Volume 2 [100] Propaganda
"Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for taking a few minutes of your time. First of all, I would like to thank the organizers of this conference for giving me this opportunity to introduce the new products of Qimingdeng Technology Company. I would also like to thank Director Wang in advance." Although Luo Xiaowei was a little nervous, she still delivered her opening remarks smoothly.
Someone asked in a low voice, "What's a 'morning lamp'? Are you a lamp maker?"
Some knowledgeable people answered: "It's the instant charger that's been advertised online recently. It's said to be twenty times faster than the original charger. Online stores are already selling it in large quantities. My friend even bought one, and it's already on its way."
"That girl has such long and sexy legs, she could be a flight attendant or model." This person didn't even hear what Luo Xiaowei said, their eyes were fixed on Xu Xiaoya's chest and Luo Xiaowei's thighs.
Luo Xiaowei gave a slight bow and continued, "To give everyone a better understanding of our company's products, let's do a small experiment. This is a regular mobile phone that has run out of power. I'll start charging it now. The normal charging time for this phone's battery is three hours and twenty minutes, so one-twentieth of that is ten minutes."
As Luo Xiaowei spoke, she plugged her phone into the charger. Zhao Qiang watched from afar as Luo Xiaowei squatted down to plug in the charger, revealing more of her slender, pink thighs. Below, there was a wet patch. Damn, was he watching a demonstration or looking at her thighs?
Luo Xiaowei straightened up and smiled, saying, "To increase the accuracy of the demonstration, I will now give each of you a charger. If your phone battery is low, you can try charging it yourself. I think you will be surprised by the results."
Xu Xiaoya carried a box and handed out chargers to everyone. Regardless of whether the gadget worked or not, Xu Xiaoya's sexy figure alone made it worth the men's try. Before long, they each took a matching charger. Even if there was an incompatible interface, they could remove the battery and use a universal charger. Of course, there couldn't be that many sockets in the banquet hall. As long as a few people succeeded in testing it, that was enough. The rest could take the chargers home and continue using them.
"Huh, I used one bar of power before, how come it's full after being plugged in for so long? Could it be a fake power supply?"
"Yes, the charging speed is so fast, it must be because the charging voltage has been increased. Could this damage the battery?"
The most discussed topic was the doubts surrounding this fast charger. However, Luo Xiaowei had anticipated this. At the end of the box was a stack of documents—copies of patent certificates. Luo Xiaowei pulled one out and held it up, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, our fast charger has been verified by the national technical department. It uses a completely new circuit design, and two of the technologies have obtained separate patents. You can take a look. In the future, we will conduct comprehensive cooperation in various fields such as mobile phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. At that time, everyone will no longer have to worry about long charging times."
It's clearly written in black and white, so it seems this isn't a knock-off company that's just trying to make a quick buck and run. Also, if the charger really can shorten charging time, you can imagine how much this little-known company will benefit from using this technology in various common charger applications in the future!
However, it's too early to draw conclusions, because the phone used in the experiment hasn't finished charging yet. Only seven minutes have passed since the opening ceremony with the charger, and someone below is already clamoring, "Ms. Luo, you're not going to keep us waiting like this, are you? How about singing us a song?"
The suggestion was met with enthusiastic responses from everyone. Luo Xiaowei was unprepared, but she didn't panic. It wasn't a particularly difficult dance, and she knew that her outfit would expose her lower body if she moved too much. Fortunately, it was just a song. She bowed slightly and said, "Alright, then I'll sing 'A Thousand Words' a cappella."
Zhao Qiang sat in a corner, but the loudspeakers broadcast Luo Xiaowei's clear voice to every seat in the banquet hall. Although she couldn't compare to Teresa Teng, compared to Teresa Teng's mature and sweet voice, Luo Xiaowei possessed a girlish sentimentality and the passionate feelings of a young woman in her prime. "I don't know why, but sorrow surrounds me. I pray every day to drive away the loneliness of love. From that day on, you told me you would love me forever. A thousand words and ten thousand words, drifting away with the floating clouds..."
For some reason, Zhao Qiang's heart was moved by the song. He was also a teenager, and he had his own emotional world. He also dreamed of one day holding the girl he loved. Luo Xiaowei's singing made Zhao Qiang's feelings, which had been suppressed for many years, suddenly surge. Yes, life is better now, and he can't be single anymore.
