Chapter 264 - 219: Loyalty Doesn’t Disappear, It Only Transfers

Chapter 264: Chapter 219: Loyalty Doesn’t Disappear, It Only Transfers

Noon at the Zhen Cui Group cafeteria.

As the leading enterprise in Ji Province’s high-end restaurant industry, Zhen Cui Group’s daily fare was naturally excellent. "Sumptuous" was the only word for it.

TAP, TAP, TAP...

Luo Zitong watched as one company executive after another walked past her, so startled she could no longer focus on her food.

After graduating from Jilin University in 2020, she had started working at Zhen Cui Group. With her academic credentials, she should have taken one of the several other excellent offers she had on the table, all of which boasted better salaries and benefits.

Zhen Cui Group had originally been just a backup option for her. That is, until the day she came to the headquarters for an interview. A particularly kind and friendly HR representative had given her a tour that included the company cafeteria. The moment she saw the daily lunch served to ordinary employees, she was completely won over.

Braised beef with knife-cut noodles, filled with genuine, hefty chunks of beef and paired with hand-pulled beef tendon meatballs. The massive, steaming bowl was so fragrant it nearly made her swoon.

And yet, that was just the main dish.

Boneless garlic chicken wings.

Stir-fried steak with Niangao—and it was real steak, not processed.

Sichuan boiled beef slices, spicy and savory.

Spicy Korean-style stir-fried chicken feet, with an authentic Yanbian flavor.

Sweet and sour pork with pineapple—the pineapple was fresh and sweet, the pork loin crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

On top of all that, there were various small pickled vegetables, all house-made by the cafeteria chefs. Every single one was delicious and perfectly complemented the main dishes.

The sight of this daily spread had left her completely stunned.

She still clearly remembered looking at the HR representative and asking foolishly, "Excuse me, is it some kind of holiday at Zhen Cui Group today?"

The representative had simply smiled and replied, "This is just the daily meal for our employees at Zhen Cui Group. It’s like this every day."

After receiving that answer, Luo Zitong didn’t hesitate. She pigged out in the Zhen Cui Group cafeteria that afternoon and signed her employment contract right after.

From that day on, the thing Luo Zitong looked forward to most each workday was lunch.

The company regularly held corporate culture training sessions to enhance employee loyalty. Once, when called upon by her manager to speak, her response was simple: "As long as the quality of the food never changes, my loyalty to this company will be eternal!"

’How could I not be loyal?’

’Any hint of disloyalty would be the ultimate disrespect to the Lobster turkey noodles, salt-and-pepper chicken wings, clam and vermicelli soup, secret-recipe braised meats, sweet-and-sour ribs, and melt-in-your-mouth pork trotter rice!’

A while ago, Zhen Cui Group had changed ownership.

Her biggest worry at the time was whether the daily cafeteria fare would be maintained. After more than half a month of anxious fear, guess what happened?

Not only did the food not get worse, it actually got better.

’Loyalty doesn’t disappear, it only gets transferred.’

Now, the company’s Chairman, Gu Heng, was the sun hanging high in her sky!

’Loyalty!’

’Fiercely loyal!’

At this moment, Luo Zitong—who had gone from a mere 99 pounds when she started to now making a charge for 143—watched the stream of executives walk by and suddenly felt that even the flash-fried prawns on her plate had lost their appeal.

"Huihui, the company isn’t about to go under, is it...?"

Luo Zitong was starting to panic.

’I’ve worked here for three years, I’ve come to see the cafeteria...’

’Oh, wait, no, I’ve come to see the whole company as my home.’

’If the company is in some kind of crisis, as long as they can guarantee the food quality won’t change, I’d even be willing to take a pay cut. After all, I’m absolutely loyal.’

"Hush!"

"Our company is at its peak. How could it possibly go under!"

Luo Hui, sitting beside Luo Zitong, looked exasperated. "Stop letting your imagination run wild. Didn’t Sister Ying already go to find out what’s happening?"

"But Huihui, it’s hard not to let my imagination run wild!"

Luo Zitong threw up her hands. "Look around! There’s a big company meeting, a bunch of people from HR suddenly showed up, and they’ve been pulling people into interviews right in the middle of lunch. Is any of this normal?"

"Er..."

"That is... admittedly not normal."

Luo Hui opened her mouth but found it hard to argue.

Just as the two were stewing in their worries, the "Sister Ying" they’d just mentioned came hurrying over from the cafeteria entrance.

"Sister Ying, over here!"

Luo Zitong spotted Sun Ying and quickly raised a chubby hand to wave. The other woman waved back before heading to the food counter.

A few minutes later, Sun Ying returned with her tray and sat down with them.

"Ooh..."

"They’ve got braised pork trotters today!"

Luo Zitong had been about to ask Sun Ying what was going on with the company, but the sight of the braised pork trotters on her plate immediately derailed her train of thought.

Seeing Luo Zitong’s reaction, Sun Ying couldn’t help but smile. She picked two pieces from her own plate and placed them on Luo Zitong’s. "There’s more at the counter if you want. The chefs added a bunch of extra dishes since the executives decided to eat here last minute."

"Yay!"

Luo Zitong’s face lit up.

"Sister Ying, did you find anything out?"

Luo Hui asked hurriedly, "What’s the situation?"

"It’s good news!"

"Extremely good news!"

Sun Ying didn’t keep them in suspense, immediately putting their minds at ease.

