I was reborn without dreams

Chapter 168 Being used as a pawn, so what?

The annual revenue of the "Zhuangyuanxing" product series is estimated to be at least one billion yuan. Zhang Da'an personally endorses and advertises the product. Now, whenever there is an advertisement for the "Zhuangyuanxing" electronic dictionary on local TV stations, it is Zhang Da'an, the "three-time champion," who personally appears in the advertisement.

No one can surpass this through marketing.

When it comes to technical skills, the gap is even wider.

The entry-level version of "Top Scholar Star" is no different from similar competing products on the market. The vocabulary database is largely the same, except for the addition of some mini-games.

But the high-end version is different. It incorporates the "Top Scholar's Handbook" and also digitizes the old English training syllabus inside Xindongweigang Middle School, so it's not just for show.

In addition to hardware sales, there are also online course subscriptions. The video courses that "Zhang An Education" previously produced in Jiangkou Province are already being broadcast on the newly established Jiangkou TV Children's Education Channel.

For rural middle schools in Jiangkou Province, this is an opportunity to access advanced classroom teaching, although there will be a time lag. Generally speaking, the district and county cable TV will arrive one or two weeks earlier, since this part has to be paid to "Zhang An Education".

As for Jiangkou TV's children's education channel, it's a copyright license, and regardless of the number of lessons, it costs 3 million yuan per year.

This is considered a friendly price.

After all, it will affect the sales of some of the old teaching materials of "Zhang An Education". It is only because Zhang Dangyang, the producer of "Dangyang Says", has this influence that he was able to get this price.

The distributors who attended the "Top Star" spring launch event were all established and powerful teams from years ago. For example, the local sales team of "Fantasy" computers was poached by many domestic and foreign competitors, but they couldn't be recruited. They were part of the core technology of "Fantasy" computers.

In terms of marketing prowess, before even ordinary college students knew the name "Fantasy," Fantasy was in a league of its own.

Even the giants selling health supplements are no match for "Fantasy" company.

With "national brand" in one hand and "extremely cost-effective" in the other, in this era, agents, distributors, and franchisees can simply sit back and count their money.

Do whatever you want, it won't challenge you at all.

Contrary to the common perception that "Fantasy" focuses on government and enterprise business and doesn't care much about brand and public opinion, at this time, among computer-related forums or sections, and among a large number of "shady merchants" in the electronics market, at least one counter selling "Fantasy" computers was active online.

The more impressive ones have a storefront, but the worst ones at least have a counter. They make a fortune in the top-tier domestic markets, earning profits they can't make overseas.

When it eventually transformed into a capital operation company, the barking of "garbage collectors" ceased to exist, and the "stinky gamers" only deserved to continue being manipulated.

The agents and distributors that Zhang Da'an wants to cooperate with in Beijing are actually these people who have already achieved financial freedom.

After all, he, as the boss, had no problem letting the newly established "Zhang An Electronics" conduct business in Beijing; it was just that the turnover rate of the sales team was a bit high.

Therefore, it's unnecessary. Once the legal team has defined their responsibilities, the rest is simply to handle public relations and file lawsuits when brand-related public opinion issues arise.

Dealing with local governments is less effort.

The game of "passing the buck" has always been played best not by those in government offices, but by merchants.

Otherwise, why bother with so many disclaimers?
One of the strict requirements for Zhang Da'an's spring business activities in Beijing this time is that he must not damage the reputation of "Top Scholar Star" or the market reputation of "Three-Time Top Scholar".

Of the people who came to the press conference, only two or three were from the marketing department; the rest were all from the legal department.

During this trip to Beijing, a "1+1" contract was also signed with several law firms closely associated with universities. In the future, legal disputes in North China will be mainly handled by the "academic" law firms in Beijing.

As for how many graduates will be signed to intern at "Zhang'an Education" or "Zhang'an Industrial Alliance," that hasn't been agreed upon yet.

