Qing Yanci Chapter Eighteen

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“I’m not sure if I should tell you this, but people often say that seven years of marriage is a turning point. Your father and I have weathered storms together for over twenty years. He’s truly held the family and business together. Leaving you with your grandparents when you were young was out of necessity. Your father and I are gradually aging, and your responsibilities won’t be light in the future. A few years ago, the property market was quite favorable, but now it’s not as good as before. You should come back early to get accustomed; after all, you’re the only child and will be taking over someday...” That day, Tang Xiao’s mother spoke a lot, hinting and implying, and Tang Xiao had a fairly good sense of what was expected.

By noon, Wang Xin had prepared a table full of dishes according to the VIP package. During the meal, Tang Xiao’s mother held Wang Xin’s hand and said to Tang Xiao, “This girl is sensible, quite clever. Years ago, when your father and I first came to Long’an to work, everything was unfamiliar. It was Wang Xin’s father who taught your father the craft and helped him find work. Wang Xin’s mother and I worked at the same factory back then. Salaries were low, and there were fewer worries. Now that she’s a boss, there are more troubles...” At lunch, Tang Xiao’s mother talked a lot, trying to gauge Tang Xiao’s feelings toward Wang Xin. From Tang Xiao’s eyes, it was clear he wasn’t very enthusiastic about Wang Xin. Although their families were socially compatible, compared to Tang Xiao’s family business, Wang Xin’s was smaller.

This resort will eventually be handed over to Tang Xiao, and Tang Xiao’s mother was showing him the situation early to prepare him mentally.

That evening, after returning from the resort, the family of three ate out. Because everyone had work, the Tang household felt less warm and lively.

After dinner, they sat together, and Tang Xiao’s mother cut some fruit.

“Tomorrow, let our son visit your company. Since you’ll be taking over eventually, it’s good for him to take a look. What do you think?” Tang Xiao’s mother broke the quiet with a casual remark.

“I have no problem with that. Our son can go anytime. But I might be traveling on business tomorrow. Maybe you can take him?” Tang Youming quickly took up the topic since Tang Xiao indeed had a business trip scheduled.

“How about this: I’ll work at my cousin’s company for another three months, then come back to intern and learn alongside Dad. I noticed you’ve been busy these past few days, so I figure I should start helping out. I’m capable of managing this, Mom and Dad. What do you think?” Tang Xiao didn’t want Tang Youming to be troubled and quickly took over the conversation. He had only taken three days off, and tomorrow was already the third day. If he went to his father’s company for a day, he’d have to extend his leave, so this plan made the most sense.

“I think what Tang Xiao says makes sense. This trip home was rushed and poorly planned. Next time, the whole family can reunite without such a tight schedule, right?” Tang Youming agreed with Tang Xiao.

“Since you both say so, I have no objections. But Tang Xiao, you must hand over your cousin’s company work thoroughly in these three months. Don’t come back and juggle both sides, doing meaningless tasks...” Tang Xiao’s mother added more. The family shared fruit, watched some TV, and chatted. For the first time, Tang Xiao felt a sense of family warmth.

“Why are sales so low today compared to yesterday and before? What’s going wrong?” Around 11 a.m. on the third day, the trading group chat at Zhengxin Trade seemed troubled. Sun Xu, seeing the data was less optimistic, casually asked.

Tang Xiao happened to see this and quickly opened his laptop to check backend data. The promotion account had sufficient funds; keywords scored 9 to 10; the campaign hadn’t ended; coupons were still valid; all backend indicators were within safe limits.

“Wu Nan, how many inquiries this morning? Please compile all customer inquiries between 8 and 11 a.m. and send them to me. Also, explain why there were no conversions,” Tang Xiao messaged. Though not at the company, his mind was still on work.

“Okay, I’ll organize it and send it soon,” Wu Nan replied promptly, knowing it was an important issue.

Soon after, the morning shift customer service compiled all inquiries into a file and sent it to Wu Nan, who merged the data and forwarded it to Tang Xiao.

“Nan, can you send me a copy too?” Sun Xu asked while sipping water, noting Wu Nan had sent the file to Tang Xiao. As an operator, he needed to analyze it as well.

“Sure, I just sent it privately. Take a look,” Wu Nan replied, troubled.

“Will you be back today?” Wan Shen messaged Tang Xiao directly after seeing the chat, clearly the company couldn’t do without him.

“I’ll be back this afternoon. I’ll analyze the data first. Work starts tomorrow. We can discuss other matters then!” Tang Xiao replied simply.

