Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 122 Spring Breeze Shows Pity for Flowers

"very good!"

Chen Mo closed the file, a genuine smile appearing on his face.

"Mr. Wang, your market research skills and analytical abilities are truly impressive. This document is very valuable. Tell me your requirements!"

Wang Kai leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense: "The salary will be the same as Orange's, but I need you, Mr. Chen, to establish an independent market research department. I need at least four people, with myself as the head."

"Most importantly, the department's financial budget must be managed independently and be directly accountable to you!"

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, a hint of inquiry in his voice: "An independent budget? And four people? Internally or externally?"

"Three external focuses: continuous attention to the market, competitors, and supply chain!" Wang Kai stated firmly, "and one internal focus."

"Internal?" Chen Mo's smile faded slightly. "Mr. Wang, Orange currently only has 50 people, so there's a lot of room for growth. Everyone is working together wholeheartedly. Internal oversight?"

"Isn't this making a mountain out of a molehill?"

Wang Kai didn't say anything, but silently pulled out an even thinner document from his briefcase and gently pushed it in front of Chen Mo.

That look in his eyes carried a certainty that said, "You'll see when you see it."

Chen Mo opened the book, his gaze sweeping over a few lines of text. The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by an icy chill.

The document clearly lists several names, including those from the Logistics Group of the Logistics Department, the Supply Chain Management Group of the Marketing Department, and even someone who is near the top of the employee stock ownership plan list!

That was originally an "outstanding employee" that Chen Mo planned to promote and give important responsibilities to in the future.

The above records evidence that they abused their positions to engage in "special cooperation" with certain stalls in North China, falsely reporting losses and accepting kickbacks!

The time, amount, and person in charge are clearly and glaringly obvious.

“President Chen!” Wang Kai’s voice was calm and even, yet every word carried immense weight: “If the system is inadequate, trust becomes indulgence, and human nature cannot be relied upon.”

There was dead silence in the office.

Chen Mo stared at the list, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, the tapping becoming heavier and heavier.

A few seconds later, he slammed the file shut, his voice as cold as ice.

"Great! The market research team can be established. You will be the person in charge (deputy supervisor level), under the Logistics Department, with an independent budget, and copies of the market research report will be sent to all supervisors."

As for domestic affairs…

He paused, his eyes sharp as knives: "Don't call it 'Inspector,' it's too cold. Call it 'Employee Care Specialist.' Remember, finding problems isn't the goal. The fundamental thing is to help the company optimize processes, eliminate loopholes, and ultimately allow employees to work with peace of mind within a standardized framework!"

Of course, Chen Mo didn't forget to add a final sentence.

"Remember the job of an employee care specialist; you should also care about the actual difficulties your employees face on behalf of the company."

A glint flashed in Wang Kai's eyes as he understood Chen Mo's deeper meaning.

We must not only root out the corrupt elements, but also plug the loopholes, and more importantly, maintain the company's superficial harmony and positive image of "technology equality."

Chen Mo had no psychological barriers to establishing an internal oversight team. As Wang Kai said, "Without rules, there can be no order, and human nature cannot withstand the test."

Walmart has the infamous Butcher Inspection Team, while domestically, Huawei has an internal audit department, Alibaba has a compliance department, Tencent has a Sunshine Team, and Magnesium has a Major Crimes Team 6. So it's perfectly normal for Orange Technology to have an employee care team!
"Understood!"

Wang Kai stood up and bowed slightly.

"Don't worry, Mr. Chen, the market research team will act as the company's eyes and ears, knowing both the enemy and ourselves!"

After Wang Kai left, Chen Mo did not make a move immediately.

He picked up the internal phone and pressed the two speed dial keys heavily: "1" and "2".

Less than a minute later, Zhao Tiezhu and Gong Yun pushed the door open and came in almost at the same time.

Zhao Tiezhu still had the excitement of returning from inspecting mobile phone component suppliers in Dongguang yesterday. As soon as he saw Chen Mo, he asked directly.

"Brother Chen, what's up?"

Gong Yun keenly noticed that Chen Mo's expression was off, but she didn't rush to speak.

Chen Mo threw Wang Kai's "internal report" directly in front of the two of them without saying a word.

Zhao Tiezhu picked it up and glanced at it, his face instantly turning red, veins bulging on his forehead: "Damn it! These bastards, they're traitors!"

