Liu Wanyin, the regional manager of Central Plains, took up her post quickly and rushed to her hometown province with her team.
The heads of other provinces also implemented and started the work.
Except for some provinces with special geographical and political conditions, Su Zelin gave all persons in charge three months to open at least one New Century direct-operated store in all cities and counties in the province. The more the better while ensuring quality, and at the same time, do a good job of promoting the brand locally.
Those who fail to complete the task within three months will be dismissed directly.
People who are familiar with the personality of this operations director know that although he is usually easy to talk to, he is absolutely decisive when it comes to the company's business. So everyone signed a military order and felt a sense of urgency.
As main stores were springing up all over the country, Su Zelin unexpectedly received a call from someone.
Guo Xingbang, his high school class teacher.
"Hello, Su Zelin, this is Lao Guo."
He spoke at a steady pace on the phone, and his tone was very kind, just like his personality.
Even though he taught a scoundrel like Su Zelin in high school, and he was punished several times for fighting, smoking, and climbing over the wall, Lao Guo did not regard him as a parasite in the class, but just patiently guided him.
However, this kind of class teacher has the best popularity. Many students who did not perform well in school will be grateful and respect him/her very much after entering society.
Su Zelin respected Guo Xingbang very much.
But it’s a bit strange. Although Lao Guo has his own mobile phone number, this is the first time he called. If nothing unexpected happens, it must be something important.
After a few casual pleasantries, the head teacher got down to business: "Su Zelin, it's like this. The first of next month will be the 50th anniversary of our No. 2 Middle School. The principal plans to hold a grand ceremony and invite all the alumni who have graduated from No. 2 Middle School to celebrate the 50th birthday of their alma mater. You are working in Lin'an now, right? See if you have time to come back then!"
"Fiftieth anniversary celebration... OK, I will definitely be there!"
Without hesitating for too long, Su Zelin readily agreed.
Although he would be very busy in the next few months, it was a must for him to honor his class teacher, Mr. Guo, who called him personally on such an important day as his alma mater's 50th anniversary.
"Haha, okay, let's talk about this when we meet at the school anniversary celebration. I still have to call other people, so that's it for now!"
"Okay, Lao Guo, you go ahead and do your work."
After hanging up the phone, Su Zelin felt a little emotional.
Speaking of which, Jianglan No. 2 Middle School has a long history.
In his previous life, he had participated in many school anniversary celebrations. After he became rich, he became a guest of honor for the school leaders. Because he donated a lot of money to No. 2 Middle School, the new library was even donated by him alone. A plaque of merit was erected in front of the library gate to commemorate his achievement.
However, in his previous life, the idler was not the protagonist of the fiftieth anniversary celebration of No. 2 Middle School. At that time, he had just graduated and started his own business, and his achievements were far less than what they are now.
After get off work, I learned from Qin Shiqing that she also received a call from Lao Guo.
This couple are Lao Guo’s most proud students, so the class teacher notified them personally.
Qin Shiqing was always one of the best students in the school. She was also a host and announcer for cultural evenings and was multi-talented.
As for Hunzi, although his grades were not very good, he became the first top scorer in the English subject in the college entrance examination of No. 2 Middle School, and he even got full marks. He was awarded by the Education Bureau that year and appeared on the local TV station.
Moreover, Su Zelin was also very competitive after college. It was said that he was both the class monitor and the star of the School of Finance. He became a company executive right after graduation. He was full of energy and had a bright future. Such students are usually the most valued by the school because they may become rich and powerful people in the future, and their donations are also the most generous.
For other students who were not so visible, such as Xiaoyanzi and Lu Haoran, the invitations were conveyed by other students in the class. There was no way to favor some over others. Lao Guo had been teaching in No. 2 Middle School for more than 20 years, and he had many students all over the world. It would be difficult to notify them one by one by phone.
Time quickly came to November 30th, and Su Zelin and others returned to Jianglan one day in advance.
The school celebration starts tomorrow morning, and it would be too tight to rush back from Lin'an.
Moreover, many old classmates who are working in other places have returned home because of the school anniversary, so we can have a small gathering on the eve of the anniversary.
The program for class reunions is quite cliché, either eating or singing karaoke, and this time the program was karaoke.
After graduation, these high school classmates have entered society a lot and have become more sophisticated.
After all, working in an organization or company is different from working in school.
Everyone is equal in school days, but after work, the stratification begins to become clear.
Those who have a good and respectable job will become the focus of others' attention, and even classmates who are not familiar with you in high school will take the initiative to build relationships with you and get close to you.