The reason is simple: Zhang Da'an's current "core business" is still in Jiangkou Province. At most, he has expanded into the "Yangtze River Delta" region, but only to a limited extent.

Unless "Zhang An Education" expands to all six provinces and one municipality in East China, the number of legal personnel will not be inverted compared to the number of core staff.

Another issue is that they are easily "infiltrated." Some elites in the political and legal professions in Beijing are not only highly capable, but their family backgrounds are also extraordinary, far beyond what ordinary people can achieve.

Therefore, before the business is fully launched, no major flaws must be made, whether it's due to a brain fart or an inside traitor.

Many people are now envious of "Zhang An Education," but the "three-time champion" title is unbreakable and cannot be forcibly taken advantage of technically. As for fair cooperation, Zhang Da'an is not giving them any face. In addition, the local forces in Jiangkou Province are enjoying their dividends, and a new Dongwei Port Middle School can bring in a steady stream of revenue, so naturally, they have no way to get a piece of the pie.

Starting with the "Top Scholar Star" product is already a good way to establish channel relationships.

Coach Zhang's one-and-a-half-second appearance on "News Broadcast" is a lifetime's work for many top-tier officials.

Who would dare to smack the male lead in this first serious drama of the dynasty?

Let alone the male lead, even the supporting male actor wouldn't dare to bare his teeth and make a face right now if he stood there.

So after the "Top Scholar Star" product series launch event, various financial media outlets interviewed Zhang Da'an, mainly to hear him boast.

Previously, colleagues in the fields of science, education, culture and health were spreading rumors about how the "three-time champion" barked like a dog in a closed-door meeting, but those were just distant whispers and had not yet been verified through multiple channels.

For now, only one or two companies are saying that, and most people just take it with a grain of salt.

"Hello Mr. Zhang, I'm a reporter from 'Northern Finance'. I'd like to interview you and ask what your expectations are for the future market of the 'Top Scholar Star' product?"

"Starting at 2 billion, with no upper limit."

Zhang Da'an spoke without hesitation. There were prominent figures from Beijing nearby, but since they hadn't come to greet him, Zhang Da'an didn't bother to waste time talking to them. "Our 'Eastern City Factory' in Jiangning City is currently operating at full capacity. Sales in Jiangkou Province are excellent; the trial production batch has already broken records for similar products. We expect to generate one billion yuan in revenue in the Yangtze River Delta region alone. We're currently inspecting the Qinjiang area in Lingxi Province. If a third-phase factory is established there, we might further expand our business there..."

"...Overall, since there are currently no products on the market that can compete with us, even if the price is 50% higher, the prospects are still broad. The high-end market is basically dominated by 'Top Star,' and it is unlikely that there will be any equal competitors within five years. So, 2 billion is actually quite conservative. According to the current growth rate of national income, there is a high possibility of explosive growth. Therefore, when I say there is no upper limit, I mean that the upper limit is unpredictable. It is not impossible for us to break through the 10 billion mark in one or two years."

When they said "starting from 2 billion," it already caused an uproar. Now, there's "no upper limit," and they've even said "breaking 10 billion." The local investors in Beijing were stunned, but then immediately overjoyed.

I'm not afraid of investment targets boasting; I'm afraid of investment targets who are honest people who think "good wine needs no bush." ​​When targeting the mass consumer market, marketing is a must.

This is no longer a matter of verifying investment and joining a franchise; it's about preparing for a bidding process.

Among the invited organizations to the "Top Scholar Star" Beijing Spring Launch Event, a significant number were universities.

Zhang Da'an wasn't just inviting the school to come and brag; he was entrusted by both Beijing and Jiangning to provide appropriate assistance to the "university-tech enterprise" group.

Of course, as usual, there's a reward.

Universities like Peking University and Beijing University have no shortage of resources to support their technology companies, but some universities can only watch helplessly.

For example, the China University of Mining and Technology in Pengcheng, the Harbin Institute of Technology in Harbin, and the University of Antong in Antong Province are all in a rather awkward position, facing difficulties in market development and a relatively high degree of dependence on government funding.

