023 Wang Xingxing Has Been Fired

In the office of the Vice President, Cheng Jie was idly scrolling through his phone.

Opposite him, Wang Xingxing stood with his eyes fixed intently on him. That old bastard was putting on airs again! In the past, he might have groveled and pleaded for favor, but this time, forget it. He was a man with nothing left to lose—a man in bare feet doesn't fear those wearing shoes. With that thought, he reached down to adjust the position of the button camera on his shirt.

"Oh, Director Wang is here?" Cheng Jie finally put down his phone, acting as if he had just noticed him.

"Heh!" Wang Xingxing only offered a cold sneer. After all, silence was the best retaliation.

"Little Wang, our ten-hundred-million-dollar production, *Tai Chi*, featuring Director Zhang Mou and international superstars, ended up with a box office of barely 110 million! Tell me, how did you manage this?" Cheng Jie wagged his head, throwing around his usual arrogant jargon.

"Vice President Cheng, are you implying the responsibility lies entirely with me?" Wang Xingxing continued to sneer. He was merely the executive assistant director. Was it fair to make him the scapegoat for such a massive disaster?

"If not you, then who?" Cheng Jie looked as if he had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. You bungled the job. As the person in charge of execution, if you don't take responsibility, who will? Did he expect Zhang Mou to take the fall for him? That man wasn't even a Xingyao employee. The boy really had no sense! If it weren't for the fact that he had been a reliable lackey in the past, he wouldn't even waste his breath. A useless thing, even when given an opportunity!

Cheng Jie snorted, struggling to calm himself. "Little Wang, I know you’ve been with the company a long time. If you haven't earned credit, you've at least put in the effort. But things are different now! You must understand, the loss is simply too great—nearly nine hundred million! That’s half a year’s profit for the company. Even I can't cover for you this time. So, you understand, don't you?"

"Understand what?" Wang Xingxing was almost amused to the point of laughter. Could this old man not just speak plainly? Whether he was firing him or demanding compensation, could he just be direct? Why act like some enlightened monk speaking in riddles?

Seeing Wang Xingxing’s stubborn, thick-skinned expression, Cheng Jie flared up. You ungrateful brat! How dare you speak to me like this? His tone turned impatient. "You messed up this film, so don't bother being the assistant director anymore. Just pack your bags and get out!"

"Firing me?" Wang Xingxing laughed out loud. The old man was truly getting senile. With his own hands dirty, he dared to try and pull a blade on him? He thought he could just kick him out like this? Ha, keep dreaming! He wouldn't be doing justice to his time spent as a dog if he didn't tear off a few chunks of flesh on his way out.

He rolled his neck, a cold, sinister smile spread across his horse-like face. "Heh, if this place won't keep me, I'll find somewhere that will! Fine, I can go! But don't you think you're getting away with skimping on my severance or all the kickbacks I've paid you over the years!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Cheng Jie’s face darkened, his venomous gaze locked onto Wang Xingxing. Yet, the man wasn't afraid of him at all.

After a long moment, Cheng Jie backed down. "What will it take for you to let this go?"

"Are you deaf? Didn't I just say?" Wang Xingxing laughed happily. Society was truly ridiculous. He had worked himself to the bone acting like a dog for this old man, but what about him? The old man was greedy enough to swallow an elephant—he even wanted to eat his dog meat now. Could he yield on something that concerned his very livelihood? Certainly not! He had to fight to the bitter end.

*Heh.* So, the claws were finally out. This old man wasn't so special after all. The spell was broken. Wang Xingxing's eyes were filled with contempt and disdain. Looking at Cheng Jie, it was as if he were watching an old dog rather than the leader he once fawned over.

"Vice President Cheng, your bowl is made of jade and can't handle a fall! But mine? Mine is made of a rock from the roadside. If we collide, you know what happens, right? Hahahaha!" Wang Xingxing laughed recklessly.

Cheng Jie’s face turned deathly pale. This brat dared to threaten him? Were all young people today this cunning? Did they really think he was easy to push around? "Wang Xingxing, you’ve caused the company massive losses. Do you have any idea how much compensation you're facing?" Cheng Jie gritted his teeth.

But Wang Xingxing didn't care at all. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, took two deep drags, and slowly exhaled before saying, "Vice President Cheng, do you think I'm as easy to bully as Qian Lang?"

"You ungrateful wolf, you want to compare yourself to Qian Lang?" Cheng Jie blurted out in anger, forgetting he had no standing to defend Qian Lang.

"Pay me, or watch your own back as you get kicked out of Xingyao!" Wang Xingxing couldn't be bothered to talk nonsense. He dropped a final warning and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

"Damn it!" Cheng Jie stomped his foot in rage. But with the person gone, who was there to see his temper? He slumped into his executive chair, overcome by a deep sense of powerlessness. He had worked so hard to reach his current position, only to be threatened by a young punk. He had been bitten by the very eagle he was trying to train!

What now? He didn't intend to stay at Xingyao until retirement, but this wasn't the time to leave! If Jiang Yan found out about the dog-eat-dog struggle between him and Wang Xingxing, everything would be over. Forget it. The kid just wanted money, right? Fine, he’d pay him.

At that moment, Cheng Jie didn't know if he should regret it. Perhaps he shouldn't have let *Tai Chi* lose so much money? Perhaps he shouldn't have pushed Wang Xingxing to the brink? Unfortunately, it was already done. Even if he tried to maintain an air of moral superiority, it might not be enough to appease Wang Xingxing. *Sigh*, the young people he dealt with before had just been too weak, giving him the illusion that he could bully anyone he pleased. Well, Wang Xingxing had certainly taught him a lesson!

*Heh*, come to think of it, his eye for talent wasn't so bad—at least he had picked a good dog. But a dog is a dog after all. Firing someone required severance pay anyway, and as an executive assistant director, one wasn't legally responsible for a film's financial failure. *Heh*, Wang Xingxing, ginger is still spicier the older it gets, right?

"Personnel department?" Cheng Jie picked up the phone. "Wang Xingxing has been fired. Calculate his severance immediately and draft a termination agreement. Be quick! Pay him at the highest standard!"

He didn't know what was said on the other end, but Cheng Jie’s voice suddenly rose. "Our company is not some unscrupulous enterprise. Don't be so petty when it comes to employee relations! We have social responsibilities to uphold! I'll sign the documents; this trivial matter doesn't need to bother the big boss! Get it done as soon as possible!"

He slammed the phone down. Sitting in his chair, he was so angry his nose felt crooked. These HR people—always looking for trouble, never doing their jobs! He'd find a chance to fire the disobedient ones! *Hmph!* What was wrong with him securing benefits for an employee? Asking so many questions—who was the leader here? Did they really think they were the personal scribes of the big boss? They thought they were so capable! All they knew was how to increase management costs. Did they understand the business or management?

The more Cheng Jie thought about it, the angrier he became.

*Ring-ring!*

Suddenly, the phone on his desk rang. He looked down. The caller ID showed it was the big boss, Jiang Yan.

Cheng Jie took a deep breath, suppressed his rage, and smoothed out his voice. "Big boss, what are your instructions? Oh, a business trip to Hong Kong? Yes, I'm free, I'm free..."