Chapter 212 – A Big Gift
As the employees of the marketing department returned to their respective positions, the work at Changfeng Group resumed its normal course. Chen Yunzeng, the newly appointed director of the once reprimanded marketing department, maintained a calm demeanor and even greeted other department members with a smile.
When Chen Yunzeng returned to the marketing department, the employees were already busy, and although they knew he had come in, no one looked up from their work.
Chen Yunzeng wasn’t upset either; he walked straight to his office. It was only when the office door closed that his face darkened.
Regardless of whether Wei Chen was involved in this matter or not, Chen Yunzeng knew he had been humiliated today. The employees of the marketing department had slapped him in the face, and he had never expected such a predicament.
Chen Yunzeng adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses on his nose and made a decision. Since they wanted to challenge his authority, he would respond by asserting his newfound position. Chen Yunzeng was not one to sit idly by.
But before Chen Yunzeng could fully develop this thought, there was a knock on the office door. The one knocking was Lu Wei, and after Chen Yunzeng allowed him to enter, Lu Wei pushed the door open.
“Director Chen,” Lu Wei said respectfully as he walked up to Chen Yunzeng. His tone was flat and his attitude deferential, the normal demeanor of a subordinate addressing a superior.
“Do you have something, Manager Lu?” Chen Yunzeng had already hidden the dark expression on his face as soon as he heard the knock on the door. Now, facing Lu Wei, he appeared as the elegant Chen Yunzeng.
“I’ve come to apologize to Director Chen,” Lu Wei said, bowing to Chen Yunzeng. “I’m sorry for the trouble we caused you due to our mistake. I assure you it won’t happen again.”
Chen Yunzeng smiled and said, “I understand your feelings. Deputy General Manager Wei must have done an excellent job in this position. His abrupt departure from the marketing department was clearly hard for you all. However, please remember, as a competent employee, no matter what emotions you harbor, please do not let them affect your work.”
“Director Chen, we will certainly reflect on ourselves,” Lu Wei said, lowering his gaze, seeming to have taken in all of Chen Yunzeng’s words.
Chen Yunzeng waved his hand at Lu Wei and said, “I won’t hold this incident against you all. But if there’s a next time, I won’t be as lenient as Deputy General Manager Wei. If he could lead a team like yours, then so can I. I don’t mind starting fresh with the entire marketing department.”
“Yes,” Lu Wei replied, showing no reluctance and no doubt about Chen Yunzeng’s intentions.
“You may leave.”
Lu Wei didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he handed the documents in his hand to Chen Yunzeng. “Because of the rush yesterday, I still had some work on hand that I had not completely handed over. Now it has been sorted out. Director Chen, please take a look.”
Chen Yunzeng took the documents from Lu Wei’s hand and glanced at them. He realized they contained important tasks. For a moment, he felt puzzled. He had expected Lu Wei to keep these tasks for himself after what seemed like a quasi-strike. Why was he handing them over to Chen Yunzeng now?
Although Chen Yunzeng was confused in his heart, he didn’t show it on his face. “I understand. You can go first. If there’s something I don’t understand, I’ll have my assistant call you.”
Lu Wei left without a word, leaving Chen Yunzeng looking at the documents in his hands, full of doubts.
Why did Lu Wei do this? Or perhaps, what did Wei Chen intend to do?
Chen Yunzeng took off his glasses and rubbed his nose. He knew there was a tough battle ahead at Changfeng Group. However, when he actually arrived here and faced Wei Chen, he suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness.
Just before Lu Wei came in, he had planned to take a hard stance against Lu Wei. Even if he couldn’t fire Lu Wei, he wanted to reprimand him and put him in his place. But the next moment, Lu Wei came in, not only apologizing but also handing over important work from the marketing department to him.
With this turn of events, he had no grounds to punish Lu Wei. If he did, his reputation for being petty would spread within the company, and the people in the marketing department would probably be even more resentful of him.
He wanted to set a fire as the new leader, just as the flames were starting to ignite, a bucket of cold water was poured over it. Not only were the flames extinguished, but the surroundings were soaked as well. To reignite the fire, he would have to find more fuel.
However, after this incident, he realized it would be difficult to find fuel that could ignite.
Chen Yunzeng felt a dull headache. He knew the situation was very tricky, but he had not expected it to be this challenging.
Wei Chen, oh Wei Chen, no wonder Zhou Tongpeng was hospitalized twice because of your actions, and Li Mingchang had a stroke directly caused by you. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?
As Chen Yunzeng thought this, he started to go through the file Lu Wei had given him. Soon, he found the problem.
Whether it was the handover from yesterday or the documents Lu Wei handed over today, there was absolutely no information related to Max. Max could be said to be Changfeng Group’s biggest contract this year. The profits from Max entering the Chinese market would be substantial. He parachuted into Changfeng Group partly because of Max and the profits Max would bring. They would never let it slip through their fingers.
