After all, it wasn't a real concert; it was ultimately an annual meeting.
At 6 PM, the previously buzzing and noisy Olympic Sports Center gradually quieted down as the host took the stage.
"Hah, Sa Beining, they even invited him."
As soon as Sa Beining stepped onto the stage, he bowed in three different directions:
"Good evening, everyone. I am Sa Beining, and I am delighted that you could all attend the 2010 Joint Annual Meeting, co-hosted by Renren.com Group, Renrengou Group, Juzi Technology Group, Zhizhen Catering Group, and Gaode Co., Ltd. I am very honored to be invited to host this joint annual meeting, as I myself am a loyal user of Renren.com, a genesis member of the Juzi S1 phone, and I also love Zhizhen Catering's milk tea and sauerkraut fish."
At this moment, Sa Beining shifted his gaze to the first row of the VIP area, looking in Chen Pingjiang's direction, and said with a smile,
"Most importantly, Mr. Chen is also my idol. Honestly, when I just read that long string of company names, it made me tremble inside. But when I remembered that the 'old president' behind all these groups points to one person, I trembled even more."
Sa Beining pretended to shiver,
"Mr. Chen, if I lose my job someday, can you take me in and let me work for you? Let me introduce myself, I graduated from Peking University."
"Haha!"
The entire venue burst into laughter.
Chen Pingjiang smiled helplessly and shook his head.
Xiao Sa indeed had a knack for creating atmosphere and was one of Chen Pingjiang's favorite hosts.
Especially, a down-to-earth joke instantly brought him closer to the audience, setting a relaxed tone for the entire annual meeting.
After a brief period of banter, Xiao Sa then straightened his expression:
"The theme of this joint annual meeting is 'Heroes'."
"Every hero in history has written a true life story. Qu Yuan, with ardent passion, wrote 'Though my heart desires what is good, I will not regret it even if I die nine times';
Su Wu, with unyielding integrity, achieved 'My banner worn by wind and frost, my heart suspended with sun and moon light';
Zhuge Liang, with utmost devotion, depicted 'His 'Memorial to the Throne' truly made his name known, for a thousand years, who can compare?';
Wen Tianxiang also left a legacy of unwavering loyalty until death: 'Though my youthful face in the mirror has changed completely, only my loyal heart remains unextinguished.'
Heroes explore the true meaning of life, 'If someone knows where spring has gone, call it back to live with me'."
"Heroes shine with the brilliant light of humanity;
They possess noble friendships like 'If early plums bloom, a branch should be sent';
Sincere love like 'Though not thought of, it's unforgettable';
Persistent nostalgia like 'From now on, I bid farewell to Jiangnan, turning into a cuckoo returning with blood';
Poignant sorrow like 'Only one in a hundred common people remains, thinking of them breaks one's heart';
Profound familial affection like 'A loyal heart to serve the nation, two lines of tears for longing for kin';
And even more, the grand passion of 'To live as a hero, to die as a ghost hero.'
The true emotions of heroes always transform into a sweet dew for humanity, 'The east wind sprinkles rain and dew, spring is at the ends of the earth,' and 'Success or failure matters not, true heroes exist'."
"And in this beautiful era, you are the heroes. It is your hard work that has built these excellent and great enterprises; it is your relentless effort that has rewritten the history of China's internet and opened up the future!"
"I suggest! All of us should applaud ourselves at this very moment!"
Xiao Sa's opening speech stirred up the entire audience, making them cheer excitedly and clap their hands until they were red.
After the opening remarks, leaders from various companies, led by Chen Pingjiang, took the stage to deliver speeches.
Accompanied by company history videos played on the large screen, they summarized this year's developments and plans for the next year.
"Next, please enjoy the song 'I Believe' performed by representatives of the 30th batch of Renren Iron Army trainees."
Chen Pingjiang paused, then asked Gao Songbin beside him,
"Has Renren Iron Army reached its 30th batch already?"
Gao Songbin smiled and nodded,
"To be precise, it's already the 32nd batch. The training period has now been extended from one month to three months, so the 30th and 32nd batches are currently undergoing training."
"It's been that long,"
Chen Pingjiang realized.
In fact, the Renren Iron Army has developed a comprehensive training system to date, with as many as thirty instructors of various types, a dedicated training headquarters, and dormitory buildings.
In terms of affiliation, the Renren Iron Army has also become independent from Renren.com, re-registering as a training institution specifically for cultivating talents required by various major groups.
