Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1552 No one should be laid off, not her!

Meanwhile, Li Dongming drove home in a hurry. As soon as he opened the door, he immediately put on a look of surprise and pride and walked over to his wife, Zhao Mei, who was scrolling through her phone on the living room sofa. He deliberately slowed down, cleared his throat, and said casually, "Honey, I have some good news for you. You should be able to go back to work at Guster soon, with the same position and benefits as before."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mei instantly jumped up from the sofa, her fatigue and frustration vanishing, replaced by overwhelming surprise and disbelief.

She strode up to Li Dongming, wrapped her arms around his neck, and asked urgently and excitedly, "Honey, is what you're saying true? Tell me quickly, what exactly happened?"

Li Dongming was held tightly by Zhao Mei, secretly pleased with himself, but he pretended to be calm and said slowly, "Don't worry, with me here, I definitely won't let you suffer any injustice. Yesterday I went to the golf course to see Bai Ruide, had a good talk with him, and resolved everything."

He paused, deliberately omitting the crucial part of Qin Hao's hole-in-one that forced White to back down, and making no mention of Qin Hao's crisis management plan. Instead, he took all the credit for himself: "I analyzed the pros and cons with White, telling him that firing you would only worsen the negative public opinion surrounding the company. Only by bringing you back and handling the crisis could the company's reputation be salvaged. I went to great lengths, talking myself hoarse, to finally convince him to agree to let you come back to work."

Zhao Mei completely believed it, her face full of admiration and love. She hugged Li Dongming's neck, kissed him on the cheek, and said sweetly, "Oh, honey, you're so amazing! You're my idol!"

Li Dongming proudly raised his chin, took a sip of water from the table, and pretended to be extremely thirsty and exhausted. His tone carried a hint of caution: "I believe someone from Guster's side will contact you in the next couple of days and ask you to go back to work. But this time, don't be impulsive like before. Don't flip tables or say anything out of line. If you cause any more trouble, I won't be able to help you."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mei nodded quickly, looking at Li Dongming with seductive eyes. She gently wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him from behind, and said in a coquettish and ambiguous tone, "Okay, honey, I'll listen to you. So, to thank you, I'll reward you properly tonight, okay?"

A smug smile crept onto Li Dongming's lips. He grabbed Zhao Mei's hand, turned around, and pulled her into his arms, instantly creating an ambiguous atmosphere in the room.

As night deepened, the lights in the room slowly went out. The night passed in silence, with only the tranquil moonlight shining through the window and onto the floor.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Zhao Mei's phone rang. She groggily picked it up, and seeing that the caller ID was Guster's human resources department, she instantly woke up and quickly pressed the answer button, her tone a mix of nervousness and anticipation: "Hello."

On the other end of the phone, the HR staff member calmly informed her: "Hello Zhao Mei, after company review, we have decided to reject your resignation application. Please be sure to return to work within three working days. Your position and salary will remain the same as before."

"Okay, thank you! I'll go back to the company today!" Zhao Mei's voice trembled with excitement. After hanging up the phone, she immediately woke up Li Dongming, who was sitting next to her, her face full of excitement.

Li Dongming rubbed his eyes, pretending to have expected this, and said casually, "I know, I told you I had a way. Hurry up and get ready, we need to get to work."

Zhao Mei jumped up excitedly and rushed into the bathroom to wash up, her smile never fading. If they hadn't both been in a rush to get to work and hadn't been so pressed for time, they probably would have had another passionate and tender time in the room, properly "celebrating" their moment.

Half an hour later, the two finished getting ready, left together, and drove to their respective companies. Li Dongming drove to Ruijing Consulting, and as soon as he entered the company gate, he went straight into his private office and closed the door.

Meanwhile, in her cubicle outside, Qiao Hailun sat nervously at her workstation, her eyes fixed on the computer screen, her fingers tapping and pausing on the keyboard.

Tao Ling, her colleague next to her, noticed something was wrong and asked in confusion, "What's wrong? You look so pale."

"It's nothing." Qiao Hailun forced a smile: "It's just the proposal I submitted last night. I don't know if President Li has seen it."

"Don't scare yourself," Tao Ling comforted her. "If there's a problem, Mr. Li will come to you."

Qiao Hailun nodded with a pained expression. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to concentrate. But she still felt uneasy, as if something was weighing on her. She rubbed her temples, then suddenly felt some discomfort in her stomach, so she stood up and walked to the bathroom.

There was no one in the restroom. She pushed open a stall door, closed it, sat on the toilet seat, and closed her eyes to calm down.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, followed by the sound of a running tap. Two women came in, washing their hands and chatting.

"Have you heard? The company is going to lay off employees."

"I heard that it's starting next month."

What is the proportion?

"I don't know, but it won't be low. I heard that 15% of our department will be laid off."

"Fifteen percent? That means several people will have to leave, right?"

