Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 191 Remembering the bitterness and remembering the sweetness
Orange Technology, 12th Floor, Huabei Qiang Electronics Building, Shenzhen.

Chen Mo sat in his general manager's office, routinely browsing the day's news, but his mind was wandering.

He suddenly realized that almost a year had passed since the company moved from a small workshop to this impressive office building, and he seemed to have never really cared about the two core veterans.

What exactly do Gong Yun and Zhao Tiezhu do in their daily work?

A strong sense of curiosity compelled him to stand up and leave the office.

Chen Mo waved to Zhou Yumeng, who was about to get up, indicating that she didn't need to worry about him and that she was just taking a walk.

Walking through the corridor, you are greeted by a spacious public office area.

The original 24 workstations and 6 temporary activity spaces have been replaced by 30 honeycomb-style workstations (6 people per group), all of which are now in use and appear busy yet orderly.

The first 12 groups in the office area are all staff members from the logistics department, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the company's total workforce.

Chen Mo then realized that if the customer service team hadn't been moved to Chengbao, Gong Yun's subordinates would have made up almost half of the company.

In war, logistics are the key.

Chen Mo strolled to the logistics department's workstation area. Several female employees were the first to notice him, instantly stopping their whispers and standing up with a hint of nervousness to greet him: "Hello, Mr. Chen!"

The distance created by their identities unconsciously added a sense of awe to the air.

Seeing this, Chen Mo smiled gently and waved his hand to signal them to relax.

"It's nothing, I'm just browsing around and want to get a feel for everyone's daily work. What's your name? What are your main responsibilities?"

A capable-looking female employee replied, "Mr. Chen, my name is Li Yue. I am the HRBP in the Logistics Department's Human Resources Group, mainly responsible for building and maintaining the competency model for the technical team."

"HRBP?" Chen Mo thought to himself that this sounded like someone in charge of recruitment, but he remained calm on the surface and instead asked with a hint of curiosity, "Who are included in this model? Is mine in the model?"

Li Yue was immediately alarmed and quickly waved her hand.

"Mr. Chen, you're joking. This model currently only covers basic employees and team leaders, and is mainly used for initial talent screening and reserve. It's not for senior management!"

Chen Mo nodded and then chatted with a few employees randomly in the logistics department area.

He casually asked a tax specialist in the finance team about their understanding of Orange's corporate culture, and the other party's answer reassured him somewhat.

Overall, the staff in the logistics department are in good spirits, and there is no sign of them only knowing "General Manager Gong" but not "General Manager Chen".

Then Chen Mo went to the marketing department.

The situation is similar. Although the "corporate culture" instilled by Zhao Tiezhu has some minor deviations due to his personal江湖 (jianghu) mentality, the general direction is correct.

The employees also know that the company is centered around him, Chen Mo, and is moving towards the goal of "technological equality and seeking truth from facts".

As long as the employees' ideological foundation remains unshaken, some of Zhao Tiezhu and Gong Yun's personal problems seem to have become tolerable "minor issues".

He walked through three meeting rooms and came to the interior office area.

Just then, Fang Zhihui, the head of the supply chain group in the marketing department, was holding a document and preparing to knock on Zhao Tiezhu's office door.

Chen Mo still had some recollection of the core team members of this 54-piece orange juice project!
When Fang Zhihui saw Chen Mo, he simply nodded and uttered two words: "President Chen!" His expression was serious, and he seemed rather taciturn.

Chen Mo then understood why he wasn't well-known among the "Four War Gods" of the marketing department; his "honest" personality made him too low-key.

Compared to Lin Xiaoxia from the marketing department, who was so assertive and practically wore her elite status on her sleeve, Fang Zhihui had a very low profile.

"Fang Zhihui!" Chen Mo called out to him.

Fang Zhihui was clearly taken aback, and subconsciously touched the back of his neck, seemingly not expecting President Chen to remember his name.

"How is the OEM factory that Nietzsche took over doing now?" Chen Mo asked.

He recalled that in July, it was Zhou Yumeng who notified Zhao Tiezhu to arrange for him to contact the OEM factory.

Upon hearing this, Fang Zhihui paused for a moment, then lowered his fingertips from the back of his neck, straightened his back slightly, and spoke in a steady and meticulous tone.

