"Something came up at work. I'm going back to handle it first."
Saying this, Wang Yi stood up and left directly, no longer wishing to go sweep the graves.
Poverty in a crowded market goes unnoticed, while wealth deep in the mountains attracts distant relatives.
Wang Yi had long anticipated such occasions, but he hadn't expected it to be relatives so distant they could barely be counted as family. Naturally, he couldn't be bothered to pay them any mind.
Not to mention dealing with this kind of born wishful-thinking prodigy, which gave Wang Yi an even bigger headache.
She herself had a degree from an ordinary master's program, yet demanded a master's graduate from a top 985 or 211 university.
Her own looks were average, yet she demanded the other party be handsome and in great shape.
Her family was ordinary, yet she required the other party to own a house and a car.
She herself was unemployed and preparing for the civil service exam, yet she demanded the other party hold a high-paying government position or run their own company...
How on earth was this looking for a partner? This was straight-up making a wish to a divine wishing well!
Even in one's wildest dreams, one wouldn't dare dream like that!
"Grandpa, Grandma, what bad timing. Something came up at work..."
Wang Yi said with a smile.
Grandpa understood instantly:
"It's fine, Xiao Yi. Work comes first. Go ahead and do what you need to do."
Grandma added,
"Xiao Yi, listen to Grandma. In the future, if you're busy with work on these occasions, you don't need to come back. For ancestor worship, honoring two generations back is enough. You're already three generations out, so there's no need to be so particular."
Grandpa and Grandma weren't pedantic like other elders who insisted on controlling three generations of business or insisting on strict formalities...
On the contrary, the two were very open-minded, even feeling that sweeping graves and honoring ancestors was simply a matter between two generations.
As for three generations back—great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers—how many people had actually met them?
For many people, their great-grandparents had already passed away before they were born.
Even if they had met, it was when they were very young, and any memory of them had long faded.
Besides, showing filial piety while someone was alive was better than anything else; there was no need to put on elaborate ceremonial displays after they were gone.
Wang Yi had heard plenty of gossip before.
For example, an elderly man named Sun in the neighboring village: while he was alive, his children and grandchildren didn't visit him all year round, each busy with their own lives, leaving the old man lonely and helpless.
After he passed away, the children and grandchildren all gathered, hired musicians, and threw a lavish, elaborate funeral...
Anyone unaware would think the family was full of dutiful children, when in reality, they were nothing more than a family of jokes.
Some people were just like that—shameless, yet desperately craving face!
Wang Yi refused to be like that. On the contrary, he preferred to show proper filial piety while people were still alive.
For instance, the elderly were afraid of spending money; even after he had air conditioners installed for them, they couldn't bear to turn them on.
So Wang Yi arranged a photovoltaic solar power system for them. Since electricity didn't cost a dime anymore, the three elders finally felt comfortable using those appliances.
Another example was the summer in Jizhou, which was ridiculously hot—frequently hitting thirty to forty degrees Celsius, earning its reputation as one of the major furnace cities.
Wang Yi planned to buy a few villas in a coastal city this year so the three elders could spend their summers there escaping the heat.
Grandpa and Grandma were easy to manage; the couple could look after each other, and Wang Yi would just hire a nanny for them.
As for his maternal grandmother, who lived alone, his mother could accompany her for a period, and a nanny could be arranged for them as well.
Coincidentally, in June, Phase I of both the TV factory and the smart home factory in Daocheng would basically be delivered, and the Daocheng branch was also under construction, so Wang Yi would need to head over there for a while anyway.
Xingyi TV and smart homes were both major upcoming projects.
With this thought in mind, upon leaving his grandfather's house, Wang Yi dialed Jian Ziyan's number directly.
Wang Yi recalled that Jian Ziyan seemed to be a native girl from Daocheng.
"Ziyan, your home is in Daocheng, right?"
"Yes, Chairman."
"How long has it been since you last went back?"
