Chapter Thirty-Four: Adapting to Circumstances

Bian Xiaoqi arrived at the Asian Games Village Building early in the morning. The building had twenty floors, and the Zhengyang Group was located on the eighteenth.

She wore her long hair down, her skin fair and lightly powdered. A strand of white pearls rested on her slender neck. She was dressed in a beige, short-sleeved, belted dress that fell below her knees, paired with white high-heeled leather pumps. Standing straight, she carried an air of elegance and poise.

She pressed the elevator button, and a car ascended from the basement to the ground floor. As the doors opened, someone was already inside. Ignoring him, she stepped in calmly and turned to face the doors, noticing that the button for the 18th floor had already been pressed. The doors closed, and the elevator began its ascent.

"Off to start your new job already?" the man behind her suddenly spoke, his tone mocking.

Bian Xiaoqi turned to assess him. A short man leaned against the corner of the elevator; he appeared to be under thirty. His hair was messy, his face gaunt, and his eyes—a bit bloodshot—betrayed a lack of sleep. He wore a suit jacket, trousers, and a white shirt, but no tie, looking disheveled. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he stared at her with an unfriendly gaze.

She did not know him. Having little patience for those who lacked decorum, especially given his rudeness, she replied coldly, "I don’t believe we have met." She turned back around, ignoring him completely.

When the elevator reached the 18th floor, Bian Xiaoqi stepped out and saw the four blue, calligraphic characters for "Zhengyang Group" embossed on a white wall. Beside it was the reception desk, where two young women were already stationed. She walked straight toward them, followed by the man from the elevator.

One of the receptionists, seeing the tall, youthful, and elegant Bian Xiaoqi, also noticed the man behind her. Nevertheless, she smiled and asked, "Hello, miss. May I ask your name, and who you are here to see?"

"Hello, I am Bian Xiaoqi. I am here to see Director Guo Qiuyun," Bian Xiaoqi replied with a smile.

As she spoke, the other receptionist noticed the man behind her and immediately adopted a respectful posture. "Good morning, Mr. Gu!" she said to him first.

The man ignored the greeting. He shot a cold glance at Bian Xiaoqi before walking straight into the office.

Disliking such arrogance, Bian Xiaoqi asked the receptionist she had been speaking with, "Who was that man who just went in?"

"That is Gu Weiliang, the assistant to the general manager of our Zhengyang Group, and the son of our Chairman, Gu Zhengyang," the girl replied with a smile.

Bian Xiaoqi then recalled that yesterday morning, when Gu Zhengyang announced her appointment as assistant to the general manager and sales director, this man had been the first to object, leading to his immediate removal from his post by his father. She hadn't paid attention to Gu Weiliang at the time, but he had clearly recognized her, explaining the rudeness in the elevator. A spoiled brat, she silently labeled him.

The receptionist smiled and said, "Ms. Bian, please wait a moment while I call Director Guo." She dialed the HR department: "Director Guo, hello! This is Zhang Qinqin at the front desk. A Ms. Bian Xiaoqi is here to see you."

After the call, she invited Bian Xiaoqi to sit on a nearby sofa and brought her a glass of water, handing it over with both hands. "Please, have some water."

Bian Xiaoqi, impressed by the girl’s politeness, immediately considered recruiting her for the sales department. "Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome, it's my job," the girl replied before turning to return to her desk.

"Zhang Qinqin, wait a moment. How long have you worked at the front desk?" Bian Xiaoqi asked with a smile.

"Not long. I joined Zhengyang Group only a month ago," Zhang Qinqin replied.

"If there were an opportunity to join the sales department, would you be interested?"

"I love sales work and would love to join, but there hasn't been an opportunity," Zhang Qinqin said, looking regretful.

Just then, Guo Qiuyun hurried out from the office area. She reached out with a warm smile, saying, "Director Bian, welcome! I apologize for keeping you waiting."

Bian Xiaoqi stood up, shook Guo’s hand, and smiled. "Director Guo, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Director Bian, let me show you to your office."

"Director Guo, I would like to have Zhang Qinqin from the front desk transferred to the sales department today. Please handle the paperwork as soon as possible," Bian Xiaoqi said, gesturing toward the girl standing nearby.

"Certainly, I will arrange it shortly," Guo replied without hesitation.

"Oh? Is this real?" Zhang Qinqin was stunned.

"Zhang Qinqin, I am officially starting today as the sales director for Zhengyang Real Estate. You will be working with me from now on. Keep up the good work!" Bian Xiaoqi said, patting her on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Director Bian, thank you, Director Guo! I will work hard and not let you down," Zhang Qinqin said, clearly excited.

***

As Bian Xiaoqi and Guo Qiuyun walked into the office area, Zhang Qinqin still felt as though she were dreaming.

