Chapter 276: Wealthy and Arrogant

Disappointment appeared in the eyes of Ge Zhengrong and Fang Qiao. As for Yu Qingyu, he had just moved away from the cold bench; how could he dare to think about these things? He appeared quite calm.

"Of course, if you have money, buy it yourself; I can't stop you." Zhou Andong smiled, "Alright, you guys get busy. I still need to report the details of the award ceremony to the leaders, so we don't make a joke out of it."

Zhou Andong turned and left the room. Equipping them with brick phones was impossible. That thing was heavy, ugly, and expensive as hell, and the call quality was barely satisfactory.

Wait a bit. If he remembered correctly, the Nokia 2110 would be launched in 1994, which would also be the first GSM phone in the country. Although it was only in trial operation in Jingcheng, the network would be rolled out nationwide by the beginning of the year.

By the middle of the year, the Motorola 8900 and Ericsson GH337 would be launched, and the price would be under ten thousand. Weren't they much better than the current big bricks?

Returning to the front, Zhou Andong briefed Cheng Zhanjun, Deng Zhangli, and Zuo Peiming, and the time reached nine o'clock.

"Everyone be quiet, the party is about to start." Fang Qiao walked out with a microphone, her face full of smiles, "Today, we are just having fun behind closed doors at home. We don't have a host, so I'll be the one to string things together. First, let's invite our factory director, Comrade Zhou Andong, to speak on stage."

Zhou Andong hadn't even stood up yet when the applause started, more enthusiastic than when Deng Zhangli spoke, and it was mixed with wolf whistles.

Zhou Andong walked onto the stage, took the microphone handed over by Fang Qiao, and said with a smile: "After the news of our factory setting up a scholarship fund got out, it received a lot of questioning.

Someone said to me, 'Zhou Andong, you are just asking for trouble. Just be your factory director honestly, pay the workers on time, and pay taxes to the state when the time comes.'

'And you're setting up a scholarship fund? Aren't you doing this just to gild your own face so you can get promoted and get rich? You deserve to be questioned and scolded.'

Hearing these words, I didn't feel very aggrieved, but I was very angry. A century-long plan, education is the foundation. National rejuvenation, education comes first. In a knowledge-based economic society, the quality of a nation's citizens is an important factor affecting a country's overall competitiveness.

Therefore, in 1977, the country resumed the college entrance exam, and the first exam was held that winter. Then in 1978, after universities across the country welcomed the previous year's candidates in February, they welcomed the current year's candidates in the second half of the year.

Two batches of candidates enrolled in the same year—a unique event in history. A total of over 11.8 million people took the exam, setting a record in the history of examinations in China and even the world."

Speaking of this, Zhou Andong paused, "Students, like you, I am a beneficiary of the college entrance exam. How fortunate we are to be born in China, born in the spring breeze, growing up under the red flag, without chaotic wars, without a lack of food or clothing. The people have faith, the country has power, and the nation has hope..."

Deng Zhangli said in a low voice: "This kid really has a way with words. In the future, when we have meetings at the provincial level, we'll find him to write our speeches."

Cheng Zhanjun nodded in agreement: "That's a good idea, feasible!"

Shang Hui hadn't found a chance to talk to Zhou Andong. At this moment, listening to Zhou Andong's inspiring speech and watching his demeanor on stage, she gripped the microphone tightly, as if cheering Zhou Andong on.

"Never forget your roots when poor, never forget your origins when rich—this is the life creed I have always upheld. We must believe that the winery will get better and better, and everyone will get better and better.

I will definitely take social responsibility as the core goal, to be an enterprise that serves society and an enterprise that can help others. Let the enterprise bring long-term benefits to society and the employees."

"Clap..."

The applause rang out enthusiastically once again.

After the applause died down, Zhou Andong continued: "Students, study hard. In the future, regardless of whether you return to Jiangzhou or return to our winery, I hope you can stand at the forefront, making Jiangzhou, your parents, the grandpas, grandmas, uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters of the winery all proud of you.

