My Virtual Girlfriend-Chapter 136: No Mandarin Duck Pot

Taking the documents from Xu Zhaoqing, Director Zhang picked them up and took a look.

The resumes were simple, containing only the career profiles of Phoenix, Cheng Tianxiang, and Tank.

Director Zhang read through them quickly, at first not noticing anything unusual.

But when he looked at them a second time, he suddenly discovered...

In the last two columns of all these people’s resumes, without exception, they had left a subsidiary of Zhao Group and then joined the Chenyu Game Company.

And the timing was also surprisingly coincidental, in the past few months, with no more than a two-day difference.

After reading these documents, Director Zhang’s brows were deeply furrowed. This made his originally authoritative square face look somewhat comical.

Seeing Director Zhang engrossed, Xu Zhaoqing sighed, "Do you understand now?"

Director Zhang hesitated for a moment before saying, "Could it be... just a coincidence?"

Xu Zhaoqing, as if he had anticipated Director Zhang’s question, said, "Actually... apart from checking these resumes, I also made inquiries about them."

Director Zhang looked up from the documents and gazed at him.

Xu Zhaoqing continued, "What I learned is... although they are listed as having resigned, the procedures weren’t actually completed, and they... are receiving double salaries."

Director Zhang paused, "Double salaries?"

Xu Zhaoqing spoke in a low voice, "Yes. I had to go through several hoops today before I found someone who had left the management level of one of the subsidiaries."

"That manager said the order came from headquarters, and only the CEO of the subsidiary would be privy to it."

"He wasn’t clear on the specifics. He just knew that although these individuals had resigned, they were still receiving monthly wages."

"It is said that they’re on a six-month secondment and may return to their original company after half a year."

Director Zhang couldn’t sit still anymore.

If those five had merely left Zhao Group in unison, one could forcefully explain it by saying, "Chen Yan poached five employees from Zhao Group in one fell swoop."

But this kind of six-month secondment, receiving double salaries, was utterly inexplicable; there was definitely something fishy!

Plus, considering it was an order from Zhao Group headquarters and linking it with what Xu Zhaoqing had just mentioned, there was no doubt about Chen Yan’s identity!

He was a Zhao Family’s illegitimate son!

At this thought, Director Zhang was momentarily unsure of what to do.

He looked at Xu Zhaoqing and asked, "Lao Xu, what do we do now?"

Xu Zhaoqing was also a bit troubled.

He chuckled wryly twice and said, "I have no idea."

"We’re kind of in a tough spot right now."

"We’ve already made our statement. It’s not as if we can just retract everything without any results."

"How would we have any prestige or face in the industry after that?"

"But... the Zhao Family’s magnitude isn’t something our company can compare with. Although their influence hasn’t stretched to our circle and doesn’t affect us much... to become enemies with them over such a trivial matter isn’t worth it..."

Hearing Xu Zhaoqing say this, Director Zhang stood up, holding the documents, and began pacing the living room with furrowed brows.

After pacing for two or three minutes, Director Zhang suddenly stopped and said to Xu Zhaoqing, "Lao Xu, what do you think of this plan?"

He said, "Since we’ve already released the statement yesterday, let’s stand pat for now."

"I guess there aren’t many in the circle as well-informed as us."

"Others in the industry, lacking the information, will still be influenced by our boycott."

"It’s very likely that in the next two days, Chen Yan and Lu Man won’t be able to recruit much talent."

"After that..."

"I’ll take the initiative to approach them for peace talks, saying that we’re willing to let bygones be bygones and are even willing to support their entrance into the entertainment industry."

"We could even co-invest and collaborate on their new movie and future films."

"Then, we’ll issue a small joint statement to put the matter to rest."

"That way, they make a step into the entertainment industry, and we can build a relationship with the Zhao Family."

"Turn foes into friends."

After hearing Director Zhang’s plan, Xu Zhaoqing pondered for a full five minutes.

Then he raised his head and said, "I think it’s feasible."

"Backing down now won’t get us any benefits, and it’s easy for others to see through us."

"Better to let them be aware of our significance and status first."

"Then take the initiative to make amends."

Saying this, he gestured a thumbs up to Director Zhang, "Lao Zhang, that’s a smart move."

Director Zhang smiled, then finally took a sigh of relief and continued brewing tea. freewebnσvel.cøm

While preparing the tea, he said somewhat nostalgically, "Nowadays, even the non-core heirs of big families are starting to show interest in the entertainment industry."

Xu Zhaoqing nodded, "Indeed."

"After all, since they’re not destined to inherit the family’s core business, making a name for themselves in the entertainment industry with the family’s fame is also paving a way for their future."

"It started first in Hong Kong, and later Ao City followed suit, which shows that this path is viable."

"I remember a big family in Hong Kong declined, but the one who fared the best was the youngest daughter who entered the entertainment business. Quite interesting..."

