"I acted completely in accordance with the Labor Contract Law. Employees resign, giving thirty days’ notice in advance. Is there a problem? If you’re not satisfied, you can apply for labor arbitration, right?"

He emphasized ’arbitration’ with a mocking tone.

Zhang Yan’s lips trembled slightly, and her heart sank bit by bit.

The other party was indeed correct.

But in reality, most companies negotiate a reasonable departure date after employees complete work handover, parting on good terms.

Especially for companies like Shu Cheng Technology, which is undergoing major layoffs, they are eager for employees to resign voluntarily.

Clearly, Bai Rui was deliberately making things difficult for her by exploiting the rules.

Bai Rui looked at her with that expression of suppressed anger without complaint, feeling pleased inside.

He pulled open the drawer, took out a document, and tossed it onto the desk.

"This is the ’Mutual Release of Performance Agreement.’ You sign this, then post a review in the department group about your absence from work last Friday and yesterday’s leave, and apologize to me. I will immediately approve your resignation request."

His basic criterion for hiring subordinates is to see if their character is sufficiently honest and obedient.

Those who seem like "troublemakers" are eliminated during the interview stage.

What he needs is someone he can easily manipulate, a "tool person" who works hard without complaint.

In his eyes, Zhang Yan is the most honest, particularly diligent and serious.

So, he feels justified in assigning all the hard and strenuous tasks to her.

Now the company is in a "crisis" moment, preserving his job and salary inevitably requires some "performance" before the boss.

Getting department employees to forgo performance bonuses and "share weal and woe" with the company, and then appropriately reducing staff, is his way of gaining credit upwards.

Considering Zhang Yan’s and Lulu’s frequent leaves and sudden tough attitude recently, he is sure they must have secured new positions elsewhere.

Just holding them up in the resignation process, he’s sure they will yield.

Zhang Yan’s gaze fell on that so-called "agreement."

Her pair of beautiful almond eyes reflected serene clarity and determination.

From childhood to adulthood, she has lived in the shadow of inferiority.

Childhood inferiority stemmed from being "abandoned" by parents, living under someone else’s roof, even needing to look at her aunt’s mood for meals.

Later inferiority came from the dazzling figure of Liu Qingning, like the sun, and her long, hopeless crush on Tang Song.

She always retreated, always tolerated.

But now... things are different.

She has been able to support herself in this vast city with her own hands, and even take care of a gluttonous cat named "Orange."

The youth she has admired for over ten years responded to her confession, giving her a kiss more beautiful than any dream.

Her heart has never been filled with such immense, solid happiness like it is now.

She looked at Bai Rui, earnestly saying, "My performance and travel reimbursement amount to a total of eighteen thousand three hundred and twenty-seven yuan.

This is what I’m entitled to, I won’t accept a penny less. I absolutely won’t sign this agreement.

As for arbitration, of course I will apply. I have screenshotted and saved all my attendance records and all my overtime records.

Regarding the method of performance calculation and assessment standards, as well as my rating sheet and chat records, I have preserved them as well..."

Zhang Yan’s speed of speech was not fast, but she was clear and organized.

Bai Rui’s face grew uglier.

He never expected that the most honest and obedient Zhang Yan in his department could be so defiant.

"Do you really take yourself so seriously?!" Bai Rui slapped the table violently, stood up, and his voice rose, "Let me tell you, Zhang Yan! The company hasn’t treated you poorly, and now that the company is facing difficulties, aren’t you thinking about sharing the same boat, but rather trying to stab in the back?"

His voice was loud and immediately attracted the attention of many people outside passing by.

Numerous eyes were drawn to this office.

In the face of his outburst, Zhang Yan’s facial expression froze for a moment, then she mustered the courage to say, "If we really share the same boat, then Director Bai, would you apply for a pay cut and remove your performance bonus voluntarily?"

Bai Rui’s face froze, his eyelids trembled, "You..."

Zhang Yan pressed her lips and said, "There’s still something at the hospital this afternoon, I’m leaving first."

After saying this, Zhang Yan turned and walked directly out of the office, returned to her workstation, submitted a leave application, and picked up her backpack.

Said hello to Lulu.

In the stunned gazes of all colleagues in the office area, she left the company.

...

At 2:30 pm, special needs ward.

The attending physician walked into the ward with a stack of reports just received from the laboratory, smiling.

"All the results from yesterday’s examinations are out, and the situation is better than we anticipated. Although the tumor shows signs of transformation, it’s not highly malignant, and no distal metastasis has been found. All body function indicators are within normal range, fully meeting the enrollment criteria for CAR-T therapy."

Upon hearing this news, Zhang Yan and Zhou Hui, whose hearts had been hanging all day, finally settled back down.

This brought Zhang Yan’s eyes to warmth, almost wanting to cry out on the spot from excitement.

The doctor then advised a few things to watch out for and turned to leave.

Zhang Yan sat next to her mother’s bed, peeling an apple while contemplating how to smoothly resign from the company.

At this moment, the phone suddenly rang.

Two words flashed on the screen—[Chairman Wen].

Zhang Yan quickly put down the fruit knife and answered the call.

On the other end, Wen Ruan’s Mature Lady voice with a smile began, "Zhang Yan, I just finished things on my end and checked the phone location, just happened to be near your Zhongshan University Affiliated Hospital. If you don’t mind, I’d like to come over to see your mom, and also formally meet the talent about to join our company."

This was Zhang Yan’s first time hearing her voice; it was very pleasant and particularly friendly.

She subconsciously stood straight, "Oh, oh, okay, okay! Too, too much trouble for you, Chairman Wen."

Hung up the phone.

Zhou Hui beside her curiously asked, "Ayin, is someone coming?"

Zhang Yan took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and whispered, "It’s a friend of Tang Song who introduced me to a new job, a senior leader in the company."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Hui immediately struggled to get up, "This... how can it be appropriate for a stranger to come see an old lady like me? Shouldn’t we..."

"It’s okay, Mom." Zhang Yan quickly pushed her back down and softly reassured, "Don’t move unnecessarily, after all, the big leader just happened to be passing by."

Though she said this, her own heart was in her throat.

Less than ten minutes later, the doorbell rang again.

Wen Ruan had already arrived at the rest area outside the special needs medical center.

Zhang Yan explained again to her mother and the caregiver, then rushed out of the ward with an anxious heart.

She arrived at the familiar lounge entrance, pushed open the heavy glass door.

At a glance, she saw the figure standing next to the couch, accompanied by a girl who looked like an assistant.

Zhang Yan’s throat moved, looking with some amazement at Chairman Wen in front of her.

Wen Ruan before her looked exactly like how she appeared in news photos but also different.

She wore a black backless knit top, accentuating her impressive curves perfectly.

She wore only a very light nude makeup, but her skin was fair and tight, her features soft yet grand.

Her deep brown wavy long hair was casually tied into a high ponytail, appearing both capable and full of energy.

Not as aloof as in magazines and journals, but rather like a friendly big sister.

Though casually standing there, she exudes an indescribable aura, filled with mature female charm.

In front of her, Zhang Yan even felt like an underaged little girl.