The financial manager led Zhang Yu to an office next to the finance department, "Director Zhang, as you can see, this office is rather simple."
"There's no separate restroom or lounge."
Although the financial manager knew it might not change Zhang Yu's mind, he still wanted to make one last effort.
"This is the office of the Chief Financial Officer, isn't it? The previous office, I'm guessing, was for the company's president."
"I know how you all see me; you have your stance, and I have mine."
"Even if I were just a mascot, I can't just turn a blind eye."
"When it comes to reporting the company's data, I'll do it."
"By the way, these are the documents I need. Can you check when they might be ready?" Zhang Yu had thought about where to start after arriving at the company today.
Don't mind that in the eyes of many, the original host was just an unaccomplished junior in finance; she had honed her skills in two newly-established companies.
She knew how to start with a company's finances and how to spot problems in the data.
When her old boss was in charge and the company was about to be acquired, Zhang Yu had been involved, though many saw her just as a lackey.
She was seen as someone sent by leadership for a gilded experience, but some old finance hands knew Zhang Yu wasn't there for show; she was capable of uncovering quite a few financial issues.
The financial manager knew that keeping Zhang Yu in the previous office would be a challenging task.
But he hadn't expected that she would not only reject such a suggestion but also order which documents she needed.
Taking the list and glancing at it, the financial manager truly broke out in a cold sweat internally.
If these documents were handed out, Zhang Yu would be able to control most of the company's capital flow.
Although the accounts looked quite good, and the financial manager was somewhat complacent, at this point, he really started to worry if Zhang Yu might notice something amiss.
At that moment, he suddenly remembered that someone had mentioned Zhang Yu had been involved in several acquisitions.
Although they also added that Zhang Yu was just mingling for the experience, the financial manager now felt that Zhang Yu was not the pushover she seemed to be; she must possess some genuine skills.
"When can I get the documents?" Zhang Yu pressed on.
The financial manager thought for a moment, "Would Monday be possible?"
"That's fine," Zhang Yu expressed no problem with that, "Who should I talk to if we need to add anything to the office?"
The financial manager breathed a sigh of relief, having been worried she'd demand the documents by the next day, which would have been troublesome, "What do you need to add?"
"Get some potted plants."
"Then add a printer."
Zhang Yu asked for a few office equipment items and then did not make further requests; after all, she could purchase minor items herself without having the company procure them.
With her workspace chosen, she turned to a personal matter, "For my living arrangement, does the company arrange it, or should I find a place myself?"
"There's a two-bedroom apartment that's just been vacated near the company, freshly renovated and aired out for a few months." Originally, the apartment was meant for a leader.
Now that Zhang Yu has come, it was definitely prioritized for her.
Upon hearing there was a renovated apartment available, Zhang Yu quickly followed the financial manager to take a look.
Indeed, the apartment was move-in ready and even had cleaning already taken care of.
Crucially, it was very close to the company, merely a ten-minute walk, and nearby facilities were well-developed.
There is a large general hospital, a farmers' market, a large supermarket, and even a rather prosperous shopping street. In short, everything is within a ten-minute walk.
Even though it's not the city center, she was truly satisfied with the location. As for the two-bedroom apartment, she had already decided that the current layout was quite good.
One bedroom, one study, but this meant she couldn't buy another apartment and then rent it to herself. After all, her employer had already provided her with a place to live—it was not realistic to expect them to pay rent as well.
Forget it, it doesn't matter. She could just as well buy an apartment and rent it out later. In any case, buying property was essential; owning real estate is the most reliable support.
Seeing that Zhang Yu had no objections to the apartment, the finance manager breathed a sigh of relief, "So, we'll take this one?"
"Right, you won't have to pay the utilities and property fees, the company will cover those."
Wow, even the utility bills are included? That really made Zhang Yu happy—after all, utility bills could be quite expensive.
"Okay," Zhang Yu decided to move in today, it would save her from staying in a hotel any longer.
That evening, Zhang Yu treated the driver to dinner, as she had realized that he had come here just to escort her.
Feeling full and contented upon returning home, Zhang Yu looked around the empty one-bedroom apartment, "I'll have to think about how to decorate the place tomorrow."
Although the place was fully furnished with appliances and furniture, it still felt like a model home—it needed a few personal touches.
But it had to be said, everything had been thoughtfully provided, including pots, pans, and cooking utensils.
After doing some simple stretching exercises in her new home, Zhang Yu took a shower and prepared to go to bed.
For him, there was nothing uncomfortable, but for a couple like Zhang Dagu and his wife, there were all sorts of discomforts, or rather, discontentment.
Zhang Yu prepared breakfast, but lunch was Pan Juan's responsibility. Although she had helped Zhang Yu with dinner, most of it involved just assisting.
Without any help now, Pan Juan was all over the place trying to get lunch ready; however, after taking one bite, Zhang Dagu found it all kinds of unpalatable.
"Yikes, this is lunch?"
"I'd say it's pig feed. How on earth did you cook this?"
Zhang Dagu was huffing with frustration and declared he would not eat at home, "I'm going out to eat."
"But didn't you say the food outside isn't tasty?" Pan Juan tasted the dish and found that the thought of defending herself had already evaporated.
Because the meal she prepared was indeed a bit too disgusting. The old lady looked at the food on the table and truly did not feel like eating it at all.
After some thought, Pan Juan decided to follow Zhang Dagu out to eat. The elderly couple ordered a meat dish, a soup, and a vegetable dish, which ended up costing seventy to eighty yuan.
As Zhang Dagu settled the bill, his heart bled, "It's really too expensive."
"In the past, the food for three people for a whole day didn't even cost this much." Regardless of the substantial pension Zhang Dagu received, the old man was still very frugal.
Pan Juan also felt the pinch, "Yeah, it's so expensive."
"I think this meal isn't even as delicious as what Er Ya used to make."
"With such mediocre cooking skills, I really don't know how it can be so expensive."
The last thing Zhang Dagu wanted to hear now was Zhang Yu's name, "Why bring up that name?"
"That girl has gone to work out of town."
"And when she comes back later, don't expect her to cook like she used to."
"I always knew that girl was no good. Now that she found out she's not entitled to the house, just look at how she has changed her tune."