Presentation Day

Mondays were days of presentations and ideas by members of the Wu company. Everyone would converge in the meeting room and be permitted 30-second airtime to lay Down ideas or plans that would benefit the company's growth.

The Wu company majored in car manufacturing and development. They had set standards of quality and proficiency across the country. They developed personal cars, trucks, sports cars, and light commercial vehicles that would move passengers around the country and cities with ease and, most importantly, in a comfortable environment.

The company also majored in car parts and accessories, including financing car dealers of both private and public entities.

The Wu company maintained a Revenue of about $200 Billion with a Net income of roughly $6 billion and a one-year trailing total return of 10%.

Its figures were staggering, compared to its competitors; they were miles ahead.

The boardroom was fitted with six tables arranged in a U-shape with black leather seats on the outside. It revealed enough space in between for movements during the presentation keeping everyone engaged.

Directly in front was a sixty-five-inch white digital screen that would be used to broadcast by either inserting a flash disk to display its components or by mirroring it from the PC.

"Eheeem.." Mr. Jinhai cleared his throat as he matched through the frosted glass door and headed to the seat facing directly towards the white screen.

His appearance was hard for anyone to tell his actual emotions. In his pitch-dark suit and white shirt with a black tie, he wore a stone face, his eyes focused on the pieces of documents he arranged systematically on top of his desk.

The murmuring steadily toned down as all focus was drawn to him, like a baby awaiting to be breastfed.

"Are we good to start?" Jinhai spoke, not raising his head as the question found its way to the addressed person.

"Yes we can proceed," Jing Yang responded, seated on the left wing of the U-shaped table.

This time she wore a black dress tucked in with a white collared blouse. It divulged a stretched cream-brown neck balanced all the way to her revealed leg thighs and feet.

Around her neck was a hanging silver necklace 1cm thick with a silver-plated pendant with her name written in Chinese.

Her rounded face was all natural, with a pair of arched brows, perfectly raised eyelashes, and lilac soft lips. Jing Yang assessed the room as she was prepared to introduce the first presenter. Her set of dazzling white teeth welcomed a bright smile accompanied by her carmine-red polished fingernails, which could be spotted from far.

-

The presentation went smoothly, with all the plans and ideas being jotted down. Mr. Jinhai listened keenly, his hands flipping a piece of a pen. So far his gaze showed a sense of satisfaction as each employee presented, and took to their seats.

The meeting was taking its course when they were intervened by a member of staff who was signaling gestures at the CEO from the upper side of the clear glass perimeter that was left unfrosted. Her unprofessional manner went unrecognized, by the focused man.

"Sorry for cutting you off... Eeerh sir, you have guests who want to see you." Her body was fidgeting as her head crept in the slightly opened door. Her head hanging resembled a prisoner awaiting to be beheaded.

"Can't it wait?"

"No it can't... —she stopped for a while to make her boss understand the rank of the guests waiting in the lobby— ...they are corporate guests sir, uuuh... one of them said his name was Dr. Bai." She whispered, her face blanching due to the unbearable position she was standing in.

The doorknob was already acting on the oil on her hand; as a lubricant, she was almost toppling inside the room from her tiny lightweight body.

"Dr. Bai you said!" his posture took an adjustable turn as he immediately headed towards the employee.

The murmuring eased back into the room, it was as if they had been holding something to say from the meeting that was clocking two hours since it started, with an hour left to their lunch hour period.

Jing Yang and little Jia watched as their boss dimly disappeared behind the frosted glass and into the lobby.

"Could it be the investors?" Jia asked, glancing at her friend, who was likewise puzzled as she was.

"It could be, but whoever it is, they must be very important for Mr. Jinhai to abandon his meeting. I hope there is no trouble." Jing Yang wished, fragmentally standing to have a peek without being seen.

"Aaah! Dr. Bai, welcome, to what do I owe this pleasant visit.?" Jinhai asked, as he approached the men in a mixture of black and others wearing gray suits with white and navy blue shirts, respectively.

They exchanged handshakes as they took their seats on the L-shaped puffy sofa.

"You and I have been doing business together, even way back with your father when he was still in charge; and good business it has been so far. So when I heard that Wu company will be scheduling a company meeting to welcome bright ideas, I said to myself... —he took a minute to sip down the 1960 Baijiu white wine which was seating in the inner coat side pocket.

His body flinched as he swallowed and slowly resumed his explanation— I said to myself, Jinhai is my good friend, and wouldn't want to miss the meeting of great minds that make up this wonderful company; so here I am with my other good friends who are also investors of various companies. I'm sure you know most of them, no need for introductions, I suppose."

His voice was teasing and sounded bossy, yet confrontational at the same time. His physical appearance was belligerent and looked cruel from his sitting posture.

The room was filled with tension, with the rest of his guests having a look around at the busy company.

"Hehe..." Jinhai scoffed, acting less intimidated by his domineering behaviour.

"You're always welcome here Dr. Bai," he said sarcastically, smiling at him to get to his nerves.

"Would you mind following me to the boardroom? That's where we host our great-minded staff members as you earlier said." Jinhai was enjoying it to the core, smiling as he approached the boardroom with the gentlemen.