Chapter 32: People Die for Wealth, Birds Die for Food

Arriving at the staff dormitory of the Xiyuan Electronic Engineering Research Institute, which was actually a tube-shaped building, Li Dongling and Gao Peng and the others found the room where Chen Tao and his wife lived after asking a few people along the way.

Before they even knocked on the door, they heard a burst of arguing inside, followed by a woman's crying.

"No wages again. It's been several months. Others can receive wages, but you can't, right!"

"If we can't receive wages again, just let me and the child starve to death!"

"It was agreed before that when the research institute had new houses, they would allocate us a couple's room. As a result, others have moved in, and only then were you notified that there was no room for you!"

Inside the room, his wife cried, and the child cried along. The crying made Chen Tao irritable, and he still had to coax them. "Tomorrow, tomorrow I will go to the research institute leaders to ask for wages. If they don't give it, I won't work anymore and will find another company to work for..."

Just as he said this, the door was knocked on. Chen Tao opened the door with irritation and saw Li Dongling and the others standing at the door.

"Professor Liu Youguo introduced us to come here!"

Hearing Li Dongling mention Liu Youguo, Chen Tao said hurriedly, "Please come in, please come in..."

Li Dongling glanced at the room that was packed full, and it was hard to find a place to stand, let alone squeeze several people in.

"It's a bit messy, I haven't had time to clean it up yet!" Chen Tao said with slight embarrassment.

"Brother Chen, why don't we go down and talk!"

Hearing this "Brother," Chen Tao's face showed a bit of joy. "You are also a graduate of Jiaotong University!"

Li Dongling nodded and glanced at Gao Peng behind him. The latter moved the things he brought into the room. Chen Tao saw all this.

Downstairs, Li Dongling and Chen Tao came to a restaurant. Picking up a bottle of beer, Chen Tao drank more than half of it and said to Li Dongling with bitterness, "This senior brother of yours has made you see a joke."

Li Dongling clinked glasses with him. "When I was at Jiaotong University, I heard a lot about Senior Brother Chen's great name. At that time, you were the genius of Jiaotong University and the idol of all freshmen!"

Hearing Li Dongling mention this, Chen Tao gave a bitter smile. "Don't mention the courage of the past, it's all in the past!"

When he was at Jiaotong University, Chen Tao was also sought after by thousands. At that time, he was also ambitious, thinking that he could make a career, just like Boss Shi of Giant, developing an epoch-making product and then becoming famous in one battle.

But after graduation, when he came to the Electronic Engineering Research Institute, it was endless design and then modification. He applied to the supervisor to develop new products, but what he received was always the reply that the research institute leaders had to discuss it, and then there was no follow-up. The genius of Hanxi Jiaotong University had now been worn down and was about to lose his luster.

"Senior Brother Chen, I came this time to invite you to serve as the Technical Department Supervisor of Dongling High-Tech. Dongling High-Tech is developing two new products and needs your help!"

Chen Tao drank a bottle of beer, his brain was still clear, and he said with some difficulty, "Junior Brother Li, to tell you the truth, if it were when I just graduated from Jiaotong University, I would definitely go to help you. But now, I am married and have children. I am afraid I can't go to Pingyang..."

"As long as Senior Brother Chen is willing to go to Pingyang to develop products, Dongling High-Tech can provide Senior Brother Chen with a salary of no less than 7,000 yuan per month. In addition, there will be bonuses, year-end bonuses, etc. Sister-in-law can also go over with the children, and Dongling High-Tech is also willing to provide her with a salary.

In the future, Dongling High-Tech might also build an R&D center in the provincial capital and build staff commodity housing. At that time, Senior Brother Chen can also return to the provincial capital!"

Chen Tao couldn't help but swallow his saliva. He suspected he was drunk, but his consciousness was very clear at this time.

How much was his salary now? It was said to be 600 yuan, but the research institute had not issued it for several months on the grounds of financial difficulties. Now Dongling High-Tech offered him a salary ten times his current salary.