Hearing this, although Luo Zitong had no idea what this "good news" was, her heart instantly settled. Her appetite returned with a vengeance, and she was back to her usual foodie self.

"What’s the good news?"

She asked while deftly sucking the meat from a pork trotter bone.

"In the meeting that just wrapped up, our Chairman Gu announced in front of all the top executives that he’s injecting four hundred million yuan into Zhen Cui Group. Starting next year, the company will begin a massive expansion, targeting twelve first- and second-tier cities in the northern market."

"The group’s Vice President Xie Jianlin, Zhenshui Banquet’s General Manager Chen Zhifeng, Banquet Fusion’s General Manager Li Yang, and Yuan Zhi’s General Manager Guo Jia Hui were handpicked by Chairman Gu on the spot. They will be heading up the market expansion efforts in Jin City, Fengtian, Stone Gate, and Ice City, respectively."

Sun Ying spoke quickly, her voice tinged with excitement. "Those people who were just pulled in for interviews by HR? They’re the ones President Xie and the others handpicked. HR was asking them if they’re willing to accept positions in the new locations."

"From what I hear, the lowest position available is a regional department head, a rank equivalent to a deputy head at headquarters. That’s middle management, and a high-powered leadership role with real authority at that."

"And get this—some of the people they interviewed didn’t even have official titles. They were at our level! Now, all they have to do is say yes, and they can shoot straight up the ladder to become middle managers with real power. It’s enough to make you die of envy!"

As she finished, the envy on Sun Ying’s face was unmistakable.

"Oh my god!"

"So much has happened at the company in just half a day!"

Luo Hui couldn’t help but whisper in amazement. "No wonder all the executives looked so serious and tense earlier. This must be why."

"A capital injection and expansion means the company is getting bigger."

"The top brass is definitely in for a major shake-up. Who gets promoted, who gets to keep their job, and who gets replaced by a rising star... all of that directly affects their bottom line. Of course they’re concerned."

Sun Ying picked up a piece of sweet-and-sour rib, deftly removed the bone, and popped the meat into her mouth, sucking the sauce from her fingers afterward.

"Huihui, Zitong, the company’s expansion might seem a bit distant for us, but the next thing I’m going to tell you is directly related."

With that, Sun Ying unlocked her phone and sent a PDF file to both of them.

"Take a look and see if you two qualify," Sun Ying said.

Hearing this, Luo Hui immediately opened the file on her phone.

"Zhen Cui Group’s ’Sect Leader Plan’?"

She muttered, reading the PDF’s title aloud.

"What’s that?"

Luo Zitong didn’t look right away, since her hands were greasy.

"With the expansion, the company will need a lot of store managers who can handle things on their own. This ’Sect Leader Plan’ is basically a management trainee program, like the ones big corporations have. It’s designed to pick the best of the best from our own employees and groom them to be future managers."

"Basically, if you get selected..."

"...you’ll have one foot in the door to middle management. A promotion and a raise will be right around the corner, and your future will be boundless."

Sun Ying’s eyes sparkled, her face filled with longing.

"Minimum two years of employment."

"Received an ’Employee of the Year’ award at least once."

After quickly scanning the ’Sect Leader Plan,’ Luo Hui’s excited expression instantly fell. "Waaah, looks like this amazing opportunity isn’t for me. I’ve never gotten an Employee of the Year award."

"Huh?"

"Wait, haven’t you two both won Employee of the Year?"

"Sister Ying got it in ’21, and Zitong got it last year!"

"So you both qualify, and I’m the only one who doesn’t!"

Realizing this, Luo Hui became even more emo.

Your own failure is tough to swallow, but seeing your colleague succeed is what really breaks your heart.

"I do qualify, but I’ve heard that not everyone who applies will get in. After HR puts together a list of applicants, the names and resumes are sent to Chairman Gu and President Qi. The two of them make the final decision."

Sun Ying shook her head gently. "I’ve been with the company a lot longer than you guys, but I only have a vocational degree, and I’ve never been assigned to work at one of the restaurant locations. My chances of getting picked are probably slim."

At this, she glanced at Luo Zitong, who was happily peeling a shrimp, a flash of envy deep in her eyes. "But Zitong is different. She’s a top graduate from Jilin University and has an outstanding work ethic. Her chances of being selected for the plan should be very high."

"Huh?"

"Me?"

Hearing this, Luo Zitong quickly waved her hands in dismissal. "No way. I’m not management material."

"Just give it a try," Sun Ying said, her tone a bit persuasive.

"You might just get in."

Sun Ying’s voice held a hint of temptation. "Haven’t you always wanted to try the food in the private dining hall for middle management and above? If you get selected and pass the initial training and exams, you’ll be qualified to go and see what it’s all about."

"Well..."

The prospect of a promotion and a raise hadn’t moved Luo Zitong in the slightest, but Sun Ying’s words struck a chord deep in the heart of this major foodie.

’If the regular employee cafeteria has food this good, just how amazing must the food be in the private dining hall for the top brass?’

HSSS...

The mere thought made Luo Zitong’s mouth start to water.

"So?"

"Wanna give it a shot?"

Watching Luo Zitong’s reaction, Sun Ying already knew the answer.

"For the private dining hall!"

"I’ll do it!"

Luo Zitong nodded decisively, her fighting spirit instantly ignited by the culinary temptation.

Sun Ying and Luo Hui both broke into a knowing smile. All across Zhen Cui Group, similar conversations were playing out in every corner.

The speed at which the news was spreading was simply unbelievable...