On the way home from get off work, Chu Shichen received a call from Lawyer Lei. The documents he wanted had been sent to the Chu family and the electronic version had been sent to his private mailbox.
After returning home, Chu Shichen changed his clothes and stayed in the study, taking out the compensation documents from a pile of file bags.
The first page is a general list, listing everyone's name, ID number and contact information.
A total of 42 people received compensation, including the private kitchen team, service staff, crew members and all those invited to the party on the yacht that night.
Chu Shichen looked through the electronic version one by one, and there was no Chang Cheh's name on the list.
Compensation requires identity verification and the compensation document requires the person’s signature, so this verifies Qian Hua’s statement that the bassist at the party was not the real Chang Cheh.
Who is that fake Chang Cheh
What is even more intriguing is that, apart from Chu Shichen himself, there were a total of 43 people on the yacht that day, which means that there was still one person who did not accept the compensation.
This man was called Zhang Kai, and he was a waiter that night.
This was explained in the document, as Chang Cheh and Zhang Kai could not be contacted after the accident and no family members negotiated on their behalf, which meant that they waived their claims.
Is there any relationship between this Zhang Kai and Chang Cheh? Is there another person like Chang Cheh
Chu Shichen emailed Lawyer Lei, asking her if she knew about this.
After waiting for a while, Lawyer Lei responded to the situation at that time - the two people could not be contacted. According to the feedback from other waiters and band members, Zhang Kai and Chang Che successfully escaped, but their whereabouts were unknown and they never appeared again.
The stern of the yacht caught fire before the explosion, and there was enough time to evacuate so no one was killed and most people were unharmed. Afterwards, in order to calm the storm as quickly as possible, Li Zangqiu chose to deal with it hastily and did not investigate further.
Chu Shichen gripped the armrest of the chair, his knuckles tightening as he thought. The band members concealed Zhang Che's identity, so did the other waiters conceal "Zhang Kai"
Before one problem is solved, another one arises. This matter cannot be made public, so he entrusts Lawyer Lei to investigate it.
After reading the document, Chu Shichen found it quite absurd. In this world, there is no shortage of confusing things at any time of the year, and there is no shortage of people who are ignorant of them.
As I was thinking, someone knocked on the door.
Chu Shichen put away the documents, turned off the computer, and said, "Come in."
Mrs. Chu brought a bowl of soup, which was neither hot nor cold. She placed it on the table and asked tentatively, "Xiaochen, you stay in the study as soon as you get home. Did your boss give you overtime?"
Chu Shichen replied: "No, I'm looking at some information."
Mrs. Chu was very worried: "What did Lei's assistant bring today? What is that? Are you involved in a lawsuit?"
"How could that be? I'm quite well behaved." Chu Shichen imitated Mrs. Chu's tone and laughed first. "It's just some information about the yacht, in case someone I know asks me about it. I don't know anything about it."
Mrs. Chu patted her chest and said, "I'm so scared! Have you finished reading? Drink the soup!"
Chu Shichen held up the bottom of the bowl with one hand. The soup was dark in color but not turbid. He thought of oolong tea and asked, "Mom, do you know Ren Meng?"
"An old employee of Yisi." Mrs. Chu recalled, "He's from the Finance Department. What's wrong?"
Chu Shichen said: "Nothing, how is his relationship with Uncle Li?"
Mrs. Chu said, "I don't know. He is quite low-key and a top student. I remember your father praised him for being meticulous and having a bright future."
Chu Shichen nodded, and waited for Mrs. Chu to leave. He drank a bowl of soup slowly, and many things flashed through his mind.
The next morning, the president's office was cleaned and locked.
Chu Shichen held a meeting with Project Team B. The bidding was imminent, which meant it was the decisive stage, so everyone was in high spirits.
Xiang Yue's sales department and pre-sales consulting department work very well together, the team operating mechanism is perfect, and the responsibilities are clearly defined. All rewards and punishments have traces that can be followed and cannot be replaced or denied.
After several public and private exchanges, Chu Shichen became familiar with Lixin Bank's business pain points and transformed them into demands, from strong to general, providing irreplaceable value for the preparation of bids.
The project team has been in meetings these past two days. Everyone has cooperated well and the whole day has passed before we knew it.
On the day of the bid opening, Chu Shichen chose the suit he wore when he went to the pharmaceutical company last time. He did not speak a word all the way until he arrived at Lixin Bank, opened the box and handed in the bid documents and bid deposit.
A total of ten companies participated. The bids were announced in the morning, relevant information of each company was made public, and the order of bidding was determined by drawing lots.
Xiang Yue Communications drew number six and was scheduled for the next afternoon.
It's easy to feel sleepy in the afternoon, so we gathered in the cafe downstairs of the bank before entering. We each had a small cup of double espresso, clinked glasses together, and then drank it all in one gulp.
Peng Xin grimaced and said, "Hold on, this is called first bitter then sweet!"
The morale of the project team was greatly boosted. When they arrived outside the bank's conference room, Peng Xin handed the computer bag to Chu Shichen and said, "Secretary Chu, help me take it in. I'm going to the bathroom."
Chu Shichen guessed the other party's intention and asked, "Are you sure you want to give it to me?"
When Peng Xin rushed into Xiang Mingzhang's office and asked why he agreed to let Chu Shichen join the company, he knew something was going to happen. Later, Yi Si's project failed, and he knew it.
During this period of time, Peng Xin had already changed his opinion of this "Mr. Chu" at the party. The change was simply earth-shattering. He said, "If you don't dare to take it, then I'll find someone else."
Chu Shichen took it and said, "Why not?"
Peng Xin smiled with full of courage: "Connect the projection equipment for debugging, see you later."
In the conference hall, the vice president, general manager, project selection team leader and three branch representatives of the Lixin Bank head office were all in place, and the third-party review agency was also present.