"That's right. I heard that the first to be laid off are those with the worst performance."

Qiao Hailun was struck dumb. She sat on the toilet, motionless, even her breathing became shallow. She knew very well that she had always been a dispensable presence in Li Dongming's team. Her performance was consistently among the lowest, and she was very likely to be among the first to be laid off.

The two people outside left, the tap was turned off, and the footsteps gradually faded away.

Qiao Hailun sat inside for a few more minutes before standing up listlessly and pushing open the door. She walked to the sink and looked at herself in the mirror—pale, with dark circles under her eyes, and chapped lips. She turned on the tap, washed her face, dried it with a tissue, and then took a deep breath, trying to look normal.

Back at her workstation, she sat down, feeling completely drained.

Tao Ling was shaking her hands, her brows furrowed. "This is really bad. This plan is urgent, and of course, my tenosynovitis has flared up at this time." She shook her wrists, grimacing.

"Helen, do you still have that spray you used last time?"

"Oh, yes, here you go." Qiao Hailun mechanically rummaged through the drawer and pulled out the ointment, handing it to Tao Ling.

"Thanks." Tao Ling took it, sprayed it on her wrist a few times, and then continued typing.

Qiao Hailun sat there, staring at the computer screen, unable to concentrate on a single word. Her mind was filled with the word "layoff." What would she do if she was laid off? Rent was due next month, and she still needed to send money home every month…

All day long, Qiao Hailun was in a state of high tension. She dared not drink water, afraid of wasting time going to the toilet; she dared not look at her phone, afraid that her boss would see her and say she was slacking off; she dared not chat with her colleagues, afraid of giving the impression that she was not doing her job properly. She was terrified that she would make some mistake that would lead to her being laid off.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, Qiao Hailun was blankly proofreading a document when her phone suddenly vibrated. She picked it up and saw a WeChat message notification.

It's Qin Hao.

What time do you get off work?

Qiao Hailun paused for a moment. She stared at the line of text, her heart suddenly racing. After a moment's hesitation, she typed a reply.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Qin, I've been quite busy lately and might have to work overtime. How about we reschedule for another time?"

She sent the message and stared at the screen, feeling a little uneasy. A few seconds later, Qin Hao's reply came.

"I specifically canceled a lot of things to come here. You're not just going to send me back like this, are you?"

Qiao Hailun stared at the words, her mouth slightly agape. She hesitated for a moment, then typed again.

"You've already set off?"

"I just arrived downstairs at your company."

Qiao Hailun was immediately caught in a dilemma. The company was going to lay off employees, and she had originally planned to work extra hours recently to show her boss how hard she was working, hoping he wouldn't lay her off. But Qin Hao was already downstairs, and she couldn't just leave him there.

She bit her lip, thought for more than ten seconds, and finally replied.

"Okay then, but I haven't gotten off work yet..."

"It's okay, I'll go upstairs and ask Xiao Yang for a coffee. We'll go eat after you get off work."

When Helen Qiao saw this message, her mouth gaped even wider, and she thought: Could this really be true?

Before she could reply, she saw Xiao Yang come out of his office. He stood in the doorway, clapped his hands, and raised his voice.

"Please tidy up your workstations, Mr. Qin will be here soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yang's team members were thrown into chaos. Some tidied their desks, some closed irrelevant web pages, some went to the break room for water, and some hid snacks in drawers. The entire area seemed to be on fast-forward, with everyone busy at work.

After giving his instructions, Xiao Yang hurried towards the door.

As Qiao Hailun watched this scene, a strange thought suddenly arose in her mind—if the company leaders thought that I had a good relationship with President Qin, would I not be laid off?

Once the thought popped into my head, I couldn't suppress it anymore.

A few minutes later, Xiao Yang followed Qin Hao into the office area with a big smile on his face. Qin Hao was wearing a dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and he walked with a relaxed gait.

"President Qin."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Qin."

Xiao Yang's team members stood up one by one to greet Qin Hao. This was their team's big client, and they had to serve him well.

"I already said I just came up for a coffee, no need to make such a big fuss." Qin Hao nodded to everyone, unable to help but complain to Xiao Yang.

Xiao Yang's face was full of ingratiating smiles, and his waist was slightly bent.

"Mr. Qin is a distinguished guest, it's a rare treat to have him come all this way. It's almost lunchtime, shall we have a couple of drinks later?"

Qin Hao waved his hand: "Let's skip it today, I have an appointment."

Xiao Yang was taken aback for a moment, then gave a knowing smile. "A date? Okay, then I won't be a third wheel. Let's make it up next time."

As they spoke, Xiao Yang ushered Qin Hao into his office. The door closed, and the outside office area returned to a superficial calm, but everyone's eyes were secretly glancing at that door.

