Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 157 "Seven" Executives

The morning sunlight shone through the glass curtain wall of the North China Power Electronics Building, casting a light golden hue over the spacious leisure area of ​​Orange Technology.

Chen Mo arrived a little earlier than usual, and walked briskly towards his general manager's office.

He had just turned the corner of his workstation when he saw a familiar figure sneaking out of his office door.

At this moment, Zhou Yumeng, who was at the front desk, was holding the round, furry "Little Mimi" tightly with one hand, while the other hand was loosely holding a half-dead, occasionally struggling, golden pendant that shimmered with golden luster!

This fish is too timid; it always misses out on the food when Chen Mo feeds it.

On the contrary, the little bit of freeze-dried chicken scraps scattered by "Air Force Boss Mimi" would definitely attract a school of fish. Only it was silly enough to just eat them, which allowed "Air Force Boss Mimi" to completely say goodbye to the embarrassing situation of returning empty-handed.

Chen Mo's unexpected appearance clearly startled Zhou Yumeng. She shuddered and almost dropped the kitten in her arms.

"Mr. Chen! Good morning!" Her voice was trembling, and her face was full of a "I'm doomed" expression.

Chen Mo's gaze fell on Xiaomi's white paw, which was slightly wet and innocently licking itself, then swept over the half-dead golden dart in Zhou Yumeng's hand, and he instantly understood.

He couldn't help but chuckle, a teasing smile playing on his lips: "Ha! Did this golden gargoyle have a moment of despair, trying to 'fly through the air' and jumping out of the tank again?"

Zhou Yumeng felt as if she had been granted a pardon, nodding her head like a chick pecking at rice.

"Yes, yes, yes! Mr. Chen, you're so brilliant! It jumped out on its own! I'll go and deal with it right away!"

After saying that, she hugged the cat and clutched the fish, and like a frightened rabbit, she scurried back to the carefully decorated "Little Mimi's Home" in the opposite leisure area.

Xiaomi's home is filled with a warm "workplace" atmosphere.

Zhou Yumeng carefully placed the "culprit," Xiaomi, on its special mini executive chair.

On the mini desk in front of the boss's chair, there is also an orange piece figurine of "Manager Mi" (004).

Below the fruit is a spirited lion cat wearing a mini bow tie, with an arrogant expression and a bit of a business elite vibe, and it is holding a miniature document in its paws!
Zhou Yumeng patted her heaving chest, still shaken, and then pointed her index finger at Xiaomi's wet nose: "Manager Xiaomi! Look what you've done, trying to steal Mr. Chen's fish again, and he caught you red-handed today. It scared me to death, you know!"

Just then, a soft laugh came from the doorway.

Gong Yun walked in carrying a delicate Starbucks paper bag.

"Sister Gong!"

Zhou Yumeng immediately felt like she had found her pillar of support and happily went to greet her.

Gong Yun smiled and handed her the paper bag: "Here, your breakfast, Xiao Meng!"

Then, Gong Yun bent down and picked up the little kitten that was rubbing against her feet, and skillfully scratched its chin, while looking at Zhou Yumeng with a smile in her eyes.

"Look at how flustered you are, did it cause trouble again today?"

While munching on a fragrant croissant, Zhou Yumeng described the "thrilling" scene in fits and starts, embellishing the details. At the end, she added with relief, "Luckily, President Chen thought the fish had jumped out on its own!"

Gong Yun looked at the little girl's "naive" appearance and smiled without saying a word.

She put Xiaomi down, walked over to Zhou Yumeng, and asked in a low voice with a hint of coaxing, "Yumeng, do you want a promotion and a raise?"

Zhou Yumeng's eyes lit up instantly. She quickly swallowed the food in her mouth, with a little crumb still stuck to the corner of her mouth. She subconsciously used her pink tongue to deftly roll it up and wipe it clean, nodding like a chick pecking at rice.

