On the way back, Liu Jun reviewed and summarized his entire conversation with Dong Qiyang from the beginning. He kept thinking until he reached the company, then suddenly had an epiphany. As the ancients said, “Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles,” yet he had forgotten to reflect on what level he was at when formulating company strategy. Tengfei wasn’t the German company he used to work for – that company had deep roots and solid foundations, daring to make buyers accept high-priced products at the negotiation table. His Tengfei wasn’t even a medium-sized company now. In terms of funding scale, he was actually like the old Qianjin Factory. In other words, he currently had neither the capital to make cutting-edge products nor was willing to stoop to making ordinary goods, so his current goal should be to become a medium-sized enterprise. Thinking about Shi Yiji’s current product strategy, should he move closer to Shi Yiji?
Liu Jun sat in his car, staring blankly at the basketball court under the lights for a long time without getting out, then turned around and headed back to the city. He arranged to meet Dong Qiyang again for another talk.
Without Yang Li present, Dong Qiyang’s conversation was much more expansive. He told Liu Jun not to think like an ordinary technician, pointing out that Liu Jun was now not only a technical person but also a factory owner, and his thinking should lean more toward being a factory owner. Liu Jun slapped his forehead in realization – he should focus more on input-output ratios rather than treasuring his work like a worn-out broom.
Liu Jun was very grateful to Dong Qiyang in his heart, but was somewhat puzzled. The two were in partial competition with each other – by teaching Liu Jun to fish, wasn’t Dong Qiyang making things difficult for himself? Dong Qiyang still generously told Liu Jun that harmony brings wealth, people need some breadth of mind, a willingness to take small losses, and focus on the big picture.
Liu Jun was deeply moved. He thought about all the experiences since returning to China a year and a half ago, thought about his conflicts with Yang Xun, thought about how he often refused to compromise, though sometimes he was too stubborn. It was Dong Qiyang’s magnanimity that gave him the courage to face himself directly.
When Liu Jun returned to the company again, the restlessness stirred up by the day’s chaotic events had disappeared. He understood the true meaning of selling products like pigs – letting data speak, examining the optimal input-output ratio without a trace of emotion. Just as Dong Qiyang had once told him, make the company earn money with immediate results.
Liu Jun chose private lending and chose to work for high interest rates.
Meanwhile, Qian Hongming abandoned his letter of credit plan. After extensive investigation and research, he self-taught himself to use data to reach conclusions: using letters of credit for financing was a decent method, but the costs were too high. These costs included actual operational costs, path-clearing costs, mouth-sealing costs, and risk costs. The returns were unimpressive – the peak returns had already been roughly estimated by Liu Jun, and such returns he could exceed with routine, eyes-closed business operations.
Since he was no longer considering that grand plan, Qian Hongming tallied up his branch company’s income from less than a year of operation and decided to buy himself a good car, asking Liu Jun to help with the selection.
When Qian Hongming assigned Liu Jun to this task, Liu Jun was busy beyond belief because adjusting his strategic thinking required adjusting all aspects of company management. Due to a lack of management personnel, he had to personally get involved. Also, to train young, inexperienced technical staff, he assigned Luo Qing and several others to monitor workshop quality management. The task he gave Luo Qing and the others was to find the root causes of quality problems through practice and accumulate problem-solving experience – the so-called “practice produces true knowledge.”
Regarding Qian Hongming’s question about what car to buy, Liu Jun replied casually: “On the market, what you want to buy are just four familiar old faces – Audi, Buick, Accord, Passat. I can recite those specifications without thinking. You just need to take out a piece of paper, list all the experiences you want, and fax it to me, and I guarantee I’ll find you the most suitable car.”
Qian Hongming smiled deeply after hearing this, subconsciously placing his left hand to his lips: “No, I want to borrow a day of your time. Come with me to Shanghai – I plan to buy an imported one.”
