Chapter 47 This suffocating corporate culture, the birth of the King of Scrolls

Early the next morning.

The sky was just beginning to brighten, the pale blue morning mist hadn't dissipated yet.

Shen Qingqiu walked into the Xinghai Technology park, holding a cup of Americano and wearing high heels.

She glanced at the Cartier watch on her wrist; it was exactly 7:00 AM.

Usually, even the old security guard would be dozing off.

But as she stepped through the gate, the scene before her stopped her in her tracks.

The entire factory area looked like a war machine with a furnace burning red, the roar was deafening.

White smoke was rising from the canteen.

Former Canteen Chef Wang Chunhua was wearing an oily apron, her large iron ladle swinging so fast it left afterimages.

The "clanging" of the wok could be heard from half a courtyard away, sparks flying high.

"Eat up! Eat until you're full, then go conquer the world for President Lu!"

The auntie's voice was loud and clear, slamming red-braised pork into the bowls of the queuing workers.

"Whoever leaves leftovers, I'll whack you with this ladle!"

Shen Qingqiu swallowed, bypassed the canteen, and headed towards Workshop No. 1.

Pushing open the heavy fire door, a thick smell of Red Bull mixed with machine oil hit her.

On the workshop floor, a dozen military-green cots were lined up neatly.

Old Li, wearing a safety helmet, was standing in front of a pick-and-place machine, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"We just got a million from the boss yesterday, who has the nerve to clock out on time today?"

He waved his walkie-talkie, his old face flushed red.

"I, Old Li, will say this: I'm not going back this week, I've already set up my bed here!"

"If production doesn't go up, we're all ungrateful wretches!"

The technicians below responded as if they had been injected with adrenaline, howling back.

"Chief Engineer Li is right! We've taken five years' worth of life-buying money, if we don't work, are we even human!"

"Whoever dares to slack off, I'll be the first to hit them with a wrench!"

Shen Qingqiu felt her scalp tingle.

These people had bloodshot eyes, but were as hyper as if they'd just done drugs.

She didn't dare disturb this crazy rally and turned towards the software lab next door.

The glass door of the lab was half-open.

Xia Weiliang was curled up in a swivel chair, her white lab coat stained with oil.

Her hair was messy like a bird's nest, hadn't touched water in at least three days, sticking to her forehead in clumps.

She held a bucket of bloated Master Kong pickled cabbage instant noodles in her left hand, her right hand typing so fast it left afterimages on the keyboard.

"Weiliang, you didn't go back to the dorm last night?"

Shen Qingqiu walked over and tapped the desk lightly.

"Go back to the dorm, what for!"

Xia Weiliang didn't even look up, slurping a large mouthful of noodles.

"I've already taken the million, those top-spec servers will arrive today."

She tapped the Enter key fiercely, her eyes fixed on the waterfall of code on the screen.

"The underlying algorithm of Xinghai OS can still be squeezed for another two milliseconds."

She nudged Shen Qingqiu with her elbow, "Don't block the light, I'm just getting inspiration!"

Shen Qingqiu was speechless.

She walked out and passed the marketing department on the second floor.

Chu Xuan was leading a group of young men, each drinking a bottle of strong tea, outputting frantically at their computers.

"Three shifts! Even if the keyboards smoke, you have to keep a close eye on public opinion!"

Chu Xuan had dark circles under his eyes, his voice hoarse.

"Whoever lets Samsung's shills exploit a loophole, I'll kick them out of Xinghai myself!"

Shen Qingqiu shook her head; this suffocating corporate culture was simply perverted.

Just as she was about to go upstairs to her office, she suddenly heard a commotion outside the main gate.

Looking down from the stairwell window.

A middle-aged man in a suit, with a greasy hairstyle, was holding onto a junior engineer from Xinghai.

"Brother, I'm from Tianyu Headhunters."

The greasy-haired man lowered his voice, trying to shove a business card into the engineer's hand.

"Bolang Mobile said, as long as you're willing to jump ship, they'll double your salary and throw in stock options!"

The engineer glanced at the card.

He spat on the ground and grabbed the headhunter's expensive tie.

"Double? Are you trying to fool a beggar?"

The engineer pointed at his own nose, his face full of defiance.

"I just got a cash bonus equivalent to five years' salary yesterday, and Wave, that broken factory on the verge of bankruptcy, thinks they can poach me?"