"Okay!" Luo Xiaowei's singing was interrupted before it was finished. Many people looked at the man who interrupted the singing with disgust, but when they saw his face, almost everyone shrank back. This is not someone you can offend.
Zhao Qiang was even angrier than the others. After all, he and Luo Xiaowei were classmates, and Luo Xiaowei was here to promote the company. This person interrupting Luo Xiaowei's performance was actually an act of antagonism against Zhao Qiang.
The man was probably in his late twenties, dressed in a sharp Armani suit, his shoes so shiny they reflected the person. He clapped his hands as he walked toward the stage, saying, "This Miss Luo's voice is truly exceptional. I think you should stop selling chargers and let my Zhang Lingfeng give you a makeover. She'll definitely surpass those so-called star singers! She'll become a national sensation within three years."
Liu Yiyi appeared behind Zhao Qiang at some point. Seeing the unpredictable changes in Zhao Qiang's expression, she feared he might do something impulsive, so she whispered a warning: "Zhang Lingfeng is the owner of Tianmeng Nightclub in Donghai City. His father is the director of the city's Public Security Bureau. Taking advantage of his father's power, Zhang Lingfeng's Tianmeng Nightclub has developed into a den of iniquity involving prostitution, gambling, and drugs. He never used to participate in these kinds of business-related activities, but I don't know what's wrong with him this year."
Zhao Qiang sighed, "This society is really complicated."
Liu Yiyi said, "That's right, President Zhao. No matter what you do, you must be careful. We ordinary people can't afford to play games with those officials. Of course, I know your senior brother Shan Hongfei has always supported you, but do you know how much pressure he has withstood? In addition to the pressure from the city, people from the province have also spoken to him, asking him to stop the series of crazy actions against the development zone. I heard that two more people were found to have committed embezzlement and bribery, but this matter was suppressed and not made public."
Zhao Qiang knew perfectly well that Shan Hongfei was acting entirely for his own good. He accepted the favor, but there was no way to repay it at the moment. As for smashing the shop, there was no need to retaliate against the various departments in the development zone. The real culprit was Qian Gang. Even if the development zone was thoroughly investigated, what impact would it have on Qian Gang?
Zhao Qiang said to Liu Yiyi, "I know, but it would be best if we could all live in peace. But if he tries to harm me, how can I tolerate it?"
Liu Yiyi remained silent; she truly had no answer to this matter.
Luo Xiaowei was not alarmed by Zhang Lingfeng's sudden intervention. She said calmly, "Thank you, sir, but I have no intention of developing in that direction. It's almost time, everyone, come and look at the charging phones."
(Thanks to 龘丨上帝之手 and 夜飄 for the donations, and thanks to 雨夜X星辰 for the update request. I should be able to easily complete the 6,000-word task. Thank you. Also, please support me with recommendation votes!)
Volume 2 [101] Entanglement
Luo Xiaowei picked up her phone from the table and showed it to everyone. It clearly showed that the battery was fully charged. Someone asked, "Is it just a fake battery? It'll be gone as soon as you make a call, won't it?"
Luo Xiaowei nodded to Xu Xiaoya. Xu Xiaoya used her own phone to call the phone that was charging. After the phone rang for a long time, the person standing at the front could clearly see that the battery level did not change at all. Then Luo Xiaowei turned on the video playback function of her phone to play a video file for everyone. The battery level did not change either. At this point, everyone thought that it must be true that the patent registration was successful. This was a good technology.
Seeing that Luo Xiaowei wasn't tempted by his dream of creating a star, Zhang Lingfeng shouted loudly, "Miss Luo, I'll buy your patent for five million!" Zhang Lingfeng wasn't just trying to show off his wealth. He saw that the experiment was successful, and that such a significant reduction in charging time was indeed a promising technology. If it were promoted in major electronics companies in the future, he could make a fortune just from patent fees. Five million might sound like a lot, but in reality, Zhang Lingfeng was practically robbing her.
Luo Xiaowei politely replied, "I'm sorry, sir, our patents are not for sale, no matter the price."
Zhang Lingfeng chuckled: "Really? I think you'll agree someday."
Once it was confirmed that the technology was indeed genuine, people immediately came over to discuss the possibility of cooperation. Some planned to invest in Qimingdeng Technology Company, some were preparing to become agents for fast chargers, and some wanted to use this patent to produce chargers for themselves, such as electric vehicle manufacturers. If they promoted fast charging, they would surely gain an advantage in the competition.