For example, when Su Zelin was studying at No. 2 Middle School, apart from his childhood sweetheart Qin Shiqing, only Lu Haoran and Xiao Yanzi considered him a friend. Even the other people in the dormitory kept their distance from the gangster and disdained to associate with him.
However, after graduating from university, Su Zelin's treatment was drastically different.
Some guys who had never spoken to Su Zelin during their three years of high school now came to chat and toast with him, flattering him in various ways.
"Su Zelin, I heard that you and Qin Shiqing got together. I knew it a long time ago. You two are a perfect match, and you are childhood sweethearts. Sooner or later, you will become a couple!"
This toady is the former deputy class monitor Liu Hui, who has a rat-like face and was a toady in high school. However, he used to flatter Zhao Mingxuan because Zhao Mingxuan's father was the deputy mayor and his family was rich and powerful. Now he has changed his tune to flatter Su Zelin.
"Su Zelin, although your grades were not good then, I felt that someone as smart as you would definitely achieve great things. Sure enough, you are the most accomplished person in our class now. If I can't make it any further, I will join President Su!"
"Haha, of course not, Su Zelin, we've been roommates for three years. I'm also working in Lin'an now, so please take care of me if you have any connections!"
"… "
A bunch of sycophants were flattering him, and Su Zelin kept shaking his head when he heard them.
These people are really fence-sitters, they are very good at changing their attitude according to the situation.
However, he despised this kind of people the most.
The girls were nicer and not so shameless. They just gossiped about Qin Shiqing and her love history with Su Zelin.
"Shiqing, I heard that you and Su Zelin work in the same company and live together, right? Did you start after graduation?"
"You two are such a jerk. You didn't even tell your best friends that you were in love. If it wasn't for Xiao Loudspeaker telling me, I wouldn't have known about it!"
"There were several couples in our class during high school. I'm not surprised that Shi Qing and Su Zelin got together, after all, the one who is close to the water gets the moon first. But Lu Haoran and Xiao Yanzi were really unexpected."
"Hey, don't underestimate Lu Haoran, he's now an employee of Lin'an Steam Turbine Group, this state-owned enterprise has very good benefits!"
"This kid looks honest, but he's actually very smart. He actually applied for a major in marine engineering. This major is so unpopular. Who would have thought it would be so popular?"
"… "
After graduating from college, the employment status of most people is linked to their grades and the college they graduated from. Generally, graduates from key universities will not have bad jobs.
There are also some unexpected ones. The biggest surprise is, needless to say, Su Zelin. He used to be a scoundrel but now he has become a senior executive of a large company. Who could have imagined that
Lu Haoran was also a bit unexpected. His high school grades were just okay, but not outstanding. He was just above average in the class, and the University of Technology was not a key university. However, because of his major, he was able to change his fate.
However, the honest man was not really smart, but he adopted Su Zelin's advice when applying for admission.
No matter what, the atmosphere of the class reunion was quite lively and everyone was very happy. There was only one person who was drinking alone in the corner absent-mindedly. He was the class monitor Zhao Mingxuan.
The man with glasses studied at Xiaguo University of Political Science and Law. After graduation, he successfully stayed in Beijing and became a lawyer. He also has a girlfriend in Beijing. Logically, he should be one of the most successful people.
He was quite active at the previous class reunions, chatting, drinking, and singing karaoke. In short, he was never low-key and always wanted to be in the spotlight. However, he seemed to be in a bad mood tonight.
Su Zelin noticed it, walked over with a glass of wine, and asked casually: "Old Zhao, what's wrong?"
Zhao Mingxuan came back to his senses and glared at him: "What, Old Zhao, can you please stop giving people nicknames?"
Su Zelin laughed: "But you look quite old tonight, and your face looks haggard. Are you worried about something? Do you want someone to talk to? Don't worry, I swear in the name of New Century's operations director that I will never tell your secret to anyone!"
Compared to that flatterer, Hunzi actually has a better impression of Zhao Mingxuan.
In fact, the guy with glasses is a good class monitor and he has done his best for Class 2. It's just that they had different ideas and could not work together. One is the leader of the class, while the other is the last one and often violates school rules. In addition, because of Qin Shiqing, he dislikes Su Zelin.
After graduation, since Zhao Mingxuan got a girlfriend, the conflict had long been resolved. The man with glasses even blessed them both, so Su Zelin had no prejudice against him.
Zhao Mingxuan snorted: "Go away, I don't have any worries!"
"Okay, if you don't want to talk, I won't force you. So, is it okay for us to have a drink?"
Su Zelin raised his glass on his own initiative.
Zhao Mingxuan clinked glasses with him, drank it all in one gulp, and then sighed: "This has something to do with me and my girlfriend."