"You're not joking?!" Chen Tao asked Li Dongling with heavy breathing.

"A gentleman's word is his bond. Dongling High-Tech can advance one month's salary for Senior Brother Chen first!"

Facing the salary offered by Li Dongling and the 7,000 yuan directly advanced to him, Chen Tao had no more hesitation and went back to the tube-shaped building to start packing things with his wife to go to Pingyang.

Not only Chen Tao, but Li Dongling also poached seven or eight old technicians from the Xiyuan Electronic Engineering Research Institute through Chen Tao, and then returned to Pingyang together.

Another office building next to Dongling High-Tech on Changqing Road was also rented and used as Dongling High-Tech's R&D laboratory.

Li Dongling, who returned to Pingyang, held the first meeting since the establishment of Dongling High-Tech. Finance Manager Hu Zixian, Chairman's Assistant and HR Supervisor Yao Luoying, new Technical Supervisor Chen Tao, and Logistics Supervisors Li Dongshan and Gao Peng all came to the conference room.

"For a long time in the future, everyone might have to be in the same boat on Dongling High-Tech!

I hope this ship can keep sailing, and everyone can get what they want!"

Li Dongling looked at the few people in the conference room, then took out the two design blueprints and handed them to the few people in the conference room.

"From now on, Dongling High-Tech's most important project is to develop two products: the digital cordless phone and the scroll-wheel mouse!

All departments, as well as personnel, must coordinate to help the technical department launch these two products next year, no matter what the cost!"

Yao Luoying looked at the two blueprints in her hands. She was not a professional designer, but she was clear about the current mainstream electronic products. And the products designed in the two blueprints in her hands, she had never seen before.

Yao Luoying didn't know what kind of impact these two products would have on the tech industry, but she was surprised by Li Dongling's design talent. "Chairman, did you design all these yourself?!"

Li Dongling nodded noncommittally. He came from a design background, so wasn't it natural to design these products? Wasn't it something that could be done with hands?!

Compared to Yao Luoying, Chen Tao looked at the blueprints repeatedly, and his heart was even more shocked. The two blueprints looked very complete. At least Chen Tao couldn't see any obvious flaws.

With these two blueprints, Chen Tao didn't need to grope step by step. He only needed to make components that met the performance requirements according to the design on the blueprints, then debug and test, and finally assemble them!

Whether the digital cordless phone and scroll-wheel mouse designed by Li Dongling could be used and how the performance was, Chen Tao didn't dare to say without seeing the real thing. But just this design ability, Chen Tao felt that among those professors at Jiaotong University, there might not be many who could be stronger than Li Dongling.

"If developing two products at the same time, the technical department's manpower is not enough. We need to continue to recruit people, and professional experimental equipment also needs to be purchased."

Hearing Chen Tao's words, Li Dongling said directly, "How much manpower is needed, the HR department will help you recruit. If Pingyang is not enough, go to the provincial capital to poach people!

List the experimental equipment, the finance department will allocate funds, and the procurement section of the logistics department will be responsible for purchasing. If it's not available domestically, buy it from abroad!"

Li Dongling said to everyone present, his attitude was very clear, that is, no matter the cost, he must develop the digital cordless phone and scroll-wheel mouse next year!

As a steady stream of manpower, material resources, and funds began to be invested, Dongling High-Tech, like a tank filled with oil, began to roar and operate.

Various R&D equipment began to be moved into the laboratory one after another, and the number of personnel in the technical department also expanded to more than 70, and the number of personnel was still constantly increasing.

Li Dongling was basically busy between the Component Factory and Dongling High-Tech. Satellite dishes were now providing cash flow for Dongling High-Tech, and Li Dongling couldn't put down the satellite dish project. At this time, it had been almost four months since Li Dongling returned to Pingyang, and there was only a little more than a month left until the New Year.

Today was the day for the satellite dish project dividends, and also the day for the Component Factory employees to receive wages. When Li Dongling came over, he could feel the atmosphere of joy permeating the entire Component Factory.

