Yue Ning Gala
These light blue quality boots are so comfortable!
Moreover, my Reputation Level has advanced further to Worshipped, which means I can now enjoy a 15% discount when buying things in the Player Black Market. The thought of taking advantage of Old Ma fills me with an inexplicable joy!
Opening the Dimensional Storage Space, a pair of steel combat boots inlaid with dragon patterns lay quietly beside a stack of Resurrection Sacred Canon. He simply took them out, and their attributes floated out—
[Dragon Slayer Boots] (Quality: Cyan)
Rank: Fifth Tier
Defense: 380
Strength: +50
Agility: +48
Physical strength: +45
Blessing: Wind Walk, movement speed +80%
Blessing: Mighty Strength - II, increases attack power by 400 points.
Blessing: Resilience, increases own health by 4500 points.
Burst Skill: [Chasing Clouds and Pursuing Lightning], unleashes the power of wind and clouds with elemental energy, increasing the user's movement speed by 60% and attack damage by 20% for 15 seconds. Consumes 40 Essence Points. Cooldown: 120 seconds.
Biography: Legend has it that this treasure was crafted by a master artisan and refined from the marrow essence of a sixth-tier demon spirit, gaining a powerful imprint. When used, it can trigger unbelievable magical power.
Strength required: 800
Required Agility: 400
'Depend on...'
Looking at the attributes of the Dragon Slayer Boots, I suppressed my joy. Blue equipment is indeed a qualitative leap compared to orange equipment. There's nothing to say about the three melee trump cards: Strength, Constitution, and Agility. In addition to the standard boots' Wind Walk and Toughness attributes, there's also Mighty Strength 2 and the Burst Skill Chasing Clouds and Pursuing Lightning!
There's a story behind this "Chasing Clouds and Pursuing Lightning" phenomenon.
Compared to the Move with the Wind 'Monsoon Traveler's Boots I'm currently equipped with, the Chasing Clouds and Pursuing Lightning only increases movement speed by 60%, which is 40% less than Move with the Wind's. It can be considered a "downgrade." However, while the movement speed is reduced, Chasing Clouds and Pursuing Lightning increases damage by 20%, which is a significant upgrade. In addition, the duration has been increased from Move with the Wind's 12 seconds to 15 seconds, which is also a significant enhancement!
Overall, although the movement speed of Chasing Clouds and Pursuing Lightning has been reduced, the damage has been increased by 20% and the duration by 3 seconds, which is definitely a significant enhancement to the boot-type Burst Skill!
Furthermore, in <Star Abyss>, agility points are also one of the factors affecting movement speed and attack speed. Although the increase is hidden, with my current 600+ agility points plus the 80% movement speed provided by my boots, I don't lack movement speed at all. This kind of Burst Skill that reduces movement speed to increase damage is naturally a reasonable choice!
"Phew~~"
Taking a deep breath, he immediately equipped the Dragon Slayer Boots, instantly raising his Overall Combat Level to over 25,000, which should put him far ahead of the other players.
In his hand, a pair of Monsoon Traveler's Boots appeared.
I fell into deep thought.
These orange boots have pretty good stats, increasing attack and movement speed. They should be perfect for Ruolin's focus is on high defense, high health, and high Damage Reduction, so the Burst Skill of "Move with the Wind" is a bit of a waste in her hands.
So, I looked at Cai Cai.
Although Fatty's level and combat power have improved, Cai Cai is still some distance behind Cai Cai in basic operations such as shooting, moving, dodging, and chasing. Cai Cai is always our team's strongest Firepower Specialist, and probably the strongest Firepower Specialist in the entire Huaining City!
If the Burst Skill that Move with the Wind were in his hands... there might be some kind of magical fermentation during the chase and escape.
"Cai Cai!"
I took out the boots and said, "My Monsoon Traveler's Boots are outdated. Do you need them?"
Yes, yes, yes!
Cai Cai immediately said, "To be honest, I've been eyeing it for a long time!"
"Then I'll offer you the internal price."
"OK!"
Cai Cai immediately took out 200,000 and handed it over, quickly completing the transaction.
Afterwards, everyone passed through the Absolute Wind Valley and headed straight for the Teleportation Array.
Looking at my stats, I realized that the Essence Furnace had gained a lot of Experience Points during this great battle and reached level 50. It's safe to say that my account's base stats have reached their peak, and there's no room for further improvement before version 3.0 is released!
