Every year towards the end, Chen Pingjiang would be so busy his calves cramped, to the point that he didn't even want to celebrate the New Year.
Looking at the mountain of documents piled before him, Chen Pingjiang transformed into a ruthless signing machine.
Before long, Guan Yifeng walked in and asked,
"Chairman Chen, Ms. Wan and the others would like to see you."
Chen Pingjiang nodded without lifting his head,
"Please invite them in."
"My great Chairman, it's really not easy to get an audience with you."
Wan Yuqian walked in gracefully.
Already twenty-five or twenty-six, she exuded increasing charm, but only towards Chen Pingjiang.
Towards others, she was serious and unsmiling, no wonder everyone in the group called her "Mistress Exterminator."
Behind Wan Yuqian followed Shu Mang and Song Xinyue.
These three were currently the group's "Three Great Vajras," overseeing HR, finance, and administration, respectively.
Of course, there were definite differences in their ranks.
For example, Wan Yuqian was the Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHO), the primary person responsible for the group's internal enterprise organizational development planning and talent strategy execution, reporting to CEO Li Xi.
Shu Mang was the Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), responsible for corporate financial management, investment and financing management, and enterprise risk control management.
It was noteworthy that, due to Shu Mang's relatively sensitive position, she did not actually need to report to Li Xi, but instead reported to the board of directors or directly to Chairman Chen Pingjiang.
Song Xinyue, having joined relatively late and previously working under Wan Yuqian, was currently only the group's Administrative Director.
Chen Pingjiang glanced at them and asked curiously,
"Why are all three of you here together?"
"Li Xi asked us to come. The annual meeting application was submitted half a month ago and still hasn't been approved. He asked me to inquire about your opinion."
The group's annual meeting was usually handled by the administrative department but required cooperation from other departments, which was why the three of them came to see Chen Pingjiang together.
"This Li Xi, really. Why ask me about such a small matter? He could just make a decision himself; we have an annual meeting every year."
Chen Pingjiang muttered, frowning slightly.
Song Xinyue smiled and said,
"Chairman Chen, don't blame him. This year we want to do something different, make it a bigger event, especially since last year's performance was quite good. But if it's just our company, it feels a bit overwhelming. So we were thinking if we could invite a few other brother groups to join, invite more celebrity guests, and put on a concert?"
"Who do you want to invite?"
"Zhou Jielun."
"Zhang Xueyou."
"Xu Song."
"Murong Xiaoxiao, Boss."
Each of the three girls called out a name, and at the end, Guan Yifeng's voice interjected.
"Huh?"
It was as if something strange had been inserted.
Chen Pingjiang turned his head to look.
"I've heard of those three, so who is Murong Xiaoxiao?"
Guan Yifeng surprisingly gesticulated excitedly,
"The one who sings 'Love Transaction,' that song 'You wanted to break up, so we broke up. Now you want to use true love to coax me back.'"
A vein throbbed on Chen Pingjiang's forehead.
"You haven't had anything good to eat either."
Wan Yuqian and the other two nearby chuckled, making Guan Yifeng awkwardly rub the back of his head.
After some thought, Chen Pingjiang said,
"No big deal. A few companies can co-fund and book the Olympic Sports Center. Since we're doing it, let's make it grand. The group's annual meetings haven't been that great these past two years anyway."
Mainly, Chen Pingjiang was also looking for convenience.
Having a few companies gather for one big event was better than him having to show up at every single company's annual meeting.
Renrenwang, Zhizhen Catering, Renrengou, Orange Technology, along with Gaode and the others – even if each company took one day of Chen Pingjiang's time, it would add up to five or six days.
Wan Yuqian took out a document and handed it to Chen Pingjiang.
"Since that's the case, there are a few issues to resolve. Will employees from out-of-town branches participate? For our companies, it's fine, but Renrengou has so many people nationwide, and Gaode is in the capital."
Chen Pingjiang said almost without thinking,
"Fill the Olympic Sports Center with as many people as it can hold. Out-of-town employees can freely choose whether to attend. If they come, their airfare and accommodation will be reimbursed. If they don't, they'll be given cash, and they can watch the annual meeting live online."
Chen Pingjiang simply spoke, and tens of millions of yuan could potentially be spent.
Keep in mind, this didn't include the cost of organizing the concert and inviting guests, only the airfare, food, and accommodation for so many people.