Whether you are an ordinary store manager at Zhizhen Catering, a regular ground promoter for Renrengou, or a technological backbone at Juzi Technology, you need to undergo training before starting your job.
Even waiters at catering stores and ordinary operators at the Juzi phone factory need training, though they operate under a different brand, and the training courses and duration are also significantly different.
Furthermore, every time an employee is promoted, they must undergo one week to one month of on-the-job training, management knowledge training, and leadership training.
Periodically, each group also conducts business spot checks on employees at all levels; those who fail must undergo retraining, with their salaries still paid.
If a department is entirely dissolved, the entire department must undergo retraining during the waiting period for reassignment, and based on the training results, a decision will be made whether to reassign or dismiss them.
It can be said that the Renren Iron Army has surpassed its predecessors, exceeding the Ali Zhonggong Iron Army in both business scale and educational experience.
This is primarily due to the strong support from the management led by Chen Pingjiang.
Each group annually allocates a training budget to the Renren Iron Army for its daily expenses.
In recent years, numerous employees who came out of the Renren Iron Army have excelled in various positions, demonstrating significantly superior adaptability to work, personal capabilities, and teamwork compared to employees from other major internet companies.
As more and more talents were cultivated, as Renren.com and Juzi Technology and other such groups grew stronger, and also due to the exaggerated descriptions from some former Renrengou employees.
The reputation of the Renren Iron Army also grew.
Other companies became aware of this rigorous training system personally built by Chen Pingjiang.
It was not surprising that some companies directly poached instructors, and some even sent spies.
After more than a dozen Renren Iron Army trainees, aged between twenty and thirty, finished their passionate performance on stage, Xiao Sa returned to the stage.
"Thank you to our Renren Iron Army trainees, you sang very well. Next, we are going to listen to a song that became incredibly popular across the country this year, covered by countless people. Its lyrics were written based on 'A Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang' by Yang Xuanzhi during the Northern Wei Dynasty."
As Xiao Sa spoke, the entire venue erupted in a chorus of cheers.
"Zhou Jielun~!"
"JAY!JAY!"
"'Yan Hua Yi Leng'!!!"
Xiao Sa nodded repeatedly,
"It seems everyone has guessed correctly. Then please enjoy 'Yan Hua Yi Leng' brought to you by Zhou Jielun, Chairman Chou."
A spotlight shone on the center of the stage, where Zhou Jielun coolly sat in front of a white piano, playing slowly.
Not far from him, drums, flutes, guitars, and other instruments provided accompaniment.
"The bustling sounds fade into the empty monastery, captivating the world.
Dreams turn cold, a lifetime of debts of love, how many more?
If you default to a desolate wait between life and death,
Waiting endlessly through circles of time...
The rain falls heavily, the old homeland is overgrown with grass.
I hear you are still alone.
Weathered city gates are entwined by old tree roots,
What echoes on the flagstones is 'waiting again'."
The entire venue waved glow sticks to the plaintive singing, with phones held high overhead recording.
After a long while, the song ended.
Zhou Jielun stood up, grasped the microphone, and walked to the center of the stage.
"Today, I'm very happy to be able to attend this annual meeting. Earlier, backstage, the host gave me a task: to perform the next song, 'Qing Hua Ci,' together with a mysterious guest."
Chen Pingjiang still smiled unknowingly, unaware that Wan Yuqian and her three girls were huddled together, whispering with their heads down, and after a short while, they turned to sneak glances at Chen Pingjiang.
On stage, Chairman Chou still smiled and said,
"To be honest, I'm quite under pressure. I've never sung with such a big star before; everyone says he's the 'national heartthrob.' Well, I'm not entirely convinced, so I want to have a little competition with him, after all, everyone also calls me Chairman Chou."
When Zhou Jielun said the words "national heartthrob," Chen Pingjiang's face immediately changed.
Damn, he was still chuckling foolishly.
Why did no one ever tell me I had to sing?
Meanwhile, the rest of the audience started to howl with excitement.
"Chairman Chen, Chairman Chen!"
"Haha, I've never heard Chairman Chen sing before, what a surprise."
"Look at the big screen."
On the big screen at this moment, Chen Pingjiang had a bewildered expression, clearly unprepared.
The employees laughed freely; seeing their big boss look flustered made them want to laugh.
