Chapter Fifty-Five: Little Turtle

The next morning, Yang Jiekai woke up early, feeling refreshed as he drove to the company. After parking his car, he took the elevator up and walked to the company’s entrance, where he immediately noticed a large crowd gathered around a red board, discussing something animatedly.

Curious, Yang Jiekai approached to see what was going on, only to find himself puzzled.

On the large, two-meter-square red board, there were many tables, each labeled with the name of a department. Next to them were motivational slogans like “Who but us?” and “Forge ahead.”

“What’s this all about?” Yang Jiekai asked, turning to a woman standing nearby.

She replied casually, “Sales competition.”

“Sales competition?” Yang Jiekai looked confused. “Who’s competing with whom?”

The woman glanced at him. Yang Jiekai had often greeted her before, so they considered themselves acquaintances. “Oh, I forgot you’re new here. This sales competition is a company incentive policy—held once a year. Any department can participate. If your department stands out, you get a big bonus and commission. Plus, the department head can be transferred directly to the Sales Department as a deputy director—a huge leap up!”

“Deputy director? A leap up?” Yang Jiekai laughed. “Isn’t that a demotion, going from director to deputy? Some of the company’s leaders must be out of their minds!”

The woman rolled her eyes at this clueless guy. “What do you know? The Sales Department is the most important department in the company. Being a deputy director there is far better than being a director in any other department. Every department head dreams about transferring to Sales.”

“Oh, I see.” Yang Jiekai muttered, scanning the red board. Suddenly, he asked, “Hey, how come I don’t see our Security Department listed?”

He’d spoken a bit loudly, and the crowd heard him clearly. They all paused, then turned to look at Yang Jiekai with a mix of surprise and disdain.

The woman, who had always found Yang Jiekai’s cheerful manner pleasant, tugged at his sleeve and whispered, “Don’t say that. You’ll be laughed at. Departments like Security and Logistics don’t usually participate in this kind of event…”

“Why not!” Yang Jiekai didn’t appreciate her concern and raised his voice. “Didn’t they say every department can participate? Why can’t Security join?”

At that moment, a man’s mocking voice came from nearby.

“Heh, the company didn’t include Security this time—saving resources, really.”

Yang Jiekai turned and saw the speaker approaching—a sharply dressed man, the Sales Department director, none other than the phony foreigner Zhang Hua.

“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Zhang, our director!” Yang Jiekai, who had never liked Zhang Hua, grinned and teased, “Director Zhang, you’re looking very sharp this morning—very FUCK, if I may say so!”

Director Zhang snorted and ignored the security guard, whom he thought didn’t even understand the meaning of “FUCK.” He declared loudly, “Departments like Security are fine just guarding the gates. When it comes to sales, they should just stay on the sidelines and watch.”

He swept his gaze across the crowd with disdain. “Honestly, this annual competition is pointless. It’s obviously tailored for Sales. The rest of the departments are just here to make up the numbers!”

That last remark wasn’t just aimed at one department. Everyone not in Sales looked displeased, but no one dared retort. As the woman had said, the Sales Department director was not on the same level as other department heads; as the head of the core department, he was part of the company’s upper management.

Besides, as harsh as Zhang Hua’s words were, he spoke the truth. All the company’s business was handled by Sales. Every year, the Sales Department took the championship, and the best the other departments could hope for was second or third place.

Zhang Hua turned to Yang Jiekai with a mocking smile. “What, Security wants to join in the fun too? Why not sign up? You could always bring up the rear—at least you’d have the thrill of participating.”

Yang Jiekai just shrugged off his words. “Let’s not, Director Zhang. With someone as FUCK as you around, what fun could we possibly have? We could never be as FUCK as you.”

He pronounced “FUCK” with particular emphasis and near-perfect clarity, though still with the air of a naïve country boy.

Even if this kid didn’t know what “FUCK” meant, he kept using it to refer to Zhang Hua, who was clearly irritated. “Country bumpkin!” he spat.

“Heh, that’s right.” Yang Jiekai didn’t mind the insult, laughing. “I was born a country bumpkin, still am. Naturally, I can’t compare to a little turtle like Director Zhang…”

“It’s called ‘returnee’!” Zhang Hua corrected sharply.

“Oh, my mistake!” Yang Jiekai quickly amended, “Not a little turtle, a sea turtle. But really, I don’t see much difference—both are just turtles, after all…”

His words triggered a round of snickers from the crowd, unsure whether he was genuinely stupid or just pretending.

