Volume One: High School Days Chapter 80: The All-Staff Meeting

After work that day, Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong accompanied Wang Yi home, and afterward, the two of them found a place to grab a bite to eat.

By eight o’clock in the evening, the two appeared at the door of room 888 at the Metropolitan Hotel.

There was a knock.

The door quickly opened to reveal Deputy Director Zhu, bare-chested, wrapped in a bath towel.

Upon seeing the two, Zhu immediately recalled the scene from the day his car was smashed and hastily tried to shut the door. Liu Sheng blocked it with one hand, while Ren Xiadong simply kicked Zhu, sending him sprawling onto the floor.

Stepping inside, Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong were stunned by the room’s décor—a lavish love suite, not only with a large round waterbed, but also stocked with whips, handcuffs, wax for dripping, and every imaginable accessory.

“Deputy Director Zhu, you really know how to have a good time! I’ve never tried any of this myself. I wonder if the whip actually hurts when it lands on someone.” Ren Xiadong grinned at Liu Sheng, and then both of them looked mischievously at Zhu.

Realizing things had taken a turn for the worse, Zhu instinctively tried to cry for help, but Liu Sheng picked up a candle and threatened, “If you dare shout, I’ll drip wax right into your mouth and let it harden in your throat. Just imagine what that feels like.”

Zhu swallowed nervously, unable to speak. Liu Sheng continued, “Forget it, he probably can’t even imagine it. Ren Xiadong, give me a hand and pry his mouth open. Let him have a taste for real.”

As they tried to force Zhu’s mouth open, he clenched his teeth and squirmed desperately, making it impossible. Liu Sheng, seeing Zhu’s resistance, said to Ren Xiadong, “Bring me that red rope over there. I’ll tie him up!”

Ren Xiadong handed over the rope. “Liu Sheng, just hold him down, and let me do the tying. Binding is an art—I’ve got this,” he said.

After a long struggle, Liu Sheng looked at the neat, tightly wound ropes on Zhu, complete with a bow on his chest, and couldn’t help but remark, “I hadn’t pegged you for an expert. You must have played this game before?”

“No, not really. I’ve never eaten pork, but I’ve seen pigs run. Picked it up from Japanese movies, just a bit of amateur knowledge,” Ren Xiadong replied, feigning modesty.

At last, Zhu managed to speak. “You two must have a death wish! I swear, tomorrow you’re both fired. You’ll never find a foothold in Chong City again!”

“Oh my, you’re even more powerful than our boss. So, if you say I’m fired, I’m fired?” Liu Sheng teased.

“Don’t think I’m bluffing. Meyer is a subsidiary of Huayong Group, the administrator for all major enterprises in Chong City. Anyone who wants to make money here has to listen to Meyer! I’m telling you, if anything happens to me tonight, even if you run to the ends of the earth, Yonghua will find you!” Zhu boasted haughtily.

Liu Sheng lit the candle and said, “Look at that arrogant little gaze of yours. Where do you get such confidence? Just a deputy director, yet you think you can call the shots? If you were the director, you’d probably fire the boss himself.”

Then he turned to Ren Xiadong, “Don’t just stand there—help me pry his mouth open. I can’t stand his posturing any longer.”

Though Zhu’s body was tied, he shook his head desperately, making it hard for Ren Xiadong to get a grip. Liu Sheng instructed, “Hold his head steady. I’ll open his mouth.”

Once Ren Xiadong had immobilized Zhu’s head, Liu Sheng pointed at him with a grin. “A slippery little eel in a pot of oil—let’s see how I deal with you today.”

He pried open Zhu’s mouth and let the candle wax drip, bit by bit, down Zhu’s throat. The sensation was both painful and itchy, making Zhu want to break free, but with his body bound and head held in place, he was completely helpless—conscious but utterly powerless, like a victim of sleep paralysis.

When Liu Sheng finally tired of the game, he blew out the candle and his expression turned icy. “Don’t go looking for trouble again. If Wang Yi ever faces any danger or harm, I’ll come for you first. I guarantee it.”

Seeing Zhu unable to speak, Liu Sheng said to Ren Xiadong, “That’s enough. Untie him. Time for us to head back—let him enjoy his own little pleasure suite alone.”

As they left, Ren Xiadong quipped, “You really know how to play!”

Once outside, Liu Sheng led Ren Xiadong to a hotpot restaurant. It had been ages since they’d had a proper drink, and they intended to get thoroughly drunk. During the meal, Liu Sheng announced, “Starting tomorrow, I’m not going to work. I’ll show up again at the end of the month when I take up my new post.”

“What’s wrong? Didn’t we have a great time today?” Ren Xiadong asked, chewing on a piece of meat.

Liu Sheng downed a glass of beer and replied, “If you want to spend all day in the bathroom, be my guest. Old Master Hu told me to start as a basic employee, but never said I couldn’t skip work.”

“Good point. Then I won’t go either. Cheers!”

The two drank until the early hours of the morning before stumbling home.

The next day at ten in the morning, Liu Sheng received a call from Supervisor Zhu.

“Liu Sheng, what’s the meaning of this with you and Ren Xiadong?”

“Hm? What do you mean?” Liu Sheng answered sleepily.

This only enraged Supervisor Zhu further, who yelled over the phone, “What the hell is wrong with you! A few times late is bad enough, but now you’re not even awake! Are you quitting or what?”

Liu Sheng didn’t bother to reply and hung up, rolling back over to sleep.

