Chapter 175 - 173: Preparing for the Matchmaking Event
After the stream ended, Zhang Zhe checked WeChat. Boss He had replied:
"Zhang Zhe, come in a bit early tomorrow. We need to have a serious talk."
The older woman’s voice on the message was uncharacteristically serious.
Zhang Zhe had a pretty good idea of what was happening. ’I’m probably getting fired.’
The next morning, he arrived at the marriage agency bright and early. Not only had Boss He arrived before him, but she had even drafted a contract termination agreement.
"Xiaozhang, I’m sorry. The investors and I had a meeting last night. I argued my case, but they all agreed it would be more appropriate for Teacher Zhou to manage the live stream room."
𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
"They’re planning to create a whole new brand for the agency, and they even went to Shenghai to have a logo designed..."
"This is a significant investment, so they want one of the partners to be in charge."
As Boss He spoke, she suddenly chuckled:
"Sister Zhou said your fortunes clash. With you around, even drinking water makes her teeth hurt, so she insisted on firing you."
"I reckon it’s really about that last incident, helping the rich kid with matchmaking. You agreed to do her a favor and push the girl’s profile, but in the end, you were too principled..."
"Sigh!"
"It’s fine, Boss He." Zhang Zhe smiled faintly. "I was actually going to tell you anyway. I have my own marriage agency, so I wasn’t planning on staying here long-term."
Zhang Zhe wasn’t worried at all. Under every video from the agency, there was now a portal to his own new account: [Matchmaking Live Stream Room].
Plus, Mr. and Mrs. Zhang were on it 24/7, using alt accounts to guide people in the comments section.
Real business warfare was just this simple and unadorned.
Doing this, if nothing else, would definitely siphon off the viewers who were used to Zhang Zhe’s editing style.
"You started a marriage agency?" Boss He looked astonished. "So quickly? How long have you even been in this business?"
"I had no choice. I may have started late, but my reputation in the Qing City bachelor groups is already nearly on par with our Zhuyin Marriage Agency."
Zhang Zhe knew he couldn’t hide these things. Besides, he needed to talk about the matchmaking event later, so flexing his muscles a bit would make the upcoming conversation easier.
"Don’t worry, Boss He. Even though I’ve encountered plenty of gold diggers who were coached by Teacher Zhou and her group against their conscience, I never exposed our agency."
"Even though I’m leaving, I’ll remember that you were the one who led me into this business. We might have a chance to work together again in the future."
"You’re right to do so."
"Zhang Zhe, don’t get carried away." Boss He said with a grave expression. "If you expose Sister Zhou, they’ll resort to dirty tricks. You’d be no match for them."
"They’re already rotten. Don’t get dragged down with them."
"You only see the cases where Sister Zhou and the others failed. But have you thought about how many times they’ve succeeded? Those girls who successfully married up now have money and time, and Sister Zhou’s group has leverage over them. They’re a community of shared interests..."
"Whoa, Boss He. We’re just matchmakers. Are things really that intense? All for one and one for all?"
"If this were a female-oriented web novel, it’d be the prelude to a rebellion."
Zhang Zhe had originally intended to hint to Boss He that even though he was striking out on his own, he didn’t want to make an enemy of the agency. They could all just turn a blind eye and earn their own money.
He hadn’t expected Teacher He to have such a strong reaction and make it sound so serious.
"Isn’t that normal?" Boss He smiled. "Rich people have their own circles, and it’s normal for people within the circle to introduce potential partners to each other. Otherwise, what do Sister Zhou and her group use to convince girls to willingly spend money?"
"Just a few clever tricks? You could ask DeepSeek for those and it would come up with them for you."
"The key is resources."
"I get it, Boss He. You’re a good person. No wonder you were the one to represent the matchmakers of Qing City on CCTV."
Zhang Zhe nodded. He suddenly felt a bit fortunate. Boss He’s words proved that his move with the bachelors’ club was the right one. He was now a matchmaker with resources too.
It had been his first offline event, organized for a group of bachelors, and it turned out to be a brilliant move. That was quite encouraging.
"Alright, take a look at the agreement."
Boss He gave a soft smile. She didn’t actually want to fire Zhang Zhe, but the other partners had all sided with Sister Zhou. As an older woman nearing retirement, there was nothing she could do.
She was the one who had hired Zhang Zhe. If he had a backer, it was her. If he had an ally, it could only be her.
That’s why Boss He had staunchly refused to admit there was any problem with Zhang Zhe’s streams, rejected all of Sister Zhou’s flimsy excuses, and would only accept a standard contract termination.
"Your salary, plus compensation, plus the fan bonuses, comes out to a little over 50,000. I calculated it carefully last night. If there are no issues, it’ll be transferred to your bank card."
"It’s fine. I trust your calculations, Boss He." Without even looking at it, Zhang Zhe set the agreement aside.
Signing wasn’t urgent. He had more important business to attend to.
"Teacher He, about that matchmaking event I mentioned yesterday, do you think I still have a chance?"
"Oh, that? I already signed you up for the matchmaking event right from the start."
"Really?"
"Of course." Boss He said with a laugh. "When you suggested a matchmaking session between the city’s kindergarten teachers and the guys in the system, the faces of those few government guys who were visiting us turned green on the spot."
"I had no choice but to sign you up too, to show I’m not playing favorites. That’s what smoothed things over."
"Oh, so that’s how it was." Zhang Zhe nodded, but then he quickly realized something was wrong. "You didn’t sign me up as one of the male participants, did you?"
"Of course I did. How else could I prove I wasn’t playing favorites?" Boss He chuckled mischievously. "When the time comes, remember to act a little miserable."
"I know what those kindergarten teachers are like. If they went to a temple to make a wish, even the Bodhisattva would find them annoying. So those government guys are definitely going to have a miserable time."
"At that point, you have to be even more miserable than they are. Your best bet is to find a pushover and start an argument on the spot. Otherwise, their resentment might be directed at you."
"..." Zhang Zhe was a little speechless. "Teacher He, you’ve really done me in."
"What’s wrong?"
"I promised Xia Yi I’d attend the matchmaking event as a matchmaker, but now I’ve become one of the male contestants..."
"No way. Zhang Zhe, are you really dating Miss Xia?" Boss He looked utterly shocked. "Do you know who Xia Yi’s father is?"
"I think he’s in the system, but I don’t know the specifics," Zhang Zhe said vaguely.
Father Xia was the second-in-command at the Civil Affairs Department. With Teacher He’s connections, she definitely knew him. ’Since she’s aware of this relationship...’
Zhang Zhe’s eyes suddenly lit up. "Boss He, can you help me out?"
"Don’t rush me, let me think." Boss He waved her hand dismissively. Her mind was a bit of a mess right now too.
Zhang Zhe was dating a leader’s daughter and had even arranged to attend the matchmaking event with her. Their relationship was clearly not ordinary. Under these circumstances, if her signing him up caused a misunderstanding or trouble, she would be in for it.
Boss He thought for a moment, then quickly opened the spreadsheet she had just compiled yesterday. Looking at the data in the table, she let out a long sigh of relief:
"It’s fine, Xiaozhang! The interest forms we collected yesterday show that out of the 120 single women participating in the matchmaking event, the number of people interested in you is, surprisingly, zero!"