Because the China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT) is transferring some of its majors to Beijing, its funding is actually very tight. In theory, CUMT should get some assistance from Beijing, but in the end, Jiangkou Province was the one who did the work.

Being cheated on is bad enough, but having to pay money is even worse.

However, the province, the "victim," didn't care, and Zhang Da'an didn't care either. So this time, it was the early "tertiary industry company" of the China University of Mining and Technology that obtained a regional agency qualification.

They were much more determined than other schools, after all, they could understand how profound Coach Zhang's skills were in Pengcheng.

During the previous conference, universities and colleges in the aerospace system spoke out, which can be seen as drawing a red line for universities and technology companies.

The root cause is that "Fantasy" company exceeded the standards too much. And "Fantasy" company's exceeding of the standards has made other similar companies feel justified. Moreover, the leading ones are the two universities backed by Peking University and Beijing University. Their level is too high, and ordinary departments have lost the right to bark. Only universities of the same level can speak out.

The main point of the meeting is this: the operational mechanism of university-affiliated technology enterprises is an organic system composed of interactive and interconnected functions such as planning, command, organization, coordination, and supervision. It is a multi-factor, multi-level, and multi-functional comprehensive system.

This is just repetitive talk; ordinary people won't understand it.

In plain terms, this means that after universities establish university-based technology companies, they cannot only focus on making money and forget who is in charge and who is supervising them.

Jiangkou Province originally didn't have anything particularly impressive, but now the "Zhang'an Industrial Alliance" has emerged, which has been cooperating successfully with the Jiangning University Cluster. It's only natural that they are further deepening their cooperation.

Based on this, the purpose of university-affiliated technology companies is further defined as follows: to serve society with high-tech products and to continuously increase the market share of their products.

Behind this characterization lies the old debate between "technology, industry, and trade" and "trade, industry, and technology," a debate that has been going on for more than a year or two. Normally, "trade, industry, and technology" would hold absolute sway at this time because it is indeed a quick way to make money.

Meanwhile, the "technology, industry and trade" group had not yet unleashed its potential. In the market, even for home appliances, they lacked the courage to boast about their "cost-effectiveness".

At that time in the mass consumer market, only "Fantasy" was a high-tech company that dared to market its products as having "cost-effectiveness." "Shenzhou," which was later occasionally praised by "junk collectors," was still struggling to raise funds.

However, it was somewhat strange that Zhang Da'an's spring press conference in Beijing was interrupted at this juncture.

Under normal circumstances, "Fantasy" Company would have absolute control over the narrative, ensuring that even if these voices emerge, they won't linger for too long—at most a week—and there wouldn't be a cacophony of noise swirling around for half a month.

The problem lies in the fact that "Top Scholar Star" uses a large number of components from domestic companies and has good output in both software and hardware, which is quite serious.

In particular, Zhang Da'an's boast that he would achieve 2 billion yuan in revenue was not just empty talk, because competing products had already achieved that in the previous two years.

What we're seeing now is simply a shift in competition and a change in ecological niches.

Zhang Da'an himself didn't feel that he was anything special, but with just one order, he transformed Songbai Instruments in Jicheng City from a struggling company to a local leader.

Regardless of how many hidden bigwigs there are in Jinan City, on the surface, Su Xibo will be Jinan City's "richest man" by next year at the latest. Although the wealth is not very impressive, it is still visible to the public.

This was just something Zhang Da'an casually mentioned. Director Yuan Yecheng, who knew the whole story and its background, was a firsthand witness to the event.

The truth was so farcical, even a joke, that it only highlighted Zhang Da'an's strength.

Therefore, after the spring press conference of this "top scorer star", the media organizations that interviewed him were quite particular. After hearing Zhang Da'an's three keywords that could cause heated discussions, such as "starting from 2 billion", "no upper limit", and "breaking 10 billion", new reporters quickly followed.