"Of course I want to! Sister Gong, can I... can I do it?"

The little girl's innocent eyes were filled with longing for a bright future; she was clearly a college student who hadn't been hardened by society.

Gong Yun smiled gently: "Of course, from now on, your first task every morning will be to help me 'invite' 'Xiao Mi' back from President Chen's office. How about it, can you complete this task?"

Zhou Yumeng immediately straightened her back, patted her chest vigorously with her small hands, and looked very serious.

"Don't worry, Sister Gong! I guarantee I'll complete the mission! Even if I don't get a promotion or a raise, I'll definitely take good care of Manager Mi!"

But the motivation to get promoted and receive a raise clearly made her even more motivated.

"Okay!" Gong Yun nodded in satisfaction and then instructed, "Same as always, call the aquarium shop, I'll pay for the fish replacement. After Mr. Chen leaves the office, you can quietly put the new fish in!"

"Understood!" Zhou Yumeng replied loudly.

Gong Yun then smiled and left Xiaomi's Home. Following the employee route, she walked leisurely past several meeting rooms and supervisor offices before finally stopping in front of the general manager's office.

"dong dong dong"

"Enter!"

Gong Yun pushed open the door and entered, just in time to see Chen Mo standing with his back to her in front of the huge aquarium, seemingly searching for something.

"Sister Gong, what do you think?" Chen Mo said without turning around, his tone slightly teasing, "How about we switch to freshwater fish? These saltwater fish are too timid. Where's my golden tang? Is it playing hide-and-seek with the coral again?"

Gong Yun walked to his side, looked at the fish swimming in the fish tank, smiled politely, and made up a story in a serious manner.

“President Chen, in feng shui, we talk about ‘gathering and storing energy.’ The golden tang fish is said to grow stronger the longer it is hidden, symbolizing wealth that is deeply hidden and very prosperous! We can’t replace it, as doing so would affect our company’s fortune!” She spoke with certainty, as if it were a genuine fact.

Chen Mo chuckled, shook his head, and stopped dwelling on the matter. He invited Gong Yun to sit down in the reception area and personally poured her a glass of water using the small celadon cup that he had reserved for Zhao Tiezhu and Gong Yun.

However, Zhao Tiezhu never holds back when he comes, using a large celadon cup to drink water from a buffalo, thus wasting Chen Mo's good intentions.

"Sister Gong, has my personal donation to Professor Xu been sent out?"

Chen Mo sat down and got down to business.

Gong Yun lowered her eyes, elegantly picked up the celadon cup, took a small sip of warm water, and then nodded: "It's been sent! As you instructed, the remittance slip was processed anonymously, without a name."

"Ok!"

Chen Mo responded, his gaze fixed on the rising sun outside the window, filled with anticipation.

"Once our Orange has firmly established itself and has the resources, I want to formally establish a 'Basic Research Fund' specifically to support scientists in basic research fields who are willing to sit on the sidelines and tackle tough challenges in the field."

Gong Yun exclaimed sincerely, "President Chen, you are sowing the seeds for the future of science and technology in our country. Your vision and sense of responsibility are truly admirable!"

Chen Mo waved his hand, his expression serious.

"Sister Gong, don't flatter me. The National Natural Science Foundation of China is the main force. I just want to do my part while we are able to."

Just like our MYT gyroscope and MYW micro motor this time, without the basic parameters of the red imported fire ant queen's antennae sensing and the engineer ant muscle coordination model provided by Professor Xu's team, we would not have been able to break through the bottleneck so smoothly in the field of biomimetic mechanical structures.

In fact, this kind of quiet, fundamental research is the foundation upon which we catch up with international giants. If we want to build a second or third floor, how can we not lay the foundation first?

He paused, his tone carrying a firm conviction: "There's no such thing as a true shortcut to technological advancement, but we can find new paths in basic science. Once we find a way, it will open up a whole new world!"

Gong Yun listened quietly, her eyes revealing agreement.

