That same day, after closing his offices, Mu Qing paid a visit to the assistant district commissioner 's home to have a discussion with him about the dual job offers Mu Rong had on the table.
When Mu Qing was back to his house, during their evening dinner, he shared the resolution from his conversation with Mr. Sai, the assistant district commissioner, who had offered Mu Rong the accounting job at Mu Qing's request.
Mu Qing, Mok Dan (his wife), and Mu Rong were gathered at the dining table having their meal.
"I discussed the job Yin arranged for you with Mr. Sai. His resolution is for you to start as a secretary on Monday and he will gradually transition you to the accounts department. I emphasized our preference for the accounting experience and he supported our choice citing the long term benefit it would have on your career." Mu Qing informed Mu Rong during their meal.
Excitement filled the room as Mu Rong and Mok Dan exchanged glances as they had anticipated challenges in convincing Mr. Sai with the dual offers. With a solid offer on the table, Mu Qing offered Mu Rong advice on managing office politics and focusing on what was more important in her life.
"Many times we lose focus due to anger and fear, but remember, our aim is to see you grow with a lifelong career," Mu Qing, pleased for his daughter, with a tone carrying assurance and hope advised. Mok Dan complimented Mu Rong's good grades and efforts in excelling in her exams, requesting her not to be taken by the desire of lack and lust.
"Ascend through your efforts, and a worthy companion will emerge," counseled Mok Dan.
As the day concluded, Mu Rong went to bed with a determined purpose in mind, to navigate the challenges ahead with intelligence and determination.
The next day, on a sunday morning, Mu Rong went over to Yin's house to prepare for their first day at work as they had agreed the previous evening. Despite the extensive shopping from the previous day, the girls had planned for another shopping spree at the local Sunday market. Yin upon hearing from one of the maids that Mu Rong was in the living room waiting for her, hid all the gifts and private cheat codes she had received from Lu Zheng before Mu Rong would enter her bedroom.
They spent half of the day revising books on secretarial work and resilience before going out for their last shopping. Marquis and Marquess rejoiced in their daughter Yin's happiness, with the Marquis particularly pleased to welcome Lu Zheng as his future son-in-law. Lu Zheng's realistic care for Yin and his evident long-term goals for her brought additional joy to the family.
The girls after retiring to their homes that evening, spent some time rehearsing and fervently praying for guidance and luck through their new journey.
When Monday morning came, both girls woke up early, eager to start their new jobs, even though the official office hours began at 9:30 AM. By 7:30 AM, the girls had already met outside their homes and had agreed to hang around the offices until 9:00 AM even though the offices were just a 30-minute walk away from their homes.
Out of Love, Lu Zheng had already gone ahead of the girls, concerned about the potential manipulation by Rama, a man partly in charge of all workers and area supervision as an assistant to Mr. Sai.
At 9:00 AM, Rama arrived at the district offices, heading straight to his office to keep his bag before supervising the area. Anzim, a housekeeping worker hired by Rama, had been waiting for him. Once Rama's office was open, Anzim approached him.
"Good morning, sir," greeted Anzim, standing upright a little further away from Rama's desk. Rama warmly replied, his eyes on Anzim, anticipating some information about the office.
"Is everything okay?" Rama asked after Anzim greeted him.
Anzim reported, "There are two new desks outside Mr. Bangwan's office and Mr. Sai's office." Rama, surprised, inquired further about when the desks arrived and who allowed them to be placed there.
"The desks came this morning, and Lu Zheng was the one giving directions," Anzim replied, making eye contact with Rama.
The information didn't sit well with Rama. He felt kept in the dark despite his decade-long tenure with the district offices. How could they hire new staff without consulting him? Rama wondered but decided to maintain a cool image.
"Thank you for informing me. Get back to your duties. Keep an eye on everything and let me know if anything happens," Rama instructed Anzim, hiding his disappointment with a fake smile.
After Anzim left, Rama's pretense dropped, and anger boiled within him. Refraining from causing a scene, Rama closed his office door, took deep breaths, and fanned himself.
"I have to stay calm," Rama convinced himself, taking water from his bottle. He went out to supervise with the intention of meeting Lu Zheng, a senior in rank.
As Rama supervised, he encountered Lu Zheng returning from inspecting the meeting hall. Rama greeted Lu Zheng first, maintaining a calm demeanor despite the underlying tension.
"Good morning too," Lu Zheng replied, wearing a shallow smile. Before Lu Zheng could continue, Rama asked about the two new desks.
"Are those two new desks for our new staff?" Rama inquired, keeping a calm and gentle face. Lu Zheng, understanding Rama's intention, answered vaguely and left.
"I don't know, but it's you and my father who are in charge of hiring in this place. Please excuse me, I need to finish some pending work," Lu Zheng said, breathing in fresh air as Rama's presence suffocated him.
Rama's journey within the district offices began humbly as an office messenger. Over time, he navigated the ranks, securing promotions along the way. Armed with a deep understanding of the inner workings of the offices and having spent a significant amount of time there, Rama capitalized on this advantage. His knowledge became a tool for control and manipulation, often leading to the downfall of many workers who found themselves ensnared in his schemes.
Despite his dedication, Rama faced a critical limitation, a deficiency in leadership and hard skills. This shortfall became a hindrance to his professional advancement. While he ascended the organizational ladder, he never reached the pinnacle of authority and superiority, unlike his counterpart Lu Zheng.
Most of his other counterparts succeeded well and moved on with other jobs, but he remained stuck at the district offices. Even when Lu Zheng, from a junior position, was appointed as the head of projects, Rama continued in endless schemes, unable to break free from the constraints of his own limitations.