Becoming a Confidence Coach to an Arrogant Director - Chapter 20
Chapter 20: Hangover
The night of Double Eleven was a night of celebration.
The long period of preparation resulted in a day of smooth sailing for the servers. It was now the early hours of the morning, the flash sale was over, and the upcoming paid long weekend was the most exciting thing for these IT guys.
In the office, everyone was packing their things, ready to bolt as soon as Director Gu gave the word. Li Cheng’s loud voice could be heard all the way down the hall.
“Gua Ge, Gua Ge, are you going for a foot massage later?”
“Foot massage my ass. I’m going home to sleep!”
Gua Ge pointed to the words “Staying up late is bad, pulling an all-nighter is recommended” on his hoodie.
“I’d be a disgrace to my identity as a front-end newbie if I didn’t sleep for thirty or forty hours straight.”
In the entire R&D department, these two were the undisputed life of the party, aside from Morale Booster Yuan.
Meanwhile, in Gu Jin’s office.
Morale Booster Yuan was currently praising everyone’s hard work in front of Director Gu.
“Sister, the whole day went so smoothly. The monkeys out there worked really hard, didn’t they? Don’t you think you should do something for them?”
This little one was already bold, but now that they were getting more familiar, she truly didn’t treat herself as an outsider.
Director Gu looked up, her cold and thin face showing a big question mark.
That’s their job. Why should I reward them?
She was as proud as a little princess who didn’t understand social etiquette.
Morale Booster Yuan had a smile on her face. She didn’t care what her user was thinking and was having fun all by herself.
“How about a foot massage or a regular massage? If not, hot pot or skewers would work too, right?”
She looked at the serious-looking, upright Director Gu. If this aloof beauty were to take a bunch of big guys to get a foot massage…
Yuan Yishan couldn’t help but shake her head and laugh at the image.
Gu Jin took in every one of her subtle expressions and was equally baffled.
This idiot. I have no idea what you’re thinking!
Yuan Yishan began to plan, choosing the second option.
“An outdoor barbecue would have a better atmosphere, but the weather is a little chilly lately…”
She looked at the person in front of her again.
Sister is frail. If she catches a cold from the wind, I’ll have to take care of her. That’s not good!
Option two was out. She moved on to option three.
“How about a self-serve hot pot and barbecue! We can find a spacious place. It doesn’t matter if there’s a big group. We’ll pay per person and can eat as much as we want, with unlimited drinks. We might even be able to eat it all back! It’s perfect!”
The desire to get a bargain made the morale booster’s lips curl into a satisfied smile.
Director Gu’s thoughts were unconsciously drawn in by this little one. Looking at her sweet and pure smile, she felt an inexplicable feeling she couldn’t quite put into words.
I don’t know why this person is so unnecessarily happy all the time…
…
In the R&D office, when the employees saw Director Gu approaching, the previously noisy atmosphere instantly became quiet. Each of them quickly hid their packed black backpacks, staring at the code on their screens, pretending to be very serious.
“My dear male colleagues, let’s not pretend anymore, okay?”
Morale Booster Yuan got straight to the point, and the employees looked down in embarrassment.
They wondered why this little one could always so fearlessly challenge Director Gu’s limits.
“Do you all have time tomorrow afternoon?”
A cold question filled the air. The employees numbly shrank back. I guess all that happiness was for nothing. It seemed they would have to come in and work overtime again tomorrow.
Their reluctance was hidden in their hearts, but they didn’t dare to show it on their faces. Yuan Yishan could guess what everyone was thinking with just a glance. Their Director Gu was a woman of few words and not good at communicating. At this moment, she had to take on the responsibility.
She had been thinking that while she was still here, she should help Director Gu build connections with people so that when she eventually went back, Gu Jin wouldn’t be all alone in her own little world.
Yuan Yishan activated an internal mechanism. Her sweet electronic voice began to say all the right things.
“What Sister Gu means is that all of you have worked hard with the overtime, so if you’re free tomorrow afternoon, she’d like to treat you to some delicious food!”
The employees: Huh? Not overtime? Delicious food? Am I hallucinating?
…
Gu Jin and everyone agreed to meet at 4:30 p.m. The location was to be determined and would be sent in the group chat, so they could get up naturally and head over.
This was the first time Director Gu had socialized with everyone outside of work. Although Morale Booster Yuan had already planned a cheap place for them to eat, Gu Jin felt it wasn’t right. After she got back, she booked the most expensive Chinese restaurant in the city center.
Since agreeing to Morale Booster Yuan’s suggestion, she had been feeling uneasy, worried that she wouldn’t be able to properly host them or that they would feel uncomfortable about her taking up their private time.
When the employees received the location of the high-end restaurant, they were stunned. The cost of one meal there was equivalent to a week’s worth of their salaries. This Director Gu was truly rich and powerful.
…
At 4 o’clock, in the Xijing Pavilion, a bunch of inexperienced guys sat awkwardly in front of the large round table. They were holding back their urge to start a game, which they usually did as soon as they sat down.
Boss Pei had gone to meet a client before Double Eleven. About 80% of the R&D department came, with Liao Shu and a few others making up excuses.
The usually strict and demanding Director Gu was now sitting with them, her palms sweating from nervousness. She kept fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, and the small suit jacket under the table was already wrinkled from her squeezing.
Yuan Yishan, who detected her unease, secretly reached out her A.I. hand and placed it on Gu Jin’s. Gu Jin was startled and looked at her out of the corner of her eye.
