My Gorgeous Lady Boss

This morning was the regular meeting, and almost everyone from this district was present. Manager Chen wasted no time in reprimanding the team, causing whispers to spread among the employees. Some, who were aware of the inside story, couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Jaden.

However, Jaden wasn't angry. He leisurely stepped aside, lit a cigarette, and said, "You go ahead with your meeting. Even if I'm fired, I should at least finish up some handover tasks, right? You guys carry on, but when you're done, we'll need to have a chat."

"Heh, there's nothing to talk about. Once you hand over the company's things, you can just leave!" Manager Chen sneered, showing no respect for Jaden.

"Hey! Did you hear that? Chen says you shouldn't be hanging around here! Get lost!" It was Manager Chen's cousin who spoke, his words dripping with the same authority, since he was naturally loyal to Chen.

"Why the rush? We still need to talk. If you won't show me some respect, don't blame me if I don't give you any either!" Jaden wasn't fazed. He was one of the more physically imposing people in the room, and he wasn't afraid of Manager Chen or his cousin, who were both on the smaller side.

Still, Jaden was worried. If things escalated and it came to a fight, Manager Chen, as the boss's favorite, might have backup, which would put Jaden at a disadvantage.

"You won't give me respect? What a joke! It's you who's being disrespectful!" Manager Chen sneered.

"Don't be hasty. I'll send you a message. Read it and think it over," Jaden said, pulling out his phone.

A familiar message notification pinged. Manager Chen checked his phone, and his face immediately darkened.

After a moment of hesitation, he suppressed his anger and said, "Alright, everyone ignore him. Let's start the meeting!" The sudden change in Manager Chen's attitude surprised the staff, but they wisely chose not to ask any questions.

Unless there was something urgent, the regular meeting was just a formality.

Manager Chen quickly finished talking about routine work requirements, then dismissed the employees. Only his cousin remained.

With a dark expression, Manager Chen approached Jaden, his voice cold, "How did you find out?"

"If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it. I didn't want to get too involved, but since you're forcing my hand, don't blame me," Jaden replied coldly.

"You think this will work on me? Where's your evidence? Who's going to believe a bunch of made-up stories? I could just say you're upset about being fired and are trying to take revenge on me!" Manager Chen hesitated, though, unsure of how to proceed.

"Of course, I have evidence. You know very well what you've done. If this goes to the management level, you won't be able to withstand the investigation. And if you don't want to talk, I'll just leave," Jaden said, flicking his cigarette butt to the ground and preparing to walk away.

"Wait! What do you want?" Manager Chen called after him.

"I don't want anything. I know why you're targeting me - it's all about that promotion. Let me make it clear, I'm not interested in a promotion. If the order comes down, I'll turn it down. But firing me on some excuse isn't going to fly. And to top it off, you want to withhold my salary? That's just cutting off my livelihood!" Jaden's anger was evident.

"Hey... let's calm down. We've worked together for so long. Let's talk it out. I'm just playing around, really. It's no big deal. Come on, have a smoke," Manager Chen said, pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

Jaden gave him a cold look but took the cigarette without hesitation. Manager Chen quickly lit it for him, his tone turning more conciliatory. "Actually, I was just kidding. I know your delivery numbers have been down lately. When the performance reviews come, the numbers might look bad."

"I know how much work I've done. If you calculate the average, I won't be at the bottom. And even if my numbers aren't great, you have ways to handle it, don't you?" Jaden glanced at Manager Chen's cousin, who had been standing quietly nearby.

"Of course, of course... I have ways, I have ways," Manager Chen nodded quickly, eager to smooth things over.

"So, what about my work?" Jaden asked casually.

"You'll continue working as usual. You'll have plenty of freedom. Do whatever you want with your schedule!" Manager Chen quickly changed his tune.

"Chen, I don't interfere with your work, so don't make things difficult for me. If you do, we'll both go down together. From now on, you're not to touch my performance. I'm only responsible for the Eastern District, so don't try to switch my district. And don't assign me any tedious or thankless tasks!" Jaden's tone was serious.

"Of course, of course. We'll do it by the book, alright?" Manager Chen said, trying to appease him with a smile.

"You're the one who doesn't do things by the book. And what about my salary this month?" Jaden pressed.

"Not a penny less. I'll pay you exactly what the company owes you! Oh, wait, should I add a few more orders to your performance?" Manager Chen asked, trying to flatter Jaden.

"No need. I'll take what I've earned. I won't take other people's hard-earned money. Chen, let me give you a word of advice. Even if you want to make some money with your own way, don't go overboard. Sooner or later, even if I don't speak up, someone else will," Jaden warned before turning to leave.

Manager Chen watched Jaden's retreating figure, his face clouded with anger.

With the work situation handled, Jaden moved on to his next task - delivering food.

He had stumbled upon Manager Chen's shady dealings by accident. During a delivery, he had discovered that the man had colluded with a listed merchant to scam customers.

Jaden didn't want to cause trouble, so he had turned a blind eye.

Later, he also heard that Manager Chen was pocketing kickbacks from shop owners in his district, offering to deliver orders early in exchange for a cut. Not only that, but he was also sneaking bites of the customers' food.

There was an incident where the truth nearly came out, but Manager Chen managed to suppress it.

Jaden hadn't been able to focus on these issues before, since he was too busy with his own problems. But now, as Manager Chen was trying to fire him, Jaden had no choice but to threaten him with the information he had.

Jaden wasn't a saint. Although he knew about Manager Chen's unscrupulous behavior, as long as it didn't affect him directly, he wasn't going to interfere. He just wanted a stable job and to make a living through his own efforts.

In fact, he was prepared for a total fallout with Manager Chen, but since Luna had offered him a job, he could always take a chance with her company if things didn't work out.

However, for now, it seemed unnecessary. Relying on a woman for help still felt uncomfortable to Jaden.

The morning rush was a small peak for delivery orders. Many people had a habit of having breakfast in the morning, but most shops only opened at specific times, so customers had to pre-order.

This meant that when people went to work, a lot of orders piled up. On the plus side, pre-ordered deliveries made it easier to plan the route.

With one route completed, Jaden had delivered five orders when Luna called. "Hurry up and come to my place to change! We've got a situation!"