Dai Sheng and Zhao Shaoyang, sitting in the third row behind Chen Pingjiang, burst out laughing,
"Brother Chen, go for it!"
Ni Na in the fourth row giggled, covering her mouth, while Cong Nini in the second row had a lovesick expression.
Yes, Chen Pingjiang had invited people he was close to and arranged them in different areas, so no one knew each other.
In the stands, Zhang Xinyue also smiled and shook her head, answering Fang Yuting's question:
"I haven't heard him sing in a long time, but he used to be a microphone hog."
Beside her, Yan Yan cast an encouraging look towards Chen Pingjiang.
Tracked by camera lenses and guided by spotlights, Chen Pingjiang stood up with a smile and slowly walked towards the stage.
Not only the in-person audience, but online viewers were also thrilled.
Although this online live broadcast was not open to the entire network, many loyal users of Renren.com, Weibo, and Juzi phones still obtained the key to watch the live stream.
"So cool! Chen Pingjiang was clearly ambushed; the surprised look on his face just now was hilarious."
"I really want to be there; the atmosphere looks so joyful."
"Wake up, even employees' families aren't allowed in; there are already too many people. It's good enough that we can watch online."
"I knew it! If Ma Yun can sing rock with an electric guitar, why wouldn't our Mr. Chen sing?"
"..."
After Chen Pingjiang went on stage, he bumped fists with Zhou Jielun, who extended his hand, and then took the microphone from a staff member.
At this moment, Zhou Jielun pointed to the teleprompter opposite him:
"Chairman Chen, look there."
Chen Pingjiang nodded, showing no stage fright at all.
When the guzheng and flute music began.
Zhou Jielun raised the microphone and sang first:
"The raw porcelain outlines the brushstrokes of blue and white, thick turning faint; the peonies painted on the vase are like your first makeup. The lingering sandalwood scent through the window, my thoughts become clear; the brush stops halfway on the rice paper here."
After singing, he made a gesture of invitation.
"The glaze renders the painting of a lady, its charm secretly treasured, and your graceful smile is like a budding flower. A wisp of your beauty drifts away, to a place I cannot reach."
As soon Pingjiang opened his mouth, Zhou Jielun next to him widened his eyes and laughed in disbelief.
"Wow, although his breath isn't perfectly clean, his pitch is spot-on, and crucially, his timbre is very full, making it comfortable to listen to."
"This level is much better than mine. Chairman Chen's skill is probably microphone-hog level even in KTV."
Cong Nini gazed obsessively at the stage:
"I'm so in love, so in love. Hmm, I feel my panties are wet."
Yan Yan's eyes sparkled as she looked at the familiar figure on stage.
"The azure waits for misty rain, and I am waiting for you. Smoke curls up from chimneys, thousands of miles across the river."
When it came to the duet part, Chen Pingjiang's voice still wasn't overshadowed by Zhou Jielun's.
After the song ended, the audience couldn't get enough, raising their glow sticks and shouting,
"Encore! Encore!"
Initially, only a small group of people were shouting, but soon the entire venue joined in.
However, Chen Pingjiang still waved his hand and smiled as he left the stage.
As he descended the stage, top executives like Li Xi respectfully stood up and applauded until Chen Pingjiang subtly gestured for everyone to sit down.
"To be honest, I didn't expect Chairman Chen to sing so well; you can tell he's practiced,"
Zhou Jielun said with a gracious smile on stage.
Next, he sang "Wo Niu" and "Lan Ting Xu" before leaving the stage.
One after another, employee performances took the stage, interspersed with celebrity singers.
The program lasted for a full three hours before concluding.
At this point, everyone in the venue knew the climax was coming!
Interactive game session!
Lucky draw session!
The previous performances were just for listening, but the upcoming sessions were for participation.
Even with 60,000 people, according to the plan announced before the annual meeting, the winning rate would reach one percent.
When Xiao Sa returned to the stage holding the microphone, he pointed behind him and said,
"Everyone, look, what is this?"
"Wow!"
"So many prizes."
Only when the lights shone on them did everyone clearly see the various prizes piled up like small mountains behind the stage.
"Ahem! This time's prizes include 500 Orange Pad S1 tablets and 500 FreeBuds S1 Bluetooth earphones each. In addition, Renrengou has prepared a large number of vouchers, and Zhizhen Catering has prepared free meal coupons for two people, valid from one day to one month, at all its nationwide stores.
