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The next day, Afu came to find Huang Renfa and looked at him directly, saying, "Village Chief Huang, President Su has an idea he'd like to discuss with you."

"Mr. Fu, please speak." Huang Renfa was very polite.

Knowing that Afu was Suning's most capable subordinate and that his words carried weight.

“Mr. Su thinks your daughter, Huang Yunyun, has a good personality and is meticulous in her work, and wants her to work at the company,” Afu said. “Mr. Su means to have Huang Yunyun be his personal assistant to help with some daily tasks.”

"A personal assistant?" Huang Renfa was taken aback. "This... can Yunyun handle it? She can't even speak properly, how can she be an assistant?"

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Afu said. “A personal assistant mainly handles miscellaneous tasks, such as arranging schedules, organizing documents, and receiving guests. They don’t need to talk much; the key is to be attentive and responsible. President Su thinks Huang Yunyun is very suitable.”

Huang Renfa's heart skipped a beat.

Having his daughter work as an assistant at Suning? This is no ordinary job.

What is an assistant? An assistant is someone who is closest to the leader.

If you do well, you'll have a bright future.

Moreover, you can learn a lot from working with a boss like Suning.

More importantly... if Yunyun could stay by Su Ning's side and the two of them spend more time together, wouldn't that...

Huang Renfa dared not think further, but he was already overjoyed.

“Mr. Fu, it’s an honor for the Huang family that Mr. Su values ​​Yunyun so much.” Huang Renfa said, “I’ve agreed on Yunyun’s behalf. However… Yunyun is timid and stutters, I’m afraid she won’t do well and will cause trouble for Mr. Su.”

“President Su also thought of this,” Afu said. “President Su will have someone mentor and teach her. Moreover, President Su said that stuttering is not a problem. As long as one is willing to learn and work hard, one can still do a good job.”

"President Su is such a good person!" Huang Renfa said emotionally. "Yunyun is so lucky to have met such a benefactor as President Su. President Fu, rest assured, I will make sure Yunyun does her job well and lives up to President Su's expectations."

“Then it’s settled,” Afu said. “Huang Yunyun will come to the company to report for duty next Monday, and I will arrange for someone to take care of her.”

"Okay! Okay! Thank you, Mr. Fu!"

After seeing Afu off, Huang Renfa immediately went upstairs to find his daughter.

Huang Yunyun was reading in her room when her father came in. She put down her book and asked, "Dad... Dad, is something wrong?"

"Yunyun, great news! Fantastic news!" Huang Renfa exclaimed excitedly, "President Su wants you to work at his company as his personal assistant!"

"Assistant...assistant?" Huang Yunyun was stunned. "Can...can I do it?"

"Why not?" Huang Renfa said, "President Su personally requested you, which means he thinks highly of you. Yunyun, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Working under President Su, you can learn a lot, and your future will be limitless."

"But...but I'm talking..."

"What's wrong with your speech?" Huang Renfa said. "President Su said that stuttering is not a problem. As long as you are willing to work hard, you can still do your job well. Yunyun, Dad knows that you have always been insecure and feel that you are not as good as others. But now the opportunity has come, you must seize it!"

Huang Yunyun bit her lip, her heart pounding with anxiety.

To be honest, she really wanted to go.

Working in a factory allows you to meet people from the outside world and develop yourself.

And being Suning's assistant... She recalled how Suning looked yesterday: young, handsome, gentle-spoken, and without any airs.

A boss like that should be easy to get along with, right?

But... can I really do it?

"Yunyun, don't hesitate," Huang Renfa said. "Report to work tomorrow. Remember, do a good job, learn and observe more, talk less and do more. Do whatever General Manager Su tells you to do, don't ask why. Understand?"

"Ming...understand."

"Also," Huang Renfa lowered his voice, "President Su is still unmarried, young and promising, and of good character. If you can... can get along well with him, maybe..."

"Dad!" Huang Yunyun blushed. "What...what are you saying!"

"Alright, alright, I won't say anything more." Huang Ren laughed. "You can handle it yourself. In short, this is your chance, so be sure to seize it."

……

On Friday evening, Suning went to his father's house for dinner.

Upon entering, I discovered that my mother, Lin Wanqiu, had also come to Shenzhen.

