Chapter 64 Song Zhao encouraged her: "Such a good opportunity..."
Nie Qingqing felt she had been too impulsive. She had agreed without asking Song Zhao, and after the initial excitement, she felt uncertain. Someone had entrusted her with such an important matter—the future of a company, and the livelihood of so many people. Could she handle it well?
After returning home, Nie Qingqing had no appetite for cooking and waited for Song Zhao to come back. She didn't know what Song Zhao would say about her actions, but she still wanted to try it back then.
She hadn't figured out what to say to Song Zhao when he came back. Hearing the door open, she quickly ran to the door to greet him and asked, "You're off work so early today?"
Song Zhao changed his shoes, closed the door, and looked at her expression. Fortunately, it shouldn't be anything too serious.
He laughed and said, "The day you went to see Attorney He, I didn't hear a single phone call. I guessed something important had happened, so I came back early to wait for you. I didn't expect you to be here even earlier than me. What did Attorney He talk to you about?"
"It's a big deal, and I've already agreed. All that's left is to sign the contract!"
Nie Qingqing felt a pang of guilt: "I made this decision without discussing it with you. I was too impulsive."
That must be good news, which is why she agreed so eagerly. "Judging from your expression, you seem both overjoyed and terrified. What is it?"
Nie Qingqing asked, "So, can you guess whether it's something to be happy about or something to be terrified about?"
Song Zhao said, "As long as it's not about sending you to Hong Kong, it's a good thing for me."
"No, Attorney He and Mr. Zhong are going to Hong Kong. They didn't let me go. Instead, they asked me to take on a heavy responsibility. This cold wind has sobered me up. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it."
This is a good thing, there's nothing to worry about, Song Zhao is relieved.
He said, "Attorney He won't let you do things beyond your capabilities. She entrusted Yuanda to you to manage, so she must have planned out her expectations of you, right?"
...
Song Zhao guessed correctly. Lawyer He said that if he let her manage Yuanda, he wouldn't set excessive tasks for her, and any tasks he did set would be ones that she could complete.
The reason I spent the whole day at Attorney He's place was to wait for her to draft the employment agreement. She quickly took it out and showed it to Song Zhao.
"Attorney He said that the first term is three years. As long as Yuanda's annual growth rate reaches 30%, my 12% shareholding agreement will take effect after the three-year term. Even if I stop working at Yuanda after that, I will still receive shares every year."
Is there really such a great thing? The requirements aren't high either. Based on the current industry development expectations, taking advantage of the momentum, an annual increase of 30% is practically no pressure for Song Zhao.
He went through the contract and found no traps or hidden dangers, so what was there to hesitate about?
Song Zhao asked, "Are you worried about not being able to meet the growth target?"
Nie Qingqing nodded: "I don't have a plan in mind. This is a complete mess. I'm good at doing things, but making plans is not my forte."
Song Zhao understood what Attorney He and Mr. Zhong were thinking. Qingqing was not good at it, but he was. He couldn't possibly not help Qingqing make the most of these three years.
Song Zhao said, "If you're only worried about the business aspects, that's okay. I'll help you with some auxiliary work. For me, the business plan is something I do and adjust every week, so it's not part of my workload."
How can it not count? The business plan requires market research and assessment of the company's conditions. If Song Zhao helps her, it will increase her workload significantly.
She quickly said, "Your appliance factory is already very busy and tiring, and you don't even get a high salary. Why take on extra work?"
Song Zhao laughed and said, "And what about you? You have to work, and you also have to take care of the children, Xiaoyin's things, Tangyuan's things, Xiaoyuan's things, what isn't something you worry about? If I say you're too busy, you'll say that everyone has something they're suited to do. Well, I'm just suited to running a business and helping you share some of the burden. What's the problem? Isn't the money you earn used at home? I enjoy it too, can't I contribute a little for you?"
Nie Qingqing couldn't refute this. With his advice, she had no worries.
She said happily, "Then tomorrow, I'll sign this share agreement with Attorney He."
