How A Ride-Hailing Driver Comes To Dominate The World? [EN]: Chapter 9

The Salary I Deserve Must Be Returned. What’s Wrong with a Ride-Hailing Driver Having Some Money? (1)

Last month, Hongxing Sports Group announced they were planning to spend 500,000 yuan on an advertising campaign.

That was just for the concept itself, not including production costs or other expenses.

Therefore, the 500,000 yuan price tag was quite appealing.

Advertising companies from all over the country were scrambling for a piece of the pie.

Naturally, Zhang Jingyan wanted in on the action. He announced in an internal company meeting that whoever landed the project would receive a 20% commission, a significant jump from the usual 5%.

Suddenly, everyone at Jingyan Advertising Company was working overtime.

In the end, Yang Chen’s proposal won over Hongxing Sports.

The two parties signed a contract, and Hongxing promptly paid the 500,000 yuan.

But when payday arrived, and employees checked their pay slips as requested by the finance department, Yang Chen discovered his commission was only 10,000 yuan, not the promised 100,000. This led to a heated argument with Zhang Jingyan.

Zhang Jingyan flatly denied ever promising a 20% commission. Frustrated and feeling cheated, Yang Chen resigned.

The core issue was the disputed 20% commission, not any deficiency in Yang Chen’s performance.

In fact, Yang Chen was arguably the most talented employee in the entire company.

So, despite his anger, Zhang Jingyan still hoped to convince Yang Chen to stay.

After all, what boss wants to lose an employee who brings in serious money?

“Yang Chen, if you want that 20% commission, come back and work diligently, and I’ll pay it back to you over ten months. As long as you close at least one deal each month, I’ll give you 10,000 yuan. How does that sound?” Zhang Jingyan said, shamelessly trying to bargain.

Yang Chen scoffed. “You made the promise yourself. Whoever wins the Hongxing Group project gets a 20% commission, no strings attached. Are you even a man? Is your word worthless? Are you going to deny what you said?”

Zhang Jingyan chuckled. “Evidence? You need proof. It’s just your word against mine. You say I said that? Well, I could just as easily say you promised to work for me for free and not ask for a dime. Would that make it true?”

“Everyone in the company heard it. The truth is in everyone’s heart,” Yang Chen retorted.

Zhang Jingyan smiled and turned to the other employees. “Tell me, did you hear me promise a 20% commission?”

The employees weren’t stupid. Their livelihoods depended on keeping the boss happy, so they weren’t about to undermine him.

“I didn’t hear anything. I definitely didn’t hear that.”

“Me neither.”

“Yang Chen must have misheard. It’s impossible that none of us heard it except him.”

…

Some unscrupulous employees were already trying to curry favor with the boss.

However, some remained silent, choosing not to speak.

They knew Yang Chen’s situation today could easily be theirs tomorrow.

If Zhang Jingyan could deny the 20% commission now, what would stop him from reneging on their agreed-upon terms later?

These smarter employees were torn between standing up for what was right and protecting their own interests.

In the end, self-preservation won out over justice.

Good jobs were hard to come by. They had families to feed, and since it wasn’t their problem, why stick their necks out?

Seeing Yang Chen’s frustrated expression, Li Yuanyuan said smugly: “Okay, stop pretending.”

The Salary I Deserve Must Be Returned. What’s Wrong with a Ride-Hailing Driver Having Some Money? (2)

“According to the original plan between me and President Zhang, we weren’t even going to give you a commission. We were going to stick to the 5% unless you came back to work. President Zhang is being incredibly generous, offering to pay you the 20% over ten months. It’s practically a gift! Why aren’t you thanking him? What more could you possibly want? Do you really think you’re in a position to argue?”

Zhang Jingyan wore a triumphant smirk.

Yang Chen asked, his face grim, “Zhang Jingyan, is that what Li Yuanyuan said true?”

Zhang Jingyan nodded. “That’s right! That was the initial plan. But I value you as a talent and really don’t want to lose you. Come back, close at least one deal a month, and I’ll pay you 10,000 yuan each month until it’s all paid back. It’s a win-win situation. But if you fail to close a deal in any given month, that month’s 10,000 yuan will be forfeited and used to improve company welfare. This is your only chance, don’t be ungrateful. Go back to your desk and get to work.”

“You initially promised a 20% commission for winning the Hongxing Group deal, with no additional conditions. Now you’re adding all these stipulations about monthly returns. Do you think that’s fair?” Yang Chen challenged.

Zhang Jingyan shrugged. “I’m the boss. What I say goes. Is it okay for me to add conditions now? Absolutely.”

“When you were pushing us to land the deal, you clearly stated a 20% commission, no conditions. Now, when it’s time to pay up, you suddenly introduce all these extra requirements. You’re really something as a boss,” Yang Chen continued.