Gong Yun quickly scanned the list, her expression darkening, especially when she saw the familiar name of the "outstanding employee" in the logistics team. Her fingers tightened slightly, her nails digging into her palms; she had misjudged the situation.

"Deduct one hundred yuan from each person as a small punishment to serve as a warning!" Chen Mo's voice was devoid of any warmth: "Now! Immediately, remove everyone on the list!"

"Proceed according to the labor law, provide the full compensation, but make them leave immediately!"

"Sister Gong, make sure the paperwork is done cleanly. Zhao Tiezhu, you personally go and 'send' them out. From now on, I don't want to see these people in the company again!"

"Yes, Brother Chen, I'll go right away!"

Zhao Tiezhu gritted his teeth, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"Understood, Mr. Chen!" Gong Yun's voice was also tinged with coldness.

The two quickly left.

Soon, a commotion broke out in the office area.

When Zhao Tiezhu called out an employee named Zhang Wei at the logistics group workstation in the logistics department, Zhang Wei's face turned pale instantly.

When he heard "resign immediately," he jumped up, his face filled with disbelief and panic.

"Why?" Zhang Wei saw Chen Mo walking out of the office and, as if grasping at a straw, rushed over to him desperately: "President Chen! President Chen, please listen to me! I'm innocent!"

"The standard 3C certification process requires submitting 10 sets of certificates, which cost 10 yuan per set! Just to be on the safe side, I went through three rounds of certification!"

Zhang Wei was betting that a big boss like Chen Mo would never normally pay attention to the 3C certification process.

"That's right! That's right! The new batteries leaking from the North China stronghold must be due to poor management at Yuancheng. I'm not lying to you! I've only been here for half a month. How could I dare to do anything reckless? I'm just following the procedures, Mr. Chen!"

Chen Mo paused, his cold gaze sweeping over Zhang Wei's tear-streaked face. There was no wavering in his eyes, only a bottomless chill.

He didn't say a word, or even pause for a second.

"Mr. Chen! I..."

Zhang Wei looked like he was about to pounce on Chen Mo and beg him shamelessly.

"Shut the hell up!" Zhao Tiezhu cursed angrily, took a step forward, and kicked Zhang Wei hard in the back of the knee.

Zhang Wei screamed and collapsed to the ground.

Zhao Tiezhu lunged forward to try and hold him down, but Zhang Wei was extremely strong in his haste and was even showing signs of breaking free!
"Hold him down!" Zhao Tiezhu roared.

Zeng, who was standing nearby, reacted very quickly, lunging forward and grabbing Zhang Wei's kicking legs tightly.

It took the two of them working together to pin the frantically struggling Zhang Wei firmly to the floor.

Zhang Wei was pinned to the ground, his face pressed against the cold floor tiles. He watched Chen Mo's cold profile disappear without a trace around the corner of the Orange Technology logo wall, and screamed in despair.

"Mr. Chen! It really is a problem with Far Orange, Mr. Chen! Please believe me!!!"

Chen Mo's figure had completely disappeared from the logo wall.

He walked to the front desk and stood there, tossing a sentence to Xiao Zhou, whose face had turned pale.

"Go and call your supervisor over here."

Gong Yun quickly jogged over, her breathing still a little unsteady.

Chen Mo's voice was flat, yet it carried an undeniable power.

"Manager Gong, recruit two security guards. They must be veterans, have families and jobs, be responsible, and be skilled in combat. Do it immediately."

"Yes, Mr. Chen!" Gong Yun replied immediately.

Chen Mo didn't look back at the messy work area behind him, and went straight to the passenger elevator to wait for it.

The sunlight through the side window was a bit too bright, so he squinted slightly.

Sure enough... my mindset isn't young anymore!
Zhang Wei's final screams still echoed in my ears.

"Awoo! Mr. Chen! Mr. Chen! The new batteries leaking from the strong sales outlets in North China must be due to poor management at Far Orange."

A shadow of gloom quietly swept over Chen Mo's heart.

Internal corruption within a company can be dealt with swiftly, but what if the problem lies with upstream, more core partners?

Should we gradually incorporate Far Orange into our employee care system?

But who will supervise Wang Kai, who holds the power of life and death?
underground garage.

Chen Mo got into the car but didn't immediately let Xiao Li drive. He just silently looked out the window at the underground parking garage.

