Suddenly, two spotlights shone on either side of the stage.
A man and a woman walked to the center of the stage beneath the lights, smiling brightly.
Once they reached the center of the stage, soft lighting illuminated the banquet hall.
Male Host: Time flies, and youth blossoms here. For our ideals, we hone our skills here.
Female Host: The years turn, yet our dreams remain brilliant. Beautiful ideals take flight here.
Male Host: On this stage built from joy and smiles.
Female Host: In this ocean formed by laughter and song.
Male Host: In this sanctuary forged from eternity and warmth.
Female Host: Today, we gather here together.
Together: To welcome the dawn of the new year.
Clap clap clap clap clap~~~
Thunderous applause erupted.
Female Host: Looking back on the fruitful six months since Future Technology was founded, we have grown from a one-person company into a big family of more than four hundred colleagues in just half a year. And none of this would have been possible without one great man—Future Technology's founder, Chairman Li Zhou. Please welcome Chairman Li Zhou to the stage.
After a staff member clipped the microphone onto his collar, Li Zhou walked onto the stage.
As Li Zhou stepped onto the stage, the lights in the banquet hall gradually dimmed until the stage lights became the only source of illumination in the entire hall.
"Testing, testing, testing."
"Good afternoon, Future Technology employees."
Clap~ clap~ clap~ clap~
Watching the applause continue without end, Li Zhou cheerfully pressed his hand down.
"To be honest, I'm not much of a fan of giving speeches on stage. But as the company chairman, it would be a little inappropriate if I didn't say a few words."
"Hahaha~ hahaha~ ha~"
Seeing their easygoing boss crack a joke, everyone laughed.
Li Zhou pressed his hand down again. Once the crowd quieted, he put away his smile.
"Six months ago, Future Technology was founded in an unknown little mountain village.
Six months ago, Intelligent Assistant went online. In the following months, we unveiled the world's smartest programming language—the Han Language Programming Language.
At the same time, we released the Han Language development tools and the PC version of Intelligent Assistant.
Since that launch event until today, 80 percent of all kinds of IT industries in the domestic market have adopted Han Language.
Without any false modesty, that is an extraordinary achievement.
Of course, it was all the result of the joint efforts of every single person here.
Ah! Many of you have probably heard through the grapevine that this year's year-end bonus will be very generous!
So let me put your minds at ease—the news you heard through the grapevine~~ is all true! No matter when you joined Future Technology, everyone will receive double salary this year!"
"Woo~ woo~ woo~"
"Director Li is awesome!"
"Holy shit! Director Li is awesome!"
Seeing the employees rise to their feet and wave their arms excitedly, Li Zhou felt it was all worth it!
"Besides the year-end bonuses, we've also prepared generous gifts for the annual meeting. There'll be a raffle during the event, and everyone will win something. Even the unluckiest person will get a barrel of cooking oil and a bag of rice, while the luckiest person will win the newest top-of-the-line Weiran Electric Car."
"Chairman, you're awesome!"
Below the stage, Xiong Kexuan held her daughter Nuonuo and smiled as she watched Li Zhou onstage.
She had not expected that this normally carefree guy could be so good at whipping up the atmosphere.
"Alright, I have one more piece of good news for you. I won't say much more. The holiday officially begins after the annual meeting, and work will resume on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month. During this month, I hope everyone can spend more time with your families. You all gave up life in big cities to come to this little mountain village, and I know it hasn't been easy. Since you finally have some time, spend more time with your family, visit relatives, take a trip, whatever you like. Finally! I hope everyone! In the new year! Will achieve even greater brilliance!"
Clap~ clap~ clap~ clap~ clap~
Clap~ clap~ clap~ clap~ clap~
Li Zhou returned to his table. Xiong Kexuan smiled beside him and said, "I couldn't tell before. Your speech was pretty cliché, but it was actually not bad."
Li Zhou smoothed his hair and winked with a smile.
"Right? I think so too."
Male Host: The chairman's good news has everyone thrilled. Let us give another round of warm applause to our beloved chairman—Mr. Li Zhou.
Clap~ clap~ clap~ clap~ clap~
Li Zhou smiled and waved and nodded to those around him.
Male Host: Next, let us welcome Future Technology's chief executive officer, Ms. Xiong Kexuan, to the stage to give Future Technology's year-end summary!
After handing her daughter Nuonuo to Wang Fei, Xiong Kexuan walked onto the stage in her high heels.
Looking at the crowd below, Xiong Kexuan smiled and said:
"Good afternoon, everyone..."
After Xiong Kexuan finished delivering the year-end summary report, they moved straight into the employee performance segment.
Once the performances ended, Li Zhou presented awards to the employees whose acts had been outstanding.
Before they knew it, it was already 7:00 p.m.
Plate after plate of delicious dishes was brought to the tables.
During dinner, department heads came over one after another to offer toasts. Since Li Zhou did not drink alcohol, he had no choice but to drink soft drinks. After making the rounds, he had finished an entire two-liter bottle of Sprite by himself.
Fortunately, the raffle everyone had been looking forward to was about to begin.
Female Host: Leaders and colleagues, please take out your phones, scan the QR code displayed above, and enter your employee ID numbers. The raffle will begin in ten minutes.
This raffle will be fair and impartial!
Ten minutes later, everyone except Li Zhou held up their phones and frantically tapped the raffle button.
Female Host: Attention, everyone. The raffle countdown begins!
Ten~ nine~ eight~ seven~ six~ five~ four~ three~ two~ one~
"Ah! Ah! Ah! I won ten thousand yuan in cash!"
"I won a five-hundred-yuan cash red packet!"
"Damn, I have the worst luck. I got cooking oil and rice!"
"Hahaha!"
Li Zhou leaned over to look at Xiong Kexuan's phone.
"What did you get?"
Xiong Kexuan blankly held up her phone for Li Zhou to see.
The moment Li Zhou saw it, he clutched his stomach and burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Your luck is way too good! You actually got the cooking oil and rice, which only had a one-percent chance!"
Several heads of important departments at the table could barely hold back their laughter.
Just then, a girl's scream rang out loud enough to shake the heavens even without a microphone~
"Ah! Ah! Ah! I won, I won!!!"
"I won the grand prize—the newest top-of-the-line Weiran Electric Car!"
Li Zhou's eyes widened as he stared in shock at the girl jumping high into the air. How had that gentle, adorable little girl suddenly become such a tough broad?
Still stunned, Li Zhou blurted out, "Holy shit."
"Holy shit, isn't that Xiao Xue from your finance department?"
Shen Minting helplessly covered her forehead with one hand. Oh, my dear little aunt.
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