"Hello Mr. Zhang, I'm a reporter from the Youth Daily's financial column. Seeing how confident you are in your product, I'm curious: does the 'Top Scholar Star' product have some unique technology that can be transformed into a competitive advantage?"

"We have extensive collaborations with universities such as Jiangning Institute of Technology and Jiangning University of Science and Technology, and have successfully transferred many of the teaching methods used by 'Zhang An Education' through digital processing. The font chips, memory chips, and other components we use today are all locally designed and manufactured. Even at the system level, if you've used it before, you'll find that you can update the 'Zhuangyuanxing' system version by connecting it to a personal computer..."

He launched into another long speech, with flashes from cameras flashing intermittently around him. Zhang Da'an was well aware that he would be used as a pawn by some people in Beijing, but what did it matter to him? This traffic was given to him for free, so why shouldn't he take advantage of it?
As for which group he offended, if he has the guts, he can expose all the universities and local governments in Jiangkou Province that he cooperates with; if he can't, then we can only watch him bark like a dog.

Want him to shut up? It's simple: keep him quiet for a year and you'll get a billion.

If you can't give it to me, then get lost.

"Mr. Zhang, after listening to what you said, can I assume that you intend to pursue a path of technological independence and independent research and development? That sounds a bit difficult."

"It's actually not difficult at all, it's just that you earn less in the early stages. For products like 'Zhuangyuanxing,' even for a simple function like connecting and upgrading with a personal computer, competing products have to pay patent fees. And if it has multiple functions, such as operation similar to a PDA, then the patent fee is not a buyout, but is negotiated based on a percentage per unit. In this case, there is a fixed ceiling to the cost line, and it cannot be offset by increasing the volume."

"Our 'Top Star' doesn't have this concern. After all, the processor requirements aren't actually at the level of a personal computer. There are countless domestic companies that can do it; it's just a matter of whether they're willing to tune and adapt it. In the long run, with the second generation of 'Top Star,' while we can significantly increase functionality and performance, costs won't suddenly skyrocket. For example, the design and manufacturing of the display screen and motherboard, as well as software development, are all predictable. If we use components from major international manufacturers, a surge in demand for mobile phone screens or screens for other devices might directly lead to supply chain disruptions or even defaults and production stoppages. These are uncontrollable factors."

"Based on long-term business considerations, in order to obtain a continuous stream of profits in the future, technological independence and independent research and development are essential. In fact, the total investment in the software and hardware development of the 'Top Scholar Star' product has exceeded 150 million yuan. This does not include the investment in the development of some functions that are not yet needed. If they are not needed, they can only be regarded as reserve technology, and it may not be available for ten or twenty years. We are determined in this regard, which is enough to prove how confident we are in this product."

Coach Zhang's words, if they appear in the newspaper tomorrow, will be ammunition for the "Technology, Industry and Trade" faction. Before, without ammunition, they could only stare helplessly. Now it's different; hearing the barking of dogs is like listening to heavenly music, truly refreshing and delightful.

Coach Zhang didn't care what they wanted to do. Anyway, his headquarters wasn't in Beijing. Even if someone beat him to a pulp, would it stop him from selling "electronic health products"?

He even took this opportunity to bring along departments and universities in Jiangkou Province with whom he had good relations.

Standing with Zhang Da'an were people from Jiangning Aerospace University. They hadn't come alone; they had also brought along Shenzhou Aviation Industry College. On the other side were the group selling "nuclear-powered ice cream." It wasn't easy for them to come all the way from Chengdu to Beijing, and they never expected such a good thing to happen.

"Since the recent establishment of 'Zhang'an Electronics,' leaders from many provincial departments have shown great concern and provided substantial assistance. Coupled with the support of several excellent universities, this has enabled 'Zhang'an Electronics' first product to be launched so quickly. What we can do is live up to the expectations of our hometown folks, strive for excellence, and bring excellent products to the market and into the hands of consumers."

