How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 497 Recruiting!

At 10 p.m., after seeing off the last parent, the lobby of Xingxiang Art Examination Training Center finally quieted down.

Zhang Wen, He Yang, Han Wanling, and Zhou Min stood around the front desk, with a thick stack of registration forms in front of them.

Xu Zining held a calculator, her fingers flying across the keyboard, while she reported on the results of her work that evening: "A total of 432 people have signed up for the performance training class, including 185 for the full course, 215 for the advanced course, and 32 for the weekend course, which is basically the same as the total number of people who signed up for the performance training class last year."

Her voice was filled with excitement, knowing that this was only the number of people who signed up for one night. If registration were to continue until July like last year, the final number of applicants would be unimaginable.

"So many!" Han Wanling asked in surprise, her joy barely concealed.

With more students, her income will also increase.

After experiencing the joy of earning extra money, she is now so addicted to working part-time at Xingxiang that she can't wait to start classes tomorrow.

"There are still 87 people who have expressed their intention to register. They should go home and discuss it with their children, and then come to register together another day," Xu Zining continued.

"It seems that Xingxiang's performance major entrance exam results this year have completely won over these parents of art students," Zhou Min said happily.

"Boss, how many students do you plan to enroll in our performance training class this year?" He Yang asked.

“There are no limits, the more the better,” Zhang Wen said after hearing this.

The trainees in the training courses are his main source of income. Whether he can successfully ascend to immortality in this lifetime depends on how effective the training courses are.

"Boss, judging from the current enrollment situation, the number of students in the performance training class alone will exceed one thousand this year. However, our classrooms are limited, and I'm afraid we won't be able to accommodate so many people." He Yang expressed his concerns.

Saying 'more than a thousand' is already a very conservative estimate. He thinks that as more and more people learn about Xingxiang Art Examination's students' results this year, it's possible that it could exceed two thousand.

Upon hearing this, others realized it was indeed a problem.

Assuming 20 students per class, 1,000 students would require 50 classes, which is impossible to manage. Classrooms would naturally be in high demand.

"It's okay, we can rent some more classrooms nearby," Zhang Wen said nonchalantly.

For him, anything that can be solved with money isn't a problem.

Compared to ascension, what does spending money matter?
Hearing this, He Yang breathed a sigh of relief and stopped worrying.

Zhang Wen glanced at his phone screen, then looked at the others and said, "It's getting late. Everyone has worked hard today. You all have to go to work tomorrow, so go home and rest."

Xu Zining and others walked out of Xingxiang Art Examination Hall one after another. Some used their mobile phones to call a ride-hailing service, some went to the subway station to take the subway, and some chose to walk home.

He Yang was going to the subway station. His home was outside the East Fifth Ring Road, which was quite far from the training center. Taking a ride-hailing service was too expensive, so taking the subway was more cost-effective. After arriving at the station, he would ride a shared bicycle for a while, which would take about seven or eight minutes.

Just as He Yang was about to enter the subway station, a voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Teacher He, wait a moment."

He turned around and saw a middle-aged woman in her forties walking towards him. She was dressed in a well-fitting business suit, walked with her back straight, and looked quite elegant.

"Are you calling me?" He Yang asked, puzzled.

He carefully examined the other person and found that he did not recognize him at all, and had no recollection of him whatsoever.

The middle-aged woman stepped forward, handed over a business card, and then said with a gentle smile, "Hello, Teacher He, I am Zhao Shulian, the principal of Huanya Art Examination Training Center. I am sorry to have stopped you, but I would like to talk to you about cooperation."

"Huanya Art Exam?" He Yang raised an eyebrow, took the business card, looked at it, and asked with a puzzled look, "We don't seem to know each other. What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Xingxiang Art Examination Training Program achieved outstanding results this year, and Teacher He, as the person in charge of performance training, deserves much credit."

Zhao Shulian started by offering a small compliment, then continued, "As the old saying goes, 'A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on.' Xingxiang is too young and doesn't match your abilities. How about coming to our Huanya? As one of the top five art exam training institutions in Beijing, Huanya Art Exam Training far surpasses Xingxiang in both strength and benefits."

He Yang was slightly taken aback. If he understood correctly, were they trying to poach him from Huanya?

