I can become stronger by paying salaries. I have one billion employees!

Chapter 438 Reminiscing about the summer of 2013! Running the cafeteria with chopsticks, passing the first-tier university entrance exam, 1 yuan per year!
The following morning, Zhou Hongyi announced that 360's search market share had exceeded 15%, ranking third in the industry, second only to Lingxi and Qiandu.

The ranking dropped, but the market share increased.

While netizens were still curious about the market share of Lingxi and Qiandu, CNZZ quickly followed up by releasing its monitoring data.

千度43.9%、灵犀21.3%、360搜索15.1%、搜狗7.7%、企鹅1.6%，对比开战之前，千度搜索的市场份额足足下滑了20%以上。

Senlian Capital and 360 used the most ruthless tactics, not only stealing business but also targeting each other's advertising agents, which led to a sharp decline in Baidu's revenue.

Although Sogou and Tencent didn't put in much effort, they still managed to reap considerable benefits, with both seeing a slight increase in market share.

Baidu's repeated setbacks in its core business areas have caused discontent among its shareholders, with some trapped investors taking no chances and directly tagging Li Yanhong on social media to hurl insults at him by name.

"RNM! Pay up!"

"Why abandon your perfectly good search business to provoke Senlian Capital? If you could win, that would be one thing, but do you have the capability?"

"You're using my money to support your food delivery, group buying, and ride-hailing projects? You son of a bitch, it's all your father's hard-earned money!"

Li Yanhong was scolded, but he didn't dare to talk back.

After all, Baidu did lose market share, and its O2O strategy failed to make any progress, causing investors to lose money as well.

But there's no turning back once the arrow is released; the competition between Qiandu and Senlian Capital continues.

Zhang Yiming replicated Baidu's Q&A, encyclopedia, and Tieba products one by one, with the aim of replacing them.

Zhou Hongyi, naturally, was even less polite and simply copied the content from Baidu and pasted it into 360 Search.

Enraged, Li Yanhong launched into a tirade and immediately instructed his legal department to sue both Senlian Capital and 360.

But as he himself once said, the spirit of the internet is free and shared.

Aside from giving Baidu some advantage in public opinion, this lawsuit poses no real threat to Chen Yansen and Zhou Hongyi.

Which successful company doesn't have thousands of lawsuits?

I'm not afraid of you!

Therefore, as soon as CNZZ's industry data was released, Qiandu.com's stock price immediately fell.

Investors across the ocean cursed and insulted Li Yanhong's ancestors for eighteen generations.

Soon after, news of Kuai Pao Maicai's expansion into the South China market spread like wildfire.

With this, KuaiRun's food delivery, group buying, and grocery shopping businesses have covered most of China.

While competing with Gong Zhenbing, Wang Zhongpu, and Xiang Hailong, Pei Yi did not slow down his expansion, and the team grew larger and larger, with more and more employees.

Half an hour later, the mini-comedy "Unexpectedly," co-produced by Douyin and Wanhe Tianyi, officially premiered.
In other words, Douyin has adjusted the original 15-second short video rule to a maximum of 15 minutes, a change that has greatly increased the creative space for creators.

"Hello everyone, my name is Wang Dachui. I once won the award for the most perfect shelling of mantis shrimp in the Central Plains region. Aren't you impressed by me?"

"I have no regrets about my life. When I think back to that afternoon when I ran in the sunset, that was my lost youth."

"It won't be long before I get a promotion and a raise, become a general manager, become a CEO, marry a beautiful and rich woman, and reach the pinnacle of my life. I'm a little excited just thinking about it."

"Unexpectedly" and short videos seem to be a perfect match. After only two episodes were released, it garnered more than 1000 million views and more than 100 million likes in just half an hour.

Wanhe Tianyi originally planned to cooperate with Youku, but Liang Bo's offer was too generous, and considering Mimo's influence overseas, they ultimately chose Douyin.

These kinds of silly short dramas are perfect for product placement, bringing huge traffic to products like Kuaidi Dache, Gaode Maps, and Lingxi Browser.

On the last day of mid-June, "Unexpectedly" and Douyin became cherished memories for countless people.

At the same time, the viral hit song "The Fox's Call" became a sensation, and numerous cover versions and lip-sync videos appeared on Douyin and Mimo.

"Tiny Times" box office surpasses 4 million.

"So Young" box office surpasses 7 million yuan.

Han Han's film "The Continent" has entered the preparation stage.

Tencent Video has secured the exclusive broadcasting rights for the NBA.

Momo's user base has surpassed 8000 million.

Changba's user base has surpassed 1 million.

In the summer of 2013, the mobile internet era became increasingly vibrant, and the sharing economy began to flourish.

Wang Xin then left Meituan headquarters with Wang Huiwen, Shen Peng, and others, completely bidding farewell to the group-buying industry.

That day, they entered an office building in Yanjing and put up a sign for "Group Purchase Loan".