“Alright, you better take a good look. Things have been really frustrating lately!” Wan Shen suddenly complained, surprising Tang Xiao since Wan Shen was usually cheerful. Tang Xiao ignored him. That morning, Tang Xiao’s parents were busy; he was alone at home analyzing data.

“Nan, look at this,” customer service Xiaolan called Wu Nan over to check a customer’s chat record.

“What nonsense. Selling so expensive, while competitors are half the price. I wanted to buy one but saw your reviews—first thing is a bad photo review. No way, the quality worries me,” the customer complained, attended by Xiaolan.

“The pictures look the same, but the quality isn’t. Our products are patented and guaranteed. You get what you pay for,” Xiaolan quickly replied. Wu Nan forwarded the customer’s comment to the operations and promotion group.

“Sun Xu, check which product this customer viewed. Look at the reviews—whether it’s our product’s fault or competitor sabotage. Review all product images. Calm the customer down first. Wu Nan, handle this client...” Tang Xiao assigned tasks in the group and stayed busy himself.

Everyone seemed busy investigating the store’s issues.

“Sister Ye Jin, should we help somehow?” Zhang Yao asked Ye Jin.

“Let’s start with the graphics. Our work differs from theirs. Customer service should handle customers; operations and promotions have their tasks. Everyone just focus on your own work,” Ye Jin said calmly, hoping for the best. Fortunately, their work rarely overlapped.

Suddenly, Ye Jin saw Tang Xiao messaging in the group, which caught her off guard—it felt like a long time since they last met.

At that time, Ye Jin had just faced a pay cut and was feeling down, wondering whether to resign tomorrow, find a new job, or return home to develop. These thoughts circled endlessly in her mind.

How the issues were resolved was unknown to Ye Jin. Those were Tang Xiao, Sun Xu, and Wu Nan’s concerns. She just needed to do her part well and avoid getting involved.

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After work that evening, Ye Jin massaged her shoulders. She had made several car graphics today. Tang Xiao was away, Sun Xu was distracted, and negative product reviews needed handling. It wasn’t physical exhaustion but mental fatigue. She reflected on years of struggling alone, unsupported, now facing such treatment. Adult breakdowns sometimes happen in an instant. Ye Jin silently wiped away tears, sighing at life’s hardships. Only back in her rented room could she drop the mask of strength and relax.

The junior management group exploded today due to the big issue. They all expected a sleepless night and an early meeting tomorrow to discuss strategies.

After lunch, Tang Xiao rested briefly then drove back to the work city. Traffic was heavy; by arrival, it was nearly night. Not fond of takeout, he ordered some food and started working.

As night deepened, Tang Xiao finished eating, poured water, and went to the window. Outside was lively despite the late hour. Night markets, people strolling, fewer cars than daytime but still steady traffic. He rubbed his eyes, tired from long computer use. He watered his potted succulents—greenery was good for the eyes, a doctor’s advice.

“Busy? Resting yet?” Ye Jin was watching funny videos when Tang Xiao messaged.

“Luckily, not asleep yet,” she quickly closed the video and prepared to reply.

“Not yet. Have you been busy all this time?” Ye Jin guessed he had just finished working.

“Yes. Let’s not talk about the store for now. How’s work adapting?” Tang Xiao asked, wanting to hear her thoughts.

“The company hired two more designers, maybe they think I’m not good enough. I don’t know what to do,” Ye Jin admitted honestly to Tang Xiao.

“How can you think that? If the company thought you weren’t good, they wouldn’t have kept you. By the way, I mentioned before you could learn promotion from me, and I’ll teach you some operations. Think about it—more skills never hurt, and the salary’s higher,” Tang Xiao said. He still had three months and thought it was enough; he wanted to hand the promotion role to Ye Jin.

“Aren’t you enough alone? Why do you need me to learn? Besides, the manager and boss won’t agree. They want experienced hands, not rookies like me. There’s no time for training. Don’t worry, even if I leave this company, I can still find another job. No need to worry about me,” Ye Jin felt Tang Xiao was just comforting her and didn’t want to cause trouble.

“I’ll talk to the manager and boss. You just need to agree. Trust me—it’s better not to leave yet. I’ll teach you, and I believe in you,” Tang Xiao insisted, almost ready to beat his chest in front of her.

“Aren’t you afraid of the apprentice outshining the master?” Ye Jin joked, unaware Tang Xiao planned to leave in three months, a secret to all.

