Su Wantang noticed it from Zhao Chen's recent email.
She was all too familiar with his email-writing habit--
In the past, his emails were so brief that they were almost rude, saying "the batch" "can" and "implement this plan".
Three or five words to solve one thing, without even bothering to type a period.
But in recent weeks, the investment strategy approval email he sent to Chen Xi suddenly became longer.
The wording is more cautious than before, and each judgment is preceded by qualifications such as "based on currently available data" and "under the premise that existing assumptions remain unchanged."
She didn't talk to him.
She knows him too well--Zhao Chen Before he thinks through the problem thoroughly, anyone's questioning will only make him more silent.
She chose another way.
Friday In the evening, Su Wantang finished processing the last batch of epidemic prevention material distribution lists in the Philanthropic Foundation office.
New Delhi Flu spreads faster than expected,
The education bureaus of several southwestern provinces have contacted her in advance.
We hope to use the popular science corner network established by Foundation in rural primary schools as a grassroots material distribution site.
She implemented these coordination matters one by one and signed the last material allocation order.
Then he went up to the top floor carrying a pot of freshly brewed Pu'er.
When he pushed open the door of Zhao Chen's office, he was sitting at his desk.
Spread in front of him is the first draft of the new variable valuation Model that Chen Xi just sent this afternoon.
Bloomberg Terminal is on, and the latest news about New Delhi Flu is scrolling on the screen.
The desk lamp was dimmed, the tea in Zisha Pot was completely cold, and there was a light tea stain on the edge of the tea cup.
He has probably been sitting here since the afternoon meeting.
"I guess you didn't have dinner tonight."
Su Wantang put the teapot on the coffee table and sat down on the sofa opposite him.
Her sitting posture is completely different from when she was an assistant to Chairman before--
It is no longer the posture of leaning slightly sideways, ready to stand up at any time to pour tea or hand over documents.
Instead, he leaned upright on the back of the sofa, folded his hands on his knees, and looked at him calmly and calmly.
"Foundation Are you done with the work over there?" Zhao Chen raised his head and glanced at her.
"The first batch of material distribution lists has been signed.
The education bureaus of Yunnan and Guizhou are the quickest and will be able to distribute masks and Disinfectant to village primary schools next week."
She paused and glanced from the valuation Model filled with comments in front of him to the flashing alert light on Bloomberg Terminal.
then fell on his face,
"I'm not here to report epidemic prevention supplies to you. I'm here to bring you a pot of tea."
Zhao Chen put down the pen and watched her pick up the pot Pu'er and pour it into his cup.
Her movements are much slower than before, not because she is unfamiliar, but calmly--
In the past, when she was pouring tea, she would always keep her eyes on all directions and her ears would listen to see if anyone came to sign for him at the door.
When the tea is 70% full, you have to put down the pot and answer the phone;
Now she only does one thing: pouring tea, the angle of the spout, the speed of water flow, the timing of closing the pot, every detail is done in a hurry.
He suddenly realized that she was no longer the Chairman assistant who had to handle three things at the same time.
She is the person in charge of Henglong Charity Foundation, and she manages more than a dozen people and an annual budget of hundreds of millions.
The completion rate of this year's teacher training program ranks among the top three in the industry.
The epidemic prevention material distribution network covers hundreds of schools in dozens of counties in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan.
She has found her own way.
"When you poured tea, you never looked at the tea before. You looked at the door. Now you only look at the tea." He said.
"Because there used to be people at the door looking for you. Now those people are looking for you, not me."
She put the teapot back on the coffee table, raised her eyes and looked at him,
"The wording of your email has changed. In the past, when you approved investment plans, you never wrote qualifiers.
Each sentence is now preceded by 'under current data' and 'according to existing assumptions'.
You've said before that there's only one thing that can make you so cautious with your words - fear.
I've known you for so long, and there are very few things that really scare you."
Zhao Chen's fingers stopped on the edge of the teacup.
The way Su Wantang talks is completely different from Shen Jue--
Shen Jue will peel off his fears layer by layer, like disassembling a legal clause;
Shen Zhiyi will help him correct the direction and redraw the picture side by side with him.
But Su Wantang won't.
