Chapter 231: Chapter 202: Liu Qiangdong: He Eats and Drinks With Employees, Then I’ll Go Deliver Packages

"To my brothers at Cloud Speed, let’s have a toast!"

Chen Yansen took off his suit jacket, changed into a Cloud Speed Express uniform, and stood in the center of the stage, shouting loudly. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

The couriers in the audience were all smiling. They had originally thought a young entrepreneur like Chen Yansen would be just like Ye Yizhi, looking down on them—a bunch of country bumpkins—from the bottom of his heart.

But not only had Chen Yansen changed into the same windbreaker as everyone else, he was also calling them "brothers."

The distance between them closed in an instant!

"Thank you, Boss!"

"Cheers!"

Over a thousand people responded in unison.

Seeing that even the boss had downed his drink, they felt too embarrassed to hold back and tipped their heads back, draining their glasses in one gulp.

"You all got your year-end bonuses, right?"

Chen Yansen wiped the liquor from the corner of his mouth and asked with a smile.

Cloud Speed Express didn’t have quarterly bonuses. Under his direction, Liao Wei had given the couriers year-end bonuses ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 yuan, depending on their performance.

Compared to Orange Technology and Pinbei, the benefits were quite a bit worse.

But for these couriers, who used to make only 3,000 to 5,000 yuan a month, this was already a substantial sum.

Before Senlian acquired Cloud Speed, they didn’t have accident insurance, let alone year-end bonuses or the five social insurances and one housing fund.

"Boss, we got it!"

"I got five thousand!"

The employees in the audience responded loudly.

"Good. I’m glad you got them. But first, I have to apologize to everyone. This year-end bonus was just a one-time decision, so there won’t be one next year."

Chen Yansen said in a level tone.

’No more?’

Although the money wasn’t a huge amount, for many, it represented more than a month’s expenses for their entire family, or half a year of their son’s university living costs.

They had thought this would be an annual thing, but finding out it was a one-time payment left them feeling disappointed.

Liao Wei remained expressionless, taking in the looks on the couriers’ faces around him, the corners of his mouth twitching upward slightly.

"Starting from the first quarter, that is, from January to March, there will be a quarterly bonus review. Based on everyone’s performance, you’ll receive a bonus equivalent to one to three months’ salary."

Chen Yansen paused for a moment before continuing.

Although the base salary for a Cloud Speed Courier was mostly between 3,000 and 4,000 yuan, if this happened four times a year, the minimum payout would be over ten thousand yuan.

This instantly sent the entire banquet hall into an uproar, with cheers echoing nonstop!

’These people are pretty easy to please,’

Chen Yansen thought with a private smile.

"Everyone, eat and drink your fill! As long as we stay healthy, no one’s going home sober tonight!"

Chen Yansen raised his glass again and said with a smile.

Aside from some staff who remained at the headquarters, basically all of Cloud Speed’s couriers, sorters, tally clerks, forklift operators, operations staff, warehouse managers, IT personnel, customer service reps, and finance staff in Hu City were here.

Sixty percent of them were frontline couriers.

Chen Yansen stepped down, leaving the stage to the host. There were still performances and a prize draw to come.

"Boss, have some food first. Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for you," Liao Wei said, trying to curry favor with a broad smile.

"How’s your recovery coming along?" Chen Yansen nodded, picked up a piece of beef, and put it in his mouth before asking with concern.

"As long as I don’t do any strenuous exercise, I’ll be fine after another two months of rest. If you hadn’t stopped me from touching Chen Feilei, I would’ve crippled him even if he were hiding in prison."

Liao Wei took a deep breath. Although he had half-destroyed Speed Peak, he still felt aggrieved.

"Do you think this is ten years ago? You cripple him, and he’ll get his revenge the very next day. Is that necessary? Just focus on doing business properly. The wealthy have different ways of fighting. If you run Speed Peak into the ground, Chen Feilei will be penniless when he gets out of prison. Isn’t that more satisfying than crippling him?"

Chen Yansen shook his head with a smile and tried to reason with him.

Liao Wei was capable and smart, but his rough-and-tumble habits were too ingrained. His style was still stuck a decade in the past.

His management and operational skills were all unorthodox methods he’d figured out on his own. Although he’d had a few years of schooling, he only had a junior college diploma.