"Um..." Jian Ziyan thought for a moment. "Not that long. I haven't been back since the eighth day of the first lunar month after the New Year."
That made sense. As Wang Yi's secretary and the head manager of Xingyi Technology, Jian Ziyan was exceptionally busy.
Even on holidays, she had to be on call 24 hours a day to handle various work issues.
She even had to oversee the renovation of Wang Yi's residence at Yihe Courtyard for him—she was extraordinarily busy.
"You've worked hard. Tell you what, I'll give you a few days off so you can go home."
"Really?"
Joy rushed into Jian Ziyan's expression. She had thought her next trip home wouldn't be until May Day—no, not even May Day, as that was the busiest time.
It would have to be summer break... No, what worker ever gets a summer break!
It might not even be until National Day on October First!
She hadn't expected to get a vacation right now. The boss was truly amazing!
Wang Yi smiled faintly.
"Of course it's real. I'll give you a week off to rest properly. By the way, help me buy three villas in Daocheng while you're there..."
Jian Ziyan froze: "..."
Does your family buy villas three at a time?!
Unexpectedly, Wang Yi shifted his tone:
"One set for Grandpa and Grandma, one for Maternal Grandma, one for my parents... Wait, make it four sets. I'll go there to escape the heat whenever I have time too."
Jian Ziyan was speechless: "..."
The life of the ultra-rich was just that plain and unpretentious.
"No problem, Chairman," Jian Ziyan said with a smile. "Where should they be located, and what requirements do you have?"
"Three sets in Shilaoren District and one in Shinan District. School districts don't matter; prioritize the environment and living amenities. There should be a Class 3A hospital nearby, and preferably a market as well—the elderly like buying groceries at morning markets."
For these properties, Wang Yi didn't care about appreciation value or investment potential at all; it was purely to give his family a place to escape the summer heat.
There was no helping it; summer in Jizhou was just too insanely hot.
Could you believe it could hit over 30 degrees Celsius even on cloudy, rainy days?
Wang Yi had thoroughly had enough of it.
"Understood, Chairman," Jian Ziyan responded. "By the way, Chairman, I've saved up a bit of money as well. Should I buy a place nearby too..."
"What are you buying a house in Daocheng for?" Wang Yi was thoroughly speechless. "Save up your money, get a bit from your parents, borrow a little from relatives, and get on the real estate ladder in the Capital as soon as possible."
Jian Ziyan was meticulously attentive to Wang Yi. Whether in work or daily life, one word from Wang Yi and she would pour her heart and soul into it.
For such a reliable subordinate, Wang Yi was naturally willing to give her some guidance.
Most importantly, Wang Yi found this senior secretary very handy to work with; he needed to tie her to his side with a heavy mortgage in the Capital!
As for slacking off or enjoying life?
Don't even think about it!
"Ah? Buy a house in the Capital?" Jian Ziyan was startled. "Chairman, housing prices in the Capital are so high. I... I... I can't afford it!"
"Why couldn't you afford it?" Wang Yi chuckled. "The salary I pay you isn't small, right? Paying off a mortgage shouldn't give you any pressure, right?"
"Paying the monthly mortgage isn't a problem, but the down payment is stressful, and buying a house requires a Capital household registration..."
The more Jian Ziyan spoke, the less confident she sounded.
Buying a home in the Capital was something the vast majority of non-local workers in Beijing wouldn't even dare to dream of.
In his past life, Wang Yi had been the same way. Having worked at a big tech firm in the Capital for several years, he had never even considered buying a home there.
Prices that high weren't meant for regular humans to buy.
Unless one bought beyond the Sixth Ring Road, but commuting from outside the Sixth Ring Road took four hours every day. It was better to rent somewhere closer; after all, one would eventually return to their hometown sooner or later.
Unless one started their own business and succeeded.
Or encountered a benefactor, only then was there hope of buying a house within the Fourth Ring Road of the Capital.
Without a doubt, Wang Yi was Jian Ziyan's benefactor.