Orange Technology, this fast ship that has just accelerated, has been found to have termites chiseling at the bottom of the hull. Although they have been removed with swift and decisive measures, human nature dictates that cleaning up the termites is a long-term battle.

In this regard, Chen Mo can only hope that Wang Kai's employee care team can shoulder the heavy responsibility.

The black Mercedes-Benz S600 (W221) silently glided out of the dark underground parking garage of the Huabei Qiang Electronics Building and merged into the evening traffic of Shenzhen.

Inside the car, Chen Mo closed his eyes to rest, a hint of fatigue barely perceptible between his brows.

These days, being at the center of public opinion, were far from the carefree days he imagined, like "a young man who has achieved early success, riding high on the spring breeze, and seeing all the flowers of Chang'an in one night."

Chen Mo had never experienced such a barrage of praise and slander. He needed time to adapt to it all and gradually calm down.

Chen Mo's most carefree time was during the period when Orange Mobile's small workshop experienced a surge in sales in its first week.

Back then, the three of them squeezed into a small workshop, without having to worry about complicated matters such as cash pool operation and employee management, and their lives were pure and fulfilling.

Back then, there were clear results every day. At 4 p.m., we would pull down the roller shutter and count the stacks of banknotes, knowing exactly how many mobile phones we had sold.

And now.
Humans are never satisfied; once they have this, they want that.

To put it simply, Chen Mo, having lived two lives, lacked the joy of early fame that young people experience; instead, he felt somewhat uneasy.

"Mr. Chen, we've arrived at the west gate of Shenzhen University!" The driver, Xiao Li's voice brought him back to reality.

Chen Mo opened his eyes: "Okay, you go straight back to the company, I'll go back by myself later!"

"Yes, Mr. Chen!" Xiao Li replied respectfully.

Chen Mo got out of the car and walked familiarly into the unassuming two-story restaurant next to the west gate, heading straight for the reserved private room. Pushing open the door, under the warm yellow light, Teacher Lin sat in the main seat with a ruddy complexion, next to Lin Junfeng, who always exuded an air of elite, and Liu Jiping, who looked much more composed.

"Hey! Our big star has finally arrived!" Teacher Lin greeted Chen Mo with a smile and a loud voice, "Please take a seat, please take a seat, we've been waiting for you! Waiter, bring the food!"

Chen Mo smiled and apologized, "Teacher, please don't tease me. It's not a pleasant feeling to be in the spotlight."

He sat down as instructed, his gaze sweeping over the two men: "Brother Lin! Senior Brother Liu." After exchanging a few pleasantries with them, the hot dishes were served.

Teacher Lin cleared her throat, her face beaming.

"I've gathered everyone here today to announce three very exciting developments!"

He raised his teacup: "First of all, thanks to the trust of the school leadership, this old man of mine has been promoted from vice dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering to dean!"

The School of Materials Science and Engineering at Shenzhen University has five vice deans (at the deputy division level) and only one dean (at the division level).

Previously, Professor Lin was the vice dean in charge of daily administration, human resources, and the construction of scientific research platforms. Now, Professor Gao is in charge of the overall work of the college.

"Then let's congratulate Dean Lin!" Chen Mo raised his glass first with a smile, and Lin Junfeng and Liu Jiping quickly followed suit.

The four of them drank tea instead of wine, creating a lively atmosphere.

Teacher Lin waved her hand, but her smile only grew wider.

"It's all thanks to the organization's trust, and also because our School of Materials Science and Engineering has done its job well in recent years."

He changed the subject and looked at Chen Mo: "This second piece of good news is related to you, Xiao Chen, and Ji Ping!"

He put down his teacup, his expression becoming more serious.

The Ministry of Information Technology is revising the "Rules for Access to New Energy Vehicles" to include a new "Mandatory Safety Testing Standard for Gaseous Lithium Batteries"!

"This task has fallen to our National Energy Storage Technology Standardization Committee. Currently, Yuancheng is the only company in China working on gaseous lithium, so..."

Chen Mo understood immediately and responded accordingly.

"Dean Lin, rest assured, Yuancheng will fully cooperate with the Standards Committee. Senior Brother Jiping is currently in charge of technology implementation on Yuancheng's latest gaseous lithium production line. I will immediately notify General Manager Xu Mingyuan to personally handle the matter, providing both manpower and data as needed!"

