Chapter 12 Give Me a Report
I arrived late to the meeting. Forty minutes late.
When I went in, everyone in the conference hall was waiting for me. Xiao Yuan sat in the main seat, rarely wearing a casual suit.
He looked good.
Xie Kun quickly stood, wanting me to sit at Xiao Yuan's lower seat. I raised a hand and sat in the seat closest to the door.
Xie Kun sat as well. After tea was poured for me, he started, earnest.
"Zhiyi, Haohai has not treated you poorly all these years."
I laughed without hiding it.
"Put a hand on your own conscience and say that again."
Xiao Yuan frowned, glanced at Xie Kun, and took the folder in front of Xie Kun.
Inside was my career history and company records over these years.
"Five years ago I came in with my own team. Mr. Xiao handed me to you. I ask you, did you ever have a plan for my development?
"My team floated outside Haohai, but the money went into Haohai's pocket. All these years, my resources and endorsements, how many artists did they feed for you. You can't not have a number in your head.
"Of course, before I could endure it. I liked Mr. Xiao. I was willing to be the sucker. Getting bullied was what I deserved."
I looked around the room, pointing at them one by one.
"Publicity department, all these years, every time I dropped a new album, did you ever have a publicity plan about me?
"If nothing else, yesterday at the first stop of my Concert, even a rival company knew to send flower baskets. Where were Haohai's flower baskets?"
The whole room went dead quiet. The publicity director dropped his head toward his computer.
"Business department, the endorsements that came in over the years, the ones that did not match my status, you gave to the artists under you, but you used my connections. Just Shen Xinrui alone, how many endorsements I didn't want did she get. You don't have a number?"
Xie Kun opened his mouth and said nothing.
The PR director tried to talk me down.
"Zhiyi, the company's energy is all on the new project Spilt Water right now. Neglecting you was our fault. But we are one company. When one prospers, all prosper."
"Don't even talk about one company. I came today to break the contract.
I am happy to pay whatever penalty." I said.
"This Simp does not want to simp anymore.
You should know when enough is enough. How much you took from me over these years, go enjoy it in private.
Don't fucking push it. Don't take a face when it's given! "
The conference room went silent again. Even breathing was clear.
"Zhiyi." Xiao Yuan spoke, voice gentle. "Don't talk about yourself like that."
My nose stung. I stopped talking and turned my face away.
Xiao Yuan closed the folder and threw it on the table. With a slap, every employee jumped.
"Before tomorrow, the situation Xu Zhiyi described, give me a report." Xiao Yuan's face, which usually carried a smile, was expressionless now. "Every detail. Report as much as there is. Don't make me look into it myself."
I let out a sarcastic laugh.