In the afternoon, while chatting with Han Wanling and Zhou Min at the company, we talked about established art exam training institutions like Huanya. We all felt terrible after seeing Xingxiang's results, but we didn't expect them to contact him directly and so quickly.

Seeing that her target didn't speak, Zhao Shulian knew that she couldn't persuade him with just those few words, so she put on a very sincere look and said, "Teacher He, let's get straight to the point. As far as I know, you work part-time as a substitute teacher at Xingxiang, earning 700 yuan per class. If you can come to our Huanya, I'll raise it to 1,500 yuan per class."

He Yang's heart skipped a beat. 1,500 yuan per class? That's an increase of 800 yuan all at once?

Based on this calculation, if you go to Huanya, the extra money you can earn from part-time work will double.

It used to cost 17,000 or 18,000, but now it will be over 40,0

He was just an ordinary person, unable to remain indifferent to money; at this moment, he was truly tempted.

"In addition..." Zhao Shulian continued, "When you come to our Huanya, you will still be the person in charge of performance training. I will provide you with a private teaching office and a teaching assistant to help you organize course materials. You won't need to make your own courseware. If students pass the final exams of Huaxi and Jingying, they will receive a bonus of 20,000 yuan per person. What do you think?"

He Yang unconsciously swallowed. If he was only tempted before, now his whole body was trembling. But when he thought about how Zhang Wen had given him the opportunity to earn extra money, and now that he had just gained some fame, it would be a bit unethical of him to leave.

Moreover, Zhang Wen is his superior at the company. If he jumps ship to Huanya, how is that any different from betrayal? Won't he be made to look bad by Zhang Wen at the company afterward?

He Yang was conflicted.

However, the thought of the millions of yuan in mortgage debt still owed and the money needed for the children in school gradually eased the moral dilemma.

After all, with such treatment, it wouldn't matter if it were a part-time job or even a full-time job, let alone a part-time one.

He plans to talk to Principal Zhang tomorrow, believing that Principal Zhang will understand his predicament.

"Principal Zhao, the conditions you've offered are indeed very attractive. Let me think about it," He Yang said after a moment's thought, his voice a little hoarse.

Zhao Shulian wasn't a shill for the first time, so she immediately saw through the other party's hesitation. She lowered her voice and tempted him, "Teacher He, I know your concerns, but think about it, people strive for higher positions, and water flows downhill. Besides, you've taught so many outstanding students, which has increased Xingxiang Art Examination's reputation. You've done right by Principal Zhang."

He Yang took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and looked at the middle-aged woman in front of him, saying, "Principal Zhao, don't worry, this matter is too sudden for me. I need to discuss it with my family. I have your business card and will give you an answer in a couple of days."

He was reluctant to refuse outright, but also didn't want to agree easily. After all, the temptation was too great, and his mind was in a mess. He needed to calm down and weigh the pros and cons carefully.

“It’s alright, Teacher He, no need to rush.” Zhao Shulian said with a smile, “Once you’ve thought it through, you can call the number on the business card anytime, even in the middle of the night, and I’ll answer it immediately.”

Then he extended his hand, his tone reassuring: "I believe you are a smart person, and you know which choice is best for yourself and your family. Huanya's doors are always open for you."

He Yang unconsciously grasped the other person's hand. At this moment, he could only say: it wasn't that he lacked willpower, but that the enemy was too good at manipulating him.

After the handshake ended, Zhao Shulian turned and left, her high heels clicking crisply on the ground as she gradually disappeared into the night.

He Yang stood there for a long time until a passerby accidentally bumped into him, which brought him back to his senses.

He needed to hurry home and let his wife decide.

……

the next day.

He Yang arrived at the company with dark circles under his eyes, his steps unsteady as if he were walking on cotton.

Last night, he told his wife about the invitations he had received from other art exam training centers, and she was very adamant about it.

I must change jobs!
A class costs 1,500 yuan, plus bonuses. You'd be a complete idiot not to take the class.

He also mentioned Principal Zhang's kindness in recognizing his talent, but his wife immediately shut him down with a single sentence.

"Can a debt of gratitude be put to food? Principal Zhang is the boss, and you're just an employee. What's wrong with thinking about your own interests?"