But at this moment, Lu Wei did not provide him with any relevant information about Max. Was Lu Wei deliberately hiding it, or did Wei Chen have a different arrangement for this?
Chen Yunzeng leaned towards the latter. He narrowed his eyes slightly, contemplating how Wei Chen would arrange Max.
It was the next day that Chen Yunzeng found out how Wei Chen had done it. In fact, because of Wei Chen’s actions, Chen Yunzeng couldn’t even touch the Max project, let alone dip into the benefits Max would bring to the company.
And this was truly a big gift that Wei Chen gave to Chen Yunzeng.
…
The next day, at the top floor of Changfeng Group, another meeting was convened for the Max project. In attendance were not only members of the company’s board and top decision-makers, but also heads of other departments. Chen Yunzeng, of course, received the notification.
The meeting started on time. When Chen Yunzeng saw the theme of today on the slides, his pupils contracted. Things had completely taken him by surprise!
The theme of this meeting was the formation of the team for the Max brand automobile promotion special project, and the person in charge of this special project was none other than Wei Chen.
It was only at this moment that Chen Yunzeng realized why Wei Chen did not hand over the Max project to him during the transition and why Lu Wei had not mentioned a word about the Max project. Wei Chen was waiting for him here!
This meeting was about the formation of the team for the Max special project. In other words, this special project had already been approved by the board and was officially separated from the marketing department, having little to do with it.
When did this happen? Chen Yunzeng’s gaze fell on a certain member of the board of directors sitting there. The director felt his gaze and shifted uncomfortably, averting his eyes.
This wasn’t entirely his fault. When Wei Chen took over this project from Mr. Moray, the chairman of Max, he had already planned it as a special project. At that time, he didn’t know that Chen Yunzeng would be parachuting into Changfeng Group. Coupled with Wei Chen’s tempting project proposal, he couldn’t help but sign and stamp it.
This couldn’t really be blamed on him. If anyone were to blame, it would be Wei Chen, who had planned far ahead, thinking ten steps ahead. He had already paved his own way early on, leading to a situation where, when they wanted to stop Wei Chen, he was already mocking them on the well-laid path. They were left in the dust.
A few of the directors present felt the same way. When they looked at Wei Chen confidently speaking in front of the slides, their emotions were complex. Such a remarkably talented individual—why did he happen to be on the opposing side?
There wasn’t much debate during this meeting. Wei Chen’s initial plan was agreed upon by most of the directors present, and it was a joint decision confirmed by signatures and stamps. It had become an established fact, and they couldn’t back out now. So, all they could do was sneak in a few of their people into the specialized task force. Even if they couldn’t steer the project afterward, having a slight influence was better than nothing.
However, Sheng Jiaqi and Wei Chen were very attentive to this Max project. Every member of the specialized task force had to go through an assessment, and entry wasn’t possible solely through the connections of the directors.
Wei Chen was always about efficiency. As soon as the meeting ended, the list of personnel for the specialized project team was already set, with the majority coming from the marketing department. Lu Wei was one of them, and he was the deputy head of the team.
When Chen Yunzeng saw Lu Wei’s name in the position of the deputy head, he suddenly understood why Lu Wei had handed over the work to him yesterday. It wasn’t out of respect for him as a superior, but rather a desire to leave behind the work of the marketing department and continue to be loyal to Wei Chen, the former boss!
At this moment, even Chen Yunzeng had a hard time controlling the expression on his face, and the feeling of powerlessness inside him grew more and more apparent.
He just didn’t understand. Why did Wei Chen plan everything so thoroughly in advance? There were absolutely no signs of his parachuting in, and even Sheng Jiaqi only found out a day in advance. How did Wei Chen know, and why had he already set up his own path?
Chen Yunzeng couldn’t comprehend it, and neither could the others in the meeting room. When they looked at Wei Chen again, a man known for his outstanding capabilities, they now saw an enigmatic aura added to that impression.
The meeting adjourned, and no matter what was going on in everyone’s minds, they all approached Wei Chen to congratulate him on the formation of the Max project team, wishing him success.
Chen Yunzeng calmed down all his emotions and, like his other colleagues, approached Wei Chen to offer congratulations.
“In the future, Director Chen, I’ll need your cooperation. Many decisions for the project team still need to go through the marketing department,” Wei Chen calmly accepted Chen Yunzeng’s congratulations but said expressionlessly.
“Of course,” Chen Yunzeng responded with a smile, but internally, he felt like he was spitting blood.
Could I not cooperate? The hearts of the entire marketing department are with you. If I don’t cooperate with your work, they’ll go on strike again!
