Around 3:30 PM, Xia Xiaobing drove back to the apartment building and let the two girls out. Then, she took Lu Zhe and parked the car in the parking lot of the nearby software park.
It was just past four in the afternoon when Xia Xiaobing and Lu Zhe entered the empty company office.
Lu Zhe glanced around and sensed something was amiss, so he asked, "President Xia, why is nobody here?"
Xia Xiaobing: "Today is Sunday, of course there's no one here."
Lu Zhe: "I thought the algorithm department would be working overtime here..."
Xia Xiaobing: "You're overthinking it. Even if we have to work overtime, it's on Saturday. Besides, our company doesn't have a formal 996 work schedule. It's just that sometimes we don't finish our work, so we occasionally have to work overtime on Saturdays."
Occasionally?
Lu Zhe was a little suspicious, but of course he wouldn't be so foolish as to say anything more. He simply nodded and silently followed the mature woman into her CEO office.
Upon entering the office, Lu Zhe sat down on the sofa with practiced ease, waiting for his boss's instructions.
Xia Xiaobing sat down behind her desk, turned on her computer, and looked at him, asking, "When you were chatting with Xiao Qiu before, did you directly discuss artificial intelligence with it?"
Lu Zhe: "Discussing artificial intelligence with artificial intelligence?"
Xia Xiaobing: "Yes, has it ever happened?"
Lu Zhe recalled for a moment and said uncertainly, "There should have been some, but we didn't discuss them in great depth. What I was thinking was to imitate the usage of smart speakers on the market, to be more relatable to daily life, and to talk about issues that everyone talks about."
Xia Xiaobing looked at the computer screen: "Your idea isn't wrong... Come on, fill out this questionnaire."
Lu Zhe walked over and saw a questionnaire on the screen, which mainly consisted of multiple-choice questions.
Those questions were mostly about the AI Xiao Qiu, used to determine its level of intelligence and the flexibility of its question-and-answer language.
Lu Zhe bent down, holding the edge of the table with one hand and the mouse in the other, and began to work on the problem.
However, Xia Xiaobing quickly stood up and said, "You sit down and do it."
Lu Zhe sat down in her chair, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. After all, he had never experienced sitting in his boss's chair in front of him before.
There weren't many questions, and they weren't difficult at all. In less than ten minutes, Lu Zhe had finished all the multiple-choice questions. Just as he was about to stand up, he felt a pair of hands pressing on his shoulders.
Through the fabric of the short-sleeved T-shirt, I could feel the warmth of those soft hands and the gentle yet firm pressure.
So Lu Zhe didn't stand up or turn around; he just stared straight at the computer screen, even though his mind wasn't on the screen at all.
"You have a strong work ability, and I can see that you have great potential. However, I don't know if you would be willing to take on a few more tasks in the future?"
Xia Xiaobing whispered in his ear. Her voice was somewhat deep, but unlike a male bass, it had a soft, magnetic quality that made Lu Zhe think of the legendary sirens.
But he, who has always abhorred the 996 work schedule, remained unusually clear-headed at this moment and asked, "Specifically, how should I take on this responsibility?"
Xia Xiaobing chuckled softly, but then steered the conversation in a strange direction: "You know, our company is a startup. I started it while I was doing my master's degree, and I even got support from the school back then. Later, we achieved some success and attracted investors. But the company is still relatively new, so many things are not perfect... For example, I still do many things myself. I don't have an assistant or secretary to help me, and I don't have any partners to help me manage the company."
Lu Zhe silently swallowed.
He had already discerned the underlying meaning in Mr. Xia's words: he was being tempted by a better job offer. Compared to the unrealistic lure of a partnership, he felt that an assistant or secretary position was more practical.
But the question is, why myself?
Xia Xiaobing continued, "Of course, you haven't been with the company long enough for me to promote you immediately. So, as long as you complete the work I've assigned you recently, you can become a full-time employee. Then, you'll be more deeply involved in the AI Xiao Qiu project, and if you achieve certain results, you'll naturally be promoted."
Lu Zhe had certainly seen bosses make empty promises before. But the promises made by General Manager Xia seemed a bit strange, because they were too specific. Normally, leaders don't make overly specific promises, lest they be unable to fulfill them and damage their authority. But now…
Lu Zhe couldn't help but ask, "Are you so sure I can achieve results?"
Xia Xiaobing chuckled and said, "Heh, because I know what I'm doing with that project. I also know what you're capable of."
You seem to have a lot on your mind—Lu Zhe wanted to say that.
However, what he said aloud was, "Thank you very much for your high regard. I'm just a little curious, how did you come to recognize my abilities?"
Clearly, Mr. Xia doesn't treat other employees in the company this way. Not to mention ordinary employees like him, even other management personnel wouldn't receive such treatment.
To say that she saw through his abilities... that only made Lu Zhe more puzzled. He didn't even know what abilities he possessed.
Xia Xiaobing still held his shoulder, her tone quite meaningful: "To be honest, I have a feeling. My intuition tells me that your abilities go far beyond doing operations, testing, and assistant work."
Lu Zhe was taken aback: "A premonition, an intuition?"
Xia Xiaobing said with confidence, "Seeing the essence from seemingly insignificant details is my ability."
Lu Zhe: "You're Sherlock Holmes?"
Xia Xiaobing: "So what are your thoughts?"
Lu Zhe pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Of course I'll do the work you assign me and do my best to do it well. As for promotions and raises, that's up to you, but of course, it would be great if I could get one. I just want to know, will there be a lot of overtime in the future?"
Xia Xiaobing smiled and said, "In my opinion, the best leader isn't the one who shouts 'Charge!' but the one who shouts 'Follow me!' So you can rest assured about one thing: when you're working overtime, I'm definitely working overtime too. My working hours can only be more than yours, understand?"
Lu Zhe: "Understood, I have no problem, I'll follow your instructions."
What else could he say? President Xia had already made his point clear; to refuse now would be incredibly ungrateful.
Xia Xiaobing then said, "Alright, get up."
Lu Zhe stood up and watched as the mature woman sat back down in her chair. Then, she turned her head and looked over.
Xia Xiaobing parted her lips slightly and said softly, "It's your turn to massage my shoulders."
Lu Zhe was completely dumbfounded.
Logically speaking, it was a bit excessive for the boss to make such a request, but seeing the fleeting blush on that beautiful face, Lu Zhe felt that he was definitely not the one who would suffer a loss.
So he stood behind President Xia and stretched out his hands.
————
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