Chapter 524: 0522 Worth the value
After leaving City Hall, Lynch’s next stop was the company, as he hadn’t had the time to visit the office due to his constant travels abroad.
To outsiders, Lynch’s large business empire suggested that his headquarters should be expansive, at least a three-to-five-story building with a thousand-square-meter office crowded with bustling salespersons and managers, akin to the bustling scene in Bupen during its peak.
It’s not as exaggerated as one might think, and in some people’s eyes, Lynch’s current headquarters even appears a bit "dowdy."
It lacks the thousand-square-meter office spread over several floors; in fact, the entire office space is less than a thousand square meters. If Lynch’s name wasn’t on the original registration documents, people might not associate this company with him.
Much smaller than the headquarters of a comprehensive group, it resembles an accounting firm more closely. The most fascinating part is Lynch’s preference for collaborating partners over a large number of employees.
With few employees, he naturally requires less space to accommodate different staff, no intricate personnel relationships or various departments, and doesn’t need to provide necessary office spaces for them.
He delegates all tasks to his partners, with his only intervention being in financial matters, such as dividend distribution, payment collection, understanding the details behind every transaction. Thus, the headquarters, based on Interstellar Trade Company, lacks thrilling imagination.
As Lynch walked into the reception area, the receptionist stood up, looking both surprised and delighted, albeit slightly confused. She looked at Lynch, wanting to say something but worried about saying the wrong thing.
With significant time elapsed, some employees might have only seen Lynch a few times, making his sudden appearance confusing, especially since everyone knows Lynch is expanding business in Nagariel.
Lynch smiled at the girl, and the familiar smile instantly assured the receptionist that this was indeed the boss. Some things can be faked, but certain elements, like Mr. Lynch’s smile, can’t deceive.
That clean and transparent smile is not something everyone can master.
"Mr. Lynch..." the receptionist, both excited and a little restrained, didn’t know how to react.
She had fantasized countless times about "bumping into" Lynch—gentle, domineering, unreasonable, moving—and even imagined him coming to work every morning, seeing her first. Under frequent encounters, she imagined quickly becoming intimate with Mr. Lynch and marrying him, leading to a blissful life.
The endless daydreaming left her momentarily speechless, as Lynch simply said "Don’t mind me" and walked past her, entering the company.
The girl still lingered in the fragrant trail left by Lynch as he walked by, suddenly feeling that Mr. Lynch was utterly flawless; even the lingering scent he left behind was so distinct and pleasant.
Meanwhile, Vera, who was working and holding her forehead, felt a bit weary. The company’s scale had grown tenfold, making the workload somewhat overwhelming, reminding her of the fatigue Gap showed upon returning home before any incidents.
This exhaustion isn’t physical but mental. Like her former teacher, she uses a ruler to help accurately read each line of numbers.
She never thought she would need to do such things at her relatively young age, but now she understands.
Numbers crowded on ledgers may cause one to accidentally focus elsewhere the next second.
This distraction is unavoidable, influenced by thoughts on numerical changes, a glance at a cup, or a sudden association with certain matters, and is unrelated to focus.
Such interruptions might result in wasted work stretching minutes, hours, or even nearly the whole day—looking at the wrong line leading to erroneous final statistics and uncertain solutions, leaving recalculation as the only option.
Using a ruler simplifies coordination, quickly allowing one to return to continuing the review of prior numbers despite minor distractions, preventing mistakes.
While past work was relatively straightforward, now it’s increasingly complex, passing many detailed tasks to others in the office while Vera only performs the final audit. Her current role overlaps significantly with Gap’s previous responsibilities.
This job entails considerable pressure. If the final numbers are wrong, the company won’t hold accountable the ordinary accountants handling detailed calculations but rather the person reviewing these numbers the last time.
Local numerical shifts, statewide changes, and now international fluctuations give Vera the sensation of her brain swelling and expanding.
At this moment, she noticed the office door opening from the corner of her eye, frowning slightly without lifting her head as she said, "I’ve mentioned before, you must knock before entering my office, and don’t if there’s no urgent matter..."
She put on a stern expression, aiming to instill fear in the secretary who incorrectly assumes she could act overly familiar due to their relationship.
She’s overly familiar with these little female bitches... Apologies for using harsh language, but since managing Lynch’s financial affairs and joining the office environment, her cultivated demeanor is rapidly deteriorating.
The internal office conflicts left her at a loss, but now she’s adept at handling it, replacing former ignorance with occasional swearing to vent her inner frustration.
She anticipated saying fear-inducing words when the glance of her eye caught a pair of men’s shoes, prompting her to raise her head expectantly and with surprise, seeing the familiar big guy.
"Why are you here?" Her frosty expression instantly melted into a smile as she stood up, face brimming with joy, "I hadn’t heard you were back in the country!"
Lynch shrugged his shoulders, "I’m not the President nor a celebrity; reporters aren’t interested in where I’m heading or when."
While he spoke, Vera naturally helped him remove and hang his heavy coat on the peg by the door.
By late December, the temperature in the Federation remains quite low, only warming around late January, so people are still wearing ample clothing.
Removing one’s coat provides considerable relief, and Vera neatly hung the jacket before walking to the small bar table, turning to Lynch, "Would you like some drinks, hot coffee or milk?"
Vera, previously half a homemaker, often spent idle time engaging in capable activities; cooking and indulging in culinary desires were naturally appealing choices. She arranged such a cozy spot in the office.
Although unable to fully display her skills, she could manage tea or beverages herself, sparing the secretary’s delivery, nor was she keen on facing the people outside.
"Coffee, please..."
Soon, Vera brought a cup of genuine Federation coffee to Lynch, accompanied by a small tray containing a small pot of fresh milk along with three sugar cubes.
Two beneath, one above, arranged elegantly.
"I’m not sure if you’ll enjoy the taste; feel free to add more sugar if it’s not sweet enough."
"Thank you!" Lynch took a sip, experiencing slight bitterness. It wasn’t pure Federation coffee anymore, best made with milk and more sugar, masking the coffee’s astringency and bitterness, leaving only sweetness and aroma.
The fascination with coffee’s bitterness lies in the rich flavor emerging after the initial taste fades, unlike sugar’s direct neural impact, providing blunt and brief joy.
Bitterness, along with aftertaste and aroma, lingers, soothing and captivating without strong effects, immersing one thoroughly.
"Exceptionally good coffee; opening a café would undoubtedly make you the best across the Federation."
Vera laughed softly, "I know myself; it’s not as remarkable as you claim."
Lynch placed his hand on Vera’s, "I noticed you seemed troubled when I first entered."
The gentle warmth of his palm imparted a unique sensation to Vera, causing mild panic, "What? No... Ah yes, actually, there’s no major issue despite minor inconveniences."
"You can delegate these tasks; remember my previous advice?" Lynch naturally held Vera’s hand, "You’re a department head and my partner too, you should learn to exploit others’ labor to fulfill our needs without burdening yourself."
"A capitalist’s partner is also a capitalist; you ought to understand this."
Vera sensed another meaning in Lynch’s words, like elevating her status as a company partner, but she explained herself, "I’m uneasy without reviewing certain things myself, always fearing potential errors in key data areas..."
"Then hire more personnel," Lynch maintained his grip, intently looking at Vera, "Establish a department focused on auditing, or two, forming independent teams to monitor each other while collaborating."
"You know, I’m not concerned with potential errors in the numbers; appointing you there wasn’t based on professional skills but trust, which surpasses numerical changes in significance, understand?"
"Have faith in yourself, encourage others; for the sake of their work, they wouldn’t sabotage their tasks!"