Promotion

Hongjie's request was reasonable enough, and the two officers got a general understanding of the situation at the fitness club.

Liu Shuming readily admitted to what he had done, but he repeatedly stressed that it had not been premeditated revenge.

He had been off duty from the night shift yesterday, so he had gone drinking with a few friends. At the restaurant, he happened to see the girl walking past outside the window.

Although Liu Shuming had been warned by Red Sister, he thought it would be fine as long as he did not cause trouble at the club.

The moment he saw the girl, his anger flared. After discussing it, they had followed her, planning to have one person snatch her bag and lure people over so they could give her a good beating to vent their anger.

The male officer seized the chance to ask, "What exactly do you mean by 'give her a good beating'?"

Liu Shuming stammered briefly, then forced himself to answer calmly. "Just beat her up. I never intended to steal her money."

"That's not what you said yesterday," the girl cut in loudly. "You said you'd rape me first, then kill me!"

As she spoke, she turned to look at Feng Jun. "That was what you said, right?"

Liu Shuming shot Feng Jun a pleading look, only to see the Dual Degree kid nod expressionlessly.

He could not help shouting, "Are you kidding me? The place where I stopped you was at least an alley, and people passed through from time to time. How could I dare do something like that? I was just trying to scare you."

But the girl refused to let it go. Her eyes blazed. "Who knows whether you had a car ready and planned to knock me out and abduct me? Besides, I didn't think you intended to return my bag either."

Liu Shuming was speechless for a long while, then shouted at the top of his lungs, "This was an attempt! If I'd succeeded, I'd admit to everything I did. But since I didn't succeed, you can't just pin any filthy accusation on me... this country has laws."

The female officer disliked him and could not help mocking him. "Now you remember the law? When you snatched her bag yesterday, did you think about the law then? What, is the law something your family keeps?"

The girl spoke proudly. "Let me make this clear: I pulled the Sky Eye footage to find you. Do you know how much influence a victim needs to have to access Sky Eye footage over such a minor case?"

Liu Shuming shuddered. He was no stranger to society, so naturally he understood what that meant.

Just as Feng Jun had said, it was a very minor case, and an attempted one at that. The officers would not attach too much importance to it. So many incidents happened in the city every day that they simply could not handle them all.

For the girl to obtain the surveillance footage so quickly and personally identify him on the spot, someone had clearly put in a word for her.

He wailed and kept bowing with clasped hands. "Miss, you said it yourself, it's only a small case. I really just wanted to vent my anger."

The girl sneered. "If no one had saved me, had you ever thought about what would have happened to me?"

Liu Shuming turned his head and looked at Feng Jun again, speaking pitifully. "Xiao Feng, Brother Feng, Uncle Feng... please, say something fair for me. I may have offended you before, but I'll definitely change from now on!"

Feng Jun gave him a sidelong glance and said nothing—Feng was not some indiscriminate do-gooder. He would protect the club's image within limits, but he would never plead for his own enemy.

"All right, that's more or less the situation," the male officer said. He looked at Red Sister. "President Zhang, based on what we know so far, this has nothing to do with your club. We'll be taking him away."

Red Sister nodded decisively. "I now announce that he has been fired by our company. Deal with him however you see fit. Don't worry about saving us face."

As she spoke, she turned to Liu Shuming and said without expression, "I warned you beforehand. It's not that the company lacks compassion—it's that you insisted on courting death."

The two officers ignored Liu Shuming's wails and took him away without hesitation, putting handcuffs on him as well.

The girl walked a little more slowly. Before leaving, she glanced at Feng Jun. "Do you want me to let him off?"

Up ahead, Liu Shuming's ears instantly perked up.

Feng Jun answered bluntly, "No need. Just ask for a heavier punishment. You have my full support."

The girl looked at him in surprise. "I thought you were very sympathetic... a heavier punishment?"

"I've never liked the sight of him," Feng Jun replied righteously. "You came here yourself, so I've already done my best to protect the company's image. Protect him? Heh... I'm not actually that magnanimous."

The girl shook her head and left. The crowd gathered in the club also dispersed. Red Sister, however, waved Feng Jun over. "Come with me... Xiao Guo, you too."

Manager Guo and Feng Jun went to the executive office on the second floor.

It was Feng Jun's first time entering. The room was not small, over forty square meters, and its decor was grand and imposing, though there was not much inside: a large executive desk, a row of bookcases and wine cabinets, a circle of genuine leather sofas along the walls, and two low rectangular coffee tables.

Along with several potted plants and two pieces of calligraphy and painting, that was everything.

Red Sister walked over to a single sofa, sat down directly, and crossed her legs.

"Sit," she said, then continued seriously. "Liu Shuming has run into someone formidable this time... Xiao Guo, keep an eye on it, but don't get involved."