The next development goal is to collect a full set of cyan equipment, and then focus more on daily tasks to improve both equipment and skills.
Daily tasks must be done, especially S-rank and above daily tasks!
It turns out that the probability of getting rare skills from killing bosses is very low. I fought so many orange and Cyan BOSS but didn't get many rare skills. On the contrary, daily quests of S rank and above gave me rare skills such as Power Sword Storm, as well as some top-quality equipment.
If you can't get something from battle, look for it in everyday life. That's why I never left Romeo before. Only by having more social contact can you trigger various rare items.
Shortly after, they passed through the Phase Teleportation Array and arrived at the Player Black Market; it was already afternoon.
"Old Ma!"
In the crowd, the horse-faced man still shone brightly like a firefly in the darkness.
"Damn it..."
He grinned. "Ding Han, Ruolin, Cai Cai, Fatty... all the brothers are back?"
"You're back! Let's go, let's make a deal!"
"Okay!"
After four days of continuous fighting, everyone was basically out of ammunition and supplies. They needed to replenish everything, including bullets, rockets, Medical Box, and First Aid Kit. Moreover, their storage space was full of various purple and Blue Equipment, and they urgently needed to use it up at Old Ma's place.
"Ding Han, you go first."
Old Ma sat cross-legged in his chair and chuckled, "How was the haul this time?"
"Good!"
I took out all the equipment from my storage space, including quite a few purple items. However, all seven members of our team already have full purple gear, and our current goal is to get full orange gear, so there's no need to keep the purple gear internally; we can just sell it.
"Ding Han, I have to say something unpleasant upfront..."
Old Ma said, "Currently, the equipment market in <Star Abyss> is already oversupplied with Blue Equipment, and purple equipment is also approaching saturation. Therefore, the prices of equipment of both grades are continuously falling. If the price I offer is lower than your expectations, don't think I'm lying to you, because the market is constantly changing."
"Understand."
I nodded. "In other games, the reason why many transitional items could retain their value was because there was a constant influx of new players. But in <Star Abyss>, apart from us veterans, there isn't a single new player. So the price of equipment can only continue to fall. I understand that."
"You are a reasonable person."
Old Ma gave a thumbs up and said, "It's so much easier talking to smart people. The other day, I almost died of anger doing business with that idiot from the Ash Domain Guild. He insisted that the market price for purple equipment was still 300,000, and tried to force me to buy it. I was so angry that I almost called the security guards."
I laughed and continued the transaction.
In the end, I sold all my items, making a profit of 970,000. Replenishing ammunition, Medical Box, and buying a folding cot cost a total of 800,000. However, players with Worshipped receive a 15% discount on purchases, so Old Ma refunded me 120,000. My total net profit for this trip was 290,000. Putting everything else aside, it's definitely much better than working a regular job!
At this point, my savings officially exceeded 3 million Star Coins, making me a truly wealthy person. I could easily buy a 150-square-meter house in a bustling area of Huaining City!
Keep saving, take it slow, and strive to become a wealthy and happy person!
Soon after, Ruolin, Fatty, and the others completed their transactions and happily left the Player Black Market.
Ruolin and Kou Mei hurriedly went home to take a shower.
"Ding Han."
The fat man said, "It's rare to have such a great harvest from this version's quests, shall we go to the Couple's Kitchen for a drink?"
"Next time."
I shook my head. "I need to go to Feiyang Internet Cafe. There's an SS-rank daily quest there. I thought I should have finished it last weekend, but it's already Monday and it's still not done. I need to go check it out and follow up."
"OK!"
The fat man nodded happily and took a taxi away.
I hailed a taxi and headed straight for Feiyang Internet Cafe.
"Ding Han!"
Inside the internet cafe, Zhao Yihang exclaimed with delight, "Finally back?"
"Um."
I nodded. "Hangzi, move aside, let me look at the sales and deployment data from the past few days."
OK!
Zhao Yihang moved aside, and I went straight into the internet cafe's database, pulled up the data from the past few days, and found that the server usage rate peaked at 8 PM on Saturday. That day, not only was there a WHL tournament, but it also seemed like there was an event on the World of Warcraft server. The peak usage rate reached 94%, but unfortunately it didn't reach 95%, otherwise I, who was in Frost Whisper Glacier, should have already received the quest reward!
'Damn, it's only 1% short...'
