From Dropout to Housemaid-The Upper Crust's Favorite - Chapter 3 - Resignation

Before her rebirth, Jiang Xianyu had reluctantly agreed to Manager Liu’s demands. After her rebirth, however, she had no intention of complying.

“Manager Liu, this project has always been handled by Manager Feng. Isn’t it a bit too blatant for you to snatch it away for me?” Jiang Xianyu said with a calm yet pointed tone.

Manager Liu’s previously cheerful expression darkened instantly. “Xiao Jiang, this is an order from your superior. We’re all colleagues here; shouldn’t we help each other out? Why make such a fuss over dividing things so clearly, don’t you think?”

Jiang Xianyu, who had already decided to quit by the end of the month, thought to herself, ‘Absolutely not.’

“Manager Liu, with all due respect, if we really don’t draw any boundaries, wouldn’t everything just descend into chaos? And when that happens, who gets credit for the performance?”

Manager Liu stared at Jiang Xianyu in disbelief, as if trying to figure out where she had gotten the audacity to speak to him like this.

Jiang Xianyu’s voice wasn’t quiet, and everyone nearby had heard her. Though they all pretended to be busy, their ears were clearly perked up, and many silently agreed with her.

After all, they were just regular employees. If their hard-earned achievements could be taken away so easily, what was the point of working so hard?

Noticing the subtle glances from those around them, Manager Liu grew irritated. “Jiang Xianyu, don’t be ungrateful!”

Jiang Xianyu didn’t back down. “Ungrateful? Or is it you who’s being unreasonable? If all the results of my hard work are going to be credited to someone else, why should I even bother?”

She cast a glance at Manager Feng, who was cautiously peeking out from his office door, and added with a sharp edge, “Isn’t that right, Manager Feng?”

Caught eavesdropping, Manager Feng’s face turned awkward. He cleared his throat and stepped out of his office.

“Manager Jiang, there’s no need to say such things. We’re all working for the good of the company. Why make things difficult for our leaders?”

“Since you think there’s no need to fuss over such matters, why don’t we do this: once you finalize the Jiahua project, hand it over to me, and I’ll take over Qingyuan Hotel for you,” Jiang Xianyu retorted with a faint smile.

She knew full well that the Jiahua project had been successfully completed and was nearing its IPO stage. There was no way Manager Feng would trade such a sure thing for the near-hopeless Qingyuan Hotel case.

Manager Feng remained silent, unwilling to respond. Jiang Xianyu had no intention of wasting more time on this pointless exchange.

“Manager Liu, the Tianyuan Pharmaceutical project I’m handling is at a critical stage. As for Qingyuan, you’d better find someone else for the job.”

Manager Liu, seeing her unyielding attitude, was visibly furious. His chest heaved as he struggled to contain his anger. How dare this woman, burdened with so many responsibilities, speak to him like this?

“Jiang Xianyu, I’ll ask you one last time: will you take on Qingyuan or not? If you agree, I’ll pretend none of this ever happened. If you refuse, then pack up your things and leave!”

His voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, and the room fell into a stunned silence.

A smug smile crept onto Manager Feng’s face. The bribes he had secretly given Manager Liu were clearly paying off.

Jiang Xianyu’s gaze shifted between the two men before she let out a cold laugh. “Alright, Manager Liu, you said it yourself, and everyone here heard it. You’re the one firing me.”

She unfastened her employee badge and tossed it onto Manager Liu’s chest. “Fine! I quit! Since you’re the one dismissing me, make sure my salary and severance pay are delivered in full!”

Originally, Jiang Xianyu had planned to finish out the month before resigning. But if Manager Liu insisted on making a scene, why not take the severance pay he was practically handing her?

If she resigned on her own, she wouldn’t be entitled to any severance pay.

Even if she stayed until the end of the month, she’d only get her full monthly salary of a little over 40,000 yuan.

But if she were terminated now, her average monthly salary over the past twelve months-26,700 yuan-would entitle her to three years of severance pay, totaling 80,000 yuan.

Not only would she get double the money, but she’d also be spared from working the remaining half month.

She couldn’t help but marvel at how perfectly things were falling into place.

