Chapter 4
Time has passed so quickly, and now it’s the end of 2019.
Unfortunately, we have to close the Xuhui shop because the shopping mall won’t adjust the rent, even though the owner is also from Hong Kong.
During our negotiations with the landlord, COVID-19 hit. It’s a challenging time as we have to let go of all our staff and there is no income. We need to organize all payments, including payroll, rent, and AP suppliers. Monsieur An told me that they might lose everything in the worst situation. However, most of our Chinese employees are grateful for the support from our French boss and his girlfriend from Hong Kong.
The majority of Chinese staff agree to reduce their salary to a minimum level, while some decide to stay at home and others still need jobs. The landlord has been understanding without pushing too hard, but suppliers are suffering because they also need cash flow to operate and may lose clients if pushed too strictly.
Monsieur An and Joy also do their best to pay everyone for leaving out of their own pocket, even though they have no income during covid and no rental support from the private landlord. However, one Ayi locked Monsieur An and his HK girlfriend inside shop because she felt that her compensation was not enough. Joy calls me wih laughing because she doesn`t know after legal compensation to staff why Ayi got angry.
I advise her to call police and pls protect yourself.The police arrived and helped this French couple out of the situation. I apologize for the Ayi’s actions; she may not have had a proper education. China is a vast country.
Then their Shanghainese chef Kevin, whom they had previously reminded me about regarding a labor case, stood up. I thought he was a cool guy with fluent English speaking skills and good cooking abilities, but he refused to adjust his salary during the covid period. He initiated a labor case against our company under our prejudgment. He first sued the company at Xuhui area court, but we found out that the company’s head office is registered in Huangpu area.
We initially visited Xuhui labor court and then followed the court’s request to double-check with Huangpu labor court again. Finally, we received assistance during negotiations at Huangpu labor court on South Station Branch Road. However, the chef was not satisfied so he drove his lawyer to sue us at local court.
We continued to encourage everyone not to give up, and in the end, we were able to win with the help of the judge and close the case according to the company’s wishes. This outcome was expected, especially considering that they continued to pay all employees during covid times. It’s important for us to show our appreciation for this support.
Both the labor court and local court understand that by protecting the company, they are also helping ensure that it can continue providing opportunities for others.
At the same time. We get support from all of our landlords under different amounts.We decide to sell everything of the xuhui shop.Its same as Olivas case.We only got cheap buyers like egals on dead bodies.Monsieur An even kindly gave me some drinks, chairs, glasses, and plants as gifts for free. I refuse in reason that I got arguement during closing of Oliva`s project by wasting drinks etc.Monsieur An still pushes me to take it as his return for free help thesedays.I still have one chair and some glasses at home as a special memory.
After this incident, Monsieur An will need to redecorate his golf shop. He offered me a chance to be his partner, but unfortunately my money is currently tied up in a bank finance product. At the same time, his manager Billy also received an offer, but he feels it’s unfair considering his support for the company. One day, Monsieur An informed me that his manager Billy was stealing receipts with the chef during work hours.
We discovered that they had already set up their own company instead of seeking investment from the boss for their independence. Despite being angry, Monsieur An handled the situation with kindness by providing them with legal leaving costs instead of taking them to court. It’s unfortunate that these Chinese staff members lack communication skills and have a narrow mindset.
Joy encourages us to stay calm because everyone is making decisions in order to survive.But there is a new report to Donghu shop.I guess its made by this manager Billy.
After putting in a lot of effort on a challenging government report, I have to organize dinner and ended up having too much to drink with special friends from that area. Feeling terrible, I asked Monsieur An if they would be willing to sell me some shares as a gesture of appreciation for my drinking job. They kindly covered my bill that night and even offered me a raise the next day.
In my intoxicated state, I mistakenly believed that my excessive drinking was somehow deserving of recognition or reward. Looking back, I realize how flawed and illogical that thinking was.