Xu Le wore a pair of glasses. He looked gentle and decent, and although his skin was rather pale, it was not the kind of sickly paleness, but rather a typical kind of paleness. He had the qualities of a white-collared executive, and to many girls out there, he would come across as a charismatic man.

Alright.

Guan Tong eagerly ran off to pour some tea for Xu Le.

Xiao Guan, pour a cup for me too.

Me too, sorry to trouble you.

Xiao Guan, Im busy with something here, and Ive run out of the water on my table too; pour a cup for me as well.

Members from the first and second groups made Guan Tong run their errands for them. As soon as they realized that their thermos cups were empty, they all made Guan Tong fill them up for them.

Alright, leave it all to me.

Guan Tong nodded his head, smiled, and bowed. He held onto several thermos cups and walked toward the water dispenser located at the offices corner.

Xiao Luo didnt even have the time to say hello to Guan Tong. He hadnt seen him in a while. This old classmate was no longer as high-spirited as he used to be and had become a lot more submissive. All sorts of feelings started to well up uncontrollably, and he was reminded of the days where he went to Jiangcheng to work after he graduated. His low-key attitude back then was pretty much like how Guan Tong was now.

Why did Guan Tong stay in school for eight years?

Perhaps it was because he knew that society would wear people out, so he chose to escape instead, but in the end, some things could not be avoided, and you had to stand up and face them. He really wanted to help Guan Tong, but this was a process. This was a process that one had to experience. Everyone started off as a grandson and had some growing up to do. Regardless of who it is, you had to learn to adapt. You could only become a grandfather once you had learned how to adapt.

Team Leader Xiao, what are you thinking of? Your mind seems to be in deep thought, I was talking to you, Xu Le said, waving his hands in front of Xiao Luo.

Although there was nothing he could do to help Guan Tong, Xiao Luo was unhappy over Guan Tong being bullied by many people. Xu Le was assigned as Guan Tongs master by the head of the sales department, Mao Jianyi, and the fact that Guan Tong was being mistreated had to be Xu Les responsibility. Besides, Xu Le was the first one who ordered Guan Tong to fetch him some water, so he was sure that Xu Le took advantage of his position as a leader.

This area here belongs to the third group, your seat is over there!

Xiao Luo didnt hide his contempt for Xu Le and showed him no face, and his voice was harsh and cold when he scowled and pointed at the seat for the second group leader.

Xu Le froze. He wasnt expecting Xiao Luo to give him an attitude and was visibly offended.

Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao were stunned and immediately asked themselves if XiaoLuo was falling out with Team Leader Xu because he had just witnessed Guan Tong getting bullied.

Xu Le showed some composure and flashed a fake smile at Xiao Luo as he adjusted his glasses. Team Leader Xiao, what is the meaning of this? Im sincerely trying to be friends with you here, he said.

Xiao Luo offered him a single word in reply: Scram!

Xiao Luo spoke firmly but not loudly, but as the sales department office was neither too big nor too small, his voice traveled, and many people could still hear what he just said.

All the sales department members who had initially been busy with their work all raised their heads and looked up. They were all looking towards their direction. Everyones eyes were filled with questions as they had no idea what happened between Xu Le and Xiao Luo in the past and were curious why it seemed like they were in some sort of argument.

Xu Le put on a forced smile after the initial shock, and said: Team Leader Xiao, surely you arent doing this to me because of Guan Tong? If that was the reason, then Id have to look down on you. Guan Tong might be your friend, but hes a newbie at the end of the dayand a newbie has got to do what a newbie has to do. Its the same for any occupation out there; this is an unspoken rule. Dont tell me, Team Leader Xiao doesnt understand this practice?

I dont have to understand anything, you can crawl back to your seat over there now, Xiao Luo shot back.

Xu Le smiled coldly and said: Heheyou might be a team leader, but I, Xu Le, as a team leader as well, and Im on equal in rank to you. What rights do you have to tell me to leave? Besides, Im standing in a common area, and I can stay here for as long as I want to.

Xiao Luo intended to say a few more words but was dissuaded by Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao.