“As provincial leaders have said before, university-affiliated technology companies are the product of the integration of teaching, research and production, and are inseparable from teaching and research. Although our ‘Zhang’an Electronics’ is not a technology company founded by a university, we have cooperated deeply with universities and have done some small work in teaching, research and production.”

"Recently, I've had discussions with many heads of research institutions and universities from all over the country in Beijing. They generally agree that university-affiliated technology companies bear the heavy responsibility of transferring scientific and technological achievements to society and commercializing, industrializing, and internationalizing them; in turn, they provide support such as facilities and funding for teaching and research..."

"Overall, the core of Zhang'an Electronics' future business will mainly consist of three major sectors: first, basic research; second, applied research; and third, the integration of industry, academia, and research, or the combination of industry and research. It will play a leading role in Jiangkou Province and serve as a guardian and vanguard for the Yangtze River Delta's integrated technology, industry, and trade mechanism."

Adding scenes is nothing. Since you've used him as a pawn and Coach Zhang saw through it, you shouldn't complain when Coach Zhang takes away your extra right to bark.

If you dare to shout, you'll grab even more; the more you shout, the more you grab, and you'll be perfectly justified.

Therefore, some of the more astute media reporters were focused on this, knowing that the "technology, industry, and trade" faction was practically invisible in Beijing. Apart from having some voice in academia, it was not even as prominent as a nobody in the industry.

Back then, almost all the "losers" went south to Bao'an to start their own businesses, and they all planned to "endure hardship and bide their time" for ten, twenty, or thirty years.

Some rose to prominence, while others failed. All sorts of unimaginable methods were used in the process. None of those who survived were easy to deal with, but they were all quite capable. On the contrary, "Fantasy" Company lost its influence in the technology field. Unfortunately, by then, "Fantasy" Company had long since stopped playing the pure high-tech game and instead followed the capital operation route, which was quite detached to a certain extent.

However, that's all for twenty years from now. As for now, the "verbal battle" still needs to be fought.

The "trade-industry-technology" faction rarely holds grudges overnight, after all, their media resource investment is far superior to that of the current "technology-industry-trade" group, which is currently quite poor.

Moreover, their playing style is quite aggressive, directly targeting employment from the outset.

The interview with Zhang Da'an was broadcast in the evening, and the local media in Beijing also reported on it the next day, but then published an article titled "College Students' Employment Concepts Are Becoming Increasingly Pragmatic."

If you say this is telling the truth, then it is; if you say this is reasoning, then it is; if you say this is being pragmatic, then it is undoubtedly so. After all, even the title says it: "college students," this group, have adopted a "pragmatic" mindset when it comes to "employment."

Every word carries weight, and it carries weight that is relevant to our times.

The eyes of the masses are discerning; they can tell at a glance who is not down-to-earth and who is overly ambitious.

When the road ahead and the future are unclear, everything seems shrouded in mist. In such a great debate, whoever presents factual examples will have the loudest voice.

Some people bring up Zhang Da'an's "Top Scholar Star" as an example, but the other side also has its reasons. What kind of technological content does the "Top Scholar Star" have? What kind of technological content does a laptop have?

Can they be compared side by side?
It's incomparable!
I'm not qualified.

Not to mention mobile phones, which are the most integrated high-tech systems engineering products that individuals can access in modern human society.

The "Top Scholar Star" can't compare to Motorola products from twenty years ago, even though those didn't have a display screen.

At best, it can sit at the same table as DVDs. At least home media players have decoding chips and can generate copyrighted content, which significantly boosts the cultural industry.

You, a "top student," are barking like a dog, wanting to climb onto the table of the high-tech industry.

In the direct competition, one hand can suppress the industry status of "Top Scholar Star". Even if "Top Scholar Star" becomes a huge hit in the consumer electronics market, it will be of little use.

Two billion in revenue is nothing, even two hundred billion would be a big deal.
On the flanks, a single move, "What are we eating today?", sent all the newly excited troops packing back.

