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

Chapter 498 Shame
He Yang, Han Wanling, and Zhou Min walked out of the general manager's office, their footsteps sounding particularly heavy in the quiet corridor.

"Sister Zhou, aren't we being too unfair to Principal Zhang by doing this?" Han Wanling asked in a hoarse voice, her hands clenched into fists.

Zhou Min didn't say anything, but her gaze was a little vacant and her face was a little pale.

Clearly, Jia Hua's high-salary offer did not make her happy; the betrayal of Principal Zhang left her feeling extremely conflicted.

“Let’s be honest with Principal Zhang. He’s not the kind of person who’s unreasonable,” He Yang said after hearing this, but in his heart he was calculating whether he would earn more by joining Jia Hua Art Examination or Huan Ya Art Examination.

Han Wanling was slightly taken aback, and looked up in surprise, asking, "Teacher He, so you've also decided to go to Jiahua?"

I thought they would stick to their guns and refuse Mr. Li's invitation when they didn't immediately agree, but I was wrong...

He Yang shook his head, sighed, and said, "I'm not going to Jia Hua. I'm going to resign from the company and teach at Huan Ya Art Examination Training Center."

"what?"

"Resignation? Huanya?"

Han Wanling and Zhou Min were both stunned, stopping in their tracks, their faces filled with astonishment.

Wasn't the choice between Xingxiang and Jiahua? How come Huanya has suddenly appeared?
“The principal of Huanya came to me last night and offered me a price of 1,500 yuan per class, plus a bonus for students who pass the final exam.” He Yang explained under the gaze of the two women, “If President Li can threaten us once, he might threaten us a second time. I might as well just resign and go to Huanya. At least I can earn more money and won’t have to put up with Li Lehua’s attitude.”

Han Wanling and Zhou Min were completely speechless. Just now in the office, they thought the other party was determined, but they didn't expect that she had found a better job.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing complex emotions in each other's eyes: envy for Teacher He's high salary at Huanya, guilt for their own weakness in giving in to threats, and feeling even more sorry for Zhang Wen's trust.

"Then... what about Principal Zhang? What about the performance class?" Zhou Min asked in a low voice.

Xingxiang only had three acting teachers, and now they've all left. How can the acting classes continue?

"What else can we do? Let's hurry to the training center and find Principal Zhang, tell him our plans, and he will understand." He Yang thought for a moment and said, "Fortunately, the acting class hasn't started yet, so Principal Zhang has time to recruit a few more acting teachers to fill our positions."

Han Wanling and Zhou Min both sighed in unison; that was all they could do.

The three of them didn't say anything more, but instead of returning to the training department, they left the company directly and headed to Xingxiang Art Examination Training Center.

Throughout the journey, Han Wanling and Zhou Min kept their heads down, their minds preoccupied with how to approach Principal Zhang. He Yang, on the other hand, walked ahead at a brisk pace, as if eager to clarify things as soon as possible, or perhaps impatient to embrace his new job.

At this moment, twelve red congratulatory notices were posted on the outer walls on both sides of the gate of Xingxiang Art Examination Training Center, and the area in front of the center was crowded with parents who came to inquire and register.

The commendation notices are in sets of four, showing the results achieved by students from the performance training class, dance training class, and music training class in this year's art exams.

Take acting training classes as an example. Students who pass the final exams of Huaxi and Beijing Film Academy are on one congratulatory poster, while students who pass the exams of other drama and acting academies are on three other posters.

In this way, parents can clearly understand Xingxiang Art Examination's teaching strength.

Zhang Wen stood at the front desk, answering questions from parents while registering them.

Although the number of parents coming here today was not as large as last night, people kept coming in one after another, and the queue never stopped.

Just as Zhang Wengang finished registering one parent and was about to attend to the next one, he looked up and saw He Yang, Han Wanling, and Zhou Min walking in from outside.

"What brings you here?" Zhang Wen asked with a smile.

If he remembers correctly, today is Friday, a weekday.

Could it be that the three of them knew this place would be very busy, so they deliberately took leave to help?

Han Wanling and Zhou Min lowered their heads and remained silent, their eyes red.

He Yang never expected his two colleagues to speak, so he took a deep breath and said, "Principal Zhang, we need to talk to you about something."

