Chapter 407: Changing Tune
The first call wasnât successful. As before, it reached an automated reply.
There wasnât an automated reply for the second call. It was diverted to Nanfeng.
âHi, this is Fang Zhaoâs assistant. May I know whoâŠâ Nanfeng had already received many calls looking for Fang Zhao during this period and had become well-practiced.
The managerâs face turned dark as he snatched the communications device. âI am the person in charge of Fiery Birdâs year-end customer gratitude ceremony. Put Fang Zhao on right away!â
Nanfengâs tone became much more serious when he heard that this was Fiery Birdâs personnel. He explained, âIâm really sorry, Fang Zhao isââ
ââIâm not listening to that! Put Fang Zhao through!â
âSorry, he really has no wayâŠâ
The call hung up even before Nanfeng finished his sentence.
Nanfeng used his hand to wipe away the sweat on his forehead. He felt slightly worried for Fang Zhao. That was Fiery Bird! If his explanation wasnât good, who knew if he would his endorsement deals next year. It might even affect future collaboration with Fiery Bird. However, Fang Zhaoâs team really had no way of explaining. He couldnât divulge anything right now and could only wait for the conference to end. If anything was leaked, Nanfeng could almost guarantee that there would be news of Fang Zhao getting kicked out of the Whale Island Region before the end of the day.
To offend Fiery Bird, or to be kicked out of the Whale Island Region? There was no need to ask Fang Zhao; Nanfeng had already made the choice.
âSigh, best to let boss complete his assignment before going over to explain. My words carry no weight and people wonât listen.â
Nanfengâs friends were acting pretentious as they ran around to all sorts of events with their own celebrity bosses. Nanfengâs heart also itched, but he couldnât flaunt anything!
Elsewhere with the Fiery Bird year-end customer gratitude ceremony planning team, the managerâs face turned rigid for the third time. He was thinking that if the third time was the same as the previous two times, he would advise the higher-ups to change the endorser next year!
Yes, Fang Zhaoâs ears were very special. He had also been commended by the official military media outlets and had achieved high level artistic awards. However, that didnât mean he could behave like that! Was it acceptable to act so self-important before Fiery Bird?
Less than five minutes later, the third call was made. The third call didnât receive an automated reply. Neither was it diverted to Fang Zhaoâs assistant. Instead, an unfamiliar voice answered the call.
âHello, may I know what you are inquiring about?â A gentle yet unfeeling voice answered in a formal manner.
The managerâs brows twitched. âIâm looking for Fang Zhao. Put Fang Zhao through!â
âFang Zhao currently has matters to attend to and isnât free. If you have any urgent matters, I can help you relay the message.â
The manager took a deep breath and said furiously, âTell him, in half an hour⊠No, he better return the call in ten minutes. Otherwise, donât even dream about endorsing Fiery Bird next year!!â
Bam! The communications device was thrown onto the conference table and the manager pulled a long face. He was in an extremely bad mood, and the others involved in the planning were slightly fearful.
Ten minutes later, a call had yet to come.
The managerâs fury ascended to another level and he sent a message to the Fiery Bird headquarters for Deputy Director Tang Can. The message explained Fang Zhaoâs disappearance and rejection of Fiery Birdâs year-end customer gratitude ceremony. He also recommended kicking Fang Zhao out of next yearâs collaboration list.
Tang Can was also very quick to send a reply. âJust handle the year-end customer gratitude ceremony well. Donât ask me about this matter. Anything else will be discussed at a later time. Alas, for this matter, Fang Zhao has indeedâŠâ
Elsewhere, Tang Can and a few other senior executives of the headquarters had arrived on Whale Island. He didnât say too much in his hasty reply to the planning team. Right now, his focus was on the Whale Island Conference. He had no time to bother with the year-end customer gratitude ceremony and left it all to the manager of the planning team.
âAlright, Iâm busy on my side. Iâm afraid that I wonât be able to manage the year-end customer gratitude ceremony. Donât contact me unless there are especially important matters.â
With that, Tang Can ended the voice message and stepped out of the flying transport along with the few other company executives.
As some of Fiery Birdâs product parts were used in military projects, those fortunate would be able to come and gain experience. One could forget about having dreams of continuous career advancement without attending a few of these conferences. This was Tang Canâs second time participating in the Whale Island Conference. The previous time had been ten years ago when he had managed to get a spot to be an extra. This time around, his status had already risen quite a bit, and Tang Can couldnât help but feel a little nostalgic as he stood in the Whale Island Airport once more.
âI donât know if it is just me, but it feels like the security on Whale Island is much stricter compared to ten years ago.â Tang Can sighed.
âIt isnât just you. Their security has indeed become more strict. All of you, check your belongings and try to remember if you have brought any prohibited items in your luggage,â one of the Fiery Bird senior executives said.
After checking and placing their luggage on the conveyor belt, Tang Canâs party followed the signs and headed to another passage.