In the office, Xiao Yang busied himself making coffee for Qin Hao. He took out an elegant tin can from the cabinet, scooped out two spoonfuls of coffee beans, and put them into the grinder. The machine hummed a few times, and the aroma filled the air.

"Hmm, the coffee's good." Qin Hao took the cup and took a small sip. "It must be expensive, right?"

Xiao Yang smiled smugly. "It's alright, the client brought it back specifically from Brazil. If Mr. Qin likes it, I have another jar, I'll wrap it up for you later."

"No need for that." Qin Hao waved his hand. "Making coffee is too much trouble. I'll just come here for a cup occasionally."

While smiling ingratiatingly, Xiao Yang rubbed his hands together and said cautiously, "President Qin, did you come here today because you have any objections to our new contract? Actually, if there's anything you're not satisfied with, you can just send me a message and I'll come over. I'm sorry to trouble you to make the trip."

Qin Hao had initially signed a three-year contract with him, and with the contract nearing its expiration, Xiao Yang naturally wanted to renew it, so he sent over the renewal offer early on. In Xiao Yang's view, Qin Hao never came without a reason, so his personal visit today must mean he was dissatisfied with the new contract.

Qin Hao looked completely bewildered: "A new contract? Are we renewing it so soon?"

Xiao Yang's heart skipped a beat. As the saying goes, "Only those who complain about the goods are the ones who actually buy them." In his view, Qin Hao was clearly feigning ignorance.

"President Qin, the previous contract expires in two months." Xiao Yang could only continue with a forced smile: "I sent the new contract to your legal department last week."

Qin Hao nodded: "Okay, let me see the new contract first."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yang wondered if this meant Qin was dissatisfied with his new contract. He quickly clarified, "President Qin, I know there are many consulting firms out there wanting to work with you. But you should know that Ruijing Consulting's data collection and analysis capabilities are top-notch in the industry. And our fees are the most favorable among companies in the same category—"

“Mr. Xiao, I know that.” Qin Hao frowned and interrupted him, “I said I just came here today to grab a coffee. We can talk about the new contract after I’ve reviewed it, okay?”

Hearing this, Xiao Yang became even more certain that another consulting firm was trying to poach his clients. But Qin Hao had already made his point, so he couldn't press the matter further and could only continue refilling Qin Hao's coffee.

Qin Hao glanced at his phone, stood up, and said, "Alright, I've almost finished my coffee, so I'll be going now."

Xiao Yang was completely baffled and could only put on a forced smile as he saw Qin Hao out.

The office door opened, and Qin Hao walked out. Xiao Yang followed beside him, a professional smile on his face.

The moment Qin Hao stepped out of the office, Qiao Hailun gritted her teeth and stood up. She picked up her bag from the table, walked quickly to Qin Hao, and forced a smile onto her face.

"Mr. Qin, I'm all packed. Let's go."

Qin Hao looked at her with a half-smile, his gaze lingering on her face for two seconds before he nodded slightly. "Mm."

In an instant, everyone in the office seemed frozen in place. The clicking of keyboards stopped, the clicking of mice stopped, even breathing seemed to stop. All eyes were fixed on Qiao Hailun and Qin Hao, watching them walk side by side across the office area.

The office erupted in chaos.

"What's going on? Qiao Hailun and President Qin?"

"My God, when did she get involved with this?"

"No wonder I've been so absent-minded all day; it turns out I have something to hide."

"Tsk tsk, he usually seems like a very honest person, I never expected this."

Xiao Yang stood in the corridor, watching the elevator doors close, his eyes wide, unable to come to his senses for a long time. His mind raced—Qin Hao came today saying he had an appointment, and he thought it was someone else, but it turned out to be Qiao Hailun?

He then recalled Qin Hao's unusual behavior today—saying things like "just for a coffee" and "waiting until after get off work"—and it all seemed to make sense now. It wasn't about the new contract; it was about waiting for someone.

Xiao Yang let out a long sigh of relief, a weight lifted from his shoulders. As long as it wasn't another consulting firm poaching his business, things would be much easier.

However, while Xiao Yang was relieved, Qiao Hailun's colleagues were not so calm.

"This Qiao Hailun, she usually seems unassuming, but it turns out she's been holding back a big move."

"Tsk tsk, that's what they call a barking dog that bites."

"Wow, Qiao Hailun has really struck gold this time. With such a rich boyfriend, she'll be able to do whatever she wants at the company!"

"Look at your pathetic self." Another female colleague rolled her eyes: "Do you want to find a rich boyfriend so you can continue working like a beast of burden? A little bit of money that someone can easily squeeze out from between their fingers is enough to live a life of ease."

"You're right," the female colleague said, her eyes sparkling. "Sigh, why can't I find a boyfriend who's young, handsome, and super rich?"

"There's nothing I can do, it's because you don't have a figure as good as Helen Joe."