Song Zhao encouraged her: "Sign it. You should seize this great opportunity."
...
The next day, Nie Qingqing went to sign the contract with Attorney He, her face showing no hesitation.
Attorney He, knowing the situation, asked with a smile, "Has Song Zhao dispelled all your worries and doubts?"
Nie Qingqing knew her own abilities, and Attorney He also knew hers, so she asked, "Song Zhao said that you know I'm good at doing things according to plan, and that the decision to come to me was made with him in mind. In the future, I can consult him on major decisions, right?"
Attorney He smiled and nodded: "Managing a company is pretty much the same. With Factory Director Song giving you advice all the time, we feel very reassured."
Nie Qingqing signed the agreement without hesitation. As long as Yuanda's development met the requirements each year, she would become a shareholder of Yuanda after three years.
After signing the contract, Nie Qingqing asked for a few days to prepare a proposal for use at the formal appointment meeting.
Attorney He and Mr. Zhong were both looking forward to her report and asked her to rest for a few days before holding a formal appointment meeting on Monday.
...
After signing the contract, Nie Qingqing rushed to the hospital. Le Han was going to say goodbye to her grandmother today, but miracles really do happen. Aunt Xu woke up, and everyone knew that this was just a temporary resurgence of lucidity.
But Lehan didn't think so. She had already decided to sign the consent form to give up treatment, and she was so guilty that she collapsed. She threw herself in front of the hospital bed and confessed: "Grandma, I almost signed the consent form to give up treatment, and I almost killed you."
Aunt Xu shook her head and weakly placed her hand on her head: "Grandma has one more thing. I won't leave in peace if I don't tell you, so I'm keeping her alive."
She looked at Zhou Chengzhong, as if she had something to say to him.
Zhou Chengzhong immediately knelt down in front of the hospital bed: "Grandma Xu, if you have anything to say, please tell me, and I will definitely agree."
Aunt Xu was barely breathing; it was her love for Lehan that kept her going so she could finish what she wanted to say.
“You young people are making me anxious. I’ve been through far more than you. I’ve lived most of my life and died peacefully. All good things must come to an end. Even if I’ve already repaid my debt of gratitude, I’ve done it all long ago. Go now and do what you want to do. Neither I nor Grandpa Lehan will blame you. These are my last words. You are free now. Go.”
Zhou Chengzhong was shocked. Having experienced great ups and downs, he never expected that Lehan's grandmother's last wish before her death would be to tell him that he no longer owed anyone anything, that he was free and had no debts.
...
Uncle Gu sighed inwardly. He wasn't as insightful as Grandma Lehan; this was the decision that truly considered Lehan's well-being.
He told Zhou Chengzhong, "I told you before that I made you sell yourself for ten years. Everything you did has far exceeded my expectations. Just like Grandma Lehan said, let's wipe the slate clean of the debts between you and our family. While you're still young, do something you like and live for yourself. That's what your father would most like to see."
Gu Lehan wiped away her tears and assured him, "Brother Zhou, everyone has to live their own life. I don't like you anymore. I can run the hotel well on my own, and I will give you your share every year. Don't feel burdened. Just live your own life well."
Xu Huiping had no regrets: "Alright, I've finally said what I was worried about. You outsiders can leave now. I want to talk to Lehan some more."
Everyone left the ward, including Zhou Chengzhong. He had avenged himself and repaid his debt of gratitude. He silently retreated to the farthest distance to see if his benefactors needed any help.
Grandma Gu Lehan passed away a dozen minutes later. When she woke up, it seemed to be to help Zhou Chengzhong make a decision.
Grandma Lehan's funeral was kept simple. With Nie Qingqing's help, she was cremated the next day and buried in the cemetery. It seems that Lehan really doesn't need him and can live a good life.
After saying goodbye to the Gu family, Zhou Chengzhong left, saying he wanted to travel around and think about the rest of his life.
Before he left, he went to see Lu Chaoyang, and after that, no one knew where he went.
...