He already knew the answer in his heart, but that damned guilt kept bothering him. Now that he had a wife, that guilt would disappear. The reason he hadn't slept well was because he hadn't figured out how to tell Principal Zhang.

He Yang sat at his workstation, staring blankly at the computer screen. He didn't even pay attention to his colleagues gossiping. When he went to teach the trainees, he was often distracted and had to be reminded by the trainees several times.

As soon as he stepped out of the classroom after the first class, his phone rang. He took it out and saw it was a call from Director Xu Qingyu.

"Director Xu, this is He Yang. You wanted to see me?" He Yang asked after answering the phone.

"He Yang, go to the general manager's office now. General Manager Li wants to see you." Xu Qingyu's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

"President Li is looking for me?" He Yang's heart tightened, and a bad premonition arose.

Could it be that General Manager Li found out about my part-time job at Xingxiang? The training department has a clear rule that training teachers are not allowed to engage in training-related part-time jobs outside of training. If discovered, they will be fined or even dismissed.

Wait, that’s not right!
Didn't Mr. Li already know that he was working part-time as a performance teacher at Xingxiang Art Examination Training Center? He even went there when the new campus of Xingxiang Art Examination Training Center opened.

What could that be?
He hung up the phone and walked absentmindedly toward the elevator, not even hearing his colleagues greet him.

He stopped when he reached the door of the general manager's office, took a few deep breaths, patted his face, and then knocked.

"Dang Dang Dang!"

"Enter."

He Yang pushed open the door after hearing the sound. He was slightly taken aback when he saw the scene inside. In addition to Li Lehua, Han Wanling and Zhou Min were also in the office. Their expressions were somewhat unnatural. There was also a middle-aged man next to them, dressed in a suit and tie with his hair combed back and shiny.

He recognized the man; it was Zhou Maoquan, the principal of Jia Hua Art Examination School!
He Yang was a little confused.

What's Zhou Maoquan doing here?

At that moment, he suddenly remembered something: wasn't the boss behind Jia Hua Art Examination the CEO, Mr. Li?

Could it be that Xingxiang Performance Training Class's art exam results were too good, overshadowing Jiahua Art Exam, and that General Manager Li called him, Han Wanling, and Zhou Min to his office to interrogate them?

He Yang walked into the office with a nervous heart and asked the general manager, "Mr. Li, you wanted to see me?"

Seeing the nervous look on the visitors' faces, Li Lehua chuckled softly and got straight to the point: "He Yang, Han Wanling, Zhou Min, I've called you three here today because there's something I want to discuss with you."

He pointed to Zhou Maoquan beside him and continued, "This is Zhou Maoquan, the principal of Jia Hua Art Examination Center and a long-term partner of our company. He recently wanted to strengthen the teaching staff of Jia Hua's performance training class. He heard that the three of you are doing well at Xingxiang and would like to invite the three of you to teach at Jia Hua."

He Yang unconsciously widened his eyes. It turned out that they were here to poach people again, and this one was even more ruthless, coming directly to the company to poach people and even bringing up President Li to put pressure on them.

That shows a lack of sincerity.

He unconsciously looked at Zhou Maoquan, only to see that the other man was looking at the three of them with expectant eyes, clearly having already reached an agreement with Li Lehua.

Han Wanling and Zhou Min exchanged a glance and then looked at He Yang. At Xingxiang, He Yang was the head of the performance training class, and the two of them were used to asking Teacher He for advice first.

He Yang didn't say anything, but in his heart he cursed Zhou Maoquan fiercely.

If you're going to poach people, fine, but what's the point of bringing them to the company?

Threat?
Furthermore, they haven't even mentioned any conditions, yet they want them to teach at Jia Hua. Isn't that incredibly shameless? Do they think they can get something for nothing?

Pooh!
Seeing that the three of them remained silent, Li Lehua's smile gradually faded.

In her opinion, these three people taking on part-time jobs was just being shameless.

Seeing that his boss's expression was not good, Zhou Maoquan was afraid that he would ruin the poaching deal, so he said with a smile, "Teacher He, Teacher Han, Teacher Zhou, actually Jia Hua and Tian Xi are all family. We are not outsiders. How can we help outsiders bully our own family?"

