Chapter 9: You can do it, but I can't talk about it?

He had been at this company for over four years, spent nearly two of them in a state of decadence, and there were less than three months left until his five-year contract expired.

If it weren't for the terminal illness diagnosis, he would still be struggling along at this company, waiting for the five-year term to end. It was also to ensure he could collect his monthly salary of three or four thousand yuan.

Two years ago, as the deputy manager of the planning department, his salary had been seven or eight thousand. He was on the verge of being promoted to a permanent position with a monthly income exceeding ten thousand, but after being rapidly marginalized, his salary was slashed again and again. With full attendance, performance bonuses, and partial commissions, he only made three or four thousand a month—not even half of what he used to earn.

This was only because Chen Feng had completely given up later on, and the newly appointed general manager lost interest in suppressing him; otherwise, his salary might have continued to shrink.

Because the full attendance bonus was nine hundred yuan, Chen Feng had maintained excellent attendance despite his decadent, unmotivated state at the company, basically never being late.

But as of today, he had already been absent for two days, so his full attendance for this month was naturally gone.

Before his divorce, he might have felt a sharp pang of regret, but now, of course, it didn't matter.

Originally, Chen Feng hadn't planned on going to the company on this new day either.

As it turned out, while he was slowly eating lamb rice noodles at home that morning, he received a call from his manager, Yan Jun.

"Chen Feng, do you still want this job or not? You asked for one day off, and now how many days has it been?"

Two years ago, this guy Yan Jun was just his apprentice. Later, by betraying him—his mentor—and relying on his profound talent for brown-nosing, he rose rapidly. First, he replaced Chen Feng as deputy manager of the planning department, and then, after only a year, he squeezed out the actual manager and successfully took the top spot.

Judging by his personal history, this guy was a true elite of the corporate world—the type who smiles to your face while stabbing you in the back.

After he successfully took over two years ago, although he gave Chen Feng plenty of trouble, he stopped deliberately targeting him once he saw that Chen Feng had completely given up and no longer posed a threat. At most, during department meetings, he would throw some shade or offer vague, unnamed criticisms.

Therefore, even though Chen Feng held a deep grudge against him and had thought about waiting for him after work to beat him up several times, he couldn't help but admire the guy's corporate maneuvering.

This time, Chen Feng had asked for one day off, but ended up not coming in for three days.

As the department manager, Yan Jun naturally had to call to inquire, though his tone was far from pleasant.

As a dying man, Chen Feng’s perspective had broadened significantly. After Yan Jun finished speaking, he said unhurriedly, "I don't want to work here anymore."

"…You don't want to work? Fine, then resign. Just pay the one-hundred-thousand-yuan breach of contract fee."

"Alright, Yan Jun. Why are you so detestable? Does your conscience not bother you at all? When you first joined the company, who mentored you? Who helped you rent an apartment? Who covered your rent?"

"…Chen Feng, is there any point in saying these things now? You’re the one who didn't come to work; it’s not like I forced you not to."

"If you still have any shred of sentiment for the past, just mark my three days as approved leave."

"I clearly approved one day, how did it become three? Fine, fine. Come in or don't. Either way, you haven't shown up for three days, so your full attendance bonus for this month is definitely gone, and your performance pay and commissions will be cut by at least half. If you don't show up for four days in a row, you won't get any performance pay or commissions for this month. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Chen Feng wasn't happy to hear this and said coldly, "It's already the 17th. I had already worked half the month when I asked for leave. Even if I don't work for the rest of the month, there's no justification for stripping all my performance pay and commissions. Yan Jun, one should have a conscience. It's been two years; you're still targeting me. Do you think this is fun?"

"Do you think I’d bother targeting an old salted fish like you? Anyway, these are company regulations. I've notified you. If you don't come to work, your performance pay and commissions for this month will be wiped out. That's that."

With that, Yan Jun hung up the phone.

Although Chen Feng didn't care about that bit of salary anymore, this guy Yan Jun was simply going too far.

He was a man who would soon be dead; he hadn't wanted to bicker with him, but this guy was incorrigible. He had become addicted to bullying his former mentor, and now that he was pulling this stunt, there was no need for Chen Feng to be magnanimous.

Before dying, one should naturally settle scores—repaying kindness with kindness and grudges with grudges—so as not to leave any regrets.

Chen Feng made his decision and continued eating his lamb rice noodles at a leisurely pace. Once he was full and let out a satisfied burp, he tidied up, went out, and drove to the company.

Dianchuang Culture Planning Company was located in a high-end commercial office building in the center of Xiuzhou City. Its main business involved undertaking event planning and execution for major companies, corporate culture construction, performing arts events, brand planning, exhibitions, and product launches.

It was one of the top companies in the industry in Xiuzhou. Established over a decade ago with more than two hundred employees, it occupied an entire floor of the office building, with an annual rent of nearly ten million yuan. It could be described as wealthy and powerful.

