novelonline Chapter 1319 He never treated me like a child
Chapter 1319 He never treated me like a child
Chapter 1319 He never treated me like a child
A brand-new black Audi 100 slowly drove onto the dirt road in Shanbei Brigade, and the deep hum of the engine immediately attracted the attention of the villagers.
The children were the first to gather around, curiously touching the gleaming car body. When the door opened and Yang Xun, dressed smartly with shiny leather shoes, stepped out, a gasp of surprise immediately erupted from the crowd.
"Yang Xun! It's Yang Xun!"
"My God, what kind of car is he driving? It looks even more impressive than Lei Hao's Crown!"
Someone recognized him, and more villagers gathered around.
"Yang Xun, you've struck it rich! You've got such a fancy car?"
A familiar person of his age patted him on the shoulder, his eyes full of envy.
Yang Xun held his head high, an undisguised smug smile on his face, enjoying the envious glances from the crowd.
He patted the car door, deliberately raising his voice a few decibels: "That used to be a company car. Now that I'm self-employed, all the money I earn is my own, so of course I have to drive a nice car!" He brandished his gleaming gold watch, "See that? A Rolex made of gold, it's worth tens of thousands!"
The villagers were amazed and gave him a thumbs up: "Good lad! You've got guts!"
"You've got guts! You dared to leave such a big multinational company and start your own business!"
"Being your own boss is so different! Amazing!"
Surrounded by compliments, Yang Xun felt completely at ease, and even the slight resentment he felt about leaving Haoran International was washed away.
He proudly pulled out bags of gifts from the trunk, all rare foods and new clothes for his family, drawing another round of admiration.
Surrounded by villagers and filled with envious glances, Yang Xun walked home triumphantly, feeling like a hero returning home in glory.
However, as soon as he stepped into the house and told his mother, Director Yang, about his solo work, she immediately gave him a scolding.
"You brat! You quit your stable, well-paying job as a manager at a foreign company, where you make more money in a month than most people do in a year. What got into you to resign?"
Director Yang's voice trembled with anger: "You think being a self-employed individual is so easy? It's a business where you risk your life! You don't rely on a big tree like Haoran International, but instead run off to be a sapling? You think you're so capable?"
The joyful atmosphere in the living room instantly froze. Yang Xun's smug smile vanished, and he retorted, his neck stiff with arrogance, "Mom! It's not that I don't want to do it, it's that I can't! Who am I? I'm a veteran of Haoran International in Shanghai! I've been working with Brother Hao since we were street vendors! But what about now? The company went public, and Brother Hao brought in a whole bunch of college graduates, none of them know a thing or two, yet they're all pointing fingers! I can't just stand by and watch those bastards shit and pee on my neck, can I?"
He slammed the gift he was holding onto the table: "Anyway, I've already resigned, and there's no place for me at Haoran International. I refuse to believe it! With my abilities, Yang Xun, I can make money even without Haoran International!"
Director Yang looked at her son's flushed face and defiant eyes, knowing that further words would be futile. Her son was headstrong; once he made up his mind, nothing could sway him. She could only sigh heavily, saying with exasperation, "Fine, fine, if you're so capable, go ahead and do whatever you want! I'm not going to interfere anymore!"
Yang Xun stayed at home for a few days, listening to the neighbors' various forms of envy and flattery, and his pride surged up again.
He couldn't sit still any longer and drove back to Shanghai. This time, he was the real Boss Yang, armed with a huge sum of money from selling Haoran International options, ambitiously preparing to make a big splash.
Yang Xun believed that he had experience, channels, and money, and that he would definitely be able to attract business if he went it alone.
But reality slapped him hard in the face.
"Mr. Yang... oh no, Boss Yang! It's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that the factory is overflowing with export orders, and our production capacity is booked until next year. We really can't squeeze out even a tiny bit more. I'm so sorry!"
When Director Liu of the textile factory met him at the factory gate, he smiled broadly, but his tone was full of excuses.
