Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 184 Late-Ripening Oranges

Magic City.

The next morning.

After the dinner with Lu Qingyue, the professional team that Lin Junfeng had hired quickly got to work, and thanks to their efficient operation, the relevant repayment procedures were completed in no time.

The $1 million, including principal and interest, was safely transferred back to the account designated by Lu Qingyue through a complex cross-border process.

With this matter settled, Chen Mo felt a sudden weight lifted from his shoulders, and his heart was filled with the joy of being "debt-free and carefree."

Since his rebirth, he has not gotten used to the "debt-driven" mentality of those business tycoons, and from the very beginning he has been reluctant to take on debt.

In fact, Chen Mo always felt that having debts on his hands made it harder to act freely and without restraint.

During their casual conversation, Lu Qingyue learned that Chen Mo had a hobby of hiking, and expressed that she was also very interested in it, but was just struggling to find a suitable companion and guide. She then invited Chen Mo to go for a short hike along the seawall in Shanghai, ostensibly to "let him give her some pointers."

Chen Mo pondered for a moment.

Since the "September Storm" last year, he has been working non-stop like a wound-up toy. He couldn't even go back to his hometown for the Spring Festival. He was often nagged by his mother on the phone and teased by his cousin Chen Min.

He is indeed very busy; core decisions and directional control cannot be separated from him.

However, it wouldn't be entirely true to say that Chen Mo had absolutely no time to rest. It's just that he seemed to have subconsciously gotten used to this high-speed state and forgot to press the pause button for himself.

Regardless of whether Lu Qingyue's invitation was for business purposes, such as continuing her investigation, or if she genuinely wanted to relax, Chen Mo decided to go with the flow and steal a moment of leisure from her busy schedule.

He finally managed to come to Shanghai for a business trip, what's wrong with him going out for a walk!
Chen Mo accepted Lu Qingyue's invitation and set the meeting place as the seawall near Jinshan Beach.

That is the estuary of the Huangpu River. The sea view may not be stunning, but it is spacious and has a long embankment suitable for walking.

Inside the hotel.

After completing all the repayment contracts and formalities, Chen Mo sent his legal supervisor, Lin Junfeng, back to Shenzhen, leaving only his secretary, Zhou Yumeng, and bodyguard, Xiao Zheng, in the room.

Chen Mo smiled and said to the two of them, "I promised Miss Lu that I would take a short walk on Jinshan Beach. What about you two? Are you going to fly back to Shenzhen first, or come together?"

Xiao Zheng immediately stood up straight, his tone resolute: "President Chen, my duty is to protect your safety, and I must stay by your side at all times!"

He had no idea that this might be a "private" event for Chen Mo.

Zhou Yumeng was anxiously trying to signal to Xiao Zheng, but the other person's gaze was firm and he couldn't receive her signals at all.

Chen Mo looked at the two of them and couldn't help but smile: "Alright then, since none of you are going back, let's go together and treat it as a team building activity!"

When Lu Qingyue arrived at the hotel again in her black Bentley Mulsanne to pick up people, she saw Zhou Yumeng and Xiao Zheng following behind Chen Mo, and her slender eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

Her tone carried a hint of teasing: "Mr. Chen really never forgets his grand gestures!"

Chen Mo smiled somewhat awkwardly and responded politely.

"Ms. Lu is too kind. We are all indispensable partners in our work!"

He didn't want to explain too much about Xiao Zheng's stubbornness, since saying more would only make things worse, so he decided not to explain.

Lu Qingyue seemed to have a slight emotional outburst, but her good manners allowed her to quickly suppress it and regain her cool demeanor: "Everyone, get in the car!"

Jinshan Beach, seawall.

The weather was quite nice today, with clear skies, a thin layer of clouds, and the sun not being too strong. The sea breeze was refreshing, making it perfect for hiking.

The weather is perfect!
Such good weather is something hikers can only dream of!

Chen Mo changed into a professional dark gray quick-drying suit and pants, with a light blue windbreaker on top, a pair of comfortable hiking shoes on his feet, and a black baseball cap on his head, looking refreshing and full of energy.

Lu Qingyue was surprisingly equally professional.