After Chen Mo finished speaking, she put down her teacup, a hint of deliberation on her face, and said softly, "Mr. Chen, I have a couple of things to say about this 'Basic Scientific Research Fund,' which might be a bit disappointing, but..."

Chen Mo laughed heartily, interrupting her directly.

"Sister Gong, you and Tiezhu were among the first to follow me from that small workshop. You are my right-hand men."

There's no need for all that beating around the bush between us. If you have any concerns, just say it!

"I'm not in the office, so you two discuss everything. Don't I trust you?"

Encouraged by Chen Mo, Gong Yun no longer hesitated and said directly, "Okay, Mr. Chen! Then I'll get straight to the point!"

"The first issue is taxation."

The kind of targeted basic research funding we provide is actually similar in nature to charitable donations, and we can apply for tax deductions.

But if we take this route, we will inevitably have to use the funds we previously donated to several large charities to offset taxes.

She looked at Chen Mo, her meaning clear: should she continue to use the quota to maintain the relationship with the charity, or transfer the quota to this new foundation?

After a moment's thought, Chen Mo decisively said, "The donation amount to charitable organizations will remain the same, and we must maintain good relations. As for our 'basic scientific research fund,' we will not apply for tax exemption. We will pay all the taxes due!"

A hint of understanding and approval flashed in Gong Yun's eyes, and she smiled gently: "President Chen is very generous!"

"That leads to the second question!"

It seems that no domestic companies have publicly established funds specifically for 'basic scientific research'.

Won't doing this seem a bit unconventional? Won't it attract criticism?
Especially in the research community, where resources are allocated by established successors, people might misunderstand and think that Orange is trying to create factions or cliques within the research community.

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo couldn't help but laugh out loud, his laughter carrying a hint of youthful arrogance and disdain.

"Sister Gong, our Orange has survived by the skin of its teeth, and has gone head-to-head with Fantasy and Ali. Why should we be afraid of the gossip of those academic cliques?"

Those scoundrels who do nothing but engage in academic escapades and petty scheming, let them say whatever they want!
Our Orange's technological roadmap—gaseous lithium, ant-inspired biomechanics—is all about starting from scratch and making breakthroughs independently. We're not building on someone else's foundation, so we're not afraid of their suppression!

His tone turned cold, with a hint of sharpness.

"If any fool dares to try and cause trouble, I'll personally go on Weibo and tear them apart to the end. These bastards do nothing but bark like a pack of stray dogs. They get so many resources but produce academic garbage. If I ever run into them, I'll break their teeth!"

Seeing Chen Mo's "righteous indignation," Gong Yun couldn't help but smile, and her previous worries seemed to have dissipated considerably.

"Okay! I'm relieved to hear that. I'll start preparing for the research foundation matter in advance, and I'll make sure that the management and financial processes are standardized and rigorous, leaving no room for loopholes!"

"Yes, Sister Gong, I trust you to handle things!" Chen Mo nodded. "Have Lin Junfeng from the legal team assist you in setting up the legal framework. It needs to be legal, compliant, and reasonable so that I have the confidence to argue with those academic scoundrels!"

Gong Yun took out her notebook and wrote it down, then asked, "So, what would be a good name for this fund?"

Chen Mo waved his hand casually: "The name doesn't matter, it's just a code name. Sister Gong, just pick one that sounds nice."

After a moment's thought, Gong Yun jotted down two words, closed the notebook, and then brought up the last and original purpose of this trip.

"By the way, Mr. Chen, you mentioned earlier that you needed a secretary to remind you of your schedule and handle miscellaneous tasks. Are you considering hiring from outside or selecting someone internally?"

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said, "Let's hire from within! They'll be familiar with the company atmosphere and can integrate quickly. Ideally, they should be one of the '54 Orange Pieces' in our core team, as they'll have stronger loyalty and a greater sense of belonging!"

