Hostility

"So tell me about the people whom I will be working with." Asked Lina as she set her phone and bag on the table.

"Okay. So first is your new boss, Stuart Bai. He was an old friend of my dad and the best at his work, so he was my first choice for the job." Wade praised him generously.

"What's to know about him?" She rhythmically tapped her fingers on the table.

"First, he has his own opinions and I let him do anything as long as it boosts our sales." He sheepishly admitted.

"Hmmm so he has complete control over your marketing department. Aren't you afraid that he'll do something to fuck us over?" Lina was worried that such power in one's hand could hurt her company.

"He always runs his final plans through me. They were all flawless." He defended Stuart.

She just nodded her head and waited for him to continue.

"Next, he is a little on the short side, heightwise." Wade seized her from top to bottom.

"And dislikes anyone taller than him." He finished his sentence.

"That's completely unreasonable." Lina said.

"You know what they say, the creative minds never were reasonable." Wade just shook his head.

"Who even says that?" Lina gave him the stink eye.

"Finally, he hates people who force their way into the company through the backdoor." Wade said as he pointed at Lina.

"How do you know that? Did you bring someone in through the backdoor?" She asked him with a shocked expression.

"No! Obsidia only takes people who have the right qualifications." He said proudly.

"Then why the hatred?" She was still confused.

"The CEO at his previous job had brought his nephew through the backdoor. This incompetent bastard just lazed around yet always took credit for Stuart's proposals. But when he messed up on a huge project, he put the blame on Stuart."  He shook his head.

"That CEO had the audacity to threaten Stuart that he would fire him for this mistake." He continued.

"Then what did Stu do?" Lina was enjoying this drama that Wade was narrating.

Wade just smiled evilly.

"He punched the Ceo and declared that he quit." Lina just clapped her hands in excitement.

"Now that's actual faceslapping!" She laughed.

"Well, it wasn't all nice after that. He soon got banned by that CEO and couldn't find a job anywhere. When I found him, he was working as a cashier in an ice cream parlour." Wade remembered how the proud man in his memory was counting the change that the customers paid.

"Damn that asshole CEO!" Lina was angered at what she heard.

"Chill, Nana. He got his revenge. In the past two years, Obsidia has completely suppressed his company." He rubbed her head and she swatted his hand away.

"Don't mess with my hair." She yelled at him.

"You need to be careful. You match his hatred criteria, you know." He joked.

"Yeah, I came in through the Vice President's connections and I'm tall. Damn these long legs!" She acted dramatically and they both laughed.

As they were still laughing, the door of the conference room was pushed open and three people walked in.

At the front was a man in his fifties followed by a beautiful woman and a tall and muscular man.

"Sorry if we've interrupted your moment." Said the old man with a serious face but his eyes held ridicule and anger.

When they had entered, Lina's head was on Wade's shoulder as she held her stomach laughing.

They immediately separated and sat straight. 

Wade introduced them as the three sat down opposite them.

"Good morning, Mr Bai. This is the person who's resume I had sent previously." He spoke to the old man.

Turning back to Lina he introduced the three people.

"This is Stuart Bai, our Marketing Director, Irene Zhou the Assistant Director and Anthony Shen the Manager. Three of the four main pillars that hold the Marketing department." 

Irene and Anthony smiled at her cordially while Stuart still had a neutral face.

"This here is Lina Yang, our new Marketing Consultant. I'm sure you must've seen her resume but I'll let you see her magic firsthand when she works." He praised her and looked like a proud father.

Stuart just scoffed at her, to which he earned a glare from Wade.

Lina smiled at them and Wade gestured for them to ask her anything they wanted.

Irene asked her about her qualifications and Lina answered them truthfully.

"I see that you only studied Marketing and sales for six months. What happened?" She inquired.

'Did they not read my resume properly?'

Lina showed a remorseful face and shook her head.

"Missy couldn't handle the stress of a business degree and must've dropped out to join an easy course like arts." Stuart muttered and Anthony bit his lips to stop his laughter.

"How did you guess that? So cool! But there's one place where you went wrong." Lina smiled widely at Stuart and then turned to answer Irene's question.

"It is true that I joined an art course after this one, not because I dropped out but because I completed it. I thought that I could complete it in four months. Took a little extra time. Happens to the best of us." She shrugged her shoulders and turned to wink at Wade, leaving them stunned.

"If you could just turn the page over you can see my educational details." She gave Anthony an evil smirk.

'How dare they laugh at my qualifications! Hmph!" She was satisfied with their frozen faces.

"And please don't make fun of people who study arts. They are the reason this company is thriving." She stared at Stuart challengingly for his earlier taunt.

''Any other questions?" She smiled sweetly at them.

"How is that possible! I'm sure that the degrees are fake!" Stuart Bai yelled as he slammed his fists on the table.

"No need to raise your voice Mr Bai. Just ask her a question. If she can answer it, she stays and if she can't, she'll leave. How about that?" Wade said confidently.

'What is this idiot trying to do? Will I get kicked out of my own company?' Her eyes alternated between Stuart and Wade.

She saw the wicked glimmer in Stuart's eyes and had a  bad premonition.

Stuart Bai loosened his tie and looked into Lina's eyes.

"I'll ask you a few questions, just answer them and I'll let you join my team for the time being." He said and received a nod from Lina.

Soon a rapid fire round started with Stuart asking questions and Lina immediately answering them.

'When did the definition of 'few' change?' Her throat felt dry after she answered the 28th question.

"I think that's enough." Irene Zhou, who was getting a headache thanks to the old man yelling out question after question, decided to step in and save everyone's time.

"I think she's more than qualified for the job and I'm sure Anthony would agree, right?" Anthony just nodded his head in answer.

"Mr Bai?" She then turned to Stuart who was facing an internal battle.

"Fine! She's hired FOR NOW. But once she messes up, she's gone!" He declared.

Lina and Wade just shared a look and smiled.

'Yes! I'm in! For now!' She imitated Stuart Bai in her head.

"Welcome to the team, Lina. We hope to have a good cooperation ahead." Irene said as she stood up.

Everyone else also stood up to shake hands.

"She's so tall!" Muttered an angry Stuart when he saw how tall Lina was when she stood up.

Lina walked up to him and extended her hand.

She was 5ft 8 and when she stood before him, they almost were of the same height.

'Note to self, never wear heels in front of Stuart.' She then turned to shake the other's hands.

"Come Lina, we'll show you your office." Irene led her outside the conference hall, followed by Anthony.

Back inside the room, Stuart faced Wade with a serious expression.

"Even if she could answer all my questions, I still don't like her and the only reason for that is YOU. If she had directly applied for the job I would've even considered making her my prodege. But that won't happen now." Finishing what he had to say, Stuart walked to his office.

"She doesn't need any of that and I'm sure she'll win your heart pretty soon. Plus she'll only be here for a short period of time." He said to no one and walked to the elevator.

He typed on his phone as the elevator reached the top floor.

*Nana, do your best on your first day! Don't forget that we will be having lunch together.*

Hitting 'send', he walked through the secretary's desks and entered his office.