Chapter 333: The Self-Important Partner

Chen Yang saw Wu Junhui full of confidence, feeling a bit doubtful. Ordinary people's sausage has already taken over fifty percent of Xingcheng's sausage market share; where does he get the confidence to surpass them in the short term?

Director Wu, we're betting, but don't play dirty. If I find out you're smearing Ordinary People's Sausage to boost Xingcheng Food Ltd.'s performance, I won't be polite.

Wu Junhui never imagined that as the chairman of a listed company, his character would be doubted. He flew into a rage. 'Chen Yang, dealing with a greenhorn like you who just entered society, do I need to use scheming? You think too highly of yourself!'

Chen Yang said with a smile: 'Director Wu, this is what you said. In front of Governor Liu and Director Huo, we'll compete fairly. Whoever plays dirty is a bastard.'

Wu Junhui snorted coldly and simply stopped paying attention to Chen Yang.

Liu Jianghua, to avoid an awkward atmosphere, immediately acted as a peacemaker.

'Chen Yang, I trust Old Wu's character. At Xingcheng Food Ltd., he has no personal gain motive, so there's no need to damage his own morality for a bet.'

Chen Yang immediately said: 'Governor Liu, as long as Director Wu is willing to compete openly, I can apologize for my earlier remarks.'

Liu Jianghua looked at Wu Junhui, who originally didn't want to deal with Chen Yang, but out of respect for Liu Jianghua's face, he had to agree.

'Governor Liu, rest assured. I, Wu Junhui, act openly and honestly; I will absolutely not plot scheming.'

Upon hearing that, Chen Yang immediately expressed his apology to Wu Junhui: 'Director Wu, sorry, I misunderstood you just now. I apologize to you.'

Wu Junhui turned his head, not wanting to deal with Chen Yang. Liu Jianghua saw this, smiled, and said to both: 'Alright, since the misunderstanding is cleared, you can focus on preparing your respective work.'

Chen Yang nodded, sat at his desk pretending to review the Qingshui City Feed Factory's materials, while Wu Junhui began organizing Xingcheng Food Ltd.'s materials.

A morning passed quickly. After lunch at the provincial government cafeteria, Chen Yang finally waited for the other members of the Provincial State-Owned Enterprise Reform Group.

Chen Yang roughly counted: the group had twelve people in total. Besides Chen Yang and Wu Junhui joining as entrepreneurs, the others were organizational staff from the provincial Party committee and government.

Liu Jianghua and Huo Yunyan served as group leader and deputy leader, while the others were responsible for assisting their work.

Whether or not Liu Jianghua did it on purpose, in the group, aside from Wu Junhui, all the organizational members were young people aged twenty to thirty.

After self-introductions, Liu Jianghua assigned work: ten people were split into five teams, each responsible for the reform and reorganization of two enterprises.

That is to say, besides handling the Qingshui City Feed Factory, Chen Yang also had to take charge of another enterprise.

The partner Liu Jianghua assigned to Chen Yang was a young woman from the Provincial Committee Organization Department named Pan Ruoyun. She is about the same age as Chen Yang and just joined the department this year.

What surprised Chen Yang was that Pan Ruoyun had taken the Provincial Automobile Manufacturing Plant in Dongjiang Province as her enterprise reform target. It's an old state-owned enterprise with over three thousand employees; due to poor performance, nearly half of the workforce now faces layoffs.

Such a huge mess, and an ordinary section chief of the Organization Department dares to take it on—truly a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.

Regarding Pan Ruoyun's choice, Chen Yang didn't voice his own opinion. In his view, as long as he gets the Qingshui City Feed Factory in shape, his work in the Provincial State-Owned Enterprise Reform Group will be considered passing.

As for the Provincial Automobile Manufacturing Plant, I'll help if I can; if not, I won't feel any psychological burden. After all, I'm not an omnipotent god.

'Chen Yang, the reform work at the Provincial Automobile Manufacturing Plant still requires your extra effort!' After the work assignment, Pan Ruoyun said to Chen Yang with an expectant look.

'Comrade Pan, I have no management experience in large vehicle enterprises. You'd better ask Director Wu for advice; his company makes excavators, which are related to cars. Theoretically, the relevant management and production experience is also transferable.'

Pan Ruoyun didn't expect that, just after teaming up with Chen Yang, she would be pushed aside, feeling a bit disappointed.

'Chen Yang, we are partners; we should help each other, not seek help from our competitors.'

Chen Yang immediately corrected her: 'Comrade Pan, that's wrong. We are all colleagues working for the Provincial State-Owned Enterprise Reform Group, not competitors. Exchanging experience lets us serve the team better.'

Pan Ruoyun couldn't immediately rebut. After a while, she said: 'Chen Yang, I still hope you can help me complete the reform of the Provincial Enterprise Reform. Likewise, I will help you complete the reform of the Qingshui City Feed Factory.'

Chen Yang said: 'Thank you for your kindness; I can handle the Qingshui City Feed Factory myself. You should focus your efforts on the Provincial Automobile Manufacturing Plant.'

Pan Ruoyun said: 'We are partners; helping each other is natural. You need not be polite.'

Chen Yang thought this girl had something wrong with her head. He had refused so clearly, yet she could still act as if nothing was wrong.

'Comrade Pan, may I ask bluntly? Why did you choose the Provincial Automobile Manufacturing Plant as your reform target?'

'There's a challenge! I've learned that in this provincial state-owned enterprise reform, the hardest part is the Provincial Enterprise Reform. If we can complete this task, Governor Liu will surely praise us highly.'

Chen Yang felt this partner was too self-important. Even someone as sly and experienced as Wu Junhui deliberately avoids the provincial system reform work—one can imagine the trouble involved. Yet Pan Ruoyun foolishly took on the work and still wants to drag him down.

If it were an informal setting, Chen Yang would have directly scolded her.

'Chen Yang, daring to take on the reform work at the Provincial Automobile Manufacturing Plant—truly the young generation is formidable! Good luck!' Upon hearing that Pan Ruoyun had taken on the Provincial Automobile Manufacturing Plant's work, Wu Junhui was so happy he almost laughed out loud. He could already picture Chen Yang and Pan Ruoyun exhausted from being put through the wringer.

'Director Wu, you are a senior in the automobile industry; I hope you can give Comrade Pan some more advice.'

Wu Junhui immediately refused Chen Yang's request: 'Chen Yang, Pan Ruoyun is your partner. How can you let your competitor help your teammate? That's against the rules, right?'

Chen Yang said with a smile: 'We are both competitors and partners. At critical moments, we must still put the bigger picture first.'

Wu Junhui didn't expect Chen Yang to be so thick-skinned. He even wanted to drag him down as well.

'Chen Yang, we agreed to bet. How can you go back on your word?'

Chen Yang laughed: 'I haven't gone back on my word! It's just that for the provincial state-owned enterprise reform work, we should prioritize the bigger picture.'