“Country bumpkin!” Zhang Hua’s face twitched with anger, feeling like a scholar bested by a fool.

“Exactly, I’m a country bumpkin,” Yang Jiekai laughed again. “I come from a poor mountain village, you’re a turtle, hatched from a turtle egg. We’re worlds apart, really…”

Zhang Hua wanted nothing more than to slap him, but as a self-proclaimed cultured returnee, he would never stoop so low—and certainly not in public.

Unbeknownst to him, Zhang Hua should have been grateful he hadn’t acted on that impulse.

Suppressing his fury, Zhang Hua tried to focus attention back on the sales competition, pointing at the red board. “A bumpkin is a bumpkin—an inferior person is an inferior person. Departments so inferior they don’t even get their name on the board!”

The words “inferior person” were practically bitten out through clenched teeth; it was clear how angry he was.

Yang Jiekai couldn’t be bothered. He had no real interest in the sales competition, but provoking this “sea turtle” was too much fun. He strolled up to the board, picked up a marker, and boldly wrote “Security Department” at the bottom.

“There, now our name is on the board.” He put down the pen and looked at Zhang Hua’s darkened face.

“Who said you could write that? Erase it!” Zhang Hua finally lost his composure and shouted.

“Didn’t they say every department can participate?” Yang Jiekai shrugged. “Well, I now officially declare: the Security Department is entering the sales competition!”

“Do you even have the authority?” Zhang Hua pointed at Yang Jiekai and snapped, “To enter, the head of the department must sign up. Who do you think you are?”

“And why shouldn’t I have the authority?” Yang Jiekai’s mood soured at having a finger pointed in his face. Dropping his playful tone, he said, “You’d better put that finger down. It’s dangerous to point at me like that.”

“I’m pointing at you—so what?” Zhang Hua scoffed, waving his finger even more forcefully.

Yang Jiekai’s eyes narrowed, and he began striding slowly toward Zhang Hua without another word.

Just as Yang Jiekai was about to break Zhang Hua’s finger, a woman’s urgent voice rang out.

“Yang Jiekai!”

He turned to see Lin Sha had arrived at some point.

“Good morning, Assistant Lin!” The crowd greeted her respectfully.

Yang Jiekai just glanced at her, said nothing, and continued toward Zhang Hua.

“Yang Jiekai!” Lin Sha’s eyes flashed with anxiety as she hurried in front of him, blocking his path. “Come to my office. I need to talk to you.”

The onlookers were puzzled, wondering why Assistant Lin would suddenly call a security guard to her office, and in such a hurry.

They knew Yang Jiekai, but after yesterday’s events, Lin Sha understood him better than anyone—he was not to be trifled with. She was genuinely afraid he’d beat Zhang Hua right then and there, rally the other security guards after work, or even call those fierce “relatives” from yesterday to gang up on Zhang Hua.

With Lin Sha now blocking his way, Yang Jiekai had no choice but to stop, already annoyed by Zhang Hua. He said impatiently, “If you’ve got something to say, just say it here. I’m busy and don’t have time to go to your office.”

The crowd gasped. Was this guy out of his mind? Did he know whom he was talking to? This was Assistant Lin, second only to the boss!

But Lin Sha’s response stunned everyone even more. She didn’t mind his rudeness at all and said calmly, “Very well.”

She glanced around at the crowd and announced, “The former head of Security, Wu Daode, was terminated yesterday for repeated violations of company rules. From today on, Yang Jiekai will be the new head of Security!”

“What?” Yang Jiekai was caught off guard. “What did you say?”

Lin Sha smiled. “Congratulations on your promotion. Work hard—the company will treat you well.” With that, she walked gracefully through the company doors.

The onlookers were speechless, beginning to wonder if Assistant Lin herself was in her right mind today.

Yang Jiekai grinned at the shocked crowd, then turned and gently pushed aside Zhang Hua’s still-pointing finger, narrowing his eyes. “Director Zhang, as the head of Security, I now officially declare that we are entering the sales competition. I think I’m qualified to say that now.”

Zhang Hua was about to retort, mouth open, but suddenly froze and involuntarily took two steps back.

He had seen a pair of eyes—a pair unlike any he had ever encountered. There was a chilling, deadly coldness in them. Staring into those eyes was like an animal encountering its natural predator, evoking a primal fear.

Leaning close to Zhang Hua’s ear, Yang Jiekai murmured something he didn’t quite understand, “You should consider yourself lucky. You’re the first person to point at me and still be standing in one piece.”