After ending my conversation with Dai Qiang, I couldn't help but feel a bit complicated. If Dai Qiang's guess was right, then I really didn't understand what Ye Zhi was thinking, because in my mind she had always been a smart woman, so she couldn't be unaware of the drawbacks that I could see.
With these doubts in mind, I sent her a WeChat message for the first time after returning to Dali: "I need to confirm something with you. Did you arrange Dai Qiang's business trip to France this time?"
This time, Ye Zhi replied quickly, keeping it as concise as ever, simply saying "Mm".
I lit a cigarette, and after thinking for a moment, I spoke my true opinion: "I don't think this is a good thing for him, because his colleagues will definitely have something to say about it. I heard that this is a very rare opportunity."
“Your thinking is a bit extreme… He’s a person with high emotional intelligence, and I think he’s capable of handling these criticisms.”
"Put all that aside for now, can you tell me why you gave him this opportunity?"
“I know what you’re thinking… but let me be clear, this has nothing to do with you… The group’s development cannot be separated from talent. When I saw extraordinary abilities in him, as the leader of this group, I have a responsibility to nurture him… He will also have an obligation to make greater contributions to the group in the future. It’s a win-win situation.”
"I'm quite curious, what is it about him that gives him such extraordinary abilities?"
"He is good at handling interpersonal relationships, has a strong learning and memory ability... Most importantly, he has a hard-working spirit that most people born in the 1990s do not have... These are all qualities that are particularly needed in the hotel service industry."
"Really? I had no idea my cousin had so many good qualities!"
“It’s normal that you don’t know, because there’s no working relationship between you and him… Michael, maybe you don’t like hearing this, but Dai Qiang’s ability to survive in the workplace is much stronger than yours. He understands the rules very well and is good at using them, while you, although you can see through things many times, are unwilling to let go and act.”
I reflected on myself because of Ye Zhi's words. She was right. I really hate some of the unspoken rules and interpersonal dynamics in the workplace. So I don't flatter my superiors, nor am I good at stepping on others to show off... If I were to work in the workplace, my ceiling would probably be a product manager who has worked my way up over time.
At this moment, I feel a little hurt.
Ye Zhi sent another message: "But someone like you has more personal charm."
I chuckled and replied, "Wouldn't you say that hit me with a stick and then gave me a piece of candy?"
"No... In today's materialistic society, there aren't many men as loyal and righteous as you."
"The candy you gave me is so sweet! ...I wouldn't mind if you gave me another one."
“I’m not joking with you, so please don’t joke with me either, okay?... Although we haven’t known each other for long, I’ve witnessed you do many things firsthand... That day on the highway, after my tire blew out, many cars passed by, but only you stopped to change it for me, asking for nothing in return... At Erhai Lake, many people gathered to watch, but you were the first to jump in to save people... Money and status are indeed the best adornments for people living in this society. Most of the people around me are like that; I’ve seen enough of them... They naturally attract followers, but this society cannot judge heroes or villains solely by material success or failure... So, after experiencing so much with you, I’m willing to be the one who admires and idolizes you, because there are many things you can do that I can’t!”
I was quite shocked as Ye Zhi said all that...
My phone vibrated again, this time from Ye Zhi: "If you're going to use material things as a superficial standard to measure yourself, then just pretend I never said anything."
A full five minutes passed, during which I drank a bottle of beer before replying to Ye Zhi's message: "I've never been recognized by anyone like this before... I'm a little dizzy, really!"
"That's why this world is so mundane... because most people measure you by your career and status... but there will always be someone who can see your shining qualities. I'm so glad I met you, which makes me believe that besides deceit and treachery, there are still people who can live righteously and bravely."
I drank another bottle of beer and, after calming down for a while, replied, "I feel quite guilty right now, so besides what you just said, I'd like to hear more about my shortcomings."
"You've seen through this world, but you can't live with an attitude that transcends it... If you want to say, that's a kind of vulgarity. I think you care about too many things, so you're not carefree enough."
"Probably... If I could live with an attitude that transcends this world, I wouldn't care about my parents, nor would I plan to have children. I would just find a remote mountain forest and live my whole life alone!"
"You're taking my carefree attitude to an extreme."
I was so confused by Ye Zhi's words that I forgot to reply to her message... And the more I thought about it, the more confused I became, because my ex-girlfriend, Lu Jia, whom I had deeply loved, said something completely opposite... She said that honesty can't put food on the table, and justice may not be rewarded. What I should be thinking about is how to buy a house in Shanghai and how to secure my future life... I said that's a superficial life... She said that's called being realistic.
In the end, I suffered a humiliating defeat at her feet!
...
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