She wore a well-tailored dusty pink tracksuit, the fabric of which looked both breathable and high-quality. On her feet were classic non-slip hiking shoes from a major brand, and on her head was a professional sun-protective visor hat in the same color. Her long hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, and she also had a pair of sunglasses perched on her nose.

She looked capable and stylish, completely different from the meticulous financial elite she usually was in the office.

Zhou Yumeng, dressed in a comfortable knit sweater and casual pants, carrying a backpack filled with water and some spare items, looked more like a well-behaved girl next door.

Xiao Zheng was dressed in standard black tactical casual wear, his eyes alert, constantly aware of his surroundings, which seemed out of place in the relaxed atmosphere.

Chen Mo and Lu Qingyue walked naturally in front, while Zhou Yumeng and Xiao Zheng followed about ten meters behind.

Looking at the backs of the two people in front of her, Zhou Yumeng couldn't help but complain to Xiao Zheng in a low voice: "Are you really not able to tell or are you pretending not to? This is obviously President Chen and Miss Lu's private date time, you blockhead!"

Slightly surprised, Xiao Zheng lowered his voice and asked in return.

"Really? Mr. Chen is having a private date with Ms. Lu?"

His mind was focused solely on security levels and mission objectives.

Zhou Yumeng almost covered her face in exasperation: "Isn't it obvious? Both of you are incredibly busy people, yet you made a special effort to squeeze out time to take a walk in a place like this. Is it really just for exercise?"

Even though Xiao Zheng has a rotating day off each week, he must still be conscientious and dedicated during working hours.

Chen Mo actually has more than just Xiao Zheng as a bodyguard; there are three groups of 12 people around him: one group works the day shift, one group works the night shift, and one group is on rotation.

“Secretary Zhou! My mission is to protect President Chen 24 hours a day! Unless President Chen makes a specific request, I will not abandon my duty!” Xiao Zheng said with a serious expression.

Zhou Yumeng: "."

She completely gave up on communicating with Xiao Zheng and continued to be a third wheel to him.

Ahead, Chen Mo, with his good hearing, vaguely heard the nonsensical conversation of the two people behind him, and couldn't help but smile.

Lu Qingyue keenly noticed his smile, turned her head, and a handsome smile curved her lips: "What are you laughing at, President Chen?"

Chen Mo looked at her professional yet stylish outfit and joked with her.

"I'm laughing. Miss Lu's hiking gear is really professional. Before coming, I thought you would wear a white wide-brimmed fisherman's hat, a beautiful long dress and high heels, and treat the seawall hike like a beach vacation film set!"

Lu Qingyue smiled. This time, instead of her usual sharp retort, she explained, "I was taught from a young age that whatever you do, you must prepare in advance, understand the rules, and have the right tools. This way, you can achieve twice the result with half the effort and avoid accidents as much as possible!"

This is not surprising at all.

Her family background dictated that she didn't need to take risks and gamble like ordinary people. Instead, preparing everything and proceeding steadily step by step was the safest option.

Chen Mo, wearing a baseball cap, tilted his head slightly upon hearing this, relaxed his hands behind his head, and felt the salty sea breeze blowing in his face.

“I wouldn’t think that way.”

Perhaps it's a bit of laziness in my bones, or perhaps it's just a habit, but I always feel that I should just get started first.

There will definitely be difficulties along the way, but there will also be unexpected scenery.

All difficulties will pass; only the experiences and feelings along the way truly belong to you!

His words were casual and insightful, carrying a relaxed quality that Lu Qingyue rarely encountered in her daily life.

Lu Qingyue originally thought that Chen Mo would make sarcastic remarks about her family background, just like the people she had met before. Unexpectedly, his answer was an analysis based on his own personality.

Does personality determine destiny?
Lu Qingyue was silent for a moment, then said softly, "A very different philosophy of life."

Born into a prestigious family in Xing'erpo, she was expected to achieve great things from a young age, and all her efforts and preparations were aimed at reaching a predetermined, extremely high goal.

Therefore, Lu Qingyue is never short of flatterers and followers, but she rarely has peers with whom she can have equal conversations and feel relaxed.

This is a kind of loneliness that comes from being at a high place.

Chen Mo, an ordinary farm boy, relied on the precognition brought by his rebirth and the advanced technology provided by the system to race ahead.