Factory Director Wang of the toy factory didn't even show his face, but sent his secretary out to deliver a message: "Director Wang... he's on a business trip to the Canton Fair and won't be back for several months."
Factory Director Li from the electronics factory did meet him, but after a few words, he served tea and saw him off: "Mr. Yang, not to be rude, but your company is still new, it hasn't even established a brand yet. My factory is an old state-owned enterprise. This cooperation... isn't it too risky? If something goes wrong, I, as the factory director, won't be able to explain myself. Why don't you look for other factories?"
The scenes of enthusiastically offering cigarettes and fawning over people are still vivid in my mind, but now I'm met with indifference instead.
Yang Xun drove his Audi around for several days, but to no avail. He finally understood what it meant to be forgotten once you're gone. Without the prestigious reputation of Haoran International and without stable foreign trade orders, he was nothing in the eyes of these factory managers.
Yang Xun was unwilling to give up! Since others didn't believe in the capabilities of his new company, he would first set up the company's framework!
As a result, the process of obtaining the necessary permits became a long and arduous ordeal. He ran around to various government departments, including industry and commerce, taxation, foreign trade, health, and local government offices. It took him three days to get a single stamp and a week to deal with the attitude of each person.
Various supporting documents, vague regulations, and clerks in different departments either shirked responsibility or claimed the procedures were incomplete. He humbled himself before those windows, smiling obsequiously, offering cigarettes and bribes, but all he received in return was indifference and repeated phrases like "wait for notification" or "we'll look into it further."
Previously, at Haoran International, he only needed to make a call and a specialist would handle the paperwork. Now, when he tried to do it himself, he encountered obstacles at every turn and could not make a single step. He suddenly realized that the reason things went so smoothly before was not because Yang Xun had a lot of influence or ability, but because he had the prestigious Haoran International brand backing him up.
Registering in mainland China is too troublesome? Yang Xun's mind raced, and he thought of registering in Hong Kong! He'd heard it offered foreign investment benefits and preferential policies, making things much easier. He immediately sprang into action, pulling strings, running errands, and inquiring about policies, spending money like water.
This time, however, the trouble was much greater. 82 was the period when the debate over whether foreign investment was "capitalist" or "socialist" was at its most intense, and foreign investment policies became exceptionally sensitive and stringent.
The staff responsible for the review were exceptionally cautious and tight-lipped. Yang Xun had been running around for over a month, spending a considerable amount on passport and visa fees, agency consultation fees, and document translation fees, but the registration process seemed to have sunk without a trace, making no progress whatsoever.
The responses are always the same: it needs to be "studied and discussed at the higher level," or they simply say vaguely that the policy has been adjusted and it is not suitable to process this type of registration at the moment.
Yang Xun's temper was completely ignited.
"Damn it! If they won't let me register, I won't register! I might as well quit foreign trade! I'll become a middleman and run a shell company!"
He was a fearless person by nature, and he acted on his thoughts immediately. Since the company sign couldn't be obtained in a short time, he simply gave up on it! He quickly tallied up his remaining funds, bought a train ticket to Northeast China by himself, and, with the bank draft in hand and a few tens of thousands of yuan in cash tucked into the lining of his clothes, plunged headlong into the Northeast.
Just as Yang Xun encountered setbacks and resolved to shift his focus to Northeast China, in the office of Haoran International's US branch in Manhattan, New York, across the ocean...
Qin Hao was intently reviewing the newly delivered documents outlining the western United States channel expansion plan, and signing his name.
Sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating his wide desk. Suddenly, the telephone rang.
Qin Hao picked up the phone: "Hello?"
On the other end of the phone, a clear, slightly childish voice, yet trying to sound like an adult, rang out: "...Hello? It's me."
Qin Hao was taken aback: "Liang Sichen? You've come to America?"
Liang Sichen on the other end of the phone was clearly surprised to be guessed so quickly, and pouted in dissatisfaction: "How boring! How did you guess it so quickly? If it were Teacher Song, she definitely wouldn't have guessed it!"