If a single plane ticket, regardless of distance, was calculated at 500 yuan, nearly 20,000 employees scattered across the country would amount to 10 million yuan.
If two people shared a standard four-star hotel room for two nights, 500 yuan per person isn't excessive, right? That's another 10 million yuan.
This also didn't include buses, catering, sightseeing, or sub-venue annual meetings.
Chen Pingjiang's principle was either not to do it, or if he did, to make it grand.
In another decade or so, employees wouldn't be very interested in annual meetings.
It was only now, with the good economic situation, that major companies were all competing to be more extravagant than one another.
Chen Pingjiang recalled that Alibaba's annual meeting back then gathered 40,000 people from all over the country in Hangzhou.
By 2024, the era when people were enthusiastic about participating in, discussing, and comparing annual meetings would gradually fade away.
This was both a subtle footnote to cost reduction and efficiency improvement, and a reflection of the prevailing mood of the times.
Not only no money, but also no meaning...
...........
"Xinyue, shall we go watch their rehearsal after work later?"
Fang Yuting held a cup of Miaozha tea, sipping it occasionally, spending the rest of the time biting the straw.
Zhang Xinyue looked at the straw covered in teeth marks and felt her scalp tingle.
"How many times have I told you, ladies shouldn't bite straws. Why can't you change?"
"Hehe, it's a habit, a habit."
Fang Yuting waved her hand.
"Are you going or not? Anyway, if you go back so early, your Chairman won't be looking for you."
Zhang Xinyue glared fiercely at Fang Yuting after hearing that.
"It's fine, it's fine. They can't hear us anyway, and even if they did, they wouldn't believe it."
Fang Yuting felt thrilled just thinking about the pleasure of knowing such a shocking secret all by herself.
"Let's go take a look and cheer them on."
"It's a shame. You should have been the lead dancer. That way, you could've easily surpassed teams from other departments in our company or other groups and won first prize. But you're not suitable for showing your face now."
As they spoke, Hao Shaoping quickly walked into the office area, glanced at the time on his watch, then clapped his hands loudly and shouted at the top of his lungs,
"Time to knock off! Time to knock off! Dance team colleagues, quickly pack up and go grab the basketball court!"
Hearing his shout, the entire office area instantly became chaotic and boisterous.
"Hurry up, Granny, don't dilly-dally. We didn't get a spot yesterday, we can't possibly practice in the downstairs plaza again today."
"Hey, you... Xiao Li, stop eating. You'll jump twice and then complain of a stomach ache."
The girl named Xiao Li swallowed a piece of bread whole and said in a muffled voice,
"General Manager Hao, please don't rush me. If I don't eat, I'll get low blood sugar when I jump later."
Hao Shaoping's gaze automatically skipped over Zhang Xinyue after seeing her.
Even if this 'Granny' wanted to participate in the annual meeting performance, he wouldn't dare arrange it.
Losing his head would leave a scar the size of a bowl; displeasing the boss and losing his job would be worse than death.
The 14th-floor basketball court in Gemini Building A was usually bustling with sweaty young people after work.
However, during this period, the basketball players were nowhere to be seen.
As soon as quitting time arrived, people carrying small bags would quickly run over to claim the four standard basketball courts.
Those who couldn't get a court could only go to other activity rooms, or, worse still, practice in the large plaza downstairs.
"Lao Liu, don't be a cheat. We clearly arrived first."
"Which court has your business unit's name written on it?"
"Damn it, I really was here first, it's just that my teammates are slow runners."
"Then I'm sorry, our team is all here and about to start practicing. Could you please move aside?"
"Then don't stand in the middle! Go to that half-court, both of our teams can share."
"..."
At ten past six, the basketball court gradually became bustling with activity.
It was just like groups of plaza dancing aunties twisting and swaying with their speakers on.
This was basically where all the group dance programs were located.
Other solo vocal performances could only be practiced individually at KTVs after work, reimbursed by the department.
For even tougher conditions, quiet skits were simply performed on a makeshift stage in the office.
A group of people practiced upstairs, while another group watched downstairs, pointing and commenting occasionally, and bursting into laughter now and then due to mistakes made by the rehearsal participants.
"So stupid! I should've gone up instead. Eight people practiced fine individually, but together, they're too out of sync."
"I feel like it's going to be so embarrassing on the day of the annual meeting..."
