Chapter 49
Cheng Shi didn't intentionally avoid mentioning his impending departure to An Zheyuan; rather, An Zheyuan simply didn't give him a chance to speak. After a short while of gossip and small talk, An Zheyuan steered the conversation back to the company's business.
"...So, is it your public relations expert? Your R&D expert? Or your administration expert? Of course, every employee at Haoskai is important in their own role, contributing their expertise in their respective fields. I am very grateful to every Haoskai employee, including every distributor and agent. But the problem is, none of them have the right resume or qualifications to take on the important task of building bridges, the bridges I just mentioned. Frankie, it's no exaggeration to say that I've talked to all the top marketing and sales personnel in the industry, as well as some of the best IT and AI engineers outside the industry, and the best professional managers around the world. We've reached a consensus: China is a market not to be underestimated, and in this environment, 'AI+' will be a completely new field. At Haoskai, we can do AI+healthcare, AI+wellness, AI+big health, AI+ecosystem—in short, AI can be added to everything we can think of. Therefore, we need to cultivate entirely new talent to seize the blue ocean market."
"I've been traveling all over the world for the first half of the year, listening to opinions from many different people both inside and outside the company. So far, I've identified five or six young people from different fields, and I hope to find another five or six. Now you understand what I'm planning, right? Like I said before, Haosikai is too old-fashioned, too rigid, and the things it does are too low-end. It's the same in the US now, and in fact, it's the same in branches all over the world—they're becoming increasingly conservative. But we're different. The environment in China is different, and the opportunities are different, so I can easily build a new team to develop a new field and create something different. Now, please let me..." An Zheyuan raised his thick palm to Cheng Shi, indicating he didn't want to be interrupted, "...please let me be more specific. The mini-program you made is just the beginning. I hope you'll do what we discussed in the class monitor's office that day and develop the entire series. But that's not the point, because what I'm going to do is much more complex and important than that mini-program. But the whole plan isn't finalized yet, so what's going on now?" "Nothing is absolute, but at least you understand my thinking. I have a feeling you're exactly the kind of talent I need. I can take you around the world to meet all sorts of interesting people and participate in all sorts of exciting events, instead of sitting in an office every day. You need to step into the limelight; men need to go out and explore. What I need you to do is stand in front of everyone and speak, just like your mini-program 'Talking About Rejuvenation.' You need to introduce the concept of AI+ to them and answer their questions; you need to explain to them in language that businesspeople can understand what our AI+ this and AI+ that are all about. Frankie, I admit I'm a traditional salesperson, so I have this belief: if you're selling something, especially an idea, no matter how complex, nothing is more effective than a living person demonstrating it; even in the AI era, face-to-face communication is still necessary for a successful sale. And you, you have this talent for speaking; the moment you open your mouth, everyone is willing to listen attentively. You have this natural ability."
“Um, Forrest, there’s something…” Narumi finally found a chance to interject, but he felt a tightness in his chest and his breathing became rapid. “What I wanted to say was that I was actually planning to quit at the end of September. The reason I didn’t mention it in the class monitor’s office the other day was because I hadn’t told him yet. I wanted to wait until I had finished most of my work before telling him. But I felt I should make things clear to you first. Right now… I feel a little… I mean, I’m very sorry, I can’t…”
"You mean you actually apologized to him?" Huang Ruoyu would likely scream and question Cheng Shi, "It's like you need his approval to resign! Get this straight, your contract is expiring!"
"That's not how it is at all!" Cheng Shi would definitely deny it loudly then, "I didn't apologize to him. Can't you let me finish what I have to say? I was just informing him, it's that simple. He had confided in me so much before, and I suddenly said I was quitting, of course I would feel a little awkward, don't you understand that? Well, you've never even worked a single day! Of course you wouldn't understand!"
However, Cheng Shi could no longer argue with Huang Ruoyu in his mind, because An Zheyuan, who was sitting opposite him, was shaking his head and looking heartbroken.
“Then I have even more reason to blame the class monitor,” An Zheyuan said after shaking his head for a while, “for letting such a capable person like you waste 10 years in the company and then be poached by other companies.”
"No, I'm not going to another company; I'm not staying in this industry."
"Oh? Then I should at least be happy about that, right? Frankie, I appreciate your honesty with me, so I'll be honest with you too. I don't like prying into people's private affairs, but could you tell me if there's any possibility that you might change your mind before you leave at the end of September?"
"Well, I don't think it will change, Forrest. I've worked at Hoskay for 10 years and I do have an emotional attachment to it, but, well, I don't think it will change."
"If it's just a matter of money, then we can discuss and come up with a solution that will satisfy you..."
"No, no, thank you for saying that. But it has nothing to do with money; it's a matter of personal pursuit."
Cheng Shi's reasoning seemed to convince An Zheyuan, who nodded slowly and solemnly, indicating that he fully understood Cheng Shi's personal pursuit.
“However, this won’t affect the series of mini-programs I’m currently working on,” Cheng Shi said. “I still have plenty of time to finish it. It’s just that anything beyond that scope… you know, I’m unlikely to get involved.”
An Zheyuan nodded repeatedly. After a while, he said to Cheng Shi, "Frankie, let me put it this way, nothing is absolute. Anyone can change their mind. My only request is that you consider what we've discussed today. Think about it first, don't rush into a decision, and talk to your wife too. Men should listen to their wives' opinions. What would our lives be like without them? I can't even imagine. Wives usually give you the best advice. So, when you've made up your mind, you can come to me anytime. Let's leave it at that, okay? Remember, what I've said today can bring you a whole new career prospect. It's a challenging and fulfilling job that every man your age dreams of. Of course, you might be more eager for that 'personal pursuit' that makes you give up this opportunity, and I understand that. I never speak ill of my competitors; it's all up to you. But Frankie, I want to tell you very seriously, if you continue to choose Haosikai, I believe you will absolutely not regret it. And I also believe one thing, I believe..."
An Zheyuan wiped his already clean lips with a tissue, then lowered his voice and said to Cheng Shi, "This new position will also be the best gift you can give to your father."
How could Cheng Shi bring this up with Huang Ruoyu? But when he heard An Zheyuan's seemingly mundane yet sweet words, a surge of passion rushed to his head, and he almost agreed on the spot—he felt that An Zheyuan was the mentor he had been waiting for all these years. His words made Cheng Shi realize the question he had been pondering for so many years without an answer. Moreover, Cheng Shi believed that in this new job offered by An Zheyuan, he would have the opportunity to showcase his talents and might very well achieve great things before his 36th birthday.
But how could Huang Ruoyu, who was as stubborn as an ox and prejudiced against work because he had never worked a day in his life, understand a man's pursuit of his career?
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