Guo Yueling rarely saw her boss act like this. After hesitating, she asked, "Does that girl have a powerful backer?"

"She's nothing much herself. I just don't want to provoke her. It's her companion who's impressive," Red Sister replied calmly. "Of the four girls who came by a couple of days ago, there was one in yellow... you must be absolutely respectful toward that girl."

Guo Yueling knew that her boss had not been at the club that day. "You watched the surveillance footage?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Red Sister snorted. "If I hadn't recognized her, why would I bother meddling in so much nonsense? Xiao Guo, it's not that I want to criticize you, but you haven't been very proper in how you've handled things lately."

"I know I was wrong," Guo Yueling said, springing to her feet in fright. Only then could she be sure that Red Sister's rejection of her handling proposal the day before yesterday had not been because she happened to pass by, but had been deliberate.

With her head lowered, she earnestly reflected on herself. "Feng Jun works very seriously. I only wanted to use him to intimidate others... I'll give him a raise this month. How much do you think would be appropriate?"

"Handle it as you see fit," Red Sister said with a wave of her hand. Then she turned to Feng Jun and nodded slightly. "You know to protect the company's image at all times. Your performance has pleased me."

Feng Jun smiled and spoke lightly. "Isn't that normal? When the big river has water, the small streams are full. I can't exactly smash my own rice bowl."

Red Sister looked at him from the corner of her eye, her gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny. "You just said... I think highly of you?"

She was a very proud woman with a strong presence. Clearly, she did not want this little waiter using a feather as an imperial arrow and stirring up certain rumors.

Quite a few people coveted her beauty, but she had never been involved in any scandal, nor had anyone found an opening. That was why she had to nip certain rumors in the bud.

Feng Jun froze for a moment before nodding in surprise. "Yes. You said I grew grass well."

"Pfft." Red Sister was amused by that remark. She truly could not stay serious even if she wanted to.

This kid really was something... I only said that as an excuse to warn Liu Shuming.

The next moment, she forced a stern expression and nodded. "No playing with your phone during work hours... you didn't seem to be planting grass today?"

"I did," Feng Jun answered awkwardly. "I just collected it early, so you didn't catch me."

Red Sister tried hard to look serious. "Is that how you respond to your leader's appreciation?"

But her leg swayed back and forth, revealing her relaxed mood.

Feng Jun answered solemnly, "I bought a phone yesterday and was testing some functions on it. I'll be more careful next time."

"All right." Red Sister did not want to continue this rather nonsensical topic. "You did well this time. The company avoided a lot of trouble. Red Sister always rewards merit... what reward would you like?"

"There's no need for that," Feng Jun said, shaking his head. "It was what I should have done. Anyone else would have done the same."

He was not being falsely modest. He genuinely believed it.

But Red Sister was used to being forceful. Since she had said she would reward him, how could she possibly go back on her word?

So she gave a slight wave of her pale hand. "All right, from now on, you'll be the club's security team leader. And I'll personally reward you with two thousand yuan... it's settled."

"Security team leader?" Manager Guo was instantly stunned. "Our club doesn't have any security staff."

Hongjie Club truly had no dedicated security personnel. None of the fitness coaches were pushovers, and all the waiters were young enough to handle all kinds of temporary incidents.

If they encountered particularly aggressive troublemakers, Red Sister would naturally arrange for the appropriate people to deal with them. Those people were not club employees.

But Red Sister merely snorted. "Not having any before doesn't mean we won't have any in the future. Xiao Feng can be responsible for coordinating things for now. What, do you have an objection?"

Manager Guo shook his head like a rattle drum. "No, I have no objections."

Feng Jun was a little surprised. He had been promoted and gotten a raise just like that? Was the only thing separating him from the peak of life now a beautiful, wealthy woman?

All right, that was only a small joke. He had dual degrees, after all. Being a team leader at a small entertainment venue was merely better than nothing to him, nowhere near enough to satisfy him.

He had even been thinking of leaving after finishing this month.

But now that his boss was acting so respectful toward talent, refusing again would make him seem too socially inept.

After he left the executive office and watched the door close, Guo Yueling finally asked softly, "Red Sister, does that person have a huge background?"

Red Sister replied leisurely, "That's one part of it. The key is that we were in the wrong. If not for Xiao Feng this time, Hongjie would have had to close for several days at the very least. Even if they said nothing, I would have shut our doors for a few days myself, as an explanation to them."

She gave Manager Guo a sidelong glance. "I don't know what grudge you have against Xiao Feng, but my orders must be carried out. It doesn't matter that he has no subordinates, but he must be responsible for this area. Do you understand?"

By the end, her voice had become somewhat stern.