Gong Yun's lips curved into a perfectly timed smile, as if she had been expecting this. "Mr. Chen, what do you think of Zhou Yumeng, the receptionist? You personally interviewed and approved her when she applied for the receptionist position at the new office!"

"Zhou Yumeng?"

Chen Mo contemplated for a moment the image of a panicked figure holding a cat and clutching a fish flashed before his eyes.

Gong Yun immediately analyzed clearly: "She has a simple personality, an uncomplicated mind, and is very approachable. She is also very familiar with the communication methods of various departments in the company!"

“Most importantly,” she paused, a hint of a teasing smile in her voice, “she is a very ‘qualified’ pretty face, her image and temperament are a perfect match for you, a young and promising boss!”

Chen Mo looked at him strangely: "Sister Gong, speak like a human being!"

Gong Yun covered her mouth and chuckled softly, speaking frankly.

“You have a straightforward personality and sometimes you don’t leave room for maneuver in your words and actions. Zhou Yumeng is a simple-minded, obedient, and efficient girl. She’s also a little absent-minded, which is perfect because she won’t argue with you. You can manage her without any burden!”

"Hahaha!" Chen Mo was amused by this straightforward analysis: "Sister Gong, you're getting more and more direct these days. Where's your high EQ?"

Gong Yun replied with a smile, "After all, I am your right-hand woman. How could I not understand you?"

She even added mysteriously, "Moreover, from a feng shui perspective, her name contains the character 'rain,' and water in the south represents wealth, which is very auspicious for our Orange. Her lively personality can also neutralize your overly straightforward aura!"

Chen Mo waved his hand with a smile: "Alright, alright, Sister Gong! I don't believe in these things, but since you recommended her, let her give it a try. Let her work for a week first and see if she's suitable."

"No problem!" Gong Yun replied with a smile.

Chen Mo then remembered something else.

"By the way, in the past year, many veteran employees and newly arrived senior executives have made great contributions. Those who should be promoted should be promoted to set an example for newcomers."

Have the administration issue an internal notice to highlight Zhou Mingzhe's promotion from assistant engineer in our technical department to technical director at Shancheng Orange Technology!

We must give every 'orange seed' hope; as long as they are willing to work hard, they have unlimited potential within our oranges!

Gong Yun nodded solemnly: "Understood, I will arrange it!"

A few days later, Orange Technology booked a spacious and bright auditorium on the second floor of a hotel.

Even the specialists from the North China Liaison Office were called back, and the 126 employees gathered together in a rare and lively atmosphere.

This was to make up for the year-end team building event that Chen Mo canceled last year because he wanted to keep a low profile, and it was also an important commendation and promotion conference.

The logistics director, Gong Yun, personally served as the host.

Dressed in a well-fitting business suit, she walked gracefully onto the stage and read out the achievements of each promoted person in a clear and pleasant voice.

"First of all, let's give a round of applause to Jiang Yu, the deputy head of the technical department!"

Gong Yun smiled and began to introduce Jiang Yu's contributions.

"Over the past six months, Mr. Jiang led the technical team, working day and night to overcome difficulties and successfully completed the entire R&D task of the Orange 2 mobile phone from design to engineering prototype, laying a solid foundation for the launch of the company's new generation of products!"

There was thunderous applause.

Chen Mo stepped onto the stage and solemnly announced: "I hereby announce that Jiang Yu has officially assumed the position of Head of the Technology Department at Orange Technology, and will be fully responsible for the three major groups: hardware, software, and design!"

Next up is Lin Junfeng, the deputy head of legal affairs.

Gong Yun praised him, saying, "Manager Lin, with his outstanding legal expertise and negotiation skills, successfully resolved the lawsuits from giants such as Pingguo and Yudong, clearing a major obstacle for the company. His contribution is truly remarkable!"

Chen Mo announced that he has been officially appointed as the legal director of Orange Technology, overseeing all legal and patent matters of the Orange Group.

