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Chapter 3 The Supervisor Is Not Easy to Deal With

Shaw led Louie into his office, and they took seats on the two single sofas placed on the north side of the room. At that moment, Arabella entered with paper cups of tea, placing them on the glass coffee table between the two. Afterward, she turned to leave, and Shaw said, "Arabella, go help the supervisor with the personnel procedures."

Arabella nodded and, just before leaving, glanced at Louie, thinking, "He seems like a nice person, approachable without any airs of a leader."

Louie picked up his cup, took a sip of tea, and then said with a smile, "Manager, from now on, you are my department head. I hope you can offer me a lot of guidance."

"Boy, there are no outsiders here. No need to be so polite," Shaw, at the age of forty-nine, addressed Louie as "Boy," which wasn't entirely inappropriate. "Just yesterday, the general manager personally inquired about you. The fact that the general manager is concerned about you indicates his regard. As for me, I have high expectations. After all, you are a 'successful' person who spent six years abroad. As for your professional knowledge, it doesn't matter much in our line of work. Besides, with so many training opportunities in the country now, as long as you have time and money, you can learn anything, right?"

It was clear that Shaw was a shrewd and slippery old fox. To rise to the position of Marketing Department Manager at InfinityGroup, apart from capability, tactics, and interpersonal relationships were indispensable. Louie also guessed that Shaw's attitude toward him might be an attempt to pull him in, probably sensing something "uncommon" in his background.

Thinking about this, Louie chuckled and said, "Manager, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. In fact, in these past few years abroad, I haven't achieved much. To be honest, getting into InfinityGroup was all thanks to some friends' help. As for my abilities, well, I'm good at speaking casually, dating women, but not so much at wooing clients."

Shaw was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter, "Louie, you're quite a joker. But, I like your personality. In the future, if there's anything you need, feel free to come to me."

"Thank you."

Louie sipped his tea and chatted. After about fifteen minutes, the office door opened, and Arabella came in with a bunch of keys and some documents for Louie.

"Supervisor, here are the keys to your office and cabinet, and some documents that need your signature." Arabella placed everything in front of Louie.

At this moment, Shaw stood up and said, "Well, now that the formalities are done, let me take you to your office. I'll also introduce you to the situation in the Marketing Department and help you get to know your team."

Louie picked up the keys and documents, following Shaw towards the Marketing Department's lobby. Arabella hesitated for a moment, then followed behind Louie, unsure whether her colleagues would think she was currying favor. Before the new supervisor arrived, information about the new supervisor's identity had already spread throughout the Marketing Department. Many people were 'not interested' in the new supervisor, especially Bella, who didn't even move her head when the introduction was made.

The Marketing Department was divided into two main halls, with dozens of employees responsible for various tasks. From searching and filing customer information to tracking customers and signing contracts, each had their assigned duties. When Shaw and Louie arrived in the A-section hall, the sales team there was busy contacting clients.

Shaw clapped his hands and loudly said, "Everyone, this is your new Marketing Department supervisor, Louie. Let's welcome him."

"Welcome." Scattered voices of welcome echoed in the hall, and from the sound of it, these people weren't particularly enthusiastic about Louie. Especially Bella, who was sitting near the door, didn't even move her head.

The atmosphere became a bit awkward, even Shaw hadn't expected it to be like this. He felt embarrassed and said, "Supervisor, they are too busy. Don't mind them."

"Manager, how could I?" Louie smiled, "I'm quite satisfied with these people's work."

"That's good." Seeing that Louie wasn't upset, Shaw felt more at ease. Most of these people were brought in by the previous supervisor, and they were unlikely to accept a new supervisor easily, especially given Louie's educational background and qualifications. He pondered that Louie might have sensed this. Thinking this way but not showing it, he added, "Supervisor, let me show you around the office."

As the two walked out of the lobby, Barton ran to Arabella's desk, asking her mysteriously across the partition, "Arabella, what's going on? Didn't you say he was a client?"

Arabella had been worried that someone would ask her about this. The more afraid she became, the more likely someone would inquire. She stammered, "I don't know. I met him at the entrance just now, and I thought he was a client. I didn't expect him to be the new supervisor."

"You cunning little girl. You seem to understand that it's important to get along with the new supervisor." Barton smirked maliciously. "I suggest you don't get too close to the new supervisor. I heard this guy got into the company through connections. He might be fired one day, and you don't want to get implicated."

"I won't." Arabella hurriedly replied.

Louie's office was located to the south, right next to the lobby. The office was spacious, with a view of the Sradarc landscape from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Sample materials of various InfinityGroup products were neatly arranged on the bookshelf against the wall. In the center of the room, a mahogany executive desk held an IBM laptop.

"Louie, you've just arrived, so you might not be familiar with the company's products. You can take a look at these materials first. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me," Shaw said, sitting on the office sofa, legs crossed.

"Thank you." Louie sat in the large chair behind the office desk, running his hand over the smooth surface. "Manager, I'm a bit curious. It seems like the people in the department don't like me. Could it be that my presence makes them uncomfortable in this role?"

"How is that possible, Louie? Don't think too much about it. The previous supervisor didn't do a good job, and when his contract expired, he resigned on his own. I think he had no other outstanding qualities except for a university degree. He was rigid, principled, and our relationship was always strained. Coming back to the point, in our sales job, who doesn't know how to be flexible and adaptable? Building relationships with clients is essential. Singing, drinking, and spending money are all part of the job. Well, I won't say more. If I talk too much, it might seem like I forced him to leave. Louie, I believe you won't be like that. Besides, you were arranged by higher-ups. I don't need to explain much in that regard.

Although Shaw didn't explicitly state it, Louie understood the implications. Instead of being surprised, he just smiled knowingly.

"Well, Louie, I'll be going now. I have some things to take care of later." Saying this, Shaw stood up, and Louie didn't show any intention of seeing him off. He politely said, "Manager, goodbye."

As Shaw left, Louie placed the sample materials from InfinityGroup on his desk and began to familiarize himself with the products. InfinityGroup's main products were engines, with various models that adhered to the same basic principles. Louie specialized in dealing with military hardware, including trucks, military vehicles, tanks, and more. He was well-versed in machinery, so after a brief look at the samples, he had a rough understanding.

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