He possessed a confidence ahead of his time, yet he also carried a huge secret that he could never tell anyone.

This is a kind of loneliness hidden in the crowd.

Two completely different kinds of loneliness, yet they strangely resonated with each other on the seawall at this moment.

Seeing the increasingly harmonious conversation between the two in front of her, Zhou Yumeng couldn't help but nudge Xiao Zheng with her elbow and whisper, "Hey, Xiao Zheng, what do you think? Is it possible for President Chen and Miss Lu to get together?"

Xiao Zheng, without looking to the side, said: "I don't know! That's not my responsibility."

Zhou Yumeng was speechless: "Xiao Zheng! How can you have no curiosity at all? This is a chance to get up close and personal with the boss's juicy gossip!"

Xiao Zheng: "What does 'eating melons' mean?"

Zhou Yumeng: "Never mind, forget I said anything!"

She was completely defeated by this straight man who never surfed the internet.

The group walked and stopped frequently until they arrived at the ecological seawall area.

There is a stone embankment and boardwalk in the pond, leading to a separate viewing pier. The pier is paved with antique-style golden bamboo, which has a unique charm.

At this time, only a few egrets flew by in the pond, and it was quiet and deserted.

In summer, the dawn redwood forest is in full bloom, with layers of emerald green leaves forming a tranquil and secluded green world under the sunlight, casting dappled shadows.

Chen Mo and Lu Qingyue walked naturally onto Jinzhu Wharf and stopped in the dappled green shade.

The two stood side by side, their silhouettes gently blended together by the dappled shadows of the trees.

He subconsciously reached out his finger and lightly touched the natural patterns of the golden bamboo on the wooden railing of the boardwalk, while she suddenly pointed to a white egret in the distance, its graceful figure skimming across the mirror-like water.

Chen Mo turned around in the direction Lu Qingyue pointed, and their eyes met unexpectedly in the air.

At that moment, time seemed to slow down quietly.

The distant city hustle and bustle, the hushed conversations behind me, even the rustling of the sea breeze through the branches of the dawn redwood and the flapping of egrets' wings were suddenly silenced.
All sounds faded into a blurry, distant background, leaving only the unspoken connection between the two. Their eyes reflected each other's figures, and in that quiet moment, an ease and tacit understanding that had quietly grown within them, was exceptionally vivid.

On the stone embankment boardwalk at the entrance to the dock, Zhou Yumeng very tactfully reached out and stopped Xiao Zheng, who wanted to follow, and lowered her voice.

"Hey! As a bodyguard, you should at least have some sense. Can't you see that Mr. Chen and Miss Lu need some privacy? We'll just stand here and protect them!"

Xiao Zheng professionally assessed the dock environment: the view was open, there were no blind spots, and the distance between him and Chen Mo was within his effective reaction range.

He nodded, but kept his body slightly tense, constantly keeping an eye on his surroundings.

On the dock, Chen Mo looked at Lu Qingyue beside him and finally asked the question that had been bothering him: "Actually, I don't quite understand, Miss Lu, what is it about me that you value?"

He didn't think that it was just his skills that made the well-informed Lu Qingyue look at him so differently.

Lu Qingyue smiled, the sea breeze ruffling a few strands of hair on her forehead: "Haven't you noticed? You're a very special, even somewhat contradictory, person!"

“More importantly,” she paused, her tone carrying a rare, straightforward confidence that was not off-putting, “we both belong to the exceptionally outstanding group of people, don’t you think so?”

Lu Qingyue winked playfully. In that instant, the cold beauty seemed to melt away like winter snow, and her eyes blossomed with the vibrancy of spring.

Chen Mo thought for a moment, then shook his head, his tone sincere.

"No, you are excellent, but I am not. I am just a relatively lucky ordinary person."

Upon hearing this, Lu Qingyue leaned forward slightly and moved a little closer to him.

A gentle breeze blew by, and Chen Mo smelled that faint, familiar scent of cedar on her again; it seemed that this was her usual preference.

She stared intently into Chen Mo's eyes, her tone resolute: "No, you are not an ordinary person!"

"How can an ordinary person simultaneously create Orange Phone, Far Orange Battery, Orange Treasure App Store, and now Orange Technology, which boasts world-leading gyroscope technology?"
You're simply a monster—a combination of technical genius and business acumen. To achieve these successes, both technical skill and vision are indispensable.