Back when Wang Yi had just arrived at Beihang University, Jian Ziyan met him. Her major matched his needs, and she had a powerhouse legal mentor behind her.
So Jian Ziyan seized the opportunity, went to work for Wang Yi, and became his secretary.
Little did she expect that her life would be completely changed because of it.
Wang Yi smiled slightly.
"As my secretary, you've done quite a good job. The company will handle the Capital household registration for you. As for the down payment, scrape together what you can first. Whatever you're short on in the end, I'll personally lend it to you as a reward for your hard work and dedication as my secretary. Of course, it must be repaid."
"I'll pay it back! Thank you, Chairman Wang, thank you! You're really wonderful, love you!"
Jian Ziyan was so excited that the words blurted out of her mouth, and only after saying them did she feel a bit of regret:
"Chairman, I... I..."
Wang Yi laughed helplessly and changed the subject:
"When you go home this time, handle all of it together."
"Alright! Thank you, Chairman!"
Jian Ziyan was in a fantastic mood; this was practically manna falling from heaven.
She hadn't even graduated yet, yet she was getting a Capital residency status, buying a home in the Capital, and serving as Chairman Wang's secretary.
Her future was boundless—she was stepping right onto the peak of life!
"Even though Chairman Wang is lending me the down payment, how much is appropriate for me to borrow?"
Hanging up the call, Jian Ziyan fell into deep thought:
"If I borrow too little, I can only buy a small one-bedroom apartment. But home prices in the Capital are rising so fast, getting higher and higher, definitely faster than my salary grows. I won't be able to upgrade to a bigger place later. It's better to get it right in one go and buy a two-bedroom apartment."
"But buying a two-bedroom apartment means I won't have enough money, so I'd have to borrow more from Chairman Wang. Is that appropriate?"
'Chairman Wang is kind enough to lend me money, so I can't be greedy and open my mouth too wide.'
For a moment, Jian Ziyan felt conflicted.
In the end, however, she determined firmly:
"Forget it, I'll borrow a bit more from Chairman Wang. At worst, I'll just work for Chairman Wang for the rest of my life and pay it back over a lifetime."
"As for borrowing too much and being unable to pay it off for years? That's even better."
"As long as I still owe Chairman Wang money, he won't fire me! I'll be Chairman Wang's secretary forever!"
"Although this job of mine doesn't have civil service tenure, I can bind myself completely through debt!"
"Jian Ziyan, oh Jian Ziyan, you really are brilliant!"
"Hahaha!"
"And if I really can't pay it back, at worst I'll just offer myself to him, even without an official status."
"Chairman Wang is handsome, wealthy, and hugely talented—even being his side woman wouldn't be a loss for me at all."
"My only fear is not getting the chance!"
"Damn it, right now there are who knows how many women in the company staring at Chairman Wang."
"It really makes me worry!"
"I bet there are more people who like Chairman Wang now than people who like Jay Chou!"
Jian Ziyan reined in her inner rambling, wrapped up her work duties, booked her ticket, and headed back to Daocheng.
First, she would buy the four villas for Wang Yi, then ask her parents for some money to prepare for buying her home in the Capital.
Meanwhile, Wang Yi thought of Song Sining.
Song Sining's Capital household registration had already been arranged in the very first batch.
As for Song Sining's house in the Capital... Wang Yi intended to buy it directly and gift it to her!
He would ask Song Sining later whether she preferred a villa or a luxury flat.
His own woman naturally had to be thoroughly pampered.
And as for Lin Shu, she couldn't be left out either; he had to gift her one as well.
Although Lin Shu already had a house, that was her own property; what he ought to give, he still had to give.
However, Lin Shu's house had to be kept separate from Song Sining's, preferably far apart, to avoid any unnecessary trouble!
What if he transferred Sining's registration to Shanghai instead?
Since Wang Yi was stationed here in the Capital, he could send Sining to hold down the fort in Shanghai in the future and buy her a house there.
