"I will give each of you ten minutes to examine this antique. Once the time is up, we will reveal our conclusions. That seems fair to you both, doesn't it?"
Neither of them raised any objections to Lin Wan's proposal. The manager stepped up first. Within moments of observation, he was able to roughly identify the dynasty and value of the antique. Yet observing his performance, Su Chuan frowned slightly.
Clearly, he was not entirely satisfied. While the manager had named the dynasty correctly without a single flaw, his estimation of the value fell quite short.
Ten minutes passed quietly.
"I'm done. Let's have our new manager show us what he can do."
At the manager's invitation, the corners of Su Chuan's mouth curled up slightly.
"You have a lot of experience, Manager, and most of what you said was spot on. But your assessment of the price missed the mark. The price of this antique should actually be somewhat higher than standard pieces unearthed from that same dynasty."
Su Chuan's statement left everyone present a bit curious. Most of them had seen their share of stormy seas; while they understood that price fluctuations were common in this business, they failed to see anything special about the piece before them that would warrant a higher valuation.
"Judging by its style, this antique is bound to appeal heavily to young people. As people in the antique trade, you must surely know that young buyers spend far more lavishly than old foxes like you. Therefore, its price should be considerably higher than usual."
Although Su Chuan's reasoning sounded hard to believe, when the actual results were revealed, they matched his words precisely. The price was indeed much higher than similar items.
Faced with this outcome, though the manager felt a twinge of reluctance inside, he knew he had lost the competition. Moreover, he was well aware that Su Chuan was far better suited to appeal to the public and run the shop than he was; after all, he was just an ordinary person who relied blindly on past experience.
"Well, Manager, the results are out. Do you concede? You lost this match, and I trust you won't make a fool of me."
Lin Wan's remarks not only probed for the manager's stance but also served as a veiled threat, urging him to yield a more reasonable answer.
Pressed by reality and Lin Wan's coercion, the manager had no choice but to soften his stance.
"The terms were mine, and I willingly concede the manager's position to him. I am content to remain as manager."
Watching his decision, Lin Wan smiled faintly, then led the two of them back inside the shop. Now that the staffing crisis had been resolved, she began arranging for the manager to brief Su Chuan on the store's operations.
As the manager, it was only natural for him to understand the shop's current business standing.
Meanwhile, the two shop assistants, Zhou Yan and Xu Ping, did not seem quite as at ease. Having worked in the shop for many years, they had also hoped for promotions and higher pay.
They had collaborated closely with the manager in the past and secured plenty of financial support within the shop. Originally, they had planned to wait for the manager to be promoted to store manager, after which they would compete for the vacant manager position and secure greater profits for themselves.
Instead, the manager's post had been seized by an outsider dropped in from nowhere, while their superior remained merely a manager. Since their promotions had evaporated, resentment naturally brewed in their hearts.
Yet, constrained by authority and the reality of being ordinary wage earners, they dared not speak out.
In their daily work routines, they offered passive resistance to Su Chuan's instructions and even outright defied them. Su Chuan had pulled them aside for talks on multiple occasions, but their rebellious streak remained unbroken.
The manager was well aware of the situation, but he chose not to intervene. He understood the intricate web of interests tying the two assistants to the shop; their conflict with Su Chuan stemmed entirely from the fact that Su Chuan had impacted their personal gains.
Early one morning, the manager arrived at the antique shop unusually early, carrying four invitations to an antique appraisal convention in his bag. Securing those passes had cost him considerable effort; even before the new manager arrived, he had routinely taken these two assistants to various appraisal events.
Consequently, the manager enjoyed an exceptionally warm relationship with the pair. By specifically bringing out four invitations now, he was undoubtedly signaling that he considered Su Chuan one of their own.
"Here are invitations to the antique appraisal convention. If we have time, let's go together. Work shouldn't be too busy today, it seems."
The manager gently placed two of the invitations in front of them. Overwhelmed by this sudden pleasant surprise, the two beamed with delight. They had long wished to attend this particular convention, but lacking the right connections, they had resigned themselves to disappointment.
"I knew you'd been wanting to go, so I pulled some strings to get these for you. Go ahead and take them."
Seeing the satisfied look on their faces, the manager could not help feeling a twinge of worry. He knew the shop's current climate well, and these invitations were meant to serve as a bridge to mend the relationship between Su Chuan and the two assistants.
"It's not just about the invitations; there's something else I want to discuss with you."
Seeing the manager's serious expression, the two straightened up instinctively.
"Our new store manager is exceptionally capable. His talent and insight far surpass mine, and on top of that, he has a good relationship with the boss. Regardless of our history, we all work in the same shop. I think you should put aside your prejudices and work together with him for the future of the store. Constantly defying his orders is getting us nowhere."
Perhaps out of genuine admiration for Su Chuan's competence, the manager had unintentionally begun to side with him. To the two assistants, however, this sounded merely like a test of their loyalty.
In their minds, the manager was never one to admit defeat. Although he had lost the earlier contest to Su Chuan, they assumed he still refused to acknowledge him deep down.
"Don't worry, Manager. You've treated us so well; we're definitely going to stick by you through thick and thin. Besides, I can't stand that new manager either. Let's push him out together so you can take the store manager position yourself. Trust us, we're completely loyal and we'll always stand by your side."
Faced with this reply, the manager could only feel a wave of helplessness. His heartfelt advice had been completely misinterpreted as a loyalty test. Realizing he could not change their minds, the manager had no alternative but to address Su Chuan's concerns.
"I hear you haven't been getting along very well with the staff lately."