Zhang Jingyan laughed. “Whatever. I’m not going to argue with you anymore. Just sit down and get back to work. I need to go discuss the lease renewal with the management office. It expires in a few days, and that’s money we’re talking about. You think it’s easy being a boss, supporting all you employees?”

Li Yuanyuan jumped in to flatter him: “That’s right, that’s right… Everyone should be grateful to President Zhang for providing a platform to showcase our talents and an opportunity to support our families. Without President Zhang, do you think you could all find jobs so easily? We should all be thanking him.”

The other employees quickly echoed Li Yuanyuan’s sentiments.

“Yeah, without President Zhang and the company, how would we provide for our families?”

“Yang Chen, don’t be so greedy. You need to learn to be grateful.”

“Exactly! President Zhang is already being incredibly generous. He’s not refusing to pay you, just paying you in installments. That’s all it is. Now get back to work.”

…

Zhang Jingyan smiled, sighed dramatically, and said in a self-satisfied tone, “It’s good to know you understand my difficulties and appreciate my generosity. I’m very pleased. It’s just that some people are ignorant and lack your gratitude.”

Yang Chen pulled out his phone, a smile playing on his lips. “I came here to work and earn money. I provide my labor, and the boss pays the agreed-upon salary. We don’t owe each other anything. What’s there to be grateful for? You’re trying to cheat me out of my rightful pay and expect me to be grateful? Did you give me money out of the goodness of your heart? People are shameless, the world is invincible! [A Chinese saying meaning that someone who has no shame can get away with anything.] I’m done arguing with you. I’ve recorded our conversation, and I’m going to the labor bureau to file for arbitration. I refuse to believe the law can’t touch you!”

The moment he heard the word ‘recording,’ Zhang Jingyan

The Salary I Deserve Must Be Returned. What’s Wrong with a Ride-Hailing Driver Having Some Money? (3)

was visibly shaken.

“Close the door! Don’t let him leave!” Zhang Jingyan yelled.

Li Yuanyuan, with the speed of a rabid dog going after a dropped piece of meat, rushed to the door and locked it.

Chen Zhichao, who was on the phone in the corridor, was confused. Why did they lock the door?

Was the new boss in trouble?

Zhang Jingyan pointed at Yang Chen, his voice laced with threat. “Yang Chen, hand over your phone now, delete the recording, and I’ll let you go. But you can forget about your salary. It’s gone.”

He then grabbed the computer monitor next to him and smashed it on the floor. “Everyone saw it. He destroyed company property. Therefore, 5,000 yuan will be deducted from his salary to cover the damage. Oh, is that not enough? Then I’ll smash another one. Is it enough now? Damn it!”

With that, Zhang Jingyan furiously grabbed another monitor and smashed it, glaring at Yang Chen.

Yang Chen simply smiled. “My recording is still running, and everything you just said has been recorded.”

Zhang Jingyan retorted angrily, “So what? You’re not leaving here today without handing over that phone! Without the recording, it’s our word against yours. With all of us here, we can say whatever we want. You think anyone will believe you?”

“Are you trying to intimidate me? All phones have cloud backup these days, you know? Even if I give you the phone, what good will it do you?” Yang Chen said, still smiling.

Zhang Jingyan was livid. “You’re unbelievable, secretly recording me like that. You have no shame!”

“No shame? Can you be more shameless than you? You deny your own promises. Who could be more shameless than that?” Yang Chen shot back.

Li Yuanyuan clenched his fists. “President Zhang, why are you even talking to him? Just beat him up, destroy his phone, and delete his cloud backup. There are more of us than him. We can say whatever we want. We’ll say he came in here and started smashing computers, and we had to restrain him. It’s inevitable he’d get hurt in the process! Does everyone agree?”

The employees hesitated, unwilling to commit to violence.

They were willing to lie for the boss, but physical assault was a different story.

Yang Chen was a big guy, over six feet tall and strong. If a fight broke out, they might get hurt.

Just then, Chen Zhichao knocked loudly on the door.

When Zhang Jingyan saw it was the manager of the building management office, he quickly went to deal with him.

“Oh, Manager Chen, what brings you here? I was just about to come down and talk about the lease renewal,” Zhang Jingyan said with a forced smile.

“I’m here to see Mr. Yang. Where is he? Why is the door locked in the middle of the day? Have you done something to Mr. Yang?” Chen Zhichao asked, peering into the office.

Zhang Jingyan suddenly turned serious. “Mr. Yang? Which Mr. Yang?”

“Who else could it be? Yang Chen! Didn’t he just come in here?” Chen Zhichao replied, confused.

Zhang Jingyan’s eyes widened, and he asked quickly, “What does Manager Chen want with him?”

“He’s the new owner of this building, what do you think I want with him?” Chen Zhichao asked impatiently.

“Ah? What? New…new owner…” Zhang Jingyan stammered, his face paling. His whole body stiffened.