Originally, if neither party had spoken up, no one would have known that Zhou Chengzhong had gone to see Lu Chaoyang.
It was Chaoyang who came to see Nie Qingqing. She was busy, so she got straight to the point: "Sister Qingqing, you've all misunderstood. I do have feelings for Zhou Chengzhong, who also has a troubled past. I personally arrested him, investigated him, and released him. You all misunderstand that there's something between us. Even I used to think so myself, but I've come to my senses. I have a tragic past just like him, and we have similar personalities, so it's impossible for us to be together. He came to me this time to make things clear. He admires me, and I admire him too, but it's not love. If we were to live together, I estimate we wouldn't last more than three months before we part ways."
Perhaps, Nie Qingqing didn't understand, but she tried to comprehend it. She could adjust herself to live a good life, but she also had to accept that some people, like Chaoyang and Xiaoyin, were unwilling to change themselves to cater to others.
She asked, "Do you want me to tell Lehan these things? She's already come to terms with it and won't care about these things anymore."
Lu Chaoyang thought for a moment and said, "I don't want her to misunderstand, so I'd like you to tell her that the reason I haven't looked for a partner in recent years is because my childhood experiences have made me no longer believe in relying on men. Unless I meet someone particularly suitable, I'd rather live alone. This has nothing to do with Zhou Chengzhong."
Nie Qingqing nodded: "Okay, I understand. I will definitely pass on your words to Le Han."
...
Gu Lehan listened to Nie Qingqing's message and said regretfully, "I already said I no longer liked Brother Zhou, but he and Lu Chaoyang still didn't get together. It's such a pity."
Nie Qingqing hugged her: "Silly girl, think more about yourself in the future."
Gu Lehan nodded hurriedly: "I will. If I'm happy, Grandpa will be happy, and Grandma will be at peace in the afterlife. I'll definitely be fine. Auntie, do you think that if Grandpa, Grandma, and I take off Brother Zhou's shackles, he'll be happy?"
Look at this girl, she's still thinking of others.
She said, "Zhou Chengzhong is so capable, he has plenty of ways to make himself happy, so don't worry about him."
...
Nie Qingqing is going to her workplace today for an appointment meeting. Attorney He and Mr. Zhong will announce her appointment as the general manager of Yuanda for the next three years, responsible for all decisions of Yuanda.
Rumors had been circulating before, and those who needed to know already knew, but today is different; today is the official appointment.
Actually, there are at least two other candidates who are more decisive than Nie Qingqing, but since Attorney He chose her, there will definitely be obstacles for her to take over.
Therefore, she prepared this plan very carefully, making it a practical plan that could be implemented immediately, and even included an estimate of the expected returns.
The proposal was drafted by Nie Qingqing, but Song Zhao accompanied her throughout the writing process, discussing and researching with her.
He also said, “You know Yuanda best. I will only offer suggestions, analyze the market, and predict future trends. But you have to write it down yourself so that you have a complete understanding in your mind. Otherwise, when you are in a meeting and someone asks you questions, you will be flustered and unable to arrange work. If you are not determined, how can you expect your subordinates to have confidence?”
Nie Qingqing had originally wanted to slack off, but after Song Zhao said that, she stayed up for several nights and finally finalized this version of the development plan.
...
At the meeting, she distributed the plan and said, "Based on the company's requirement of 30% annual growth, I have made a short-term and long-term plan, which is divided into the second half of the year, next year, three years, and a outlook three years from now. As long as everyone works together and follows the plan step by step, we will definitely be able to achieve the growth target."
Attorney He glanced at the plan, and her encouraging smile turned into admiring affirmation. The plan wasn't entirely written by Factory Director Song; she could tell that Song Zhao had guided Qingqing to think for herself. It took so much time and effort to create such a plan that was suitable for Qingqing to operate and could be implemented directly.
Attorney He said, “I know that half of you here think I’m being nepotistic and didn’t choose the right person, but only the person I trust the most. I appointed Manager Nie based on the current situation and the company’s major development direction over the next three to five years. Of course, if any of you are confident that you can make a better plan than this one and that it will be more beneficial to the company, you are welcome to offer your opinions.”