After discussing the countermeasures, the two chatted about the gossips of these big families.

As for whether things would go as they expected, they weren’t too concerned.

Because having operated in the entertainment industry for over twenty years, they had become bigshots who could shake the entire circle with a single stomp.

Their influence in the circle was clearer to them than to anyone else.

Now that they had spoken out, except for the fringe figures, seriously considering was a must.

And indeed, things went as the two of them had hoped.

Since too few in the entertainment industry knew the secret of the Zhao Family, Chen Yan’s "background" did not spread.

This led to most people in the industry staying on the sidelines and not taking any action.

By the end of the day, Chenlu Film and Television Company, Lu Man’s Celebrity Studio, and the production crew of "23 Days After Breakup" had only received resumes from some fringe figures and hadn’t attracted many people to their cause.

Apart from the few veterans who had decided to help Mei Li from the start, both companies and the crew were still empty shells...

...

In the evening, Chen Yan, Yu Qiao Qiao, Mei Li, and Lu Man went out for dinner together.

Even though they didn’t want to bring work to the dining table, both Mei Li and Lu Man couldn’t help but sigh and groan.

Yu Qiao Qiao, the little fool, had no idea what was going on, so she curiously looked at the two of them and quietly asked Chen Yan sitting beside her, "Chen Yan, what’s wrong with them?"

Chen Yan was the only person at the table unaffected.

Holding the "Divine Summoning Incense" yet to be lit, he was leisurely checking his wealth points, "Waiter. Ten servings of beef! Ten servings of lamb! Five servings of tripe! And two of kidney!"

"Right, and one of each of these vegetables."

"What? A vegetable platter is cheaper?"

"No, no need. We like the big portions."

"Yep, yep. And a yin-yang pot."

"Wait! No, not the yin-yang pot, let’s get two pots instead. One clear broth, one spicy broth."

After a quick calculation, including the other dishes ordered, it came to almost two thousand yuan. Satisfied, Chen Yan stopped ordering.

He returned the menu to the waiter and then found the time to quietly explain to Yu Qiao Qiao, "It’s nothing; they’re just facing a setback in their careers. They’re feeling down."

Yu Qiao Qiao glanced at the two women across from her, then back at the cheerful Chen Yan, and asked curiously, "But isn’t their career your career as well? Why aren’t you unhappy?"

Chen Yan laughed, "Because I’m more confident than they are."

"I believe there will definitely be a turnaround."

Because the conversation wasn’t hidden from Lu Man and Mei Li, they also heard what Chen Yan said.

Lu Man, still keeping up her image, glanced coldly at Chen Yan and said tersely, "The chances of that are about the same as winning the lottery."

Chen Yan just smiled, absentmindedly opening his chopsticks, and casually said, "Then we’ll see at tomorrow’s draw."

Mei Li, seeing Chen Yan’s confidence, asked with concern, "Does President Chen have some preparations?"

Chen Yan chuckled, "I don’t have any preparations."

"I just believe in my luck and the hearts of people."

Mei Li asked, "What do you mean?"

Chen Yan explained, "The Xu brothers and Director Zhang have been in the entertainment industry for so many years; they can’t possibly be without enemies, right?"

"Even if there aren’t enemies, there must be people who dislike them, right?"

"The reason these people haven’t stepped forward is simply that they are still hesitating."

"We really just need a bit of luck."

"After that... as long as a small wave of people come forward, everything will be different."

Mei Li was captivated.

She understood what Chen Yan was saying.

To put it bluntly, the larger the power of Director Zhang and the Xu brothers in the entertainment industry, the more people there should be who resented them.

Chen Yan’s plan was to unite these people to support the two new companies.

That was indeed the case, but... could their side attract them to step forward?

Mei Li felt it was a long shot...

There are not so many good things in the world...

Although doubtful, seeing Chen Yan’s confidence, Mei Li couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope: perhaps... there really could be a miracle?

Let’s hope... everything goes as President Chen predicted...

Maybe Chen Yan’s smile and confidence were truly infectious. Infected by his demeanor, Mei Li and Lu Man gradually relaxed and started to enjoy the hot pot.

Just like Mei Li had thought: perhaps... there really could be a miracle?

That evening, after dinner, with 2300 wealth points and a pile of takeout ingredients, Chen Yan went home.

After getting home, Chen Yan methodically sorted everything.

Then, after washing his hands, he sat down at his computer desk.

He pulled open the rightmost drawer of the desk. This drawer contained many odd items.

There was a blue and white Instant Camera, several photo papers, two cards drawn with "tiny figures," and... two rolls of mosquito repellent incense.

Taking out the mosquito incense, Chen Yan casually stuck it on a stand and placed it on the desk.

Lighting it with a lighter he bought on the way home, he set the incense to burn.

The mosquito incense burned slowly, with circles of white smoke gently rising into the air...