Manager Liu was caught off guard by Jiang Xianyu’s response, a flicker of panic flashing across his face.

Sure, he had accepted Manager Feng’s bribe, but he hadn’t actually intended to drive Jiang Xianyu away.

After all, his department only had two people, and more than half of their performance metrics were thanks to her efforts.

But then, remembering her troublesome family situation, Manager Liu regained his composure. He didn’t believe for a second that Jiang Xianyu would actually quit. She must be bluffing, using the threat of resignation as leverage.

It was precisely because he was certain she wouldn’t leave that he dared to treat her this way.

With renewed confidence, Manager Liu’s tone became even more forceful. “Fine, then pack up your things and leave right now!”

Jiang Xianyu laughed. It was the first time in days that anyone had seen her smile so freely.

She held up her phone and gave it a little shake. “I’ve recorded everything you just said. I’ll pack up and head to HR to finalize my resignation.”

As she turned and headed toward her office, Manager Liu’s voice rang out in alarm. “Jiang Xianyu! Think this through carefully! Don’t forget about the non-compete agreement you signed after your promotion!”

Her only response was the sight of her carefree back and the sound of her office door slamming shut.

A non-compete agreement?

It just meant she couldn’t work in the same industry for two years. She hadn’t planned on staying in the capital markets world anyway.

She wasn’t the least bit worried.

Manager Feng, on the other hand, was starting to feel uneasy.

He glanced at Manager Liu, whose face had gone a shade paler, and instinctively shrank back.

Not long after, Jiang Xianyu emerged from her office, carrying a box of her belongings.

Her previously gloomy expression seemed to have brightened considerably.

The people in the office watched her, their emotions mixed.

Earlier, they had mostly been spectators, enjoying the drama. But now, seeing her actually leave, a sense of shared misfortune began to settle over them.

Jiang Yuan stood up, attempting to stop her. “Manager Jiang, are you really leaving? What about us? What are we supposed to do if you go? I know you’re someone who sees things through to the end. There are still unfinished projects on our plate.”

Jiang Xianyu looked at him, her usually calm eyes seeming to pierce straight through his thoughts.

Jiang Yuan’s gaze wavered.

He genuinely didn’t want her to leave, but his reasons had little to do with concern for her.

Having witnessed the entire confrontation, he could see that Manager Liu was in a tough spot. If he could convince Jiang Xianyu to stay, even temporarily, it would be a favor to Manager Liu, one that might pay off for him later.

As for the possibility that she might lose her severance pay by staying a little longer, that wasn’t his problem.

There was another factor at play: the Tianyuan Pharmaceutical project. Jiang Xianyu had been leading it, and if she left now, it was unclear who would take over.

The project was practically a sure thing at this point.

If it were handed off to another VP, that VP’s team would likely take over. And when the higher-ups decided to reassign the project, Jiang Yuan and his team wouldn’t see any of the performance bonuses.

Still, he wasn’t entirely sure he could persuade her to stay. But whether she stayed or not, he had to make the effort.

Even if she ultimately left, his words would serve as a gesture of goodwill. If Manager Liu didn’t appreciate it, at least Jiang Xianyu’s former team might.

After all, this was about their tangible interests.

Jiang Xianyu saw through Jiang Yuan’s intentions but chose not to call him out.

While she had been the driving force behind the Tianyuan Pharmaceutical project, her team had also put in a lot of hard work. If someone else swooped in to claim the credit now, it wouldn’t be fair to them.

She glanced at the colleagues who had worked tirelessly alongside her and offered a reassuring smile. “You all know the Tianyuan Pharmaceutical case better than anyone. If someone new takes over, there could be complications. I’ll make sure to explain this to the higher-ups. Even if another VP is assigned to the project, they’ll still need your help.”

She was confident she could convince the leadership to ensure that her team’s contributions were recognized.

After all, the company’s priority was to see the project through successfully, and the most reliable way to do that was to keep the current team involved.

Manager Liu wouldn’t put up much resistance either.

This was, after all, in his best interest.

And considering that her resignation was entirely his doing, if the Tianyuan Pharmaceutical project fell apart now, he’d be the one to face the consequences. As the executive director, he wouldn’t be able to escape the fallout.