I also hope that one day, you can loudly tell the whole world that you are from Jiangzhou, that you are children of the Jiangzhou Winery. That you grew up drinking the water of the Jiangzhou River and drinking Jiangzhou Yugong and Jiang Xiaobai."

"Clap..."

Even more enthusiastic applause rang out once again.

Zhou Andong scanned the crowd below and smiled slightly: "Finally, I want to say one thing to those who question me and scold me behind my back: Our winery just has money, and we are just willful. If you are not satisfied, it's none of my business. If you have a way, go ahead; if you don't, go die. If you don't want to die, then just watch with envy, jealousy, and hatred."

With a roar, laughter, shouts, applause, and whistles became a mess.

"We have money, we can spend it however we want, it's none of their business."

"Exactly, just let them be envious, jealous, and hateful."

"If they are not satisfied, why don't they go die? If they die, I'll send them two free wreaths."

Zuo Peiming smiled bitterly: "This kid..."

Fang Qiao came up and took the microphone from Zhou Andong: "Next, please enjoy the chorus 'Song of Heroes' brought by the Logistics Department of the main factory."

More than twenty rough men, wearing work clothes, went onto the stage in some confusion, taking about two minutes to find their positions, which made the people below laugh out loud.

When they started singing, the people below almost lifted the roof of the Cultural Palace, laughing until they were bent over.

Zhou Andong also laughed until he was out of breath, and even Cheng Zhanjun, Deng Zhangli, and Zuo Peiming couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The party was very joyful, just as Zhou Andong had instructed—don't have serious programs; the party should be happy.

Finally, it was time to distribute the scholarships. First were the forty-three students who got into vocational colleges, with department heads and branch factory directors going on stage to present the bonuses.

When the children received the bonuses, their expressions were quite calm, but what surprised them was that there were also prizes, and when the prizes turned out to be Walkmans, they were so excited they almost jumped up.

Then came the seven children who got into ordinary undergraduate programs. They weren't interested in the money either, or rather, they knew the money would be confiscated when they got home, so they were more interested in the Walkmans.

Finally, it was Gao Yue'e, who got into Tsinghua, and Lu Xiaohui, who got into the Northeast Institute of Technology (Northeastern University). The two stood on stage, looking a bit nervous, but more excited, and also looking forward to the Walkmans.

Cheng Zhanjun, Deng Zhangli, and Zuo Peiming went onto the stage, and three selected tall female employees came out carrying trays.

Cheng Zhanjun and Deng Zhangli picked up the bonuses from the trays: "Student Gao Yue'e, Student Lu Xiaohui, congratulations to you both, and I wish you a beautiful future."

"Thank you, Leaders!"

"Thank you, Leaders!"

The two took the bonuses and bowed to Cheng Zhanjun and Deng Zhangli, then their eyes darted toward the other two trays. They were very curious—besides the Walkmans, were there other prizes?

Zuo Peiming handed the Walkmans to the two, then picked up the pagers and asked with a smile: "Do you know what this is?"

Gao Yue'e and Lu Xiaohui shook their heads honestly, looking curiously at the things in Zuo Peiming's hands.

Zuo Peiming said: "This is a pager, and it's a newly launched Chinese character model, worth 6,800 yuan."

The crowd below exploded. So the mysterious grand prize was a pager! Some parents' eyes turned red. They thought that after going back, they must make their little brats study hard; if they don't study, beat them—next year they must get into a key university.

Zuo Peiming looked at the names on them: "This one is Gao Yue'e's, for use in Jingcheng. This one is Lu Xiaohui's, for use in Fengjing. The annual fees will be covered by the factory until you graduate from university."

Yao Shiguang sighed: "Their winery is really wealthy and arrogant."

Feng Duo smiled: "Wealthy and arrogant is good. Because they are wealthy and arrogant, we have money to make." ===== CHAPTER 277 =====