Chapter 220 Fight Openly and Secretly
The speaker is a well-dress woman. She is around twenty years old. She looks quite pretty. She makes herself up carefully.
She is the supervisor of the Journalist Section, Li Shi.
Li Shi has just been in the World Era Weekly for a year, but she is the supervisor of the journalists, who all have a glib tongue. As a matter of fact, it has something to do with Li Shi’s background. She has someone supporting her over there.
As to who this someone is, that is a secret.
Based on Xia Ning’s understanding of Li Shi’s personality, Li Shi is a woman who pays great attention to fashion trends and tastes. In order to become the supervisor of Journalist Section, she made real effects.
“Li Shi, what do you mean?” Supervisor Wu is angry to see a newcomer offend herself.
“Nothing.” Li Shi sneers, “I have three words: weight the timing. Be wise, Aunt Wu.”
Aunt Wu sounds like Manito Wu in Chinese. Though Supervisor Wu knows that Li Shi is teasing her, she can’t but widen her eyes with anger in her heart.
Xia Ning turns to Li Shi, “Supervisor Li, you may report about your section.”
“My section?” Li Shi glances at her well-trimmed fingernails, “No problem. I have solved all the problems.”
What Li Shi hints at is that even if there are any problems, Xia Ning is not expected to solve them.
There is another round of discussion heard.
Xia Ning glances at them. She smiles, “Then, as to the whole department, Supervisor Li, do you have any comments or suggestions?”
Li Shi lifts her head, “I only keep my section under well management. About other sections? I am afraid that some people may set me up behind! Director Xia, please don’t make use of me. I am not to be used as a tool.”
Xia Ning lifts her eyebrows. She understands clearly.
The supervisors of the English Section and Chinese Section, you two may report about your part respectively.
The supervisor of the English Section is a bright young man with a fashionable name, Hua Tangli. He studied abroad and came back. He is enthusiastic about work. Hearing Xia Ning’s instruction, he gives the speech himself, “Director, we are short of manpower in English Section. Recently, I want to employ some people. And as to the suggestions for the whole department, I think we lack of vitality and the need to improve interior cohesion. We should arrange more activities.”
Hearing this, Supervisor Wu, Li Shi and Supervisor of Chinese Section Guo Jiezhong all turn to look at him. Hua Tangli feels a little surprised. He shrugs his shoulders, “Why? Didn’t the director tell us to speak honestly? It is my opinion. Don’t look at me. You all understand.”
“Hahaha!” Li Shi laughs first, “Handsome Tangli, you are the only man among all us women. You are spoilt and can’t tell the right directions. Aren’t you?”
Hua Tangli feels more confused, “Shi, can you say more frankly? I am not good at the social formula. I only know to obey the boss’s instructions and get the job done. Except for that, I am not a good thinker.”
Supervisor Wu sips the tea. She slightly shakes her head.
“Very good. Thank you, Supervisor Hua.” Xia Ning turns to Guo Jiezhong, the Supervisor of the Chinese Section, “Supervisor Guo, I want to hear the report about your section and your suggestions on the whole department.”
Guo Jiezhong is a man at his thirties. He wears a dark gray suit every day with a pair of black frame glasses. He looks tradition, but quite tidy and clean.
“In my opinion.” Guo Jiezhong holds his black frame glasses, “When Director Xia was absent, all section supervisors performed their duty. The whole department was united. As to my section, there are no serious problems. And as regards the comments and suggestions on the department,” Guo Jiezhong giggles, “I will obey Director Xia’s arrangement.”
Xia Ning looks at Guo Jiezhong meaningfully. Guo Jiezhong has his advantages as well as disadvantages. He speaks for both sides and is not partial to anyone. He doesn’t offend anyone. He is a typical middle man.
“Hum. I see.” Xia Ning takes a sip of the coffee.
Except for the Supervisor of the English Section, all the other supervisors didn’t tell the true condition of their sections. Xia Ning predicted it might turn out to be like this in advance, but still she feels very disappointed.
Xia Ning collects herself. She puts down the coffee cup, “It seems that all the sections are running well, except the English Section. However,” Xia Ning holds out her hand and Gu Ruoruo passes her a document. Xia Ning continues, “I have got some information here. It looks different from what you said.”
Then, Xia Ning briefly talks about the important events happened recently. She glances at the expressions of the supervisors. The supervisors react with different expressions, however, all of them keep their words inside and choose to be silent with each other.
“Supervisor Wu, you asked me to speak out the reasons for my quitting. Why didn’t you tell me directly what happened in your section? Shouldn’t we work with honesty? Next time, if Supervisor Wu can be franker, I don’t mind telling the truth about myself openly.”
Supervisor Wu is speechless to hear what Xia Ning says. She puts down the cup, “Well…well. I will pay attention to that.”