"Mom? What brings you here?" Su Ning asked, somewhat surprised.

Lin Wanqiu was helping the housekeeper prepare food in the kitchen when she heard the voice and poked her head out. "School's out for summer vacation, so I came to see your dad and you. Wash your hands and get ready to eat."

At the dinner table, the family of three enjoyed a rare reunion.

Su Dahai opened a bottle of Moutai and poured a glass for everyone. "Come on, Xiao Ning, you've worked hard these past few days. Dad will toast you."

"Dad, you're too kind." Su Ning raised his glass. "I should be the one toasting you."

The three of them clinked their glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

Lin Wanqiu placed a piece of braised pork on her son's plate. "Xiao Ning, are you settling in well in Shenzhen? Are you eating well? Are you staying well?"

"Everything is fine," Su Ning said. "There's a canteen at the factory, and the accommodations are alright too."

"I heard your factory is doing quite well?" Su Dahai asked. "How are the pager sales?"

“Not bad,” Suning said. “We sold 1,000 units in the first month, 3,000 units in the second month, and we estimate 5,000 units this month. Supply can’t meet demand, and the production line is still expanding.”

Su Dahai nodded. "That's quite efficient. I heard that your factory went from construction to production in less than three months. That's fast, even in Shenzhen."

"It's mainly because General Manager Fu and his team are capable," Su Ning said, "and the cooperation from Lanyuan Village is also excellent."

Mentioning Lanyuan Village, Su Dahai thought of something, "By the way, what's Huang Renfa like? Is he reliable?"

"He's alright," Su Ning said. "He's a very honest person and knows what's important. When his nephew Huang Xiaohu caused trouble, he dealt with it quickly, dismissed him from his post, and even came to apologize to me."

"Huang Xiaohu?" Su Dahai frowned. "What happened?"

Suning briefly explained how Huang Xiaohu accepted money from Huang Tianba and caused trouble at the factory.

Su Dahai's face darkened after hearing this. "That bastard Huang Tianba is still as despicable as ever. He used to resort to such underhanded tricks when he was fighting against me. Now he's even bullying my son."

Lin Wanqiu was also angry. "How can Huang Tianba be so shameless! He can't beat the adults, so he bullies the children?"

“Mom, I’m not a child anymore,” Su Ning laughed. “Besides, Huang Tianba didn’t gain anything either. He snatched the equipment, but I have better options. He bribed Huang Xiaohu, but Huang Renfa dealt with him. Now he’s started his own factory making pagers and is going to compete with me head-on.”

"He also makes pagers?" Su Dahai asked in surprise. "Does he know anything about electronics?"

“I don’t understand,” Su Ning said. “But he has money, equipment, and he even poached a few people from me. I heard he registered a company called Tianba Electronics, and he’s going to make pagers too.”

"Isn't this blatantly going against you?" Lin Wanqiu said worriedly. "Xiao Ning, you have to be careful! Huang Tianba is a cunning and ruthless man. If he's competing fairly, that's fine, but if he resorts to underhanded tactics, you'd better watch out."

"Mom, don't worry," Su Ning said. "I know what I'm doing."

Su Dahai looked at his son, "Xiao Ning, aren't you worried? Huang Tianba has been in Shenzhen for over ten years, with extensive connections and resources. If he really goes against you, can you handle it?"

“Dad, I don’t think this is a bad thing,” Su Ning said. “It might actually be a good thing.”

"Good news?" Su Dahai and Lin Wanqiu were both stunned.

“Yes.” Su Ning nodded. “Have you heard of the catfish effect?”

"The catfish effect? ​​What does that mean?"

"That is to say, if you put a catfish in a group of sardines, the sardines will keep swimming to avoid the catfish, which will actually make them live longer and stay fresher," Su Ning explained. "Huang Tianba is that catfish to me."

He paused, then continued, “Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics has been developing too smoothly. From building the factory to putting it into production to sales, everything has gone smoothly. The employees may have become complacent, arrogant, or even thought they were invincible. Huang Tianba’s arrival at this time served as a reminder that the market is not ours alone, and competition can come at any time.”

Su Dahai seemed to understand something. "You mean, Huang Tianba's appearance can make Shenzhen and Hong Kong keep a close watch on things?"

