Chapter Two

The next couple of days were a blur of activity for Jessica. At least the board meeting with delayed by a week to give Jessica enough time to prepare. With Cici's help, she reviewed and understood most of the documents on her desk. They worked together late into the evenings, with Cici translating and explaining the nuances of the documents and Jessica making decisions and adding her signature when required.

"Cici, I honestly don't know what I would do without you," Jessica said as she sighed in relief. After a few days of having multiple people translating documents for her and having a translator next to her, everything about her job became more manageable.

Kelly had been busier than ever as well. She had been in and out of Jessica's office, coordinating with HR for new hires and setting up appointments with real estate agents. Despite her earlier frustrations with Kelly, Jessica had to admit that her assistant was handling her growing workload well.

***

Jessica spent the following hours pouring over the translated documents, scribbling notes and trying to make sense of the company's direction. Cici sat across from her, busy translating more documents and occasionally glancing up to ask for clarification on specific points.

As the afternoon stretched, Kelly entered the office, holding a tray of sandwiches and two cups of tea. "I thought you might be hungry," she said, setting the tray on the table. "I've also found a potential candidate for the new position. I've scheduled an interview for tomorrow afternoon."

"Great, thank you," Jessica replied, taking a bite of her sandwich. She glanced at Cici, who was absorbed in her work and decided to ask Kelly her earlier question. "Kelly, I wanted to ask you something. Is it normal for assistants to leave their boss to do most of the work?"

Kelly looked surprised and chuckled a little. "Not really? Don’t worry, once we finish the interview process and you get to meet your ideal team, you’ll have more staff around you to help."

Jessica nodded, understanding that everyone was adapting to the new circumstances. "I appreciate that, Kelly. Thank you. I'm just adjusting to the work culture here in China." Kelly simply smiled.

The following morning, Jessica arrived at the office, greeted by Cici with a cup of coffee. "Good morning, Jessica. I hope you had a good rest. I've finished translating the meeting minutes you requested. I also have a summary of the main points if you want to review them together."

Jessica smiled, grateful for Cici's help. "That would be perfect, thank you."

As they reviewed the summary, Jessica felt more at ease with the upcoming board meeting. While she still needed to address many things, she felt more confident in understanding the company's workings.

Later that day, Jessica and Kelly sat in the office, conducting interviews for the new position. The first candidate, a woman named Aya, had an impressive resume and seemed eager to join their team.

During the interview, Jessica asked, "Can you tell us about a time when you had to handle a difficult situation at work and how you resolved it?"

Aya thought for a moment before responding. "At my previous job, I had a coworker who was consistently late on her deadlines. I noticed this affected the rest of the team, so I spoke with her privately. She struggled with personal issues, and I offered to help her where possible. Ultimately, we worked together to get her back on track, improving our team's performance."

Jessica was impressed with Aya's answer and made a mental note of her strong communication skills. After the interview, she discussed the candidate with Kelly. "What do you think of Aya?" Jessica asked.

Kelly considered the question. "She seems to have the right skills and experience. I think she could be a valuable addition to your team."

Jessica agreed. "Let's offer her the position, then. Hopefully, with her help, we can better manage the workload. Please make sure she is aware that we’re still building the team and we’re still transitioning. Let HR know to offer and proceed STAT."

As the week passed, Jessica became more accustomed to her new role. With Cici's assistance and the eventual hiring of Aya, her team was starting to take shape. The office slowly adapted to the changes, and Jessica could finally see a path forward.

***

On Thursday evening, Jessica was still in her office, her eyes sore from staring at her computer screen for hours. She rubbed her temples and looked up to see Cici still there, diligently translating more documents. She had Cici's desk in her office to help her with many things — even things that were outside of the usual job of a translator; Cici happily helped Jessica with them. She even promised Jessica to look at apartments with her over the weekend instead of doing it during business hours. They hit it off as friends and enjoyed each other's company. 

"Cici, I think we should call it a day," Jessica said, trying to muster a smile. "We've accomplished a lot and need to rest for tomorrow's board meeting."

Cici looked up from her work and nodded, stretching her arms above her head. "You're right. We should get some rest. I'll just finish this last paragraph, and then I'll head out."

As Cici wrapped up her work, Jessica sent a quick message to Kelly, thanking her for all her hard work and asking her to join them for dinner as a token of appreciation. Jessica knew she couldn't have managed everything without the support of Kelly and Cici.

The trio was at a cozy, dimly lit restaurant near the office. Over steaming plates of dumplings and noodles, they chatted and laughed, finding common ground despite their cultural differences.

During a lull in the conversation, Jessica decided to bring up the topic of the upcoming board meeting. "So, Kelly, can you give me a rundown of what to expect tomorrow? I want to be as prepared as possible."

Kelly set down her chopsticks and thought for a moment. "Well, first, you'll be introduced to the board members. Then, each department head will give a brief presentation about their team's progress and plans for the next quarter. After that, there will be a Q&A session, followed by a short break."

Jessica nodded, mentally taking notes. "And what about my presentation? What should I focus on?"

Cici said, "You should discuss the changes you plan to make in the Talent Relations department and highlight any new strategies or initiatives you want to implement. It's important to show that you understand the current situation and have a clear vision for the future."

Jessica took a deep breath. "Thank you, both of you. Not only because you help me with work, but you've also been amazing since I got here." As they finished their meal, Jessica felt a sense of camaraderie with Kelly and Cici. She knew the board meeting would be challenging, but she felt more prepared with their support than ever. She had done presentations before. It wasn't a big deal. Discussing her plans should be fine since she had a reliable translator. 

***

The board meeting day arrived, and Jessica felt prepared, thanks to the support of her team. Jessica stood in front of them, composing herself before the meeting began. She smoothed out her suit, took a deep breath, and turned to face Kelly and Cici, who were waiting nearby.

"Are you ready?" Kelly asked, offering an encouraging smile.

Jessica nodded determination in her eyes. "As ready as I'll ever be. Let's do this." 

As she walked into the meeting room, she again glanced at her notes and breathed deeply. The board members were already seated, their expressions a mix of curiosity and scepticism. Jessica knew her work was cut out for her, but she was ready to face the challenge head-on.

As Jessica walked into the boardroom, she saw her grandfather for the first time in a while, and h