As the name suggests, it's a group-buying website in the P2P lending industry.

Group loans in groups of two, three, or more can reduce interest rates.

……

……

I will no longer contact you, I hope you don't mind.

Blame it on not being together in the first place.

"And since you're quite satisfied with the current situation, there's no reason for me to stay..."

Chen Yansen sat in the back seat of the Ghost, scrolling through Douyin short videos. Compared to Mimo, the content was relatively conservative, unlike what would happen more than ten years later, with a major bombshell every three seconds and a borderline video every five steps.

This year, everything flourished and was full of vitality, and the economy was developing rapidly.

College graduates can easily find jobs, with travel expenses reimbursed for interviews and new employee welcome packages. By switching jobs, their salaries can easily increase by 30%.

The entrepreneurial army is vast, with everyone believing they can buy a car in three years, a house in five years, and earn millions in ten years.

Skirting the edge?

Even a dog wouldn't do that!

A short while later, the car stopped at Zhuxianzhuang Science and Technology Park. Chen Yansen got out of the car and walked towards the office building.

"Boss, Mr. Wang from Laoxiangji has arrived and is in the rest area."

Tian Tian smiled slightly and gently reminded her.

Chen Yansen nodded, turned his head and looked over, and sure enough, he saw Wang Xueting talking with a middle-aged man in his early forties.

He then slowly stepped forward!

Upon seeing the young man at the door, Wang Zhe quickly stood up and greeted him with a broad smile, "Hello, Mr. Chen."

Although he was the deputy general manager of Laoxiangji, he was ultimately just a senior white-collar worker, and his status was vastly different from Chen Yansen's.

Even if the founder of Laoxiangji came in person, he would still have to respectfully call him "General Manager Chen".

Of course, given Su Congxuan's status, even seeing Pei Yi would be difficult, let alone Chen Yansen.

After all, KuaiPao is the largest food delivery and group-buying platform in the country, and it has a strong influence and control over catering chains like Laoxiangji.

"Please sit down!" Chen Yansen said calmly.

After saying that, he pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Wang Zhe.

“I’ve seen your resume and I believe in your abilities, but Kuai Pao Canteen and Lao Xiang Ji have different business models. I position it as an employee-community canteen, with employees coming first, understand?” Chen Yansen said.

During his last trip to Yanjing, he noticed that it was inconvenient for Yunsu Express couriers and Kuaipao deliverymen to eat, so he proposed the concept of Kuaipao canteen.

Firstly, it provides a place for employees of branch offices in various locations to eat, shelter from the rain, and escape the heat; secondly, it can increase employment opportunities and open up a brand-new avenue for obtaining humanitarian funding. A Kuai Pao canteen requires at least a store manager, waiters, cashiers, food servers, food preparers, and chefs, totaling about 20 people.

If 1000 stores are opened nationwide, an additional 2 employees can be added.

“Mr. Chen, I worked at Laoxiangji for four years and Nanchengxiang for six years. I am very good at supply chain management and team management. I am familiar with the cost of ingredients and labor in various places, and I also have my own practical experience in improving profitability.”

Wang Zhe answered immediately.

Although Kuai Pao Canteen is essentially just a dining area for Senlian Capital employees, Chen Yansen immediately mentioned a plan for 1000 stores, which is much larger than Laoxiangji.

It's worth noting that in 2013, Laoxiangji only had 280 stores.

The position he interviewed for was ostensibly the general manager of Kuaipao Canteen's business, but in reality, it was the canteen manager for Senlian Capital.

Although the title doesn't sound prestigious, the career prospects and financial rewards are quite good.

Wang Zhe didn't hesitate at all; he took two days off and rushed to Xucheng.

Chen Yansen casually asked a few professional questions, such as what percentage of the store's cost structure are ingredients, labor, and utilities? How to balance "standardized service" and "personalized needs"?
Wang Zhe's answers were all correct, his logic was clear, and his solutions were very practical.

It's clear that the other person's methodology was honed and summarized through work experience; they are a truly hands-on person.

Both of my previous and current jobs were in the chain restaurant industry.

"Have you agreed on the start date?" Chen Yansen asked again.

"The first of next month," Wang Xueting added from the side.

"Welcome to Senlian." Chen Yansen extended his right hand in welcome.

"Thank you, boss." Wang Zhe smiled, knowing he had been hired.

In fact, he had already gone through two rounds of interviews. Pei Yi and Wang Xueting had both communicated with him in depth and were very impressed with his work ability and project experience.

Only after confirming that everything was correct was Wang Zhe's resume sent to Chen Yansen.

This final interview was personally overseen by Chen Yansen. With his strong mental abilities, he could easily discern the other party's true thoughts and thus determine whether to hire them.

Of course, people's hearts are fickle, and the current state of a candidate cannot represent what they will be like three or five years from now.

Chen Yansen gave a few instructions, then entered the elevator and went to his office.