After saying that, worried that the other person might not care, he added another sentence.

"It's important."

Seeing that Han Wanling and Zhou Min were about to cry, Zhang Wen's smile faded slightly. He glanced at the parents around him, handed the registration form to Xu Zining, and then walked towards the next classroom.

He Yang and the others followed behind, their oppressive atmosphere clashing with their surroundings.

"Oh!"

Zhang Wen closed the classroom door, looked at the three teachers in front of him, and asked, "Speak, what's the important matter?"

When He Yang met the boss's sharp gaze, he, who had been encouraging himself the whole way, suddenly felt guilty. After hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke with difficulty, "Principal Zhang, we...we can't come to Xingxiang for part-time work anymore."

Zhang Wen was slightly taken aback and asked, puzzled, "Why?"

He Yang took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and looked up to say, "Principal Zhang, General Manager Li called us to his office today and asked us to work part-time as instructors at Jia Hua Art Examination Training Center. If we don't agree, he'll fire us from Tianxi Media."

"I'm sorry, Principal Zhang." Han Wanling bowed deeply, her face flushed with guilt.

Zhou Min also bowed deeply, her voice trembling as she said, "Principal Zhang, we have no choice. President Li said that our part-time work at Xingxiang is against the rules and that we should be fired. She also said that Jiahua is her business and that going there for part-time work is an internal job transfer and not against the rules. We really don't want to lose our jobs at Tianxi Media."

Han Wanling straightened up, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said in a choked voice, "Principal Zhang, thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to work part-time. We don't want to leave, but General Manager Li is forcing us with the work, we..."

Zhang Wen's gaze gradually turned cold.

Is Li Lehua trying to sabotage Xingxiang's performance training class after learning about his college entrance exam results this year?

Haha, that certainly fits their style.

Since returning from the Spring Festival, Li Lehua has not made his presence known to him. He thought that the other party had learned his lesson after the New Year, but he did not expect that he was secretly looking for an opportunity.

However, it would be a big mistake to think that poaching his acting teacher would strike at his weak point.

Xingxiang's current achievements are not due to the teaching abilities of these teachers, but rather to his own special advantages.

Even if He Yang, Han Wanling, and Zhou Min leave, other acting teachers can still produce good results.

“I understand.” Zhang Wen nodded and said, “But you can’t let yourselves suffer a loss. You must get Li Lehua to increase your tuition fees.”

Upon hearing this, Han Wanling and Zhou Min felt even more guilty. They were about to leave Xingxiang, yet Principal Zhang was still thinking of them. He was truly a good boss in China.

"Mr. Li said that the hourly rate for our classes will be increased to one thousand per class," Han Wanling said.

Zhang Wen was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "When I invited you to work part-time at Xingxiang, I wanted to give you an opportunity to increase your income. Now that someone is offering you higher hourly rates, I'm happy for you. Don't feel guilty towards me. Nothing is more important than making money. If you really feel bad, just treat me to a meal in the first month you earn money."

Han Wanling and Zhou Min were stunned. They had considered many possibilities before coming here, but they never expected this one.

Such magnanimity and composure... made them feel deeply ashamed.

He Yang, standing to the side, swallowed hard and said guiltily, "Principal Zhang, I'm different from the other two. President Li also forced me to go to Jiahua, but I plan to resign from the company and go to Huanya. Huanya offered me a price of 1,500 yuan per class, plus bonuses... I feel sorry for your kindness, but I still have millions of yuan in mortgage payments and my child is in school. I really can't refuse this offer."

“I understand your difficulties.” Zhang Wen reached out and patted the other person’s shoulder. “People strive for higher positions, and water flows downhill. It’s only natural that you’re seeking higher compensation. The reason we invited you here was because we valued your teaching ability. The fact that Huanya chose you proves that my judgment was correct. Actually, I’m very happy to see you all doing better and better.”

He Yang was stunned after hearing this.

His situation is different from Han Wanling and Zhou Min. Han Wanling and Zhou Min were threatened and had no choice but to teach at Jia Hua, while he switched jobs purely for the higher salary.