The other receptionist asked, "Qinqin, who was that?"

"She is the newly appointed sales director," she replied.

"You are so lucky to have caught her eye so quickly. Why don't I have that kind of luck?" the girl said enviously.

"I don't know why she chose me, but now I can finally do the work I love," Zhang Qinqin said happily.

***

Guo Qiuyun led Bian Xiaoqi to her new office. It was a private, sunlit space of about fifty square meters, carpeted in light blue, with a large, lush plant in the corner. Separated from the main office area by floor-to-ceiling glass, it could be made private with blinds. It was fully furnished with a solid wood desk, leather chair, sofa, coffee table, water dispenser, and tea set. On the large desk sat a flat-screen monitor, a laptop, a laser printer, a phone, and a directory of Zhengyang Group’s department heads.

Guo handed her a brand-new Samsung flip phone and a business card holder. "Director Bian, this is your company-issued phone and business cards. The contact numbers for all sales staff and key department leaders are already saved."

Bian Xiaoqi accepted the phone and smiled. "Director Guo, this office is lovely. You have been very thoughtful and thorough. Thank you."

"If you need anything else, please let me know," Guo said before leaving.

Once alone, Bian Xiaoqi used her laptop to print three proposals she had drafted the previous night. After binding two copies of each, she found Chairman Gu Zhengyang's email address in the directory, sent the digital files, and then dialed his direct line.

"Mr. Gu, hello! This is Bian Xiaoqi. Do you have a moment? I have sent three proposals to your email for your review," she said without preamble.

"Xiaoqi, very well. I will take a look and have you come over shortly," Gu’s deep voice responded.

Bian Xiaoqi hung up and reviewed the printed documents once more. Half an hour later, a knock came at her door. "Come in," she said. A young woman in a blue uniform entered.

"Director Bian, I am Li Hua, Chairman Gu’s secretary. He would like to see you now, if you are free," the girl said with a smile.

"Secretary Li, I’ll be right there," Bian Xiaoqi replied.

She followed Li Hua to the Chairman’s office. Li Hua knocked lightly. "Come in," came Gu’s voice.

"Mr. Gu, Director Bian is here," Li Hua said softly.

"Xiaoqi, come, sit over here," Gu said, rising from behind his desk to greet her.

Bian Xiaoqi sat on the large leather sofa. Li Hua brought her a cup of hot tea and withdrew. Bian Xiaoqi handed one set of the documents to Gu and sat poised, waiting.

"Xiaoqi, your efficiency is remarkable! In less than a day, you’ve come up with such excellent suggestions. I’ve scanned them, and the overall impression is very positive," Gu said heartily.

"Mr. Gu, this is the best season for real estate sales—the 'Golden September and Silver October.' We cannot afford to miss this window. Time is of the essence. Please give me your feedback so I can make revisions immediately. I hope we can finalize these today and begin implementation," Bian Xiaoqi said with a smile.

"Regarding the 'Proposals for Improving Internal Sales Systems,' they are very detailed and will certainly boost morale. I agree to implement them as you’ve suggested. Let’s draft the formal documents and distribute them to every salesperson immediately," Gu decided decisively.

"As for the 'Mid-to-Long-Term Planning Proposals for Zhengyang Real Estate,' the direction is correct and forward-thinking; it has great significance for our future. This needs to be discussed at the board meeting, and I will need you to attend to explain the details to the directors," Gu continued.

"Regarding the 'Suggestions for Promotional Materials at Universities,' using Beijing's universities to raise our profile is a great idea, and I fully support it. You may not know that I started out in coal mining. To be frank, I am just a wealthy coal miner who hasn't read many books and has never dealt with universities. I must admit, I feel a bit insecure about dealing with high-level intellectuals." Gu’s tone shifted from bold to hesitant.

Bian Xiaoqi thought for a moment and said with a smile, "Mr. Gu, there has long been a cultural prejudice in China that 'all pursuits are inferior, only studying is noble,' but that no longer applies to the current landscape. Entrepreneurs create jobs and pay taxes, and they deserve the respect of society. Intellectuals educate and cultivate talent, which in the end, feeds into the needs of enterprises and society. Entrepreneurs and intellectuals simply have different social roles; one is not inherently superior to the other. Both are indispensable elites in modern society, and both drive social progress."

"Xiaoqi, your logic is sound, but in the eyes of the public, merchants are always profit-driven. It is hard to change that perception. Merchants and intellectuals cannot be spoken of in the same breath," Gu insisted.

"Mr. Gu, pursuing profit is the natural right of an entrepreneur, just as it is for an intellectual to pursue knowledge. You truly don't need to belittle yourself. In the process of building your business, you must have faced countless hardships. Through relentless effort, you have reached a position of comfort. Most people only see your success; they cannot know the struggles you endured. Being the object of envy or jealousy is inevitable," Bian Xiaoqi continued.

