Chapter 929: Showing the Cards

Guo Shangyong's gaze swept over the two sheets of paper on the table. His fingertips paused, and he did not reach out immediately. It was as if this were an instinct carved into his bones; he was accustomed to keeping his edge hidden and his composure steady at all times. He was neither impatient nor rash, and he certainly would not reveal even a fraction of urgency, as if the contents hidden within those two sheets of paper were far less important than his current composure.

Shen Ci took all of this in, a faint smile lingering at the corners of her mouth, not in the least bit anxious. She had come to this appointment with a sense of complete relaxation in her heart, because she had already foreseen the outcome: today, Guo Shangyong would definitely leave with her.

When faced with such a difficult choice back then, Senior Liu Chang had ultimately been unable to resist the temptation of immediate profit; yet the conditions she was offering Guo Shangyong now would only be better, and the timing happened to fall precisely during the sensitive period when Guo Shangyong was harboring resentment toward the Li family.

It would not be an exaggeration to say she was taking advantage of his vulnerability.

At this moment, the tea was just being served. As the staff member moved to serve them, Guo Shangyong saw this and said quickly, "No trouble, I'll do it myself."

Upon hearing this, the server nodded: "Very well, sir. If you need anything, just press the service bell on the table."

Once the server left, Guo Shangyong slowly raised his hands and skillfully began to manipulate the tea set on the table.

Rinsing the tea, pouring the water, serving the brew—his series of movements were fluid and natural, with a touch of gentleness hidden within their efficiency. Clearly, he was an expert well-versed in the Dao of tea.

His thick, broad palms held the delicate tea cup without the slightest sense of incongruity; instead, it only served to highlight his increasingly steady temperament.

This very steadiness also explained why, after Liu Chang was parachuted into the position of Chief Engineer, everyone in the department was filled with complaints and endless cursing, yet he—the one most affected—remained silent, quietly suppressing all his emotions and enduring it in silence.

For the first cup of tea, Guo Shangyong turned slightly and, with great gentlemanly manners, handed it to Shen Ci first: "Blow on it three times, drink it while it's hot."

"Thank you." Shen Ci expressed her gratitude, took it, and happily followed his instructions, blowing on it gently three times before taking a small sip.

The fragrance of the tea overflowed, the taste was clear and sweet, and it was extremely delicious.

Guo Shangyong also picked up the tea cup in front of him and took a sip. A flash of appreciation subconsciously crossed his eyes, and his eyebrows arched slightly; clearly, he was very satisfied with the quality of the tea.

"This is top-grade Dragon Well tea picked before the rains. Looking at the location and decor of this teahouse, it shouldn't be cheap, right?" He looked at Shen Ci and asked.

Shen Ci's smile did not fade, and she nodded with neither servility nor overbearing pride: "Since I wanted to cater to your preferences, I certainly had to choose one with good quality. If I had thought about just going through the motions, wouldn't that have been counterproductive?"

"Why are you looking for me? To take revenge on the Li family?" Guo Shangyong took the initiative to change the subject, steering the conversation to the main point.

From this, it could be seen that Shen Ci's move to "cater to his preferences" had been effective on Guo Shangyong; at the very least, in his view, her attitude and thoughtfulness had shown him sufficient respect.

Upon hearing this, Shen Ci's breathing paused slightly. She gently rubbed the edge of the tea cup with her fingertips, and after a moment, she shook her head honestly: "Yes, but not entirely."

Without waiting for Guo Shangyong to press her, she suddenly raised her eyes, looked straight at him, and asked softly: "Guo Gong, has the Li family offered you any compensation?"

"Compensation?" Guo Shangyong was stunned for a moment. His tone carried a hint of bewilderment, as well as a trace of imperceptible bitterness, as if the word were very distant to him.

