Chapter
III
Hello Minions
(What the Fudge!?)
***
Zhang Qi Ling looked out his office window. The city was beautiful at night and it was now significantly night. Glancing at his watch, Zhang Qi Ling saw it was one in the morning. Standing rather stiffly, Zhang Qi Ling stretched and collected his files and briefcase.
Walking out of his office, he switched off the lights and noticed he could see a light on across the floor. Curiosity getting the better of him, Zhang Qi Ling worked his way across the room and saw the light was coming from Wu Xie's office. The puppy probably fell asleep and no one woke him.
Nearing the office, Zhang Qi Ling stayed in the shadows. Wu Xie was on the phone.
"Yeah, Sansu. I know. But I need to go over this proposal. Xie Yu Chen and the whole team are amazing, but I have to make sure... No! No, don't tell him!... Anything... yes, signed copy... What? Goddamn you, San... Hey Grandma... Yes, I am getting plenty of sleep... After one? Really? I hadn't noticed. Wait, why are you still awake?"
Zhang Qi Ling watched as Wu Xie covered a yawn. "Grandma," The young man sighed closing his eyes, "I am working with Zhang Rishan and Zhang Qi Ling. I don't need to tell you that everything they do is perfect and brilliant. I have to work hard to even walk in their shadow... I know. But you have to say that."
Zhang Qi Ling walked away. That was... interesting.
***
Two months later at yet another board meeting...
"This company isn't some daily dinner party. You have responsibilities and one of those responsibilities is to ensure that..." Zhang Qi Ling whispered darkly while fisting his hands in his lap so hard he could feel the crescent shaped indentions forming.
"Don't! Don't you dare tell me what my responsibilities are, you stuck up prick! I've been working my ass off for this company... OUR company! Not that anyone can tell since my fellow 'partner' is too busy basking in the easy ride his cousin gave him to..."
Zhang Qi Ling standing up so fast that his chaired crashed into window behind him.
This time it was Zhang Qi Ling that jumped over the table.
***
After that meeting all interactions between Zhang Qi Ling and Wu Xie were held over video conferencing.
***
Within six months the fourteenth floor was literally split in two. Zhang Qi Ling's team on one side and Wu Xie's on the other. Straight down the middle was a wide pathway that the employee of the fourteenth floor called 'The DMZ' or the Demilitarized Zone. It was a neutral area where employees could converse but were not allowed to mention their bosses or conduct business of any serious nature. Zhang Qi Ling and Wu Xie's inner circles were never allowed to cross the DMZ. These rules were concrete and held up by none other than Zhang Rishan himself.
After coming down to see his Vice President and nearly having an eye taken out during "The Great Cubical Blitz of 2019" which consisted of Wu Xie and his teammates launching various office supplies up and over their rival's cubicles, Zhang Rishan decided that serious actions would need to be taken. And the fact that he caught Zhang Qi Ling and his teammates covertly attempting to enter Wu Xie's office with less that business related intentions drove the point home.
Wu Xie and Zhang Qi Ling were not allowed in the DMZ. They were not allowed physical contact of any kind. At business functions that required that both of them be in attendance, Zhang Rishan was forced to hire bodyguards to protect the young men... not from hostile strangers, but from each other.
***
And so it was that Zhang Rishan decided that if Mop wanted his executives there so bloody bad he could have Zhang Qi Ling and Wu Xie. Let's see the man preach teamwork to those young me. Zhang Rishan almost wished he could be there. Mop would never bother him again.
"Yin Nan Feng." The woman entered the office, "Send an email to Mop telling him to expect Zhang Qi Ling and Wu Xie on Monday."
Yin Nan Feng nearly choked before responding, "Sir? Ah, did you say Zhang Qi Ling and Wu Xie?" Her face had admittedly gone paler.
"Yes, I did. After you are done with that please schedule my flight to Hong Kong directly after work today with me returning Monday morning. Make my meeting on the golf course."
"O-okay... ah, Rishan?" Yin Nan Feng said. She and Zhang Rishan had been friends since high school and Zhang Rishan never did anything without knowing exactly what he was doing, but with this... did he really 'know' what he was doing?
Zhang Rishan raised a dark eyebrow, "Yes?"
"I don't understand why you are thinking about sending your cousin and Wu Xie. Damn, they can't even be in the same conference sized room without trying to kill each other and you want to sent them into the woods together... with Mop! Someone won't come back alive."
Zhang Rishan leaned back in his chair, twirling around to look outside, "The man preaches teamwork. He loves a challenge. I'm simply offering him the biggest challenge of his life."
Yin Nan Feng nodded silently behind him. Zhang Qi Ling twirled around again, "Plus, Xiao ge is..." Zhang Rishan put his elbows on his desk, folding his hands and resting his chin upon them. "There was a time when Xiao ge was expressive Wu Xie brings that out in Xiao ge." Dark eyes stared into his assistant's eyes, mentally daring the woman to say anything about Zhang Rishan uncharacteristic ramblings.
Yin Nan Feng nodded. Zhang Rishan loved his family. He might be an evil bastard to everyone else, but he loved his family.
"Plus, as an added bonus, Xiao ge is going to hate me... that's always rewarding."
Yin Nan Feng internally cringed. So his 'love' was a little sadistic. To each his own, right?
***
To: "Zhang Qi Ling"z. "Wu Xie" w. "Your Boss"z. Plans for Next Week
Hello Minions,
On Monday you are both expected to attend a corporate teamwork seminar that will last from Monday until Friday of next week. (See attached flyer)
Mop is a friend of the family and runs the Youthful Spring Corporate Teamwork Retreat in Hangzhou. You can expect team wall climbing, team 'open feeling discussions' and team housing among many, many other teamwork building exercise.
Before you attempt to reply to this email or worse, come and tell me your 'issues' in person, know that while you are reading this I am boarding my jet and will be gone for 'business' until Monday... wherein you shall both be holding hands and participating in trust exercise.
Make the company proud, boys.
Zhang Rishan
President of Zhang Inc.
Shanghai, China, Main Branch
***
Zhang Qi Ling opened his email and of course clicked on the message from his cousin first. As he read his eyes got wider and wider...
***
Wu Xie was chewing on his pen when the alert signally new mail drew his attention away from the new marketing proposal. Clicking on the blinking yellow envelope Wu Xie read quickly. The pen dropped to the floor.
***
"What the...!"
***
"Fudge!!!"
***
Zhang Rishan allowed a true smile to grace his handsome face as the captain announced their descent into Shanghai.
God it was good to be an Emperor.
***
To be continued...