Five minutes later, his phone rang again. Annoyed, thinking it was Supervisor Zhu, Liu Sheng picked up and snapped, “What the hell is wrong with you! Haven’t you had enough?”

“Liu Sheng? Am I disturbing you?” Wang Yi’s voice came through the phone.

Liu Sheng quickly changed his tone. “Sorry, Wang Yi, I thought it was Supervisor Zhu. My apologies.”

“Liu Sheng, I’ve been fired. Deputy Director Zhu has also notified all the HR departments at other companies, telling them not to hire me. Now I can only look for a job at a small firm or a tiny private business.”

“Do you trust me?” Liu Sheng asked quietly.

“I do. Why?”

“Good. Take a couple days off and rest. At the end of the month, come with me to the all-staff meeting.”

“But I’ve been fired, how—”

Before she could finish, Liu Sheng interrupted, “Just remember to dress nicely when the time comes.”

He hung up. Now fully awake, he tossed and turned for a moment before barging into Ren Xiadong’s room, shouting, “Get up! Let’s go out for a walk!”

After two uneventful days, the end-of-month all-staff meeting finally arrived. Early that morning, Liu Sheng got a call from Butler Jin.

“Liu Sheng, today go straight to the main conference hall on the top floor. Remember to dress smartly.”

“Understood, Butler Jin. I’ll be there waiting for you.”

The main hall wasn’t big enough for everyone, but each department had its own meeting room on its respective floor, so the top floor was reserved for Liu Sheng’s inauguration, while the rest of the employees watched the live broadcast from their own departments.

After hanging up, Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong put on the expensive outfits they’d bought a few days earlier, spending a long time examining themselves in the mirror. Liu Sheng joked, “Let’s hope this time nobody mistakes us for waiters.”

As soon as they stepped outside, Liu Sheng called Wang Yi, asking her to meet them at the company’s main entrance.

When they arrived, both Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong were taken aback—not because Wang Yi was dazzlingly beautiful, but because her presence was striking. Dressed in a fitted professional outfit, she exuded the aura of a female executive.

As the three of them approached, before Liu Sheng or Ren Xiadong could compliment Wang Yi, she beat them to it. “Wow, you two look so handsome today! Anyone who didn’t know would think you were the bosses.”

“We can’t compare to your presence—you look like a true lady executive,” Liu Sheng replied. But Wang Yi quickly said, “I’ve been fired. Why did you bring me here? It’ll be awkward if anyone sees me.”

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of. From now on, you’ll be manager of the Editing Department. Let those two Zhous go clean your floor’s bathrooms—how about that?”

“Sounds great! Just imagining it is satisfying, though I know it’s just a dream.” Wang Yi’s reply was playful and adorable—typical of a southern girl, easy to please and unpretentious.

She then asked, “Are we really going up?”

“Why not?” Liu Sheng answered, striding inside. Wang Yi didn’t protest and followed the two men in.

Inside the elevator, Liu Sheng pressed for the top floor. Wang Yi quickly said, “Wrong floor, we’re supposed to go to the 22nd.”

Ren Xiadong replied excitedly, “No mistake! Today, I’m going to settle all old and new scores with the Zhous!”

“The top floor is where all the Meyer Film Company executives and department managers are. Isn’t it reckless for us to just barge in?” Wang Yi asked, worried.

Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong fell silent. Taking over such a large company felt like a dream, and both were lost in fantasies of being welcomed by lines of people.

However, since Butler Jin hadn’t informed the upper management about Liu Sheng taking over, no one upstairs—apart from Deputy Director Zhu and the current Editing Department manager—recognized Liu Sheng or Ren Xiadong.

When the elevator doors opened, Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong readied themselves for applause, but everyone in the hall was busy chatting, not giving them a glance, as if the three newcomers were invisible.

Deputy Director Zhu immediately spotted them and, with two others in tow, strode over and loudly declared, “Well, well! Has the bar for company meetings dropped so low? Even the toilet cleaners can walk in now!”

“What do you mean, toilet cleaners? Are you saying these three are janitors? Security, escort them to the restroom and hand them each a mop!” one of Zhu’s followers chimed in.

“Deputy Director Zhu, how did you like the taste of candle wax?” Liu Sheng asked. Zhu’s face flashed with embarrassment. Liu Sheng turned to Zhu’s follower and said, “Keep your dogs on a leash.”

Liu Sheng’s voice was so loud that everyone heard. People began whispering about his lack of manners—a janitor acting out at a meeting.

Security came over and barked, “You three! Who let you up here? Get out, now!”

Liu Sheng glanced at him. “And whose dog are you?”

The guard bristled, wanting to retaliate, but seeing so many senior executives around, he held his tongue.

Deputy Director Zhu, seeing Liu Sheng’s audacity, decided to make him look foolish and show him his place.

He pointed at Liu Sheng and announced, “Let me introduce everyone—this is Director Liu, and beside him is Deputy Director Ren. As the titles suggest, they’re in charge of restroom hygiene. I invited them here today to service our washrooms!”

The crowd burst into laughter at Zhu’s words. Just then, the HR Director approached. “I remember you two. I was the one who kept you on. Looks like things aren’t going well for you. Need any help?”

Liu Sheng shook his head. “Thank you, but no.”

At that moment, Butler Jin stepped out of the elevator. Instantly, everyone rushed over with greetings and flattery, knowing he represented Old Master Hu.

Butler Jin ignored all the chatter, instead scanning the room until his gaze landed on Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong standing off to the side. He called out loudly, “President Liu, President Ren, sorry to keep you waiting!”