Chapter 653 - 433: Return to Mingzhu City
To resolve the issue of unpaid employee salaries as quickly as possible, Jiangg Ning didn’t rest for a moment after compiling the list of names. She immediately led a few people to clean out the chairman’s office on the top floor.
She contacted a few of the company’s more dutiful finance employees. With stacks of personnel files in hand, she immediately began cross-referencing them with the company’s past payroll records.
After the verification, Jiangg Ning still needed to calculate each person’s actual take-home pay and create a finalized list.
Normally, she wouldn’t have to do such tedious work herself.
But with no one else available, Jiangg Ning personally joined the verification effort, working nonstop until five in the afternoon.
She didn’t leave her seat for a single moment, except to use the restroom.
Seeing her dedication left the company’s veteran finance employees feeling deeply impressed.
As the backbone of a company, Jiangg Ning’s performance was worthy of the position behind the boss’s desk—unlike Jiangg Ruxue’s.
Lawyer Gu was also bustling about, handling company affairs. He had driven off to meet with the investors two hours prior.
"I’m afraid we won’t be able to finish the verification work today. It’s getting dark outside. Why don’t we let everyone go home for now and come back tomorrow?"
As Jiangg Ning was buried in her work, a senior company executive approached and reminded her in a low voice.
She paused for a moment, then lifted her head to look outside.
Only then did she realize in a daze that the sun was already setting, bathing the surrounding skyscrapers in its warm glow.
Inside the office, everyone was dizzy with exhaustion, their shoulders and backs aching for some time now.
But since Jiangg Ning herself hadn’t stopped, they felt too awkward to take a break.
"You’re right, you’re right." Jiangg Ning suddenly realized she had been so focused on work that she had completely ignored how everyone else was feeling. She was instantly filled with guilt.
She immediately stood up and, full of apology, told everyone to stop working.
"It’s about time to call it a day. We’ve made excellent progress. We should only need the morning to finish compiling the list tomorrow. Thank you, everyone," Jiangg Ning said, bowing sincerely. She added gently, "Please don’t leave just yet. I’d like to get your contact information and create a group chat to make communication easier."
"Alright, Miss Jiangg. We’ll head home for now and come back tomorrow morning," the deputy head of the finance department, who was leading the group, said with a nod.
After she had added everyone’s contact information and most of the people had left the office, Jiangg Ning took out her phone and sent a 1,000-yuan bonus for their hard work to each person in the group chat.
The senior executive was in the group, so he saw the notification as well. He was just a little surprised to see that he had received one too.
"Why did you send me a bonus too?" he asked, amused.
"Oh? I just sent one to everyone. I wasn’t paying close attention."
"Your way of handling things is very different from President Jiangg’s. It’s very tactful. I must say, I’m quite impressed."
The senior executive sighed.
As a member of the company’s management, he naturally didn’t care about such a paltry bonus. It was a different story for the finance department employees who had been called in on short notice, however. If they were unhappy, it would be perfectly normal for them not to be pleasant to the management.
After all, the company was collapsing. It was only human nature for everyone to look for their own escape route.
But they had come to help, and that was a show of goodwill.
The executive himself wanted to see the company’s affairs resolved properly to avoid a black mark on his record that might come up when he looked for his next job. That was why he was so invested in cleaning up the mess.
He hadn’t held out much hope at first. After all, the person in charge had been arrested, and the smart ones had long since fled, leaving only a disorganized rabble.
But to his surprise, Boss Jiangg’s daughter—a woman he had barely met and only heard stories about—turned out to be so responsible, pouring all her effort into cleaning up the mess.
’If only Jiangg Ruxue had been half as capable, the company would never have ended up in this state.’
"My mother is a rather strong-willed person. It must have been difficult for you all, working at the company for so many years," Jiangg Ning said, offering a tactful apology.
"Not at all, not at all..." The executive waved his hands dismissively. "I won’t disturb you any longer, Miss Jiangg. I’ll be back tomorrow to help."
"Alright. I won’t see you out, then."
After their exchange, Jiangg Ning began to pack up several reports on her desk, placing them inside a file folder.
She planned to work on them for a while if she had time that evening, to lighten her workload for the next day.
As the executive was leaving, he gently closed the office door.
He glanced back and saw Jiangg Ning preparing to take the documents home to continue working. His admiration for her deepened. Even after he reached the hallway, he was still marveling at her dedication.
「...」
"Please prepare a few extra dishes, and make sure to include the ones I requested. I’ll have someone deliver some seafood and freshwater fish—use the same shop we contacted during the New Year. Please get started right away. I’ll help out when I get home."
After hanging up the phone, Jiangg Ning finally prepared to leave Meiruxue Company.
A rare smile touched her delicate features. Clutching her phone and file folder, she walked with a slight, cheerful bounce in her step.
You can tell if a person is happy or sad from the subtle little movements of their body.
Take Jiangg Ning, for instance. Though her smile was faint, the joy in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Just a moment ago, she had received a call. Chen Yuan had brought Jiangg Yao back to Mingzhu City and was on his way to pick her up.
Jiangg Ning told him it wasn’t necessary and that he and Jiangg Yao should go straight home.
As it happened, she had already promised to treat Lawyer Gu and the others who had helped to dinner that evening. Everyone had worked so hard on this matter, so it was only right for Jiangg Ning to express her gratitude.
This meant she needed to prepare a fine meal to host everyone that night.
Jiangg Ning’s happiness was genuine. The situation had finally taken a turn for the better, and she could finally get a good night’s sleep... Most importantly, she wouldn’t have to face Jiangg Yao with such a heavy heart.
As the older sister, she had shouldered the family’s sudden misfortune without letting Jiangg Yao worry. This made Ningning feel very proud of herself.
’I’m finally acting like a proper big sister.’
After making arrangements with Ms. Liu, she went downstairs and hailed a cab home.
「...」
"You’ve been to my house?"
A car drove steadily down the road, enveloped by the night.
In the back seat, Jiangg Yao rested her head near Chen Yuan’s shoulder, her big eyes blinking as she looked at him.
"I have. Your family’s villa is really nice—quiet and cozy. Haaah..." Chen Yuan yawned. "I’m getting a little hungry. Your sister is treating a few friends who helped out to dinner tonight. If you have anything you want to ask her, you should wait until after her guests have left."
"I know. I messaged her after we landed. She told me everything was fine and that the worst of it was already resolved. She told me not to worry... Is it really resolved?" Jiangg Yao asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
"If that’s what she said, then she’s not lying to you."
"But coming back to Mingzhu City just feels so strange... Mom was always home when I came back before, but this time, she’s not."
"Her not being here means no arguments, which is good. You two sisters are the masters of the house now. Make sure you play the part of good hosts tonight. Your sister’s friends have gone to a lot of trouble for her."
"Mm-hmm, I understand."
Jiangg Yao nodded. Seeing that Chen Yuan was too tired for much conversation, she didn’t pester him further.
Instead, she turned to look out the window.
Her hand was still clutching his, and she began to idly play with his fingers, one by one, to soothe her own anxiety.