The brief promotional period ended, but people kept coming to Xu Xiaoya and Luo Xiaowei. Some used business as an excuse to get close to the beautiful women, while others genuinely wanted to cooperate. Five or six people had already reached preliminary agreements on becoming agents, and some were even eager to sign preliminary agreements.
Seeing that he couldn't be of much help, Zhao Qiang left the banquet hall. He really wasn't used to this kind of occasion; the fresh air outside made him feel much freer, although it was much colder, and snowflakes were even mixed in with the cold wind.
Luo Xiaowei looked excited. Finally, no one came over to chat anymore. It seemed that tonight's harvest had come to an end. Judging from the conversation just now, at least five people could be confirmed as agents in other provinces. As for the specific conditions, they need to be negotiated further. Tonight was just a preliminary agreement. It should be said that the New Year's business banquet was indeed useful. I underestimated it a bit before.
"Xiaowei, with these five companies paving the way for us in other provinces, I think we'll be able to settle our inventory." Xu Xiaoya was also very happy. Although she didn't interfere in Qimingdeng Electronics' affairs, as a fellow boss, she still hoped that Qimingdeng Electronics could usher in a spring, rather than the harsh winter outside.
Luo Xiaowei nodded emphatically: "Yes, we should thank Director Wang for giving us this opportunity to showcase our products. I think launching a full-scale sales campaign during the New Year's Day holiday shouldn't be a problem."
Xu Xiaoya looked around. "Where's Zhao Qiang? Where did that guy run off to again? We need to tell him this good news."
Seeing the positive start to the publicity campaign, Zhao Qiang went outside, unaware of what was happening in the hall. Xu and Luo, unable to find Zhao Qiang, overheard a conversation between several men at the nearest table. They listened while tidying their belongings, unable to avoid the noise.
"There are quite a few beauties tonight." One man even turned around to look at Xu Xiaoya and Luo Xiaowei, implying that these two were among the beauties, and should be considered the best.
Another person said, "What's the use of having more? We're the kind of guys who can barely afford the 10,000 yuan entrance fee. Don't even think about picking up girls. Let me tell you, all the good girls in this world have been taken by dogs."
This man was incredibly rude; he probably used to be involved in the underworld. Xu Xiaoya and Luo Xiaowei frowned as they listened, but since he hadn't named anyone, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to confront him. Besides, the two women didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.
Another man banged on the table and said, "Dude, watch your manners! It's like all the good cabbages are eaten by pigs! Actually, God just didn't give us a chance. First, we were born into poor families, without a good background, so we can't be the children of officials or the children of the rich. We can only rely on our own hard work. Second, in this peaceful world, there's no chance to show off our heroism. Otherwise, if I could just stand up and beauties would still be swooning over me in a moment of crisis."
The group got more and more into talking, "If a terrorist attack were to happen, I'd fucking fight to protect the beauties, grab one in each hand and escape from the wolf's den. Then I'd be able to have one on each arm! One with big breasts just for touching, and the other with long legs just for showing off when we go out."
The group's conversation grew increasingly lewd, their eyes constantly glancing at Xu Xiaoya and Luo Xiaowei. It was clear they were deliberately speaking for the two women to hear. This close-up lewdness gave them a thrill, and they laughed like wolves. Two other people who had been sitting nearby quietly left when they sensed the awkward atmosphere. These days, nobody wants to cause trouble for themselves; otherwise, why are there fewer and fewer people doing good deeds?
Xu Xiaoya angrily picked up her schoolbag and said, "You despicable bastard! You're just wearing a human skin."
Luo Xiaowei was also extremely disgusted and said angrily, "How could someone like this be allowed into the banquet hall? The organizers are not strict enough. Didn't they have a quality check? They just let people in if they paid money."
Bang! The person who was talking so enthusiastically was suddenly punched in the cheek from behind. Because of the force of the blow, a mouthful of saliva was thrown out, with blood in it. It looked like either a tooth was knocked out or the oral tissue was broken.
The other two men jumped up as soon as they saw their companion being attacked, but the opponent was too ruthless and fast. With a barrage of punches from both sides, the two men were stunned and fell to the ground with thuds, having no chance to fight back.
"Qian Feihao?" Xu Xiaoya was a little surprised. She never expected to meet him here. She instinctively covered her exposed skin with her hands. Xu Xiaoya was still a little shy to be seen like this by her classmate.