"Mr. Gu, if I may be so bold, what is the ultimate goal of your wealth? You might say it is to leave a fortune for your descendants so they live without worry. That is understandable, and most wealthy people think the same. But have you considered what you want to leave for society?" she asked, following her own line of thought.

"Xiaoqi, you are right. My initial goal was just to ensure my family and I would no longer suffer from poverty. As for what to leave for society, I truly haven't considered it," Gu admitted.

"Mr. Gu, during the Qing Dynasty, Qiao Zhiyong of Qixian, Shanxi, was known for being approachable, hiring talent without bias, and emphasizing integrity in business. He valued 'trust' first, 'righteousness' second, and 'profit' third. This led his family business to flourish, making him one of the wealthiest merchants in Shanxi. He also performed many good deeds, such as raising funds for Zuo Zongtang to recover Xinjiang and donating to Li Hongzhang to create the Beiyang Fleet, earning him a place in history." Bian Xiaoqi invoked the legacy of the Qiao family.

"Xiaoqi, Mr. Qiao is a role model for all Jin merchants. How could I dare to compare myself to him?" Gu waved his hand dismissively.

"Mr. Gu, you may not be comparable to him yet, but you can still do many good deeds for society. For example, look at the famous private universities in the West; most were founded or supported by entrepreneurs. There are few companies with a history of a century, but there are countless universities with centuries of glorious history. People may not remember the names of the entrepreneurs, but they are well-acquainted with these famous universities. So, once you have earned enough, you might consider doing something for education." Seeing she had his interest, Bian Xiaoqi made her move.

"Xiaoqi, tell me more about your ideas," Gu said, looking at her expectantly.

"Mr. Gu, as far as I know, there are many students from impoverished families in China. By providing scholarships to outstanding students, we can encourage those in need to study hard. This is very popular among students and is something universities would welcome. It is the most direct and effective bridge for us to establish a connection with them."

"My plan is to sponsor a university with 500,000 yuan. We would select 40 undergraduates, 20 master's students, and 10 doctoral candidates based on merit to receive these scholarships. In this way, Zhengyang Group can significantly increase its brand awareness with a relatively small investment."

"My parents are university professors, and I know many of them are looking to improve their housing conditions. We can then leverage this to promote our real estate projects to them. Since professors' salaries aren't extremely high, we can offer them a price discount. I believe this will attract them, achieving two goals at once."

"Through word-of-mouth among the faculty, our reputation will spread. The professors in Beijing’s universities are a potential customer base, and this demonstration effect will surely influence other high-income professionals. This creates a virtuous cycle, and our real estate projects will not have to worry about cash flow. What do you think, Mr. Gu?" Bian Xiaoqi explained calmly, waiting for his decision.

Gu Zhengyang smiled at her. He hadn't expected her to be so clear-headed, far-sighted, and articulate. He was convinced. "Xiaoqi, your idea is excellent. You have persuaded me."

"Xiaoqi, we must take action immediately. But who should push and implement this?" Gu asked.

"Mr. Gu, you know everyone in the group best. Any decision you make will be the right one," she replied with a smile.

"Xiaoqi, I want you to handle this personally. The sooner, the better. I will support you fully. Any expenses required for networking, take them from the finance department—don't be stingy," Gu said decisively.

"Mr. Gu, thank you for your trust. I will do my best," Bian Xiaoqi said earnestly.

Gu Zhengyang instructed his secretary, Li Hua, to draft the "Proposals for Improving Internal Sales Systems" as a formal company document, stamped with the company seal and his signature. It was to be issued to the management of all departments, and department heads were to inform every employee that it would take effect immediately.

The key points of the reform were:

1. The base monthly salary for sales staff was to be increased by 200 yuan.
2. A new incentive mechanism based on signed purchase contracts would be implemented, providing a 0.2% commission on weekly sales, to be settled monthly.
3. Employees would receive a 1% discount on the purchase price of any Zhengyang real estate property.
4. Sales office hours were extended from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
5. Front-line sales staff would be provided with uniforms and two free meals a day.
6. To avoid vicious competition, a "first-come, first-served" policy for clients was established. Any substantiated claims of poaching would be strictly punished.
7. While the customer is always first, sales staff were required to assist with other team tasks; failure to do so would result in a 200-yuan deduction from their monthly salary.
8. Supervisors must be fair and impartial; nepotism would result in immediate dismissal.
9. Sales staff without performance for two consecutive weeks would be terminated.
10. To handle the expected surge in sales during the National Day holiday, the HR department was to immediately begin recruiting 20 additional sales staff.