Upon hearing this, He Yang thought to himself: Principal Zhang is the deputy director of the training department. So, Xingxiang and Tianxi are family, not outsiders.

Han Wanling and Zhou Min were also disgusted by Zhou Maoquan's attitude. When they weren't working part-time at Xingxiang, he didn't invite them to teach. But when Principal Zhang gave them a part-time job to earn money, he came. Wasn't this undermining Principal Zhang?
Seeing that none of the three reacted, Zhou Maoquan was not discouraged and continued, "I heard you get 700 yuan a class at Xingxiang? If you come to Jiahua, I'll raise it to 1,000 yuan a class. You can also enjoy flexible working hours at Tianxi Media. How about it?"

After saying that, he looked confident and assured.

He Yang sneered inwardly. This treatment was far inferior to Zhao Shulian's. If the increase was only three hundred, he would rather continue working at Xingxiang.

However, with President Li present, he couldn't reveal Zhao Shulian's affair and could only ponder in his mind how to refuse Zhou Maoquan.

In contrast, Han Wanling and Zhou Min were somewhat tempted. Three hundred yuan more per class would add up to more than ten thousand yuan more per month, which was no small sum.

Seeing that the three were still silent, Li Lehua was not only annoyed, but also said coldly, "You need to think it through. Although Xingxiang's art exam results are good this year, it is still just a small institution and cannot support your future. Jiahua is one of the best art exam institutions in Beijing. It has more resources and a larger platform. After you go there, not only will your income increase, but you will also have more opportunities. Don't miss it."

He Yang remained calm, having heard the same words once last night, and was already quite resistant to them. However, Han Wanling and Zhou Min showed obvious signs of interest, clearly wanting to take advantage of the promises made by President Li.

Li Lehua's gaze swept across the three faces. He had already used the soft approach; now it was time to use the hard approach.

“You should know that working part-time outside the company is against company rules. I can fire you right now. If you work part-time at Jia Hua, it’s a different story. Jia Hua is also my company. It’s a normal job transfer and there’s no issue of part-time work.”

He Yang, Han Wanling, and Zhou Min's expressions changed instantly.

This is a threat, a naked threat.

They will be fired by Tianxi Media if they do not agree to teach at Jiahua.

But why should I?

Many teachers from the training department work part-time at Xingxiang, so why only threaten these three? That's incredibly unreasonable.

"Have you thought it through? This is a very rare opportunity," Li Lehua urged impatiently.

Actually, she didn't care too much about Jia Hua's art exam results, but as long as it could cause trouble for that Zhang guy, she was willing to get involved.

Han Wanling trembled, gritted her teeth and said, "President Li, I'll go, I'll go to Jiahua, it's really worth it."

Seeing his companion's reaction, Zhou Min chimed in, "President Li, I also agree to teach at Jia Hua."

For the two of them, there was simply no choice.

If they don't go to Jiahua, they will be fired by Tianxi Media and can only work at Xingxiang. If they agree to go to Jiahua, they can get a 300 yuan increase in their hourly rate and keep their jobs at Tianxi Media. It's an easy choice to go or not to go.

Who would turn down money?

Li Lehua looked at He Yang, waiting for his reply.

He Yang thought for a moment, and finally said what he had said to Zhao Shulian last night, "President Li, Principal Zhou, things happened so suddenly, I need to discuss it with my family, can I give you an answer later?"

Li Lehua's face instantly darkened, and his displeasure was written all over his face.

Such a good offer and they didn't even agree? They really didn't take her seriously. But when she thought about how the other party was the person in charge of Xingxiang Performance Training Course and Zhou Maoquan's main target for poaching people, she could only suppress her anger.

"Fine, then I'll give you one day," Li Lehua said coldly.

Han Wanling and Zhou Min looked at Teacher He in surprise, thinking: Is Teacher He really that tough?
At that moment, a sense of shame arose in their hearts. Looking at Teacher He, who did not immediately waver in the face of threats, and then looking at themselves, they compromised at once. They felt so sorry for Principal Zhang's previous help.

Little did people know that the reason He Yang was giving a reply later was simply to calculate whether he would earn more at Jia Hua or Huan Ya.

Since I've already decided to switch jobs from Xingxiang, I naturally want to choose the one that pays the most.

……

(End of this chapter)