Upon hearing that it was because of these reasons, Chen Mo was taken aback, then realized that it was mostly thanks to the system and his rebirth. He subconsciously shook his head slightly.

"It was really just a bit of luck!"

Lu Qingyue's smile deepened: "You see, this is one of the most special things about you. To achieve such amazing success and still remain sober and not let yourself be blinded by it is something that ordinary people cannot do."

Well! Lu Qingyue has become a Dihua!
To be honest, Chen Mo felt a little happy to be praised by such a business elite, after all, he still had a bit of male vanity!
Chen Mo smiled helplessly: "You're really overthinking it. I know very well that I'm not that perfect!"

Then, his brows furrowed slightly involuntarily, and a hint of worry flashed across his face.

Lu Qingyue keenly noticed this subtle emotion in him.

She didn't ask any further questions, but simply turned around and, mimicking Chen Mo's earlier gesture, rested her arm on the bamboo fence, gazing at the egrets taking flight again in the distance.

Lu Qingyue said casually, "It seems Mr. Chen's company is encountering some troubles? Why not tell me about it? As a professional who has supported many companies from incubation to listing, perhaps I can offer some advice for free!"

Chen Mo pursed his lips, looking at her profile, the sea breeze blowing through her hair and the hem of her clothes.

Lu Qingyue didn't urge him, but waited quietly.

Finally, Chen Mo spoke, his voice somewhat low.

"The company is growing too fast. Some of the founding members who started the business together hold key positions, but their growth rate seems to be lagging behind the company's development!"

Lu Qingyue raised her eyebrows slightly, and after a moment's thought, she said knowingly, "It seems that President Chen is a person who cherishes old friendships, then this matter is a bit difficult to handle!"

She turned around, leaned against the railing, and began to analyze the situation for Chen Mo in her professional tone.

"According to Larry E. Greiner's classic organizational behavior model of firm growth, firm development typically goes through five stages."

1. Entrepreneurial Stage
2. Collectivization stage
3. Standardization stage
4. Refinement Stage
5. Cooperation Stage
She clearly and concisely outlined the characteristics, key tasks, and risks of the five stages.

Finally, Lu Qingyue summarized the problems based on the actual situation of Orange Technology.

"In my opinion, Orange Technology has now reached the end of the second stage (collectivization stage) and is transitioning to the third stage (standardization stage)."

The key at this stage is to shift from 'rule by man' to 'rule of law', which requires the introduction of a more professional management team and the improvement of efficiency through a clear division of responsibilities.

The biggest risk is that the abilities and vision of the founding members may not match the needs of the company's new development stage, potentially triggering a "self-reliance crisis" or becoming an organizational bottleneck.

Chen listened intently and had to admit that Lu Qingyue, as an outsider, had a very insightful analysis that was more thorough than his own.

He pressed further, "So how do successful companies typically handle this situation, managing to transition smoothly without alienating employees?"

Lu Qingyue smiled and held up three slender fingers: "I can give you three strategies: the best, the middle, and the worst."

"The worst course of action: forcefully suppress and strip them of their authority; refer to how Ahri treated Taobao Elder Sun Tong!"

Chen Mo remembered the final result of this poor strategy: Sun Tong, who had extensive experience in e-commerce operations, joined forces with Huang Doudou and created Pinduoduo to compete with Taobao.

Ahri's aggressive suppression ultimately led to a lose-lose situation.

"Middle Strategy: Apparent promotion but demotion in disguise, nominal position to seize power. Give them nominal titles such as vice president and chief engineer, limit their influence to a small part of their business, and gradually marginalize them; refer to the example of how President Liu of Fantasy transferred Academician Ni, a technical veteran, away from the core R&D position."

This is also very inappropriate. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time, but public opinion reversed later, and Liu's reputation is not good!
"The best course of action is to send them abroad for further studies while retaining their position and salary. They are given the opportunity to go out and learn, while retaining their official titles but transferring real power. If they can keep up with the pace after completing their studies, they can be given new missions. If not, they will have a more dignified transition."

Referencing the example of YCL's CEO, Mr. Li, who sent veteran employee Wan Jianming abroad for further study and then supported his entrepreneurial endeavors.