That way, with Lin Shu in the Capital and Song Sining in Shanghai, his secret wouldn't blow up in his face, right?
Wang Yi made up his mind.
The Eastern Regional Headquarters of Xingyi Technology would be located in Shanghai, and that process needed to be accelerated as well.
When the time came, Shanghai would also grant Wang Yi a large quota of household registrations, which he could simply allocate to Song Sining.
At noon the next day, Wang Yi invited the elders to a hotel for a family banquet.
It was hard not to bring up yesterday's incidents.
Regarding this, Grandpa felt quite helpless:
"Xiao Yi, you don't need to worry about family matters in the future. I know your company has its own rules and regulations. If all these relatives of ours pester you to arrange jobs for them, that'll cause huge trouble and break your company's rules."
"You can't set this precedent. Once you start, you'll have to arrange things for everyone down the line, and it will be endless."
"I'm declaring here and now that nobody in our family is allowed to approach Xiao Yi to ask for jobs or pull favors. Of course, in desperate emergencies, if it's close family, you can offer a hand if possible. As for the rest, let them rely on their own ability. Even if they want to enter your company, it depends on whether they have the capability."
Maternal Grandma nodded as well:
"That's right. As for matters on our side of the family, Shulin, block whatever you can block. Don't bother Xiao Yi over trivial matters. The bigger his business grows, the more energy and focus he has to expend; he shouldn't waste any more on those petty things."
Listening to the two elders state their position, Wang Yi was deeply moved.
If it were other elders, they would probably say that since everyone is family and he had the capability, he ought to help... even distant relatives would have to be helped.
If one were stuck with such muddle-headed elders, it would truly be a disaster.
Fortunately, Wang Yi was lucky enough to be surrounded by sensible, reasonable elders, so he didn't have to worry about such issues.
Wang Yi smiled slightly.
"You're still the ones who treat me best, unlike Uncle Liu, who dumps everything onto his child regardless of whether his son can handle it or not."
"Don't even mention Old Liu. He just loves showing off and saving face. His son worked so hard to become a county civil servant, yet he takes on everything and forces his son to handle it all, completely unconcerned about dragging his son down with him."
"Yeah, Old Liu doing that is really bad. His son complains to us all the time, sigh!"
Several people spoke up one after another.
Wang Yi was filled with emotion.
Family values were crucial, but elders were even more crucial.
Muddle-headed parents could easily drag their children right into a ditch.
It was just the way things were.
Wang Yi changed the subject:
"In another two months, summer will be here, and Jizhou will be extremely hot. How about this—I'll buy a few small... houses in Daocheng. Then we can go live in Daocheng for a few months to beat the heat!"
"This..." Grandma froze, a complex look on her face. "Xiao Yi, spending the summer in Daocheng sounds lovely, but there's no need to spend that kind of money. Houses aren't cheap, and you're buying several. We have solar power at home now, so we can just turn on the air conditioner when the time comes."
Maternal Grandma added,
"That's right, Xiao Yi. Staying in Jizhou is great; we know all the neighbors here. If we go to Daocheng, we won't know a soul or a place."
Wang Yi laughed helplessly. How could he not know that the elders were just worried about him spending money again?
Wang Yi could only pull out his theory once again:
"Grandma, Maternal Grandma, you're overthinking it. In the future, money will be worth less and less, while real estate prices will keep going up. Keeping money in the bank only causes it to continuously depreciate, but turning it into houses will appreciate and become more valuable. The appreciation rate is much higher than bank interest. Plus, we get to escape the summer heat—how great a deal is that?"
"Is that really so?"
Grandma found it a little hard to believe.
After Wang Yi gave a lengthy explanation, they finally believed him.
Maternal Grandma nodded.
"All right then, as long as the money isn't being squandered for nothing."
Wang Yi was in high spirits:
"Great, then I'll have my parents accompany you there to escape the heat when the time comes."
