When Mr. Arthur left KTP in May 2022,
I smiled and wished him well.
But truth be told, my heart felt a quiet sakit.

After eight good years together,
growing from a young junior to Assistant Manager, he decided to take the leap and join one of the Big 10 firms in Singapore.

I was proud of him.
Yet deep down, I whispered to myself,
“Someday, I’ll call him back.”

Two and a half years later,
that moment arrived.
It was the last quarter of 2024.
Out of nowhere, I sent him a WhatsApp message.
No hidden agenda, no business talk just, “How’s life in SG?”

That one message opened the door again.
We talked about work, people, culture and life.

Half-jokingly,
I asked if he wanted to join me for a trail walk.
To my surprise, he said yes.
Arthur was never the outdoor type, so I was half-expecting him to decline politely.

When he showed up that morning,
I almost couldn’t recognise him.
Gone was the fresh 小鲜肉 I used to see in the office.
In his place stood a cheerful 中年油腻大叔… older, rounder, and oily.

We walked. We talked. We laughed.
He shared about Singapore : the exposure, the pace, the lessons.
I shared about KTP : the team, the challenges, the future.

As we reached the end of the trail, I paused for a while and asked,
“Arthur, would you ever consider coming back?
Help me build this business again, for the next generation as one of successor?”

He looked at me, thought for a moment, and said softly, “Yes.”
That one word carried weight : years of trust, loyalty, and unfinished stories.

Over the next few months,
we met again and again.
Sometimes on the trail,
one time over a game of pickleball.
(His pickleball skills, let’s just say … OMG OMG OMG.)

And in early 2025, he came home.
Back to KTP.
Not just as my ex-manager,
but as a future successor, a partner in this journey of continuity.

When I saw him back in the office,
sitting at his old desk with new purpose,

I felt something rare in business “gratitude”.
Because this wasn’t just a rehiring.
It was a full circle moment.

The seed I planted years ago had finally grown.
Time for 传承.