Airports at other places would always be noisy and clamorous. However, a solemn atmosphere permeated every corner of this place. Returning conference participants were subconsciously more prudent in their words and actions.
Tang Canâs back was drenched in sweat from layer after layer of security checks. The others werenât much better.
âRest for a bit first. Weâll go over and collect the luggage in a bit,â the person at the head said.
Tang Can got up to the refreshments booth to get some cups of water. He handed them out before keeping the last cup for himself. As he drank, he observed the surroundings. There were other people that had arrived around the same time as their party. He was familiar with these people. They had collaborated before so he exchanged muted greetings.
There were also some familiar looking faces that he couldnât put a name to. Tang Can tried to search for the information in his mind as he continued to look around. However, when his gaze fell on a certain spot, Tang Can froze.
The exit they had just headed out from was flanked by two men, each with a leashed dog. Those were people from Whale Island Regionâs inspection team. Tang Can and the others simply hadnât noticed them when they came out!
Fang Zhao was scanning the conference participants that had just stepped out from the airport to look for anyone suspicious. Sensing Tang Canâs gaze on him, Fang Zhao paused and nodded slightly at Tang Can before continuing to watch the arrivals. His gaze was sharp and incisive like an eagle watching its prey. It caused Tang Can to shiver slightly.
âAck! Cough⊠Cough coughâŠâ
Tang Can choked on his water, and his face turned red.
âWhatâs wrong?â The others in his party were concerned.
âN-Nothing, I just feel that the atmosphere is too tense and choked on my water since I wasnât paying attention,â Tang Can replied.
âYou havenât attended this sort of conference in far too long. Feeling this way is absolutely normal. Relax, as long as you havenât done anything wrong and abide by the rules, you donât have to worry about the inspection team. The police wonât haul you off for interrogation,â another aged man comforted him with a chuckle.
Tang Can thought to himself,
Donât say anymore. I am feeling guilty right now!
He glanced over in Fang Zhaoâs direction. Indeed, he hadnât seen wrongly. Tang Can sent a voice message to the year-end customer gratitude ceremonyâs manager.
âDonât bother about the matter with Fang Zhao first!!!â
The manager busy preparing for the year-end customer gratitude ceremony was momentarily stunned when he received the message. His mind went to work quickly.
Why hadnât Tang Can said all this before? How come he only sent this now when had when he had just arrived at Whale Island? His tone sounded shocked!
Tang Can had seen Fang Zhao at Whale Island?
But, was Fang Zhao qualified to be at Whale Island?
Perhaps he is there to perform?
In just a moment, the manager had already came up with a whole host of possibilities.
No matter what sort of possibility it was, at the very least, he could deduce that the possibility of Tang Can running into Fang Zhao on Whale Island was at least seventy percent! If it was related to the Whale Island Conference, Tang Can wouldnât be able to say anything, let alone explain the circumstances there clearly.
Right, if Fang Zhao was on Whale Island and couldnât answer calls freely, then who had answered the third call? Who had he flipped out on?
The color on his face fluctuated from green to red to white. The others from the planning team had no idea what he was mulling over when they saw this.
Afterwards, the planning team members all said their piece, and all matters were settled in succession. The manager summed up the meeting, fixed the list of invited endorsers from the various continents and finally said, âAs for Fang ZhaoâŠâ
The other members of the planning team were waiting for the manager to flip out. They had made guesses as to whether their team leader had already reported the matter up about wanting to remove Fang Zhaoâs endorsement deals next year. Little did they knowâŠ
The manager had a warm expression without the slightest trace of anger. He even had a wide smile. âPerhaps Fang Zhao is really somewhat inconvenienced. Letâs listen to his explanation when he is able to spare the time in future. We mustnât be so demanding of our partner celebrities. People ought to be given a chance to explain themselves, right?â
Other members in the planning team: ââŠâ
Boss, this wasnât what you said before!
As expected of the planning team leader! He changes his tune even quicker then one can blink.
Huangzhou, Whale Island Region
Fang Zhao had just returned to his dormitory after his shift at the airport and received the message relayed by the switchboard operator.
He had no way of explaining to Fiery Birdâs customer gratitude ceremony planning team at the moment and could only wait for the conference to conclude. However, thinking back to seeing that deputy director of Fiery Bird at the airport today, he thought that perhaps their side would know the reason without Fang Zhao even needing to explain to them.
A short while after returning to the dormitory, Fang Zhao was called over by Captain Zhao Chao.
âAre you able to get used to the workload?â
âNo problems,â Fang Zhao responded.
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âVery good. The workload will increase as it gets closer to the start of the conference. You must be prepared. If you have any needs, feel free to raise themâeven issues with the accommodations or food. Donât let other small issues affect your work,â Zhao Chao said.
âCaptain, I wish to request for more dog food!â
â⊠Letâs talk about something else.â
Fang Zhaoâs previous request had been turned down by the canine specialist veterinarian. This time, the request was turned down as well.