However, as someone within the company, even though Chen Feng had been a "salted fish" for the past two years, he could see that the company's performance had been steadily declining. There were faint rumors that the bosses at the top were very dissatisfied with the current management.

It was possible they would replace the leadership or sell the company outright.

When Chen Feng arrived at the company, it was nearly ten in the morning, so he skipped clocking in.

The reception was staffed by two pretty girls in professional attire with lovely bows at their collars. Seeing Chen Feng walk in, one of them, named Huang Li, quickly asked with concern, "Brother Feng, why haven't we seen you at work for the past two days?"

"Had some things to take care of at home." Chen Feng nodded with a smile, said nothing more, and walked straight inside.

After Chen Feng went in, the other receptionist whispered teasingly, "Lili, you seem a bit too concerned about him, don't you think?"

Huang Li tapped her lightly and pouted, "What are you talking about? Brother Feng helped me out a lot back then."

"Pfft, wasn't it just that he happened to scare off a few little hooligans for you? How many times have you told that story? Don't tell me you want to offer yourself to him? The man is married, you know."

"Don't talk nonsense, I don't," Huang Li defended herself, blushing slightly.

Chen Feng soon reached the planning department's office area and saw Yan Jun gesturing wildly while issuing orders to several subordinates. When Chen Feng walked in, Yan Jun just glanced at him and then completely ignored him.

Chen Feng smiled slightly at this, walked over, and pulled up a chair to sit down amidst the strange looks from his colleagues.

The planning department was the company's core department, with a total of 25 people, though they weren't always in the office, as they often had to supervise and coordinate at client sites.

Therefore, there were often only a few people left in the office, which was the case today.

"Alright, everyone get back to work."

After Yan Jun finished assigning tasks to his subordinates, they quickly returned to their cubicles.

Only then did Yan Jun look directly at Chen Feng, saying coldly, "Chen Feng, know to come back now? It's too late! Your full attendance for this month is gone, and your performance pay and commissions are halved."

Chen Feng stood up from his chair, his gaze suddenly turning sharp, and he shouted angrily, "Yan Jun, it seems you really are a wolf-hearted ingrate. When I was your mentor, I treated you well. You stabbed me in the back and stepped on me to get ahead, and I didn't even hold it against you too much. I’ve endured you all this time, but that doesn't mean I'm afraid of you, nor does it mean I'll endure you forever. Being absent was a small matter; I wouldn't have said a word if you docked my attendance, but to strip my performance pay and commissions? Don't you think that's going too far?"

Yan Jun hadn't expected Chen Feng to suddenly explode and question him so loudly in front of his colleagues. It was effectively flipping the table and burning bridges.

What he had done back then was indeed unspeakable; if it were publicized, it would be bad for his personal reputation and prestige, and it would affect how the company leadership viewed him.

After Chen Feng finished his reprimand, Yan Jun was stunned for a moment before reacting. He became angry from embarrassment and shouted, "Chen Feng, who the hell do you think you are? Do you still think you're the deputy manager of the planning department from two years ago? You just joined the company a year before me and showed me the ropes for a few months—do you think you're my benefactor? Don't flatter yourself."

"Even if I'm not your benefactor, I'm still your mentor! You spent all that time licking my boots and flattering me, only to turn around and report a minor mistake of mine to the newly appointed General Manager Cao, stepping on me to get ahead. Isn't that true? You can do such ungrateful things, but I can't talk about them?"

Previously, because Chen Feng wanted to finish his five-year contract, he hadn't made Yan Jun's dirty deeds public, otherwise, Yan Jun would have made his life a living hell.

But now that Chen Feng was going to die, and Yan Jun was being so insufferably arrogant, what did Chen Feng have to worry about? He would just take him down.

Yan Jun was in the wrong, and if the two of them made such a scene that the whole company found out, the only one who would lose face was him, the department manager.

His face turned livid. He gritted his teeth, stepped closer to Chen Feng, and lowered his voice to threaten, "Are you trying to play hardball with me? Let me tell you, I have plenty of ways to ruin you. You want to bet?"

Chen Feng smiled slightly at him, and then suddenly swung a slap across his face.

*Slap!!*

The sound was loud, and the force was great. Caught off guard, Yan Jun was knocked directly to the ground by the blow.

Before Yan Jun’s head stopped ringing, Chen Feng had already grabbed a keyboard from the desk nearby, ripped it free, and smashed it head-on into his face with all his might.

With just one strike, Yan Jun was laid flat on the floor.

Just as Yan Jun let out a wail, another strike landed on his face, sending keycaps scattering everywhere and causing blood to spray from his nose.

He wanted to land a few more hits, but his colleagues in the department finally reacted and rushed forward to pull him away.