"Mr. Chen, the system is operating smoothly."

After taking over in July, we completed equipment maintenance and personnel scheduling integration in two weeks.

Currently, the production line's yield rate is stable at 98.3%, an increase of 1.2 percentage points compared to before the takeover, with an average daily production capacity of approximately 1.2 units.

The yield rate of domestic smartphones reflects the quality control of the phones.

The industry standard in 2011 was 85% to 92%.

The highest level of quality control: Sanjing and Pingguo consistently maintain a good product rate of over 90% year-round.

The second level of quality control: Except for Kupai, the four major domestic manufacturers all maintain a quality control level of 89%.

The third level of quality control: seven small factories, including Orange, Nietzsche, Duowei, and Blue Machine, can basically maintain 88%, while Green Machine, Meizu, and Wheat are at 85%.

Coolpig? Me? 83%! Who sets the industry standard?! I'm telling you, it's targeting me!
Fang Zhihui paused for a moment, then continued his report without any unnecessary words.

"We just completed the second batch of Orange 2 orders last week, and the delivery was one day ahead of schedule."

Currently, production has reached the fourth batch, and the materials have been checked with Zhicheng's centralized procurement team, and there is no shortage.

There are some aging servo motors on the production line that occasionally experience minor malfunctions. We've contacted the repair team, and they'll be repaired this weekend. It won't affect production.

His eyes were focused, and he only emphasized the key data slightly, clearly having a thorough understanding of the situation.

Chen Mo smiled, pleased with his pragmatism: "Are you going to report to General Manager Zhao? Go on!"

Fang Zhihui nodded, then turned and knocked on Zhao Tiezhu's door.

Chen Mo sat down in an empty seat by the window in the marketing department. This seat belonged to employees who frequently went out on fieldwork.

He quietly observed Zhao Tiezhu and Gong Yun's office next door.

After observing for a period of time, Chen Mo noticed a phenomenon: Zhao Tiezhu's office was mostly frequented by the group leaders of the marketing department, and he seemed to rarely go out anymore.

In Chen Mo's previous stereotypical impression, this restless kid was always making excuses to run away. Is Zhao Tiezhu really this well-behaved now?
Gong Yun's office, however, was completely different; it was exceptionally busy.

Team leaders, employees, and even heads of other departments all rushed to her for instructions and reports.

Chen Mo watched for a while, then got up and walked back.

As she passed by Zhou Yumeng's workstation, the secretary hurriedly pushed open her drawer, stood up, and stammered a greeting.

"Ha!" Chen Mo chuckled, not exposing her lie. "I need to rest for a while, don't let anyone disturb me!"

After saying that, he went into his office.

At this moment, in Gong Yun's office.

Ding, the team leader of the design group in the technical department, is trying his best to persuade her.

"President Gong! That Lucidchert online collaborative design platform is really perfect for our distributed team to synchronize design drafts and architecture diagrams. Your budget approval process has been stuck for two weeks. Could you please make an exception?"

Gong Yun put down the report, a gentle yet undeniable smile on her face, and lightly tapped the table with her fingertips.

"So that's what it was about! I've looked at your solution, and it does indeed solve the pain point of the previous free and open-source platforms not allowing for multi-person collaboration. The approach is correct!"

She changed the subject, first expressing her understanding.

“I know you’re in a hurry! The lack of activity these past two weeks isn’t because I’m holding things back. It’s because last week the finance department was reviewing the quarterly budget, and all special approvals have to wait until the process is complete. I was afraid that if I told you in advance, things might change and you’d be disappointed!”

Finally, Gong Yun gave him a clear answer and reassured him.

"The results of yesterday's review just came out, and I marked your applications as 'priority processing' this morning!"

I'll submit the approval form this afternoon, and the process should be completed by tomorrow at the latest.

Go back and tell your team to be patient and wait a little longer; the platform will be available soon.

After receiving an affirmative reply, Ding, the team leader of the design group in the technical department, left satisfied.

He had just left when Gong Yun's personal cell phone rang. It was President Ma from the cooperative bank.