This is absolutely great news for Far East Group. When new energy vehicles use gaseous lithium battery solutions, Far East Group's standards will become the industry standard.

This means that new players entering the market will need to adapt to the Far Orange standard, rather than Far Orange needing to modify its factories, production lines, technology, and supporting standards to adapt to them.

"Good! Good! Good!" Teacher Lin said "good" three times in a row, looking at Chen Mo with eyes full of admiration: "Little Chen, I trust you to get things done!"

This decisive and efficient approach saved him a lot of trouble.

Then, Teacher Lin's expression became serious, even solemn.

"The third and most important thing, Xiao Chen, is that you need to go to Beijing in person to receive the award."

"Huh?" Chen Mo was taken aback, his face showing difficulty: "Teacher, look at my current situation. Can you send a representative? President Xu or Senior Sister Liu would be fine."

Teacher Lin shook her head and lowered her voice.

"The National Science and Technology Progress Award and the National Energy Science and Technology Progress Award are industry-oriented, and the awards are presented by leaders from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of New Energy. It shouldn't be a problem for representatives to attend."

"but."

Here comes the crucial part: Teacher Lin leaned forward slightly and tapped her fingers lightly on the table.

"The second prize of the National Technological Invention Award—that's awarded in the Great Hall of the People, by top leaders in person, you understand? I suggest you go in person!"

Chen Mo was startled, instantly understanding the weight and profound meaning behind it.

This is not just an honor, but also a gesture, a statement and support from the highest level amidst the vortex of domestic and international public opinion. One cannot afford to be ungrateful!
"Understood!" Chen Mo took a deep breath: "When do we set off?"

"As soon as possible!" Teacher Lin said seriously, "According to the normal procedure, the initial list is determined at the beginning of the year, and then reviewed by the provincial government and the Ministry of the Interior, with checks at each level."

"In order to quell the noise from within the country, the higher authorities have made an exception and expedited the review process. This is a rare opportunity, so we must make the right gesture!"

A warm feeling and a sense of responsibility welled up in Chen Mo's heart. He solemnly said, "Thank you for your trust, leader. I will arrange company affairs as soon as possible and go to Beijing to receive the award on time."

"Good!" Teacher Lin smiled with satisfaction, looking at Chen Mo as if she were seeing that gifted and steady student in the laboratory back then.

"With your aptitude, you'd definitely excel at administration if you stayed at the university!"

He paused, then, as if remembering something, his smile deepened.

"And there's more good news, in September..."

"There's a national subsidy for smartphones in September, and Orange is eligible too, right?" Chen Mo replied with a smile, his tone confident.

Teacher Lin's eyes widened in surprise.

"You little rascal! You kept this a secret pretty well! How did you know?"

"It's just a rumor from Morgan Stanley!" Chen Mo said casually.

Lin Junfeng, who had been calm all along, subconsciously rubbed the rim of his teacup to hide his shock.

Teacher Lin instinctively frowned and spoke earnestly.

"Xiao Chen, I know your company is expanding rapidly now, and it's difficult to move forward without capital investment. But try to keep foreign capital away from core technologies like gaseous lithium. This is the foundation for your foothold in the domestic market!"

Chen Mo poured the teacher a cup of tea, his smile confident and composed.

"Don't worry, teacher, I know what I'm doing. Besides, Yuancheng is already on the Equipment Department's procurement whitelist, so foreign capital can't get in. My foundation is very solid!"

"Equipment Department Whitelist!"

Teacher Lin was truly shocked this time. Looking at Chen Mo's young yet somewhat unfathomable face, she shook her head and chuckled after a long while, with a mixture of relief and self-mockery.

"You're getting old, and your wings have grown so strong. You've flown higher and farther than I imagined. You know all sorts of things that I don't even know!"

Chen Mo raised his teacup to Professor Lin: "Professor, you are only 52 years old, which is the time for you to make your mark. The deanship of the School of Materials Science and Engineering is just the starting point for you. I think you can still move up a level!"

"Haha!" Teacher Lin laughed heartily, "I'd like to hear what brilliant ideas you have, young man!"

You should know that once Teacher Lin reaches the level of a full-fledged department head at his age, he'll basically be working until retirement, and it's very difficult for him to get promoted any further.

Chen Mo put down his teacup, his eyes bright.

"How about a deeper collaboration between Shenzhen University's School of Materials Science and Engineering and Far Orange?"