"Yes, yes, I’ll listen to the boss. After all, I’m a legitimate businessman now,"

Liao Wei said with a chuckle.

"Enroll in an MBA program later. I don’t want you to fall behind Cloud Speed’s growth. Understand?"

Chen Yansen said slowly, a faint smile on his face.

’MBA? What the hell do I need to learn that for?’

’The operations center at Cloud Speed is full of people with MBAs. Can’t I just give them the work?’

Liao Wei was about to refuse when he suddenly felt Zhai’an nudge his elbow.

He immediately understood, and the haze from the alcohol instantly cleared. He mulled over Chen Yansen’s last sentence: ’I don’t want you to fall behind Cloud Speed’s growth.’

’To put it bluntly, the big boss thinks my management skills aren’t up to par. It’s either go study and improve, or get lost.’

"Okay, Boss. I’ll definitely study hard," Liao Wei replied, putting down his wine glass with a serious expression.

Seeing that he understood, Chen Yansen smiled and patted Liao Wei’s shoulder. "I’m not a person who forgets old loyalties, but business is business, and friendship is friendship. As long as you have the ability, the position of CEO of Cloud Speed will always be yours."

"Boss, I understand. I won’t let you down."

At that moment, Liao Wei was like a raw recruit, hastily giving his assurance.

Chen Yansen acknowledged him and said no more. Liao Wei was, after all, the current head of Cloud Speed. As long as he got the message, there was no need to repeat it.

Amidst the clinking glasses and lively chatter, the bottle of baijiu on the table was quickly emptied.

"Come on, Lao Liao. Let’s make a round."

Chen Yansen let out a breath and stood up.

’A round?’ Liao Wei glanced at the eighty-odd tables around them. ’If I have to drink at every one, I’d end up in the hospital on the spot.’

Zhai’an tactfully stood up as well, intending to drink on their behalf.

Chen Yansen smiled, naturally seeing through Zhai’an’s intention, and didn’t object.

"Just drink a little," Song Yuncheng reminded him carefully, knowing she couldn’t talk him out of it.

"Don’t worry, I’ll be fine."

With Chen Yansen’s freakish constitution, he had once drunk three *jin* of liquor and felt as if he’d only had a single beer; he wasn’t even tipsy.

Liao Wei and Zhai’an followed behind him, wine glasses in hand.

"President Chen, these are our colleagues from the Finance Department."

Zhai’an was in charge of introductions.

Chen Yansen stopped, exchanged a few pleasantries with the employees at the table with a smile, then raised his glass, clinked it with theirs, and downed it in one go.

Next were the Operations Department, Customer Service Department, Legal Department, and Technical Department.

Further back were the couriers from the Xuhui District station, Pudong station, Jia Ding station, and Minhang District station.

"What was your salary last month?"

Chen Yansen asked one of the couriers.

"Boss, last month it was 9,300 yuan before tax. That’s mainly because I signed on two merchants who run online shops, so the pickup business has been pretty stable."

The courier answered honestly.

"Keep up the good work. Housing prices in Hu City aren’t too high these couple of years. Save up, and if you get a chance, buy a place in Pudong or Jia Ding. It’ll be more convenient for your kids’ schooling in the future."

Chen Yansen glanced at the man’s age, and from his accent, it wasn’t hard to guess his family situation.

"Thanks for your concern, Boss. But the housing prices in Hu City... how could we possibly afford them?"

The courier scratched his head and gave a bitter, toothy grin.

In reality, living in an era of skyrocketing property prices, many people saw the potential for wealth in Hu City’s real estate market, but more often than not, the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak.

For ordinary people, the best time to get on the property ladder was before 2014. If they missed that window, settling down in Hu City was no longer within the means of most common folk.

Chen Yansen fell silent. He knew the future trend of housing prices, so he wouldn’t spout nonsense like, "Work at Cloud Speed for five or ten years, and everyone will be able to afford a house."

"Then go back to your hometown and buy a few places,"

Chen Yansen joked.

"Thank you for the advice, Boss," the courier replied with a smile, while internally thinking: ’Even a billionaire like the big boss thinks housing prices in Hu City will rise. Maybe I should talk to my wife back home, grit our teeth, and make a down payment.’

’But I heard you need to have paid two years of social security to buy a house in Hu City.’

