1 Rejected Proposal

"Manager Chen. I need good news," Gu Xin Ye said. She looked up from the files in her hand, adjusted her glasses with her forefinger and squinted at the man before her.

Facing against his boss's scrutinizing gaze, Manager Chen felt his body trembled.

Who among the employee in GDB Group had not heard of Miss Gu's reputation?

Ever since she got the position as the vice-president, she had forced everyone to work hard under her. If she did not get the result she wanted, Miss Gu would ensure that that employee would no longer able to survive in the company.

"W-well," Manager Chen stuttered. Though he came to bring in good news, he was still as scared to face the young girl in front of him. "The representative from Japan, Ogata-san contacted us early this morning," he paused and cleared his throat. "They agreed to sign the agreement with us."

Gu Xin Ye squinted at the man and nodded. "Good." She closed the files in her hand and tossed it to the man. "I want you to deal with the representative and make this deal work, you got me?"

"Y-yes, Miss Gu!" Manager Chen said. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss Gu?"

"No. You can leave now," she said waved her hand to dismiss that man from her office. She watched her employee rushed out from her room and leaned back on the chair. Then, She spun the chair around to face the scenery outside and shut her eyes hoping to get a quick nap after seeing a few managers all day long.

Gu Xin Ye is the vice-president of GDB Group, a company specialized in F&B business popular with its chained cafe, Sanctuary Coffee, and a few famous high-end restaurants.

After her father passed away last year, the company was now managed by her late father's sworn-brother whom she addressed as her uncle, Wang Zhi Wei, until she had gained enough experience and received the members of the director's approval.

Because of her age and experience, the board of directors was eager to watch her made a mistake. However, Gu Xin Ye had no intention of letting the company that her grandfather and father had worked hard to build to go down in her hand.

Therefore, once she took the position as the vice-president, Gu Xin Ye had worked hard to prove to others that she can handle everything just fine.

In just a year, GDB Group under Gu Xin Ye's project had made a slight increase in its profit. Though the shareholders were happy, Gu Xin Ye knew that it was not time for her to rest. Even with one, tiny mistake, the board of directors will not hesitate to pull her down from her position.

Someday, she will let the board of directors admit of her skills and capabilities, and let that Wang Zhi Wei return the company to her.

But first, she has to work hard and do more to secure her position so that no one will be able to shake her.

However, with her hard work and decisive character, Gu Xin Ye had gained a reputation among her employees as a tyrant.

Just as she was about to close her eyes to take a few minutes nap, a knock was heard on the door.

Gu Xin Ye snapped open her eyes and sat up straight. "Come in." Once she saw the other person, Gu Xin Ye dropped her stiff shoulder and a smile appeared on her lips.

"You need to stop scaring your employees once in a while, Xin Ye."

Gu Xin Ye twirled her chair around and stopped as she watched her assistant, Lin Qiao, closed the door behind her and walked towards her with a mug of hot coffee. Gu Xin Ye took the coffee from her assistant and took a sip.

Lin Qiao blew a sigh. "You should hear what your employees are saying about you."

"You ran into Manager Chen on your way here? What did he say about me? Never mind," she waved her hand. "I'm not really interested in whatever those people said about me. As long as they can work hard and do not do anything to ruin the company's reputation, I don't care for whatever they are going to say behind my back."

"Xin Ye…" Lin Qiao shook her head. "I just wish that you can be more lenient with them. You should try your father's approach. He was very flexible with his workers and the company was running as smoothly. You don't have to act this domineering to let others follow your lead."

Gu Xin Ye sighed. "I'm not here to make friends with them, Lin Qiao."

"I know," Lin Qiao chuckled. "In GDB Group, everything for you is strictly businesses."

"Exactly," Gu Xin Ye said as he turned to her computer. "If I was a bit lenient, they might find a chance to step over my head. Why should I give them a chance to do that?"

"What about me?"

"What about you?" Gu Xin Ye asked with one of her eyebrows arched.

"I'm a friend, aren't I?"

Gu Xin Ye sighed as she leaned on her leather chair. "You're different. We've known each other for years. Lin Qiao, you're the most trusted person I have in this company."

"You're saying it like I'm from a different species or something," Lin Qiao said, as she shook her head disapprovingly. "I can never convince you to change your mind, can I?"

Gu Xin Ye shook her head. "Not a chance."

Lin Qiao raised both hands to admit her defeat. This was not the first time she had tried to convince her friend to be more lenient. The result will only be the same. Gu Xin Ye would not change the way she acted with the people around her. Lin Qiao turned around to the door and paused when she heard Gu Xin Ye called her name.

She turned around to her and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You're not here to deliver me my coffee and chit-chatting, are you?" Gu Xin Ye asked. She stared at Lin Qiao and squinted behind her glasses. "Aren't you forgetting something?" She paused. "The result."

"Oh!" Lin Qiao said with a smile. She took a file clipped under her armpit and handed it to her boss. "I'm sorry."

Actually, Lin Qiao had not forgotten the reason why she came to find Gu Xin Ye in her office. However, Lin Qiao was hoping that her friend would forget about this matter and she could drag out this bad news for a while longer.

Gu Xin Ye browsed through the files half-heartedly and leaned on the chair with her arms crossed on her chest. "Shoot," she said with a nod. "What does that man think about my new proposal? Did he agree?"

Lin Qiao bit her lower lips. "Well," she said with a bit of hesitation. "Sorry, Xin Ye. Your proposal was rejected again."