How much money do you make that you're always thinking about "technological independence" and "independent research and development"?
What does it have to do with your monthly salary of one thousand?
Tactically, they don't engage in empty talk either. The article "College Students' Employment Concepts Are Becoming More Pragmatic" reports on how recent graduates from local colleges and universities in Central China Province have changed from being picky about jobs to taking any job that comes their way.

Take Central Plains Normal University as an example. A few years ago, it would have to be a school in the city, and you would have to be given a permanent position before you could even go and take a look.

This year……

No, that won't work.

The direct impact of the expansion of university enrollment is the increase in the number of competitors. In provinces like Jiangkou, where the "county-level economy" is relatively developed and the employment scale is relatively large, the pressure has not yet been felt. At most, the pressure is felt at a coefficient of 1.2.

But if it were in the Central Plains Province, sorry, you would feel two, three, four, or even five times the normal temperature.

why?
The reason is simple: in the past, the two-way selection negotiation meetings were usually organized by schools and places that had cooperated for many years. Now that the market has become more open, and it just so happens that there are more schools than places, some of the more attractive places are not just being negotiated by one or two schools, but by a dozen or even dozens of schools.

This chaos further exacerbated the situation, with recent graduates flocking from one job fair to the next.

The physical sensation is that there are people everywhere, and they are all college graduates like myself.

In the interview, the employment office of Central Plains Normal University responded to reporters as follows: "The employment situation for our graduates this year is promising. This is both a result of the employment market mechanism and a result of the pragmatic employment concepts of college students..."

The new system means that we now have to go to rural schools that we didn't used to go to, and the new system is pragmatic, meaning that government offices that used to provide meals no longer provide them.

It sounds reasonable, but it forgets that the weak teaching staff and the long-term instability of education compensation are actually long-standing objective realities.

If we want to strengthen basic education, how can simply providing meals work in today's market-driven world?

So there's no need to overthink it. The article "College Students' Employment Concepts Are Becoming More Pragmatic" is itself a skewer, and anyone who can read a newspaper wouldn't be exaggerating it.

If you guide people to start thinking and pondering things, they will all think they have seen through the truth.

What is the truth?
The first truth: If you don't do it, plenty of others will.

The second truth: If you don't do it, some inhuman people will.

The third truth: It's good enough to have something to do. All you do all day is think about is a high salary of 3,000 a month. What does developing high technology have to do with my 300 a month?

At this stage, the goal has been achieved.

No matter how much you ramble on, or how much you exaggerate the "Top Scholar Star" to be the best in the country and the most independently controllable, do you think someone who's been a "three-time top scholar" and makes so much money will share it with me?

It's both a conspiracy and an open scheme; there's no way to unravel it.

Because that's the reality, it's already very difficult to find a decent job. Whether it's "trade-industry-technology" or "technology-industry-trade," it doesn't matter to an ordinary person like me.

Let whoever wants to brag, brag all they want, I'm not bragging.

Especially in propaganda, talking about "granary" was almost synonymous with the Central Plains Province, and the rural and agricultural aspects of the propaganda materials had a very high weight. Even later, when the Northeast's grain output accounted for a significant portion of the economy, it was still equated with "old industrial base" in propaganda materials, rather than "granary".

This is enough to prove how sharp the other side's perspective is. If they want to fight back, it is almost impossible for them to be without flaws. As long as they tilt at one point, they can be disintegrated into a bias and then expand to the entire rural area.

The subsequent methods are quite simple: just create a little bit of conflict, and the entire public opinion field will be thrown into complete chaos.

So the smart thing to do is to keep a low profile and not engage with the conversation. Any discussion about Central Plains Province involving employment, rural areas, or related issues should be ignored.

Or they could open another battlefield, but these days there aren't many people who can compete. Even the rural areas of Luzhou and Zhejiang are completely "country bumpkins" in this era, unlike later when a rural household registration is so valuable that it's not worth millions to sell.

