Chapter 29: Sending the Right Size Dumbbell?

Su Hao had never imagined that one day he would be more nervous than on his first day at work.
His fingertips even trembled slightly, almost uncontrollably.
No longer a trading assistant, nor a formal trader, but… a team leader.
A real team manager, wielding considerable power over resources and the life and death of team members!
He inwardly chuckled:
Back then, as a small guild leader in a game, commanding dozens of people in dungeons was a struggle. Now…
he was actually the head of an independent trading team at a large private equity firm?
This leap was a bit too… unbelievable.
“…There are a few facilities that only management-level employees have access to. You can enter directly with your new employee card.”
The HR staff member handed him the brand-new card, explaining in a formulaic manner.
“Ah, okay.” Su Hao took the card, its surface slightly cool to the touch.
“Also, the equipment support team should have already rearranged the trading equipment in your personal office. Because some specialized equipment has been added, they may need to provide you with another individual instruction session.”
He glanced down at his work card.
The white card displayed his photo and a brand-new title:
[Fanghuan Investment, Trading Department 7, Manager Su Hao]
“Congratulations, Manager Su Hao.” The HR staff member smiled professionally.
“Manager Su Hao”… This title, being addressed so formally for the first time, sent a slight shiver down his spine, as if a faint electric current had passed through him.
“Uh… thank you.”
He thanked them somewhat awkwardly, trying to keep his voice steady.
He hung the new work card around his neck, letting it hang in front of his chest, giving it a heavy, strangely real feel.
Just as he was about to turn and leave the HR department—
“Manager Su Hao!” A slightly excited voice came from behind him.
Su Hao turned around and saw Wang Wenbin, the head of the HR department, who had been sitting in the corner, glancing in their direction every now and then as if observing something. Now, Wang Wenbin was walking briskly towards him with a broad smile.
"Oh dear, we're a little late with our greetings, aren't we? Haha!"
Wang Wenbin was very enthusiastic, extending his hand proactively. "I'm Wang Wenbin, the head of the HR department."
"Ah, hello," Su Hao quickly shook hands.
"Manager Su, do you know who went against the grain and arranged for you to be assigned to the trading department?"
Wang Wenbin leaned closer, lowering his voice, with an air of "you know what I mean" mystery.
"Uh… I don't know," Su Hao answered honestly.
"Hehe, it's me! I knew you were no ordinary kid! This day was bound to come sooner or later!"
Wang Wenbin patted his chest smugly:
"Of course... well, to be honest, this day came a tiny bit faster than I expected. But anyway! We should get closer from now on, okay?"
"...Yes." Faced with this sudden "favor of recognition," Su Hao could only nod in agreement.
This Wang Wenbin even personally escorted him to the elevator, his attentiveness making Su Hao feel somewhat flattered.
After getting off the elevator, he took a deep breath to calm his slightly agitated emotions and finally arrived at the entrance of the trading department.
"Hoo..." He exhaled a long breath.
[Trading Department Seven, Department Manager, Su Hao]
From today onwards, this is his new identity, his battlefield.
"Uh."
As soon as he stepped into the department area, he bumped into a familiar figure.
It was Zhou Yi, the former head of Trading Department One.
The two stopped almost simultaneously, their eyes briefly meeting in the air.
"..."
Zhou Yi's usually expressionless, rock-carved face seemed to twitch extremely subtly.
Then, the corners of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly upwards—a...smile?
Then, he stepped forward, raised his muscular arm, and lightly patted Su Hao's shoulder before brushing past him.
The entire process was silent.
But strangely, Su Hao understood from that simple gesture, that almost imperceptible "smile," a kind of...approval.
A silent affirmation from his former boss.
This feeling was subtle, yet it warmed his heart.
Thinking back, Zhou Yi did indeed appear cold and hard, like a rock in a latrine.
But upon reflection, in his previous team, it was precisely this seemingly cold but warm-hearted manager, Zhou Yi, who truly withstood the pressure and gave him the most opportunities to try and prove himself.
In fact, it could be said that the opportunities and trust Zhou Yi had given him were crucial to his success today.
'I...I should find an opportunity to give him some gift to thank him,' Su Hao thought silently.
'Look at his muscles… maybe a pair of large dumbbells would suit him well?'
He shook off these thoughts, his gaze fixed on the end of the corridor, on the separate area marked "Department Seven."
'That's my office.'
A private office, reserved only for team managers.
He pushed open the door.
Inside, a familiar figure was already waiting.
It was the IT colleague who had helped him install and debug the equipment before.
'Manager Su, you're here! I've been waiting for you.'
The IT colleague greeted him immediately with a sincere smile.
'Hello, it's nice to see you again.' Su Hao smiled back.
"Yeah, haha. I really didn't expect to see you again so soon, and... you're already a team manager!"
The man scratched his head, his tone full of amazement:
"To be honest, I've never seen such a rocket-like promotion in all my years at the company! Amazing! Congratulations!"
Su Hao's gaze passed over him and landed on the newly renovated equipment in the room.
Then, his mouth involuntarily opened slightly.
No way...