“I’m not. Learn first, then talk big. I’ll take that as your agreement. It’s late, rest early. Good night,” Tang Xiao sent quickly, seeing it was already 10 p.m. Each person carries their own worries; everyone’s burdens differ by environment and experience.

“Good night. Thank you, Tang Xiao!” Ye Jin replied, turning off the light, unaware Tang Xiao still lay awake worrying about her work. At this moment, Tang Xiao nervously dialed Wan Shen’s phone, knowing he wouldn’t be asleep yet.

The next morning, Ye Jin rushed breakfast and squeezed into the crowded subway, arriving at 8:20 a.m. The boss, Wan Shen, was already there—another sleepless night for him. The operations and customer service staff were mostly present. A Mei was missing, as was designer Zhang Yao, but Liu Lan had arrived.

Ye Jin sat at her desk, opened her computer, and launched the design software. She glanced at Tang Xiao’s spot. He wore a navy shirt, focused on his screen. When Tang Xiao was serious, he had an indescribable aura.

Perhaps from staring too long, Tang Xiao sensed eyes on him. He looked up, met Ye Jin’s gaze, and gave a slight nod with a smile.

Embarrassed, Ye Jin looked down and pretended to focus on her screen.

“What’s wrong with me? People might think I have a crush,” Ye Jin thought silently.

Soon, the junior leaders left for a meeting, laptops in hand. It would likely run until noon due to recent issues. Around 10 a.m.,

“Ye Jin, come here with your laptop for the meeting,” Wu Nan called. Manager Shen Ping had instructed her to summon Ye Jin. This startled Ye Jin—was she involved in yesterday’s store problems? Wrong image sizes or prices? Panic rose in her chest.

With a nervous heart, she entered the meeting room.

“Sit here,” Tang Xiao gestured for Ye Jin to sit next to him.

Grasping this lifeline, Ye Jin quickly moved to Tang Xiao’s side and sat down.

“Good news to announce!” Tang Xiao whispered beside her.

“Good news?” Ye Jin was confused and remained quiet.

“Everyone pause. Here’s the announcement: Our platform is expanding. We hired two more designers. The promotion side is short-staffed. Since Ye Jin studied e-commerce and has some background in operations and promotion, though rules change yearly, we want Ye Jin to learn promotion and operations with Tang Xiao, starting as his assistant. This is the current staffing plan. Everyone should focus on their tasks to avoid serious store problems again. Continue submitting daily work plans to the group before leaving. Mark completed tasks with a check, note incomplete ones for review the next day. If you can’t finish your plan daily, reflect on whether this job suits you. If not, consider switching,” Shen Ping spoke at length. Ye Jin was intimidated—she hadn’t realized daily work plans existed, with penalties and possible dismissal. The junior leaders’ positions weren’t easy to hold.

Ye Jin nervously rubbed her left fingers with her right hand. Tang Xiao glanced at her and sent a message, “Don’t be nervous, I’m here.” Her phone was outside, so she remained anxious. Tang Xiao lightly bumped her arm and whispered, “Don’t be nervous, I’m here.” Hearing this, Ye Jin calmed somewhat.

The meeting ended near 11 a.m. Everyone grabbed laptops, ready to start work. Before leaving, Tang Xiao patted Ye Jin’s shoulder and softly said, “Keep it up!”

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“Ye Jin, stay behind, let’s talk,” Shen Ping called Ye Jin, as Tang Xiao expected.

The other junior leaders left; only Ye Jin and Shen Ping remained. Shen Ping stood and closed the door.

“Here’s the situation: The boss messaged me late last night about having you learn promotion. I was surprised too. You studied e-commerce, right?”

“Yes, but it’s been years since graduation, and platform rules keep changing,” Ye Jin answered honestly. She knew Tang Xiao must have spoken to the boss. Being called in for this meeting was both a surprise and a shock.

“We had considered this before you joined. You’ll start as Tang Xiao’s assistant, learning promotion. Eventually, you might take on major responsibilities. Learn carefully—promotion involves spending money wisely, choosing keywords, bidding, analyzing competitors. With platform growth, you might handle your own platform and eventually operate all store backends like Tang Xiao. How do you feel?” Shen Ping’s words pressed like a heavy stone on Ye Jin.

“Pressure is high, but I’ll study hard and hope to get up to speed soon. If I become Tang Xiao’s assistant, what will he do?” Ye Jin wanted to know Tang Xiao’s future plans.

“Tang Xiao has his own big tasks. Don’t worry about him. You must learn quickly and surpass him!” Shen Ping emphasized “big tasks” heavily.