"This is the Component Factory. This month's sales volume was a total of 210,000 satellite dishes, of which 70,000 were pre-sold. The total sales volume was 63 million..."

At the Component Factory conference room, Zhang Ao, on behalf of the sales department, reported the sales volume of satellite dishes. Now, the Guanying satellite dish was selling more than it was producing, so there would be a scene of pre-sales and then shipping next month.

"The finance section must complete the audit of wages and bonuses today. When getting off work, they must all be issued!"

Zhang Xiaocheng said to the head of the finance section, looking in a good mood. But when the others left and only he and Li Dongling were left, Zhang Xiaocheng's face changed suddenly.

The water cup was slammed heavily on the table, and Zhang Xiaocheng said angrily, "Someone from the municipal government came to tell me today that other companies in Pingyang will also launch satellite dishes next month. I didn't expect that before outsiders came to smash our rice bowls, we first encountered our own people snatching our rice bowls!"

Hearing this, Li Dongling was also stunned for a moment, but didn't feel too surprised, and as for being angry, it was even less so.

The Guanying brand satellite dish had been selling for three months. Having eaten alone for three months, it was not strange to have competitors appear, although the first batch of competitors was pushed out by the Pingyang municipal government.

"Now, the most important thing is to increase production capacity, let Zhang Ao and the others open the market in the southern provinces and cities, and sell satellite dishes to the south."

Li Dongling said. He felt that the satellite dish could still have one last wave of madness, perhaps it could still sell well for three months, and then this industry, it was estimated, would completely change.

"That's all we can do!" Zhang Xiaocheng was somewhat unwilling, but finally could only sigh and say.

Li Dongling stayed at the Component Factory until the evening before he finished. Dongling High-Tech needed to dock accounts and dividends with the Component Factory, all of which required Li Dongling to sign.

After finishing, Li Dongling got into the car, and Yang Zhi Gao drove the car back to the residence. Now, those courtyards behind Dongling High-Tech had all been renovated and completed, and Li Dongling lived there.

Li Dongling entered a courtyard with four rooms. From the outside, this courtyard was no different from other civilian houses in Pingyang, but after entering, one would find that it was much cleaner than other courtyards.

There was a ginkgo tree that had grown for many years in the middle of the courtyard, and there was also a pomegranate tree in the corner. The rest were some old tables, chairs, and ornaments with simple shapes. These were old objects that Gao Peng asked people to buy back. Whether they were antiques or not, Li Dongling hadn't studied them.

This courtyard had a master bedroom and a guest bedroom, and the rest, such as the kitchen and bathroom, were all available. What made Li Dongling most satisfied was that a water heater was bought back from another place, allowing people to take a bath here in winter.

Now commodity housing was not yet popularized, especially in winter, wanting to take a hot bath was not so easy.

Entering the house, Li Dongling put down his coat. The house was fully equipped with a telephone, air conditioning, TV, refrigerator, washing machine, radio, etc., and there was also an Aiwa desktop combination stereo.

Li Dongling sat down and fiddled with the computer, but this computer was not connected to the Internet, and he couldn't irrigate or brag. But in this day and age, even if it were connected to the Internet, the websites, forums, and chat rooms that could be visited were few and far between. Many people simply ran to overseas forums to irrigate.

Fiddling with the computer a few times, Li Dongling suddenly thought about whether to create a website, let a bunch of Internet old hands have a place to brag and irrigate, and Li Dongling could also join in the fun. Otherwise, wouldn't the days of the domestic Internet be too plain!

Of course, counting on this website to earn much money now, that was basically not to be counted on. On the other side of the Pacific, the concept of the information superhighway had just been proposed, and the wind of the Internet hadn't even blown from the west, so how could it blow to the east.

Knowing that the satellite dish market would undergo drastic changes and wanting to be as profitable as before was impossible, Li Dongling put more thought into Dongling High-Tech's new projects. ===== CHAPTER 33 =====