Xiao Lin shook the water off her fingers, her fingers slender and fair. She smiled at Xu Xiangbei and said, "Brother Xu, where is your friend? Has he arrived?"

Xu Xiangbei shrugged, deliberately pretending not to see Shan Mingzhi: "He came and then left."

"I’ll head to the private room first and wait for you there."

Shan Mingzhi stood there, dumbfounded, watching Xiao Lin go upstairs. Like a swiftly running penguin, he approached, grabbing Xu Xiangbei’s arm with a face full of embarrassment: "Bro... Brother Xu, do you know Xiao Lin?"

Xu Xiangbei dismissed it with a smile: "Of course I know her. I said after the meal you could take a photo with her. You insisted I was lying to you, so you better go home; I’m a big liar."

"I’m sorry, how would I know you’re friends with Xiao Lin..."

To obtain an autographed photo from the goddess was very rare for Shan Mingzhi. To have a meal with her was, he felt, the best meal of his life. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"You said you’re leaving Thunderbird Group and couldn’t tell me why. Can you tell me now?"

Shan Mingzhi ate a beef seafood ball, hot enough to bend his tongue: "Yes, of course, yes. You let me have a meal with my idol, you’re my good friend, and good friends don’t keep secrets. President Zhao of Hengyu Group is offering me double salary to work at his company. Double salary is a good offer."

Xu Xiangbei snorted coldly at Zhao Changheng’s mischief: "Isn’t it just double salary? If Zhao Changheng can offer it, so can I. Not only double salary, but Xiao Lin is also the game spokesperson for our Thunderbird Group. She can have dinner with you once a month. How about that?"

Shan Mingzhi stared blankly at Xu Xiangbei. Initially, he didn’t understand what Xu Xiangbei meant until he realized Xu Xiangbei was not as simple as he appeared. He asked curiously, "Xu... Brother Xu, you say you’ll pay my salary, who exactly are you? Aren’t you the new guy in the office?"

Xiao Lin laughed next to them, teasing Xu Xiangbei: "He’s a big monster, Boss Xu, Dr. Xu, President Xu, and possibly the office junior. Whatever you think he is, he is."

Xu Xiangbei grinned playfully at Shan Mingzhi and said: "I’m Xu Xiangbei, the new President of Thunderbird Company. I know you’re a senior programmer at the company and a talent. For valuable talents, I always consider them friends. For those who deliberately mess with me, I’ll see them as enemies. Are you my friend or my enemy?"

Shan Mingzhi’s jaw dropped again. He didn’t expect the new President of the company to be someone younger than him.

He collected his thoughts, smiling as he shook Xu Xiangbei’s hand, his chubby face radiant with intentional flattery: "Brother Xu, of course, we’re friends. I just didn’t expect you to be so young and handsome."

Poof, Xiao Lin couldn’t help laughing: "You little chubby, you’re such a flatterer. Where is he handsome?"

For Shan Mingzhi, being called "little chubby" by the goddess was an intimate nickname, and he was almost ecstatic to his core.

Xu Xiangbei was very satisfied with Shan Mingzhi’s response, not regretting the effort he spent on persuasion and trouble.

"Later, after we eat, you can take more photos with Miss Xiao Lin."

After a satisfying meal, Xu Xiangbei used Shan Mingzhi’s phone to take some photos of Shan Mingzhi and Xiao Lin. Shan Mingzhi was both excited and nervous, stepping on Xiao Lin’s shoes several times.

Xiao Lin didn’t mind. She struck a close pose with him, her voice as gentle as water: "Thank you for supporting me. I’m very happy to take a photo with you."

Emotionally moved, Shan Mingzhi’s eyes were full of tears, his chubby face flushed: "Thank you, I’m very happy too."

On the way to send Shan Mingzhi home, Xu Xiangbei smiled and said: "I’ve been good to you, right? I try to do what I promise. You must support my work. Now is the time the company needs people, everything is waiting to be done, and we are very short-handed. Stay at Thunderbird Company and work hard."

Encouraged by Xu Xiangbei, Shan Mingzhi swore: "Okay, President Xu, you’ve been so good to me, I’ll stay at Thunderbird Group and work with you. Even if President Zhao puts a knife to my neck, I won’t betray you."

Within a few days, Xu Xiangbei met with all the middle managers of Thunderbird Company, expressing his determination to save it, allowing them to see hope.

Thunderbird Company was like a giant beginning to wake up, struggling to stand up from the brink of life and death.

The HR department announced new employee recruitment plans online. In the company corridors, employees holding documents rushed around again, and some vibrant young faces appeared, wearing expressions of nervousness and excitement.

These new employees entered like fresh, strong blood into the heart of the Thunderbird Company, causing its heart to beat quickly again, becoming lively and vigorous.

It seems easy to bring down a company overnight, but to revive it takes much more—the efforts of hundreds and thousands of days and nights.

Xu Xiangbei made several calls to Jenny to let the National Security Bureau unseal the company’s game servers, also leveraging some connections from Shen Congru.

After making the seventh call, the National Security Bureau finally agreed to unseal the servers, bringing the nearly two-month-shut-down game servers back online.

Shan Mingzhi finally showcased his value, deeply knowledgeable about the company’s servers. Within his round, plump body, like Patrick Star, is wisdom akin to artificial intelligence, re-launching all five popular company games.

His face was filled with excitement, his hands operating the keyboard like playing the piano, while lines of English text flashed rapidly across the computer screen.

"Dear President Xu, your Ancient Moon Red Dust online users have returned to one hundred thousand; it’s still so popular."

Shan Mingzhi was promoted from programmer to Director of the Information Center, hiring a few programmers for program development. His office was renovated according to his wishes, disposing of the old, messy computers.

The office was re-partitioned to create an employee dining area, with a microwave and a large double-door refrigerator inside.

Shan Mingzhi took out his favorite jelly chocolate cake from the fridge and shared a piece with Xu Xiangbei. Monica opened a bottle of gold medal champagne, pouring two glasses of golden bubbly champagne into the clear goblets.

Xu Xiangbei and Shan Mingzhi toasted with smiles, while Monica, dressed like a restaurant server in an orange Prada professional suit, displayed her long, fair legs, her graceful, delicate face beaming with a smile.

Eating the chocolate cake and drinking champagne, Shan Mingzhi looked at Monica standing beside him. His hormones surged, feeling this level of VIP treatment was unprecedented.