’Ah, forget it.’

After some thought, the idea of buying a house, sparked by Chen Yansen, quickly vanished.

Chen Yansen continued to the next table.

"President Chen, I’m Cheng Jie, the station manager for the Xuhui District. This is my daughter, Cheng Guo."

Cheng Jie said, pointing to the little girl beside him.

Cloud Speed’s annual party allowed employees to bring a family member, and most chose to bring their children.

"Hello, Big Brother! You’re so pretty!"

The little girl wasn’t shy at all, greeting him with a sweet smile.

’Cheng Guo?’ Chen Yansen leaned down and took a careful look at the little girl named Cheng Guo. Finally, he found a red mole the size of a sesame seed between her eyebrows.

’It really is her!’

Chen Yansen was slightly stunned.

’The soft and cute girl from over a decade later, the one who was a master of all sorts of moves and had dozens of cosplay outfits in her closet... we’ve met again.’

Chen Yansen looked at the six-year-old Cheng Guo, then took out a red envelope and tucked it into her hand.

"Guoguo, hurry and thank the... Big Brother."

Seeing that the boss seemed to really like his daughter, Cheng Jie patted her head and reminded her with a smile.

"Thank you, Big Brother." Cheng Guo squinted her eyes, looking very well-behaved.

Chen Yansen nodded slightly and had a drink with Cheng Jie.

After making a full round, Chen Yansen was perfectly fine, but Liao Wei and Zhai’an were already dead drunk, stumbling all over the place.

Seeing this, the director of the Administration Department quickly found a few people to take Liao Wei and Zhai’an to the hospital for an IV drip of glucose and saline.

Chen Yansen figured that was enough, so he called over Xiaoli and headed out with Song Yuncheng, planning to go back and rest.

Just as they stepped out of the banquet hall, they saw Ye Yizhi standing rigidly at the entrance.

"President Chen, I was blind today. Could you please be the bigger person and let me off the hook?"

The moment Ye Yizhi saw Chen Yansen, he rushed over, bowing and scraping, begging pitifully.

"I’m just a hick, a little punk. I didn’t understand a single word Boss Ye said."

Chen Yansen retorted mockingly.

"President Chen, I’m begging you. I’ve worked my ass off on Qipu Road for half my life. If you kick me out, I’ll have no way to survive."

Ye Yizhi was certainly able to swallow his pride. With a THUD, he dropped to his knees.

Chen Yansen watched him with an amused expression, then walked right past him toward the elevators.

Ye Yizhi tried to follow but was blocked by a stone-faced Xiaoli.

’Does he think things are that easy in this world?’

’Act all high and mighty, then just apologize and it’s all over?’

’Who is he kidding?’

Chen Yansen couldn’t care less if Ye Yizhi lived or died. It was none of his damn business.

Leaving the Pullman Hotel, they sped along the Hu Min Elevated Road. The night view of Hu City was a dazzling kaleidoscope of colors, mesmerizing to behold.

「At the same time.」

A photo of Chen Yansen in a Cloud Speed Express uniform, holding a wine glass and drinking happily with the couriers, was posted on their Weibo account after being reviewed by both the Brand Department and the Market Department.

The number of comments, reposts, and likes quickly surpassed fifty or sixty thousand.

"Whoa! It’s my first time seeing a billionaire CEO who’s so down-to-earth."

"Being handsome is a real power move. President Chen looks good even in a uniform!"

"Hasn’t anyone noticed that the average monthly salary for a Cloud Speed Courier is over 7,000 yuan?"

The comments section was filled with all kinds of discussion.

Liu Qiangdong, who was in the middle of an intense web-surfing session, had just finished beefing with Zhang Jindong of Sunning when he saw Chen Yansen’s Weibo post.

"Fuck! That kid Chen Yansen is a damn marketing genius. I have to learn this trick of his."

Liu Qiangdong’s eyes lit up. He felt he had suddenly found a great idea for promoting Jingdong and Jingdong Express.

The Jingdong annual party was scheduled for three days later. If he pulled the same stunt, would it look like he was copying him?

Liu Qiangdong felt a bit embarrassed at the thought and agonized over it for a while before a flash of inspiration struck him.

’Chen Yansen eats and drinks with his couriers, but what if I go out and deliver packages myself? Wouldn’t that be even more awesome!’