I rubbed my face; it hurt a little. But I should be able to finish this week's task. I'll personally oversee things, and maybe do some recharge discounts or give away milk tea with recharges. Breaking through that 1% mark shouldn't be too difficult.
At that moment, Lu Xiaobei walked in from outside and looked at me with a surprised expression.
"What, never seen a handsome guy before?"
"Yes..."
She laughed and said, "I've never seen such a shameless handsome guy. Are you finally done with your work?"
"Um."
I nodded. "Lu Xiaobei, I'm not entirely satisfied with how things went last weekend. This weekend, I'll personally oversee things and plan the activities. We absolutely must get over 95% occupancy during the prime 8 PM time slot, ideally with members lining up to use the machines. Otherwise, we'll be a complete failure!"
"Oh!"
Lu Xiaobei rolled her eyes. "Our business is already number one in Huaining City, so why are you still not satisfied? Aren't you being too demanding of yourself?"
"Young man, you need to raise your standards! Life is like rowing against the current; you are born in hardship and die in comfort, do you understand?"
"You're prematurely exhausting your anxiety!"
"..."
I was defeated. I'm probably no match for Lu Xiaobei in debating, and what she said might not be entirely wrong.
I quickly fixed the malfunctioning machine in the internet cafe, then went to the manager's office and frantically assembled my Winter AMR in order to gain a considerable amount of Skill Experience.
"Drop!"
Suddenly, a WeChat message came from Lin Qingying: "I get off work at 5:30 pm, do you want to have dinner together?"
Ouch...
I forgot to text her, and Lin Qingying probably knew I was back because Ruolin told her, so she said, "I'm at Feiyang Internet Cafe now, do you want to come over and have some takeout, and then play some games?"
"I have work tonight, so I can't play games, but... the boxed lunches at the internet cafe are really good. Shall I go over and have dinner with you before coming back?"
Okay, I'll wait for you.
Six o'clock in the evening.
Lin Qingying's white Bentley pulled up in the parking space outside the internet cafe right on time. I stood at the door to greet her, and she glanced at me with an angry expression.
"What's going on?" I asked, surprised.
"I only found out you went back to Huaining after seeing Ruolin's Moments."
"Oh..."
My heart skipped a beat, and I finally realized where I had gone wrong. So I immediately said, "I'm sorry, Xiaoying. Next time I come back, I won't tell anyone else. I'll tell you first!"
"Um."
She nodded gently. "Let's eat. I have to go back for a conference call later."
Internet cafe counter.
A stack of boxed lunches had just been delivered. Lu Xiaobei, Chen Xiaoman, and Zhao Yihang were handing out meals to the staff at the food bar and milk tea counter. I picked up a boxed lunch with sweet and sour pork ribs and braised pork with green beans and gave it to Lin Qingying. I took a boxed lunch with pork chop and chicken leg for myself, and then the two of us leaned over the counter and ate together.
"Ding Han."
Zhao Yihang, "Want to play games tonight?"
"No fighting."
I shook my head. "You shouldn't be playing games when you have serious business to attend to. You need to restrain yourself. You're the deputy manager of the internet cafe, after all. Focus more on your work and stop hanging out with people like Old K. He's a major shareholder, you're not!"
"Oh my goodness..."
A head popped out from behind the counter; it was Old K: "Who's trying to sabotage me...?"
"Go play your game. I'm talking to Hangzi about operations. This is none of your business!"
"Alright, President Ding, I'll take my leave now!"
Old K laughed, grabbed a can of Red Bull, and left.
Lin Qingying smiled slightly and continued eating.
Old K wouldn't really be angry with me, after all, the success of this Flagship Store is inseparable from me, and the more successful the Flagship Store is, the more dividends Old K, the second boss, can receive, and the more confident he can be with his father.
It's only because Xiao Mei was there that Old K would have to kneel down and kowtow twice before speaking to me every time he saw me.
"Your internet cafe has a really great atmosphere."
Lin Qingying said with a hint of envy.
"Of course, we are a small company."
I said, "We are friends and colleagues, unlike your Yuening, such a large group, where the hierarchy must be quite strict, and the relationship between colleagues must be more stressful."
"Um."
She didn't deny it, saying, "In Yuening, it's practically impossible for colleagues to have friendships."
I have heard some of these things. Competition for positions and projects in large corporations is quite fierce. There are too many interests among colleagues, so it's impossible to be friends. It's difficult for naive people to survive in such large companies.
