"The people's livelihood is an issue that China has always valued highly. As a major entrepreneur, what is your primary consideration?"
Jiang Cheng looked directly into Liu Kang's evasive eyes. Liu Kang didn't answer, and continued, "You prioritize profits over people's livelihoods. Is that appropriate? Healthcare isn't just a basic public welfare issue. Do you know how much money the country has spent on it?"
"But...but pharmaceutical factories have always been like this." He was about to explain when Jiang Cheng interrupted him.
"Just because it's always been this way, does that mean it's right?"
Their eyes met, and in the quiet office, their opinions clashed fiercely.
Jiang Cheng knew, of course, that pharmaceutical factories also needed funds and profits to expand their scale and keep moving forward. However, he absolutely did not allow them to invest only in addictive drugs.
"We always need some changes. A strong nation should be a common understanding. Entrepreneurs are a powerful part of the masses. Let's not let people feel disheartened."
He tapped the table, the echo reverberating clearly in the office. The unpretentious clarity in his sincere eyes made Liu Kang almost afraid to look at him.
Reaching out, Liu Kang silently packed away the documents and photos without saying a word; Jiang Cheng's words probably failed to move him.
"Then I'll head back now."
"Um."
The door was closed.
Downstairs at the Institute of Biotechnology, the middle-aged man walked to the center of the courtyard. Behind him were tall buildings. He turned his head and glanced back at Jiang Cheng's office. After staring at it for a few seconds, he sighed and turned back.
Beneath the enormous, golden ginkgo tree lay a multitude of fallen leaves. Liu Kang stepped over them, slowly making his way towards the car parked outside.
At this moment, the man who had been struggling in business for twenty years thought that Dean Jiang upstairs was so naive.
Dean Jiang thought Liu Kang was naive for abandoning his conscience for money.
A cup of tea sat on his desk, and a gentle breeze blew in through the open window, ruffling a corner of a document. The handsome man reviewed document after document, but his mind was filled with thoughts of medications for chronic diseases.
He was a little irritated.
Do all these lower-level companies think this way? Or is abandoning conscience an essential part of becoming a major pharmaceutical company?
People who are dedicated to serving the people's livelihood may be eliminated by the market or squeezed out by large companies, and then disappear in the tide of the times.
It's hard to understand.
Was he being too idealistic? Jiang Cheng shook his head, rejecting the idea.
Some things always need to be done by someone. If no one else is available, then you should be the first to do them. Researchers must be persistent and principled.
If it works, it works; if it doesn't, it doesn't.
Changing this unspoken rule is incredibly difficult. Even though he has become a research leader and the dean of two academies, he is not absolutely certain that he can do it well.
Jiang Cheng sighed, turned his face to look at the scenery outside the window, his fingers unconsciously fiddling with the pen, his eyes full of worry.
······
As evening approached, the autumn days were getting shorter, and the lakeside was reflected in a sea of orange-red hues, with vibrant clouds dotting the horizon.
The warmth and charm of everyday life are strongest at night.
Most of the employees at Kangming Pharmaceutical Factory went home one after another to eat in the canteen, but Liu Kang, as the president, naturally did not go to the canteen to eat.
Several company executives booked a table at an expensive hotel, just waiting for him to arrive so they could have a good drink.
Liu Kang got out of the car at the hotel entrance, and as soon as he entered, he heard the cheerful laughter of the executives.
"General Manager Liu is here!"
As soon as he entered, everyone stood up with great respect. He waved for everyone to sit down, and then took off his suit and sat in the head seat.
The wooden table was laden with delicious dishes, their aroma filling the entire private room.
He picked up his chopsticks, took a couple of bites of food, chewed, and then downed a glass of wine in one gulp.
Those who could eat at the same table were mostly his confidants, all of whom were relatively capable senior executives of the company. Seeing Liu Kang's behavior, they suddenly had some doubts.
"Did President Liu go to Kyoto to see Dean Jiang today?"
"I saw him."
"So, have you discussed the proposal yet?"
"Not very good," he said, licking his cheeks which were still burning from the alcohol he had just drunk. He put down his chopsticks and rubbed his cheeks. "I probably won't be able to take it."
The group exchanged glances and shrugged.
If even someone as capable as Mr. Liu can't win this over, then there's really no hope. Oh well, I'm not destined to seize such opportunities; I've done my best.
"Speaking of which, I forgot to ask you for my autograph this time. I'm a huge fan of Jiangcheng's scientific research. Hey, what's he like in person?" asked a man who looked to be about thirty years old. He was sitting on the left side of the private room, his eyes filled with envy.
"Just like the rumors say, he's serious and meticulous in his work, and his youth is almost unbelievable. Don't laugh at me, but I was a little nervous when I was around him."
"Hahaha, it's rare to see President Liu so nervous," someone joked.
The somewhat somber mood at the dinner table dissipated the moment he walked in. The man in his thirties clearly held a high position in the company and seemed to be involved in medical research, which explained why he was a fan of Jiang Cheng.
They clinked glasses, chatted, and laughed.
In the hazy light, a sense of intoxication slowly spread.
Liu Kang swallowed what was in his mouth, took out a cigarette from the pack on the table, put it in his mouth, lit it, took a deep drag, and exhaled a pale blue smoke that swirled upwards and disappeared into the ceiling.
He suddenly said to everyone, "It seems that this Dean Jiang doesn't quite understand the situation below. He completely rejected the product concept I proposed. Researchers all seem to be the same, or to put it bluntly, they're arrogant. With so many people in our company putting in such hard work, what's the point if we don't make more money? Of course I know that people's livelihood is very important, and a few companies alone can't change the status quo."
Liu Kang took another deep breath and rubbed his eyebrows in frustration. He felt uncomfortable all over when he thought of Jiang Cheng's cold expression.
And that clear, innocent gaze.
It stirred up an indescribable feeling in him from the bottom of his heart.
Liu Kang has never considered himself kind in order to have been able to overcome so many obstacles in the business world for so long. He is ruthless and led Kangming to great success, squeezing out many companies before finally gaining a foothold in the medical market.
"Wouldn't it be foolish not to make money when you can?" a senior executive next to him chimed in.
Everyone agreed that this was the absolute truth!
Only one of the medical researchers in that company suddenly blurted out a comment.
"It seems that the gene reagent from Jiangcheng doesn't make money in China; it's only 3.6 yuan per injection."
······
The private room fell silent for a moment. Everyone stopped talking, and then they suddenly remembered when Jiang Cheng first put the gene reagents on the market.
Three yuan and sixty cents...
Fool.
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