Liu Jun was startled: “Mr. Qian… how much budget are you prepared to put out? Imported original cars have high taxes – spending double the money might get you something not as good as those four familiar faces with low localization rates. If you have special needs, wait until I’m less busy, and I’ll modify one for you.”
Qian Hongming still smiled: “The roads are full of those four familiar faces – don’t want to join that crowd. I’ve been browsing foreign car websites every day recently, then I thought, isn’t there a ready-made expert consultant right here? You name a time – this weekend?”
Only after hanging up the phone did Liu Jun belatedly realize that what Qian Hongming wanted was to be “different from the crowd.” Images of GTI, EVO, and other good performance cars that Qian Hongming could probably afford flashed through his mind, but he immediately rejected them mentally – those weren’t “different from the crowd” cars either. He could only shrug his shoulders and decide to figure it out once they got to Shanghai. He posted the news about going to Shanghai to look at imported cars on the local hottest forum’s car section, and unexpectedly, several people wanted to tag along. Because Liu Jun’s extensive modification knowledge made him nearly authoritative on the car forum, several people hoped to follow Liu Jun for firsthand experience, and one or two people wanting to buy new cars hoped for Liu Jun’s guidance. A user with the screen name “Drift King,” who usually mostly lurked, was surprisingly enthusiastic this time, actively requesting to be Liu Jun’s follower.
Liu Jun met up with Qian Hongming on Friday evening, taking Qian Hongming’s Santana 2000 to the city hall parking lot to meet with Drift King and two others. The city hall parking lot in the evening was no longer packed with distinguished guests. Liu Jun immediately spotted a BMW 5 Series with exactly the license plate number Drift King had texted him. Drift King had also seen their car and jumped out to greet them. When the two met, both were surprised – Liu Jun could see clearly that Drift King was Shen Huadong. Liu Jun couldn’t help but glance at the open BMW door and asked without concealment: “Didn’t bring Yu Shanshan along?”
Shen Huadong looked puzzled and asked directly: “Isn’t Yu Shanshan your girlfriend?”
Both were baffled. Shen Huadong enthusiastically invited Liu Jun and Qian Hongming into his car, fast and comfortable. As soon as the three got in, Shen Huadong floored the accelerator, the six cylinders roaring as they shot forward rapidly, with another Honda following behind, somewhat struggling. Qian Hongming sat in the back, made extremely nervous by Shen Huadong’s reckless driving, murmuring: “There are strict speed limits here, don’t come home with a stack of tickets.”
Shen Huadong glanced sideways at Liu Jun: “What are tickets compared to losing face in front of a rival?”
Liu Jun sat in the passenger seat laughing heartily: “Drift, let me see you drift. Best to block the Honda sideways with every drift, haha.”
“No drifting, this is the city center.” Qian Hongming unhesitatingly stopped them, very suspicious that the two fighting cocks in front might start drifting.
Liu Jun sneered sarcastically: “With those tires, you dare drift? Let him drift.”
Shen Huadong was speechless. He already knew that in terms of cars, he was no match for Liu Jun, whose online ID was “Nuts and Bolts.” The more he showed off, the more opportunities Liu Jun had to catch his mistakes, and the more he lost face. Since Qian Hongming had spoken up, he took the opportunity to slow down and change the subject. “Nuts, did Yu Shanshan tell you she plans to only start dating at thirty?”
“Is that a thing?” Liu Jun was so surprised he laughed out loud. This was the first time he’d heard such a reason, though it did sound like Yu Shanshan’s style.
“Maybe you didn’t even get the chance to hear that.”
“Why would I discuss such things with Yu Shanshan? When we meet, we can’t finish talking about ideals and life.” Liu Jun wasn’t backing down either.
“At least I know Yu Shanshan is single – you don’t even know what state she’s in now.”
“Hey, you two, you’re adults.” Qian Hongming had to remind them from the back, lest the two get so caught up in their rivalry that they forget about driving.
