Offending People

The next day, many executives learned about Ye Shuang's decision to fire employees and heard that Zhang Kui had gone to his office to discuss the matter.

To be honest, when news of this spread, quite a few people watched with schadenfreude.

That Director Kui was notorious for her fiery temper—she had even dared to confront Chen Qin to her face over certain issues. But because she was also known for her no-nonsense attitude and exceptional competence, Chen Qin valued her highly.

So when everyone heard that Director Kui and Ye Shuang had clashed, they expected some entertaining drama.

But by the next day, those employees were indeed fired. Not only that, an internal company notice was issued, listing various violations committed by every individual Ye Shuang had named.

Some had exploited their positions to demand kickbacks from suppliers, others had aided external parties in criminal activities, some had profited from exploiting game bugs, a few had illegally sold user accounts, and some had even colluded with external agencies to scam internship fees…

"You're saying not only did most of them leave without severance, but some are even going to jail?" Some executives were incredulous.

"Yes. The only ones who got compensation were the two who just lazed around doing nothing."

"Was it all handled by Ye Shuang?"

"No, it was Director Kui. Ye Shuang, he…"

"He what?"

"He left the office at 5 PM sharp."

"…"

Almost immediately, many within the company began to rein in their shady dealings after catching wind of this. The new director, Ye Shuang, seemed to have access to a wealth of incriminating information, and no one wanted that sword hanging over their heads.

Ye Shuang's actions also earned him admiration from many employees, especially since quite a few of those fired were so-called "PPT warriors"—people who did little actual work but excelled at flashy presentations.

Employees who had been doing the work of three people finally felt vindicated. The culture of bootlicking had been rampant in the company, and Ye Shuang’s arrival had abruptly changed that.

Over the next few days, under Ye Shuang’s direction, internal positions were restructured, and several more employees were let go—many of whom were underlings or even relatives of other executives.

Though furious, most executives didn’t dare speak up. Anyone who confronted Ye Shuang ended up tongue-tied by his arguments.

Within just three days, Ye Shuang earned the nickname "Director Ye of the Silver Horn"—a reference to the Silver Horn King from Journey to the West, who could kill anyone just by naming them.

Some even went straight to Chen Qin.

All they got in response was:

"Listen to Director Ye."

……

"As Director Ye pointed out… even after removing these people, the company’s operations haven’t been affected at all. In fact, we might even see higher profits." Zhang Kui stood beside Ye Shuang, finally realizing just how deep the rot had been in the teams she managed.

And yet, Ye Shuang had rooted out so many of these parasites within just a few days of taking charge.

Zhang Kui rarely respected anyone, but she had to admit that Ye Shuang was unlike anyone she’d ever met. From her perspective, he might even be better suited for the CEO position than Chen Qin.

Ye Shuang flipped through a report and suddenly said, "We can fill some of the vacant positions with fresh talent."

"But it doesn’t seem necessary now."

"No. Many employees are carrying workloads far beyond what they can handle," Ye Shuang countered. "Some even camp in the office to meet deadlines. That kind of environment is unsustainable—it’ll lead to problems sooner or later."

Zhang Kui was taken aback. How did Ye Shuang know all this?

"Director Kui, are you listening?"

"Ah, yes." She had indeed zoned out for a moment.

"I’d appreciate your full attention when I’m speaking," Ye Shuang said coolly.

"Y-yes." For some reason, Zhang Kui felt a pang of nervousness and lowered her head.

Nearby, an assistant watched in astonishment. The usually domineering Director Kui suddenly gave off the vibe of being… the assistant.

How bizarre.

"Hiring won’t be an issue. With the autumn recruitment season coming up, we’ll get a batch of high-quality interns," Zhang Kui added.

However, the company’s hiring process was notoriously rigorous. Candidates typically had to go through five or six rounds of interviews.

First, a qualification screening, then two technical interviews, followed by departmental and managerial interviews. For higher positions, even more senior executives might get involved—some applicants faced up to seven rounds.

As Zhang Kui said, only those with real skills made it in. That’s why she had been furious when Ye Shuang axed dozens in one go—though admittedly, some of those were just nepotism hires.

In truth, even Chen Qin disapproved of executives sneaking their people into the company. But some still did it behind the scenes, and since Zhang Kui couldn’t oversee every hiring decision, a few slackers inevitably slipped through.

Thinking about how many had been forcefully removed by Ye Shuang, Zhang Kui offered a well-meaning warning:

"Director Ye, you might end up making enemies among the executives and shareholders."

Zhang Kui herself wasn’t afraid, but Ye Shuang was new. He hadn’t even solidified his footing yet, let alone built his own loyal team.

Hearing this, Ye Shuang merely smiled and said,

"You’ve got it backwards."

"Backwards?" Zhang Kui blinked.

"They should be the ones worrying about offending me." His calm tone carried an inexplicable confidence that left Zhang Kui momentarily dazed.

Ye Shuang wasn’t the least bit concerned about his standing in the company.

After all, he was just here temporarily. If not for his worry over Chen Qin’s health, he’d much rather be a school doctor—his preferred job. Right now, his only role was to be the sharp blade in Chen Qin’s hand.

Afraid of making enemies?

He had more than just Chen Qin backing him—there was also Uncle Chen, the company’s former chairman.

The authority Ye Shuang wielded had Uncle Chen’s tacit approval. In fact, it was Uncle Chen who had empowered him. So he had nothing to fear.

After Zhang Kui left to handle her tasks, Ye Shuang took his assistant on a casual stroll through various departments.

"Director Ye."

"Good afternoon, Director Ye."

"D-Director Ye!"

Many recognized him and quickly greeted him.

Ye Shuang responded with a smile, showing no airs.

One employee, who had finished her work and was watching a show on her computer, froze when she noticed the man standing beside her. She hastily minimized the window.

"D-Director Ye!"

"Done with your work?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Y-yes! I was just… taking a break. I don’t slack off, I swear!" Her face twisted into something between a smile and a grimace. I’m done for. Am I getting fired?

And that excuse sounded so flimsy!

"Taking a break after finishing your work is perfectly fine." Ye Shuang patted her shoulder and walked off, leaving the employee utterly bewildered.

Even the assistant was puzzled. By her understanding, Ye Shuang shouldn’t tolerate idle behavior.

However, what Ye Shuang truly couldn't tolerate were the idle parasites who contributed nothing and those who violated rules. On the other hand, he had no issues with—and even understood—high-efficiency employees slacking off when their work was done.

Having finished all your tasks but still pretending to be busy—how exhausting is that?

"Director Ye seems different from what the rumors say."

"Shh, don't gossip about the boss behind his back." Ye Shuang's actions quietly earned him the goodwill of his employees.