None of the management personnel attending the meeting dared to boast that they could create a more practical and feasible plan than this one, but Nie Qingqing was confident in that regard.
Song Zhao is very capable. He treats her ambitious job as if it were his own electronics factory. She doesn't believe that anyone among these people has a longer-term vision than Song Zhao. If there is, she is willing to hand over the responsibility to him.
Seeing that no one objected, Attorney He continued, "Alright, the appointment is settled. I hope you will continue to fully cooperate with the newly appointed general manager to ensure the steady development of Yuanda."
...
The business on Hong Kong Island was also urgent, so the day after Attorney Ho and Mr. Chung finished their appointment meeting, Attorney Ho returned to Hong Kong Island.
Next, Nie Qingqing will have to face it alone.
Her appointment as general manager was not smooth sailing. Just after Attorney He and his team left, the deputy general managers of four important departments collectively resigned, saying they were not optimistic about the future of the company.
These people probably want to see how she will carry out her plan when she is juggling multiple roles, overwhelmed, and has no one else available.
Upon hearing the news, Attorney He remained calm and called Nie Qingqing, saying:
“This is just a small storm, it’s nothing serious. There are plenty of talented people. Since they don’t have a high opinion of Yuanda or of my and Xianzong’s decision, then we should respect their decision to resign.”
Nie Qingqing hurriedly said, "Managing a company cannot be done impulsively. I've looked into it, and there are two vice presidents who can still be salvaged. I'll go and talk to them again."
After thinking it over, Attorney He realized that Qingqing had her own way of doing things, and talented people are often a bit arrogant. If they could get two of them back to their original positions, it would be a good thing for stabilizing the morale of Yuanda employees.
She said, "Now that you're the general manager, you can make your own decisions. In the future, you don't need to worry about us having any objections to similar matters. As long as we don't call you proactively, it means we have no objections. You can do it with confidence."
...
Nie Qingqing went to see the four key members of Yuanda who had resigned one by one. They had been with Yuanda for as long as Nie Qingqing, they were all veterans and talented, it was a pity that they left.
She maintained a very proper attitude and talked to them a lot.
The two people who were determined to leave had different ideas and believed that Yuanda had no future under Nie Qingqing's leadership.
“Yuanda has such a good reputation and momentum now. Your plan is too conservative, with only 30% growth per year. With Yuanda’s strength, 100% growth per year is possible. I say that women have a flaw when it comes to doing things. They are too timid. This kind of company cannot support my ideals. I’m sorry, I really can’t go back.”
Since things had been said to this extent, Nie Qingqing did not press the matter.
To the two vice presidents who were still hesitating, Nie Qingqing said, "Only by developing steadily can a company become a long-term and healthy enterprise. For those of you who seek stability, this is actually a guarantee. If you are looking for a bigger and better platform, I will not try to keep you. If you are looking for stability, Yuanda is a very good choice."
Everyone has different ideals. Some people have grand ideals, while others hope to have a stable income and environment when they want to realize their ambitions.
Nie Qingqing's sincerity worked, touching the hearts of these two vice presidents who valued stability. She even reassigned and promoted them to better manage their positions and maintain morale.
...
The two resigning vice presidents were determined to leave and wanted to take as many people with them, causing Nie Qingqing a lot of headaches.
They approached the two vice presidents who had returned and said, "Do you really believe that Nie Qingqing can lead Yuanda to success? She's okay at managing projects, but she's far from capable of running a company. We're all in the same industry. When we meet again in the future, we'll be the backbone of a listed company, while you're still wasting your time at Yuanda. Won't you regret it?"
Now that he had decided not to leave, he naturally wouldn't say anything bad about Nie Qingqing anymore.
The two vice presidents who stayed said, "To be fair, Manager Nie's plan suggests that Yuanda's development will be very stable for at least the next three to five years. As for the future, let's take it one step at a time. We have families to support, and a stable Yuanda is more important to us."