“Yes,” Suning said. “Moreover, competition is a good thing. Without competition, companies are prone to stagnation and complacency. Competition forces us to innovate and improve continuously. For example, because Huang Tianba is coming into the market, we are already developing new products and optimizing production processes to reduce costs. These are all advancements forced by competition.”

Lin Wanqiu was still a little worried, "That's true, but Huang Tianba, that person..."

"Mom, don't worry," Su Ning comforted her. "Business competition, in the end, comes down to products, services, and management. If Huang Tianba can really beat me with those things, I'll accept it. But if he wants to play dirty tricks, I'm not afraid either. I'm prepared."

Su Dahai looked at his son with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

He originally thought that his son, who was just starting out, would be nervous and flustered when faced with a challenge from a seasoned veteran like Huang Tianba.

I never expected my son to be so calm and clear-headed, and to see the competition as an opportunity instead.

This mindset and perspective are far superior to what he had back then.

“Xiao Ning, you’re right.” Su Dahai raised his glass. “Competition is a good thing. But you have to remember, Huang Tianba is not a simple man. If he competes fairly, we welcome it. But if he resorts to underhanded tactics, you don’t need to be polite. If you need anything, just tell your dad. I’ve been in Shenzhen for so many years, and I haven’t been doing this for nothing.”

"Thank you, Dad." Su Ning raised her glass. "But I want to try to solve this myself first. If I really can't, then I'll ask for your help."

"Alright." Su Dahai nodded in satisfaction. "You have backbone."

Lin Wanqiu was still worried. "Xiao Ning, is that Boss Fu reliable? I heard from your dad that he has an unknown background and we can't find out his details."

“Mom, Mr. Fu is a professional manager I hired from Hong Kong. He’s very capable and loyal. As for the issue of his unclear background, everyone has secrets these days,” Su Ning said. “Don’t worry, I know how to handle people.” “That’s good,” Lin Wanqiu said. “But you should also be careful and not trust others too much. The business world is like a battlefield, and you can’t see into someone’s heart.”

"I remember."

After dinner, the family chatted and drank tea in the living room.

Lin Wanqiu asked about Han Ling, "Xiao Ning, are you still in contact with that Han Ling?"

"We keep in touch occasionally," Su Ning said. "She hasn't graduated yet; she's preparing her graduation thesis. She should come to Shenzhen after graduation."

"Didn't she choose Xiao Ran? Xiao Ran is in Shenzhen now?"

“Yes,” Su Ning said. “But it seems he’s not doing too well. I heard that Xiao Ran hasn’t found a formal job yet and is doing odd jobs and selling DVDs.”

Lin Wanqiu sighed, "Han Ling is really unlucky. She chose such a boyfriend; she'll suffer for it in the future."

“Mom, that’s her own choice,” Su Ning said. “We should respect that.”

"I know," Lin Wanqiu said. "I just feel it's a pity. Such a good girl, how could she..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Su Ning smiled but didn't reply.

When it comes to matters of the heart, you can't force them.

Han Ling chose Xiao Ran, and he had no choice but to respect that decision.

But Shenzhen, this melting pot, will change many people and many things.

Perhaps one day, Han Ling will regret the choice she made today.

Maybe not.

But no matter what, it's her own life, her own choice.

As an outsider, all Suning can do is respect the situation and... lend a hand when needed.

After all, Suning had promised Han Ling that he would help her if she encountered any difficulties in Shenzhen.

This promise remains valid.

"Xiao Ning," Su Dahai began, "what are your next plans for your factory?"

"We plan to expand our scale," Suning said. "I plan to increase the number of production lines to ten by the end of the year, with a daily output of 1,000 units. At the same time, we will expand into the national market and set up offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Chengdu. In addition, new products are under development, and we expect to launch version 2.0 by the end of the year."

"Are there enough funds?"

“That’s enough for now,” Su Ning said. “We’re making over three million yuan in gross profit each month, and after deducting costs and expenses, the net profit is around one million yuan. I will invest all of this money in expanding production.”

Su Dahai nodded. "That's good, you have foresight. But you need to be careful, expanding too quickly also carries risks. Management needs to keep up, and quality must be guaranteed. We can't sacrifice quality for quantity."

“I understand,” Su Ning said. “President Fu is very strict about this. There are standards and inspections for every step. Quality is our lifeline, and I will not relax my efforts.”

