Ji Yue's clever words tell the story, and Jian Jun's aria asks about the root cause.
"I think it's necessary!" Qian Jianjun pretended not to understand Xue Jiuyue's sarcasm, trying to lighten the mood. Then he pretended to suddenly understand, "Xiaoyue, stop mocking me. Everything I said is true. Think about it, among the thousands of employees in the group, there are always some who are idle and lazy. Once one of them starts, the bad money will drive out the good, and ultimately, a good incentive mechanism will be undermined."
Qian Jianjun's reason was irrefutable and must have been carefully prepared. Xue Jiuyue prevaricated, "I don't believe it. With so many coffee shops in Xialin, you can't find one more suitable than mine."
Qian Jianjun now smiled confidently, "Xiaoyue, there are so many coffee shops in Xialin. Which one do you think is more suitable than yours? Even Mr. Qiu, the business leader of Xialin, would definitely choose yours if you asked him to choose."
"You can find a fast food restaurant like McDonald's or KFC and reimburse their orders. I believe these companies will not collude with their employees for petty profits." Xue Jiuyue still found a loophole.
"I admit I have a bit of a selfish motive. For the group, it's just an expense anyway, so it's better to give it to our own people than to outsiders," Qian Jianjun admitted generously. "But that's definitely not the main reason! Over 80% of our group is under 30 years old, and the remaining 20% are management. Young people these days prefer coffee shops, and they prefer unique coffee over cookie-cutter meals! The coffee and meals in your shop are truly worth recommending. Can you see more dine-in customers? Many of the faces look familiar to me, and they all bow their heads when they see me. These expenses aren't reimbursed by the group, but they're still willing to come. What does that mean? It means my choice was the right one! Honestly, as the decision maker, I'm proud of it! It shows that I, the helmsman, have good taste and vision, and I'm at the forefront of fashion! Ultimately, this will increase the cohesion and centripetal force of our group!"
Qian Jianjun's lengthy speech, so coherent and interconnected, made one have to believe it. Only the last few sentences seemed quite exaggerated. Xue Jiuyue whispered, "Is it really that mysterious?"
"Just think about this, Xiaoyue..." Qian Jianjun's captivating voice began, sounding like the animal world voiced by Teacher Zhao. "As the CEO of a leading home textile company, the head of a company looking to expand into the apparel industry, if your company's culture isn't trendy and is traditional and old-fashioned, how can you even talk about it? How can your employees be convinced? How can they believe this company has a future?"
Xue Jiuyue was unable to refute and could only find another way, "Okay, I'll let Keke do the statistics and return the profits to you."
"Boss Xue, are you asking me to take kickbacks?!"
Xue Jiuyue was amused by Qian Jianjun's joke and had to compromise again, turning on her girlish trickery mode. "Well, let's do this. From now on, when you come to our store to spend money, no matter how much, your bill will be free! Whether it's a kickback or a commission, it's a deal!"
Before Qian Jianjun could answer, Xue Jiuyue said seriously, "Also, to avoid corruption, large companies change their suppliers regularly. As a friend, I don't want my small shop to become the victim of a broken dam."
Qian Jianjun had to pay attention to this matter, as it involved company management. He pondered, "This, this can wait until after this cycle! You're right, I'll definitely pay attention to it."
Seeing Qian Jianjun agree, Xue Jiuyue finally recovered and spoke from the bottom of her heart, "I'm truly grateful to you, Mr. Qian. While your reasons are all reasonable, I know you've put a lot of thought into making me happy. I'm deeply touched by your gifts, your daily flowers, and your cards. But, it's really unnecessary. You see, from the very beginning of this cafe, I haven't been too concerned about customer flow, and I've never considered turnover. After all, how could such a niche place, where time doesn't even leave a mark, be packed? If that were the case, it would also betray my original intention. I think you've seen this, which is why I asked the group to only reimburse takeout orders. Actually, there's no need for that. Money itself isn't everything. Which would you choose, Jianru Group or the equivalent in cash? Even if we ignore spiritual needs and enjoyment, and only consider reality, the various relationships formed in the process of making money are far more important than money itself."
Although Qian Jianjun still hadn't figured out Xue Jiuyue's business model, he could clearly feel that Xue Jiuyue was speaking from the heart, so he was frank and honest. "Xiaoyue, your words are really insightful. I understand. Next time, I will discuss it with you in advance."
"Okay, thank you very much anyway! But when you go back, you can also add fast food restaurants like McDonald's to give employees more options. If that's the case and my business is still good, then I'll gladly accept it!" After the two of them had a heart-to-heart talk, Xue Jiuyue felt a lot more relaxed. "Mr. Qian, you should know better than me that a truly good company can't survive by relying on relationships, backdoors, or connections. Those who can achieve brilliant success must go through the battles of the market! Although mine is just an insignificant little shop, I still hope it can stand the test of the market."
“Xiaoyue, no matter what, no matter whether we have this so-called agreement or not, no matter whether you can accept me in the end, I hope I can still be your friend! Like mountains and rivers, it’s hard to find a soulmate. From the beginning of Jianru to today, we have experienced temptations and doubts, but I have always withstood the pressure and insisted on the market route. Some people in the team and among the senior executives did not understand, and felt that my personal feelings had delayed everyone from making money. It was not until today that your words really expressed my true feelings!” Qian Jianjun spoke very emotionally, and coupled with his bright star-like eyes, it was very contagious.