The one who suddenly appeared to teach these 'businessmen' a lesson was Qian Feihao from the School of Physical Education at Donghai University. His explosive power was strong, and these people were no match for him when they were suddenly attacked. Qian Feihao reluctantly withdrew his gaze from Xu Xiaoya. He clapped his hands casually and said, "Xiaoya, you are really sexy and charming tonight. In my eyes, you are the most beautiful girl in the world."
Luo Xiaowei knew Qian Feihao, but the two didn't have much interaction. In any case, Qian Feihao had just helped the two girls, so Luo Xiaowei still stepped forward and greeted him casually. Qian Feihao said, "Luo Xiaowei, your father is over there. Why don't you go and say something to him?"
Luo Xiaowei followed Qian Feihao's finger and her face flushed instantly. Her father, Luo Wanfeng, was chatting intimately with two other men. Luo Xiaowei had asked her father beforehand that he wouldn't have time to attend the business reception tonight, but he still came. If she had known this, Luo Xiaowei would never have dared to show up in a short skirt.
Luo Wanfeng probably sensed his daughter's gaze. He looked up and met Luo Xiaowei's eyes. He greeted the two men and walked over. Since she couldn't avoid him, Luo Xiaowei had no choice but to go to meet her father. In reality, Qian Feihao had indirectly sent her away, creating an opportunity for him and Xu Xiaoya to be alone.
Xu Xiaoya said to Qian Feihao, "Qian, thank you for your chivalrous help."
Qian Feihao kicked the man lying on the ground and said, "It's nothing. These three just need to be taught a lesson. What do you say? If you're not satisfied, we'll get up and fight again. I'm ready to fight to the end."
The three men scrambled to their feet, repeatedly saying, "We won't dare, we won't dare," before quietly slipping out of the banquet hall. This was no place for them to act recklessly. If they really made a scene and were severely reprimanded by the government, they would be in big trouble. Their company, with its shady business practices, was no match for them. Even if they wanted to retaliate immediately, they were no match for the tall and strong Qian Feihao. As the saying goes, "The green hills remain unchanged, and the clear waters flow on forever." These men were smart enough.
Volume 2 [102] True Gold is Refined by Fire
Xu Xiaoya had made a mess of her clothes while dressing up as a lesbian, so she was worried about showing too much skin. She covered her chest with one hand and carried her bag with the other. She was about to leave. Although it was a formal business event, bad people were everywhere. The promotion was over, so she should go back to the company. There was nothing to linger over. "Qian, I'm leaving now. Thank you so much for earlier. I'll treat you to dinner sometime."
Qian Feihao blocked Xu Xiaoya's way, saying, "Xiaoya, don't rush off. I finally managed to get in here, and I didn't expect you to have started a company. Congratulations!" The business card Xu Xiaoya had just handed out listed her as the manager of Shunfeng Technology Company—a title convenient for business development. Zhao Qiang's card listed him as general manager, though that would later be changed to chairman. Qian Feihao didn't know much about Shunfeng Technology, so he was unaware that Xu Xiaoya worked for Zhao Qiang. If he had, he definitely wouldn't have said "congratulations."
Xu Xiaoya said earnestly, "Qian, I have something to do and I really have to leave."
Qian Feihao could no longer persuade her to stay, so he could only say, "Xiaoya, remember to call me if anything happens. My number is 1... Remember, I will protect you no matter what, and I will never let you get hurt. I swear to you."
Xu Xiaoya was a little touched. This is normal for a girl. Anyone would be moved if a tall boy said he would protect her. However, Xu Xiaoya was not a lovesick girl. She smiled at Qian Feihao and went to meet up with Luo Xiaowei. At that moment, Luo Xiaowei was talking to her father with her head down.
"Xiaowei, Dad heard everything just now. So you've been keeping it from me and your mom all this time. It's not good to start a company without discussing it with us."
Luo Xiaowei said, "Dad, I was just helping my classmate. Actually, the company belongs to him."
Luo Wanfeng nodded kindly: "I see. But your fast charger project is good. I think you can talk to your mother about it. It could totally be sold through Sunshine Home Appliances chain stores."
Luo Xiaowei asked with some surprise, "Dad, you support me?"