...
Nie Qingqing became the general manager of Yuanda, and within a week, she stabilized the internal situation. Lawyer He was right; talent is easy to recruit, and a company can function without anyone, including herself. The positions of the two former vice presidents were quickly filled.
Yuanda has a large cash flow. She first used half of the budgeted funds in the second half of the year to acquire several plots of land for reserves, and asked the vice presidents to promote and implement them.
With everyone working together and the money in place, things progressed quickly. Within a month, Yuanda acquired five plots of land in Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. After the land acquisitions, everyone eagerly awaited Nie Qingqing's next decision.
...
Nie Qingqing has been in charge of several projects, and now the project is in the implementation stage. She is confident that, based on Yuanda's current financial situation, they can develop three plots of land simultaneously.
Developing five at the same time is possible, but it would require a loan. If sales are not ideal, it would affect subsequent plans. So, let's not rush it and start with three.
She finished her plan and showed it to Song Zhao: "There's a project meeting next Monday. Is there anything I need to improve in this plan?"
Song Zhao laughed and said, "Normally, subordinates make reports, the general manager gives feedback, then it's revised and resubmitted. But you've done it all yourself."
That's just Nie Qingqing's personality. She said, "I'm just like them, an employee. There's nothing different about me. Why don't I bring up my ideas first and then let everyone discuss them to save time?"
If there were problems with the plan, Song Zhao would bring it up directly. The fact that he didn't bring it up but only talked about other things indicated that he approved of her plan.
"You've just taken over as general manager, and this is the first year of the three-year plan, so it's best to play it safe."
Nie Qingqing felt more confident, and as she relaxed, she remembered that Tangyuan's Fried Chicken King should be opening soon.
She said, "My brother and sister-in-law's house has just finished its hard decoration. They called me to ask about the soft decoration. I asked about Tangyuan (a type of fried rice ball), and they said that Fried Chicken King has been renovated. Why didn't they say when Tangyuan would open?"
Song Zhao said, "It seems that the fire safety inspection is still ongoing. He didn't ask us for help, which means that things are going smoothly so far. You're so busy, so don't worry about it."
How could I not worry? Nie Qingqing said, "I'll subtly inquire and ask to put my mind at ease."
...
Nie Qingqing called Tang Yuan to ask him what date he had set for the opening.
“I heard from your uncle that the Fried Chicken King is opening soon. Do you want your dad and I to go and attend your opening ceremony?”
Tangyuan hurriedly said, "Mom, you are now the general manager of Yuanda, and the entire burden of Yuanda rests on your shoulders. Dad's appliance factory is also busy. You two shouldn't waste your time on my little opening ceremony. I'll take more photos on the opening day and send them back to you to see."
He sounded quite excited, so Nie Qingqing was relieved and focused her energy on advancing the ambitious project.
...
The opening of Tangyuan (glutinous rice ball) has encountered some minor troubles. The fire safety inspection team keeps asking him to rectify the issues, citing fire safety non-compliance.
The business cannot open if the fire safety inspection is not passed. Tangyuan knew that the Xue family had some influence in Haishi, and this was a relative of the Xue family deliberately making things difficult in order to curry favor with them.
He had already trained all the staff, and every day he waited was a loss. Moreover, after school started, he wouldn't have time to stay in the store all day. He was really anxious, but he wanted to solve the problem himself first.
Tangyuan said to Tanggao and Xiaoyuan, "Don't tell your uncle and aunt for now. They can't keep things to themselves. Besides worrying, it won't help. And please don't tell your sister either. I don't want her to have to bow down to Meng Kaiyang and the Xue family again because of me. I have a way to solve this."
Tang Gao gritted her teeth: "What can you do? I'll do it! I'll catch Xue Jinyun and beat her up, every three to five days, so she can taste what it's like to be bullied!"
Tangyuan: "Tanggao, mind your place. You're a police academy student, and you're subject to discipline! You can't just shout about fighting and killing all the time. Go home now and don't cause me any more trouble."
