Chapter 2254 - 2455: Truly Beyond Regret!!!

Being confronted by the female staff member, he was a bit taken aback, muttering to himself, and asked, "What do you mean Shu Ya's husband, are you joking with me?"

The female staff member wanted to remind him not to make a mistake, since one wrong move could lead to regret. But he had already made a mistake, and even when told to fix it, he was still in denial. Her expression turned a bit sour, but as a colleague, she still felt she should help.

She said, "I'm not joking with you; you've messed with someone you shouldn't have. He's our President Shu's husband, just arrived at the company, brought in by Secretary Feng. Secretary Feng was called away by President Shu, so I was asked to entertain him. But I hadn't had the chance before you came in and did this."

Upon hearing this, Minister Chuandao's awareness returned, and he seemed to understand something, his face immediately turning pale.

The female staff member said again, "You better apologize to Mr. Hao quickly; otherwise, you'll regret it, and the consequences will be beyond you. I just heard the tone you used when speaking to Mr. Hao; it wasn't very nice. If Mr. Hao holds it against you, well... you know President Shu's temper..."

Before she could finish speaking, Minister Chuandao's expression became exceedingly grim.

He suddenly recalled what he had done earlier: first, rudely pushing Hao Jian awake, which was a major misstep. After waking him, he spoke harshly, treating him like an ordinary junior staff member, which was the second offense.

Then, he kicked his chair twice, each time harder than the last, ordering him off it, which was the third offense. When he finally stood up, he ordered him not to leave, wanting to continue lecturing him, mocking and sneering at him, which was the fourth offense. All of what he just did compounded into a fifth offense!

Suddenly, he felt like his brain was briefly deprived of oxygen, struggling to breathe, feeling a bit dizzy. He felt entirely unwell, unprepared for such an overwhelming amount of information at once.

Never had he thought that Hao Jian was actually President Shu's husband. If he'd known, he absolutely wouldn't have dared to treat Hao Jian like this. The repercussions were too terrifying to ponder. Not to mention whether Hao Jian would punish him for his actions, the punishment would definitely be something he couldn't endure.

Putting aside that scenario, President Shu's temperament was well known to him; nearly everyone in the company knew she's strict and meticulous, managing the company proficiently. Her fierce reputation meant nobody dared mess with her, coupled with her competence and methods.

If she knew he had humiliated and mocked her husband, well, what wife wouldn't be furious to hear her husband was mistreated? It's inevitable she'd hold it against him. He's seen this before when President Shu first came to the branch, overhauling it and securing major projects.

This felt like there wouldn't be enough heads on his shoulders to bear such a sin. Especially since he just got promoted, the seat hadn't even warmed when such an event occurred. He felt on the brink of collapse.

However, now wasn't the time for fainting; collapsing onto the floor would be the end. No... he couldn't faint now, there was still room for remedy. If Mr. Hao didn't hold it against him, he'd still have a chance.

With that thought, he couldn't manage explaining to the female colleague who had briefed him on the reality, rushing to Hao Jian with a tearful and regretful face.

"Mr. Hao, forgive me for not recognizing you and saying and doing a lot I shouldn't have. I'm guilty, I'm guilty, please forgive me, don't hold it against me." Minister Chuandao tearfully begged.

The five interview candidates on the side, witnessing Minister Chuandao, once so proud, suddenly turn into this state when dealing with this young man, were also a bit bewildered. While intrigued, they sat upright, not daring to glance too often, choosing to listen instead.

Hao Jian, however, found it kind of amusing, seeing such a stark contrast to Minister Chuandao's earlier demeanor towards him. Although the female staff member had pulled Minister Chuandao aside to explain, the others couldn't hear what was said, but Hao Jian's sharper hearing caught everything clearly.

He was amused by what he heard, yet the situation constrained him from laughing aloud. Momentarily unsure of what to say, he simply looked at Minister Chuandao.

Minister Chuandao misunderstood, thinking Hao Jian wouldn't forgive him, would hold it against him. Frightened, even more apprehensive, he realized if Hao Jian blamed him, considering his influence, he could cost him his job instantly. Losing the job would be a disaster.

"Thud!" he nearly knelt down to apologize sincerely to Hao Jian, as the job was rare, and losing it right after a promotion would be a huge loss. For the job, he was willing to give anything. However, as he was about to kneel, Hao Jian pulled him up.

Sensing he was lifted and hadn't knelt, he looked bewildered, unsure of Hao Jian's intention. But he realized if Hao Jian wasn't letting him kneel, maybe he wouldn't be blamed. His expression shifted slightly.

"Mr. Hao, you are... I'm at fault, let me kneel and apologize to you," Minister Chuandao earnestly said.

Hao Jian chuckled, released him, saying, "If you kneel, I'd become a sinner enduring throughout history."

Minister Chuandao's expression changed, breaking into a cold sweat, relieved he hadn't actually knelt. If he had, it would've been over; making Mr. Hao a historical wrongdoer would've been unforgivable. "Oh no, Mr. Hao, I'm the sinner here; earlier I..." he hurriedly exclaimed.

Hao Jian waved it off, saying, "Forget it. No need to mention it again. I only saw Minister Chuandao's deep respect for leadership and diligent dedication to work."

Minister Chuandao, hearing this, seemed lost, having expected to be blamed and to beg for forgiveness, yet Hao Jian's shift to praise stunned him, leaving him a bit disoriented.

"I..." For a long while, he couldn't utter a word.

Hao Jian, smiling, said, "Alright, Minister Chuandao might be impulsive and quick-tempered, but he's still dedicated to his work. Let's leave it at that, I won't blame you, so don't worry."

Glancing at the stack of interview materials the minister held, he leisurely sipped his tea, saying, "If President Shu's busy outside, I'll handle the interview."

Concerned for Shu Ya's workload, he thought since he had the time and these interviewees were here, he might as well complete the process, easing Shu Ya's burden, so she'd have less on her plate when finishing outside.

"Oh..." Minister Chuandao snapped out of it, quickly handing the interview materials to Hao Jian.

The female staff member, who had served tea to Hao Jian, seeing the matter resolved without Minister Chuandao being accused, sighed in relief. Had Minister Chuandao been penalized, Secretary Feng might've known about their insufficient hospitality, implicating her too.

With everything neatly settled, and as Hao Jian prepared to interview the candidates, she quickly said, "Mr. Hao, if it's okay, I'll leave you to it."

Hao Jian nodded, and she swiftly left. Meanwhile, Minister Chuandao prepared everything for the interview and said to Hao Jian, "Mr. Hao, everything's ready, please have a seat."

Hao Jian walked over and sat down. Previously he'd been asked to leave the chair, now he was invited back, appreciating the shift in attitude with a smile on his face.

The five candidates didn't know Hao Jian's identity, but seeing Minister Chuandao nearly kneeling before him, spoke volumes about his potential influence over their fates.

Thus, they adjusted their demeanor towards Hao Jian accordingly.

"No need for roll call, since you're all here, introduce yourselves one by one," Hao Jian suggested.

The candidates immediately began introducing themselves in turn.

Minister Chuandao stood by Hao Jian's side, assuming the task of 'serving tea and water.'