Lisa, send her second day helping her aunt make some dumplings. Her father is siting at the living room watching the TV drama. The ladies talk about the happy past. Her mobile phone is buzzing with messages but she did not notice.
Simon who is sending the message feels disappointed. Yet he keep telling himself that she is spending time with her father. He shouldn't be upset or anything. The elevator chime and manager Gan step out. She walk with an unhappy look on her face. She stop in front of his desk and sit down. She look at his mobile phone and his face.
"Please cancel the leave application form."
"Why? I don't have the right to go on a holiday?"
"We ... the company will have a Christmas lunch cum dinner together. You are needed here..."
"I can arrange my mother to be there."
"It won't be the same."
"it is! The same old thing every year. I just want to take a break, a few days... By the way am i the boss or you are the boss?!"
"Mr Han!... You are the one who wanted this year Christmas to plan better and a hotel as well. It was planned a long time ago and you come up with the games and everything! Why suddenly you want to go on a break?!"
"My wife needs me."
She roll her eyes and cross her arm.
"Mr Han... i know that you don't like your 'wife' very much. It's an excuse. Sometimes i don't think she exists at all. If it's just an excuse to avoid your family members from ask you to get marry, i understand. I do that too but not in an extreme case like your's."
Simon like her in with his eyebrow knitted together. She knows that he is getting angry but she also feels that he won't scold her for they know each other for a long time.
"Mr Han, I think you should know that what is important and what is not. Let's take a step back. You can go on your break but comeback on the company celebration on Christmas day. This year, the HR have rejected so many applications who are going on leave those days. We cannot disappoint them. What do you say?"
Simon knows that he is the one who ask the HR to go ahead and book the hotel in advance for the year end celebration. He cannot reject it. Money and time is invested in it. He look at her and sit back with still the same expression and look at her.
"Fine i will do that."
Manager Gan smile.
"But ... company will give the days off till the New year. That means everyone only start work on the second day of the new year."
"What?"
"Hmm... right after Christmas. twenty six to second day of New Year. These are the dates that the company is giving till."
"That will be ... do you know how many staff is ..."
"I know manager Gan! The company never have done this before, i know. Let me be the first and maybe the last time we do this. I just want everyone to go on a break and not think too much about work. Get a fresh new start and return to this battle ground."
She stare at him with her lips pinch.
"Manager Gan go and draft an internal email. Let me have a look before we circulate within the office."
She continue to sit there till Simon yell at her to go hurry up with drafting an email for him to look at. She stand up and walk away with her heels clicking the floor.
That evening Lisa look at her phone, she see there is a list of messages send in the chatroom. After that, she open up her laptop as Simon's last message is about him planning to have a long break off from work. Her inbox is fill with different work massages and she see one with a high priority or red flag set on it. She open it up and slowly read.
Dear colleagues,
The year is ending soon. The company is thinking hard how to thank you all for the hard work that each and everyone of you have done. This year is tough for everyone. New rules and new regulations. We always try to find someway for thanking each person who is contributing to the work we have here because each project we have on hand is always complete with excellent results.
Therefore, for the first time, the company with approval from Mr Han the CEO is announcing that the day after we celebrate Christmas in Hotel Peony. The company will be shut down and re-operate on the second day of the New Year. Thus Mr Han hopes that each and everyone can enjoy the holidays with their family and friends as well as to take time to rest and return to work with full energy.
Please be ensure that the company will not be deducting your personal leave. The amount of days left will be carry forward till next year March. Thus please clear your personal leave by then. Representative head of each department please make sure there is some one covering for each staff who will be going off.
Thus this Christmas Mr Han hopes to see all staff at Hotel Peony. The party starts at 5pm and will end at midnight. Those who wants or needed a room, you can book a room under the company's name. There will be a discount price. Please ask before you confirm to book as you will need to pay with your own pocket money. Other than that, the party, food and drinks are fully paid by the company. Including the parking, those who are driving drop a message to the HR for the QR code.
Thus that is all for this long email. We hope to see everyone and have a good time!
Regards
Gan Chun Hua
HR manger on behalf of Mr Han, CEO