Qin Hao chuckled, imagining her expression at that moment: "How long have you been here? How are you? Have you adjusted to the time difference yet?"
Liang Sichen's voice carried a hint of smugness: "Guess how long I've been here?"
"Hmm...you must have arrived yesterday, right? How's it going? Have you adjusted to the time difference yet?"
"Ah! How did you guess so accurately?!" Liang Sichen's surprised and unconvinced voice rang out, her tone carrying a hint of a little girl's frustration at having her game exposed: "Honestly, do you have some kind of superpower, the ability to predict the future?"
Qin Hao chuckled: "If I really had that ability, I would have known who you were the moment you dialed the number."
"Hmph, fine!" Liang Sichen pouted, "Do you have time now? Show me around and let me get acquainted with the surroundings."
Qin Hao glanced at his wristwatch: "Since you called me right away... if you're in New York right now... I can spare about two hours of rest around midnight for you."
"Only two hours?!" Liang Sichen exclaimed in dissatisfaction, "You must be really busy!"
Qin Hao responded in English, half-jokingly, "You'll get used to this way of communicating soon. Welcome to America."
Around noon, Liang Sichen appeared on time downstairs at Qin Hao's office. Accompanying her was an elderly Chinese woman with gray hair, dressed appropriately, and possessing a gentle demeanor.
The old lady always had a gentle smile on her face.
"Mr. Lei, I'm so sorry to bother you while you're working. I'm Sishen's grandmother."
"Hello." Qin Hao stood up and gave a polite smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Before the old lady could answer, Liang Sichen impatiently grabbed Qin Hao's arm and dragged him outside: "Don't be so polite, Grandma! He only has two hours! Time is precious! Let's talk as we walk!"
Qin Hao helplessly shrugged at Aunt Sun, who looked at her granddaughter with a doting smile.
For the next two hours, Qin Hao transformed into a temporary tour guide and bodyguard, leading the elderly man and the child around some of the most famous landmarks in downtown New York City.
Liang Sichen seemed exceptionally excited, bombarding her with questions as if she wanted to uncover all the secrets of the city. Qin Hao, in turn, tried his best to satisfy her curiosity with concise and engaging language.
Most of the time, the old lady simply followed with a smile, watching her granddaughter skip and jump with gentle eyes.
In the taxi on the way back, the old lady watched Liang Sichen, who was happily fiddling with the small souvenirs she had just bought, and couldn't help but ask softly, "Sichen, Grandma has lived here for many years and knows every street and alley in New York very well. Why did you have to trouble Mr. Lei to take the time to accompany us shopping?"
Liang Sichen raised her head and answered seriously, "Because he's different! He won't just buy me ice cream or take me to the amusement park like he's a child! He'll tell me the story behind the acquisition of this building, and how those street performers make a living from it! He won't laugh at me for saying adult things and say, 'What does a little kid like you know?'"
She paused, then said very seriously, "Only he doesn't treat me like a child!"
The old lady was slightly taken aback, looking into her granddaughter's bright and stubborn eyes: "Alright, alright, then Grandma will try her best not to treat you like a child, let's be good friends, chat and go shopping together, okay?"
Liang Sichen pouted, clearly unconvinced by such a promise: "Hmph, you adults always say that, but you never actually do it!"
He then started playing with the small Statue of Liberty model in his hand, no longer dwelling on the topic.
In the days that followed, Liang Sichen indeed became a regular at Qin Hao's New York office. Every few days, her small figure would appear at the front desk on time.
Sometimes, while Qin Hao was in meetings or dealing with important documents, she would sit quietly on the sofa in the rest area, holding a thick English dictionary and a notebook, muttering to herself as she practiced her spoken English.
When she encounters employees she knows, she will even take the initiative to go up to them and chat with them in broken but hard-working English, asking them the meaning of a few words.
The company's American employees found the diligent Chinese girl learning English very interesting and were happy to help her. Seeing that this approach genuinely helped Liang Sichen quickly adapt to the language environment and integrate into her new life, the elderly woman tacitly approved of her behavior.
