The next morning, in the president's office.
"What?" Manager Fang thought he had misheard, "You mean, you want to install an elevator in the office building?"
"Yes, and the sooner, the better." Li Yicheng elegantly crossed his hands on the table and smiled at Manager Fang.
"But, didn't Mr. Li say that our most important principle is to work step by step, not to take shortcuts for the sake of speed? So, the employees of Huamao have always used the stairs to come to work, as a reminder of this philosophy," Manager Fang repeated Mr. Li's words verbatim.
"Oh?" Li Yicheng narrowed his eyes. He had also heard the old man mention this philosophy. It had been a tradition at Huamao for many years. But for the sake of Tian Tian...
"Times have changed, Manager Fang," Li Yicheng cleared his throat in a serious tone. "Installing an elevator is to improve the efficiency of employees working on higher floors. Moreover, some employees, like pregnant women, older employees, or those with leg problems, find it inconvenient to use the stairs, don't you think?"
Manager Fang quickly found the key point in his mind: 'leg problems.'
"Furthermore, the old man will have to use a wheelchair when he gets out of the hospital. The doctor has made that clear. So, when he comes back to the company for inspection, how is he supposed to get upstairs?"
Li Yicheng brought up the old man again, and seeing that Manager Fang was no longer objecting, he knew that this matter was almost settled.
"That's right!" Li Yicheng nodded in satisfaction, "You can go ahead and make the arrangements now."
"Alright!" Manager Fang agreed and left the room.
As soon as Manager Fang left, Yao Wang's internal line phone rang.
"Mr. Li, do you have some free time now?"
"What's up?" Li Yicheng looked at his schedule on the desk. "I happen to have a bit of free time."
"Great, I'll take you to visit some potential domestic clients. Maybe we can establish future cooperation." Yao Wang was known for his extensive network, and that was one of his most valuable assets.
"Okay, let's go now."
"Should I take your car? My convertible sports car is too conspicuous. It's more suitable for picking up girls than for business. I don't want those old guys to have a bad impression of us later," Yao Wang suggested with a grin, hinting at Li Yicheng to double as his driver again.
"No problem." Li Yicheng was a man of action. He didn't mind Yao Wang's little tricks. If it could potentially bring in some clients, what did it matter if he played chauffeur?
Yao Wang still dressed as flashy as ever, wearing a leather jacket and jeans, which looked quite casual compared to Li Yicheng's suit and leather shoes.
"Aren't you going to change your clothes?" Li Yicheng furrowed his brow.
"No need. If I dress exactly like you, won't I steal the spotlight? People need to know who the boss is. I'm just the behind-the-scenes guy, and I usually dress like this." Yao Wang shook his head and smoothly got into the car.
"You're quite a character," Li Yicheng chuckled and got into the car as well.
They opened the navigation system and set off, chatting along the way.
"In fact, Huamao has good overall potential. Over the years, it has accumulated substantial strength and can further expand and strengthen. But unfortunately, Mr. Li is getting older, and his entrepreneurial spirit has long turned into a conservative one. Nowadays, the auto parts market is in decline, and Huamao is on a downward slope. This not only limits Huamao's development but also pushes it to the brink."
"I agree. Huamao's business is too single-minded right now, focusing solely on auto parts. If this market completely collapses, the entire factory will be in trouble."
"Your arrival may be a turning point for Huamao's fate in my eyes. Whether Huamao's light stays on or goes out in the future will depend on you."
"Don't worry; I'll make sure it stays on, lighting up the world."
"I hope I haven't misjudged you."
"We're running low on gas; let's fill up." On the way, Li Yicheng slightly deviated from the navigation route and pulled into a gas station.
"Sir, hello. If you need an invoice, please provide your information at the front desk," the gas station employee said with a smile to the two men in the car.
Li Yicheng got out of the car and followed the employee.
Yao Wang sneezed and subconsciously searched for tissues in the car.
No tissues here, no tissues there. While searching, he found a photo.
It turned out to be his own portrait.
Looking at it, it seemed somewhat familiar. Wasn't it the picture of the day he punished that security guard who didn't know his place, making him wear the photo on his neck?
Wow, that security guard had some nerve. He had lied and said he didn't know where he lost it.
To be able to throw it into the boss's car, it seemed that he wasn't so simple.
As he watched Li Yicheng return with the invoice, Yao Wang calmly put the photo back in its place. At the same time, he had already imagined the relationship between these two individuals a thousand times over.
Turning his head to look at Li Yicheng's handsome face, he suddenly found this situation quite interesting.
This person always enjoyed finding enjoyment in dull work. He was in his thirties, but he always seemed carefree and unconventional. It was a good thing he was like this; otherwise, Manager Fang would have an additional rival."
Manager Fang's efficiency was truly impressive. As soon as Li Yicheng and Yao Wang returned from the client, they saw him leading the elevator company's team in the lobby for measurements.
"Manager Fang, originally, this building's design didn't include space for installing an elevator. If we force it, the project will be quite substantial," the foreman, holding a measuring device, said. "Look, this wall needs to be demolished to create the passage."
