56. Gilded Shackles
"Your skirt is too short."
On the first day at work, HRD Lin Bei hinted to Vivian like this.
No, it's not a hint anymore.
"Huh?" She thought she had misheard.
Over the years, she rarely questioned the appropriateness of her attire. She wouldn't call it stunning, but for a woman always cautious, the word "appropriate" was ingrained in her bones. And on her first day in a new environment, she'd chosen the unassailable, safest choice: a long-sleeved shirt and pencil skirt.
How short can it be?
When saying this, although the two were eating alone in the restaurant, Lin Bei looked around and then explained softly: "The boss doesn't like skirts that are too short."
When Vivian first joined the company, the company prided itself on emulating the ultra-strict dress codes of foreign investment banks. They even printed a pamphlet, modeled after UBS, detailing the dress code, even including guidelines for lipstick colors and nail art styles. While not requiring everyone to wear a three-piece suit, men were required to wear a plain suit and a tie when meeting with clients. Women had slightly more options, limited to dresses in black, white, gray, and blue. Polo shirts and jeans were the only days allowed on Fridays.
It’s “or” - it’s best not to have these two things appear at the same time, otherwise it would be “too casual”.
These rules and regulations seem ridiculous now. Even working like an ox or a horse, one still has to buy a beautiful bridle at one's own expense.
But in that era when salaries were increasing year by year, everyone was eager to put on these gilded shackles.
These... are of course the past events of the white-haired palace maids.
In recent years, the positions of investors and entrepreneurs have reversed, with more and more startups being invested in. Most investment firms have completely abandoned all the formalities. After all, even Goldman Sachs bankers have started wearing Lululemon. They want to mingle with entrepreneurs. Otherwise, everyone else will be wearing a sweatshirt with a company logo, while you'll be wearing a suit and tie, with a slicked-back hair and a shaved face.
But Mr. Wang's requirements were unusual. Even someone like Vivian, who had studied a 40-page booklet, was deemed unqualified.
She hurriedly asked humbly: "Excuse me, does the company have any special regulations?"
Lin Bei replied, "The skirt must be below the knee, sleeveless, and open-toed shoes are not allowed... well, there are other things. I'll have Xiao Guo send you some information later."
Vivian curled her lips. She didn't like suits; she wore dresses almost every season, the only difference being the material and whether or not she wore tights. In the summer, she'd just throw on a sundress and go out; it was comfortable and hassle-free. She didn't need to match anything; a blazer draped over the back of a chair was enough for any occasion.
Seeing her expression of disdain, Lin Bei added, "Let me put it this way, I was once asked to accompany an employee to buy clothes during working hours and change clothes on the spot."
"You're going there in person? Can't you send an assistant for this kind of thing?"
"The boss said he only trusts my taste," Lin Bei shrugged. They both knew that this kind of talk was just to make you feel a little better when doing things for free.
"What did you buy? Did the company pay for it?"
"Theory, you can't go wrong with work clothes. Even though it's humiliating, it's also a benefit."
Vivian continued to curl her lips. She wondered if the salary increase would cover the cost of clothing.
Xiao Guo, a three-year-old college graduate and a year into his job at our company, will be assigned with Vivian to support the local office's HR and administration work. He has a round face and a clean demeanor.
Xiao Guo was more enthusiastic and simpler than Lin Bei: "Actually, wearing long pants is the most convenient."
"I look ugly in pants."
"How could that be, sister!" Xiao Guo stuck out his tongue, "By the way, addressing me as 'sister' or 'brother' is also not allowed!"
While Vivian frowned at this kind of address, she found such detailed rules a bit odd. She'd only previously heard the joke about a major computer company forbidding people from calling their bosses "Boss." To demonstrate their approachability, the boss greeted everyone at the company entrance on the day the rule went into effect, and employees, regardless of rank, were required to boldly address their boss by name (once).
The employee was so shocked after hearing this that he was almost trembling. Everyone knew that this boss was famous for his arrogance.
Seeing Vivian's puzzled look, Xiao Guo simply pulled her into the tea room and let her out. As expected, the young woman was a newbie in the workplace, and she couldn't hold back. Over a cup of coffee, he'd finished sharing all the gossip about Mr. Wang.
Mr. Wang, Wang Yiran. A top student and a beautiful woman.
After graduating from Dartmouth, he joined Morgan Stanley as an analyst, a typical academic and career path for an elite student. He then went on to earn an MBA at Wharton, and after graduation, he joined a giant sovereign wealth fund in the Middle East.
There, she not only soared in career but also found love, falling in love with a partner who wasn't her direct supervisor. Although the company discouraged relationships between colleagues, especially those between superiors, this boyfriend actively supported her career. Within eight years of her first year at M, she had risen to managing director.
Seeing no hope of becoming a partner as a young Asian woman, she resolutely left without further ado, leveraging the resources and connections she had accumulated over the years to establish a new firm. While the firm's size couldn't match her old one, she still had her own say, which was much more comfortable than being a senior cog in the wheel.