Next was Wang Kai, the relatively low-profile deputy head of the market research team. Everyone in the company didn't interact with the market research team often, but everyone knew that they were like secret agents who "reported" to President Chen.

Underneath the orange-shaped fruit pendants of their market research team were cartoon characters dressed in flying fish robes and embroidered spring knives, clearly indicating that they were meant to be henchmen of General Manager Chen. Naturally, employees from other departments were not very close to them.

Today, employees from other departments may be sitting together with familiar employees from other departments, but only their market research team, with 67 people scattered around, sat at one table.

Hmm. There's also a "family member" who snuck in—Wang Kai's distant cousin, An Xiaoquan.

Since it was inconvenient to elaborate on Wang Kai's achievements, Gong Yun briefly affirmed his accomplishments.

"Manager Wang and his market research team have provided solid and detailed data support for the company's development strategy and market decisions. We welcome them!"

When Wang Kai walked onto the stage, the applause from the audience was rather sparse, but An Xiaoquan was all smiles, his hands almost red from clapping.

Chen Mo smiled and encouraged Wang Kai: "I'll need you to put more effort into the company's market research and employee care in the future!"

Wang Kai nodded steadily and silently stood at the edge of the stage, behind Jiang Yu and Lin Junfeng.

Finally, the real highlight.

Gong Yun's voice carried a hint of excitement: "Now, let's give a warm round of applause to welcome a young role model, Zhou Mingzhe, Assistant Engineer of the Hardware Group in the Technology Department!"

A murmur of surprise rippled through the audience.

Holy crap! An assistant engineer promoted to supervisor?!
Gong Yun said loudly, "Although Zhou Mingzhe is young, he has shown amazing talent, hard work and key breakthroughs in the research and development of the MYT series high-precision gyroscope and the MYW series micro motor!"
His achievements are the core guarantee for the revolutionary motion-sensing interactive experience of the Orange 2 phone!

The applause instantly turned into a thunderous roar, especially from the young employees of the "54 Orange Pieces" core team, whose eyes were filled with excitement and longing.

Amidst enthusiastic applause, Zhou Mingzhe excitedly went on stage. Chen Mo patted the somewhat shy Zhou Mingzhe on the shoulder, his gaze sweeping over all the young faces in the audience.

"Zhou Mingzhe's promotion is not an exception! It reflects Orange Technology's attitude towards talent!"

As long as you have the ability and make contributions, you will have an infinitely broad stage at Orange!
I hope that every 'Orange Granule' can be like Zhou Mingzhe, bravely stepping out into the new world of Orange!
Bring with you Orange Technology's ideals of equality, its pragmatic culture, and its indomitable spirit! Take root and flourish in the new company, and write your own even more brilliant life stories!

These words ignited the passion of all the young people in the audience, and the applause lasted for a long time.

As expected of college students, their passion hasn't cooled down. More importantly, Chen Mo's promise has come true; he's really willing to give!

After the conference ended, the group had a meal together. After today, everyone will go on their annual holiday.

Chen Mo, however, has no plans to go home for the Chinese New Year this year.

As soon as Chen Mo stepped off the stage, a figure jogged up to him; it was Zhou Yumeng.

She had clearly received "careful guidance" from Gong Yun: she wore a pair of slightly serious-looking black-rimmed glasses, the lenses of which were most likely non-prescription.

She had also changed into a very figure-hugging, slightly formal women's blazer and shiny black leather shoes, and was carrying a brand-new briefcase that looked a size larger than her.

Zhou Yumeng tried hard to project the image of a professional secretary, but she exuded an adorable clumsiness, like an immature child carrying an adult's briefcase to work!

"Mr. Chen! Here's your water!" She handed over a thermos with both hands.

Chen Mo took it, unscrewed the cap, and a burst of hot air rushed out.

He glanced at Zhou Yumeng's "equipment," then at the thermos, and couldn't help but chuckle: "Little Meng, there's really no need to be so...grand!"

