Chapter 375

Vice President Zhou, why didn't you report to the board about reducing your stock holdings?

Director Huo, I didn't reduce my stock holdings. Why would I need to report?

Then what happened this morning?

Director Huo, I placed some sell orders during the call auction, but quickly withdrew them. What's the problem?

As for the shareholders' uproar, it has nothing to do with me. If you want to pursue responsibility, you should go after those spreading false rumors.

Vice President Zhou, I know you're close to Old Wu. Regarding his resignation, you have feelings. But no matter how you feel, you can't toy with the company's future.

Director Huo, I think you should advise Old Hu's son-in-law, not to rely on his slight background and treat the company as his personal ATM.

Vice President Zhou, what do you mean by that?

What do you mean? Since the company's restructuring began, Chen Yang and his companions have been constantly buying low and selling high here, making several hundred million, right? After finally calming down for a while, they caused chaos again before the year. Isn't this treating the company as his personal ATM?

Vice President Zhou, Chen Yang's actions are normal market behavior. If you have objections, you can let the provincial securities commission investigate. If they find issues, handle them accordingly.

Vice President Zhou, I'm busy with business all day, I don't have time to meddle in such trivial matters. I just think some people shouldn't go overboard in their conduct; don't keep milking a company. If this continues, even if I turn a blind eye, other shareholders will surely have objections.

Vice President Zhou, I understand your point. I'll relay your words to Chen Yang. However, I still need to remind you: if there is any intention to reduce holdings, you must report to the board immediately.

Alright, then I won't disturb your work.

……

In the meeting room of the Ordinary People Agricultural Products Trading Company, Chen Yang, as usual, listened to the meeting beside Shen Anna.

Today's agenda is to increase the advertising promotion expenses for the online platform.

The Online Sales Department Manager Zhong Feiyan proposed buying ad slots on major portals to attract highly active online users to the Ordinary People platform.

Finance Department Manager Qian Duo Duo believes that advertising costs on major portal websites are too high; we should target specific platforms related to agricultural products for promotion. This would save costs and improve the efficiency of acquiring new users.

Shen Anna's opinion is to increase offline promotion at physical stores. After all, having staff hand‑hold customers through the entire online operation process makes it easier to convert them into actual customers.

With everyone holding their own views, all eyes turned to Chen Yang, the chairman.

Chen Yang thought for a moment, then said: "Your ideas are all good. Whether online or offline promotion, the most important thing is precise customer targeting. However, I need to add one point: no matter the promotion method, the other party must receive tangible benefits."

For example, if we give each new customer a cash reward of one yuan, wouldn't they be more interested in becoming our members?

Another example: if our new members could receive cash coupons of various denominations or free delivery service for a certain number of purchases, wouldn't they be more interested in trying our online shopping service?

As soon as Chen Yang finished speaking, Qian Duo Duo raised the first objection: "Boss, a one‑yuan cash reward for new user registration, plus cash coupons and free shipping, would require the company to invest at least ten‑odd yuan per new user. If ten million new users register, we'd have to spend one to two billion yuan in costs. Isn't that too high a price?"

"Exactly!" Shen Anna chimed in: "The company's total assets are less than two billion yuan. If you invested that much money in promotion, you might as well just give the company away."

Chen Yang laughed and said: "If two billion yuan could secure ten million high‑quality customers, I'd really be willing to spend it, because the future earnings from them will surely exceed two billion yuan."

Shen Anna said helplessly: "Boss, even if your reasoning is sound, where are we supposed to get that much cash in the short term?"

Chen Yang thought for a while, then said: "First, finish the promotion plan. As for the promotion expenses, I'll personally guarantee a bank loan for you."

Upon hearing that Chen Yang wanted to solve the promotion issue by taking a loan, Shen Anna expressed some confusion: "Boss, don't you already have plenty of cash on hand? Why do you need to borrow from a bank?"

Chen Yang explained: "Most of my money is in overseas accounts; moving a large sum back at once would involve complicated procedures. Meanwhile, the funds in my mainland accounts are used for stock trading. If I took all of them for promotion, where would I get the capital to earn money in the stock market to give you benefits?"

"All right, then let's borrow from Xingcheng Bank." Shen Anna said with a wry smile: "That old classmate of yours keeps calling every few days to ask if I want to increase the loan. This time he finally got his wish."

Chen Yang hadn't expected Luo Zhikai to be so persistent in business, and he laughed: "Since he's the one begging us for a loan, we'll really hammer him on the interest."

Shen Anna nodded. "Boss, you can rest assured—I'll do my best to drive the interest rate down as low as possible."

At that moment, Zhong Feiyan asked Chen Yang: "Boss, which portal websites should we choose for the promotion?"

Chen Yang said: "Don't consider out‑of‑province sites for now; let's start with some well‑known websites in Xingcheng. They're locals working locally, so they'll be more receptive to our service."

Shen Anna heard this and immediately said, "The hottest website locally right now is your junior schoolmate's 'Qingwang'; the number of users has already exceeded ten million recently."

Chen Yang hadn't been in touch with Liu Qingqing lately; he didn't expect that she had made Qingwang so impressive, and he was a little shocked.

Anna sis, since Qingwang is the hottest website in Xingcheng, go talk to their boss about advertising business!

Shen Anna gave a wry smile and said, "I've already contacted them, but they didn't respond. You might as well go yourself."

Chen Yang rubbed his forehead. Discussing business with an ex-lover, if Lin Wei finds out, she'll nag endlessly.

Shen Anna noticed Chen Yang's concern and softly comforted him, "It's fine, go ahead and talk. I promise I won't tell Lin Wei."

Chen Yang gave her a glance and said, "Just because you're not saying it now doesn't mean you won't slip up later. Besides, Yexin often hangs out with you. How can you guarantee you won't talk in your sleep to her?"

"Then I'll take back what I just said." Shen Anna gave an embarrassed laugh; she really does have a habit of talking in her sleep, and Yexin has already reminded her several times.

Given Yexin's tendency to make up rumors and her innate love for gossip, if she finds out that Chen Yang and Liu Qingqing have met again, she'll surely embellish it and spin a fabulous new story.