Chapter 20: Was Li Yancheng Testing Her?

The next day, Jiang Yan went to work as usual.

At noon, she went to the cafeteria kitchen to cook for Li Yancheng.

After knocking on the door, she didn’t go in immediately, but stood quietly at the door.

Li Yancheng looked up when he heard the knock and saw it was Jiang Yan.

She was carrying a delicate lunch box, her tender lips slightly pursed, her large eyes bright and watery, with a hint of caution.

“Come in.” Li Yancheng withdrew his gaze and continued to work with his head down.

Jiang Yan didn’t dare to disturb his work, silently taking out the food and setting it up.

Seeing Li Yancheng walk over, Jiang Yan immediately picked up the chopsticks and handed them to him.

Li Yancheng glanced at her. She was still as well-behaved and gentle as before.

After taking two bites, Li Yancheng asked casually, “Have you eaten?”

Jiang Yan shook her head: “Not yet.”

“Eat.” Li Yancheng said.

“Thank you, President.” A bright smile immediately appeared on Jiang Yan’s delicate face.

It seemed that last night’s Weibo post had worked.

After eating, Jiang Yan cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks, when Special Assistant Xiang, walked in with a file.

“CEO, this is the candidate list for the design department manager.” Special Assistant Xiang, respectfully handed the file to Li Yancheng, saying, “Three people meet the promotion standards: Qin Kuan, male, 38 years old, has worked in our company for ten years, has extensive experience, and his designed clothing has accumulated sales exceeding 500 million.

Guan Shaohui, male, 31 years old, graduated from the El Design Academy abroad, won the first prize in international design during his school years, and has several best-selling products.

He was hired by our company with a high salary last year, and has only released one design garment in our company, with sales exceeding 100 million. He has certain connections in the fashion industry.

Chen Yu, female, 29 years old, has been in the design department since graduation, currently has four products with sales exceeding 100 million, and the highest-selling one has exceeded one billion.”

Li Yancheng listened to Xiang’s introduction and carefully looked at the information in his hand.

Seeing them talking about work, Jiang Yan didn’t want to disturb them, so she just stood aside and waved goodbye to Li Yancheng.

However, as Jiang Yan turned around, Li Yancheng’s voice rang out: “Come here.”

Jiang Yan stopped, turned her head and pointed at herself: “Me?”

Seeing Li Yancheng nod, Jiang Yan walked over.

Li Yancheng handed her the documents in his hand: “Take a look.”

“Me?” Jiang Yan widened her eyes, clearly very surprised.

“You’re from the design department, you should know more about these people than we do, tell me what you think.” Li Yancheng leaned back in his chair, his gaze lightly scanning her.

“How would I know…” Jiang Yan chuckled, not knowing what Li Yancheng meant.

The selection of high-level personnel in the design department, how could it be up to a small team leader like her to give her opinion.

“I told you to speak, so speak.” Li Yancheng’s tone was already a little impatient.

“Okay, I’ll take a look…” Jiang Yan’s smile became even more awkward, and she lowered her head to look at the documents.

After carefully reading them, Jiang Yan pursed her lips, hesitated for a while, and then said truthfully: “From the data, Qin Kuan has extensive experience, and the level of his designs in recent years has been relatively stable. Although they have all maintained the level of best-selling products, there has been no breakthrough for several years, and he is more inclined to stable creative development.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with him personally, he can create stable income for the company.

But if he were to be a department leader, I don’t think it’s suitable.

Department leaders need to be bold and innovative, able to lead the entire department to break through and develop.

Relying on past achievements will always run out one day, and then, the Li’s Group’s design department will be hard-pressed to maintain its leading position in the industry.

Guan Shaohui graduated from a famous foreign design school and won the first prize in international design. His personal ability and vision are definitely not a problem, and he has extensive connections.

But he has a big problem, he’s too arrogant.

He always looks down on domestic graduates like us, thinking that we are not up to par and can’t achieve great things.

If he becomes the head of the design department, I’m afraid it will be a one-man show, and it will be difficult for him to listen to other people’s opinions.

I think that instead of the position of design department manager, he is more suitable for the position of overseas promotion manager. It would be a waste to not utilize his overseas connections.

As for Chen Yu, I’ve seen all the products she’s designed in recent years, and each garment has unique highlights.

And her fashion sensitivity is very strong, she can combine the aesthetics of young people today to create products that meet the market demand.

Among these three people, although she is the youngest, she also has the highest sales.

Her biggest drawback is that she’s too serious, a workaholic, and doesn’t usually socialize with her colleagues privately.

Even when colleagues have birthdays and invite her for a meal, she won’t go.”

After listening to Jiang Yan’s serious explanation, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Li Yancheng’s lips: “You seem to know quite a bit.”

Jiang Yan looked at Li Yancheng’s eyes, which seemed like a test, and also like appreciation.

She blinked and quickly lowered her eyelids: “These are just casual chats among colleagues privately, I heard them say it.”

“Is that so?” Li Yancheng smiled faintly, casually playing with his pen, “I thought it was your own opinion.”

Jiang Yan remained calm on the surface, but she had a bad feeling in her heart.

Was Li Yancheng using this matter to test her?

Jiang Yan chuckled and shook her head.

No one spoke again, and the atmosphere seemed to become somewhat cold.

Seeing this, Special Assistant Xiang, said: “Chen Yu is indeed the most suitable candidate for promotion, but she is currently unmarried and childless. A woman at the age of 29 is in an awkward position, and we are worried that she may get married and have children in the short term.

Then, most of her time and energy will probably be spent on her family.”

Jiang Yan didn’t want to express her opinion on this matter anymore, fearing it would arouse Li Yancheng’s suspicion.

But when she heard Xiang’s words, Jiang Yan couldn’t help but say: “I think that’s wrong, this is workplace discrimination against women.

Why does everyone only consider that women will focus on their families after marriage, and not men?

Does it mean that if men get married, they should be hands-off bosses and not responsible for their families?

Chen Yu has already proven with her ability that she is the strongest among these three people, but you want to negate her efforts because of something that hasn’t happened yet, that’s so unfair.

Regardless of whether Chen Yu will get married and have children in the short term, even if she gets married and has children next year, will she necessarily give up her work and become a burden to the company?

Reproductive ability is a right bestowed upon women by God, but many people have turned it into a shackle that binds women.

Many workplaces either don’t promote women or force them to sign contracts to not marry or have children, which is simply ridiculous.”