"This wall isn't a load-bearing wall; it can be removed," Manager Fang examined the office building's blueprints.
"But even at the fastest pace, it will take about half a month," the foreman added.
"Half a month it is then. Get started as soon as possible," Li Yicheng replied after standing behind them with Yao Wang for a while.
"Mr. Li, Mr. Yao," Manager Fang turned around and quickly greeted the two leaders, and the foreman nodded politely.
"Oh?" Yao Wang appeared curious, adopting a bystander's stance. "Is the company installing an elevator?"
"Yes," Li Yicheng said, noticing Yao Wang's peach-blossom eyes gazing at him. He added, "It's for the employees' welfare."
Meanwhile, Manager Fang muttered to himself, "It should be for the 'limping' employees' welfare."
"Manager Fang, do you have a moment now? I have something to ask you." Yao Wang signaled Manager Fang when Li Yicheng had gone upstairs.
"In that case, I'll get going. I'll work on the plan," the foreman, seeing the situation, began to pack up his tools and leave.
"Yao Wang, what's the matter?" Manager Fang was led into the reception room in the lobby by Yao Wang.
"Cough cough, well, I wanted to ask you about the security guard who was beaten up by the main entrance that day. What's his name?"
"Oh?" Manager Fang didn't expect it to be about Lin Tianran again and felt a bit bewildered. Although he couldn't quite grasp Yao Wang's intentions, he had to be honest and answered, "His name is Lin Tianran. He's not a security guard; he's a clerk in the Document Control Center. He was just filling in for someone that day."
"Document Control Center?" Yao Wang raised an eyebrow and continued, "What's his relationship with Li Yicheng?"
"Well..." Manager Fang hesitated, his face showing a trace of uncertainty. "I'm not entirely sure. How about you ask Mr. Li yourself?"
He, Manager Fang, was no fool. When he couldn't figure out the situation, it was best to say as little as possible. Otherwise, if he said something he shouldn't, he might incur Mr. Li's displeasure.
Yao Wang had honed his sharp insight through years of business dealings. He could tell from Manager Fang's expression that there was something more to this situation.
"Well, then, you can go about your business."
"Of course," Manager Fang hurriedly left.
So, he wasn't a security guard. That's why he couldn't see him when passing by the security room at the main entrance these past few days.
As for the clerk in the Document Control Center, he seemed to remember that the position had been vacant for a long time due to the lack of technical content. But after one round of layoffs, they hadn't eliminated it. How come they placed someone there now?
Yao Wang was becoming more and more curious about Lin Tianran. It was like discovering a new video game, eager to conquer its challenges. This puzzle aroused his curiosity and desire for fun.
Today, the Document Control Center was also bustling with activity.
The monthly meeting was approaching, and each department was busy preparing its monthly summary reports. Therefore, the Document Control Center was crowded with girls who needed to print reports.
"Ah, my dear said he's taking me out to dinner for our wedding anniversary this year." Lili from the Finance Department was ecstatically showing off to the other girls.
"Wow, that's so romantic! Where are you going to eat?" The middle-aged lady from the Procurement Department asked with curiosity.
"It doesn't really matter where we eat. What matters is that he's putting in the effort. Isn't that right, Lili?" A girl from the Logistics Department joined the discussion.
"He said he'd take me to that famous Japanese restaurant, what's it called again? I heard it's really hard to get a reservation there." Lili was lost in bliss.
"Is it called 'Fourth Generation'?" Lin Tianran, who had been quietly cleaning the printer paper packaging, suddenly interjected. Normally, he would have played dumb in such a situation and focused on his work. But today, he decided to join the conversation. His words surprised everyone, including himself.
Lili was the first to react, saying, "Yes, yes, it's 'Fourth Generation'! Have you been there?"
"Well, I've been there once," Lin Tianran replied sheepishly.
"Is the restaurant romantic? Is it high-end?" The middle-aged lady from the Procurement Department was curious about Lin Tianran's opinion.
"Um, it's quite upscale, and the food is expensive. But it's really delicious." Lin Tianran started to reminisce. "I heard it's run by a famous Japanese chef, and they import ingredients from Japan by air every day."
"Oh, I see." The three of them were enlightened, and Lili asked, "Can you recommend some of the tasty dishes?"
"Well... their sea urchin sashimi is very sweet and worth trying. Oh, and their tempura is incredibly flavorful..." Lin Tianran listed all the dishes he had enjoyed that day.
The four of them continued to chat and laugh, creating a lively atmosphere.
This was the first time Lin Tianran had integrated into a conversation with colleagues. Normally, his colleagues in the Document Control Center would treat him like an invisible person due to his plain appearance. But today, he was part of the discussion, and Lin Tianran felt genuinely happy.
Indeed, with Li Yicheng's help, his self-confidence was gradually building. Initiating conversations with others, rather than lurking in the background, was his first step in breaking down his barriers of self-doubt.
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