He had expected the other party to criticize him or even angrily ask more questions, but he didn't expect such tolerance. All the explanations he had prepared were stuck in his throat.

“Principal Zhang, we…we are so sorry. You have just recruited so many students, and we are leaving at this time.” He Yang bit his lip tightly.

The more generous and tolerant the other party was, the more guilty he felt.

"Don't worry." Zhang Wen waved his hand and said in a relaxed tone, "There's still some time before the acting class starts, enough time to recruit new teachers."

He paused for a moment, then looked at the three of them and continued, "If you're not happy with your work at Jia Hua or Huan Ya, you can come back. Xing Xiang's doors are always open for you."

Han Wanling and Zhou Min could no longer hold back their tears, which flowed from the corners of their eyes, but not from guilt, but from gratitude and relief.

Even though He Yang was a man in his forties, his eyes reddened at this moment.

"Alright, you can all go back now," Zhang Wen said.

The three of them wiped their eyes, bowed gratefully, and then left the classroom.

Zhang Wen returned to the front desk as if nothing had happened and continued registering parents.

"Principal, why did Teacher He and the others leave?" Xu Zining asked疑惑地, implying: Why didn't they stay to help? "They were poached by Jia Hua and Huan Ya," Zhang Wen said calmly.

"what?"

Xu Zining couldn't help but cry out, her eyes filled with shock.

The performance training class only had these three teachers, and now all three teachers have been poached by other art exam institutions. How will this performance training class continue to operate in the future?

It's worth noting that 99% of the parents who are signing up now are here specifically for the performance training classes.

Looking at the calm and composed principal, Xu Zining was filled with confusion. She couldn't understand how the principal could remain so calm when all the acting teachers had been poached.

Is there a backup plan?
She wanted to ask, but there were too many parents around. If word got out, it would definitely affect Xingxiang's enrollment this year. After hesitating for a moment, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

Let's ask when no one's around.

He Yang walked out of Xingxiang Art Examination Training Center, took out the crumpled business card from his pocket, and dialed the number on it with his mobile phone.

Soon, the call was connected.

"Hey?"

"Hello, is this Principal Zhao of Huanya Art Examination Training Center? I am He Yang."

"Hello, Teacher He, have you made a decision yet?" Zhao Shulian's enthusiastic voice came through the receiver. Her woman's intuition told her that Teacher He had agreed.

"Principal Zhao, do you still stand by what you said last night?" He Yang asked.

He was worried that the other person was just saying it on a whim, so he wanted to double-check before resigning.

“Of course it counts. I sincerely invite Teacher He to join our Huanya,” Zhao Shulian said earnestly.

“Principal Zhao, do you know? Our Tianxi Media CEO, Ms. Li, came to me today and threatened me to join her Jiahua Art Examination Training Center. She said she would fire me if I didn’t join.” He Yang told her about this.

Zhao Shulian was startled, and couldn't help but recall seeing Zhou Maoquan, the principal of Jiahua Art Examination School, at the entrance of Xingxiang last night. It seemed that the other party had already taken action.

However, this means that Huanya loses the advantage of being a large organization and platform.

Just when Zhao Shulian thought her attempt to poach the talent had failed, Teacher He's voice came through the microphone again.

“Principal Zhao, I’m calling today to tell you that I’ve decided to join Huanya.”

"???"

Zhao Shulian was completely bewildered, and her mood was like a rollercoaster.

This turn of events was so sudden! She thought the attempt to poach her had failed.

Wait a minute, after all that he said—leaving Xingxiang and being fired by Tianxi Media—isn't he just after a promise from her?

Thinking of this, she immediately said with certainty, "Teacher He, please rest assured, from now on you will be the director of our Huanya Art Examination Performance Training Department."

He Yang smiled; this was exactly the effect he wanted.

He wanted to let the other party know what he had given up and what he had lost by joining Huanya, so that he would be valued after joining the company.

Now that his goal has been achieved, he can finally resign from the company with peace of mind.

"Thank you, Principal Zhao, for giving me a few days to hand over my work. I will officially report to Huanya next week," He Yang said.

“Okay, I welcome you to Huanya,” Zhao Shulian said happily.