If you insist on starting a conflict by bringing up things like "the number one village in the world," then you've fallen into their trap.

If we extend this directly to the topic of "wealth and poverty," then does your "technology, industry, and trade" sector support the poor or the rich?

For the next two or three days, the pace was very steady. The side that was "speaking up for the people" was too righteous. Even though Zhang Da'an did nothing, he was still hit with two "bricks" online.

In this situation, it doesn't matter if you're a mad dog or a domestic dog; if you pass by, you'll be met with two big bloats.

Director Yuan Yecheng, who was also in Beijing to promote investment for Shandong Province, complained to Head Coach Zhang with considerable exasperation upon arrival: "With this level of skill, how dare they use you, Head Coach Zhang, as an excuse? I really don't understand..."

"Well, I don't care. Like I said, the outcome... is none of my business. I put in the effort, so I have to get my share; whether it succeeds or not, I have to get it."

"..."

Head Coach Zhang has no interest in this kind of high-level verbal sparring. He only cares about money, not people. If you give him 1 billion yuan a year, he will not only keep quiet about his own development path, but will even boast about "trade, industry and technology", believing that this is a pragmatic attitude and a responsible way of moving forward.

Those who are overly ambitious and only know how to achieve instant success are the ones who "carry the burden".

Of course, you have to pay him; that's what he says once you pay him.

If you don't want to give it to me, then forget it.

"President Zhang, the new factory that you had Songbai Instruments invest in and build in the Chengdong District has already been registered with the provincial government. As long as the second and third phases are located in Jicheng in the future, it will definitely be a 'key enterprise'..."

"Why are you telling me all this? I'm not the father of 'Songbai Instruments'. Mr. Su Xibai is a normal person with independent thinking ability. Is he telling me all this because he wants me to help him build a factory? Oh, it seems that I did help him build it. I'm such a philanthropist."

"..."

"There's more to it than that. No need to tell me. No need to shout at me from afar, and no need to send you here specifically to give me hints. If I expand the scale of investment, those belonging to Jinan City will get their money's worth; those not belonging to Jinan City, I won't give them to you, and you can't take them either. Understand?"

As they were talking, Head Coach Zhang took out a rather memorable group photo from his shirt pocket and showed it to Director Yuan so he could have a good look at it.

I am filled with utmost respect!

Head Coach Zhang is so photogenic! Hanging him on the wall would definitely make him look even more authoritative!

"There are just too many new graduates this year, and the city is really worried about what to do next year. Everyone's urging us to set up vocational schools so they can squeeze in twenty or thirty teachers. I've already brought this up, but I don't have the final say on this. Some people are out of the loop, inflexible, and just keep speculating..."

"Let them think what they want. If I'm unhappy, I'll just move the school to Jiaozhou Bay."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Director Yuan's face turned green. He could only force a smile and say nothing more.

The internal power struggle in Jinan City will undoubtedly have to be handled by himself. Yuan Yecheng sighed inwardly: What does it mean to be tempered in a combat readiness area?

They all possess profound skill.

In this regard, Director Yuan really admires Zhang Da'an. Despite the huge commotion in the media and all the heated debates, Coach Zhang, who was in the middle of the "vortex," acted as if nothing had happened and was still able to attend this meeting and that discussion.

Especially the outrageous remarks made at the closed-door symposium a while ago—only a leader like Coach Zhang has the right to be so willful; anyone else would have been stripped naked.

Coach Zhang is least afraid of mutual criticism. The "three-time champion" is just one of many "moats". As an outstanding young man who grew up in a place full of water, it is very reasonable and logical for him to have two more rivers around him.

After crossing the vast and formidable barrier of the "Three-Time Champions," what awaits them is the "Household Registration War God," especially since this "moat" is guarded by many soldiers, the same kind that Coach Zhang recruited from Lingxi Province.

Not all "cousins" are like Liang Chunbo, whose parents are still alive. Such a happy thing is only a memory for the "household registration god," and he can't even dream of it.