Morale Booster Yuan whispered, “I’m with you, Sister. Don’t be nervous!”
Director Gu felt a wave of relief and didn’t immediately pull her hand away. Yuan Yishan’s fingertips slid into her palm, clasping her hand.
Gu Jin felt a tingly sensation and glared at her with her phoenix eyes. The little A.I. ignored her, chatting with the colleagues next to her while rubbing her hand in Gu Jin’s palm, as if she hadn’t noticed Gu Jin’s gaze.
When the dishes were all served, the employees waited for Director Gu to say a few words. Every time Boss Pei took them out to eat, he would give an inspiring speech before the meal. But Director Gu just sat there, quiet. Since she wasn’t speaking, no one dared to pick up their chopsticks.
She looked like a foreigner who didn’t understand Chinese, watching them with curious, eager eyes.
Is the food not to their liking? Why is everyone just looking at it without picking up their chopsticks?
And Morale Booster Yuan next to her was like a little parasite living in Director Gu’s stomach.
“Come on, let’s eat! I’m starving!”
“Don’t be shy with Sister. She’s very generous!”
As Yuan Yishan spoke, she picked up her chopsticks and started to eat. Under her encouragement, the others also started to eat.
Director Gu began to worry again. When no one was looking, she glanced at Yuan Yishan’s face for a moment.
“Aren’t you…”
Morale Booster Yuan tilted her head and gently whispered in Director Gu’s ear.
“Don’t worry, I have a plastic bag on! It’s a really thick one, so I won’t get an electrical short.”
Gu Jin’s ear tickled from her breath, and her neck felt warm.
Li Cheng’s gaze unintentionally fell on their actions. He gently elbowed Gua Ge.
Gua Ge whispered back, “What?”
“I just saw the little cutie whispering to Director Gu!”
Gua Ge: ?
Whispering what?
“Don’t you think it’s strange? She’s whispering in Director Gu’s ear, and she didn’t get slapped!”
Gua Ge: …
Li Cheng couldn’t hold back his curiosity. He grabbed a crab leg with his hand, peeling it while observing the two people across the table—his boss, Director Gu, who would give you the death stare for no reason.
He clearly saw Yuan Yishan dip a peeled shrimp in sauce and place it on Director Gu’s plate, then start peeling another one…
Something is wrong. It’s really wrong. How could she be so fearless and gentle while peeling shrimp for Director Gu? Could it be that Gu Jin has a secret that this girl knows about…
Then, in the next second, Director Gu placed a piece of greens on her plate and at the same time, scooped the fish with bones from her bowl into her own.
Oh my gosh! What was going on? How did these two suddenly become so harmonious, so harmonious that they seemed like…
He didn’t dare to think of those two words.
Just then, a back-end programmer came over with a half-filled glass of wine.
“Director, Director Gu, can I toast you?”
Li Cheng: Wow, man, you’re brave. You dare to approach Director Gu all by yourself.
He gave the guy a long thumbs-up in his mind.
In the next second, Director Gu slowly stood up, took Yuan Yishan’s empty glass from the table, poured her own drink into it, and then picked up a wine bottle next to her and poured herself a half-filled glass of wine.
The guy who came to toast her panicked.
“Director, Director Gu, you can use a drink as a substitute, or you don’t have to drink at all. I-I just feel bad about what I did last time at that critical moment. I just wanted to apologize.”
Yuan Yishan remembered. This guy was the one they ran into at the elevator the day after the incident. He was quite thoughtful to remember his mistake and come to apologize. At the same time, she gave the young man a thumbs-up in her mind.
Gu Jin clinked her glass with his.
“I didn’t mind.”
Then, she drank it all in one go.
The guy bowed and left. Soon, other colleagues came over to toast her, one by one. Director Gu accepted every toast, always drinking real wine.
Morale Booster Yuan watched her user drink glass after glass of wine and began to feel distressed.
“Sister, if you can’t drink anymore, don’t force yourself. Your body won’t be able to handle it!”
Director Gu stubbornly ignored her. She was not a good talker, so she could only use wine to express herself.
After a few drinks, the group of “monkeys” was not as reserved as before.
Gu Jin drank a lot but forced herself to stay conscious. When she felt uncomfortable, she would drink some water to suppress it. She didn’t eat much after that.
When Director Gu was stubborn, she was a one-track mind. She remembered every bit of kindness shown to her and would repay it in action. She never expected someone to apologize to her, and she felt a sense of gratitude that she couldn’t explain.
Yuan Yishan leaned her A.I. head close to her ear again.
“Sister, if you don’t feel well, you can lean on me. It’s okay!”
Director Gu’s phoenix eyes slightly lowered, her face saying “no.” She cared about her image and didn’t like to show her weakness in front of others.
The dinner that started at 4 p.m. continued until after 7 p.m. with the drinking.
By the time the dinner ended, Director Gu was so exhausted she could barely stand, but she stubbornly insisted that they call a taxi or a designated driver before she would leave.
When everyone had left and it was just the two of them in the messy private room, she grabbed Yuan Yishan’s A.I. clothes, buried her face in her arms, and rubbed it. Her head was so dizzy she didn’t know what her name was, and her stomach was also feeling uncomfortable.
But she didn’t say a word. She just kept burying herself in Yuan Yishan’s arms, as if squeezing herself in would make her feel a little better.