"It's fine. I'll be satisfied just listening to Chairman Zhou's songs then."
The company was this big, and the news that a group of big-name celebrities would be invited to the annual meeting spread everywhere.
Everyone was very excited, as it was like getting a free concert.
The duration of this annual meeting was also expected to be outrageous.
Each invited singer would perform three or four songs, totaling over a dozen songs, which would be more than an hour.
Then, with so many teams from several groups, even after multiple rounds of selection, at least a dozen teams would enter the main competition of the annual meeting, taking another hour plus.
Adding in the leaders' speeches and the lottery segment, the entire event was estimated to take at least five hours.
"Ding! Ding!"
"Buzz! Buzz!"
Suddenly, various SMS tones rang out one after another.
Everyone was stunned, no longer paying attention to the rehearsal, and pulled out their phones.
Before long, someone shouted in surprise,
"Wow, the annual meeting's consolation prize is being given out now?"
"Ah, I received one too! I can't believe it's an Orange S1 16G version."
"I was considering changing my phone. Okay, no more hesitation now."
"I already have one, but I can give it to my girlfriend."
"..."
Zhang Xinyue also opened her phone and saw the message.
"Hello, Xinyue, thank you for your companionship in 2010. Congratulations on receiving an Orange Super 1 (16G memory, random color). Please check for its arrival.
Please collect it with your employee ID card on January 17th (Monday) between 11:00 and 18:00. Colleagues unable to collect it on that day can also contact their local administrative department to postpone collection.
May we embark on a new journey in 2011."
"Goodness gracious, the company is so generous! They're distributing the S1, which costs 3899 yuan each, to everyone in the company. How much must that be?"
"More than that, my girlfriend at Orange Technology also received one."
"General Manager Hao, does that mean employees from all of the Chairman's companies are getting one?"
Hao Shaoping nodded.
"The plan was out a long time ago, you just didn't know. This year's annual meetings are being held together, which shows fairness – no one village, no one household should be left out of such a matter. All other groups, regardless of rank, will get one per person."
"How many people is that, oh my god."
"So many groups and so many branches, adding up to sixty or seventy thousand people, right? I estimate it'll cost no less than 200-300 million yuan."
Hao Shaoping said,
"It's said that the original plan was to send the message on the day of the annual meeting, but considering some colleagues would be returning home for the New Year after the meeting, it was distributed in advance. This also allows you to take photos and videos to your heart's content at the annual meeting."
At the same time, all employees of Orange Technology, Renrengou, Gaode, and Zhizhen Catering groups received the notification SMS, each one jumping with excitement.
Most companies probably wouldn't be able to distribute so many; they wouldn't have enough time to procure them.
But Chen Pingjiang's own factory produced his own brand of phones, and they were made in a single day.
Although the cost of the Orange S1 16G version had already dropped below 2800 yuan, the total cost for these sixty or seventy thousand phones was still truly considerable.
Although it was only Friday and the phones wouldn't be available until next week, employees couldn't contain their desire to share the news.
Immediately, employees from various groups posted the news and screenshots through different channels like WeChat Moments, Weibo, and Renrenwang.
Who would have thought?
Such a small matter actually made it into the top ten trending topics.
It immediately attracted a large number of envious onlookers.
"Other companies' annual meetings versus our company's annual meeting. Can't even work this crummy job for another day."
"Unscrupulously extravagant! Not only inviting so many celebrities, but also giving everyone a phone, and apparently there are various year-end performance bonuses and big prizes at the annual meeting. I'm so jealous, so jealous."
"Mr. Chen, when he has money, he really gives it. Unlike our awful boss who only draws us pies in the sky, I'm sick of it."
"Heh, are you worse off than me? I was just laid off at the beginning of the month. Although I got a subsidy, there's no year-end bonus for me."
"Seeking advice: How should I pretend to casually let my boss see this news when I go to work on Monday?"
"My dad runs a local hotel in Dongjiang. All rooms for January 29th and 30th were booked long ago, all by Renrenwang and Renrengou. Not just our family, but friends my dad knows who also run hotels are all fully booked."
"As an ordinary staff member of Miaozha tea under Zhizhen Catering, I feel incredibly proud and excited. Because of my position, I used to think the catering group was neglected, but thank you, Chairman Chen, for not forgetting us and allowing ordinary staff like us to enjoy the same benefits as employees from other groups."