Qian Jianjun then added, "Xiaoyue, having this kind of philosophy shows that you have a broad perspective and a keen sense of judgment. If you're just opening a coffee shop, I really think it's a waste of your talent. Also, I don't believe this coffee shop is just superficial. I haven't yet fully grasped the underlying business model. Don't tell me, I'll figure it out on my own. It's really interesting."
Xue Jiuyue smiled comfortably, but her answer was vague, "Everything is really simple here! It's my honor to be friends with Mr. Qian and be regarded as a confidant!"
Suddenly Xue Jiuyue seemed to remember something, "Boss Qian, since you are so busy, shouldn't you have a lot of assistants?"
Qian Jianjun didn't understand whether Xue Jiuyue was just chatting casually or had a deeper meaning, so he could only explain, "Quality is more important than quantity. I only have one female assistant at work. I should have mentioned her before. Her name is Gu Quyu. I think it's a reference to the saying 'The song has its mistakes, but Zhou Lang Gu's name is wrong.' She's very capable, and privately the staff call her 'Female Gongjin.' Having her help is still busy, but it's enough."
"She has big eyes, short hair, and is very beautiful and capable." Xue Jiuyue continued to ask.
"Have you met her? Oh, that's right, she recommended me to your place."
"She's both capable and pretty, no wonder she's appreciated by Mr. Qian. Not only is he rewarded with a valuable bag, but he's also allowed to share secrets."
"Share a secret, what secret?"
"Isn't it a secret to the assistant that your wife misunderstood me because of the bag?"
"Oh, about that..." Qian Jianjun was sure he hadn't told anyone, not even Old Zhou, but he still perfunctorily replied, "She drafted the agreement we signed. She's the one who gets more work, so sometimes she's forced to listen to my complaints. But don't worry, she's incredibly reliable, and her words are watertight. This is a proven fact. As she puts it, 'Even drunken talk and sleep talk won't go astray.'"
"I have nothing to worry about. Even if she spreads it, at most your group will just have some gossip about the chairman."
Xue Jiuyue had nothing to worry about. The only thing that puzzled her was that Gu Quyu had deliberately exposed herself to her that day, hoping she would pass on the message to Qian Jianjun. If it was simply to expose Qian Jianjun's plan in advance, she wouldn't have needed to say so much. And even without her warning, Xue Jiuyue would have been able to guess. Was it simply because she couldn't control her emotions? Xue Jiuyue didn't believe it. Since she couldn't figure it out, she might as well go for a walk and see. After all, she didn't think anyone would get hurt.
Qian Jianjun, however, wasn't as calm as Xue Jiuyue. He pondered all night, but couldn't come up with a definitive answer. The most likely scenario was that Gu Quyu was a "spy" planted by Mei Rugu.
Qian Jianjun was still in a daze the entire morning. He couldn't believe it, and he didn't want to believe it. He had a quick lunch in the staff cafeteria and then returned to the office.
"Xiao Gu? Why are you drinking coffee in the middle of the day? Don't you want to take a break?"
"I'm afraid you might need me for something, so I'll be prepared."
"It's indeed the female Gongjin, just in time for a chat."
As usual, the two sat on either side of the desk. Qian Jianjun's gaze wasn't as resolute as before, and Gu Quyu's breathing was a little faster.
"Xiao Gu, we have been working together for several years. You and Lao Zhou have always been my right-hand men." Qian Jianjun didn't know how to start.
Gu Quyu took a deep breath and then said slowly, "Usually when a boss starts a conversation like this, it's either asking for a raise or layoffs. I think this time I'm going to be laid off."
"No, no, that's not what I meant. I was just expressing my feelings. It's lunch break now, so we're not going to talk about work. We're not going to talk about work."
"Let's not talk about work. Is it something I do in life that makes me always unhappy with money?"
Gu Quyu's words were just the beginning, and Qian Jianjun followed up on her words, "No, not really. You're my assistant at work, but I've caused you so much worry and concern in my life, and I'm really sorry."
"You don't have to feel guilty. You've been giving me raises over the years, which is enough to cover my modest contributions."
"No, really, what I gave is far from enough compared to your efforts. In fact, most of the time, I regard you as a friend and the best listener. I can't tell anyone a secret that even Lao Zhou doesn't know. You are the only one who knows the secret and even a participant." Qian Jianjun was still not ready to ask the doubts in his heart.
Gu Quyu asked instead. "What? Did I leak the secret? Or are there any rumors?"
"There are no rumors about me, but there are some other rumors..."
"Why is this rumor related to me?
"Well, well, it has something to do with you. It is rumored that you knew something that was originally known only to the person involved. And I never mentioned this matter at any time." Qian Jianjun finally asked.
Gu Quyu smiled easily, "Mr. Qian, are you still not going to speak your mind?"
"Ah, I still can't hide it from you! Xiaoyue also has the same bag I gave you. Because there is a misunderstanding. Only three people know about this. I was too busy and can't remember if I told you."
"Are you still trying to test me now? Mr. Qian, can't you really remember?" Gu Quyu replied stiffly at first, then lowered her head, waiting for punishment like a little girl who had done something wrong.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