The commotion was too loud, and Niu Dazhuang from the security booth rushed out with a large broom.

"What are you doing! Daring to poach at our Xinghai gate?"

Dazhuang glared, and the broom in his hand hit the headhunter's greasy head directly.

Dust covered the headhunter's face, and his suit was covered in mud spots.

"You dare hit me! I'm a professional headhunter!"

The greasy-haired man covered his head, dodging back in a panic.

"I'm hitting you, you shameless lackey!"

A few workers who had just finished the night shift gathered around, rolling up their sleeves ready to fight.

"Brothers, kick him out! Don't let him dirty the feng shui of our gate!"

Dazhuang kicked the headhunter in the butt.

The greasy-haired man stumbled and rolled out the gate, not even daring to pick up the briefcase he'd dropped.

He scrambled away, disappearing from sight.

Top floor, President's office.

The AC was set just right, and the room was filled with the fragrance of Mingqian Longjing tea.

Lu Jingming was wearing a loose black T-shirt, leaning on a leather sofa.

He held a small purple clay teacup, watching the farce downstairs through the floor-to-ceiling window.

A leisurely smile played on the corners of his mouth.

"You're quite relaxed."

Shen Qingqiu pushed the door open and set her coffee down heavily on the coffee table.

She walked over and followed Lu Jingming's gaze to look outside the gate.

"Those headhunters have almost worn out our factory gate these past few days."

Shen Qingqiu pulled out a chair and sat down, smoothing her professional skirt.

"But they were all beaten out by Dazhuang and the others. Now, the industry is saying that Xinghai's people have been brainwashed and are impossible to poach."

Lu Jingming withdrew his gaze, took a sip of tea, his face full of contentment.

"This isn't called brainwashing, this is the two-way pursuit of 'money power'."

He put down the teacup.

"Having taken my money, they now feel that not working is a crime."

"The way you act as a capitalist, you're even more ruthless than those vampires on Wall Street."

Shen Qingqiu rolled her eyes, but a hint of admiration was hidden in her eyes.

Handing out money until employees voluntarily worked three shifts—this management method could be called a 'kill shot'.

"Ring—"

Just as they were talking, the red dedicated landline on the desk suddenly rang.

This phone rarely rang; only specific high-level numbers could call in.

Lu Jingming walked over and picked up the receiver.

"Who is this?"

On the other end of the line came a sweet and intellectual female voice.

"Hello, President Lu, I'm CCTV reporter Bingbing."

Lu Jingming raised an eyebrow.

He pulled over the boss's chair and sat down, leaning back slightly.

"Big reporter Bingbing, it's only been a few days since the news broadcast, do you miss me so soon?"

Shen Qingqiu frowned while listening to the side; this guy was still so unprofessional in front of official media.

Bingbing chuckled on the phone, her voice crisp and pleasant.

"President Lu is really humorous. But I'm here today with an official task from the station."

She paused, her tone becoming serious.

"Xinghai Technology's firm stance against foreign supply cuts and leading the breakthrough of domestic screens has had a great response from above."

"The station plans to do an in-depth personal interview with you for a national audience, recorded on-site at your factory."

This was an in-depth interview with CCTV.

Its value was more than ten times higher than that previous three-minute news report.

Once aired, Lu Jingming's face would truly become a golden brand in the domestic tech circle.

"Sure, Xinghai's doors are always open."

Lu Jingming spun the fountain pen on the table and agreed readily.

"However, President Lu, I have to give you a heads-up in advance."

Bingbing's voice lowered slightly, with a hint of cunning.

"This interview is a live broadcast format, no script, and no room for editing errors."

She seemed to be smiling on the other end.

"Now the whole internet says you are a madman in the tech circle."

"I want to ask, facing hundreds of millions of viewers across the country, do you still dare to say harsh things that offend your peers?"

Lu Jingming's wrist paused.

The pen spun around his fingertip and landed steadily in his palm.

He looked at the dazzling sunlight outside the window, a wild and arrogant arc curling on his lips.

"Big reporter Bingbing, you've asked the wrong person."

He spoke into the microphone, his voice lazy yet filled with unquestionable dominance.

"In my arena, there is no such thing as offending peers."

Lu Jingming stood up, his eyes sharp.

"Because after the interview airs, they will understand who is the real daddy who sets the rules in this circle."