He said he had no worries but was just trying to save face. In fact, Zhao Mingxuan had been quite depressed during this period and really wanted to find someone to talk to.
However, others are unreliable, and the man with glasses doesn't want to tell them.
But he believed in Su Zelin.
Hunzi is indeed a man of his word, not to mention that he is now a senior executive of New Century. To be able to sit in this position, reputation is very important.
In fact, Su Zelin had already guessed something.
In Zhao Mingxuan's situation, the only thing that could make him unhappy was his emotional problems.
His girlfriend is not an easy person to deal with. In her previous life, she cheated on Zhao Mingxuan after they got married. Her family also looked down on this son-in-law from a small city, even though the man with glasses is very outstanding and hardworking.
Su Zelin didn't say anything, just listened quietly.
"My girlfriend is from Beijing. You should know that I went to meet her family some time ago. Her parents were very cold to me. Well, I can understand this. After all, I was born in a small place like Jianglan."
Zhao Mingxuan smiled bitterly and poured another glass of wine and clinked glasses with Su Zelin.
Although his conditions in Jianglan were already very good, his father was the deputy mayor, and he himself graduated from the School of Political Science and Law and became a lawyer with a good income, he was still just a humble grassroots in the eyes of his girlfriend's two parents in Beijing.
“I think it’s not just that.”
Su Zelin spoke at the right time.
"Indeed, it would be fine if her parents looked down on me, but my girlfriend is not as nice to me as she was in college. Maybe she was influenced by her parents. She also said that she would never come to Jianglan in this life. Even if she marries me in the future, she will only get married in Yanjing and hold the wedding there, and spend the New Year and other holidays in Yanjing!"
Speaking of this, Zhao Mingxuan pulled his hair, feeling extremely worried.
Su Zelin frowned.
As a daughter-in-law, it is an insult to her husband if she is unwilling to come to her husband's house during and after marriage.
How could Zhao Mingxuan put his face on this? If he told others about it, his father, Deputy Mayor Zhao, would also lose face.
"Honestly, this is too much!"
The gangster just shook his head.
In his previous life, he only knew that the woman had cheated on Zhao Mingxuan, but he didn't know there was such a thing.
No wonder his proud wife has never been seen at any of his classmates' reunions during Chinese New Year and other holidays. It turns out there are more inside stories.
"Yeah, by doing this, what does she think of my parents?"
Zhao Mingxuan seemed to have found a soulmate and was filled with righteous indignation.
"Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog. How can a daughter-in-law not want to come to her husband's house? Do I have to make my parents go to the capital to see her every time?"
He didn't dare say this in front of his girlfriend, and he didn't even dare talk about it with his friends in Beijing, for fear that it would accidentally reach his girlfriend's ears. But he had drunk a lot of wine tonight, and he felt that Su Zelin was not the kind of person who gossiped, so he couldn't help but vent.
"When she said that, I was so angry. Is this the mutual respect that a boyfriend and girlfriend should have? She didn't even treat me as her boyfriend!"
"Tell me the truth, who am I, Zhao Mingxuan?"
The man with glasses slammed the table hard. "I have a family, I have abilities, I am handsome, I am elegant, I was the heartthrob of No. 2 Middle School, why do I have to suffer such discrimination?"
Su Zelin: “…”
Brother, you really think too much. I admit that you have a family and are capable, but as for your good looks and your charm, forget it.
Zhao Mingxuan became more and more excited as he spoke.
"Not to mention No. 2 Middle School, even in the School of Political Science and Law, there are other girls who like me and they are pretty too. However, I take love very seriously and only want to be faithful to one person. I have never paid any attention to the girl who has a crush on me and even actively keep my distance. I do this because I love her!"
Su Zelin thought to himself, is this true? Or are you just drunk and bragging
"Su Zelin, you are so lucky. If my girlfriend's personality and temper were half as good as Qin Shiqing's, no, one-third as good, I would be thankful and very satisfied!"
Zhao Mingxuan let out another long sigh.
"Maybe what you said before is right. She and I may not be suitable for each other. But every time I want to break up, I can't bear to do so. After all, she is my first girlfriend. I have long thought that I can love her and grow old together in this life!"
After complaining, the man with glasses picked up the bottle and blew it.
Looking at his pitiful appearance, Su Zelin felt a little sympathy.
It's really not worth it for Zhao Mingxuan to do this for such a woman.
By the way, New Century won the bid for the title sponsorship of CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala a few years ago, and I will also go to Beijing then.
Maybe I can meet that woman and see if I can find an opportunity to make Zhao Mingxuan give up this idea completely.