He took a can of tea from the tea cabinet, where a pair of light gray gloves sat alone in the corner.

Mr. Chen glanced at it and suddenly remembered that the college entrance examination scores would be available in two days.

He hesitated for a few seconds, then turned on his computer and casually created a chat group.

"@Pei Yi @Liao Wei @Cao Dahua, among couriers, food delivery workers, and front-line factory workers, those below the supervisor level whose children score above the first-tier university entrance exam cutoff will receive an annual reward of 1 yuan, up to a maximum of four years; those scoring above the second-tier university entrance exam cutoff will receive an annual reward of 3000 yuan."

Chen Yansen gave the instructions.

"Boss, can a newly hired delivery driver who hasn't been officially hired yet enjoy this benefit?" Pei Yi asked.

"I've been employed for three months," Chen Yansen added.

“Yes, boss!” Pei Yi, Liao Wei, and Cao Dahua responded in unison.

This policy was quickly disseminated throughout the country via the group's intranet.

As for employees at the supervisor level and above, their income is already quite high, so there's no need to give them bonuses.

……

……

"Hey Zhou, how's your son's grades?"

On Yishan Road, in the open space in front of Guangqi City, several Kuaipao deliverymen had just finished the lunch rush and were chatting together.

“I’m not counting on the 10,000 yuan reward every year. Out of 46 students in the class, he ranked 27th. When he came home with his report card yesterday, his mother immediately rewarded him with a meal of stir-fried pork with a belt.”

Li Zhou waved his hand and sighed.

"Boys usually start to really shine in middle school. He's only in elementary school, so there's no rush."

"You can't say that. If the foundation isn't solid, how will he make a difference in junior high? We should save money where we can and spend it where we can, like enrolling my nephew in a tutoring class."

The colleagues next to them discussed it with smiles.

"Brother Cheng, isn't your daughter taking the college entrance exam this year?" Li Zhou turned to look at another rider.

"We don't know the score yet. Nannan said we can only check the score at noon the day after tomorrow," Xu Jiacheng said, tilting his head.

While he was speaking, his hands moved uncontrollably, very slightly, but it was immediately obvious that his body was different from that of ordinary people.

In his forties, his face was flushed from the sun, and although he couldn't hide his fatigue, his eyes were full of smiles.

“If we can reach the first-tier university admission score, we can get an extra 10,000 yuan in bonus every year, and Brother Cheng will have a much easier time,” Li Zhou replied.

He paused and then said, "Brother Cheng, I have 200 yuan here. It's not much, but it's a small token of my appreciation."

"Brother Zhou, I...can't accept it," Xu Jiacheng said, shaking his head.

He has mild cerebral palsy. Apart from being uncoordinated and having a stutter, he is not unintelligent. When he was young, he even looked a bit like Harlem Yu.

This is also the main reason why he was able to get married and have children like a normal person.

Xu Jiacheng used to work in a shoe factory. After the factory closed down last year, he heard that he could make money by running food delivery services, so he joined Kuaipao.

He doesn't know how to use a smartphone, can't understand electronic navigation, and speaks haltingly.

The station manager originally wanted to fire him, but thanks to Li Zhou's strong support, he was given a three-month probationary period.

Li Zhou taught Xu Jiacheng step by step, and he called Xu Jiacheng "Brother Cheng". Xu Jiacheng also called him "Brother Zhou".

Although he works himself to the bone, Xu Jiacheng can only deliver about 40 orders a day, but his monthly income is still around 6,000 yuan, which is much better than when he was working in the factory.

"If Nannan passes the first-tier university entrance exam, do you want the boss's reward?" Li Zhou asked with a stern face.

"I'm not stupid," Xu Jiacheng said with a smile.

"That's settled then! You accept what the boss gives you, but you don't accept what I give you? Do you look down on me?" Li Zhou questioned.

“Brother Zhouzhou, I… I want to support myself,” Xu Jiacheng said, waving his hand.

"Alright, this is for Nannan, not for you. Take it." Li Zhou forcefully stuffed the two hundred yuan red envelope into Xu Jiacheng's hand.

Xu Jiacheng had no choice but to thank him repeatedly.

"Brother Cheng, if you accept Brother Zhou's red envelope but don't accept mine, you're not giving me face."

"Yes, Brother Cheng!"

The remaining delivery riders pulled out their red envelopes without saying a word and forcibly stuffed them into Xu Jiacheng's pocket.

This was something they had discussed beforehand.

Under Chen Yansen's control, the monthly income of full-time Kuaipao riders can generally reach eight or nine thousand yuan, and top riders like Li Zhou can earn more than ten thousand yuan a month.

With higher incomes and a more secure livelihood, Li Zhou and his friends were no longer hesitant to extend goodwill to others.

"Thank you, Brother Zhou, thank you everyone." Xu Jiacheng's lips turned down, and his eyes immediately reddened.

(End of this chapter)