035 Working group

In the early morning, golden sunlight bathed the earth, and people began to increase, quickly breaking the city's tranquility. Office workers hurried along, whether at bus stops or subway stations, crowds surged everywhere. The wide roads were filled with flowing traffic, chaotic and noisy. The fresh morning air in the city was completely drowned out by this hustle and bustle.

Next to the corridor of the Shimao Building, Zhang Ziwen leaned against the wall smoking a cigarette. There was still half an hour before work started. He had gotten up early today; people coming from the military were never late. Moreover, as a former military elite, Zhang Ziwen arrived an hour early at the Haidong Development Zone, had breakfast, and wandered around nearby. He felt time was passing too slowly. It was his first day at work, and the new environment made Zhang Ziwen a bit nervous, a bit uneasy, and a bit excited because he knew a new chapter of life might begin here.

Checking the time, Zhang Ziwen was about to enter the building when someone lightly tapped his shoulder.

"Hey, morning," greeted Xu Ying with a smile. "You're here quite early."

"Morning. I just arrived."

"Let's go in together; we work on the same floor."

"Oh, really? That's great. I was just saying I couldn't find my way, and here you are guiding me."

"Haha, I didn't realize you're quite humorous."

Zhang Ziwen felt like he had known Xu Ying for years. They walked and chatted like old friends, entering the elevator. Zhang Ziwen was a bit puzzled; he found Xu Ying very casual and easy to talk to.

They arrived at the 22nd floor, where Xu Ying led Zhang Ziwen directly to the Human Resources office door and gave him a few instructions before leaving.

Zhang Ziwen lightly knocked on the door and heard a "Come in" before pushing it open.

The middle-aged woman who had interviewed him that day was sitting at her desk, on the phone. She gestured for him to sit down as he entered.

Zhang Ziwen glanced around the office; the furnishings were simple and refreshing. He could tell the office belonged to someone very competent. He looked at the glass sign on the desk, "Wang Qin, Director of Human Resources," most likely the name of this middle-aged woman.

After a while, Director Wang finished her call and glanced at Zhang Ziwen, then went straight to the point. "Mr. Zhang, I believe when our company's clerk notified you to come to work, you knew the interview was successful. The position of administrative clerk is now yours."

Zhang Ziwen nodded to indicate he understood.

"Alright, let me tell you about the salary and responsibilities of this position. I'll only say it once, so please listen carefully."

Zhang Ziwen nodded again, feeling that Director Wang was straightforward and didn't waste time.

"The probation period for the administrative clerk is three months, with a monthly salary of 1800. If you perform well during probation, you will be formally employed, and your salary will increase by thirty percent. We will also provide social security benefits as per policy. Work hours are from 9 am to 5 pm with a one-hour lunch break. You have weekends off, and if overtime is needed, we provide compensation according to company policy."

After explaining the job terms and work hours, Director Wang asked Zhang Ziwen, "That's the deal. Mr. Zhang, do you have any questions or requests?"

Zhang Ziwen shook his head and said, "No issues. Let's go by the company's rules."

Director Wang nodded in satisfaction. "Since there are no problems, let me tell you about your work location and responsibilities. You're now part of the Advertising Planning Department, responsible for document copying, typing, data entry, handling and transmitting information, sending and receiving faxes, answering calls, and any other tasks assigned by your department manager. Do you understand all these responsibilities?"

"I understand. Mainly responsible for document copying, typing, data entry, handling and transmitting information, sending and receiving faxes, answering calls, and following other instructions from the department manager," Zhang Ziwen repeated all the main tasks verbatim. As a former military elite, his memory was exceptional, and he could recite hundreds of lines without a mistake.

Director Wang glanced at him deeply, a hint of approval in her eyes. She thought to herself that this administrative clerk might be too good for this job. At least on the surface, he didn't seem like someone destined for a job with no future.

Director Wang then made a phone call, seemingly to inform the manager of the Advertising Planning Department to come to her office. After hanging up, she asked Zhang Ziwen some basic questions about his interests and hobbies.

Before long, there were a few knocks on the door from outside. Without waiting for Director Wang to speak, the person knocking had already entered. It was a middle-aged man around forty years old, not very tall and a bit chubby, with narrow, smiling eyes, a bulbous nose, and a friendly demeanor. Especially with those small eyes, even when not smiling, he gave off a cheerful and approachable vibe.

Zhang Ziwen figured this person must be his future boss. He stood up from his seat, waiting for Director Wang to introduce him.

"Come, let me introduce you. This is Yan He from the Advertising Planning Department, Manager Yan," Director Wang said to Zhang Ziwen. "Manager Yan will be your direct supervisor."

Zhang Ziwen nodded politely. "Hello, Manager Yan. I'm Zhang Ziwen, the new administrative clerk. I look forward to learning from you."

A flicker of surprise flashed in Manager Yan's eyes, clearly he, like Director Wang, didn't think Zhang Ziwen looked like someone suited for administrative work. This position in the conglomerate had no future prospects, and it had already seen several turnovers, all women. Otherwise, Zhang Ziwen wouldn't have been "lucky" enough to get this job, typically suited for women.

"Haha," Manager Yan chuckled. "Zhang Ziwen, good name. No need for formalities, just work hard in the future." Then he said to Director Wang, "Director Wang, I'll take him back to the department now."

"Sure, and remember to close the door on your way out," Director Wang nodded.

The Advertising Planning Department was on the 25th floor. Yan He led Zhang Ziwen up the stairs, though it seemed Yan He didn't exercise much normally. Climbing just two floors left him slightly out of breath, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

The department appeared quite sizable. The entire 25th floor belonged to it, subdivided into departments like Design, Media, Production, Research, Database, Materials, and Customer Service. Despite this, the department wasn't excessively large for the Nova Group.

Entering Yan He's office, it was spacious but gave a messy impression. The desk was cluttered with various items, and there were papers scattered on the floor. Yan He seemed like someone who didn't care much for tidiness.

Yan He gestured for Zhang Ziwen to sit in the chair in front of the desk, then pressed the speakerphone button on the phone and dialed three numbers. A woman's charming voice came through the phone, "Hello, Advertising Planning."

"Li Yan, come to the manager's office," Yan He interrupted her.

"Okay, Manager Yan," the voice replied before the line disconnected.

Within seconds, a woman entered the manager's office. She was around 25 years old, dressed in professional attire that accentuated her good looks. However, her watery eyes gave off a fox-like charm. When she noticed Zhang Ziwen sitting there, a glint of interest flashed in her eyes. Zhang Ziwen caught her gaze, feeling a bit pleased with himself; after all, he considered himself quite handsome.

"Li Yan, this is our new colleague, Zhang Ziwen. He'll mainly handle administrative tasks. You're a senior employee, so guide him through things," Yan He introduced, then turned to Zhang Ziwen. "This is Li Yan, assistant clerk in this department. If you have any questions, ask her. Follow her instructions for daily work."

After introducing them, Yan He instructed Li Yan to familiarize Zhang Ziwen with the department, explain his specific duties, arrange his usual work position, and finally encouraged Zhang Ziwen to work hard and strive for formal employment.

Li Yan led Zhang Ziwen to an office. Inside were several filing cabinets, a fax machine, copier, and other office supplies. There were two desks, one slightly larger and neatly arranged. On it sat a computer, a small decorative plant, and a few exquisite picture frames, emitting a strong feminine charm. Without guessing, Zhang Ziwen knew this desk belonged to Li Yan.

Pointing at the smaller desk, Li Yan said, "This will be your desk. Tidy it up first, and I'll take you around the department later to get you familiar with everything." Her voice was soft and charming.