For the dozens of employees at this company, Mr. Wang's word is law, and it determines their life and death. Although the work is only for eight hours, everything the employees have is naturally a gift from this respectable job.
At least that's what bosses always think.
Two years after founding the company, Wang Yinren broke up with her boyfriend. The reason remains unknown, though it's known that her ex-husband remains a key contact at the company. Rumor has it that she also found a boyfriend, an artist ten years her junior. She admired his uninhibited nature, and he truly wasn't interested in money. He would leave her at the slightest disagreement, a prime example of a gigolo.
But for her, this has become a rare quality. Her boyfriend loves motorcycles, so she buys him one after another. Her boyfriend works in installation art, so she takes time to accompany him to exhibitions.
Speaking of this, Xiao Guo showed an expression of great envy on his face.
Love is so beautiful. Vivian also felt this way.
Ms. Wang isn't a love-brained person; she simply has the ability to do whatever she wants. Now that she has money, who can't be a pure love warrior?
At the end of the gossip, Xiao Guo reminded Mr. Wang that he would be returning to Beijing next Monday, “Don’t be late.”
On that day, Vivian arrived at the office twenty minutes early. Everyone was already gathered. The elevator dinged, and a thin figure whizzed through the door like a whirlwind. Lin Bei was already waiting at the front desk. Everyone in the cubicle was like someone in "Dream of the Red Chamber," "everyone was silent, held their breath, and was respectful and solemn."
Seeing everyone's behavior, Vivian recalled the interview and began to doubt that she was too disrespectful.
Seeing Vivian, she nodded slightly. She hadn't changed much since they last met: her face was light brown, her eyebrows slightly sunken, and her hexagonal face meticulously painted with makeup.
"Come to my office."
Vivian followed her in.
"How's it going?" she asked. Her secretary followed closely behind her and took her coat and bag.
Vivian couldn't help but be affected by her aura and said cautiously: "Mr. Wang, I just reported for work last week and I'm getting used to it."
Wang Yiran nodded: "Lin Bei should have told you everything you need to know."
She paused, wondering what she was thinking. Vivian remained silent.
In the office, when you don’t know what to say, it’s best not to say anything.
If you don't say anything, you'll appear dumb at best. If you say the wrong thing, the consequences will be difficult to explain.
"You should be familiar with the company's history and culture. I just brought domestic companies in the new energy vehicle and e-commerce industries to visit the UAE." Wang Yiran returned to his comfort zone and talked freely, "The reason why the company set up dual headquarters from the beginning is because there are many potential LPs in the Middle East.
Limited Partner: Investor of a private equity fund
, sovereign funds, family offices, etc.; secondly, Chinese companies, especially new energy companies, are going overseas, and we can help them better localize; thirdly, the financial market is well-developed, and companies can directly IPO on the local securities market, with a clear exit path."
Bosses love to talk at length, and their subordinates can only listen. Vivian's expression was serious, but she couldn't help but retort in her heart: Isn't it because your life of cheating started there?
Forgetfulness is a necessary skill for successful people. If you don't brainwash yourself, how can you survive the long years alone? And you also have to brainwash the media and brainwash your employees.
Despite the company's short history, the onboarding training was quite formal, covering development history, corporate culture, and business strategy. It took two full days, and there was also an exam, with a strong emphasis on mission, vision, and values. This was a minor issue for Vivian, who excelled at testing, but what history could a company with no experience of even a single fund cycle have?
"...Anyway," Mr. Wang changed the subject, "Vivian, ESG here
Environmental, social and corporate governance is an evaluation system for measuring the sustainable development performance of enterprises and organizations
I hope you can take on this job part-time. I think you're a good fit."
To put it simply, multitasking is nothing more than having two jobs. Urban oxen and horses in air-conditioned offices are far more pitiful than those in the wilderness.
She didn't know where the "in any case" came from, but she could only nod. Strangely enough, she didn't dislike her unquestionable behavior.
This kind of extraordinary charm does exist. Vivian had heard about how the man who always returned to China next month fooled a group of extremely intelligent leaders, and she had also witnessed with her own eyes the reality-distorting perspective of the entrepreneur who was said to have amassed $4.4 billion from Masayoshi Son in just half an hour.
Wang Yiran probably can't compare with them, but it's enough to attract or shock a small group of people.
Vivian did not approve of her charm, but it was difficult to refuse.
Walking out of the only corner office in the company, she felt a little heavy in her heart because this kind of boss was not easy to deal with.
But a slight excitement also rose in me. Because life is short, and living the same life is not worth it.
If you fear that life will be boring, life will be filled with busyness... and surprises.
The next day, Wang Yiran was about to leave the office and passed the work area when he suddenly said, "Vivian, come with me."
She hurriedly stood up, threw the notebook into her bag, put on her coat and hurried out with her.
The person who went there was actually his former employer.
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