Luo Wanfeng said, "I can support you, but I have two requirements. First, don't let it interfere with your studies; second, don't wear that outfit anymore. What kind of talk is that? You're a young girl, you should act like one."
Luo Xiaowei blushed and said, "I know, Dad. I really hope I can make something of myself, so that you and Mom won't have to suffer the Luo family's disdain anymore."
Luo Wanfeng patted Luo Xiaowei's arm with satisfaction: "Xiaowei, you are a good child. Your parents are already very happy that you have such thoughts. However, I am a member of the Luo family, and there are some things that your father cannot agree to. The patent for the Qiming Lamp is very useful. It will definitely be a golden egg machine in the future. You must not sell it easily."
Luo Xiaowei realized that her father had misunderstood and thought the company belonged to her. "Dad, actually the company and the patents belong to my classmate, but I have full management rights and five percent of the shares."
Luo Wanfeng was somewhat surprised. "Oh, you'll have to bring him to meet your father sometime. You young people are really bold. Alright, I have other things to do. You can go by yourself."
Luo Wanfeng went to continue talking with his old friends. Luo Xiaowei and Xu Xiaoya met up, and Qian Feihao still followed behind, probably not giving up until he saw the two beauties leave. However, he was afraid that Xu Xiaoya would be angry if she saw him, so he was being evasive.
Luo Xiaowei was in a great mood after talking with her father. She teased Xu Xiaoya, saying, "Senior sister, that Qian Feihao is very interested in you."
Xu Xiaoya said indifferently, "But I don't have any feelings for him."
Luo Xiaowei said, "I heard he wants to protect you and not let you get hurt in any way. How romantic!"
Xu Xiaoya laughed at Luo Xiaowei: "Are you infatuated? Only a fool would be fooled by his words. You can only know what kind of person he is after he has been tested in the fire. This is what they mean by true gold is not afraid of being tested by fire."
Luo Xiaowei asked, "What if he passes the fire test?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "If there really is a boy who is willing to sacrifice himself to save me from the fire, I am willing to dedicate myself to him."
Luo Xiaowei said, "Yes, it's hard to see a person's true heart unless they are in a crisis. If someone is willing to rush into the fire for me, I think I would be moved. Even if what is refined is not true gold, I would still accept it."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Right? You have the same thought, which is why I don't easily believe sweet words from boys. Let's hurry back to the company for Christmas Eve. This time, we must get Zhao Qiang drunk and record his embarrassing behavior. We'll show it to Liu Dazhuang and the others tomorrow. Hehe, it'll be hilarious. Look, I even brought my camera." Xu Xiaoya took out her camera from her backpack and waved it.
Although Luo Xiaowei didn't think Xu Xiaoya's idea was funny, going back to the company was much easier than staying here, especially since she was wearing clothes that would attract men's attention, and her father had specifically brought this up. She quickly went back and changed. So the two got up to leave, and Xu Xiaoya said, "I'm going to say goodbye to Sister Yiyi, otherwise she'll say we left without saying goodbye."
Just as they were about to look for Liu Yiyi, they saw her hurriedly pushing through the guests blocking the way and heading straight for the two women. Xu Xiaoya called out from afar, "Sister Yiyi, we want to go back to the company early. You stay and have fun. I wish you a fruitful night."
Liu Yiyi waved to the two women and said, "Wait."
Luo Xiaowei had already picked up her handbag. The two of them left their down jackets at the entrance of the banquet hall, to be put on when they left. Liu Yiyi rushed over and said in a panic, "Do me a favor."
Luo Xiaowei asked, puzzled, "What's wrong, Sister Yiyi?"
Liu Yiyi said, "Someone is trying to harass me."
Xu Xiaoya, always one to meddle, rolled up her sleeve only to find it was empty. "Who is it?"
Liu Yiyi pointed at the crowd, "Zhang Lingfeng!"
Through the surging crowd, Zhang Lingfeng could indeed be seen. He was looking around when his eyes suddenly fixed on this side. He must have spotted Liu Yiyi. Luo Xiaowei said, "Sister Yiyi, since that's the case, let's go together. There aren't many good men around here!"
Liu Yiyi said, "I still have a few clothing distributors I haven't contacted yet. They place orders with me at this business banquet every year. If they leave now, their business next year will definitely be affected. It's okay, this is a public occasion, Zhang Lingfeng won't dare to act recklessly. But you have to help me get rid of his harassment first, otherwise how can I concentrate on business?"