The monitors... from six to... a full nine!
Nine monitors, arranged in an arc, surrounded the huge desk, like the core of an information cocoon.
"Um... the basic operation is similar to what I explained to you last time."
The IT colleague began to explain, "The main difference is the monitors; we've added three more. According to regulations, the team leader needs to monitor the investment activities and returns of team members in real time, and these three new monitors are specifically for that."
Su Hao suddenly understood.
No wonder Zhou Yi's desk also had nine monitors densely packed together before.
"Oh, right! When I checked your old equipment last time, I noticed that the left button on your mouse... well, it was quite worn out, almost completely unusable."
The IT colleague seemed to remember something, picking up a brand-new mouse from the corner of the table:
"Considering you do short-term trading, your click frequency must be very high, so I took the liberty of replacing it with a brand-new, high-performance mouse."
He paused, then added in a tone of friendly reminder:
"I know that speed is crucial in trading, but please take it easy. Clicking so hard can easily injure your wrist.
Of course, if this new mouse still doesn't feel right, or... you break it again, feel free to contact me, and I promise to send you a new one immediately.
After all, for us traders, time is money, and the equipment absolutely cannot fail us."
Su Hao couldn't help but smile wryly upon hearing this.
No wonder the mouse clicks had become increasingly unresponsive before; it turned out... he had almost worn it out himself?
Recalling those moments when the "feeling" struck, he felt like he was in a frenzied state, frantically typing commands into the left mouse button…
Hmm, messing things up, it seems… plausible?
"Alright, the equipment is all set up, you can start working anytime!"
The IT colleague quickly packed up his tools:
"Then I won't bother you any longer! If you have any problems, feel free to call us!"
After seeing the IT colleague off, the office door closed gently.
Finally, only Su Hao remained, in this brand new "territory" that belonged to him.
The excitement of becoming a team manager wasn't as intense as he had imagined.
In its place was a deeper tension, the pressure of responsibility, and… a sense of bewilderment.
A slight feeling of disorientation, not knowing what to do next.
He looked around; the nine enormous screens, like silent behemoths, watched him silently.
“Before the market opens, I need to thoroughly analyze the data provided by the research department… Then, I need to call a short meeting with the team members to determine today's basic strategy… Oh right, I haven't even formally greeted my team members yet…”
He rubbed his temples, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks ahead.
Presumably, those members who had just received their transfer orders and were now under his command were also in a state of confusion and uncertainty.
Before the official appointments, he had already received a list of the new team members.
A cursory glance revealed mostly unfamiliar names.
However, among that string of unfamiliar names, besides Liang Haiyuan, there was another name that felt familiar…
Knock knock—
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door.
“Manager Su, may I come in?” A clear, pleasant voice, tinged with a hint of excitement, rang out.
It was the name he had just thought of!
“Ah, please come in,” Su Hao replied immediately.
The door opened, and a familiar face, beaming with a bright smile, peeked in.
It was Li Huilin.
“Manager Su Hao! Good morning!” Li Huilin walked in with light steps, her tone full of energy.
“Uh…” Hearing her address him so formally made Su Hao feel uneasy.
“Um… it feels a little strange to be called that by Sister Huilin.”
Li Huilin covered her mouth and chuckled:
"Hehe, I'm a little unaccustomed to it too. But, calling me 'Manager Su Hao' feels... hmm, it actually sounds quite natural!"
He quickly waved his hand: "It's alright, Sister Huilin, just call me A-Hao like before."
"Oh dear, how can that be! You're now the team leader, guiding our entire team through thick and thin!"
Li Huilin immediately shook her head, her expression becoming serious:
"Rules can't be broken! I'm genuinely happy for you! Really! Congratulations! With your abilities, you absolutely deserve it!"
Her eyes were clear, her tone sincere.
Seeing that Li Huilin had also been transferred to his team, Su Hao felt much more at ease.
Having such a skilled and kind colleague was like a godsend.
What's even more remarkable is that a former subordinate suddenly becomes one's direct superior, which inevitably evokes some jealousy or resentment.
But this angelic and kind-hearted Huilin seems immune to those negative emotions.
"By the way, this is the research material from this morning."
Li Huilin handed over a document:
"I've highlighted the key parts. If you're short on time, these markings should give you a general idea of ​​what will be discussed in today's meeting!"
Su Hao took the document; it felt slightly heavy.
As expected of Huilin!
She must have been flustered this morning due to the personnel changes, yet she still managed to prepare so meticulously in advance.
This professionalism and thoughtfulness filled him with gratitude.
"Then you can look at it for now. I'll go do some preparations. See you at the meeting, Manager Su~~"
Li Huilin deliberately dragged out the last syllable, winked playfully, and turned to leave the office briskly.
Su Hao watched her figure disappear behind the door, a smile involuntarily curving his lips into a smile.
“Prepare for the meeting! Yes, prepare for the meeting first!”
He took a deep breath, his gaze refocusing on the documents on the table and the nine screens in front of him.
Now, unlike when he was an assistant, he couldn't simply toss the documents on the table and call it a day.
He was the team manager!
He had to lead this meeting!