Spellbound Hearts - Chapter 77 - Tough Measures

Liao Bei’s words were blunt but true.

Song Zhaoli sipped his tea, his fingers tracing the rim of the cup with a distinct elegance. “As the saying goes, give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Liao Bei paused, then scoffed lightly, “You’re such a tease.”

Song Zhaoli continued, “Once you’ve got the inside scoop, don’t tell her directly. Find a way to have Wu Shu pass it on.”

Liao Bei laughed mockingly, “If you don’t have a thing for Ji Xuan, I’ll eat my hat.”

Song Zhaoli didn’t respond, lighting a cigarette instead.

While others might face a few initial challenges in a new position, Ji Xuan seemed to encounter hurdles at every turn. Besides the mess left by Bi Sheng, there was also the chaos left by the previous Project Department manager.

Comparing the two, it’s hard to say which was worse.

The assistant was a man in his thirties, clearly a seasoned veteran, reputedly the previous manager’s confidant. Seeing Ji Xuan overwhelmed, he deliberately piled more files onto her desk.

Ji Xuan hadn’t initially realized he was making things difficult for her until he insisted these files needed to be resolved by the end of the day.

“Manager Ji, these are leftover issues that have been dragging on for ages. They must be sorted out by the end of today, or there’s no way to report back to the higher-ups.”

Ji Xuan glanced at the stack of files, her expression calm, “They must be resolved today?”

The assistant feigned difficulty, “Yes.”

Ji Xuan eyed him, then walked to the water cooler, filled a cup, and took a sip, her back to him as she asked, “Did the previous Project Department manager get promoted or resign?”

The assistant didn’t grasp the deeper meaning behind Ji Xuan’s question and answered truthfully, “Resigned.”

Ji Xuan didn’t inquire about the reasons for his resignation, knowing he wouldn’t reveal the truth. She turned with a light smile, “When did he process his resignation?”

The assistant replied, “Yesterday.”

Ji Xuan nodded slightly with her cup in hand, “He processed his resignation yesterday, yet the files you handed me have been accumulating for over three months. Assistant Wang, are you joking with me, or testing my capabilities?”

Her directness made the assistant’s face flush red, and he hurriedly explained, “No, Manager Ji, you’ve misunderstood. These files indeed have been piling up for over three months, but I absolutely didn’t mean to test you. The higher-ups are pressing hard, I…”

Seeing him still trying to argue, Ji Xuan raised a hand to stop him, “No need to explain. I’m not new to this industry.”

The assistant was speechless.

Ji Xuan returned to her desk, pushed the files forward, and spoke coldly, “These files won’t be resolved by the end of the day. Not only today, but they won’t be resolved within the next month.”

Seeing Ji Xuan’s firm stance, the assistant’s tone turned unfriendly, “Manager Ji, I’m just an assistant. These words are not for me. You should save them for the higher-ups.”

Ji Xuan replied, “Rest assured, I will definitely speak to the higher-ups.”

The assistant was at a loss for words.

Ji Xuan continued, “Before that, I need to confirm something with you. Are you here at Song Group to earn a living, or to play office politics?”

The assistant’s expression shifted slightly, “What do you mean by that, Manager Ji?”

Ji Xuan explained, “The Project Department isn’t like other departments. Planning documents, contract signing, follow-up work-it’s all tedious and requires careful attention. I’m new here, and while I don’t expect smooth cooperation with everyone, we should at least coexist peacefully. If we can’t, there are only two outcomes: either I leave, or you do.”

The assistant was silent.

Ji Xuan placed her cup down firmly, “Clearly, I’ve just been recruited, so the chances of me leaving are slim.”

The assistant took a breath, “What are you trying to say?”

Ji Xuan tapped the stack of files with her slender fingers, “I have an important project to follow up on. Don’t let these trivial matters affect my progress. If the project gets delayed, I might leave, but before I do, I’ll make sure those causing trouble leave first.”

The assistant hadn’t expected Ji Xuan to be so tough and blunt, standing there, unable to respond for a long while.

After about half a minute, the assistant adjusted his breathing, stepped forward, and gathered the files, “Manager Ji, I’m sorry. I mishandled this.”

Ji Xuan didn’t give him any face, “If there’s nothing else, you can leave.”

The assistant replied, “Yes.”

Watching the assistant leave, Ji Xuan rubbed her temples with her fingertips.

As she prepared to dive back into work, her phone on the desk buzzed.

Ji Xuan glanced at it, a message popped up on the screen.

Song Zhaoli: We’ve found a kidney donor. Contact me when you have time.