Chapter 212 – A Big Gift
As the employees of the marketing department returned to their respective positions, the work at Changfeng Group resumed its normal course. Chen Yunzeng, the newly appointed director of the once reprimanded marketing department, maintained a calm demeanor and even greeted other department members with a smile.
When Chen Yunzeng returned to the marketing department, the employees were already busy, and although they knew he had come in, no one looked up from their work.
Chen Yunzeng wasn’t upset either; he walked straight to his office. It was only when the office door closed that his face darkened.
Regardless of whether Wei Chen was involved in this matter or not, Chen Yunzeng knew he had been humiliated today. The employees of the marketing department had slapped him in the face, and he had never expected such a predicament.
Chen Yunzeng adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses on his nose and made a decision. Since they wanted to challenge his authority, he would respond by asserting his newfound position. Chen Yunzeng was not one to sit idly by.
But before Chen Yunzeng could fully develop this thought, there was a knock on the office door. The one knocking was Lu Wei, and after Chen Yunzeng allowed him to enter, Lu Wei pushed the door open.
“Director Chen,” Lu Wei said respectfully as he walked up to Chen Yunzeng. His tone was flat and his attitude deferential, the normal demeanor of a subordinate addressing a superior.
“Do you have something, Manager Lu?” Chen Yunzeng had already hidden the dark expression on his face as soon as he heard the knock on the door. Now, facing Lu Wei, he appeared as the elegant Chen Yunzeng.
“I’ve come to apologize to Director Chen,” Lu Wei said, bowing to Chen Yunzeng. “I’m sorry for the trouble we caused you due to our mistake. I assure you it won’t happen again.”
Chen Yunzeng smiled and said, “I understand your feelings. Deputy General Manager Wei must have done an excellent job in this position. His abrupt departure from the marketing department was clearly hard for you all. However, please remember, as a competent employee, no matter what emotions you harbor, please do not let them affect your work.”
“Director Chen, we will certainly reflect on ourselves,” Lu Wei said, lowering his gaze, seeming to have taken in all of Chen Yunzeng’s words.
Chen Yunzeng waved his hand at Lu Wei and said, “I won’t hold this incident against you all. But if there’s a next time, I won’t be as lenient as Deputy General Manager Wei. If he could lead a team like yours, then so can I. I don’t mind starting fresh with the entire marketing department.”
“Yes,” Lu Wei replied, showing no reluctance and no doubt about Chen Yunzeng’s intentions.
“You may leave.”
Lu Wei didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he handed the documents in his hand to Chen Yunzeng. “Because of the rush yesterday, I still had some work on hand that I had not completely handed over. Now it has been sorted out. Director Chen, please take a look.”
Chen Yunzeng took the documents from Lu Wei’s hand and glanced at them. He realized they contained important tasks. For a moment, he felt puzzled. He had expected Lu Wei to keep these tasks for himself after what seemed like a quasi-strike. Why was he handing them over to Chen Yunzeng now?
Although Chen Yunzeng was confused in his heart, he didn’t show it on his face. “I understand. You can go first. If there’s something I don’t understand, I’ll have my assistant call you.”
Lu Wei left without a word, leaving Chen Yunzeng looking at the documents in his hands, full of doubts.
Why did Lu Wei do this? Or perhaps, what did Wei Chen intend to do?
Chen Yunzeng took off his glasses and rubbed his nose. He knew there was a tough battle ahead at Changfeng Group. However, when he actually arrived here and faced Wei Chen, he suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness.
Just before Lu Wei came in, he had planned to take a hard stance against Lu Wei. Even if he couldn’t fire Lu Wei, he wanted to reprimand him and put him in his place. But the next moment, Lu Wei came in, not only apologizing but also handing over important work from the marketing department to him.
With this turn of events, he had no grounds to punish Lu Wei. If he did, his reputation for being petty would spread within the company, and the people in the marketing department would probably be even more resentful of him.
He wanted to set a fire as the new leader, just as the flames were starting to ignite, a bucket of cold water was poured over it. Not only were the flames extinguished, but the surroundings were soaked as well. To reignite the fire, he would have to find more fuel.
However, after this incident, he realized it would be difficult to find fuel that could ignite.
Chen Yunzeng felt a dull headache. He knew the situation was very tricky, but he had not expected it to be this challenging.
Wei Chen, oh Wei Chen, no wonder Zhou Tongpeng was hospitalized twice because of your actions, and Li Mingchang had a stroke directly caused by you. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?
As Chen Yunzeng thought this, he started to go through the file Lu Wei had given him. Soon, he found the problem.
Whether it was the handover from yesterday or the documents Lu Wei handed over today, there was absolutely no information related to Max. Max could be said to be Changfeng Group’s biggest contract this year. The profits from Max entering the Chinese market would be substantial. He parachuted into Changfeng Group partly because of Max and the profits Max would bring. They would never let it slip through their fingers.