The hall was quiet and solemn. Chu Shichen prepared the bidding documents and returned to the Party B area to sit down, still holding a pen and paper.
The phone vibrated and Xiang Mingzhang sent a message: Has the bidding been opened
Chu Shichen: Right away.
Xiang Mingzhang: Are you nervous
Chu Shichen was unexpectedly calm: No.
For projects that are given special attention, everyone strives for them in every possible way, just like a group of beasts fighting for a piece of fat meat. From wiring to attacking, they are afraid of being at a disadvantage. Before the final battle that determines success or failure, perhaps only by keeping a calm mind can one perform at their best.
Chu Shichen installed his phone and the presentation officially began. Peng Xin had a very personal style, was professional yet humorous, and was very good at attracting the audience's attention.
He thought of Zhai Feng.
Then I thought of Xiang Mingzhang, and wondered what Xiang Mingzhang looked like on the podium.
Chu Shichen thought about himself again. In this new era and new industry, would he be able to stand up and speak eloquently one day
The plan, the bid, the presentation, everything was flawless.
It was an excellent bidding and a great experience. After the perfect conclusion, everyone hugged each other and the bank's decision-making group expressed their appreciation to them.
When they came out of Lixin Bank, it was dusk. Peng Xin went to the side to call Xiang Mingzhang to report.
Everyone was in high spirits, and their nerves could not relax at all. The project manager waved his hand and said, "We have to celebrate today, right? I have lost weight."
The pre-sales team leader said: "Let your Director Peng treat us!"
The pre-sales director understood and said, "I've already called Mr. Xiang, why should Mr. Peng spend money?"
Sure enough, Peng Xin came back after hanging up the phone with a happy face, and announced: "Mr. Xiang said that everyone has worked hard. Regardless of whether this bid is won or not, relax tonight!"
There was a burst of cheers, and the manager said, "Let's go eat first, call all the people from the company, and eat the expensive food!"
The supervisor suggested: "There is a Japanese restaurant nearby, it's very expensive."
"No." Peng Xin rejected it immediately, "Mr. Xiang said he doesn't want to eat Japanese food."
The pre-sales director didn't believe it: "How could Mr. Xiang care about such things? Lao Peng, don't you want to eat?"
Peng Xin said: "I don't know either. Did Mr. Xiang really say that?"
The breeze was blowing on the street, and Chu Shichen had been listening quietly to everyone's chattering, his hair fluttering, his mind drifting away a little, until his colleague called him to get in the car, he came back to his senses.
In the end, they went to another extremely expensive new style local cuisine, which mainly featured seafood. It was Chu Shichen's first time attending a dinner party and he was in a very happy mood.
Chu Shichen returned home after a long night of fun. Probably because he was afraid of mosquitoes, he didn't leave the lights on in the garden, but the moonlight was bright enough to see the way.
That small cup of espresso was really strong. He didn't feel tired at all. He sat on the swing chair under the tree in the cool night breeze, intending to listen to the cicadas' chirping to get hypnotized.
The cell phone rang. It was Xiang Mingzhang calling from Switzerland.
Chu Shichen didn't have time to calculate the time difference, so he pressed the call button and said "Hello".
It was late at night and the voice on the phone was very clear. Xiang Mingzhang said, "I'll send you the meeting materials here. Please sort them out and give them to the head of the R&D department tomorrow."
Chu Shichen said: "Okay."
The phone was silent. If there was nothing else to tell him, he could hang up. Chu Shichen waited and vaguely heard a string of French words.
He asked, “Are you busy?”
Xiang Mingzhang said: "I'm done with my work, so I came out to take a stroll."
Chu Shichen said with some longing: "I know Swiss Bank."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "You sound like you are in a good mood."
I am really happy today. Chu Shichen stretched out his long legs and pushed off the ground, causing the swing chair to swing up a little. He put the machine close to his ear and whispered, "Why don't we let everyone eat Japanese food?"
Xiang Mingzhang replied: "I'm worried that some people are allergic to Japanese food."
Chu Shichen thought he had covered up his gaffe at the Japanese restaurant well last time and didn’t want to admit it: “Who?”
Another sentence in French was heard, this time it was Xiang Mingzhang speaking to someone else. It was not so fluent, but it sounded very nice.
Then, whether he really didn't hear clearly or was just pretending, Xiang Mingzhang asked in a delayed manner: "What did you just say?"
Chu Shichen asked back: "What did you say in French just now?"
Xiang Mingzhang said: "I praised it for being beautiful and it made me feel a little moved."
Chu Shichen had heard that Europeans were romantic, especially the French, and both men and women were very amorous, so it was not surprising to have an exotic encounter during a business trip.
He said tactfully, "I won't bother you anymore."
As a result, Xiang Mingzhang immediately got down to business: "I booked a flight back the day after tomorrow, and I have an appointment with the directors of Old Xiang Yue in the evening."
It’s been nearly a week since the birthday party, and after the cold treatment, emotions on both sides have calmed down. It will be easier to talk face to face. Besides, we can’t miss the regular meeting again next Monday.
Xiang Mingzhang's words clearly showed that the time and place had already been set, people had also been notified, and he was sincere enough to do it himself.
Chu Shichen had nothing to do. He remembered the fearful look on the manager's face and said, "Although I don't know what your Achilles' heel is, please control your temper this time."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "If I can't control myself, I need someone to remind me."
The swing swung too high, and Chu Shichen stepped on the floor tile to stop it, feeling dizzy for a moment as it swayed.
He asked for the second time tonight: "Who?"
Xiang Mingzhang heard it clearly this time. His words were concise and to the point, like a request, but also a plea: "Come pick me up at the airport and accompany me."
(End of this chapter)