The Birth of Shanghai's First Conglomerate

After discussing it for a long time, the three finally decided to go and take a look that evening.

The urban village gets lively around 5 p.m., with vendors setting up stalls on both sides.

Li Qian was a little nervous this time. She used to be quite confident in this urban village.

After all, compared to the average working person, she, as a high-level white-collar worker in the city, is considered to have a certain status.

But compared to Master Chen, he might not even be worth mentioning.

Li Qian was still unsure when she saw an unexpected person there.

Why would Zhang Sitong, a rising star in the design world, come here?

She was still with a man.

It's quite normal for Song Jun to come over, since he's in charge of preparing the side dishes for Wuyou Restaurant every day.

Chen Pingsheng used to seem aloof and unapproachable.

Now that Chen Pingsheng is wearing the same chef's uniform as him, the sense of closeness immediately arises.

Every time Song Jun came to deliver vegetables, he would discuss his cooking skills with him and show off a little in front of him.

This made him feel a great sense of accomplishment.

"Brother Pingsheng, did you see that? This is how you stir-fry pork with chili peppers to make it taste good."

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

Li Qian and her senior were completely dumbfounded. Master Chen was actually the big boss of Tengying.

You don't need to look at anything else; just look at Zhang Sitong's reserved attitude when she stands in front of him, and you'll know.

Does a woman earning a million-dollar annual salary need to be so deferential to a chef?

It's obviously unnecessary.

Unless he has an extraordinary identity.

"Speaking of which, when we go in to eat later, it's best to pretend we don't know anything."

“That makes sense. Once his identity is exposed, Master Chen immediately becomes the big boss of Tengying. How could we possibly get close to him?”

"Yes, it's best to let him maintain his current status. We can just go out to eat often and leave him with some impression."

“That’s right, Li Qian, you should order the food when we get there.”

The three of them, along with their junior sister, quickly came up with a plan; they were at least somewhat intelligent.

Chef Chen is obviously easier to approach. Once they discover his true identity, would they still have the nerve to ask him to order food?
The business at Wuyou Restaurant is only so-so. There are only a few tables a day, and most people, except for those who care about the environment, basically eat fast food there.

I only come here occasionally when I'm treating someone to a meal.

Big-Faced Chen An'an is still working as her head waitress, serving dishes every day and chatting warmly with regular customers.

She's naturally talkative at her age, and since coming here, hardly anyone has had a proper conversation with her anymore.

"Sister Qian, you're here!"

"Hmm... An'an, let's just have the same three dishes again."

"Okay, I'll have my dad go and cook it for you quickly."

Chen An'an is quite a talent. While her father was cooking in the kitchen, she would call out from outside, "Dad, come out and greet the guests! Sister Qian, it's the same three dishes as always."

"It'll be ready soon."

The ingredients in the kitchen are all pre-prepared; all you need to do is stir-fry them.

Song Jun didn't stay here for long either; he and Zhang Sitong arrived quickly and left even faster.

The main reason is that my cousin has already mentioned that her husband is now taking their daughter to exercise.

Don't go looking for him unless it's absolutely necessary.

It's already quite good that he comes to deliver vegetables every day.

Chen Pingsheng still does whatever he loves, and after becoming a chef, he tries his best to hone his skills.

There were more than just Li Qian and her group at this hour.

A-Qiang arrived with his girlfriend, and Chen An'an went to greet them.

After graduating, A-Qiang's girlfriend didn't look for a job at all. Instead, she spent 20,000 yuan to rent a small apartment in downtown Shanghai.

Bet one and pay two.

She definitely didn't have any money; all that money was paid by Ah-Qiang for her.

This was a rare trip to the urban village, and I only had one meal before leaving.

Ah Qiang was actually quite happy. Chen An'an had no idea what he was so happy about. Wasn't he just being made a fool of?

Not only did he come, but Guo Shuai's father also came.

This honest migrant worker father only smoked one cigarette outside before leaving.

Even when things were tiring on the construction site, having hope in my heart kept me motivated.

After graduating from university, his son, who was a college graduate, ended up working in a factory, just like those uneducated people, fixing screws.

The old father's back bent instantly.

The thing he talks about most every day is where he can find a good job.

His coworkers had no reason to lie to him; the only jobs they could find were construction sites and community security guard positions.

As for their son, he now either delivers takeout or works in a factory tightening screws.

Delivering food is slightly better than working in a factory tightening screws.

But in these low-level jobs, capital is very calculating. You have to work 12 hours a day, rain or shine, to earn just over 10,000 yuan a month.

This requires constantly taking risks and running red lights.

If you get hit by a car someday, it will still be your primary responsibility, and years of hard work will be for nothing.

The food delivery companies won't take any responsibility whatsoever; in their words, the delivery drivers are just outsourced business.

They were all temporary workers.

The older generation believed that their sons would be successful if they went to university, but the reality was that even after graduating from university, they still couldn't find a path to advancement.

In this urban village alone, it seems that everyone is trapped by a shackle.

No matter how hard the father works on the construction site, he is risking his life to earn money.

The younger generation, on the other hand, either work in factories tightening screws or deliver food.

Others choose to have their children learn a skill.

And given their connections, the options they can offer are far too limited.