Grandpa also grew enthusiastic:
"Thanks to our grandson's success, we'll get to go see the ocean, eat seafood, and drink beer in the future."
"Right! Daocheng has morning markets with freshly caught seafood, perfect for taking a morning stroll to buy groceries."
Grandma said, already planning to visit the morning market to buy seafood.
Wang Yi laughed helplessly, unable to help reflecting on a very strange phenomenon in contemporary society.
Elders who were supposed to be in the twilight of their lives woke up early every day, exercised, went for strolls, and visited morning markets, brimming with vitality.
Young people who were supposed to be vibrant and full of energy were instead dispirited, despondent, living passively, and shrouded in gloom.
When it came down to it, the reason was probably that the older generation had suffered too much in their youth—struggling with hunger, cold, and war, plagued by endless hardship.
Now that they were old and living a comfortable life, they felt a thousand times happier.
Having tasted bitter first and sweet later, they were naturally content and full of life.
Young people, on the other hand, were the exact opposite. For their first twenty years, they were well-fed and unclothed by worry, cradled in their parents' hands, never having to suffer hardship or hard labor, with studying being the most exhausting thing they faced.
However, once they graduated, entered society, and became working stiffs, grinding away every day and being psychologically manipulated by leaders, it became a completely different story.
Then, burdened with mortgages and car loans, crushed by the weight of life, the spark in their eyes faded away.
Young people tasted sweet first and bitter later, making them naturally listless and gloomy.
This wasn't a problem with the people, but a problem with the era.
Between bitter first then sweet, or sweet first then bitter, one had to end up with one of them.
As for wanting a lifetime of sweetness without a single drop of bitterness, that was somewhat unrealistic.
On the other side, Duan Fangzhou arrived in the Capital at Unicom Headquarters.
Once again, a group executive meeting was convened.
Regarding the cooperation with Xingyi Technology, several previous video conferences had hit roadblocks and remained unresolved.
Left with no alternative, Duan Fangzhou had to come to the Capital in person to push the matter forward face-to-face:
"Chairman, Vice Presidents, everyone is aware of the current situation. China Mobile's 3G is complete garbage, yet China Mobile's user base is still growing rapidly."
"Our China Unicom's 3G is so fast, so great, and so stable. Yet our China Unicom's user numbers are still plummeting fast!"
"The root cause is that our plans are terrible and our innovation is lacking."
"Now Xingyi Technology has extended an olive branch, and Chairman Wang personally came up with strategies for us—launching the Star God Card, the Amap Card, and the Ele.me Card to drive China Unicom's user growth through innovative formats, giving us hope of catching up to China Mobile. What's wrong with that?"
Seeing Duan Fangzhou's agitated state, Vice President Ma Xing adjusted his glasses:
"Old Duan, don't get excited. Innovation is fine, but this scheme of yours is way too innovative; I've never heard of anything like it! Partnering with a private business to launch targeted SIM cards violates proper procedure!"
Duan Fangzhou was utterly speechless. This guy was a damn stubborn old fogey!
No wonder Unicom couldn't beat China Mobile!
With these stubborn old fogeys holding power, every good innovation got vetoed by them, so of course they couldn't beat China Mobile!
Duan Fangzhou took a deep breath.
"Whether it's the Star God Card or the Amap Card, both comply with our charter and meet the regulatory requirements. Both are for the good of Unicom and to expand our user base. How is it that when it comes out of Vice President Ma's mouth, it suddenly becomes breaking the rules?"
"Vice President Ma, if increasing Unicom's users and boosting Unicom's performance is breaking the rules, does that mean allowing Unicom to keep losing users and letting performance keep declining is the only way not to break the rules?"
Word by word, Duan Fangzhou pointed directly at Ma Xing:
"Vice President Ma, your allegiance is crooked! You wouldn't happen to be a mole sent by China Mobile, would you? Screwing over Unicom like this!"