"Oh, right."
Lin Qingying said, "I have something to tell you when you come back later."
"What is it? Can't you tell me now?"
"We'll talk about it when you get back!"
"Then I'll head back early."
"Good."
She nodded, finished her meal, then packed up my lunchbox and threw it into the trash can. She then got up and walked to the other side, smiling, "Xiao Bei, Sister Xiaoman, I'm leaving now!"
"Um."
Lu Xiaobei nodded, without saying anything more.
Chen Xiaoman was very polite. "Manager Lin, please come again next time!"
Lin Qingying smiled and nodded, then turned and drove away.
Around 8 PM, after optimizing the control system inside the internet cafe, I took a taxi back to my neighborhood.
Upon entering the living room, Lin Qingying, dressed in work attire, sat demurely in front of the camera, engaged in an evening work meeting. She glanced up at me, indicating that I should not disturb her.
So I took a shower first, and then looked at myself in the mirror. I have to say, a man looks absolutely stunning the moment he washes his face!
After that, I sat on the sofa and played on my phone for a while.
Around nine o'clock, Lin Qingying finally finished the conference call and put away her webcam.
"So..."
I looked at her. "What is it that you want to tell me?"
"Tomorrow is Yuening's annual gala."
Lin Qingying took out an invitation from her bag and said, "I'm inviting you to attend."
"Ah?!"
I was completely taken aback. "Yuening's annual gala... why would I go? Besides, what's my position? If I were still a manager at Luo Mei, it would be understandable for someone in the industry to attend, but I'm the operations manager of an internet cafe now... what would I do there?"
"I have a keynote speech at the ceremony, so I hope you'll be there to encourage me."
Lin Qingying put on a serious face and said, "Is this reason acceptable?"
"That's possible."
I hesitated for a moment, then asked, "But in what capacity should I go?"
"It's up to you. You can be whoever you think you are. I'll put you in the front row, next to mine."
"..."
I said cautiously, "So, if anyone asks who I am, I'll say I'm a relative of the Yue Ning Group CEO?"
"Can."
She flipped through a stack of documents and continued working, without even looking up at me.
I glanced at the time on the invitation: 2 PM tomorrow. By then, I should have finished everything at the internet cafe, so it was definitely a good time to go.
"Xiao Ying."
Seeing how engrossed she was in her work, I felt a pang of sympathy and asked, "How's your Yue Ning Group's B2C Strategy Model going? You should have already started building the Yuening online store, right?"
"Yes, the development work for the Yue Ning Mall started a month ago."
She looked tired and said, "Perhaps my thinking is too unrealistic. The pressure on the R&D team is immense. They said it's impossible to develop a mature algorithm that includes user profiling, product recommendation, supply chain and logistics, and risk control within six months. And an algorithm model that integrates all these elements is even more impossible to complete in a short time."
As she spoke, she sounded somewhat frustrated, "I've already invested a lot in research and development, and I've diverted 30% of the entire Yue Ning Group's R&D department to algorithm development, but the results are still not ideal. We don't have any examples to refer to in terms of the corresponding algorithms; we're starting from scratch. Maybe I'm too impatient..."
"Since we're going to run an online store, algorithms are naturally quite important."
I frowned and said, "I don't know if I can be of any help..."
The next second, a ringtone sounded in his ear; his chat with Lin Qingying had unexpectedly generated a daily quest.
[You have triggered the daily quest "Yue Ning Group's Core Algorithm" (SS-class Main Quest). Quest details: Lin Qingying is working tirelessly on the algorithm for the Yue Ning Mall. You might be able to help by developing a core algorithm for the upcoming Yue Ning Mall from your own perspective. This quest is judged by its progress; once the development progress reaches 100%, the quest is considered complete, and you will receive a huge reward you can't even imagine!]
'Holy crap...'
I stared in disbelief at the blue subtitles in front of me.
It's actually an SS-rank task, but algorithms are not simple. A mature algorithm for an online marketplace cannot be developed in a short time. Even with a team, it would take at least several months or even years, and countless calculations and verifications before it matures.
However, all I need to do is design the core algorithm.
Although the workload is much less than that of the complete algorithm, it is still an extremely large workload. However, since the task has been triggered and Lin Qingying really needs my help at this time, there is no room for compromise. We can only go all out!