"President Gong, congratulations! 'Orange Pay' has exceeded 3 million RMB in transaction volume this month! We are so grateful to Orange for choosing our branch as our partner!" President Ma's voice was full of enthusiasm.

He was an old acquaintance who had worked with Orange since their early days as a small workshop. Thanks to the cash flow performance of Orange's corporate account, his branch went from the bottom to the top ten, so he naturally regarded Orange as his god of wealth.

Gong Yun responded with a smile, indicating that as long as she was in charge of the finances, Chengzi's cash flow would be inseparable from the other party's cooperation and win-win situation.

After exchanging pleasantries, President Ma lowered his voice and revealed some information.

"Mr. Gong, there's something I need to remind you of. Yesterday, it seems someone was checking Chengzi's investment purchase records and bank statements from last year."

Before President Ma finished speaking, Gong Yun already understood.

She maintained a gentle smile, thanked the other party for the reminder, and then hung up the phone.

Before she knew it, the orange tabby cat, Mimi, with its white paws, had slipped in and started rubbing against her legs.

Gong Yun smiled and lifted it onto her lap, gently stroking it: "Little Mimi, you've been naughty, sneaking in again!"

Everyone in the company knows that the door to General Manager Gong's office is always left a crack for "Manager Mi".

As the workday was drawing to a close, Chen Mo knocked on the doors of Zhao Tiezhu's and Gong Yun's offices.

He stood outside the door with a relaxed smile on his face, as if it were just a spur-of-the-moment idea: "Tiezhu, Sister Gong, don't rush off after get off work. It's been a long time since we got together. I'll treat you to a meal!"

Both of them were somewhat surprised, but seeing Chen Mo's unyielding expression, they both nodded in agreement.

After get off work, Zhao Tiezhu wore a very high-quality suit that looked quite expensive.

Gong Yun was still wearing the same business suit, with a faded canvas bag slung over her shoulder that didn't quite match her current status.

The two followed behind Chen Mo, who was dressed casually. Their contrasting attitudes towards life created a striking contrast.

When they arrived at the North China Electronics Market, Zhao Tiezhu and Gong Yun exchanged a glance, both wondering: Is President Chen going to "reminisce about the bitter past and appreciate the sweet present"?
This year, Chen Mo also made a rare "high-profile" move, with his nominal general manager's special operations team all mobilized.

Four bodyguards/drivers, three business escorts, and three information security personnel, seemingly loosely but actually closely guarding the three, with two unofficial personnel in the shadows providing support at any time.

Most passersby gave it a curious glance, but didn't pay much attention.

However, once you enter the stall area of ​​the North China Strong Market, the situation is completely different.

Many stall owners who have extensive business dealings with Orange Company greeted him warmly. "Mr. Chen! What brings you here today!"

"Mr. Zhao! Still so busy! It's been quite a while!"

"Mr. Gong! You look great lately!"

Greetings rose and fell in waves.

Back in Huabei Qiang's place, the three of them felt like they were "returning home in glory".

Starting from a small workshop, in just one year, Orange has become the leader of the "Four Small Boutique Mobile Phone Factories" in China, and the owners here are all proud of it.

Chen Mo smiled and nodded in response.

Zhao Tiezhu instantly reverted to his street-smart self, chatting and joking with the familiar bosses, telling harmless bawdy jokes.

Gong Yun followed quietly behind the two, a gentle smile on her face.

Some backpackers and individual shoppers who came to hunt for bargains asked the stall owner curiously, "Who are these three people? Why are they making such a big fuss?"

The boss proudly introduced, "Hey! Those are the three CEOs of Orange Technology! They started from a small workshop in Huaqiang, and in just one year, they've built a big company!"

"They're the best domestically produced mobile phones!"

He gave a thumbs-up, which drew envy and longing in the eyes of the young man who asked the question, as if he had seen a role model of entrepreneurial success.

Despite the bustling atmosphere along the way, the three of them arrived safely at the familiar "Grassland Style" food stall under the tacit protection of 12 security personnel.

This is where Chen Mo's orange dream began.

Chen Mo asked Zhao Tiezhu to order some barbecue skewers.

Zhao Tiezhu grinned and approached the boss, boasting, "Boss, see? I wasn't bragging, was I? Our oranges are the best in North China, aren't they?" He secretly gave a thumbs up.