"Your outfit is a bit over the top!" He pointed to her very nice-quality women's blazer.

Zhou Yumeng blushed slightly, adjusted her slipped glasses, and said earnestly, "It was Sister Gong who taught me! She said, 'If one's attire is not proper, then guests will not be respectful.' Changing into this outfit will constantly remind others not to cause trouble for President Chen!"

In this world, people always respect clothes before they respect people. Chen Mo usually prefers to wear a polo shirt and work pants, so the pretty girl next to him has to be more conspicuous so that minor troubles won't come knocking.

Chen Mo was taken aback. What the girl said actually made some sense. He smiled helplessly and said, "Alright, alright, your CEO Gong is right. Wear it however you like!"

He took a small, symbolic sip of the scalding hot water and said gently, "But from now on, just prepare room temperature or slightly chilled mineral water for me. This thermos keeps the hot water too hot to drink!"

Zhou Yumeng's face turned even redder, showing a hint of embarrassment.

"Ah! Mr. Chen, I'm so sorry! This is my first time being a secretary, I have no experience." Her voice trailed off.

Seeing her nervousness, Chen Mo's smile softened considerably: "It's okay! This is also my first time being the boss of such a big company. It's our first time too, so let's take it slow and get used to each other!"

Encouraged, Zhou Yumeng quickly put down her briefcase, took out a brand-new notebook and pen, opened the notebook, and began to write and draw with a serious expression.

Chen Mo asked curiously, "Xiao Meng! What are you writing down this time?"

Without looking up, Zhou Yumeng wrote rapidly: "I need to write down what you just said about the habit of drinking slightly chilled mineral water after a speech. Sister Gong said that a bad pen is worse than a good memory, and a secretary's notebook is like a second brain!"

"Haha, that makes sense!" Chen Mo was amused by her earnestness. "That's perfect then. Now, write down one of my key schedules for the next week!"

Zhou Yumeng immediately raised her head, adjusted her glasses, focused her gaze, and held her pen above the notebook: "President Chen, please speak!"

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said, "I need to personally follow up on the Level 3 R&D of 'gaseous lithium batteries' within this week. Write it down and remind me when the time comes."

“Gaseous lithium battery, Level 3 R&D” Zhou Yumeng repeated softly to herself, using this somewhat awkward and unfamiliar term, while diligently and carefully writing it down in her notebook.

Because it was her first time recording such a "high-level" general manager's itinerary, she wrote slowly while suspended in the air, appearing somewhat flustered.

Chen Mo looked at her profile as she wrote intently with slightly furrowed brows, and at her ears which were slightly red from anxiety, and smiled gently.

"No rush, take your time writing it down, just make sure you remember it clearly!"

Sunlight streamed through the auditorium windows, illuminating the girl's earnest figure and her brand-new notebook, and also reflecting a hint of expectant smile in Chen Mo's eyes.

Orange Technology has expanded from its original "four" senior executives to a "seven" senior executive team after adding three department heads: Jiang Yu, Lin Junfeng, and Wang Kai.

General Manager -- Chen Mo
Marketing Director - Zhao Tiezhu

Logistics Department Head - Gong Yun
Jiang Yu, Head of Technology Department
Head of Legal Department - Lin Junfeng

Wang Kai, Head of Market Research Team
What? There are only six of them?
As we all know, there are usually five of the Four Heavenly Kings!

Orange Technology's "Big Six" executive team actually consists of seven people.

Manager Mi: "That's right! The seventh executive is me! Do you understand my position as the 'second only to one person' at Orange Company? Believe it or not, if I raise my arm and call, the core team will support my 'ascension to the throne' more than they will support Chen Mo!"

As the New Year's firecrackers sounded, Orange embarked on a new journey in the new year: new executives took office, new technological breakthroughs were achieved, new products were launched, and new partners joined the company. All of this is just the beginning.

(End of this chapter)