But at this moment, Lu Wei did not provide him with any relevant information about Max. Was Lu Wei deliberately hiding it, or did Wei Chen have a different arrangement for this?
Chen Yunzeng leaned towards the latter. He narrowed his eyes slightly, contemplating how Wei Chen would arrange Max.
It was the next day that Chen Yunzeng found out how Wei Chen had done it. In fact, because of Wei Chen’s actions, Chen Yunzeng couldn’t even touch the Max project, let alone dip into the benefits Max would bring to the company.
And this was truly a big gift that Wei Chen gave to Chen Yunzeng.
…
The next day, at the top floor of Changfeng Group, another meeting was convened for the Max project. In attendance were not only members of the company’s board and top decision-makers, but also heads of other departments. Chen Yunzeng, of course, received the notification.
The meeting started on time. When Chen Yunzeng saw the theme of today on the slides, his pupils contracted. Things had completely taken him by surprise!
The theme of this meeting was the formation of the team for the Max brand automobile promotion special project, and the person in charge of this special project was none other than Wei Chen.
It was only at this moment that Chen Yunzeng realized why Wei Chen did not hand over the Max project to him during the transition and why Lu Wei had not mentioned a word about the Max project. Wei Chen was waiting for him here!
This meeting was about the formation of the team for the Max special project. In other words, this special project had already been approved by the board and was officially separated from the marketing department, having little to do with it.
When did this happen? Chen Yunzeng’s gaze fell on a certain member of the board of directors sitting there. The director felt his gaze and shifted uncomfortably, averting his eyes.
This wasn’t entirely his fault. When Wei Chen took over this project from Mr. Moray, the chairman of Max, he had already planned it as a special project. At that time, he didn’t know that Chen Yunzeng would be parachuting into Changfeng Group. Coupled with Wei Chen’s tempting project proposal, he couldn’t help but sign and stamp it.
This couldn’t really be blamed on him. If anyone were to blame, it would be Wei Chen, who had planned far ahead, thinking ten steps ahead. He had already paved his own way early on, leading to a situation where, when they wanted to stop Wei Chen, he was already mocking them on the well-laid path. They were left in the dust.
A few of the directors present felt the same way. When they looked at Wei Chen confidently speaking in front of the slides, their emotions were complex. Such a remarkably talented individual—why did he happen to be on the opposing side?
There wasn’t much debate during this meeting. Wei Chen’s initial plan was agreed upon by most of the directors present, and it was a joint decision confirmed by signatures and stamps. It had become an established fact, and they couldn’t back out now. So, all they could do was sneak in a few of their people into the specialized task force. Even if they couldn’t steer the project afterward, having a slight influence was better than nothing.
However, Sheng Jiaqi and Wei Chen were very attentive to this Max project. Every member of the specialized task force had to go through an assessment, and entry wasn’t possible solely through the connections of the directors.
Wei Chen was always about efficiency. As soon as the meeting ended, the list of personnel for the specialized project team was already set, with the majority coming from the marketing department. Lu Wei was one of them, and he was the deputy head of the team.
When Chen Yunzeng saw Lu Wei’s name in the position of the deputy head, he suddenly understood why Lu Wei had handed over the work to him yesterday. It wasn’t out of respect for him as a superior, but rather a desire to leave behind the work of the marketing department and continue to be loyal to Wei Chen, the former boss!
At this moment, even Chen Yunzeng had a hard time controlling the expression on his face, and the feeling of powerlessness inside him grew more and more apparent.
He just didn’t understand. Why did Wei Chen plan everything so thoroughly in advance? There were absolutely no signs of his parachuting in, and even Sheng Jiaqi only found out a day in advance. How did Wei Chen know, and why had he already set up his own path?
Chen Yunzeng couldn’t comprehend it, and neither could the others in the meeting room. When they looked at Wei Chen again, a man known for his outstanding capabilities, they now saw an enigmatic aura added to that impression.
The meeting adjourned, and no matter what was going on in everyone’s minds, they all approached Wei Chen to congratulate him on the formation of the Max project team, wishing him success.
Chen Yunzeng calmed down all his emotions and, like his other colleagues, approached Wei Chen to offer congratulations.
“In the future, Director Chen, I’ll need your cooperation. Many decisions for the project team still need to go through the marketing department,” Wei Chen calmly accepted Chen Yunzeng’s congratulations but said expressionlessly.
“Of course,” Chen Yunzeng responded with a smile, but internally, he felt like he was spitting blood.
Could I not cooperate? The hearts of the entire marketing department are with you. If I don’t cooperate with your work, they’ll go on strike again!