"Pah, who are you calling a flat-chested airport!" the female colleague retorted angrily. "You men are so shallow! What's so good about a woman like Qiao Hailun who's all looks and no brains?"

“You don’t understand,” the male colleague next to him interjected. “Rich men like women who aren’t too smart. Being too shrewd is actually a bad thing.”

Hearing the murmurs of the crowd, Xiao Yang finally realized what was happening. His face darkened, and he raised his voice, scolding, "Don't you all have anything better to do? What nonsense are you spouting? Do you even want to keep your jobs?!"

Immediately, the office returned to a semblance of calm. But everyone's phones were vibrating under their desks—the WeChat groups were exploding.

Messages kept popping up, with all sorts of speculations, gossip, envy, and jealousy flashing across the screen.

Soon, the whole company was gossiping about Qin Hao and Qiao Hailun.

Xiao Yang didn't return to his office. He hesitated for a moment in the corridor, then strode towards Li Dongming's office. Without knocking, Xiao Yang pushed the door open and entered.

Li Dongming was looking at documents when he was startled: "What are you doing? Are you on fire?"

Xiao Yang, panting heavily, plopped down in the chair opposite Li Dongming and complained, "Dongming, you really kept this from me for a long time."

Li Dongming looked completely bewildered: "What have I been hiding from you?"

"Joe Helen—"

Li Dongming quickly waved his hand, interrupting him: "Where did you hear this rumor? Qiao Hailun and I are completely innocent..."

"Who said you were with Qiao Hailun?" Xiao Yang raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice. "I was talking about President Qin..."

Li Dongming was stunned: "Qin Hao?"

"Of course it's true!" Xiao Yang slapped his thigh. "I was wondering why President Qin suddenly showed up so late today, almost when he was about to leave work. I suggested we have a couple of drinks, but he said he already had plans. Do you know who he's meeting?"

Li Dongming rolled his eyes.

"Joe Qiao!" Xiao Yang shook his head with a wry smile: "He actually made an appointment with Joe Qiao!"

Li Dongming frowned: "Something's not right. Yesterday I took Qiao Hailun to play golf, and Qin Hao was there too. Qiao Hailun didn't seem to be very familiar with Qin Hao."

"That's the one I hooked up with yesterday." Xiao Yang clicked his tongue. "Girls these days are really something."

Li Dongming leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.

Xiao Yang leaned closer, his face full of gossip: "Dongming, tell me the truth, did you deliberately take Qiao Hailun to the golf course? Did you already know Qin Hao would be there?"

Li Dongming glared at him irritably: "What nonsense! I didn't even know Qin Hao was going yesterday. I just thought that since Bai Ruide brought a female companion, I should bring one too, so it wouldn't seem so out of place."

Xiao Yang scrutinized him carefully and, seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, exclaimed, "She even managed to seize the opportunity of a brief encounter. This girl is no ordinary person."

Suddenly, Xiao Yang remembered something, and his expression changed: "By the way, the company has been laying off employees recently. Qiao Hailun isn't on the layoff list, is she?"

Li Dongming flipped through the documents on the table: "Her performance is at the bottom, who else should we fire if not her?"

Xiao Yang suddenly stood up, his chair sliding back with a jarring sound: "No, bro, can't I just call you bro? Hurry up and find someone else to cut! I haven't signed my new contract with President Qin yet!"

Li Dongming looked at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and then slowly said, "Are you so sure that Qin Hao will renew his contract with you because of her?"

“I’m not sure.” Xiao Yang shook his head. “But I don’t dare to gamble. What if? What if President Qin really takes a liking to her, and I lay off his people? Do you think he’ll still renew my contract?”

Li Dongming didn't speak, but tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

Seeing Li Dongming deep in thought, Xiao Yang quickly continued to persuade him, "Dongming, don't make a mistake! To put it bluntly, Qiao Hailun is just a low-level employee. Whether we lay her off or not won't have a big impact. But President Qin is different. He is an important client of our company. If we lose him, our losses will be huge! Besides, when the company lays off employees, it doesn't necessarily have to lay off Qiao Hailun. There are other employees with poor performance. You can just replace them, right?"

Li Dongming slowly raised his head, a helpless expression on his face, and said, "I know, but... other employees with poor performance either have connections or are long-term employees, so I can't easily lay them off."

"You can't fire her!" Xiao Yang said urgently. "No matter how powerful her connections are, can they be as powerful as President Qin? No matter how important the senior employees are, can they be as important as President Qin, a major client? Even if you offend those employees with connections, you can't offend President Qin! Otherwise, if the higher-ups blame me, I won't take the blame!"

Li Dongming took a deep breath, nodded, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Alright, I understand. I'll think of another way and try to find someone else to replace you."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yang breathed a sigh of relief, a relieved smile spreading across his face: "Thank you very much then. Like last time, I'll share half of my bonus with you." (End of Chapter)