“Hum.” Xia Ning turns to Li Shi, “Supervisor Li, the camera is as important as life to a reporter. It was right. In the event, the reporter had some conflicts with an official from the governmental department and was kicked out. The instruments were broken as a result. The reporter had to take the responsibility for that. However, if the reporter was fired directly because of that, who would dare go to collect the important information from then on? You might not know. The reporter was beaten badly because he was protecting the camera with his body!”
Hearing what Xia Ning says, Li Shi’s face changes from gray to red for quite a while. She says, “Well. I didn’t deal with it well. I will pay attention to that.”
Xia Ning slightly curls her lips, “Supervisor Guo, I really admire the commitment of the staff in your section. However, in my opinion, intensive work doesn’t necessarily contribute to good quality. We will talk about that after the meeting.”
Guo Jiezhong hasn’t made any responses while Li Shi says, “Ha. It seems that someone under Supervisor Guo tells on, too. Supervisor Guo, you have to pay attention to that. Well. Didn’t your assistant Fang Zheng ask for leave quite often because of his family issues? I wonder whether Supervisor Guo has given him your approval for that.”
Guo Jiezhong darkens his face. He glances strictly at Fang Zheng who is behind him.
Not expecting that Li Shi will tell on him, Fang Zheng is shocked. He stands up and bows at Xia Ning, “Director, I know it is not a good time for me to interrupt. But, may I say some words?”
“Assistant Fang, it is not the place for you to give a speech. Sit down!” Not waiting for Xia Ning to respond, Guo Jiezhong shouts in a loud voice!
Fang Zheng slightly changes his color. He is going to sit down, while Xia Ning says at once, “It is all right. Everyone can speak at the meeting. Assistant Fang, you may say what you want.”
Fang Zheng glances at Guo Jiezhong. He hesitates for a while. He curls his lips, “Yes, Director. Supervisor Li, I am only an assistant, but I understand that my supervisor didn’t approve my leave for reasons. Supervisor and subordinates should understand and be considerate to each other, which is helpful for the development of the department. I will handle my family issues accordingly. Supervisor Li, you don’t need to discuss this issue in the meeting. Director, that is all.”
“Hehe, Assistant Fang, you really have your temper.” Li Shi says sarcastically, “You look just, while actually what you do is inconsistent with what you say.”
Fang Zheng frowns, “That is not true.”
“Stop!” Xia Ning speaks, “Assistant Fang, I know what you mean. Don’t be excited. Sit down.”
Fang Zheng takes a deep breath. He sits down and lowers his head to continue with his note-taking.
Xia Ning closes the files in her hand. She knocks at the file, “I talk with you about these not for any other intentions. I only hope that all the section supervisors can be honest and speak frankly. You don’t need to guess who gives me the information. I can tell you that I can easily get it, but not from anyone from your sections. Comparing with spending time in making blind guesses, why don’t we get down to work. What I hope is that when something happens, all the sections can report it honestly. All the colleagues in the Entertainment Department are families. We should not fight against each other.”
“Director Xia,” Supervisor Wu speaks, “As to what you say, we will keep in mind. But I want to add some words. No matter in the official circle or the job market, there are many problems. Director Xia, you really don’t need to pay attention to many of them. There is no need to break the harmony.”
“Aunt Wu, when do you learn Supervisor Guo’s style?” Li Shi says in a coy voice, “Who doesn’t know that the yes man in the Entertainment Department is Supervisor Guo? Ha. It seems that there is going to be a yes woman, too. Ah. It really widens the horizons of us nobodies.”
“Li Shi, you may come directly to me if you have any disagreements with me! You don’t need to speak in such a sarcastic way!”
“What disagreements can I have? I may repeat my words. We all know that Director Xia is the popular person with the Director of the Weekly. Don’t you understand what is called fear of nothing?”
Supervisor Wu grits her teeth. It seems that Li Shi wants to make use of her. Apparently, Li Shi is arguing with her, while actually, Li Shi is judging Xia Ning.
“Li Shi, what do you say? What do you mean by saying Sister Xia is popular with Brother Luan? What do you want to say? You tell me clearly now!” Gu Ruoruo fails to restrain herself. She drops the files and asks seriously.
“Wow. The princess is enraged. We nobodies may ask for permission to leave now. Princess Ruoruo, please forgive me for saying anything wrong. I don’t do that for bad intentions. However, Director Gu pays great attention to Director Xia. Isn’t that true?”
“Brother Luan admires Sister Xia very much. That’s between them. It is not your business!”
“True. That’s something between them. That’s really none of my business. So, I may stop here.” Seeing that Gu Ruoruo comes to her trap, Li Shi brightens her eyes.
Gu Ruoruo is furious. She finds they start discussing again. She is so angry that she has the desire to give Li Shi a punch on her face, “That’s nonsense!”
Li Shi smiles and doesn’t respond. She has got what she wants. Even though Gu Ruoruo speaks for Xia Ning, it doesn’t work.