969 So worried
“Don’t be nervous. Don’t be nervous. Don’t lose your cool…”
a.s.sistant Yang told himself this repeatedly. No matter what, he had been working in the office since he was an a.s.sistant with no experience to the personal a.s.sistant he was now. He had climbed up the ranks using nothing but his own efforts. No one could s.n.a.t.c.h all those efforts away.
Finally, a.s.sistant Yang calmed down.
He pushed the gold-rimmed gla.s.ses up the bridge of his nose and smiled, touching gla.s.ses with the people around him. “Did you see that? That’s the charisma of our Senior Speaker Long.”
…
After they were done with lunch, everyone bid their goodbyes and rushed to the next place that they were supposed to visit. General Ji took the opportunity to get Huo Shaoheng into his study.
“Shaoheng, has Nianzhi made up her mind about where she would like to work yet?” General Ji asked softly. “Do you think she will be willing to go to the Senate?”
General Ji was really worried about Huo Shaoheng and Gu Nianzhi. Due to Gu Nianzhi’s position, her future in the army would indeed be really limited if she joined them. Moreover, even if she did not join the army, General Ji knew that, as long as Huo Shaoheng was around, and as long as they needed it, Gu Nianzhi would definitely help out. Therefore, he did not have any intention of insisting that Gu Nianzhi work for the army.
All along, he had hoped for Gu Nianzhi to join the Senate. This would be extremely helpful for Huo Shaoheng’s future.
The higher positions in the Senate were all elected. They did not clash with the Cabinet or the army. However, the Cabinet would not be a good place for Gu Nianzhi. Due to her relations.h.i.+p with Gu Yanran, Gu Nianzhi had already most likely offended Prime Minister Tan to the extreme. Prime Minister Tan still had five years of service left. If he succeeded in the election and stayed in his position after five years, that would be ten years in total.
How many years could one afford waste when it came to their career?
As such, Gu Nianzhi would never enter the Cabinet. Therefore, she would only have two options to progress her career. One would be to get a job in a professional law firm and become a good lawyer. Another one would be to enter the Senate and progress towards the higher positions there.
However, in order to get to the higher positions in the Senate, on top of having the ability to go through elections, she would need a powerful person like Senior Speaker Long to pave the way for her before she could achieve success more efficiently.
General Ji got Secretary Cao to openly show interest in recruiting Gu Nianzhi to get Senior Speaker Long to acknowledge her capabilities. Then, he pretended to want to compete with Senior Speaker Long to recruit Gu Nianzhi in order to increase her worth.
Huo Shaoheng knew what General Ji was planning all along. Although he did not help, he’d also done nothing to stop him.
“General Ji, I respect Nianzhi’s decision on this. You know that she has always been someone with a mind of her own even though she is still very young. I am unable to stop what she wants to do, and am also unable to force her to do anything she does not wish to do.”
“Oh, like that…” General Ji looked at him and smiled purposefully. With his arms folded, he said, “Shaoheng, this is so unlike you! You and she are already married. Won’t she listen to you when it comes to decision making?”
Huo Shaoheng chuckled. “Please do not make fun of me, General Ji. Marriage was the best move for everyone involved. You have to keep it a secret for me.”
“I know, I know.” General Ji stretched his hand to the back of his head and rubbed. “I will wait until you guys decide to have a grand wedding. I will definitely give you a huge red packet then!”
Huo Shaoheng nodded. “I will definitely get General Ji to be my witness.”
General Ji only let Huo Shaoheng leave after speaking to him about a couple of things regarding work.
Taking the opportunity of Huo Shaoheng’s absence, Senior Speaker Long tried to convince Gu Nianzhi again. “Nianzhi, please consider this well. Really, I am really sincerely inviting you. Our Senate’s secretary’s office’s main legal consultant position is currently empty. As long as you are agreeable, I will really nurture you with all I have!” Senior Speaker Long was really keen on recruiting Gu Nianzhi to his office and was trying his best to convince her to agree to his invitation.
Gu Nianzhi knew that Senior Speaker Long’s words could not be fully trusted. However, all politicians were the same. As a lawyer, she also had to hide certain information from her clients. That was why she did not mind it.
She just could not make up her mind.
Just as Senior Speaker Long had said, her career options were closely connected to her career planning. This would dictate her career progression for the next five to ten years, sculpting her as a person and a professional.
In her heart, in her selfish thoughts, she knew that she really wanted to progress to a position that would be comparable to Huo Shaoheng’s. Based on her birth, if she wanted to be in a position that would be comparable to Huo Shaoheng’s in Hua Xia Empire, the only options she had were to either enter the army, the Senate, or the Cabinet.
She would definitely not be able to get promoted to a position that would be comparable to Huo Shaoheng’s in the army. No, she would be nowhere near him. Even reaching a position a few ranks lower than his would be impossible.
