novelnext Chapter 8 Are you free this weekend? I'd like to invite you to dinner.
Chapter 8 Are you free this weekend? I'd like to invite you to dinner.
"..."
Chen Mo was stunned.
Not only was he stunned, but everyone in the conference room was stunned.
What... what kind of handling is this?
It sounds like both sides are equally at fault, but anyone with eyes can see that Minister Huang is indirectly affirming Chen Mo's actions.
Or rather, they never intended to deal with him at all.
"No objection," Chen Mo quickly replied, realizing what was happening.
"Then let's adjourn the meeting."
Minister Huang stood up, and as he walked to the door, he turned back and added, "By the way, Chen Mo, come to my office later, I need to talk to you about something."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions changed again.
……
As Chen Mo walked out of the conference room, he could clearly feel the complex gazes directed at him.
Some admired, some were jealous, some were disdainful, but most were curious.
Why did this usually quiet and kind-hearted person suddenly become so assertive today?
Wang Qing quickly caught up and said in a low voice, "Chen Mo, you're amazing! My heart was pounding in my chest!"
"What the hell?"
Chen Mo chuckled casually, "I almost thought I'd lost my job just now."
"But haven't you noticed? Minister Huang actually quite admires you."
Wang Qing blinked and said, "But be careful, Supervisor Li, Supervisor Zhang, and the rest of the team definitely hate you now."
"I know."
Chen Mo knew this all too well.
But he doesn't regret it.
The system is right. If he tolerates it today, all the blame will be placed on him in the future, and it won't bring him a good outcome.
Sometimes, the courage of middle-aged people begins with learning to say "no".
Not only do they say no to unreasonable requests from colleagues, but they also say no to unfair treatment.
Upon arriving at the minister's office, Minister Huang was making tea.
"sit."
He gestured to the chair opposite him, handed Chen Mo a cup of tea, and asked, "Do you know the consequences of what you said in the meeting just now?"
"Know."
Chen Mo took the teacup and said, "I might be ostracized, or even forced to resign."
"Then why even say it?"
"Because I don't want to be a pushover anymore."
Chen Mo said frankly, "I used to think that I could just endure it and it would pass, that everyone has a hard time."
But now I've realized that if you tolerate something once, it will happen a second or third time.
In the end, everyone thought you were easy to bully.
Minister Huang took a sip of tea, nodded, and said, "The fact that you can understand this shows that you are not beyond redemption."
The technical department needs people who dare to speak up, but not reckless individuals.
What you said today was excellent, well-reasoned, and based on facts—that's the quality a technician should have.
He put down his teacup, looked at Chen Mo seriously, and said, "I will give Li Qiang a warning, but you should also be careful, the workplace is not black and white."
If you encounter similar situations in the future, you can talk to me privately first. You don't necessarily have to break things off in front of everyone.
"I see."
Chen Mo nodded and said, "I just couldn't resist today. Making money isn't easy."
"Being able to endure is a sign of good character; not being able to is a sign of courage."
Minister Huang smiled and said, "Both are necessary. Alright, go back to work. Oh, by the way..."
"???" Chen Mo.
He called out to Chen Mo, who had already stood up, and said, "The company will have a new project next week. You should prepare yourself in advance. I'm going to recommend you."
Upon hearing this, Chen Mo quickly expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Minister Huang!"
"Don't thank me too soon, that project is quite difficult."
Minister Huang waved his hand and said, "Go out, remember to keep it a secret, don't tell anyone."
"Um."
As Chen Mo walked out of the minister's office, he let out a long sigh of relief.
When he returned to his workstation, he could clearly sense that the atmosphere around him was somewhat subtle.
Manager Li wasn't at his seat; he'd probably gone somewhere to calm down.
Several colleagues who usually had a good relationship with him looked at him with a somewhat evasive gaze.
Only Wang Qing leaned closer and whispered, "Minister Huang didn't scold you, did he?"
"no."
Chen Mo turned on his computer, then suddenly remembered something and said, "Oh right, thank you for reminding me last night."
"No need to thank me, I wasn't really any help."
Wang Qing hesitated for a moment, but still said, "But Chen Mo, you've changed a lot lately. You definitely wouldn't have been like this before..."
People always change.
Chen Mo smiled and teased, "You girls change a lot as you grow up, but we men don't start to change until we're thirty."
"Forehead."
Wang Qing laughed and said, "But honestly, you're much more charming now than before. How about we have lunch together? It's on me, to thank you for helping me keep my bonus!"
"Sure," Chen Mo readily agreed.
He should eat this meal!
Because of his bravery, the people in Group Two really owe him a favor!
Chen Mo turned on his computer and began working on his day.
My inbox is overflowing with over a dozen unread emails, one of which is from the HR department and is titled "Notice Regarding Clarifying Customer Responsibilities and On-Duty System".
Chen Mo opened the email and saw that it had been sent just ten minutes ago.
The content is a revised standardization of the division of customer maintenance responsibilities and on-call procedures in the technical department, requiring all departments to strictly implement it.
That's really efficient.
He closed the email and was about to start writing code when his phone vibrated.
It was a message from that woman named Zhong Yi.
Zhong Yi: [Are you there? Sorry, I was a little busy just now.]
Chen Mo: [Yes.]
Zhongyi: [Are you free this weekend? I'd like to invite you to dinner.]
"She really held a grudge about what happened last night?"
Chen Mo stared at the message for several seconds, stunned.
Chen Mo: [No need, it's just a meal.]
Zhong Yi: [No way, I don't like owing people favors. I have to pay back for this meal.]
"..."
[Host's emotional fluctuations detected; system triggers new task]
[Mission: Bravely Keep the Appointment]
[Task objective: Accept an invitation from a stranger and experience the charm of the opposite sex]
[Task Rewards: Appearance +1, Emotional Intelligence +1, Courage +200]
[Note: Love can come knocking at any time for middle-aged people; we must bravely learn to seize every opportunity.]
"..."
Chen Mo recalled the other person's poised and generous demeanor at the restaurant yesterday, and those beautiful eyes when they smiled.
In the past, he might have hesitated and made excuses to refuse.
But now Chen Mo thinks that it's just a meal, and it's the weekend, so it's fine. It's better than eating takeout alone.
Moreover, there are also system reward attributes.
Chen Mo: [Okay, I should be free this weekend. Just send me the specific time and place later.]
Zhongyi: [Then it's settled.]
After reading it, Chen Mo put down the phone and couldn't help but smile.
Since graduating and starting work, it seems that very few women have taken the initiative to ask me out to dinner.
Well, although they said it was to repay a favor from last night.
I wouldn't think too much about it.
But no matter what, this was still his first time!
What's more, she's a great beauty.
Thinking of this, Chen Mo subconsciously touched his face. Could it be that the improvement in his appearance attribute really had an effect?
As the saying goes...
If a woman meets a handsome benefactor, she'll repay him with her body; but if she meets an ugly one, she'll wish she could be his horse in her next life.