Chapter 42: Under Great Pressure
In Fan Ren’s office, Liu Jun sat opposite him.
It’s already been ten minutes.
“Are you done yet? If nothing’s up, go to General Manager Yun’s and help her check on the construction site.”
Fan Ren really couldn’t stand Liu Jun’s blank stare fixed on him, and finally impatiently told him to leave.
“I don’t have that kind of free time. There’s a pile of patent authorizations waiting for me to handle.”
Liu Jun subconsciously shook his head, but his gaze continued to stare fixedly at Fan Ren.
He truly couldn’t figure out this buddy he’d spent the entire four years of university with.
50 billion, just casually saying no to it like it was nothing.
“Hey, Second Brother. Tell me honestly, do you know what the concept of pure cash 50 billion is?”
Fan Ren glared at him irritably and said, “I’m not stupid. 50 billion in assets won’t make you the richest, but if it’s cash, it’s definitely the richest.”
At this point, he couldn’t help but sigh himself. Half a day had passed since the meeting with San Xin, and now sitting in the office, his heart felt no fluctuation at all about that number.
Liu Jun puzzledly rubbed his head with both hands and said, “You know? So you do know! But if that’s the case, I’m under a lot of pressure.”
“What pressure? Xinghai has technology, so it has right to speak. As the rule maker, we call the shots in this market. What pressure do you have? Negotiate the cooperation as it should be; no need to overthink other aspects.”
Hearing this, Liu Jun sighed, nodded, and said, “I didn’t think that much before. From the start with the high-voltage radio, I thought developing Xinghai into a 10-billion-scale enterprise would be amazing.”
Fan Ren nodded. Seeing this guy looked exhausted, he helplessly lit a cigarette for himself.
Liu Jun didn’t stand on ceremony either, took the cigarette pack and lit one, then continued, “But then you came up with solid-state battery. Honestly, I felt a bit intimidated then, but I also know that at this stage, Xinghai can’t do without me. Not to brag, but in the company now, you don’t really have anyone else reliable, so doesn’t it have to be me handling these things?”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Third Brother. To be honest, if I were in your position, I don’t know what I’d mess Xinghai into.”
Liu Jun took a drag on his cigarette and didn’t refute. He knew Fan Ren’s energy wasn’t on this, so he said, “That’s exactly it. You just casually say no to 50 billion, don’t blame me for talking harsh, but I really want to crack open your head and see if it’s full of water in there.”
At this point, he couldn’t help laughing himself, shook his head and said, “But that doesn’t make sense. If your brain was full of water, then ours would probably be mush.”
Fan Ren smiled faintly. The secrets on him couldn’t be told, so he just silently accompanied the chattering Liu Jun in front of him while smoking.
“Second Brother, it’s really not me dropping the ball. To tell you the truth, I truly don’t have the confidence to earn back this 50 billion for you in a short time, really. Although the battery market is huge, production-wise we’re starting from zero, and to fully meet market demand, who knows how long that will take.
Sure, we could make money by collecting patent fees, but honestly, we might as well transfer the technology to San Xin and take the 50 billion all at once.
I just don’t feel confident, really don’t.”
Fan Ren helplessly shook his head. He hadn’t expected the morning scene to impact Liu Jun this much. Thinking about it, he understood.
Though from a rich second-generation background, his family’s enterprise total assets added up to only 2 or 3 billion in scale.
He casually rejected 50 billion; how could it not shock him, how could it not make him feel immense pressure.
In the silence between the two, a piercing phone ring came from Liu Jun’s pocket.
He looked at the number and was stunned, then under Fan Ren’s puzzled gaze, he answered the call.
“Dad, what’s up? Okay, got it. Anything else?”
After hanging up, Liu Jun was silent for a moment, then said, “Call from the old man at home. Between the lines, he wants me to come back. I guess he knows about things here. And he invited you to visit home.”
Fan Ren nodded, not surprised at all. With the company at this stage, though market value didn’t look high, due to solid-state battery, it had long been exposed on major media hot searches.
It was normal for Liu Jun’s family to know he was now Xinghai’s vice president, and not strange for them to contact him. As a mature businessman, even without cooperation with Xinghai, it didn’t hinder building relations.
He immediately said, “Sure, no problem. You arrange it.”
Thinking, before Liu Jun could speak, he continued, “The company still needs you to handle things first. My plan is to spin off Xinghai, establishing subsidiaries for high-voltage radio branch company, battery company, and gradually increasing investment in Yunhai manufacturing. For shares, after next phase’s 2 billion capital injection, it can expand to 95%, and if continuing investment in building factories afterward, shares will keep increasing.
After getting through this period and signing these cooperation authorizations, then proceed with this. By then, for the subsidiaries under Xinghai, you can choose where you want to develop.
As for Xinghai itself, it still needs a professional manager to handle this mess for me.”
Liu Jun listened, and gradually light returned to his eyes.
He knew his own limits; his abilities topped out at managing a 10-billion-scale company. Let him mess with trillion-scale markets? No way.
Really afraid of screwing up and letting down his brother’s morning rejection of 50 billion.
Without hesitation now, he stood up and said, “Alright, then tonight if nothing’s up, come home with me. Say it upfront, if they at home make any demands, ignore them; I’ll handle it.”
Fan Ren smiled and said, “Okay, listen to you, Vice President Liu.”
Outside, after waiting a long time, Zeng Yingying finally saw Liu Jun come out, hurriedly stood up to greet him, and went into the office.
As soon as she entered, a choking smell of smoke hit her face. Zeng Yingying covered her nose, quickly pulled open the curtains, and turned on the ventilating fan, her complexion easing a bit.
“What’s up?”
Fan Ren saw all this and couldn’t help feeling wise about his earlier decision to recruit Zeng Yingying into the company.
Over the past half year, externally Liu Jun handled things, internally this logistics supervisor of his managed the company inside and out impeccably.
And many times, like him, Zeng Yingying was so busy she didn’t go home, directly laying a folding bed in the company like these homebody guys to crash.
Therefore, Fan Ren was very generous with Zeng Yingying’s salary and treatment. From previous 30 thousand, now up to 50 thousand.
Zeng Yingying habitually emptied the ashtray on the desk, refilled Fan Ren’s teacup with water, then sat down in front of him.
“Um, General Manager Fan, I want to put the company’s car procurement and maintenance and upkeep work at that 4S store in the city. I compared around, and their quotation is relatively cost-effective.”
Fan Ren nodded, a bit puzzled on his face.
Coming to him specially for this? No need, right? He gave Zeng Yingying a lot of authority; company internal procurement was all handled by her, and monthly accounts were signed and paid by finance immediately.
Seeing Fan Ren’s confusion, hesitation appeared on Zeng Yingying’s face.
“If I tell you, you can’t blame me!”
“Go ahead, what could I blame you for? Without you, I don’t know how chaotic the company would be. Speak, it’s fine.”
Zeng Yingying glanced at Fan Ren, then no longer hesitated.
“Little Min, Xu Min, works there now as an apprentice. I want to help her.”
After saying this in a lowered voice, Zeng Yingying couldn’t help lowering her head, a bit afraid Fan Ren would scold her.