But Shen Huadong turned his head: “We know, no need for reminders.”
Qian Hongming immediately laughed: “Well now, it’s become ‘we’ – united against outsiders.”
“Haha, as they say in ‘Fortress Besieged,’ this is called being ‘brothers in sympathy.'” Liu Jun was quite happy inside, his laughter particularly loud.
Qian Hongming sat in the back with folded arms, listening to the two in front continue their willful bickering. Though he disapproved of their childishness in his heart, he didn’t interrupt again. By the dim light of the dashboard, he carefully examined the car’s interior, then looked at the relaxed and suave manner of driver Shen Huadong in front. The more he looked, the more his heart stirred – he wanted this kind of style too.
The group didn’t arrive in Shanghai until midnight, and after arriving, none of them wanted to rest, going out for late-night snacks instead. The next day, they were all still energetic, running all over Shanghai’s car markets. Being unfamiliar with the area, they probably got countless tickets – it would have been cheaper to hire taxis the whole way. Qian Hongming indeed ordered a BMW, though he really couldn’t quite afford the 5 Series price and ultimately bought a 3 Series. Throughout this process, Liu Jun had little involvement. Liu Jun didn’t insist much either – he already understood that what Qian Hongming wanted wasn’t value for money but to be “different from the crowd.” He just conscientiously test-drove the car to check for problems and left it at that. Instead, Liu Jun and Shen Huadong looked at all the sports cars together, with Shen Huadong practically glued to the Ferrari, unwilling to leave.
Returning from Shanghai, Liu Jun jumped into his car and headed straight for Yu Shanshan’s home. He tried calling Yu Shanshan’s mobile on the way – no connection. When he reached the building where Yu Shanshan lived, he immediately saw Shen Huadong’s car parked there too. When the two met, they shared knowing smiles. Shen Huadong told Liu Jun that Yu Shanshan wasn’t home and hadn’t turned on her phone either. The two parted amicably.
But when Liu Jun returned to the company, Luo Qing immediately gave him a “surprise.” Luo Qing privately submitted his resignation, saying he was taking early leave to prepare for civil service examinations.
Liu Jun was greatly puzzled: “Why take the civil service exam that has nothing to do with your major? What a waste of your talent.”
“Manager Liu, sorry, forgive me for being very realistic. I need stable work, good salary and benefits, and immediate work returns. I can’t endure the loneliness of technical work because I can barely see where the prospects for independent design lie. I’m very discouraged.”
Liu Jun hadn’t expected this to be Luo Qing’s reason. He thought for a long while before saying, “But Luo Qing, you love electromechanical work. I still remember the light that flashed in your eyes when you got the blueprints right. You’ve already climbed halfway up the mountain – are you willing to give up? Ask your heart.”
“I’ve been struggling with this decision for many days. Apart from myself and Manager Liu, everyone supports me taking the civil service exam. Manager Liu, a thousand ideals can’t compete with life’s ten thousand helplessnesses. I can’t wait. Tengfei has given us quite a lot, but compared to civil service…”
Liu Jun waved his hand, stopping Luo Qing from continuing. He could understand Luo Qing’s choice. He signed Luo Qing’s resignation letter, but instead saw the disappointment revealed in Luo Qing’s eyes. “Go try it. Whenever you want to come back, I’ll still welcome you. I feel sorry for you.”
Liu Jun saw Luo Qing’s guilt and Luo Qing’s excitement, but he felt very uncomfortable inside. He, Liu Jun, was actually the one being rejected. All his countless efforts couldn’t match people’s hopes for civil service status. He was depressed for a long time, but thought more about what exactly he had accomplished. At this moment, the slight pang he’d felt deep down when seeing Qian Hongming spend lavishly on a BMW gradually surfaced in Liu Jun’s heart.
For once, Liu Jun deeply doubted himself – what exactly was he busying himself with all this nonsense?