"That's good."

They chatted until after 10 p.m., when Suning got up to say goodbye.

"Why don't you stay here tonight?" Lin Wanqiu said. "A room has been prepared for you."

"No, Mom, I have to go to the factory early tomorrow morning, it's too far to stay here," Su Ning said. "I'll go back to my own place."

"Then be careful on the road."

"Okay, Dad, Mom, you should get some rest."

After leaving his father's house, Su Ning drove back to his apartment.

On the way, he thought about the conversation he had just had.

He could understand his parents' worries about Huang Tianba.

After all, Huang Tianba was a seasoned veteran with many tricks up his sleeve and a ruthless heart.

But he really wasn't afraid.

Huang Tianba's emergence has indeed been a disruptive force for Suning.

Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics has developed too smoothly, and his own life has also been too smooth, to the point that it's worrying.

Employees may become complacent if they feel the product is selling well and demand exceeds supply.

Management may become complacent if they feel the market is vast and there are no competitors.

Just then, Huang Tianba burst in, which served as a timely reminder to everyone...

The market doesn't belong to one company; competition can come at any time.

Moreover, Huang Tianba's involvement in pagers is actually a good thing for Suning.

why?
Huang Tianba's entry into the market will draw more attention to the pager industry and further fuel its growth.

When the market heats up, demand increases even more.

As a pioneer, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics is able to reap more benefits.

Of course, this is on the premise that Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics can maintain its leading advantage.

However, Suning's equipment is more advanced than Huang Tianba's, his technology is more mature, and his team is more professional.

More importantly, Suning has the advantage of a robust system, AI robots like Afu acting as professional managers, and an information advantage for the next few decades.

Huang Tianba wants to fight me?

It's almost interesting.

However, we cannot be careless.

Huang Tianba, a seasoned veteran, might resort to desperate measures if pushed too far.

We need to be wary of him using underhanded tactics.

Thinking of this, Su Ning picked up her phone and called Afu.

"Owner."

"Ah Fu, keep a close eye on Huang Tianba. Especially his assistant, Ah Wei, see what he's been up to lately."

"Understood. Master, there is one more thing to report to you."

"explain."

"Tianba Electronics' first batch of products has come out and is being tested. I had someone bring one over and took it apart to take a look. The quality is very average, not even comparable to our 1.0 version. Moreover, the cost control is not good; I estimate that each unit costs more than nine hundred."

Suning laughed, "So you've already released a product? It seems Huang Tianba is really in a hurry."

"Yes. I heard they're planning to sell it for 1,300, which is 200 cheaper than us. They're trying to grab market share through a price war."

“A price war?” Suning shook its head. “Low price does not equal low quality. If the product quality is poor, no matter how low the price is, it’s useless. Consumers are not stupid; they will compare.”

"So what do we do? Should we lower the price?"

“No price reduction,” Suning said. “Not only will we not reduce prices, we will also raise them.”

"Price increase?" Afu was stunned.

“Yes,” Suning said. “We’re launching version 2.0, priced at 1,800 yuan. It’s more powerful, has a more stylish appearance, and is of better quality. Meanwhile, version 1.0 will remain at the original price of 1,500 yuan. This gives consumers more choices.”

"That 1300 yuan of Huang Tianba's..."

“Let him sell it,” Suning said. “Once consumers realize that 1,300 yuan buys a defective product, 1,500 yuan buys a genuine product, and 1,800 yuan buys a premium product, they will know how to choose.”

Afu understood. "Master, are you trying to differentiate yourself from Huang Tianba?"

“That’s right,” Suning said. “They wage a price war, we wage a value war. They sell cheap goods, we sell high-quality goods. The market is so big, there will always be consumers who pursue quality. What we need to do is to serve these people well.”

“Excellent,” Afu said. “I’ll arrange the launch of version 2.0 right away.”

“Okay. Also, prepare for an upgrade to after-sales service. We need to establish a 24-hour customer service hotline and promise to resolve issues within three days. This is something Huang Tianba cannot do.”

"Yes."

After hanging up the phone, Su Ning looked at the Shenzhen night view outside the window with a smile on her lips.

Huang Tianba, thank you for being the catfish.

With you here, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Electronics will become even stronger.

...(End of chapter)