"Is my name, Zhao Tiezhu, any good enough?"

The boss pointed to the photo of himself and Zhao Tiezhu on the wall and laughed heartily.

"Mr. Zhao! It's such an honor for my little shop to have you, Mr. Chen, and Mr. Gong here! This meal is on me! Order whatever you like!"

Zhao Tiezhu chuckled contentedly: "That's great!"

He walked back, and Gong Yun silently handed him a small plastic stool that she had carefully wiped with a tissue.

The three of them sat down at a small table by the curb, and Chen Mo even asked the owner to bring three ice-cold beers.

Zhao Tiezhu shouted, "Brother Chen, only three? That's not enough!"

Chen Mo laughed and said, "Just a little drink is enough. I don't want to carry you back."

Gong Yun smiled as she looked at the iced beer Chen Mo handed her, and accepted it without refusing.

The skewers sizzled with oil, and water droplets clung to the walls of the beer glasses. As the three ate and drank, the conversation naturally drifted back to the time last year when they squeezed into that dilapidated little workshop of less than 20 square meters.

"At that time, Orange 1 suddenly received a surge in orders, and our production capacity just couldn't keep up!" Chen Mo lamented.

"Tiezhu, you're out there every day running around the supply chain, begging and pleading with everyone you can."

I spent all my time in the OEM factory, watching the production line.
Sister Gong, you just stay in the small workshop, taking orders, reconciling accounts, packing and shipping.
They really wanted to divide the three of them into eight pieces!

"Haha!" Zhao Tiezhu laughed loudly: "Back then, the cash deposits we received every day filled two shabby safes. We even used rubber bands to count the money. I felt like I was on a high every day!"

Chen Mo shook his head and laughed, "Thinking back now, the daily turnover was only around two million back then. I really don't know what I was so excited about!"

Gong Yun and Zhao Tiezhu also shared their feelings at the time, both marveling at how quickly the company had developed, far exceeding their most optimistic expectations.

Zhao Tiezhu took a swig of beer, his tone tinged with self-deprecation and candor.

"To be honest, Brother Chen, I was thinking of starting a small workshop for counterfeit mobile phones with you. I would be thrilled if I could manage an apprentice."

I never imagined it would turn into such a huge mess. I really can't handle this; I was forced into it, and I feel uncertain and anxious every day!

Gong Yun gently encouraged him: "Xiao Zhao, don't underestimate yourself. You've already done very well. Take your time to learn, and you'll catch up eventually!"

After finishing their barbecue skewers, the three of them inexplicably found themselves back in that familiar alley, in that 20-square-meter "Orange Delight" space.

This place is now a temporary residence for the marketing department's North China strong distribution channel external liaison staff. After renovation, it is no longer recognizable.

The only familiar thing was that long table that was still in use.

Chen Mo pointed to the brand-new aluminum alloy window and laughed, "This window used to be broken. In the summer, we could only open it halfway, and it was so stuffy. Luckily, the buildings in front were tall and blocked the sun."

He then pointed to the place where the printer was: "Remember? There used to be that second-hand chip mounter that Tiezhu repaired here. It would make a clicking sound as soon as it was turned on, like it was about to fall apart!"

Finally, Chen Mo walked to the only table that hadn't been replaced, placed his hand on the tabletop, and looked at it with a complicated expression.

"This table was our first workstation."

Tiezhu, your place always smells like solder and instant noodles; Gongjie's place is always spotless; mine...

He pursed his lips, and ultimately didn't say anything more, only raising his hand and waving.

"Tiezhu! Sister Gong! Please sit down!"

Chen Mo waved his hand, and Xiao Zheng took two documents from his briefcase and placed them on the table before leaving the workshop.

"Tiezhu, Sister Gong," his voice became serious, "there may be many changes in the company ahead."

He pushed the two documents forward, placing them in front of the two men.

"This is a promise and guarantee I give to you. I know that starting a business is never a fairy tale, but I still hope that when I reach the summit in the future, you will still be standing by my side!"

The two agreements are identical in content and simple in terms of terms: for each additional year of service at Orange Technology, the two employees will automatically receive 1% of the shares, up to a maximum of 10%.