Although Ma Xing was one of the group's Vice Presidents, Duan Fangzhou was a regional chief—the top official of a populous province.
Now that they were clashing head-on, Duan Fangzhou had no fear of him.
After all, the Group Chairman and Group President were sitting right above them!
Besides, for Duan Fangzhou to reach the position of top provincial manager, he also had the backing of several Vice Presidents.
"???"
Ma Xing's expression changed drastically:
"General Manager Duan, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't just throw wild accusations around! What do you mean? Who's a mole for China Mobile?"
"Oh? You're not?" Duan Fangzhou played dumb. "Since you're not a mole for China Mobile, why do you veto every policy that benefits Unicom?"
"I..."
Ma Xing was momentarily rendered speechless.
Duan Fangzhou pressed on:
"Anyone with eyes can see that China Mobile's M-Zone plan captured the college student market, allowing them to crush Telecom and crush us at Unicom. The target audience for the Star God Card is also young people, and it offers far better value for money. Fresh graduates in particular won't be able to resist it."
"Once we roll out the Star God Card, Unicom will not only see a qualitative jump in users, but we'll also snatch away a huge number of M-Zone customers!"
"Strengthening Unicom while weakening China Mobile—such a great policy, yet Vice President Ma keeps opposing it. You clearly can't stand seeing Unicom succeed. If you're not a mole sent by China Mobile, what else could you be?"
Duan Fangzhou said with absolute gravity:
"Chairman, I suggest a thorough investigation into Vice President Ma. Something is wrong with him!"
"I... !@#$%"
Ma Xing's face turned pale and red, nearly cursing out loud.
There were several people opposing the Star God Card, so why are you only calling me out?
Why are you taking a knife only to me?!
This was going way too far!
Unexpectedly, the Chairman's gaze toward him shifted significantly, making Ma Xing turn deathly pale as he blurted out hurriedly:
"Chairman, don't listen to Duan Fangzhou's nonsense! He's slandering me!"
Just then, another Vice President who had long been at odds with Ma Xing chimed in quietly:
"If I remember correctly, Vice President Ma, you really did work at China Mobile for a period of time before, didn't you?"
"!!!"
Ma Xing's mouth twitched. These two old bastards were up to no good!
"How long was it again?"
Vice President continued.
Another person laughed and said,
"If memory serves, it was over five years!"
Ma Xing: "!!!"
Sure enough, the eyes of both the Chairman and the President watching Ma Xing changed completely.
"Chairman, President, that's not true at all! My opposition to the Star God Card was purely because..."
Ma Xing tried to force an explanation, but Duan Fangzhou cut him off directly:
"Is it because Vice President Ma looks down on the Star God Card because he has a better strategy to drive Unicom's user growth and revenue expansion?"
"I..."
Ma Xing was speechlessly trapped. Seeing the Chairman glaring at him, he had no choice but to admit honestly,
"No."
"If you don't have one, why the hell are you talking rubbish?" Duan Fangzhou said in frustration. "Anyone listening would think you had some brilliant master plan to boost Unicom's user base!"
Ma Xing's lips twitched: "..."
The Chairman sighed.
"The Amap Card and Ele.me Card are fine. As for the Star God Card... though it is somewhat overly innovative, it is not out of the question."
The President also nodded.
"Wise decision, Chairman. China Mobile has rolled out unlimited data cards before, and we are only offering unlimited data geared toward Xingyi Ecosystem apps, with speed throttling after 7GB. All potential loopholes are closed, so it shouldn't be much of a problem."
Seeing that the top bosses had spoken, the others joined in agreement one after another:
"Wise decision, Chairman."
"If it can grow our user base, we can definitely do it."
"I also believe the Star God Card is a great way forward!"
Hearing this, Duan Fangzhou was in high spirits—the matter was settled!
As long as the Star God Card could be launched smoothly, Xingyi Technology's future would be limitless, Unicom's future would be limitless, and his own future would be boundless as well!
(End of Chapter)