Due to Huo Shaoheng, she would be forever in a position of having to balance him out. Although she was willing to help the army, for her career aspirations, entering the army to work in General Ji’s office would not be a good path for her.
She didn’t even have to think about the Cabinet.
Tan Dongbang would still be in the office as Prime Minister for the next five years. Even if she was able to get a job in the Cabinet, she would be left alone for those five years. Therefore, she would definitely have to sc.r.a.p that option.
As such, she was only left with the Senate.
The Senate was not to be compared to the army nor the cabinet. In the Senate, your birth was not important. The background checks were not as stringent compared to the army or the cabinet either. As long as you were capable, it was the perfect place for young people to succeed.
Gu Nianzhi was more inclined towards the Senate since it was led by Senior Speaker Long. However, she would not agree immediately. She would wait until He Zhichu returned from his lunar new year break before consulting him for his opinion.
Therefore, Gu Nianzhi faced Senior Speaker Long and said sincerely, “Senior Speaker Long, I am truly thankful for your favor. I promise you that I will definitely consider this properly.”
“Sure. Do not take too long though. Our secretary’s office will be posting a notice to hire after the lunar new year. However, if you make your decision before that, just give me a call. I will fill out the recommendation form and get it sent to you.”
Senior Speaker Long had really planned everything out nicely.
Gu Nianzhi thanked him profusely and watched as he got into his car.
a.s.sistant Yang got into the car after Senior Speaker Long. Before he boarded the car, he bowed politely to Gu Nianzhi. “Miss Gu, I am so glad that we will finally be able to work together.”
Gu Nianzhi curled her lips. “Yes, such an honor.”
a.s.sistant Yang said seriously, “Miss Gu must really do your best. Actually, between you and Miss Cai, I would really prefer Miss Gu to get this position. I feel that as a colleague, Miss Gu would make a better one compared to Miss Cai.”
“Miss Cai?” Gu Nianzhi blinked. “Which one are you referring to?”
“Miss Cai Shengnan of course.” a.s.sistant Yang laughed. “Senior Speaker Long really likes her as well. He actually wanted her to be our main legal consultant in the secretary’s office. However, Miss Gu came along. Now Miss Cai must work even harder.”
“Oh? It was already decided internally?” Gu Nianzhi wanted out already. “Then shouldn’t I just back out?”
“It’s okay actually. We have not decided internally yet. I mean, if Miss Gu wasn’t around, then we would have internally chosen Miss Cai to fill the position. However, it is now clear that Miss Gu is more capable compared to Miss Cai. So, of course, we did not decide internally that Miss Cai would take the position. Both of you will have to partic.i.p.ate in the selection. Do your best! You have my support.”
With that, a.s.sistant Yang patted Gu Nianzhi’s shoulder before turning around and getting into the car.
Senior Speaker Long waved at Gu Nianzhi from the car. Gu Nianzhi returned the wave with a smile and looked on as the car drove away.
In the car, Senior Speaker Long smiled and asked a.s.sistant Yang, “Are you close to Gu Nianzhi? It seems like you and she were talking rather happily…”
“We are okay. You have been getting me to listen in on the lawsuit she was fighting for her inheritance in since it began. I got to know her then.”
a.s.sistant Yang had always presented himself as being gracious and mature in front of Senior Speaker Long. He gave the impression that he would not compete and was not easily made jealous of others. Therefore, Senior Speaker Long thought highly of him and felt safe enough to allow him to be in charge of many things.
Actually, everyone thought that he would be the successor of Senior Speaker Long. Even a.s.sistant Yang himself thought so. However, after Senior Speaker Long had made such a promise in front of everyone today, a.s.sistant Yang realized that he had given it too much thought before.
Senior Speaker Long had never once considered him to be his successor.
…
Even after Senior Speaker Long’s car disappeared into the distance, Gu Nianzhi still stood in front of General Ji’s living quarters. She looked wistfully at the road in front of her.
Huo Shaoheng stood beside Gu Nianzhi for a while before asking, “Did you have a good chat with Senior Speaker Long?”
Gu Nianzhi looked up at him and smiled. “Not bad, Senior Speaker Long was enthusiastic.”
“Senior Speaker Long has been in charge of the higher Senate for more than thirty years. His words can influence people easily.” As Huo Shaoheng spoke to her, he noticed that there was a call coming in on his Bluetooth earpiece.
It was from his father, Huo Guanchen.
Thinking that it was the first day of the lunar new year, Huo Shaoheng answered the call.
He had noticed that, although he was a senior member in the standing committee of the military supreme council, his father had not visited General Ji’s home.
Logically, Huo Guanchen should have been there. He had been there every single year prior. Huo Shaoheng did not know why he’d been absent this year.