Tanggao grabbed her bag and stormed off, saying angrily, "Come find me when you're at your wit's end!"
Xiao Yuan couldn't just walk away in a huff like Tang Gao. He was worried: "If you won't tell your parents, what can you do on your own?"
Tangyuan acted as if nothing had happened: "I have plenty of energy. Okay, you can go back now. Just like before, don't worry about it or ask any questions. Let me handle it myself."
...
Tangyuan's solution was to contact Zhou Chengzhong. In the past month, Tangyuan was the only one who had maintained contact with Zhou Chengzhong.
Zhou Chengzhong had already arrived in Shanghai and had a meal of fried chicken at the kitchen of Tangyuan Fried Chicken King.
Zhou Chengzhong was able to gain a foothold in Shanghai and open a chain of hotels because he had connections. He asked the Xue family, went out for half a day to find out about the Xue family's network of relationships, and came back to tell Tangyuan that he could help.
But he said, "I can help you with the fire safety issue at your store by pulling some strings and getting rid of those troublemakers. I can help you solve it this time, but I can't help you every time. What will you do next time you encounter a problem?"
Tangyuan quickly continued to cling to Zhou Chengzhong's big leg.
"Brother Chengzhong, I'm still a student. I can't be as good as you right now, but I'll work hard to improve my problem-solving skills so I won't keep bothering you."
Zhou Chengzhong nodded: "I believe you, but I can't help you for nothing."
Tangyuan chuckled: "Of course I know. In order to get on your good side, how about you take some shares in my 'Fried Chicken King'?"
It's not impossible, but Zhou Chengzhong needs to spend money to travel around and take a look.
He agreed: "But don't tell anyone about this."
Tangyuan was puzzled: "If I sell shares, people will find out. How can I hide it?"
Zhou Chengzhong said, "No need for shares, a verbal agreement is fine. I'll take 10% of the shares first, and when you're able to solve the problem yourself, I'll buy back the 10%."
Tangyuan was very touched: "Brother Chengzhong, you're really helping your own brother, thank you!"
Zhou Chengzhong patted him on the shoulder: "Stop flattering me, hurry up and grow up. When someone tries to hold you back again, you have to fight back fiercely."
Tangyuan nodded emphatically, "I will."
Tangyuan's fried chicken shop successfully passed the fire safety inspection and opened for business, but no one knew that Zhou Chengzhong had returned.
...
Nie Qingqing eventually found out the opening date of the Fried Chicken King. The reason for the repeated delays was the fire safety inspection issue, but Tangyuan had resolved it. However, whenever anyone asked him how he resolved it, he would evade the question and not say.
Nie Qingqing couldn't help but wonder, who could Tangyuan ask for help?
After analyzing the situation, Tangyuan realized that there were only a few people she was close to and capable of working with. Suddenly, a bold idea popped into her head: could it be Zhou Chengzhong, who had worked hard in the hotel business in Shanghai?
I'll ask, but Tangyuan probably won't tell me. Oh well, maybe he'll be willing to talk about it later.
The opening of Tangyuan was delayed again and again, finally taking half a month to open. Song Zhao's new factory also had its relocation date repeatedly postponed.
This isn't like a fried chicken shop; this is a factory. The plan is set, and even a day's delay in moving in will result in huge losses.
When asked, Song Zhao said it was a minor problem that could be solved, and told her to go about her more important matters.
Nie Qingqing urged him, "Hurry up and tell me, or I'll get it out of Wei Jun's mouth and he won't talk to you for a week."
Song Zhao had no choice but to say, "I really think it's a small matter. It's not difficult to resolve this issue. However, considering the long-term development of the electrical appliance factory, we need to give up some profits. I'm weighing how to give up these profits and to whom."
Nie Qingqing thought it was some kind of difficult problem, and said, "Why don't you ask me? I'm the best at solving the problems you're talking about. Tell me about it, and I'll give you some advice."
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