However, all I can rely on right now is level 10 programming master + level 10 master-level communication and network theory, and level 10 Energy and Power System Knowledge. In the world of <Star Abyss>, those who can obtain master-level skills should be considered the best of the best among senior engineers, but I'm still a little apprehensive. If I could reach the next stage, level 10 seventh-tier authoritative skills, I might have a better chance.
Furthermore, I lack some knowledge, such as applied mathematics, Data Structure and Algorithm Basics. But for now, I can only grit my teeth and persevere until the 3.0 Insectoid Uprising version arrives. I'll only gain new skill points after reaching level 50, and then I'll make up for those later!
"Ding Han..."
Lin Qingying eyes widened. "You... you're really sure?"
"I'm not entirely confident, but I can give it a try. Perhaps my core algorithm can point your R&D team in the right direction."
"Good!"
A look of surprise crossed her face. "What do you need?"
"Send three computers—the best computers Yuening can currently provide—to the manager's office at Feiyang Internet Cafe. Also, send some detailed planning data for the Yue Ning Mall, etc., for my reference."
"Okay, I'll have someone take care of it tomorrow!"
She was overjoyed, a look of relief on her face.
So, the burden fell on my shoulders. It's not going to be easy; it'll probably require a lot of time and energy. Luckily, I'm a player, and a player with strong physical and Mental Power.
The next day, in the morning.
Representatives from Yue Ning Group arrived and installed three high-performance computers in the manager's office.
"Holy crap..."
Zhao Yihang used the computer for a bit and said, "It's so smooth! Wow... If our internet cafe could have computers like this, I bet people would come even if we charged ten yuan an hour!"
"Um."
I wholeheartedly agree.
"Ding Han."
Lu Xiaobei tilted his head and looked at the computer, saying, "Why did Lin Qingying suddenly send over so many high-performance computers?"
"I had her deliver them; I'll keep these computers for a very important purpose!"
"Can I have one of your computers to play WoW?" she asked with a smile.
"Ahem, you can use it when I'm not around."
"Good!"
In the afternoon, after finishing my boxed lunch and resting for a while, I took a taxi to Yue Ning Group.
The Yue Ning Group was bustling with activity today, with the ground parking lot packed. Shen Man was already waiting downstairs, and after handing me a VIP badge, she smiled and said, "It's about to start, shall we go over now?"
"Um."
Go upstairs and enter the meeting room.
The venue was bustling with activity. Many executives and employees of the Yue Ning Group were already seated. Lin Qingying had indeed arranged for me to sit in the first row, and near the center...
Names were pasted on the sofas and chairs. One of them had the name "Ding Han" on it, next to which was Lin Qingying. Next to Lin Qingying was the name "Lin Jianwei." At that moment, a stunningly beautiful woman in an evening gown walked over and sat down in that seat.
"Lin Jianwei..."
I frowned. She seems to be a celebrity; I keep seeing her on Douyin!
"..."
After Lin Jianwei put her bag away, she turned around but didn't see Lin Qingying. Instead, she saw me, and our eyes met for a brief half-second before she looked away.
"Ding Han."
At this moment, a man in a suit hurried over from the front of the first row. He had a receding hairline and was none other than Cao Jingyao, the CEO of Yue Ning Group. He walked over with a warm smile, as if we were old acquaintances.
"Manager Cao, it's been a long time!"
I rose politely and shook hands with Cao Jingyao.
"Haha, it really has been a long time since I've seen you."
Cao Jingyao said with a regretful expression, "Oh dear, why did you resign back then? Actually, I think that although Manager Lin is young, his vision is truly impeccable. You are a very talented young man. If you hadn't resigned and had stayed in the R&D department as the architecture manager, your future would have been limitless. What a pity, what a pity..."
"Manager Cao kind."
I laughed and said, "I know my own limitations very well. I was only nominated for the position of architecture manager because of Mr. Manager Lin's favor. One should always have self-awareness!"
Hahaha~~~
Cao Jingyao also burst into laughter. "If all young people these days were as talented yet so humble as you, that would be wonderful!"
Then, Cao Jingyao and another executive left.
"Ding Han!"
Just then, Chen Dongqing's voice came from behind me. He was the operations director, sitting in the second row, not too far from me. He waved and smiled, "What a coincidence! You've come to Yuening's annual gala too."
"Um."
I nodded. "Xiaoying invited me, so I came. Old Chen, you don't look too good. Remember to get enough sleep and don't be too anxious."