If they can poach the head of Xingxiang Performance Training Class, won't Huanya's performance training business take off immediately?
Thinking about the art exam results of Xingxiang Performance Training Class this year, next year those results will belong to Huanya.

'Zhou Maoquan, oh Zhou Maoquan, you were still a step behind me in the end.'

As for Zhang Wen from Xingxiang Art Examination...

The opposing team has lost its most important general, and it's believed that they won't be able to cause any more trouble in the art exam training industry.

'Zhang Wen, you're still too young. Don't you know that the tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind? You should be more low-key in the future.'

Zhao Shulian put down her phone, looked at the scenery outside the window, and smiled smugly.

After returning to Tianxi Media, He Yang went directly to the general manager's office.

Principal Zhang has already given an explanation, received forgiveness, and even blessings. It's time to confront Li Lehua directly.

Actually, he had disliked the other person for a long time.

They framed Principal Zhang and betrayed him. Principal Zhang is such a talented person, yet he was not only neglected at Tianxi Media, but also suppressed and persecuted. With a general manager like this, it's better to quit this job.

"Knock knock knock!" He Yang reached out and knocked on the door of the general manager's office, even the force was much stronger than before.

"Come in," came Li Lehua's disgruntled voice from inside.

However, He Yang was not afraid. He pushed open the door and went in. Only Li Lehua was in the office. Zhou Maoquan had left sometime earlier.

When Li Lehua saw who had entered, her tense expression relaxed slightly, and she asked, "Teacher He is here. Have you come to your senses? I always said Jiahua is the most suitable person for you..."

“Mr. Li, I’m here to tell you that I’m not going to Jiahua.” He Yang interrupted him directly, took out a resignation letter from his pocket, and placed it on the desk in front of him. “This is my resignation letter. I have decided to resign from the company.”

The air in the office seemed to freeze instantly.

Li Lehua looked at the resignation letter on the table, his brows furrowed tightly, his face terribly gloomy.

"Why? What's so good about Xingxiang?" Li Lehua asked coldly, his teeth clenched as if he were about to strike.

She didn't understand what was so good about that guy surnamed Zhang that made He Yang willing to quit his formal job at Tianxi Media to stay at Xingxiang.

Why doesn't she have someone as devoted as that around her?

“Mr. Li, didn’t you say that I would be fired if I didn’t go to Jiahua? Rather than waiting for you to fire me, I’d rather resign voluntarily. Besides, I don’t plan to work part-time at Xingxiang anymore,” He Yang said calmly.

"Not working part-time at Xingxiang? Then what are you planning to do?" Li Lehua asked, puzzled.

She couldn't understand why, if the other party didn't intend to continue working part-time at Xingxiang, they wouldn't join Jiahua.
"I've been too tired lately and want to take a break for a while." He Yang made up a reason on the spot. He was worried that if he told the truth, the other party would not agree to his resignation and would delay his job at Huanya, since Huanya was also a competitor of Jiahua.

Li Lehua's gaze kept scanning the other person's face, trying to glean something from it. She would never believe the excuse of 'too tired to rest'. Did he think he could rest now that the mortgage was paid off?
However, after looking at it from all angles, all I could tell was that the other person was lying.

The other party is just an acting teacher. What else can they do besides teaching acting?
Slow!

Li Lehua suddenly thought of a possibility.

The other party neither works at Xingxiang nor at Jiahua, so could they be going to other art exam training institutions?
If Zhou Maoquan could think of poaching people from Xingxiang, other art exam training institutions certainly could too.

"Have you already found someone else?" Li Lehua asked abruptly.

"No." He Yang immediately shook his head in denial, but a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.

However, this did not escape Li Lehua's notice.

Case solved!
It turns out she really has found a new partner.

It seems that money is more important than that guy surnamed Zhang.

A cold smile crept onto Li Lehua's face. Just moments ago, he had envied that Zhang man for having such devoted followers, but now he no longer did.

Although Teacher He didn't go to Jia Hua, going to other art exam training institutions is still a blow to Xingxiang. I imagine that Mr. Zhang will be very angry when he finds out.

She was happy as long as that guy surnamed Zhang got angry.

"Take your resignation letter and give it to your Director Xu. You're not qualified to approve it."

"..."

……

(End of this chapter)