It’s already halfway through the year, and Yuan Chuan has let the dealers keep half of the contract value in inventory. Instead of helping the dealers sell and manage this inventory, they still expect payment within six months.  No wonder Manager Ni of Green Trading was so upset and said he was going to complain to General Director Xiang. Or maybe it wasn’t a complaint but maybe they want to settle the scores? 

Lu Nan was reluctant to jump to conclusions, but based on her past experiences, the latter possibility seemed more likely. 

The receptionist interjected, “Originally, there was supposed to be more inventory. But we used some for the company gatherings and entertaining clients.” 

Ah, this… 

Lu Nan and Chen Lu exchanged glances. 

Less than an hour later, they finished the inventory check and quickly took their leave after saying goodbye to the receptionist. 

Why linger? Were they expecting an invitation to stay for dinner? 

Looking at the alcohol worth over a million yuan in the warehouse, Lu Nan felt that if she and Chen Lu stayed in Green Trading, they might not even deserve to eat cabbage and tofu. 

This side of CBD was familiar to Lu Nan, and she took Chen Lu to a decent noodle shop. 

Before they entered, Chen Lu suggested, “Let’s split the bill.” 

Lu Nan smiled kindly; it turns out that you are still the same Sister Lu. 

At first glance, she may seem a bit aloof, but after spending time with her, you’ll discover that Chen Lu’s tendency to maintain some distance and not easily form friendships is actually a form of consideration and wisdom. 

After lunch, Chen Lu suggested finding a nearby air-conditioned place to relax for a while before taking the bus back to the office around 1:30. 

Lu Nan naturally had no objections. 

When they arrived at the office, it was already around 2:45. Most of the senior staff had already arrived and were chatting in groups of three or four. 

There were also some unfamiliar faces, but Lu Nan knew who they were. 

“Colleagues from the subordinate counties and cities of Hailin City need to attend a weekly meeting and a monthly meeting at the end of the month,” Chen Lu noticed where Lu Nan’s gaze was and explained to her in a low voice. 

Lu Nan nodded enthusiastically, “Oh, I see. But are they all men?” 

Chen Lu nodded, “Most of the field staff outside the city are men. The company considers safety issues on one hand, and on the other, the surrounding areas mainly deal with circulation products at lower prices. There’s no need to assign female staff to assist with shipments. After all, women are more suited for group purchases.” 

Lu Nan nodded again, indicating she had learned something new. 

At three o’clock, the weekly meeting began. 

This time, General Director Xiang did not appear. In fact, yesterday morning’s briefing was also for the Hailin City office. Technically, General Director Xiang had no need to participate, but since the Hailin City office and the Qianjiang Province office shared the same workspace, General Director Xiang could always be involved and kept informed. 

Manager Wang is in a tough spot. It feels like he’s a daughter-in-law who hasn’t gained independence yet, still under the control of a very dominant mother-in-law. 

Lu Nan reflected that many aspects of her past life left their marks. For instance, the ongoing conflict between General Director Xiang and Manager Wang stemmed largely from General Director Xiang’s constant meddling in city office affairs. This interference undermined Manager Wang’s authority, resulting in ongoing conflicts. Such underlying issues didn’t arise suddenly. 

The weekly meeting was essentially a more intense version of the morning briefing. Manager Wang discussed the company’s latest sales policies and emphasized the work focus for different channels and brands. Then, each person reported on their work for the week and their plans for the next. 

After the meeting ended and signaled it was time to leave, Lu Nan calmly packed up her notebook while senior colleagues walked out. She casually gathered the disposable cups left on the meeting table and threw them away. 

Before leaving, Manager Wang glanced at Lu Nan, who was pushing chairs back to the table, and turned to the office assistant Wu Fang, “Follow up promptly on the new employee dormitory issue.” 

Wu Fang nodded in acknowledgment. 

Lu Nan heard her and smiled. 

Manager Wang nodded again at her and left the office. 

Lu Nan glanced at Wu Fang’s belly and whispered, “Sister Fang, it’s too hard for you to find a house like this. Anyway, I have nothing to do tomorrow. Why don’t I look around the neighborhood near the office? You tell me what kind of house you need and what the rent standard is. I’ll find one and send you a video to check.” 

Wu Fang thought it over and realized that finding a dormitory wouldn’t be difficult. She wasn’t worried about making mistakes if she assigned the task to a newcomer. Moreover, the newcomer assured her that she would send a video for confirmation. “Okay, that works. The new dormitory will house six girls including you, so at least it should be a three-bedroom apartment for convenience in management and safety. The housing subsidy for business representatives is set at 600 yuan per person. Therefore, if the rent exceeds 3600 yuan per month, the deposit will be covered by the office, but you’ll handle utilities yourselves. Any excess rent beyond that will be your responsibility. If it’s less, the office won’t refund it. I suggest not exceeding this amount because other newcomers may not be willing to cover the accommodation cost. Oh, if you’re using a real estate agency, the office won’t cover the agency fees.” 

Lu Nan nodded, “Okay, I understand. Thank you, Sister Fang.” 

“No problem. It’s good that you’re looking for it yourself, after all, it’s where you’ll be living.” Wu Fang always left last after the weekly meeting. Lu Nan helped her inspect the windows and utilities, then closed the door and they took the elevator together. 

Just as they exited the office door, they saw Yan Kai at the elevator entrance. 

“Senior Yan?” 

“Let’s go, let’s eat.”  

Wu Fang’s gaze shifted between Yan Kai and Lu Nan. 

Yan Kai smiled, “Sister Fang, what’s with the look? She’s my junior sister.” 

Wu Fang laughed, “I didn’t say anything. Besides, the company doesn’t explicitly forbid office romances. Even General Director Xiang himself… *cough*.” 

Wu Fang gave Yan Kai a meaningful look, and Yan Kai could only awkwardly clear his throat. 

“Unexpectedly, Lu Nan seemed to not hear the latter half of Wu Fang’s words. “Senior Yan, this meal is definitely my treat. Thank you for helping me get this job.” 

“Alright then, I won’t refuse.” 

Yan Kai said he won’t refuse but in fact he found a nearby Sichuan restaurant and ordered three dishes. 

“We haven’t had a chance to chat properly lately. How’s it going? Are you adjusting well?” 

Lu Nan nodded, “So far, it’s been good. The workload… doesn’t seem too heavy.” 

Yan Kai said, “You don’t have to put it so politely. From the morning meetings and just now, you probably noticed that this job offers quite a bit of freedom.” 

“Yeah.” So, it’s suitable for slacking off. 

“Being the group purchasing manager for Yuan Chuan Liquor isn’t exactly hard, but it’s not exactly simple either—group purchasing is a unique channel. The title is ‘manager,’ primarily for distributing business cards to clients, which looks professional, but the treatment is similar to other channel sales representatives.” Yan Kai popped open his Coke. “Honestly, I’m not sure myself whether introducing you to Yuan Chuan was a good thing or a bad thing for you.”