mynovelweb Chapter 330 Executive Vice President Chen Zhongming
Chapter 330 Executive Vice President Chen Zhongming
At 3 p.m. sharp, Chen Zhongming arrived at Ling Yun’s office.
He was a little thinner than he looked in the photos, but in good spirits. He was wearing a dark blue suit, a white shirt, and no tie. His handshake was firm.
"Mr. Ling," he said with a smile, "I've heard so much about you."
"Mr. Chen, please have a seat."
The two sat down on the sofa, and Chen Lingling brought two cups of tea, placed them on the coffee table, and then left.
Chen Zhongming picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Good tea," he said. "Longjing?"
"Um."
Chen Zhongming put down his teacup and looked at Ling Yun.
"Mr. Ling," he said, "before I came, I studied some information about Xinghuo. To be honest, I was quite surprised."
Ling Yun looked at him.
"Your business is bigger than I thought," Chen Zhongming said. "Electronics factories, internet cafes, software, chips, joint laboratories—you cover almost the entire industry chain."
Ling Yun didn't speak.
"But I also see some problems," Chen Zhongming continued. "There's not enough coordination between the business units, management is rather fragmented, and some resources are being wasted. I've reviewed your integration plan, and the direction is correct."
What are your thoughts?
Chen Zhongming thought for a moment.
"First, we need to unify finances," he said. "Currently, each business unit has its own finances, data is not shared, and decision-making efficiency is low. We will establish a group finance center to unify budgeting, accounting, and fund allocation."
"Second, unify personnel management. Centralize personnel authority across different sectors, and implement unified recruitment, training, and allocation within the group. This will solve the talent shortage problem."
"Third, centralized procurement. Electronics factories, internet cafes, and R&D centers all need to purchase equipment. Decentralized procurement leaves no room for negotiation, while centralized procurement can save a lot of money."
"Fourth," he paused, "brand unification. Right now, everyone is using their own brand, which makes it easy for users to get confused. Unify into Xinghuo Group, retain the sub-brands, but make sure they all bear the group logo."
Ling Yun nodded after listening.
"We'll do as you say," he said.
Chen Zhongming was taken aback.
"Is it... settled like that?"
"Um."
Chen Zhongming looked at him and smiled.
"Mr. Ling," he said, "you're more decisive than I thought."
The two talked for over an hour, going over the details of the integration. Chen Zhongming, with over a decade of experience as a senior executive, offered many specific suggestions. Ling Yun listened, occasionally nodding and asking a question.
At 5:30, Lingyun said, "That's all for today. There's a meeting tomorrow, so get ready."
Ling Yun saw him to the door. "President Chen, welcome to Xinghuo."
Chen Zhongming shook hands and left.
Chen Zhongming needs to prepare well for tomorrow's meeting. This is his first appearance at a high-level meeting of Xinghuo. As the executive vice president, he will be in charge of the group's specific affairs from now on. He needs to implement the policies and strategies determined by Ling Yun and transform the abstract strategies into concrete tactics.
Chen Zhongming needs to make a strong first impression at tomorrow's meeting, letting other senior executives know his style of doing things and his future work goals. As the newly appointed second-in-command of the group, he must have enough prestige to get everyone to cooperate with his future work and to gain a foothold in Xinghuo.
Lingyun returned home at six o'clock in the evening.
When he opened the door, he smelled a burnt smell.
He strode into the kitchen. An Shiyu stood in front of the stove, holding a spatula, the pot steaming. She was preoccupied with the food in the pot and didn't notice him coming in.
"What's wrong?" He walked over.
An Shiyu was startled.
"You...why are you up so early?"
Ling Yun glanced at the pot. Inside was a dark, indistinct mass; he couldn't make out what it was.
"I wanted to make braised pork, but I forgot about it once the meat was simmering," An Shiyu said softly. "I remembered, and then... it burned."
Ling Yun picked up the spatula and turned off the fire. He moved the pot aside, opened the window, and let the smoke escape.
An Shiyu stood to the side, her head down.
"It's okay, pregnancy makes you stupid for three years, you're just getting started." Ling Yun said, while supporting An Shiyu's chin with his fingers.
"You're the silly one, I just forgot by accident." An Shiyu said, while twisting Ling Yun's waist.
Ling Yun begged for mercy repeatedly, but An Shiyu gave a coquettish snort, "If you call me stupid again, begging for mercy won't work."
Lingyun walked to the refrigerator, opened it, and looked inside. There was meat, vegetables, and eggs.
"What would you like to eat?" he asked.
"casual."
"You can't be so casual. If you are, I'm afraid I won't be able to get out of bed."
She chuckled, then raised her little fist and made a fierce face. "Whatever means is, I'll eat whatever you make. Don't talk nonsense."
Ling Yun took out the meat, vegetables, and eggs. He began washing the vegetables, chopping the meat, and cracking the eggs with practiced ease, clearly indicating he did this often.
An Shiyu stood beside him, watching him.
"Lingyun," she called him.
"Um?"
"You're so sweet." An Shiyu gave Ling Yun a quick kiss on the cheek. "This is a reward for you."
As he continued chopping vegetables, he teased, "Can the reward be saved for tonight? Can we go somewhere else?"
Seeing Ling Yun's mischievous grin, An Shiyu immediately thought of Ling Yun's shameless demands after she became pregnant, and how her boundaries had been repeatedly crossed. Ling Yun even jokingly called it a traditional craft—playing musical instruments and singing. An Shiyu's cheeks burned at the thought of her behavior a few days ago.
Dinner was prepared amidst the playful bickering between the two of them: braised pork belly, stir-fried bok choy, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and seaweed and egg drop soup. The four dishes were laid out on the table, steaming hot.
An Shiyu sat down, picked up a piece of braised pork, and put it in her mouth.
"It's delicious," she said.
Ling Yun also sat down and began to eat.
She ate very quickly, much faster than in the morning. After finishing one bowl of rice, she filled another bowl.
"Slow down," Lingyun said.
"Honey, this is so delicious!" She swallowed the food in her mouth quickly and said to Lingyun in a coquettish tone.
After dinner, Ling Yun went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. An Shiyu sat on the sofa watching TV, flipping through channels until she finally stopped at a variety show. The people on the show were laughing, and she laughed along with them.
After Ling Yun finished washing the dishes and dried his hands, he came over and sat down next to her. An Shiyu leaned on his shoulder.
"Husband," she called to him.
"Um?"
"Tell me, is it a boy or a girl?"
Ling Yun thought for a moment, then said, "I don't know."
Do you prefer a boy or a girl?
Ling Yun smiled. "I hope it's a girl. Girls are obedient and as beautiful as you. I'll protect you and your daughter from now on."
"Whether it's a boy or a girl, we should all go and rest. You should reward your husband properly." With that, Ling Yun put one arm around An Shiyu's leg and the other around her waist, and picked her up. An Shiyu wrapped her arms around Ling Yun's neck, buried her face in his chest, too shy to speak.