Harmony and beauty
"Chi Zhuo, I feel like you've changed a bit."
Chi Zhuo stared straight ahead, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"Now you're calling me by my name again?"
"Huh?" Lin Tingyue turned to look at him. "What?"
Chi Zhuo deliberately didn't say it outright, "It's nothing, it's just that I felt like someone didn't call my name just now."
Lin Tingyue suddenly understood in an instant and immediately realized what was going on.
"Hmph! That was before, now is now!"
Chi Zhuo looked thoughtful. "Oh, it's commonly known as face-changing."
"Chi Zhuo!" Lin Tingyue clenched her fists instantly. "Hmph, if you keep doing this, I'll get angry!"
"Hey, do you think your employees would be shocked if they saw your face like this?"
"Definitely not." Lin Tingyue looked confident. "Let me tell you, the employees in my studio are all top-notch talents. We all treat each other as friends, so there will never be any conflicts."
"Not necessarily, right?"
Chi Zhuo subconsciously retorted, which displeased Lin Tingyue.
"Why not? I'm giving them the best treatment and the most generous benefits within my capabilities. Isn't that good enough?"
Chi Zhuo turned the steering wheel and drove into the right-turn lane, his tone calm: "Material support is certainly important, but people's hearts are not that simple. Sometimes the more you give, the easier it is to create estrangement and a sense of entitlement."
What do you mean by that?
Lin Tingyue frowned slightly and turned to look at him. "Am I wrong to treat them well? Put yourself in their shoes. I provide such a good platform and treatment, so they will naturally repay me with loyalty and hard work. The atmosphere in our studio is so great."
"A good atmosphere does not mean there are no potential problems."
Chi Zhuo's gaze remained fixed ahead, his voice carrying a calmness born of experience, "I'm just stating the facts."
Lin Tingyue was taken aback for a moment, then retorted, "Our studio is different. We are in the creative industry, and what we need is to inspire creativity. A relaxed environment is conducive to creation."
“The creative industry is no exception.” Chi Zhuo shook his head slightly.
"Human nature is universal. Listen to this: have you ever thought that this way of getting along might blur the lines? When management and human relationships become too intertwined, rewards and punishments become difficult, and decisions become mixed with unnecessary concerns."
If one day you have to be strict because of project requirements, or make a decision they don't understand yet, the sense of loss might be greater than the impact of maintaining a proper distance from the beginning.
"Keep your distance? Like you?" Lin Tingyue's tone carried a hint of barely perceptible resistance. "Keeping a step away from everyone might make you calm, but don't you think that's too cold and calculating? Can't there be some pure trust and warmth between people, besides interests and rules?"
“I’m not advocating indifference,” Chi Zhuo explained, his voice steady. “Rules and boundaries are precisely to protect that purity from being corrupted.”
A clear division of responsibilities and a well-defined reward and punishment system are essential for fairer and more sustainable cooperation. Unprincipled kindness can sometimes be a form of irresponsible indulgence.
"You're saying I'm indulgent?" Lin Tingyue's voice rose slightly, feeling that her management philosophy and way of dealing with people were being questioned. "Chi Zhuo, do you think I'm naive and childish? Unlike you, President Chi, who is far-sighted and skilled in managing subordinates?"
The car slowly came to a stop at the red light at the intersection.
Chi Zhuo finally turned his head to look at her slightly sullen profile, and his tone softened.
“That’s not what I meant. Your sincerity and enthusiasm are your greatest charm, and the reason why your studio has been able to quickly gather a group of people.”
He carefully chose his words, "I just... I just don't want you to suffer unnecessary harm because of your excessive trust and devotion. I've stumbled before, and I don't want you to stumble again."
His gaze was earnest, carrying an obvious concern.
Lin Tingyue's heart stirred slightly, and her anger subsided somewhat, but the differences in their views were not immediately bridged.
She pursed her lips and said softly, "I know you mean well. But my approach might be different from yours. I trust what I see and feel, and I believe that this camaraderie of fighting side by side is stronger than cold, hard rules."
Chi Zhuo said calmly, "Without rules, there can be no order. When personal feelings replace rules, fairness is lost, and sooner or later, big problems will arise."
"Moreover, most people just see work as a means of making a living. What you may feel for someone else may not be the same to them."
"I..." Her voice lowered, tinged with uncertainty, "I just feel that it's never wrong to exchange sincerity for sincerity."
“Sincerity is priceless, but methods require wisdom.” The light turned green, and Chi Zhuo slowly started the car, his tone becoming gentler. “I think you might be a bit too emotional. Next time, you could consider it from a rational perspective. How to manage a company and its employees? If you have any questions, feel free to ask me, and I can help you answer them.”
A brief silence fell over the car. Lin Tingyue stopped arguing and simply gazed thoughtfully ahead.
Back at the old house, the old man wasn't there this time. He said he was going to stay at a friend's house for a while. However, Lin Tingyue learned from Su Jinghe that the old man had been angered by Chi Zhuo and left.
Lin Tingyue was originally happy to go home today, but when she arrived at the door, she found two uninvited guests.
Su Wanqing and her mother were talking to Su Jinghe on the sofa at that moment.
The smile on Lin Tingyue's face vanished instantly, and she paused slightly.
Chi Zhuo noticed her change and followed her gaze to the living room.
