial administration department. If anything goes wrong in any of these links, my efforts will be in vain. Girl, do you think they'll be ready at my beck and call?"

"Mr. Peng, I certainly understand that communicating this is incredibly difficult. But the difficulty is directly proportional to the impact its success will generate! Precisely because it's so difficult, if we can succeed, Tuowu will truly be established in the industry. Think about it, right? Furthermore, let's not dismiss this as damaging the landscape or the environment, or just a money-grubbing, unsightly commercial. First of all, our sunset image with the beautiful woman in the evening glow is a natural landscape painting. Furthermore, our shampoo comes in three scents, and the main packaging is green, purple, and pink. We could definitely plant valuable flowers in these three colors around the signboard to enhance the local landscape, wouldn't you agree?"

Peng Bosheng nodded perfunctorily and said, "Yes, yes, you have a lot of ideas and everything you say is right."

Ling Ling spoke softer, "Boss Peng, we're copywriters and creative people. We're the ones who work on the front end. Only when our ideas are implemented can they sell for money. If they can't be implemented and don't produce commercial results, all our ideas are just a piece of waste paper and a bunch of nonsense."

Ling Ling's words amused the two men beside her, and the atmosphere eased slightly. Ling Ling continued, "I know this is quite difficult for you. You know, Mr. Peng, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't dare to ask for this. In this capital, I really can't find anyone else who can realize my advertising idea."

Before Peng Bosheng could answer, the old man spoke first: "Xiao Peng, is there no sugar in your coffee?"

I don't know why the old man who had been listening and smiling motherly all the time suddenly asked this soul-searching question. Ling Ling thought weakly: Grandpa, I just helped deliver the meal, but I didn't order it. If it doesn't suit your taste, just blame Bloomberg.

Peng Bosheng smiled modestly and continued, "Haha, yes, Mr. Zhu, the little girl ate all the candy."

When Ling Ling heard "Mr. Zhu" and looked at the familiar face, she turned around and quietly searched the company's official website. No wonder even a veteran like Peng Bosheng had to be so obedient to him. It turned out that this big boss was Zhu Tingyu, the group's vice president.

Tuowu Advertising, which he founded with Fang Tuowu, has now developed into a media group. He has always been willing to stay behind the scenes, leaving all the glory and benefits in the front stage to Fang Tuowu. Even Fang Tuowu has to be humble and polite when meeting him.

Ling Ling sucked in a breath of cold air and quickly reviewed her performance in her mind. It was basically all impromptu communication, and she could not remember most of it. She just hoped that fate would be kind to her and not cause any trouble to the boss.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ling Ling, who was working overtime, received several long voice messages from Hao Shengnan. She only listened to the beginning, which was a chaotic and slightly stuttering male voice from old Beijing. She knew that it was Hao Shengnan, the brainless male leader, who was holding a life-wasting meeting for them again.

Then came a message from Hao Shengnan: "I really hope the fire alarm goes off in the entire building right now so I can rush out of this conference room and never have to listen to that idiot again."

Ling Ling smiled and sent her a message: "I'm almost done here. I'll wait for you at the barbecue restaurant in the Hutong of Liuliao Road."

Ling Ling arrived at the kebab restaurant early after get off work. As soon as Sheng Nan sat down, he took a few swigs of beer and began to criticize her immediate boss, a greasy young male leader. "This guy, his appearance reflects his heart, from head to toe. Look at him, he's stupid. He even mops the floor when he walks, his feet scraping the ground, like a human sweeper. Except he's garbage himself! No one in our department can understand the instructions he gives, but it doesn't matter. He doesn't understand when we report our work results to him anyway."

Ling Ling laughed after hearing this, and then comforted her, "Well, work is about paying you to work hard. If your job is so good that you love it every day and feel unsatisfied when you don't go to work for a day, then you have to pay the company."

But Shengnan rolled his eyes and said, "I can accept being mediocre, but I can't accept him having to mess with me every day! He's also obsessed with ceremony, saying that any meeting must be held at the same level. If the other party doesn't have a leader of the same level as him, he won't attend. As a result, a few days ago, we had a business negotiation meeting, and the leader of the other party showed up, but he was out making phone calls and then going to the bathroom. He was out too, and asked me to keep an eye on him, saying I'd call him back when he came back. Don't leaders usually have strong bladders? I organized a meeting to discuss specific plans, but who has the time to watch other department leaders pee? It pissed me off!"

Ling Ling handed her another bottle of freshly opened Big Green Stick and continued to find an angle to comfort her: "He's actually anxious to establish his authority, yet frustrated by his incompetence, which has led to an imbalance in his mentality. The more guilty he feels, the more arrogant he becomes; when he can't accomplish anything, he becomes a demon."

"Precise! On point! Incisive!" Sheng Nan gave Ling Ling a thumbs up, and the two clinked their glasses and took a big gulp.