In the office, Lin Qiang sat in a soft chair, looking at the interpersonal diagram he had just drawn, divided into six levels from bottom to top.
Lin Qiang, Zheng Shuai, Zhang Jiaming.
Hao Wei.
Zhu Fengshan, Qian Cai.
Zeng Baichuan.
Luo Sha, Xia Xin.
Ling Chen.
He used a fountain pen to slowly connect these names.
Zhang Jiaming, Hao Wei, Zhu Fengshan, Zeng Baichuan, and Rosa - these five names formed a straight line. Looking at this line, he added "Chen Liang" next to it.
"It's really solid," Lin Qiang licked his lips and smiled bitterly, "Layer upon layer."
He and Zheng Shuai could only connect distantly to Xia Xin and Ling Chen. Although Ling Chen held a high position and great power, he wasn't a bank leader and couldn't directly interfere in matters here.
Compared to that solid, stable straight line, his own line seemed very tenuous.
"Then we can only... start with you," Lin Qiang silently drew a big cross over Hao Wei and Zhang Jiaming's names with his pen.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Zhang Jiaming's voice came through: "Manager, there's a detail in the materials that the audit team wants to ask about."
"Mm, I'm coming," Lin Qiang smiled bitterly again. They must be afraid he'd secretly sleep and regain his strength. It seemed they wouldn't let him rest tonight.
Zeng Baichuan's calls for Lin Qiang were always timely, about every half hour, calling him over to inquire about some situations, then smiling and asking him to go rest. It was truly a "balance of work and rest."
...
At 8 AM, all the staff of the Longyuan Outlet had arrived. They watched Zeng Baichuan and his team leave stylishly, leaving behind a messy conference room, all feeling puzzled.
After changing her clothes, Xiao Xiao was the first to rush to Lin Qiang's office: "Brother Qiang, what's going on?"
However, she only saw Lin Qiang sound asleep, slumped over his desk.
Xiao Xiao, about to speak again, hesitated. Seeing Lin Qiang sleeping so deeply, she suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. This guy who always stood up for everyone must be very tired now.
She took a blanket from the office sofa and gently draped it over Lin Qiang. Just as she was about to do something more, she saw Lin Xiaozhao standing bewildered at the office door.
"Shh..." She made a gesture to Lin Xiaozhao to be quiet, then tiptoed out of the office, gently closing the door, afraid of waking Lin Qiang.
"Hehe..." Seeing Xiao Xiao's cautious behavior, Lin Xiaozhao couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at?"
"I didn't know... you had this side to you..." Lin Xiaozhao covered her mouth, "I thought you were a tomboy."
"You want a beating!" Xiao Xiao's face reddened as she grabbed Lin Xiaozhao's bottom and pinched hard.
"Ah..." Lin Xiaozhao dodged away, covering her bottom and joking, "Secretly covering the manager with a blanket, and now I can't even mention it."
"You're asking for it!" Xiao Xiao chased after her.
"Hey, hey, stop fooling around," Zheng Shuai frowned as he saw the two playing in the corridor.
Seeing Zheng Shuai arrive, Xiao Xiao finally asked, "Those people were from the audit department, right? What happened last night?"
Zheng Shuai sighed helplessly: "Night inspection. Don't disturb Lin Qiang, let him sleep for a while."
"Night inspection?" Xiao Xiao's brow furrowed as she asked, "I've worked here for so many years and never heard of this before."
Lin Xiaozhao also joined in: "They can do night inspections?"
"Sigh... to put it bluntly, they're just trying to keep Lin Qiang from sleeping. If he wants to sleep, he has to do so during the day," Zheng Shuai patted both their shoulders. "So, during the day, we need to cover Lin Qiang's work, letting him save his energy for receiving key clients, understood?"
"Of course," Xiao Xiao finally understood the situation and quickly turned from gentle to angry. "Who's so heartless to pull something like this?"
"Yeah... Manager Qiang is working so hard, all to create results and profits for the bank. How come he's being targeted by the bank itself? Why do this?"
Zheng Shuai smiled bitterly, not intending to explain too much, only sighing, "Just consider it a test. We each have our own roles. Let's not have the morning meeting today, and everyone try not to give Lin Qiang any trouble."
"Mm, let him get some sleep quickly."
"Zhou Ren and his friends will be here soon. I will definitely convince them!"
Zheng Shuai smiled faintly - Lin Qiang, can you see? There are still some good people on our side.
Just then, Zhang Jiaming stretched, carrying his bag and yawning as he walked out: "Oh my, I'm exhausted. Good work everyone, I'm going home to rest first. We'll continue the inspection tonight."
"Hmph, be careful on your way," Zheng Shuai moved aside to let him pass.
"I really envy you guys," Zhang Jiaming said with a satisfied smile. "Lin Qiang shields you all, so you don't have to stay up all night for the inspection. He's really a good leader, hehe."
"Go find your Hao Wei," Xiao Xiao scolded directly.
"Hehe, Manager Hao is doing great, no need for Miss Xiao to worry," Zhang Jiaming chuckled, then nodded towards Lin Qiang's office. "As for your Boss Lin, he's taking on everything. Hope he doesn't work himself to death!"
"Just get out of here," Xiao Xiao pointed at Zhang Jiaming and cursed. "It's annoying just looking at you. Let me tell you, if Lin Qiang succeeds, you'll have to leave; if Lin Qiang doesn't succeed, I'll transfer out with him. You and Hao Wei will stay here forever."
At this moment, Chen Liang also arrived, smiling sarcastically from afar: "Hehe, don't speak so absolutely. There's still me, you know."
"Birds of a feather," Xiao Xiao tossed her hair and ignored him, walking into the counter area to prepare for business.
"I'm going to prepare materials too," Lin Xiaozhao, usually very good-tempered, also glared at Chen Liang before disappearing down the corridor.
Chen Liang looked at Zheng Shuai and smiled slyly: "We haven't talked since you've been here, right? Zheng Shuai, Zheng Shuai, you're really handsome. The higher-ups all praise you."
"Hmph," Zheng Shuai didn't respond, pushing past him to walk out.
Chen Liang wasn't angry and continued speaking sarcastically: "Ah, people are influenced by their environment. You've been with Lin Qiang for so long, your temper has changed too."
"On this point, you're actually wrong," Zheng Shuai, with his back to Chen Liang and Zhang Jiaming, smiled slightly. "It's precisely because our tempers are the same that we can stay together for so long."
"The same? I don't think so," Chen Liang said softly. "You still have a chance, still have a future. You should think carefully about your own affairs."
"Yes, I'll think about my own affairs myself. No need for you to worry," Zheng Shuai said, then disappeared down the corridor.
"Ungrateful," Chen Liang said with a dark face, then turned to Zhang Jiaming, pointing at Lin Qiang's office door. "How was it last night?"
"He didn't sleep at all," Zhang Jiaming said with a sinister smile. "If this continues, even an iron man would break down."
"Well done. From now on, you'll have to keep an eye on him every night," Chen Liang patted Zhang Jiaming's shoulder. "You can go off work now. Leave the rest to me."
"Ah? There's more?"
Chen Liang smiled, waving the materials in his hand: "There are some things I don't quite understand. I need to consult with Acting Director Lin thoroughly before the bank opens."
"Hehe," Zhang Jiaming waved his finger in admiration. "Brilliant, truly brilliant. We'll take turns dealing with him. Let's see how he handles it."