"..."
As the person involved, Chen Pingjiang had no idea that his unintentional gesture could create such a sensation, putting considerable pressure on other major internet companies.
Employees compare themselves to others too.
Don't take those cases where cars are given out or hundreds of thousands in cash are distributed as a true portrayal of the workplace.
Those are usually rewards for employees with better performance and greater contributions.
For ordinary grassroots employees, the year-end bonus is mostly just 1-3 months' salary.
But they, after all, get a year-end bonus, a phone, and even a concert ticket.
...........
On the afternoon of January 29th, colorful flags fluttered at the Dongjiang Olympic Sports Center.
A row of "hat uncles" stood at the main entrance, and various police cars were parked along the roadside.
The Dongjiang authorities cooperated exceptionally well.
For an annual meeting of 60,000 people, the scale was undoubtedly massive, and security was the top priority.
Employees from various groups across the country were only allowed to enter the venue after undergoing procedures such as security checks and employee ID verification.
"Wow, the scale is quite grand. But it seems we're sitting a bit far."
"Haha, if you were a core outstanding employee from one of the groups, you could also go to the VIP area. That's a good spot."
"Let's just sit in the stands. It's more convenient if you need to use the restroom. The VIP area is full of managers and executives, you wouldn't feel free to cheer along."
The specifications for this annual meeting adopted extremely high standards, designed entirely according to a top-tier concert template, and a leading professional company in the industry was hired to manage it.
The lighting, stage, sound, and accompaniment were all top-notch.
Shu Mang, sitting in the first row, was talking to Wan Yuqian.
"Doing just one feels like such a waste. The more we do, the lower the costs become. We could just move the materials and stage somewhere else and do it again."
Wan Yuqian smiled and said,
"Come on, you're the CFO of such a large group now. Why are you still so stingy and obsessed with money, just like before? Besides, this time we're not the only ones paying. Orange Technology, Renrengou, and the Catering Group contributed a good amount too, right?"
Shu Mang shook her head.
"No matter who pays, it's all Chairman Chen's money being spent."
"Isn't this a small amount of money for him? He's not even worried, so why are you worried for him?"
Li Xi had a smile on his face.
"When I was a department manager, asking for money from Sister Shu was like begging. Now that I'm a CEO, I realize how fortunate it is to have a grand housekeeper like Sister Shu."
Shu Mang ignored what the two were saying and instead counted on her fingers, muttering, "The venue fee is 1.5 million a day, and that's already a friendly price. Band accompaniment and rehearsal fees are 600,000. Some songs need to be re-arranged, that part is less, costing 100,000. Stage art, lighting, and stage construction cost 3 million. Audio equipment and microphones are 500,000. Security checks, electrical inspections, fire safety, and guards are over 200,000. On-site filming and photography will be another 100,000..."
Shu Mang continued speaking to herself, completely unaware that Chen Pingjiang had walked over at some point and was listening with interest as she continued to enumerate:
"Entertainment and music director 200,000, director and planning 200,000, stage art director and design team 200,000, sound director and audio team 200,000, other miscellaneous expenses 200,000. And we even have to pay for the celebrities' airfare and accommodation, plus their performance costumes and styling makeup, which is another 200,000."
"Do you know what's most outrageous? A celebrity's song requires an additional 100,000 yuan in copyright fees to the copyright company."
"Hmm? We're just holding an annual meeting, not a commercial performance, so why do we need to pay copyright fees?"
Chen Pingjiang's sudden interjection startled Shu Mang.
After seeing it was Chen Pingjiang, she shook her head.
"Our own employees' performances don't require copyright fees, but for celebrities, it's a commercial performance, so this part must be paid, of course. For a company as large as ours, it would look bad if we didn't pay."
Chen Pingjiang pointed at Tian Hongrui.
"This small amount of money, we can just let Lao Tian organize some events in DNF and LOL, and it'll come back. Right, Lao Tian?"
Tian Hongrui smiled like a Maitreya Buddha,
"DNF doesn't even need to get involved. LOL selling a few limited edition skins wouldn't even be enough to spend it all on ten concerts."
It wasn't until 5 PM that all personnel had finished entering the venue.
Although Dongjiang in late January was already experiencing the chill of early spring, it could not dampen the enthusiasm erupting from the more than 60,000 people at the Olympic Sports Center.
(End of Chapter)