Both of them knew how much Chen Mo valued the shares in Orange Technology (the parent company).

He can release shares in Yuancheng, Chengbao, and Chengke, but not even once in Chengzi Technology.

This is the most core asset of the Orange Group, and Chen Mo's absolute possession.
Zhao Tiezhu's eyes instantly reddened.

He pushed the agreement back as if in a fit of pique, his voice choked with emotion.

"Brother Chen! I can't accept this! Don't worry, I know I've hindered the company's development, I...I'll submit my resignation tomorrow! I won't cause you any trouble!"

Gong Yun lowered her eyes and smiled gently, pushing the agreement back. Her tone was gentle yet firm: "President Chen, Chengzi is my home. I trust you! I don't need this!"

Chen Mo didn't take back the agreement; instead, he laughed and kicked Zhao Tiezhu.

"You brat, who said, 'Brother Chen, if you tell me to go east, I'll never go west; if you tell me to chase a dog, I'll never catch a chicken'? Have you already forgotten?"

Zhao Tiezhu was stunned: "Then what about the marketing department? Brother Chen, you don't know, I really tried my best."

"Haha!" Chen Mo laughed. "Let's see how Lin Xiaxia does in her training this year. If she's good, she'll go! As for you..."

He deliberately drew out his words: "Go read your book!"

"Huh? Studying!" Zhao Tiezhu's eyes widened as if he had heard something unbelievable: "Brother Chen! If I had that kind of talent, would I have needed to drop out of school and go south to work back then?"

Chen Mo was amused by his expression and realized that he needed to hang a carrot in front of him.

"Don't you always say you want to build cars and airplanes?"

Go learn!

"As long as you can legitimately obtain a master's degree in any relevant field, I'll set up a company just for you and let you do whatever you want!"

To prevent him from taking advantage of the situation, Chen Mo added, "Let's make this clear beforehand: diploma mills don't count! I'll find you a good, absolutely reliable school!"

Upon hearing "building cars" and "building airplanes," Zhao Tiezhu's eyes lit up. After hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, "Okay! Brother Chen, you keep your word! I'll go study!"

Chen Mo laughed and gave him a light kick: "You're willing now?", and then stuffed the agreement into his arms.

Then, he solemnly picked up another agreement and looked at Gong Yun with sincere eyes: "Sister Gong, since you say Chengzi is home, then don't be afraid. Home will always help you. Here!"

Looking at the unwavering determination and deep trust in Chen Mo's eyes, Gong Yun remained silent for a moment. Finally, with a calm and serious expression, she accepted the agreement and nodded gently: "Thank you, Mr. Chen."

This dinner, a reminder of past hardships and the present joys, has finally come to an end.

On the way back, Chen Mo leaned back in the seat, his face flushed with a slight intoxication.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing was somewhat heavy.

Suddenly, Chen Mo opened his eyes, a resolute glint flashing in them.

He took out his phone and dialed Wang Kai's number.

"Wang Kai, let's leave the matter of that 1500 million yuan discrepancy here. Don't investigate any further!"

Chen Mo's voice was so calm that there was no trace of drunkenness: "From now on, withdraw your people from Zhao Tiezhu and Gong Yun's side. You don't need to pay special attention to them anymore!"

Wang Kai on the other end of the phone seemed surprised and hurriedly said, "President Chen! But we've already found some clues; the money seems to be flowing into Hong Kong stocks."

"I told you, no more investigations!"

Chen Mo's voice suddenly turned cold, each word distinct and carrying an undeniable pressure through the microphone.

Wang Kai immediately fell silent and quickly replied, "Yes, President Chen! I understand!"

Chen Mo hung up the phone and tossed it aside.

He pressed his head against the cold car window, gazing at the dazzling cityscape rushing past outside.

The dazzling lights blurred into colorful halos in his dazed eyes.

Chen Mo leaned back quietly, and no one knew what this young leader of Orange Company was thinking at that moment.

Is it the affection of the past, the journey ahead, or the loneliness and weight that must be buried deep in one's heart and borne alone?

The bustling world outside the car window seemed to be separated from him by an invisible layer of glass.

(End of this chapter)