"Ahem, I'll try my best, I'll try my best~~~"
Before he could finish speaking, someone placed a hand on his shoulder; it was Huang Minyu.
Huang Minyu was seated next to Chen Dongqing, but instead of sitting down, she quickly stepped forward upon seeing me and said with a friendly smile, "Ding Han, long time no see! I heard you're currently working in operations at a chain internet cafe and also co-organized a campus e-sports league with the city radio station. That's really great! I always said you, Ding Han, are a gem; you'll shine wherever you are. Even if you leave our Yue Ning Group, you'll still find a place to showcase your talents."
"No, no..."
I also got up to shake his hand, but I had some doubts in my mind.
This Huang Minyu is truly a cunning old fox. He once left a table full of money in Nightclub to persuade me to betray him and leak Lin Qingying's business secrets. But now he's transformed into the Marketing Department director of Yue Ning Group, completely treating himself as Lin Qingying's person, as if what he did before never happened.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, they sat down again.
"..."
Beside me, Lin Jianwei actually turned her gaze to me this time, and I looked at her and nodded politely with a smile.
Lin Jianwei nodded in acknowledgment, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
This woman is really beautiful, no wonder she became a huge star. However, she has a kind of aloof and unapproachable air about her, which makes people feel a little uncomfortable.
At this moment, Lin Qingying walked over with Shen Man.
She was dressed in designer clothes today, fashionable yet elegant and dignified, with her long, slightly wavy hair flowing in the wind, and walked straight towards me.
"Manager Lin!"
"Hello Manager Lin!"
The senior executives from Yuening in the first and second rows greeted him.
Lin Qingying smiled and nodded in response to each of them, and finally sat down next to me.
"Manager Lin."
The moment Lin Qingying appeared, Lin Jianwei's aloofness vanished, and even his smile showed a hint of sincerity.
"Lin Jianwei, this year's Yue Ning Grand Ceremony is different from previous years, so I have to trouble you to come to Huaining City. Thank you for your trouble."
"Manager Lin kind. It's nothing."
Lin Jianwei nodded repeatedly, her smile warm.
I suddenly remembered that during the New Year's Day promotion, there was a huge poster of a female celebrity hanging outside the Yue Ning Group building. That female celebrity seemed to be Lin Jianwei. She is the spokesperson signed by Yue Ning Group, so it's no wonder she's here today.
However, even top-tier female celebrities seem insignificant in front of the charismatic Lin Qingying...
"Manager Lin."
Shen Man squatted down, took out the PPT control panel from her bag and handed it to Lin Qingying. After explaining some details, she gave an OK sign and left with a smile. However, she didn't go far; she stayed on the sidelines, ready to provide support at any time.
At this moment, a female host walked onto the stage, and the annual gala officially began!
"Ding Han..."
Lin Qingying turned to look at me, pursed her red lips, and said, "Can you tell from my expression that I'm nervous?"
"I can't tell."
I shook my head and said, "All I can see is your composure and calmness under pressure. You truly are remarkable, Xiaoying!"
"You..."
She was exasperated and stretched out her hand, saying, "Today, it's not just the senior executives of Yue Ning Group who are here, but also many leaders, and even people from the province. It's impossible not to be nervous. My palms are sweaty right now, feel them if you don't believe me!"
"Real?"
I reached out and shook her hand; sure enough, her palms were covered in a fine sheen of sweat.
Come to think of it, this seems to be the first time my hand has touched hers; I'm a little excited...
The next moment, both of them felt a little embarrassed and subconsciously withdrew their hands.
"Don't be nervous."
I said with a smile, "Just think of it as a class committee meeting. You're the class monitor, so feel free to speak up."
"Okay, I'll listen to you!"
Less than five minutes later, the host announced the start of the keynote speech.
Immediately, Lin Qingying stood up and went on stage. In that instant, her entire demeanor changed. It was as if she had transformed from "Xiao Ying" next to me into the confident and resourceful Yue Ning Group CEO.
Amidst enthusiastic applause, Lin Qingying began her speech. The topic was not Yuening's B2C Strategy, but rather a reflection on the past year and a vision for the future. She made no mention of B2C, suggesting that she was not yet fully prepared and it was not appropriate to announce it at this time.
I leaned back in my seat and chatted with Chen Dongqing using the player voice chat.