Teacher Lin put down her teacup and listened attentively.

"Yuancheng will fund the establishment of a 'Special R&D Fund for Supporting Materials of Gaseous Lithium Batteries,' while the college will provide talent and technology!"

“Those junior students, it’s difficult to study gaseous lithium matrix, but surely you can develop high-safety hard encapsulation alloy materials and extreme temperature resistant inner diaphragm coatings for it?”

"In this way, students gain valuable practical experience and exposure to cutting-edge topics, and are trained to become talents at the forefront of the industry."

The college has effectively implemented the integration of industry, academia, and research, achieving remarkable results!
What about Yuancheng? It's like having a stable, high-level talent pool and a technology incubator!

Killing three birds with one stone, why not?

Teacher Lin was deeply moved, her eyes sparkling with excitement!
This is hardly a collaboration.

It was clearly a dazzling gift of political achievements that Chen Mo had tailored for him!
The investment from Far East Group and its cutting-edge research projects are enough to make Shenzhen University's School of Materials Science and Engineering famous in the domestic materials science community for its work on gaseous lithium batteries!
"Good! Good! Good! What a brilliant three-in-one move!" He picked up his teacup and clinked it heavily with Chen Mo's: "Cheers! Old Jiang dared to go to Ningbo to take command at 58, and I, Lin Heming, am 52, in the prime of my life, how can I fall behind!"

Chen Mo smiled wryly. These two "old rivals" in the field of materials science are truly always competing with each other.

The dinner ended in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Chen Mo declined Lin Junfeng's offer to see her off, unaware of his hesitation, and walked alone along the familiar streets, accompanied by the dazzling neon lights of Shenzhen, toward his newly rented apartment.

The cool evening breeze dispersed the noise of the banquet and allowed his tense nerves to relax slightly.

Just as I turned a corner, a familiar, slightly bouncy figure came into view.

She was still wearing that signature white-winged angel hat, and her small face under the brim looked exceptionally fair under the streetlights.

Xiaoyu, carrying a bulging schoolbag, was jogging along the sidewalk. The two small white wings on the sides of her hat fluttered with her steps, drawing lively trails in the light and shadow.

She seemed to have noticed Chen Mo as well, slowed her pace, blinked her big eyes, and took the initiative to strike up a conversation.

"Hey! You workaholic, getting off work so late again?"

Chen Mo stopped in his tracks, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips.

"Little girl, are you afraid to walk alone at night? You waited for me to be your bodyguard?"

Xiaoyu immediately reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her little face tilting up and the wings of her hat fluttering.

"Hmph! Who's afraid! I only said something to you because I felt sorry for you walking around all alone like a fool!"

Chen Mo didn't expose her little scheme and instead retaliated with a smile.

"Yes, yes, Xiaoyu is the most compassionate girl. How did you do on the test this time? Are you going to roast sweet potatoes?"

"You're the one who's roasting sweet potatoes!" Xiaoyu retorted angrily. "I could get a perfect score with my eyes closed! It's you who works overtime so late every day. You're obviously not very capable at the company and can only pretend to be diligent by wasting time!"

"Haha! You little brat, you've got a sharp tongue!"

Chen Mo laughed, and the two of them continued walking forward, exchanging sarcastic remarks.

The streetlights stretched and shortened their shadows, and the girl's crisp banter and the man's deep teasing intertwined on the night street, strangely dispelling the gloom in Chen Mo's heart.

We've arrived at that familiar alleyway again.

Xiaoyu stopped and waved to Chen Mo, the wings of her hat swaying in the breeze.

"Go on, uncle! Hope you get off work early tomorrow!"

After saying that, she turned and ran into the depths of the alley like a light deer, her white angel hat and schoolbag swaying as she quickly disappeared around the dim corner.

"Ha! Bye-bye, little girl!"

Chen Mo stood there, gazing in the direction where the white figure disappeared, the smile still lingering on his face, his eyes carrying a gentleness he himself was unaware of.

If the spring breeze has a heart to pity the flowers, may I be allowed to remain a youth.

Having lived two lives, he somewhat envied Xiaoyu's carefree life as a middle school student.

Chen Mo suddenly shook his head, turned around, and walked back a short distance to his new residence.

The night in Shenzhen is a blend of gentleness and sharpness.

(End of this chapter)