Su Wanqing also saw Chi Zhuo at this moment. She immediately stood up and greeted him warmly with a smile.
"Brother Zhuo, Tingyue, you're back."
Lin Tingyue looked at the scene in the living room and gazed at Chi Zhuo with a complicated expression.
Chi Zhuo is also somewhat complicated.
How did these two end up here?
Still today.
“Wanqing and her aunt came to visit,” Su Jinghe explained with a smile. “They heard you were coming back today, so they stayed a little longer.”
Su's mother looked Chi Zhuo up and down, her words carrying a hidden meaning: "Xiao Zhuo is becoming more and more capable. I heard you recently landed another big project? Wanqing always mentions you at home, saying that she wishes she could learn more from you."
Su Wanqing gave her mother a coquettish look: "Mom—"
Lin Tingyue's lingering displeasure finally surfaced.
The old man's true intention was not in the wine; who couldn't see that?
"Why are you standing? Sit down, everyone," Su Jinghe said.
Chi Zhuo naturally led Lin Tingyue to sit down on the other side of the sofa, facing her. This gesture pleased Lin Tingyue and calmed her down a bit.
"Miss Lin is running her own studio now?" Su's mother turned to her. "It's good that young people are ambitious, but starting a business is not easy. Besides, now that you're married, you should prioritize your family. Xiao Zhuo is already very successful outside, why would she need you to start a business?"
These words implied that Lin Tingyue's entrepreneurial endeavors were immature and that she neglected her family even after getting married. In just a few words, they became a trigger for trouble, leaving Lin Tingyue feeling very angry.
Chi Zhuo said calmly, "Tingting's project is approved by the old man. All the excellent studios in the industry have seen her work. Auntie, don't you think such a successful young woman is a great asset to me? How could I not be satisfied?"
Lin Tingyue glanced at Chi Zhuo in surprise, sensing the tense atmosphere in the air.
Chi Zhuo gently pressed his fingers on her shoulder, as if to comfort her. "Besides, times have changed. Having your own career is very important. I fully support Tingting in doing what she loves."
There was a moment of silence in the living room after he said that.
Su's mother gave an awkward laugh and immediately changed the subject.
"Yes, yes, my Wanqing is a workaholic. She's always focused on her work, and as a result, she hasn't gotten married yet. I'm really worried about her."
Su Wanqing's face was gloomy as she stared intently at Lin Tingyue, for a moment wanting to kill her with her eyes.
"Don't rush, don't rush. Sometimes, when the time is right, things will happen naturally. Look at my Xiao Zhuo. I was really looking forward to him getting married, but he was working overtime every day, which worried me so much that I couldn't sleep."
Su Jinghe glanced at Chi Zhuo, and seeing that he didn't refute her, she became bolder. "Look, now that he has Tingyue, he's become more family-oriented. I'm not in a hurry anymore; he's become much more sensible."
Lin Tingyue looked at Su Wanqing's eyes, which seemed to want to devour her alive, and sneered inwardly, but on the surface, she picked up her teacup and gently blew on it.
“Auntie is right, fate can’t be rushed.” She took a sip of tea, her tone gentle, but her eyes lightly swept over Su Wanqing. “Like Chi Zhuo and me, it just happened naturally. Forcing things, or… clinging to what doesn’t belong to you, that’s what’s truly exhausting, don’t you think?”
Su Wanqing's face instantly turned even uglier.
Mrs. Su was also a little embarrassed, and chuckled awkwardly, "Miss Lin is right...hehe, right."
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Su Jinghe quickly tried to smooth things over: "Oh dear, you young people all have your own ideas these days, so we elders really don't need to worry too much. Wanqing is so outstanding, there must be a long line of men pursuing her, right, Wanqing?"
Su Wanqing forced a smile but didn't reply.
A subtle silence fell over the living room.
Su's mother couldn't sit still any longer. She hadn't achieved any of her goals today and had instead been met with a cold shoulder.
Su's mother suddenly suggested, "Well... look, it's getting late, and we haven't eaten yet."
Su Jinghe glanced at Lin Tingyue and immediately frowned. "Oh dear, it's so late. Look, I completely forgot about it. I'm so sorry." After saying that, she quickly got up and pulled Lin Tingyue over. "Come on, Tingyue, let's go see her off together."
Now, Su Wanqing and her daughter looked even more embarrassed.
After chatting idly for a few more minutes about trivial matters, Su's mother pulled Su Wanqing up to say goodbye.
"Jinghe, then we won't bother you any longer. Let's talk again next time."
Su Jing politely tried to persuade the other person to stay for dinner, but didn't give them any excuse to stay.
After the other party left, Lin Tingyue looked at Su Jinghe beside her with some suspicion.
"mom……"
Su Jinghe smiled and pulled Lin Tingyue towards her home, saying, "Come on, let's go eat."
"Um?"
Su Jinghe was a little surprised, "Didn't Xiao Zhuo tell you? I made braised pork ribs for you today, waiting for you to come back and eat them."
"Mom... I thought you hadn't cooked. But you were just now..."
"I made this for you, not for them. Of course, it's for you to eat."
Lin Tingyue smiled knowingly, "Mom, I've noticed that you're a bit cunning."
Su Jinghe beamed with joy, "Now that you and Xiao Zhuo are living happily together, Mom is completely satisfied. As for those who want to disrupt you, Mom will beat them all away."
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