"Old Chen."
"Um, Ding Han, what's wrong?"
"I have a question: Has Rome started its B2B strategic deployment yet?"
"No."
Chen Dongqing laughed and said, "I've thought about it for a long time, and I've finally figured out why Luo Mei's upper management agreed to Huang Minyu announcing the B2B strategy."
"Okay, go ahead!"
"The upper echelons of Luo Mei don't actually have that much courage. After all, transitioning from physical stores to the internet isn't easy, and there's no precedent for it in the entire Crimson Dragon Country. Moreover, Luo Mei's boss and major shareholders are basically a group of conservatives. They still believe that the future battlefield for electronics lies in the shopping mall, not the internet. So, having Huang Minyu release the B2B Plan was just to disrupt Yu Ning's rhythm and try to make our Manager Lin back down."
He smiled and continued, "Because once Luo Mei starts implementing its new strategy, a similar plan by Manager Lin will lose its advantage. Given the personalities of Xie Zheng, Lin Yue, Jiang Xiaoyun, and other important shareholders of Yuening, they are very likely to stop Manager Lin from continuing to implement the established strategy. However, Luo Mei's upper management did not expect Manager Lin to be so resolute, even after his business secrets were leaked, he still insisted on implementing it."
"So..."
I frowned. "Have you found out who leaked Yuening's strategic plan?"
"No."
Chen Dongqing shook his head and said, "Even if it were true, someone at my level couldn't possibly know. You have to understand that Yuening is a very large company, and the power struggles within it are extremely brutal. Many things are done in secret, and a mere director like me would have no way of knowing."
"Okay, I understand."
I nodded, asked no more questions, and simply looked up at Lin Qingying, smiling and nodding in encouragement.
Lin Qingying delivered her keynote speech, which lasted nearly an hour and a half, with remarkable composure and without a trace of nervousness. Every word she uttered seemed to be filled with confidence, allowing everyone present to feel the personal charm of this young CEO of Yuening.
Afterwards, Lin Qingying stepped off the stage and sat down next to me, her pretty face even showing a bead of sweat.
"Looks like he's really nervous," I remarked.
What do you think?
She chuckled and then took a tissue from Lin Jianwei's hand.
At this point, the host announced the next topic, and Xie Zheng, Chairman of Yue Ning Group, gave a brief speech.
This is the first time I've met Xie Zheng.
Just a few meters away from Lin Qingying and me, a middle-aged man with slightly graying hair slowly stood up. He wore black-rimmed glasses and exuded a scholarly air. He didn't look like a big shot who had dominated the business world for decades. Instead, he had a touch of the refined literary temperament of Gao Yuliang, the provincial party secretary.
I find it hard to connect this person with Xie Zheng, who was vying with Lin Qingying for control of the Yue Ning Group.
Xie Zheng's speech was impeccable and humorous, eliciting laughter from the audience every few seconds. He seemed less like the chairman of a group and more like the approachable and friendly schoolteacher next door, without any threat.
Such people are often even more terrifying!
"Xie Zheng..."
I took a deep breath and silently added the name to the list in my mind.
"Ding Han."
Lin Qingying head and whispered in my ear, "I'd like to invite you and Lin Jianwei to dinner tonight. She's come all the way to Huaining City, so I should show her some hospitality."
"Um."
I nodded.
However, Lin Jianwei is just a first-tier celebrity. Does she really need someone of Lin Qingying's caliber to have dinner with her? Logically speaking, having Cao Jingyao accompany her to dinner is already giving her enough face.
Perhaps it was she who accompanied Cao Jingyao to dinner; that would make more sense.
But since Lin Qingying this arrangement, I naturally have no objections.
The ceremony concluded in the evening.
The arrangements for entertaining the guests were made by Xie Zheng, Cao Jingyao, and others. Lin Qingying did not participate. After the event, she drove me to a high-end hotel and arranged a private room for me.
Shortly after, the door to the private room opened, and Lin Jianwei walked in with a female agent wearing black-rimmed glasses. She quickly stepped forward to Lin Qingying and said with a smile, "I'm truly flattered that Manager Lin is personally hosting me!"
Lin Qingying smiled and nodded, saying, "Lin Jianwei, let me introduce you. This is my friend, Ding Han."
"Ding Han, I know you."
Lin Jianwei looked at me and smiled, "Milo has mentioned you to me more than once, saying you are his best brother."