Before they knew it, spring was in full bloom in New York, and May had arrived. It was time to prepare for Liang Sichen's formal school enrollment. Her grandmother had submitted an application for a prestigious local private school. Before officially enrolling, Liang Sichen needed to attend a designated language school for several months of intensive language training, as required by the school.
"Huh? Classes are starting soon? We can't go out and play as often anymore..." Liang Sichen pouted when she received the class schedule.
That evening, Qin Hao had just finished a business dinner and returned to his hotel room when he made an overseas call to Song Yunping.
"Sishen went to language school to register?" Song Yunping's voice was filled with laughter: "This little girl is really interesting, she's like a little adult."
After discussing Liang Sichen's recent situation, Song Yunping's tone became somewhat hesitant and worried, "By the way, I have something to tell you. Xiaohui... he's about to graduate, and he wants to work at Jingzhou Chemical Plant."
Qin Hao immediately caught the worry in his wife's tone: "With Xiaohui's academic performance, getting into Jingzhou Chemical shouldn't be a problem, right?"
“Sigh…that’s the problem.” Song Yunping sighed: “Xiao Hui’s grades and abilities are certainly not a problem. But I’ve also heard that Jingzhou Chemical recruits very few students from their school each year, so there are far more applicants than available positions.”
Qin Hao understood his wife's concerns. As a large, key state-owned enterprise, Jingzhou Chemical's position was indeed highly sought after.
"Pingping, here's what we'll do." Qin Hao pondered for a moment and said, "First, let Xiaohui prepare for the interview according to the procedure and do his best to get it. His abilities are there, and the person in charge of Jingzhou Chemical should be able to see it if they're not blind."
"But just in case, I'll think of a way to see if I can ask someone to pass on a message, of course, without compromising the principle of fairness. We'll prepare this in secret, without letting Xiaohui know. He has a strong personality and a strong sense of self-respect. If he knows we're helping him pull some strings, even if it works out, he'll definitely feel uncomfortable, and it might even ruin things."
Song Yunping nodded repeatedly on the other end of the phone: "Yes, yes, yes! This is the safest way! Sigh, you know, Xiaohui is good in every way, but he's too naive and too idealistic..."
Listening to his wife's concern for her younger brother, Qin Hao teased softly, "Who can he blame? It's all because of you, his good older sister, who has protected him too much since he was little, so he hasn't seen much of the world."
Song Yunping retorted angrily on the other end of the phone, "Hmph! And you're the one talking! Haven't you been spoiling him all along too?"
"Alright, alright, I'll get one too." Qin Hao conceded defeat.
Just then, the faint voices of others urging them could be heard on the phone: "Comrade, can you hurry up? We're waiting to make the call!"
Song Yunping quickly replied, "Yes, right away, I'm sorry!" Then she hurriedly said into the phone, "Okay, okay, I can't talk to you anymore. International calls are expensive, and other people are waiting! We'll talk when you get back!"
"Okay, take care of yourself." Before Qin Hao could finish speaking, the line went dead.
Putting down the receiver and listening to the monotonous "beep beep" sound, Qin Hao began to miss the era of feature phones for the first time.
In mid-May, the plane landed at Hongqiao Airport. Qin Hao went straight to the branch office.
He spent a week reviewing every key aspect of the branch office's operations.
He was quite satisfied with the result. Although these college students, who were born in the 1960s and 1966s, lacked the shrewdness of real business experience, they did manage to put the initial goal of "integrating the industrial chain and finding high-quality factories" into practice, thanks to their solid professional skills and a deeper understanding of international rules, combined with the framework set by Qin Hao.
The new tiered order distribution model is operating smoothly, with several key supported local factories performing exceptionally well, showing significant improvements in quality stability and supply efficiency. The advantages of cost control are beginning to emerge.
Qin Hao believes that in a few years, a more standardized and efficient Haoran International will be able to compete with even those international giants.