She just sat quietly next to him, filled the tea, and told him she knew what he was afraid of.
She knew, but she would not take it apart or accompany him to redraw the picture.
"What you are afraid of is not New Delhi Flu itself."
Her voice was not high, but every word fell firmly on the table between the two of them, which was filled with reports.
"What you're afraid of is that you can no longer use your judgment.
You're afraid that if there isn't a timeline that only you know,
Every decision you make in Henglong may go wrong, Bidiya, Nvidia, Green Energy Technology--
These assets that you once believed would rise now need to be re-verified.
You are afraid that the verification results will not be what you want.
The reason why you write so many qualifiers in your email is not because you have no confidence in your own judgment.
You feel uneasy that the world no longer follows the path you thought it would."
Zhao Chen did not deny it.
She saw his struggle in the past few days from the heavily altered valuation Model in front of him--
He changed every version of the stress test submitted by Chen Xi over and over again. What he changed was not the data, but the wording.
"Continue to hold" has become "It is recommended to continue to hold within the current valuation range, and you need to continue to track the following variables."
He had signed the words "continue to hold" countless times before, never with the suffix.
Now this suffix is so long that it almost swallows up the conclusion.
"I was afraid of something before."
Su Wantang Pick up the A4 paper on the coffee table that he pushed to the edge--
It was the timeline he drew last night when he was dismantling the decision-making logic.
Her tone suddenly changed from calm to a very light and deep resonance.
"When I first took over Philanthropic Foundation, I was afraid that I would lose my direction after I was no longer your assistant.
In the past, my daily job was to help you deal with trivial matters.
It can be as big as the financing contracts of four investment banks or as small as the temperature of the water in this pot of tea.
Although those things are trivial, I know that everything is for you to fight on the front line, and I will make no mistakes in the rear.
After taking over Foundation, you don't need me to deal with trivial matters. You can make the tea yourself.
The financing contract Chen Qiming is watching for you, and the administration Liu Mingyu is blocking it for you.
I was wondering what else I could do for you - and then I discovered that it wasn't a question of what I could do for you at all."
Zhao Chen raised his eyes and looked at her.
"Your battle on the front line will eventually be over, and Henglong needs someone to keep going after the battle is over.
The day I took over Philanthropic Foundation, I said something to myself--
I have walked through the most difficult stage with you, and now I want to go my own way.
But now I want to correct this sentence. I have not left you.
Philanthropic Foundation's material distribution network covers hundreds of schools in dozens of counties.
If every child in these schools gets a mask and Disinfectant when the flu spreads, that is the rear I will hold for you.
I will continue to walk with you in another way. You are resisting the pressure in front,
All I can do is let you come back with a hot pot of tea and an office where you don't have to worry about anything."
She put down the timeline, picked up the teapot and refilled his cup.
"You never won by predicting the answer before, but by your eyes -
Discover undervalued companies, discover overlooked talent, discover opportunities that are missed when others fear them.
These eyes are still there. No matter how many stones there are in the river, you will not be blind."
Zhao Chen looked down at the newly refilled tea in the cup, which Tea Soup glowed with amber light under the desk lamp.
"I am no longer an assistant, but I can still bring you a pot of tea when the front line is tight.
And this pot of tea is no worse than the most expensive cakes Pu'er you put on the counter."
Zhao Chen looked at her and suddenly smiled.
"You also said this a long time ago.
Same pot, same person, still saying the same thing.
You've changed so much--
From a housewife to the person in charge of Henglong Charity Foundation,
From pouring tea for me to distributing supplies to village children in dozens of counties,
From a person who needs to be protected to a person who can defend the home front for Henglong during a global crisis.
But the words you said to me have never changed."
Su Wantang stood up and put the teapot on the corner of his table,
"Xiao Chen, you said there was an extra stone in the river. But you have walked in the river for so long, and you have stepped on more stones than anyone else.
You have filled every pit yourself, and you have waded through every rapid.
In the future, when you don't know where to go, look back at the path you have taken.
This road is still there, if you step on it, it will not collapse.
The tea in the teapot is freshly brewed, so it won't get cold."
She gently closed the door and left. The footsteps in the corridor gradually faded away, and the office became quiet again.