When everyone heard the punishment, they all sucked in a breath.
Deng Wenji's punishment could not have been harsher, but even so, Shang Zhiyi could only force herself to endure it.
There was no helping it. Shilin Guomao Group's employee benefits were simply too good. Salaries alone were three times what competitors outside paid.
Once she resigned, countless talented people outside would fight tooth and nail for a chance to get in. So no matter how harsh the punishment was, Shang Zhiyi would never choose to resign.
It's only one month's salary, plus a year's bonus and employee benefits. I'll endure it.
Shang Zhiyi took a deep breath, then looked up and said, "Manager Deng, I accept your pun—"
Before she could finish, a voice suddenly came from outside.
"I mean, it's just being late. Isn't that punishment a little too harsh?"
The person speaking was Lin Chen.
At that moment, the only sound in the entire Marketing Department had been Deng Wenji reprimanding Shang Zhiyi.
So when those words rang out, everyone was startled and looked toward the voice.
They wanted to see who had the nerve to provoke Deng Wenji at a time like this.
"Damn, who is this guy? Is something wrong with his head? He actually dared to provoke Deng Wenji."
"Hey, do you think he could be that major shareholder named Lin Chen? There aren't any photos, but Manager Deng said the major shareholder was young. Could it be him?"
"Him, a major shareholder? Didn't you see what he's wearing? His whole outfit probably doesn't even cost two hundred yuan. How could someone like that be a major shareholder of Shilin Guomao Group?"
"Yeah, I agree. With clothes like that, he doesn't even compare to us ordinary employees. How could he possibly be a major shareholder of our group?"
"Agreed. If you ask me, this guy is here for an interview. He's just got something wrong with his brain, daring to provoke Manager Deng. Looks like he has no chance."
Several male employees standing nearby immediately began discussing him, all convinced that Lin Chen had something wrong with his head.
The female employees on the other side, however, stopped talking about that after a brief discussion and began talking about Lin Chen's looks instead.
There was no helping it. He was simply too handsome.
"Look, he's so handsome! He's a hundred times better-looking than my Korean idol!"
"That's true. With that face, he could probably crush more than ninety-eight percent of all men in Asia. I wonder if he has a girlfriend."
"I don't think so. You can tell from his clothes that he's broke, but I don't mind that. As long as he's handsome, I'll support him."
Naturally, the male employees nearby heard the girls' discussion. They immediately felt jealous, and seeing Lin Chen only made them dislike him even more.
At the same time, they secretly cursed him, hoping he would thoroughly infuriate Deng Wenji. That would make them feel much better.
"Lin Chen?"
Shang Zhiyi was also greatly startled when she saw that the newcomer was Lin Chen.
She knew that her boss was famously bad-tempered, and with things being so sensitive right now, Lin Chen was probably in for it.
Taking advantage of Deng Wenji's attention being entirely on Lin Chen, Shang Zhiyi hurriedly waved at him repeatedly, telling him to leave at once.
However, Lin Chen acted as though he had not seen her at all and strode straight over, making Deng Wenji's expression turn ugly.
"Who exactly are you? What are you doing at our company?"
"And what does me reprimanding my employee have to do with you?"
Lin Chen smiled calmly. "Right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Lin Chen. As for what I'm doing here, I'm sure you already know."
"So there's no need for me to explain the second question either, right?"
As soon as those words came out, everyone sucked in a breath.
Of course, they did not believe that Lin Chen was the Lin Chen who was their group's major shareholder. They simply thought this man had far too much nerve.
"My God, does this handsome guy really have something wrong with his head? He actually dared to impersonate our group's major shareholder."
"Yeah. I thought he was handsome before and even wanted to support him, but it turns out something really is wrong with his brain. He even dared to impersonate our group's major shareholder."
Even the women reacted that way, let alone the men who had already disliked Lin Chen. The moment they heard this, they immediately began gloating.
"What kind of legend is this guy? He dared to impersonate our group's major shareholder. Isn't he ridiculously bold? Isn't he afraid the major shareholder will find out and hold a grudge against him?"
"Maybe they just have the same name. Still, he really is bold. Who knows where he found out the name of our group's major shareholder?"
"Yeah, he dared to use the major shareholder's name to swindle people at the group. That takes guts. Isn't he afraid Deng Wenji will treat him as a fraud and have security send him to the Public Security Bureau?"
"Who cares? If you come out to make a living, you'll have to pay the price eventually."
For a time, the Marketing Department employees whispered among themselves. If Deng Wenji had not been present, they would probably have been much louder.
"Lin Chen? You're Lin Chen?!"
When he heard that name, Deng Wenji immediately frowned.
For a moment, he had considered whether the Lin Chen before him might be the major shareholder who had come to inspect the group.
But when he saw the man's clothes again, he forcefully dismissed that thought.
What a joke. How could a major shareholder capable of buying seventy percent of Shilin Guomao Group's shares possibly dress like this?
No matter how low-key he was, he could not possibly wear cheap street-stall clothes that did not even add up to two hundred yuan.
"Kid, do you know what you're doing right now?"
"Although I don't know where you got the identity information of our group's major shareholder, let me tell you: this is impersonation and fraud."
"With one phone call from me, security will immediately send you to the Public Security Bureau."
"But I don't have time to deal with you today. I'll give you one chance: get the hell out of here right now, or bear the consequences yourself."
Deng Wenji had made himself very clear. If Lin Chen did not leave immediately, he would call the police, and things would not be so easy to handle then.
And once the police were called and he was arrested, he would have a criminal record. After that, finding work in society would be as difficult as climbing to the heavens.
Beside them, Shang Zhiyi kept waving for Lin Chen to leave quickly as well, or the consequences would be unimaginable.
However, just when everyone thought Lin Chen would immediately turn around and leave after hearing this, his voice rang out again.
With a smile on his face, he said, "I know exactly what I'm doing. But I find it strange. My name is clearly Lin Chen, so why does none of you believe me?"
With that, he took out his phone and returned a call Qi Zhenxing had made earlier.
But just as the call connected and was about to be answered, a strange force slapped the phone out of his hand.
Fortunately, Lin Chen was quick on his feet. With a sideways step, he caught the Xiaomi phone just before it hit the ground.
"I mean, is something wrong with you?"
"If you don't want to work, get the hell out."
Before you continue