Shen Ci sensed his abnormality and quickly slowed her tone, reorganizing her phrasing: "Perhaps the word 'compensation' isn't quite appropriate, but there should at least be some kind of explanation, right? You've worked diligently in the position of Deputy Chief Engineer for nearly three years—you've put in enough time to earn your stripes. In terms of seniority and ability, the position of Chief Engineer should have been yours to begin with. Now that a parachuted Liu Chang has taken it, even if the Li family were just putting on a show, they should have given you some words of comfort, even if it were just a symbolic raise in salary."

Shen Ci's words, every single one, were like fine needles pricking at Guo Shangyong's heart.

His complexion gradually changed from calm to heavy, and then to unsightly. His fingertips subconsciously gripped the tea cup, his knuckles turning slightly white. In the end, he just shook his head powerlessly: "No. And the Artificial Intelligence department has been enduring humiliation for these past few years, with dismal performance. The employees in the department have had their salaries cut for several consecutive quarters."

This was the current state of the Li family's Artificial Intelligence department—so absurd it had become a laughingstock for the entire industry. The previous Chief Engineer had also resigned and left because he could not accept the continuous salary cuts one after another.

In fact, Shen Ci had asked this on purpose. She naturally knew that the Li family had done nothing; she just wanted to pierce through that layer of pretense in Guo Shangyong's heart at this moment, stirring up the grievances and unwillingness he had suppressed for so long.

Shen Ci smiled speechlessly, pretending to sigh nonchalantly: "To poach Liu Chang from Huluwa, the Li family offered conditions like those of a god. Not only is his annual salary fifty percent higher than your previous Chief Engineer's, but they also gave him a car and a house, and even paid his high-priced non-compete compensation. But for you old employees, they really are as stingy as can be, aren't they?"

"How much? Fifty percent higher?" Guo Shangyong was a math genius; his brain calculated it instantly: "His annual salary is six hundred?"

"You didn't know?" Shen Ci couldn't help but laugh at his reaction: "Come to think of it, with such an outrageous annual salary, even the Chief Engineer of the Gu Group, the leader in Artificial Intelligence, might not necessarily have it. How would the Li family dare to reveal that to you?"

Guo Shangyong picked up the teacup on the table and drained it in one gulp, attempting to use the tea to suppress the surging anger and resentment in his heart. Yet this time, the tea, which usually tasted clear and sweet, left nothing but a mouthful of bitterness upon entering his mouth, trailing down his throat and turning bitter all the way to his heart.

He had worked conscientiously at the Li Corporation for nearly ten years; in his most glorious days, his annual salary had barely exceeded one million, and after several pay cuts, his current annual salary was not even nine hundred thousand.

Yet this Liu Chang, not only did he parachute in to take the position that should have been his, but the group actually offered him such a high annual salary.

On what grounds?

Sensing the change in Guo Shangyong's aura, Shen Ci knew the timing was about right. She straightened her posture slightly, looked at Guo Shangyong, and spoke softly: "I know Mr. Guo must have grievances against the Li Corporation right now, but life is just like that—there are gains and losses, and fortune and misfortune are intertwined. If the Li Corporation does not value you, I value you."

As she spoke, Shen Ci picked up the two pages of paper on the table and gently spread them out: "If you won't read them, I will read them to you, so you can hear my sincerity."

What a familiar scene; it was just like how Manager Chen of the Li Corporation had poached Liu Chang back then.

Shen Ci would never hold back someone who wanted to leave, but she certainly would not quietly swallow this anger or take this loss lying down.

Did the Li Corporation think that poaching Liu Chang was a way to get the better of her? In reality, it was not, because this provided her with the perfect excuse to retaliate openly.

For this contest, she intended to play with her cards face up!

?? The update times over the past few days of the Lunar New Year have been all over the place because I have been dizzy with busyness, so I post as soon as I finish writing—sometimes during the day, sometimes in the early morning, and sometimes at night. Fortunately, although the timing has been chaotic, I managed to keep from missing any updates during the Spring Festival.

? It's the end of the month, please give me your monthly votes, babies.