Brother Luo, he is indeed standing in the common area.

They both furrowed their eyebrows and gestured with their eye, signaling to him not to get into a heated argument with Xu Le, since they were all colleagues. Besides, the third group was being pushed around because they only have three members. So, if they really fell out with the other to groups, the three of them would be outnumbered and could be most likely be pushed somewhere else. For the sake of their jobs and future, it was better to hold it in and put his friendship with Guan Tong aside for now.

Common area?!

Xiao Luo calmed himself down and glared at Xu Le with a hard, cold look as he sat down. He then turned around to Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao and asked, Why is the first group leader, Ling Fei, and our department head not around?

Well, Brother Luo, they went to discuss a massive order, Si Yueting replied.

Massive order? Xiao Luo asked.

Si Yueting nodded her head and quickly gave Xiao Luo a heads-up. Thats right, the Women & Childrens Health Care Hospital is relocating. Theyre looking for new medical equipment and medicines, like the fetal monitoring equipment, electrocardiograph, pelvic floor rehabilitation equipment, ultrasound, x-ray machine, and many more, she explained, These are things that they are planning to purchase. I think this will all add up to roughly 170 million; its a massive order indeed. Otherwise, our department head wouldnt be there to meet them in person. On the other hand, Sister Ling is like the sales departments top manager, so of course, she went with him as well.

Oh, I see, Xiao Luo said.

Brother Luo, were approaching the end of the month soon; Im afraid that the third groups performance result is going to end up in last again. At the next monthly general meeting, they might drag you to the podium and criticize you, you better be mentally prepared for it, Liu Yiyao said, changing the topic to something more pertinent to what that they were going to have to face soon.

Si Yueting clenched her fist and gave Xiao Luo some encouragement. Brother Luo, you have to withstand the pressure. We are like grass and can only enjoy the breeze under a big tree like you. Otherwise, we wouldnt be able to stay in this company for much longer, she said.

Since you know your performances are poor, there are still so many more days left, shouldnt you guys work a little harder and try to contact as many customers as you can? As much as you can, dont give up on any customer, work harder, and who knows, maybe our performance result wont be as bad as the other groups by the end of the month, Xiao Luo said. He was speechless with the attitude of these two women. Were they really lacking that much confidence? Were they really looking down on the third group?

Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao looked at one another, forced a smile, and said nothing afterward. They definitely couldnt agree with what Xiao Luo just said; in fact, they were tempted to tell him that he was way too optimistic!

It hadnt been just one or two days since the third group was right at the bottom; it had been that way since they both joined the company. There were only them both left, and despite learning as much as they could, and with their improved working abilities, no matter how hard they worked, there was still no way they could make a radical change and prevent the third group from coming in the last place.

Yueting, Yiyao, if you cant take it anymore, then you can come over to my team. The third group basically only exists in name. Theres no need for it to continue running. If youre willing to, when the department head comes back later, Ill tell him I can accept the both of you. I, Xu Le, am a hundred percent sure that both of you have the working capabilities, so the second group is more than happy to welcome you in.

Xu Le, loitering around the corner, interrupted Xiao Luo all of a sudden. It was a contemptuous attempt to poach Xiao Luos staff from right under his nose. Xu Le was undoubtedly trying to provoke Xiao Luo on purpose. For he glanced at Xiao Luo from time to time as he was speaking.

Hearing what Xu Le had just said, the two women were overjoyed, and this was a good thing for sure. They were assigned to the third group from the day they joined the company, and after the third group had ended up this way, they were ashamed to ask Mao Jianyi for a change of group. They can barely survive, clinging on to the third group, which was a sinking ship. But as Xu Le was now giving a lifeline to them, this was indeed the best solution.

But the girls knew much better, and such seemingly attractive offers only lasted for a moment, for they were no longer ignorant students like they used to be when they first graduated. They could clearly tell that Xu Le was only saying that to provoke Xiao Luo. And, nor would he so generously offer this to anyone else, for theyd have to share the cake with every new member they recruited. If Xu Le had genuinely appreciated their working capabilities, he would have offered them the transfer right from the start.