Chapter 12 Sturdy Horsepower

• “Good morning, Mr. Feng!” Zhong Zhen greeted.
• The boss stepped out of the elevator with his long legs and asked expressionlessly, “Where are you off to?”
• Zhong Zhen quickly replied, “I have to go to HR on the 16th floor to get my access card done, but without the card I can't take the elevator right now!”
• It would be super tiring to walk all the way down. Time won't allow it either.
• “Come here!” Feng Beichen spoke as he walked forward.
• Just then, Zhang Junyan walked out of her office and spoke clearly, “Zhong, how are you going to get there without an elevator access card? I’m going to take you there after making a phone call!”
• What is all this? She is giving Zhong Zhen a head-on blow of her power on the latter's first day of work?
• Zhong Zhen felt despondent. How tiring it would be if she had to deal with a woman like that every day! But this time, she was in the wrong too, so she could only swallow it in!
• But she wouldn't just play along with that woman's lies. So, she blankly said, “Sorry, I was wrong to just rush outside after listening to Ms. Zhang’s words without asking further.”
• What she said was true yet ambiguous. But no matter what they thought, it was her way of silent revolt!
• Feng Beichen's brow creased with displeasure as he said, “Bring her to get it done. You have 10 minutes!”
• Sensing that Feng Beichen wasn't in the best mood, Zhang Junyan quickly acknowledged his orders. She used her eyes to motion Zhong Zhen to follow her while sending a text to another secretary: [Get Mr. Feng his cup of morning tea!]
• The moment the two women entered the elevator, Zhang Junyan's politeness vanished. She looked at Zhong Zhen with disdain.
• “Be careful with what you say next time! Mr. Feng doesn't like hearing about trivial matters!” Zhang Junyan's reminder sounded more like a warning.
• But she's the one who started it! Such a poser!
• Sometimes, the more you hold back, the more you would be picked on.
• What kind of person would suffer in silence nowadays?
• “I don't like gossiping, nor do I like talking behind others' backs. But I refuse to let anyone walk all over me!” Zhong Zhen sounded calm but very determined at the same time.
• Work was important and that was what everyone was here for, but no one should be oppressed! Moreover, Zhang Junyan secretly liked Feng Beichen, but Zhong Zhen wasn't interested in him. She felt that a man so bright and dazzling just wasn't meant for her. Perhaps explaining her disinterest to Zhang Junyan when the time came would be a turning point for them.
• Zhang Junyan was startled to hear Zhong Zhen's response. She wanted to act out, but it wasn't the right time. Knowing she would have many other chances, she smiled coldly and glared at her, “Very well!”
• Ding! They arrived on the 16th floor.
• The HR personnel was surprised, but since Zhang Junyan had personally brought the new employee over, she had to take the task seriously.
• The process went smoothly. In less than 10 minutes, Zhong Zhen's staff ID and elevator pass were both done.
• Upon returning to the top floor, Feng Beichen was just about to leave. He ordered, “Tidy up the office. Ms. Zhang, give her today's schedule and tell her what to do!”
• “Yes sir!” Zhong Zhen and Zhang Junyan responded in unison.
• No matter what, Zhong Zhen couldn't escape Zhang Junyan's grasp. She would just have to bear with the hardship.
• But when Feng Beichen walked past the two women, his eyes remained on Zhong Zhen for a moment, making her feel uneasy. Did I do or say something inappropriate?
• Zhang Junyan acted professionally, but the moment Feng Beichen walked past them, her face immediately changed.
• She took an employee handbook from a cabinet and threw it in front of Zhong Zhen, “Memorize it all!” Then she continued, “Go tidy up Mr. Feng's office!”
• “Yes, ma'am!” Zhong Zhen took the handbook with her as she headed to Feng Beichen's office.
• When she entered, she realized something. The place was spotless and tidy. What is there to be done?
• Taking what happened earlier as a lesson, she could only return to Zhang Junyan and sincerely ask for guidance. “Ms. Zhang, may I know where it is that needs cleaning?”
• I knew she'd come back to me. Does she think everything is so easy? What a joke!
• “You don't even know how to clean up?” Zhang Junyan made sure her voice was loud enough for everyone in the office. Yes, she wanted to pick on the new secretary and make her life difficult.
• Since there was no way to around it, facing it head on would be the only thing to do.
• “That's why I'm asking for your guidance!” Zhong Zhen had also raised her voice so that everyone could hear her.
• That way, if she really did something wrong, everyone would know that she did ask for guidance, but Zhang Junyan did not help.
• Zhang Junyan stared at her with disdain, “I'll personally teach you then! How can you do anything like this? People with no work experience are just useless!” Zhang Junyan walked out.
• Work experience wasn't just something one got in a flash. How could a fresh graduate have work experience? But there were benefits of having such employees. They were like a blank piece of canvas that could absorb all the new information that they got hold of.
• That was too much. One moment she'd call someone incapable, another moment she'd call them useless. If she were the one calling all the shots, Zhong Zhen would not have worked here in the first place.
• But since Zhong Zhen was hired, it simply meant Zhang Junyan wasn't in charge! No matter how hard she tried, she could never make those big decisions here.
• “Wipe these cabinets with a wet cloth. Do it every day!”
• “There mustn't be a speck of dust in Mr. Feng office.” Zhang Junyan pointed to the various cabinets, bookshelves, and furniture in the office.
• Zhong Zhen sighed softly. The workload seemed heavy. She had thought it would be easier handling private affairs, but why did it seem more tiring than being a cleaner now?
• “OK!”
• “Is there anything else I need to take note of?” she asked.
• It would be great if I can receive all the instructions at once, then I could remember them all and carry out my tasks one by one.
• “Just stick to these tasks for now. Mr. Feng will return soon. I'll make reservation for his lunch at noon. Just learn!” she responded coldly. If any task required personal contact with Feng Beichen, of course Zhang Junyan would rather do it herself than get someone else to do it!
• Zhang Junyan even believed that doing these things for Feng Beichen indicated that their relationship was on another level.
• “Got it!” Zhong Zhen answered readily, completely unaware of the stakes.
• It was Zhong Zhen's first job. It felt different from what she had expected or imagined. Many work experiences could only be understood, not explained.