After hearing these three strategies, Chen Mo fell silent.

He turned around, leaned on the cold bamboo fence with both hands, gazed at the shimmering sea in the distance, letting the sea breeze caress his face, and remained silent for a long time.

After a long while, he turned around, his usual smile returning to his face, and sincerely said to Lu Qingyue, "Thank you for your suggestion, Miss Lu! It has benefited me greatly, and I will seriously consider it!"

Afterwards, the four continued hiking and arrived at a small, commercially developed seaside fishing village.

As a hiking enthusiast, Chen Mo doesn't mind these kinds of places because they are the most convenient supply points in remote areas like desolate mountains and wilderness.

They found a clean-looking little shop and each ate a bowl of steaming hot seafood noodles.

Looking at the abundant seafood in the bowl, Lu Qingyue took a bite and said, "The flavor is very rich and fresh. I usually eat nutritious meals, which are all very light in taste!"

Chen Mo smiled and said, "I think the demands at work are already high and tiring enough. In life, it's better to be more casual and relaxed."

After finishing their noodles, the group's half-day hike was drawing to a close.

On the way back, we passed a small handicraft shop run by fishermen, with all sorts of seashell wind chimes and handicrafts hanging at the entrance.

Lu Qingyue stopped and picked up a small ornament carefully glued together from various colorful seashells. She looked at it carefully and said to Chen Mo in a light tone, "Look at this. The workmanship is very delicate, and the colors and textures of the seashells are matched very well."

Chen Mo pretended not to understand her hint and simply nodded in agreement.

"Hmm, it's not bad!"

Finally, Lu Qingyue raised an eyebrow, held the small ornament up to Chen Mo, and looked at him with a half-smile.

"Mr. Chen, aren't you planning to buy it and give it to me?"

Chen Mo lied through his teeth: "Oh dear, I'm so sorry, Miss Lu, I didn't bring my wallet with me today when I went hiking!"

Lu Qingyue smiled slyly, as if he had expected this all along.

She took out a delicate white wallet, pulled out a hundred-yuan bill, and handed it to Chen Mo, her eyes sparkling: "It's okay, I can lend it to you first!"

Chen Mo was immediately at a loss for words: "Do you really have to have this?"

Lu Qingyue nodded seriously, with a hint of smugness that left no room for refusal.

Chen Mo had no choice but to take the banknote, which still held the warmth of her fingertips, turn around, pay for the seashell ornament, and hand it to her.

Lu Qingyue happily accepted the gift, examining it closely in her hands. Sunlight shone on her smiling face, and she murmured as if talking to herself, "Chen Mo, you gave me a gift, so from today onwards, we are friends."

Chen Mo couldn't help but chuckle.

"What kind of rule is this? I borrowed your money, bought you a gift, and then we're friends?"

Lu Qingyue looked up at him with a sly smile and a hint of smugness in her voice.

"This is our custom at Xing'er Slope! Once we've exchanged gifts, we're friends!"

"Hmm?" Chen Mo frowned, trying hard to recall, "When did you give me a gift? I don't remember."

"Haha!" Lu Qingyue laughed playfully, then deliberately snorted, "Think about it yourself!"

After saying that, she took the small seashell ornament and turned to walk towards the parking lot, quite pleased with herself.

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, watching her graceful figure gradually disappear into the distance. Finally, he pursed his lips, as if he had made up his mind, and raised his voice to call out, "Lu Qingyue!"

Lu Qingyue stopped in her tracks upon hearing the sound and turned around. The setting sun cast a soft halo around her.

Chen Mo looked at her and said with a smile, "When the oranges in my orchard are ripe in October, I'll send you a box to try!"

A hint of doubt flashed in Lu Qingyue's beautiful eyes, then her eyes lit up, and she smiled as she asked, "Aren't oranges ripe in July?"

Chen Mo put his hands back in his pockets, a natural smile on his face under the brim of his hat, and spoke with certainty.

"The oranges in my garden are a late-ripening variety!"

The sea breeze carries the sound of distant tides.

Lu Qingyue looked at him, her smile deepening. She didn't ask any more questions, just nodded slightly, and then turned and continued walking forward.

That graceful figure stood out clearly in the golden light of the setting sun.

(End of this chapter)