The options are either hairdressing, cooking, or auto repair.

These three industries account for at least half of the father's choices.

With a presentable hairstyle, one can go out looking presentable and even handsome.

But if you ask about the income in this industry, it averages less than five thousand.

Or the kind where the apprenticeship has lasted for more than three years.

I work more than 12 hours a day and am constantly learning here and there.

This is the result.

As for chefs, it's not as glamorous as hairdressing, but the overall income is much higher. After three years of apprenticeship, a diligent worker can generally earn over five thousand yuan a month.

Let's not even talk about auto repair; it's always filthy.

These are the so-called three treasures for the poor, providing them with a wide range of employment options.

It's unlikely to be a good profession.

True.

These industries also produce some self-reliant individuals who eventually earn a decent income.

It is far too rare relative to the overall number.

The effort and reward are typically disproportionate.

Chen An'an observes these people every day. Although she is only ten years old, she has received the best training since childhood due to her family circumstances.

At such a young age, she has already developed a pair of sharp eyes.

Chen Pingsheng wanted her to see for herself, observe for herself, and experience for herself.

Behind every Tencent employee is a family.

When these people dedicate their time and energy to a company, what can the company offer them in return?

Some large companies, despite their cultural slogans about caring for their employees, are actually as cold and indifferent as wild beasts.

When you look at things from the top, many bosses only see their employees as tools for making money.

All they talk about is how many jobs they've created for the local area and how many positions they've provided.

It's as if they believe that employees are only able to work for them because it's a favor they've done for them.

Employees should all be grateful to him; those who are ungrateful are ingrates.

But from another perspective, if he didn't have so many employees working for him, would he have achieved his current extraordinary status?
Just like ancient generals, are you still a general when you have no soldiers under your command?
People tend to become cold and indifferent after they become rich.

Only when you look at things from the bottom up will you realize that these people are all living, breathing human beings.

They also have their own ideals and their own stories.

In the end, what matters most in running a business is the people who are truly alive and well.

Only when they are willing to make sacrifices for you and solve your problems.

Only then can your business continuously thrive.

Of course, no business theory includes monopolies.

Chen Pingsheng was like a wise and patient father, always letting Chen An'an and the others experience the true world at crucial moments.

Go and understand how to break free from the web that traps the poor.

Most young people here like to talk about their ideals and their unfulfilled lives after drinking.

After waking up, I still had to keep screwing in screws.

There are also migrant worker fathers who rack their brains trying to find a good job for their college student sons.

Sending gifts everywhere has no way to get what you want.

Then there's Ah Qiang, a diligent person who's willing to do anything for love, but his inner inferiority and lack of confidence make him constantly led around by his girlfriend.

There are also people like Li Qian, who, in order to save on rent, are willing to spend an extra three or four hours commuting every day.

There's also a nobody like Yang Wei, who tries to get into her mother's Shuiyun Pavilion.

Day after day, year after year, she made efforts that even she herself could not see any hope for.

A diverse array of beings, the everyday life of humanity.

It was these people who communicated so frequently.

This is different from living in the Tan Palace Villa, where the adults talk about industrial policies.

The analysis focuses on the country's future strategic direction.

For example, the repeated emphasis on "housing is for living in, not for speculation" sends an extremely strong signal.

The top-level officials are trying every means to cash out their funds, while the bottom-level officials are still dreaming that experts will keep telling them that housing prices will continue to rise.

People in urban villages are concerned about tomorrow and their jobs.

The top leadership is concerned with policies and current events.

Two completely different directions are also unfolding completely different dreams.

Just as Chen An'an observed, the people here are incredibly busy every day.

I go to work early and leave work late.

People are still busy at around midnight.

In terms of diligence, none of the wealthy people she met could compare to them.

But why are we all so different?

The idea that young people should endure hardship is the biggest joke experts have ever made.

It's also a high-level scam.

Because their parents suffered from the moment they were born.

Chen An'an felt like her brain couldn't keep up; her father told her to observe carefully on her own.

I'll find the answers myself, and only occasionally offer some explanations to her.

Just like she asked Li Qian, why doesn't she spend her time on more meaningful things?

That's because she wasn't sure if this meaning was worth several thousand dollars.

For her, saving a few thousand a month can amount to tens of thousands a year.

For her, the greatest purpose of working is to save money.

For someone like Yang Wei, her soul has not yet been worn down by the monotonous work day after day.

So she is still fighting.

As for the migrant worker father, one can only say that he successfully raised a knowledgeable college student son.

But they lacked the ability to teach him how to be confident and how to overcome his inferiority complex.

A college student who lacks confidence and has low self-esteem, no matter how high his or her academic qualifications, will never get his ideal job.

This is life.

Every family has its cupboard.

With the current power of the Tengying Group, a single move could change the fate of everyone here.

This is boundless energy, and it is what Chen An'an will need to inherit in the future.

To make good use of this energy, she cannot just have knowledge.

One must also possess the knowledge and wisdom to see through the ways of the world.

Having seen the depth of human nature, one knows the thickness of paper; having traversed mountains and rivers, one finds the road smooth.

The road ahead for Chen An'an and his little girl is undoubtedly long, but he, as her father, will accompany her at all times.

Until they truly grow up. (End of Chapter)