Of course, our Renrengou and Gaode companies, being internet enterprises, are 'so poor' they can only give out money! They have prepared various cash prizes ranging from 500 yuan to 50,000 yuan."
Just as the entire venue erupted in shouts, Xiao Sa quickly said,
"Don't rush to shout yet, there are still grand prizes! This annual meeting has three third-prize winners in total! Each of them can bring up to two family members to travel on Chairman Chen's private jet to Tahiti, known as 'the place closest to heaven,' for a seven-day stay. All expenses during this period are completely covered!"
"Two second-prize winners: a BMW 525Li 2010 Sports model."
"One first-prize winner: a property in Dongjiang Haomen Mingyuan valued at 2 million yuan."
Roar!
Everyone in the venue went crazy.
The live stream's bullet comments scrolled wildly.
"Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap!"
"Damn, this makes me laugh and fume! Our company's annual meeting first prize this afternoon was a five-day trip to Yunnan, with the worst shopping tour. Their first prize is a whole apartment."
"To the commenter above, be careful not to get dumped halfway."
"Work hard, if you win the apartment, you can retire immediately and lie flat. House prices are rising so much now; just cash out when they're high."
"If you don't win an apartment, there's a car. If you don't win a car, you can go on vacation. If you don't win anything, there's a consolation prize."
"Other companies should learn from this; this is what an annual meeting should be like. An annual meeting isn't just about eating and drinking, you have to give money!"
"Chairman Ji, I know you're watching the live stream, learn something!"
"..."
The interactive game session consisted of a series of mini-games such as guessing song titles from music, idiom solitaire, and guessing lantern riddles.
Anyone caught by the camera lens could go on stage.
If they won a mini-game, they received various gifts; if they lost, they received a consolation red packet worth a few hundred yuan.
Because of the large crowd, the camera lenses rapidly swept across, and one lucky audience member after another walked from various stands to the stage.
There were bursts of laughter throughout the venue.
"Alright, next up is the lucky draw session, which everyone is most interested in. On our big screen, there are six sets of numbers from top to bottom. When I say 'start,' they will constantly spin, and when I say 'stop,' it will determine six lucky audience members. Everyone received a temporary work card upon entry, which has your number on it."
"Then! Start!"
As Xiao Sa's voice fell, the six sets of numbers on the screen rapidly scrolled.
Many stretched their necks, some nervously waved their hands in anticipation, and even more dramatically prayed on the spot.
"Stop! Let's congratulate these six lucky employees. First prize: No. 47928. Second prize: No. 29145, No. 03579. Third prize: No. 57182, No. 09761, No. 46111."
"I won, I won."
In the north stands, a girl wearing glasses excitedly flushed, repeatedly pointing at her temporary work card to her colleague beside her.
"Which prize? It can't be the first prize, can it?"
The gaze of others nearby was also drawn over.
"The lucky koi is right next to me."
"It's the first prize!"
"..."
Under the envious gazes of the crowd, lucky winners emerged from various stands and VIP areas.
The executives, led by Chen Pingjiang, successively presented awards to the lucky winners and took commemorative photos.
After the photo session, Chen Pingjiang once again took the microphone and announced to the entire venue,
"Because the situations of each group are different, the specific year-end bonus plan will be announced tomorrow, possibly via email notification or at a certain hotel."
Employees who hadn't won any prizes were initially a bit disappointed, but they perked up upon hearing this.
The year-end bonuses for all group companies under Chen Pingjiang are tied to performance.
Divided into five tiers: A, B, C, D, and E.
Employees with performance rating A receive a one-time year-end bonus equivalent to 6 months of their monthly salary.
B-level, 5 months; C-level, 4 months; D-level, 3 months; E-level, 2 months.
If one doesn't even achieve E, they basically need to reflect on what they've done this year and can start submitting resumes again after the New Year.
For example, everyone in the "Jinri Toutiao" project team received an A, because this app became a massive hit as soon as it launched.
And even for big revenue generators, like the gaming department, it's difficult for everyone to get an A.
They might even receive a B or C due to weak data growth or revenue growth falling short of expectations.
Pursuing growth rather than resting on past laurels is more scientific; otherwise, the gaming department would get an A every year.
"I'm very happy to have spent an unforgettable evening with everyone tonight. Thank you for all your hard work in 2010. In 2011, let's support each other and strive for even greater success!"
After Chen Pingjiang finished his closing remarks.
Melodious music filled the venue, and 2010 came to an end.
(End of chapter)