“All right, manager, I’ll do my best to meet the company’s expectations!” Ye Jin’s words sounded strong but she felt unsure inside, knowing Tang Xiao’s abilities.

“That’s good to hear. Young people should learn more. If you had to pay for classes outside, it would be costly. The company gives you this platform; you must study hard and repay the trust. Since you’re moving departments, your probation is two months. During this time, you must master all company platforms’ promotion, budgeting, sales events, logistics, and warehousing. Sun Xu and Zhang Zi Mei will assist you and Tang Xiao. Do you have any concerns? If after two months you can’t handle promotion, you might be moved back to design, but it’ll be hard to return there then. Are you confident?” Shen Ping probed, sensing Ye Jin’s hesitation.

“Manager, I studied e-commerce before. Though it’s been years, relearning shouldn’t be too slow. Some knowledge is ingrained. I might not be skillful at first, but with effort, promotion won’t be too hard. Over time, I’ll adapt. Please rest assured—I won’t let you down. I’ll learn well from Tang Xiao, ask questions if needed,” Ye Jin replied. Shen Ping’s words were like a spike, reminding her promotion wasn’t easy. But this opportunity came from Tang Xiao’s efforts, and she didn’t want to disappoint him. Youth is for taking chances—what if she succeeded?

“I’m satisfied with your answer. I hope you deliver results in two months. Congratulations on your promotion to Promotion Assistant. Your salary will increase by 1,000 yuan on top of base pay. After probation, you’ll get commissions! Today is your last day as designer; hand over your work properly before moving to promotion. Understand?” Shen Ping was more pleased.

“Got it, manager. I’ll hand over design tasks quickly.” Hearing about the raise, Ye Jin was thrilled, unaware the extra pay came from Tang Xiao’s salary. Actually, her pay would be deducted slightly because assistant pay is lower. Tang Xiao persuaded Wan Shen to cut 1,000 yuan from his own salary for her. Only Wan Shen, Tang Xiao, and Wan Lingzhi (company finance) knew this. Ye Jin was in the dark.

Leaving the meeting room, Ye Jin felt genuinely happy, though not showing it. Passing Tang Xiao’s desk, she forgot to greet him and went straight to her design spot, eager to finish handover and current work.

Tang Xiao pretended to cough twice to get her attention but was ignored.

Ye Jin only thought of finishing today’s designs and then handing over to the other two designers. She might still work design tomorrow. The sudden change left several car graphics to complete and revise.

“Sister Ye Jin, congrats! Heard you’re switching departments to learn promotion,” designer Zhang Yao approached after Ye Jin finished a car graphic, eager to confirm the rumor.

“Not really. The promotion side was short-staffed. I studied some promotion before, so they asked me to help. We have you and Liu Lan for design now, which is enough. Though you’re inexperienced, your designs are impressive. Promotion and operations praise you,” Ye Jin replied politely, not wanting gossip. She wondered who had such a loose tongue.

“Wow, the sparrow’s about to become a phoenix!” customer service Xiaolan said sourly. Ye Jin felt uneasy.

“If you’re capable, fly too. Don’t judge from the sidelines. We’re colleagues—heads up or down, we’ll see each other. Just do your work well. Key employees usually come from within. If internal talent runs out, we consider new blood. Let’s get along better! If you want to talk, see me after work,” Ye Jin was about to brood over Xiaolan’s words when Shen Ping’s voice interrupted, defending her.

Ye Jin had disliked Shen Ping when she first arrived but now saw him as a savior. His support aimed to maintain internal harmony.

The company was small. Constant gossip would ruin morale and retention, frustrating Shen Ping most. His exchange with Xiaolan was overheard by nearby colleagues and Tang Xiao, who reconsidered his previous indifferent attitude toward Shen Ping, realizing he might have misjudged him.

“Manager, don’t be mad. Xiaolan’s sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. Don’t take her seriously. We’ll work hard and I’ll talk to them,” Wu Nan tried to ease the tension.

“Colleagues must unite. We see each other often; everyone should broaden their perspective. Your mindset and efficiency determine your pay. Think from others’ viewpoints. Work well, and the company won’t treat anyone unfairly!” Shen Ping’s words, though quiet, carried authority—leadership’s power.

“Manager’s right,” Wu Nan promptly agreed, careful not to offend. Wu Nan knew Shen Ping’s backing came from the boss.

After this turmoil, everyone knew Ye Jin had changed departments but dared not gossip openly. That day, everyone diligently worked, wary of causing trouble.

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