Chapter 26: Killing Two Birds with One Stone

“With these few points, all of you are now qualified trash!” Hua Tianyu’s voice was not loud, yet it commanded the entire conference room.

Cheng Feng kept sneaking glances at Wei Xueying’s expression. He knew he had utterly embarrassed himself in front of her today! He had once been so proud of his idea, thinking it was a stroke of genius. Who could have guessed that Hua Tianyu would see through him at a glance! Cheng Feng now hated Hua Tianyu with a gnashing of teeth.

Wei Xueying, however, paid Cheng Feng no heed. Her expression grew ever more vivid, her beautiful eyes fixed on Hua Tianyu as he spoke. This man had already given her so many surprises! She had known only that he’d served in the military, but she had never imagined he would know so much about these matters. She couldn’t even fathom what he had done in the army. Judging by this, her decision to push him into the position of Security Department Manager had been entirely correct. The thought left Wei Xueying quietly pleased with herself.

With a loud thud, Hua Tianyu flung a document onto the table behind him. “Beyond the major issues I just mentioned, there are still many minor faults with the security system you designed and installed. Here is your original plan; I have made some revisions to it.” He swept his gaze across the group. “Now, I’m giving you a chance to review this modified proposal thoroughly, and then reconstruct the system according to my changes.”

As soon as Hua Tianyu threw out the revised plan, Rong Xinyuan snatched it up without a word and began studying it intently. Throughout Hua Tianyu’s earlier speech, he had made no comment. Some issues he had known about; others had completely eluded him. But listening to Hua Tianyu’s reasoning left him speechless, with no room to object.

Having said all he needed, Hua Tianyu grinned and raised his empty glass. “Boss Xueying, all this talking has left me parched. Would you mind pouring me a glass of water?”

Wei Xueying glared at him, speechless. Just a moment ago, she had been delighted by his performance; now she wished she could march over and stomp on him!

And to call her “Xueying”—even with the word “Boss” tacked on, saying it in front of so many people made her want to crawl into a hole and disappear. Fortunately, Wei Xueyun’s secretary was quick on the uptake. She immediately took Hua Tianyu’s empty glass and hurried out to fill it to the brim.

“Boss Xueying, is pouring me a glass of water really enough to express your gratitude? Don’t worry—later…” Hua Tianyu mouthed the words “roll in the sheets” at her, careful not to let anyone else see.

The teacup nearly slipped from Wei Xueying’s hand, threatening to spill all over her. Giving him the role of Security Department Manager wasn’t enough; she would have to find him a few more responsibilities, just to keep his mind from wandering down such shameless paths.

Scoundrel!

Stomping on him would no longer suffice—she wanted to bite him, and hard.

“President Wei, might I discuss something with you?” Rong Xinyuan’s tone was uncharacteristically excited as he held Hua Tianyu’s revised document and suddenly addressed Wei Xueying.

It took Wei Xueying a full thirty seconds to regain her composure. “What is it?” she replied curtly.

“I would like… I would like to invite Hua Tianyu to join our company—as my deputy.” Rong Xinyuan’s face was alight with growing enthusiasm.

A hush fell over the conference room.

“What!? You want to hire him for our company?” The first to react was Chai Peng, who stared at Rong Xinyuan as if he’d lost his mind. Had the director gone mad from being chastised by Hua Tianyu?

Zheng Maoshi looked equally stunned. “Why would you want him as your deputy?”

Wei Xueying, too, gazed at Rong Xinyuan in bewilderment.

“No,” Hua Tianyu said with a wave of his hand, refusing without hesitation.

“Yes, yes, yes, I understand—you would never agree to be my deputy; it would be a waste of your talents. I misspoke. I’ll give you my position! I’ll be your deputy instead. Don’t worry, I’ll speak to the CEO myself. If he doesn’t agree, I’ll resign.” Rong Xinyuan seemed to have made up his mind, his voice almost pleading.

“Director Rong, this security guard…” Chai Peng was at a loss; Rong Xinyuan’s words had shaken him to the core. He simply couldn’t process it.

“A security guard? He’s an expert—a true expert!” Rong Xinyuan, clutching the revised proposal, looked at Hua Tianyu with reverence. “Have you ever heard the saying, ‘Mastery is shown in the details’? Every word just now was pure insight, but it’s the details corrected in this proposal that truly astound me. Some are things I’ve struggled to understand for years, and others never even crossed my mind.”

“Mastery is shown in the details”—Chai Peng certainly knew this phrase; it was one Rong Xinyuan often used, usually to admonish his subordinates. But now, it seemed that the director himself was awed by Hua Tianyu’s corrections. Did that mean Hua Tianyu’s technical skills were already at a level beyond their reach?

“Director Rong, may I take a look at that proposal?” Chai Peng asked.

“Certainly. Just be careful with it. Starting tomorrow, you’ll all follow this proposal to reconstruct the security system at Swan International.”

He then turned to Wei Xueying. “President Wei, I must ask you to let him go. I believe that with Expert Hua on our team, he can achieve even greater things.”

“I can’t make that decision for him,” Wei Xueying replied, glancing at Hua Tianyu, awaiting his choice. But in her eyes lingered a faint trace of anxiety.

She wasn’t sure why, but when she first made Hua Tianyu her bodyguard, it had been just to have someone accompany her to the Shangjiang Business Alliance negotiations—and to repay him for saving her life. Now, however, she found herself growing quietly dependent on this man, though she herself had yet to realize it. He was roguish, and often infuriated her, but with him around, her burdens always seemed a little lighter.

“Oh, and one more thing!” Suddenly recalling something, Rong Xinyuan turned and reprimanded Zheng Maoshi in a loud voice, “Why does Swan International Tower have only a single surveillance server? When you’re back at the office, you’d better have a convincing explanation for me. Otherwise, Legal and HR will be discussing your departure.”

“I…” Zheng Maoshi’s voice caught in his throat, his face ashen, as if the life had been drained from him. He slumped in utter defeat.

“Expert Hua, have you considered my suggestion? Would you be interested in becoming our company’s Technical Director?” Rong Xinyuan no longer paid Zheng Maoshi any mind, but looked at Hua Tianyu with hopeful anticipation, awaiting his reply.