How do you dream?

Can you dream of having a father or a mother?
Just by standing there, you'll find them all "suicide squads," so invincible that anyone who comes to investigate will automatically fall silent.

In reality, there are countless busybodies on the internet who want to dig up dirt on Zhang Da'an, but most of them will eventually delete their accounts and leave.

It's pointless; there's no fun in playing against someone who's invincible.

Of course, whether you'll slap yourself in the middle of the night and then lament, "I deserve to die," depends on your conscience.

However, a lot of information about Zhang Da'an personally was erased by Coach Zhang.

These days, the fewer people who know about it, the better. It's a "trump card" that guarantees a win. But in ten or twenty years, it won't be as effective, and the more people who know about it, the better.

You have to assess the situation before taking advantage of version benefits.

"Well... Mr. Zhang, the employment situation this year is indeed not optimistic. I'm thinking of starting a project in Jinan City first, getting the content up and running, and then in a year and a half or two years, the school can directly connect with the project, which will be much easier. I wonder if Mr. Zhang could help me with that?"

"so."

Zhang Da'an is quite generous to his own people. "This year, I originally planned to open e-sports themed hotels in four places: Jiangning, Luzhou, Beijing, and Bao'an. I've added Jicheng City to the list. During the summer vacation, I'll select the hotel locations. There will be a dedicated travel agency to cooperate with, and the routes will mainly be round trips between Beijing, Luzhou, Jiangning, and Bao'an. It's nothing for me to negotiate a tourism cooperation project with Jiangning City. We'll have a fixed round-trip route, so people from Jicheng can come to Jiangning to see Qixia Mountain, and people from Jiangning can of course go to Jicheng to visit Daming Lake."

"really?"

“I’m definitely going to do this business, even if it means losing money on airfare. It’s just a matter of sooner or later. But since you’ve already asked, I’ll include you in the first batch. It’s nothing.”

A casual business deal is Director Yuan's ceiling. Zhang Da'an's way of doing things is not something that powerful people in Jinan City can handle. At least you need to have the authority to bark like a dog in the province.

"Right now, we need to first establish the framework for the hotel and tourism major. We'll take a group of students from vocational high schools or secondary vocational schools that are almost defunct, who don't smoke, have tattoos, dye their hair, or have been to the police station, and form a 'summer training program.' They'll intern while opening their own shops during the summer. Those who can follow the rules will stay, and those who can't will be expelled. We just need to gather a hundred or eighty students to start school in the fall."

"Should we consider looking at this year's middle school entrance exam takers?"

"You don't have to worry about that."

Waving his hand calmly, Zhang Da'an said, "I've already sent people to junior high schools in Jincheng and surrounding cities to promote the program, so there won't be any problem with student enrollment. But as I said before, since you've come and asked for more students from Jincheng, then you can have more. I'll definitely give you that favor."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Zhang. Thank you very much, Mr. Zhang."

“In the capital, many people call me ‘Master,’ which makes me feel very happy.”

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang..."

"If you have any land development needs next year, feel free to contact me anytime. This is the amount."

Head Coach Zhang held up one finger.

This immediately delighted Director Yuan, who had traveled from afar: "A ten million investment! That's just too much..."

"One hundred million."

"..."

Seeing Director Yuan's bewildered expression, Head Coach Zhang said with slight dissatisfaction, "I spent over 100 million on an electronic dictionary. What kind of image is 10 million? It'll make it seem like I'm broke."

"..."

Director Yuan's mind couldn't quite process what was going on. He wondered if Xia Yuhe was by Daming Lake, but he was certain that Yuan Yecheng was there.

Emperor Qianlong was a penniless freeloader; compared to the "three-time top scholar," he was like a firefly vying for the moon's brilliance.

When leaving Xizhimen, Director Yuan felt as if the "Xiali" under his seat had become a stretched "Bentley"!
It's so comfortable.

(End of this chapter)